Student-run community farm UGArden won $10,000 through the Kubota Hometown Grant but stands a chance to win $50,000 with enough votes. The money will go toward building a 24/7 pay-what-you-can produce stand open to the community. Voting takes place at kubotahometownproud.com.
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The Kalki Line
GETS ON THE BALLOT, AND MORE LOCAL NEWS
By Blake Aued and Rebecca McCarthy news@flagpole.com
The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office certified last week that Kalki Yalamanchili will be on the ballot this November as an independent candidate for district attorney.
Yalamanchili needed signatures from 5 percent of registered voters in Clarke and Oconee counties—about 5,000 total—to run as an independent. In early July, he submitted 14,000. The general rule of thumb for gathering signatures to get on the ballot is to submit twice as many as required; many will be thrown out because the signer isn’t registered to vote or doesn’t live within the jurisdiction.
At the time, Yalamanchili said he had paid a private company $120,000 to collect and verify signatures to free him up for campaigning. His July filing with the Georgia Campaign Finance Commission shows that he paid more than $100,000 to Austin, TX-based Vanguard Field Strategies for petition circulation and signature verification in May and June. He could afford the expense, because he had raised more than $381,000 as of June 30.
Yalamanchili’s donors include a number of prominent Republicans, such as Barbara Dooley, former state Reps. Doug McKillip and Hank Huckaby, former Athens Mayor Doc Eldridge, Watkinsville Mayor Brian Brodrick, Superior Court Judge Patrick Haggard (a Gov. Nathan Deal appointee) and Steve Middlebrooks, cofounder of the conservative group Athens Classic. They also include the two candidates who ran against Gonzales in 2020: Democrat Brian Patterson and independent James Chafin, both of whom worked with Yalamanchili in the DA’s office under Ken Mauldin. Defense attorneys from across the political spectrum also contributed to Yalamanchili’s campaign, including Bill Overend, former chair of the ACC Democratic Committee.
Yalamanchili has a $100,000 cash-on-
hand advantage over incumbent Deborah Gonzalez, who reported raising $80,755 through June 30. That includes just $2,350 over the most recent two-month reporting period. [Blake Aued]
UGA Students Appeal Suspensions
Six UGA students who were suspended for protesting Israel’s invasion of Gaza defended themselves during a lengthy disciplinary hearing last week.
The six—Zeena Mohamed, Isabelle Philip, Ezra Lewis, Jack Hunter, Austin Kral and Lauren Heinze—were among nine students and 16 total individuals who were arrested in April after setting up a camp on the North Campus quad near President Jere Morehead’s office. After about an hour on the morning of Apr. 29, police moved in and dragged away protesters as they linked arms in a circle. The 16 people who were arrested at the Students for Justice in Palestine “liberation zone” were charged with trespassing, and at least some of them entered into pretrial diversion programs in June.
violated the student code of conduct, but also to further air their views on the IsraelHamas conflict. They said they were upset with Morehead for meeting with a Jewish student group, UGA Hillel, but refusing to engage in dialogue with Arab students and other Palestine sympathizers.
Philip said she supports the Palestinian cause because her family fled nearby Cyprus in 1973 during a civil war between Turkish and Greek forces. As her own graduation ceremony went on without her, “All I could think about were the thousands of students in Gaza who would not live to see their equally deserved graduation,” she said.
UGA accused the students of violating UGA policy by disrupting university activities, physical violence or intimidation, failure to comply with the orders of a university official, protesting outside of a free speech zone and attempting to enter a building.
“ All I could think about were the thousands of students in Gaza who would not live to see their equally deserved graduation.
The nine arrested students were also placed under what the university called “interim suspension,” barring them from campus, including taking finals, living in dorms or participating in the May commencement ceremony. Six of them appealed their suspensions and waived the Family Educational and Privacy Rights Act (FERPA) to make the July 30 hearing public.
The students used the hearing not only to contest UGA’s allegations that they
The students argued that they never intended to occupy the Administration Building as UGA advocates alleged, that the protest was not disruptive, that they eventually filled out the proper paperwork for a protest, that they did not resist arrest, and that the university’s free-speech policy conflicts with state law. The Forum Act, passed in 2022, prohibits free-speech zones and designates all outdoor areas on public college campuses as public forums. April was a time when similar or larger protests were rocking campuses across the country, and Georgia Republicans were eager to crack down. As demonstrations at UGA and Emory University unfolded, Gov. Brian Kemp called for “harsh penalties” for protesters who damage property or assault police. Meanwhile, many professors felt the students’ punishment was too harsh, with almost 200 signing a petition asking UGA to lift their suspensions.
UGA disciplinary hearings are student-run, with the accused students making statements and calling witnesses (in this case, with advice from pro bono attorneys) and other students advocating on behalf of
the university. The appeal will be decided by a panel consisting of two students and one faculty member. No ruling had been issued at Flagpole’s press time. According to one university official, decisions usually take about a week. [BA]
Warnock Sponsors Housing Bill
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock has signed onto a bill that would use federal funds to build 3 million new housing units in the U.S., which he said would bring down rents by 10 percent.
The American Housing and Economic Mobility Act is cosponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and six other Democratic senators, and a House version was introduced by Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO). The $500 billion bill, funded by estate tax reform, would not only put funding toward housing construction for low- and middle-income renters over 10 years, it would also provide down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, expand access to credit, regulate corporate landlords and offer incentives to local governments that ease land-use restrictions.
The bill lacks any Republican sponsors, though, giving it little chance to avoid a filibuster in the Senate or pass the GOPcontrolled House.
Warnock—who grew up in public housing in Savannah—said housing costs are a problem all over the state. “Despite working harder, Georgians are struggling more than ever to put a roof over their families’ heads. And in almost every community in America—rural, suburban, urban—we’re in the middle of an affordable housing crisis,” he said during a conference call with reporters.
Housing costs are a particularly important issue in Athens, where a recent Washington Post analysis found that rents have risen by almost 40 percent since 2019, twice the national average of 19 percent. The average rent in Athens is $1,654, the Post found, though it did not break down rents by number of bedrooms. Based on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines stating that no one should pay more than 30 percent of their income toward rent, an annual income
of $66,160 is needed to afford a $1,654 monthly rent. But the median household income is just $50,477.
Like Warnock, many Athens-Clarke County officials have labeled housing costs a “crisis,” passed an inclusionary zoning ordinance with incentives for developers to build below-market units, and invested more than $50 million in affordable housing construction in recent years, most notably the Bethel Midtown Village redevelopment downtown.
All over the country, housing construction has failed to keep up with population growth, and Athens is no different. Statewide, the estimated shortage is 200,000 units. Locally, extremely low vacancy rates fueled by UGA’s growth and new jobs have driven up rents. But that may be changing with thousands of new apartments under construction or in the planning stage.
“The only way to dig our country out of this housing crisis is to build more housing so everyone has a place to call home,” Warnock said. “My bill will make bold investments in our country’s housing and encourage local innovation to lower housing costs even more—and it’s all paid for by getting America’s wealthiest families to chip in.”
Many experts say that single-family zoning laws, like restrictions on height and minimum lot sizes, are contributing to housing’s unaffordability. The ACC government is currently looking at revising the local zoning code as it updates the future land use map for the first time in more than 20 years. [BA]
Rebuilt Clarke Middle School Opens
Five years after outraged teachers, parents and students complained to the school board about abysmal conditions at 61-yearold Clarke Middle School, a handsome, brand-new building welcomed students last Thursday, Aug. 1. Clarke Middle now has a state-of-the art HVAC, bright, wide hallways and—unlike the demolished school— no visible roaches.
“This is just phase one,” said John Gilbreath, who was smiling ear-to-ear at the positive reception the Baxter Street school was receiving from visitors at an open house July 30. Gilbreath coordinates capital projects funded by CCSD’s e-SPLOST initiatives. Phase two of the building, expected to be finished in January, includes a gymnasium, administration offices, rooms for professional learning and a health clinic.
Each grade is housed primarily on one floor, with eighth grade classrooms on the bottom floor and sixth grade on the top. Connections—art and music, French and Spanish language instruction, agricultural and family and consumer sciences—are shared, with students going from floor to floor.
The cafeteria can accommodate more than 500 people. It also features a stage, a huge screen and a projector system. The building has 72 classrooms for instruction. The school greenhouse and barn are set up, as are garden areas and a soccer field. Including Alps Elementary School next door, the site is 50 acres.
After touring each of the school’s three floors, the science labs, the huge cafeteria and media center at the open house, seventh grade friends Mica Suiza and Natalie Zakharau said they especially liked the “clean bathrooms,” which come with an ample number of working stalls and an automatic sink. Last year, students were housed in huge trailers while construction was underway, but they sometimes had to venture into the old building, where they encountered “very gross” bathrooms with broken pipes and memorable odors.
In 2019, then-superintendent Demond Means estimated the cost of building a new middle school at $25–28 million. Five years later, the final price tag has almost doubled to $55 million. Local builder Grahl Construction is the contractor, and the architecture firm is Lindsay Pope Brayfield & Associates.
You can see the old school building in piles along Baxter Street. Gilbreath said crews are sorting through the materials, finding metal that can be sent to salvage. Bricks and concrete are taken to different landfills. [Rebecca McCarthy] f
Biden Could Have Won
As a former president and Hollywood actor who co-starred with Bonzo the Chimp was quoted as often saying, “There they go again.”
Democrats are again mindlessly running in circles wetting their pants because they fear Republican propaganda about Biden’s chances of losing to the convicted felon and certifiable pathological liar/sociopath Donald Trump in the upcoming election. These weenie Chicken Littles are forgetting that the so-called polls are not predictions, but rather indications, mere snapshots of peoples’ preferences at a particular point in time. Perhaps they should buy several packages of Depends and stay the course with the Biden-Harris ticket.
After the pathetic 90-minute speech by Trump at the Republican convention, it is obvious that Trump is unfit to be president. Joe Biden could beat the liar hands down. Further, it should be noted that pathological lying is a serious symptom of an underlying personality disorder as antisocial or narcissistic, both of which are listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This fact alone—if it were adequately covered and discussed by the news media, instead of ignoring it to the extent of trying to make it appear as normal Trump behavior—would disqualify Trump as a presidential candidate. What are they all afraid of, being sued by the wanna-be dictator?
Fortunately, George Conway, conservative lawyer and ex-husband of Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, has launched the “Anti-Psychopath PAC” (Google it) to focus on Trump’s mental health, pouring a substantial amount of his own money into the PAC as a public service to inform the electorate, a task which all of the cowardly news media have abandoned while at the same time relentlessly harping on Biden’s gaffes and his bad performance in that joke of a television production CNN actually called a “debate,” with no fact checking or even any insistence that the candidates answer the direct questions of the so-called moderators, who did nothing. They could have pre-recorded their questions and mailed them in for all the good they did. Biden had a cold, was not feeling well and succumbed to Trump’s tactic of a virtual fire hose of lies. Any person would be overwhelmed in attempting to counter on the spot. Even the CNN staff later reported that Trump made more than 30 false claims.
On the other hand, Tim Alberta, staff writer at The Atlantic, has been reporting that the Trump campaign is gearing up for a landslide win, depending on a strategy masterminded by Chris LaCivita (the person responsible for swiftboating John Kerry’s presidential bid) in cahoots with Susie Wiles, to torpedo Joe Biden’s chances. Alberta leans toward the idea that the plan cooked up by these two Republican operatives is so dependent on Joe Biden being the Democratic candidate, that if it turns out to be someone else like Kamala Harris, it would throw their meticulous plans awry. This seems to be the thinking, even though voters are reported to have doubts about Harris’s potential. The Politico/Morning consult poll of June 12, 2024 revealed only a third of voters think Harris would win an election (just three out of five Democrats and a quarter of independents believe she would prevail).
The question then becomes, should we go with the wisdom that only experience can truly provide, or gamble on America’s prevailing culture of ageism to save our democracy? My vote is for wisdom and experience versus some potentially clever but risky plan to outmaneuver a devious opposition.
Walter B. Sikora Athens
Why Hasn’t Congress Fixed the Border?
We know that Congress needs to enact immigration law reform to restore order to immigration into the United States. Isn’t that what everyone wants?
Last February, a bipartisan group of senators presented a comprehensive immigration law reform bill. The bill was endorsed by the U.S. Border Patrol. Everyone conceded the bill was not perfect. Bills that receive bi-partisan support in Congress rarely are. What happened to that bill?
“ There will be some uninformed voters who believe Trump’s false narrative.
One rule of the shoddy CNN “debate” production, that of no fact checking, was put forth by CNN’s new owners, Warner Bros., particularly FOX-loving billionaire John Malone, who sits on the board and made his billions in the pay TV business. He has publicly stated he would “…like to see CNN evolve” to be more like FOX News. Unfortunately, the twits in the Biden campaign foolishly agreed to this “no fact checking,” and the resulting disaster is history.
Candidate Donald Trump knew that if this bill passed, he could no longer stridently insist that the Biden administration and the Democrats in Congress were refusing to address and solve the chaos at the border. Since this has been his main rallying cry, the passage of this bill would be a disaster for his presidential campaign. So, Donald Trump insisted that his supporters in Congress kill the bill. Trump’s supporters, like Georgia District 10 Rep. Mike Collins, were only too happy to oblige and refused to consider the bill. So now what? Trump continues to decry the crisis at the border, falsely claiming the Biden administration and the Democrats in Congress refuse to solve the border problem. Unfortunately, there will be some uninformed voters who believe Trump’s false narrative. Don’t be one of them.
We need to elect a member of Congress in November who will finally get the job done. And that is not Mike Collins.
Bruce Menke Athens
Kemp’s New Deal?
By Charles Hayslett news@flagpole.com
In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the poverty-stricken American South the biggest threat to the nation’s economy.
“It is my conviction that the South presents right now the nation’s No. 1 economic problem,” FDR wrote in a message to a Conference on Economic Conditions of the South. “The nation’s problem,” he added, “not merely the South’s.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, would probably recoil at the notion of borrowing a thought from the original New Deal Democrat, but he could absolutely say the same thing about the southern half of the state he now leads.
To be clear, Georgia’s challenges with poverty, poor education and ill health are not confined to the areas south of Macon. You can find all those problems and more in every corner of the state. But they are overwhelmingly concentrated below the state’s fabled gnat line—and they hang like an albatross around the neck of the state and Metro Atlanta. South Georgia is, indeed, Metro Atlanta’s problem. It’s footing the lion’s share of the cost for South Georgia’s economic, education and health problems.
To give Kemp his due, the governor and his industry hunters have done an admirable job of landing major new businesses and locating them outside Atlanta and around the state. The new $5 billion Hyundai plant now being built in Bryan County will almost certainly have a transformative impact on that end of the state, and make Georgia a major player in the electric vehicle industry. But that kind of industrial development is only part of the solution, and arguably not even the most important part. Since the dawn of the current century, much of rural Georgia—especially south of the gnat line—has fallen into the bottom national ranks for economic prosperity, education and health.
ical images that show the clear metastasizing of multiple socioeconomic cancers. Would the next Hyundai agree to set up shop in a part of Georgia with lousy schools, limited health care and little if anything in the way of quality-of-life attributes? The gravity of these problems is arguably long past a point where conventional political treatment might be effective.
None of this is news. Nearly a half-century ago, a Buckhead Republican House member named Kiliaen Townsend sponsored legislation that would have cut the number of counties in Georgia nearly in half, and insisted on campaigning for his proposal into rural Georgia. The state’s Democratic governor at the time, Joe Frank Harris, was apparently wary of having a maimed or dead Republican on his hands, and sent state troopers with Townsend. By multiple accounts, they had to hustle him out of more than one town hall meeting.
I haven’t been able to find any kind of record or newspaper article on Townsend’s forays into rural Georgia, let alone an account of how he presented his proposal. But he was blunt years later in a video interview with a historian at the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Library at the University of Georgia.
“They have no reason to exist,” Townsend told an interviewer from the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Library in 2006.
Mapping and watching the data unfold across a period of years and decades is not unlike studying a series of med-
But the state’s leaders can’t even muster the political courage to take on the most obvious problem: Georgia has about 50 or 60 more counties than it needs and can support—or rather, that can support themselves. Even a cursory review of economic data makes clear that small, sparsely populated counties can’t make it on their own. Thirty-four of Georgia’s 159 counties have populations of less than 10,000 people, according to the latest Census Bureau estimates, and another 33 come in under 20,000.
“They have two or three thousand people, no business, no jobs, no health, no education, no law enforcement, really.” Georgia ranked close to the bottom nationally in education, he added, “because who’s going to teach in Podunk County with a bunch of illiterate parents [who are] uninterested in education?”
Townsend’s proposal was of course dead on arrival at the Georgia House of Representatives, and no doubt still would be today.
What then to do? FDR responded to the economic crisis of his day with the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Rural Electrification Administration, the Agricultural Adjustment Act and the Work Projects Administration, among other measures—all initiatives that were anathema to conservatives then and still are.
With two years left on his gubernatorial term, Kemp seems likely to follow the lead of his predecessors and kick this can down the road again. The problems of rural Georgia will continue to deteriorate, and Metro Atlanta will continue to be stuck with the bill. Kemp most likely need not fear being compared with Roosevelt. f
Charles Hayslett is the author of the long-running troubleingodscountry. com blog. He is also the Scholar in Residence at the Center for Middle Georgia Studies at Middle Georgia State University. The views expressed in his columns are his own and are not necessarily those of the center or
Franklin D. Roosevelt at his second home in Warm Springs.
African American Studies Axed?
By Ross Williams news@flagpole.com
Students across Georgia have gotten their schedules and supply lists, and some have already headed back to school. But the culture war does not respect the school calendar or the ringing of the class bell, and this year’s fight over how to discuss race in the classroom is already underway after state Superintendent Richard Woods did not recommend advanced placement African American studies for course approval.
Woods, a Republican, said his decision provides communities with options. He said local districts can opt in to offering the course with the full rigor of an advanced placement class along with all the associated benefits, or they can offer a different curriculum. (The Clarke County School District continues to offer the AP course, according to a spokesperson.) But some lawmakers and activists say treating African American studies differently than other AP classes will prevent students from learning about Black history and provide terrible optics for the state.
“It’s giving separate but equal, and that’s definitely not what we should be doing with African American studies,” said state Rep. Jasmine Clark (D-Lilburn). “And it’s honestly kind of ironic that’s the approach that they’re taking, because that’s exactly why we need this class in the first place.”
Advanced placement classes are college-level courses offered to high schoolers on 39 topics from math and science to art and the humanities. The educational nonprofit College Board provides a framework for the classes, and teachers undergo special training to teach them. They are more difficult than standard high school classes, but they are weighted more highly on a student’s grade point average. Students who score well on a standardized AP exam can often transfer their credit hours to college.
the local level and within the local district’s authority.”
Frick also said districts can offer the class over two semesters as intended by the College Board
“It’s a full unit of credit, which districts can offer over the course of a semester [on a block schedule] or a full year [on a traditional/period schedule]. That’s how this course code works and how any other course code works [including AP].”
At least one district besides CCSD, Atlanta Public Schools, has pledged to offer the course at the AP level, but other districts likely will not.
studies, our state superintendent says it’s not a priority. This seems to tell us that minority stories in history are less important and valued.”
Cobb County senior Erin Crawford said she grew up learning about African American history at home and through books and movies, but not very much in the classroom. The course is not scheduled to be offered in her school this year.
“As an African-American student in Georgia who has never had the opportunity to learn this material in a classroom, I know how valuable it will be to learn Black history at a school as a rigorous subject and be able to receive the proper AP accreditation for it,” she said. “Blocking this class is deeply harmful, not just for African-American students, but all students in the state who have been looking forward to and deserve to take this class.”
Cobb County Schools was the first district in Georgia to fire a teacher under the state’s 2022 law banning the teaching of “divisive concepts” in the classroom. Woods and his office have so far declined to say whether the issues he has with the advance placement African American program stem from the teaching of divisive concepts.
During the last school year, the College Board offered an AP African American studies class as a pilot program, taught locally by Montu Miller at Cedar Shoals High School. Last week, Woods stated that he would not recommend the course for approval for state dollars. After pressure mounted, Woods clarified that individual districts would be able to offer the course with state money by using a pre-existing course number for an African American studies class that has been around since 2020.
Education department spokeswoman Meghan Frick said districts that want to offer the traditional AP class will be able to offer students all the perks of any other AP class, including the extra bonus to their GPA. “That’s entirely up to the district,” she said in an email. “Grading, quality points and weighted GPAs are all determined at
Individual teachers can create their own AP class curricula, which are audited by the College Board to confirm the teacher is aware of the scope of the course and what will be on the exam. According to the College Board, some resources like practice exams are only available to teachers of certified courses, and authorized courses are included in the official list of AP courses that colleges check when looking at high school transcripts.
Deviating too much from the framework could set students up for failure on the AP exam if glossed-over topics end up on the test. And setting up a different structure for a class about Black history than any other class smacks of racism to some, including Sahara Prakash, a rising senior from Forsyth County.
“The only cultural AP class offered at my school is AP European studies, which has never received pushback,” she said. “But when it comes to AP African American
Education advocate and Georgia’s 2020–2021 teacher of the year Tracey Nance said the idea that one AP course should be determined by community members while others are not is absurd. “If we start making that course a discussion, how many other courses will become a discussion on down the road?” she said. “How much more are Georgia students going to miss out on? Or does it only come to courses that highlight Black and brown voices?”
The course has been a flashpoint in the culture wars nationwide, including in Arkansas, where a lawsuit involving the course is underway, and in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would ban the course because he said it represented an attempt to indoctrinate children. Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, sent a letter to Woods Tuesday seeking information about the decision, inspiring tentative praise from Clark, the state representative.
“First, I want to say thank you to Brian Kemp for acknowledging that there are a lot of questions unanswered, and a lot of the questions that he had, I also had,” she said. “However, what this boils down to is, number one, yes, Brian Kemp did sign the divisive concepts law, so he can’t really be left off the hook on this, and even if he’s questioning things, I am also questioning him, because we can’t deny that this is how we got here in the first place.
“Me and Brian Kemp don’t really talk very often, but I do think that there are plausible reasons for him to want to be on the right side of history on issues like this, especially if he aspires to continue to run for office in the state of Georgia,” she added.
Kemp is rumored to be considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2026, when his term as governor is set to expire. f
Flagpole City Editor Blake Aued contributed to this report.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods
The Race Swerves Again
KAMALA HARRIS GIVES DEMOCRATS A FIGHTING CHANCE
By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com
What a difference a week makes! Democrats who were whistling past the graveyard of the Nov. 5 presidential election now are singing “Happy Days Are Here Again” after President Joe Biden dropped out of contention, clearing the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to make a run for the White House against Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance. A race that had looked like a probable win for Team Trump suddenly changed as the burgeoning Harris campaign raked in record cash contributions, and voter enthusiasm surged through a formerly moribund Democratic Party.
Election Day is less than three months away, and Democrats can’t afford to get cocky or complacent. Still, Biden’s exit and Harris’ dramatic entrance were just the boost of momentum that the party needed before its convention in Chicago begins on Aug. 19. The Windy City has been the scene of many political conventions since Abraham Lincoln was nominated there in 1860. The most infamous Chicago convention happened in the turbulent year of 1968, when Chicago cops beat and arrested antiwar protesters, journalists and bystanders on the city’s streets, a bloody street clash that a national commission later called “a police riot.”
In his book Miami and the Siege of Chicago, acclaimed author Norman Mailer described both the Republican and Democratic conventions of 1968. Richard Nixon coasted through a choreographed convention, while Democratic nominee Hubert Humphrey was scorned for his party’s support for the Vietnam War. At the 1968 GOP convention in Miami, Nixon called for “law and order,” while his running mate, Spiro Agnew, said, “We must take the offensive against criminal forces and rebuild respect for law.” The hapless Humphrey lost a close election, and the war raged on. Both Nixon and Agnew later left office in disgrace because of their own lawlessness.
This year in Chicago, Democrats are hoping for a festive, united and peaceful gathering, unlike the raucous convention week in 1968. When the Democrats returned to Chicago after an 28-year absence to renominate Bill Clinton for president in 1996, protests on the streets outside the convention hall were large and colorful, but nonviolent. Democrats have their fingers crossed that their convention in Chicago this year will be more like 1996 than 1968. They are hoping to put on a more uplifting show than the GOP’s convention coronation of Trump in Milwaukee, an angry event featuring TV wrestler Hulk Hogan and purported musician Kid Rock. That convention brought to mind what caustic columnist H. L. Mencken meant when he said, “There is always something to be thankful for. As for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican.”
Mencken (1880–1956) was an iconoclastic journalist called “the sage of Baltimore” for his writings in the Baltimore Sun newspaper. He covered every Democratic and Republican convention from 1904–1948, and he enjoyed his work. “A national political campaign is better than the best circus,” he wrote. He skewered politicians of both parties and decried voters “who want security, not liberty.” During his lifetime and today, Mencken was called a racist, a sexist, an anti-semite, a misanthrope and a malcontent. He responded, “It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.”
One office holder here in Georgia stood for sensible, honest and decent politics as a progressive governor in the segregated South. Ellis Arnall (1907–1992), a graduate of the University of Georgia law school, was elected as this nation’s youngest governor in 1943. During his time in the Georgia State Capitol, Arnall spearheaded the drive to lower Georgia’s voting age to 18, nearly three decades before the rest of America did the same. Today Georgia voters of every age have until Oct. 7 to register to vote in the Nov. 5 election.
Gov. Arnall’s words of warning to voters still ring true as Donald Trump slouches toward Washington to be reborn: “The demagogue is a good showman… He knows the tricks of the ham actor, the gestures, the tones of voice that can arouse passions. Reading and writing are the two enemies he fears most.” f
good growing Name That Pest
IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM IS THE FIRST STEP TO FIXING IT
By Erin France news@flagpole.com
I received a few questions about identifying garden bugs recently. With insects, like life, you’ve got to correctly identify the problem to find the best solution. Here’s a few of the most prevalent July garden pests and what I do about them:
BROWN MARMORATED STINK BUG: This bug is marbled brown with six legs and a spadeshaped body. It feeds by piercing the fruit or veggie with its proboscis and sucking out the contents. More than a hundred plants act as a host for this invasive pest from Asia, so you’ll spot them on many crops. The stink bug leaves brown or white spots where it feeds and can cause produce to twist or grow irregularly.
perennials as a habitat, so planting lavender and thyme can help attract and keep them as garden guard dogs.
CATERPILLARS: You’ll likely notice big, irregular holes in plants’ leaves first. There’s a whole host of caterpillars coming for your crops, from the large, green hornworm that sports a sharp thorn on its end, to the side-striped, tiny, yet viciously hungry army worm. Caterpillars are often in the top third of a plant during the day, and so easier to spot then.
I plant umbel flowers like dill and fennel to attract parasitic wasps. Parasitic wasps lay their eggs on caterpillars like hornworms, and the larva eats it from the inside
If the population’s not too high, you’ll still have a chance to enjoy your bounty. Cut off the affected part of the veggie and enjoy. I start looking for and squishing eggs when I see the adults. Stink bugs lay eggs in a small clump on the underside of leaves. I pinch off these leaves and step on the eggs. Make sure you leave any yellow-orange eggs you find—those are ladybug eggs, often laid near the insects’ next meal, and can be found on the same plant.
LEAF-FOOTED BUGS: Related to the stink bugs, leaf-footed bugs are six-legged sap suckers who stink when you squish them. These insects have an elongated, dark brown body, often with a white stripe across its abdomen, like a little fashion belt. The insects’ back legs have a flare, an insect version of jodhpurs. I most often find groups of the red, six-legged nymph versions of these bugs, though the adults are common in high summer. The leaf-footed bugs leave damage similar to the brown marmorated stink bugs.
Leaf-footed bugs are native, and have several natural predators waiting to make them a tasty meal. Inviting critters like bigeyed bugs, damsel bugs and spiders into your garden can go a long way to keeping the population under control. Big-eyed bugs and damsel bugs both like low-growing
out. A few carefully placed bird feeders also can help control caterpillar populations. Army worms can come in droves, so insecticides might not be out of the question, but I think watching a flock of songbirds chow down on army worms is more satisfying.
FLEA BEETLES: These insects leave small, circular holes in a plant’s leaves. These bugs look like small, black beetles, but they’re great at jumping, so you might never catch them in the act of munching on your plants. The flea beetles in my garden like tomatoes, and love brassicas like bok choy and radishes. These bugs do attack a wide variety of plants, so you could find them in many places.
The flea beetles in my garden make the eggplant leaves look a bit sad, but the plants still produce delicious fruit. The bok choy is another matter. Flea beetle adults hang out in weeds, as well as cut leaves and stems. I try to clean up any garden trimmings in a few days to remove desirable habitats. Flea beetle eggs are laid in the first half-inch of soil, so grazing a stirrup hoe along the ground can help disturb the eggs. At the surface, the eggs can lose moisture and remain unhatched or get eaten. Since the stirrup hoe also disturbs any small weeds attempting to gain a foothold in the garden bed, it’s a win-win. f
A leaf-footed bug climbs a cucumber vine. This insect leaves brown or white spots on produce, but in small numbers won’t wreck your garden.
art notes
Onward and Upward
ANNOUNCE CAREER CHANGES
By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com
DIDI DUNPHY: After a full decade of leading the Lyndon House Arts Center as program supervisor, Didi Dunphy has officially retired. In addition to supervising the center’s various programs—gallery exhibitions, educational classes, an artist in residence program and an open studio membership program—she served as a liaison to the Athens-Clarke County government, the nonprofit Lyndon House Arts Foundation, various artist groups and the community at large. During her time at the center, she championed the Athens arts scene by supporting diverse and thought-provoking exhibitions, engaging programming and opportunities for professional development.
“I am so proud of the exhibitions, education, the studio membership and all the creative programming we have accomplished,” said Dunphy in a newsletter, “all of which would be impossible without this community, a community who advocates for the arts and artists. I thank you for this. I am also so very proud to have been part of an amazing team, the Arts Division, my wondrous and talented staff. I thank you all for making my job rewarding and frankly fun.”
Dunphy’s retirement has already been busy with full-time studio work in preparation for “Trip The Light Fantastic | Over Under & Travel Plans,” her solo exhibition that opened at whitespace in Atlanta on Aug. 3. Interested in industry fabrication, time-based media and detailed handwork, her candy-colored artwork and sculptural furnishings are both playful and joyful.
In addition to her own creative practice, Dunphy has extensive curatorial experience and has organized exhibitions for the Gallery and GlassCube at Hotel Indigo, Albany Museum of Art, Georgia Museum of Art, Classic Galleries at the Classic Center and other regional spaces over the years. We can look forward to many more independent curatorial projects to come.
Dunphy’s final day at the LHAC was June 21. The application period for the position has closed, and a new program supervisor should be announced within the coming weeks.
KATIE GEHA: Katie Geha, who has served as director and chief curator of the galleries at UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art since 2013, has accepted a new position as director of Tadem Press, a premier publisher of fine art prints at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Education.
After earning her PhD in modern and contemporary art from the University of Texas, Austin, Geha began her role as director of the Dodd Galleries. In addition to hosting both established and emerging artists from across the region and beyond, she encouraged student- and faculty-curated programming. For over a decade, she worked towards promoting Athens as a cultural hub in the Southeast while also fostering an educational environment rich with interdisciplinary programming.
In 2021, Geha oversaw the founding of The Athenaeum, a 5,000-square-foot contemporary art gallery in downtown Athens. Here, in addition to curating a traveling exhibition by renowned artist Kara Walker in 2023, she organized solo presentations by contemporary artists including Trevor Paglen and Paul Pfeiffer, Lisa Tan, Kameelah Janan Rasheed and Fabienne Lasserre.
“I have loved working at the Lamar Dodd School of Art these past eleven years,” said Geha in a news release. “The expansive spirit of the school encouraged me to build a strong program that models experimental exhibition-making for students. The collaborations I have been lucky to foster with artists, students, faculty, and our board and donors helped me grow immensely as an arts professional. I will hold these relationships close as I embark on a new adventure at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.”
Geha’s tenure at UGA ended on July 26, and recruitment for the next director and chief curator of galleries is currently underway. The Lamar Dodd School of Art has appointed interim directors for both galleries in the meantime. Annelies Mondi, former Georgia Museum of Art Deputy Director, will oversee the Athenaeum, and Mo Costello, a curator and former UGA photography faculty member, will oversee the Dodd Galleries.
TIF SIGFRIDS: This past June, local gallerist and curator Tif Sigfrids announced that she would be closing her eponymous art space to relocate to New York with her family and join the staff of Canada, an artist-run gallery in Tribeca, as a partner.
“About 10 years ago I opened my gallery in Los Angeles with a show by Joe Sola called ‘Portraits: An Exhibition in Tif Sigfrids’ Ear,’” said Sigfrids in a statement. “Being able to do that show and exhibit the work by the late Danish artist Albert Mertz were the two main impetus for having
my own gallery. In the time since, I’ve operated spaces in Athens, GA and New York City. Each location the gallery has inhabited has expanded the community of artists, writers, curators and collectors I feel so lucky to have worked with over the last decade.”
Sigfrids relocated her gallery to Athens in 2018, sharing a sunny second-story space with fellow contemporary art gallery Howards downtown at the corner of Jackson and Broad streets. After a stint in Comer Coffee Co.’s historic building during the pandemic, the gallery returned to Athens proper and nestled itself into its most recent location on Finley Street. Beginning in 2021, Sigfrids also operated a second location in New York.
From Los Angeles to Athens to New York City, the gallery has hosted solo and group exhibitions with internationally recognized artists like Art Rosenbaum, Thomas Dozol, Nora Riggs, Adrianne Rubenstein, Mimi Lauter, Becky Kolsrud and Gracie DeVito. In her new capacity as a partner at Canada, she’ll be responsible for helping to guide the gallery’s programming and intends to present artists she’s worked with before, such as Hasani Sahlehe, who will be featured in September.
“The art world I stepped into back in 2013 was built around a community of friends that just keeps growing,” she said. “In this spirit of expansiveness and collaboration I’m so excited for this next chapter.” f
Didi Dunphy
Celebrating Your Roots
By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com
Clarke Central High School’s studentrun news organization ODYSSEY Media Group commemorated its 20th anniversary last year with alumni, friends and family at a special banquet. Among the attendees was local videographer and hip-hop artist Jahkiem Ellison, who was there to reconnect with staff and celebrate a program that helped mold him into the creative he is today. During a conversation with ODYSSEY founder and faculty advisor David Ragsdale, Ellison’s former teacher said that he should create a theme song or something of the sort for the program.
“I think he was just playing around, you know what I’m saying? But me being me, I was like, ‘Alright, I got you,’” says Ellison. “It really just started off with me wanting to give back to my home city and my old school.”
So he took the idea to the studio, liked the song he produced, decided why not create a full rollout and took it to Ragsdale for his blessing. Ellison got permission to come to Clarke Central and shoot a music video for the track with the ODYSSEY classroom. The students received the song a few days before the shoot, and to Ellison’s surprise, learned all the words before he got there. They were eager to be a part of the project and see the end result.
“Honestly, the video itself was pretty great. I love the fact of how at home it felt to record it,” says Ellison. “With the ODYSSEY, it really felt like home for real, especially when I was in school. So I knew how much it meant to [the students] to see me come back and see the things that I’m doing from what I learned from the class and actually executing it in my career.”
Ellison operates GAS Productions providing videography services for musicians and starting to branch into sports.
As a musician himself, he has an insider perspective when it comes to what artists are looking for. His brand “GAS” stands for growth and stability, which it strives for mentally, physically, spiritually and financially. Most importantly, Ellison says what he’s doing now is a direct result of everything he learned working with the ODYSSEY.
In high school Ellison was a shy athlete focused on playing sports. Ragsdale approached Ellison in his literature class about what he wanted to do outside of playing basketball, and Ellison had an interest in becoming a sports commentator, which required being comfortable on camera. So Ragsdale convinced Ellison to join the ODYSSEY as a newscast anchor and video editor.
The experience brought Ellison out of his comfort zone, and he discovered a passion for videography and newscasting. He learned how to write different types of scripts, edit different video styles, the fundamentals of maintaining your presence on camera and more. Although the educational focus was from a journalistic perspective, Ellison says that a lot of what he learned translated into music.
“I was really kind of creative. I just didn’t know what route I wanted to take. So that’s what Ragsdale kind of pulled up out of me, kind of gave me a better chance to express myself,” says Ellison.
The ODYSSEY Media Groups’ mission statement states that it “educates student journalists, providing them with opportunities for growth as communicators, leaders and advocates for justice.” Ellison relates his experience as one of Ragsdale’s students to the movie Freedom Writers. He says that despite his fellow students coming from so many diverse backgrounds, when they were in that room together everyone was family.
He fondly recalls one of Ragsdale’s writing assignments encouraging students to write a personal story about themself that only he would see. Ellison says the exercise made him feel closer to his teacher, but also helped him find his own voice and how to share it.
The song and accompanying music video Ellison released is “ODYSSEY Media Group,” now streaming and available on YouTube. However, his collaboration with the Clarke Central students didn’t stop there. Daniel Cruz, a Clarke Central 2024 graduate who
also was a member of the ODYSSEY, teamed up with Ellison for a photoshoot at the high school. The cover photo of this week’s issue of Flagpole and the accompanying interior photo were both taken by Cruz. He’s an aspiring photographer and filmmaker that’s already producing quality work thanks to the learning tools at Clarke Central.
“The ODYSSEY was my safe haven,” says Ellison. “I guess that’s what the music video did, for me at least… I was able to go back and see how much my school has grown, see how much my city has grown.” f
Jahkiem Ellison and David Ragsdale
DANIEL
live music calendar
Tuesday 6
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. 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 Luca Lombardi, Seth Hendershot and various guests.
Normal Bar
8–11 p.m. www.instagram.com/ normal_bar_athens
HIGH NOTES OPEN MIC COM-
PETITION Compete for prizes. This weekly series concludes with a season finale on Aug. 6.
Hot jazz and swing band offering music from the 1910s, ’20s and ’30s. (6 p.m.)
El Paso Tacos & Tequila
6–10 p.m. www.instagram.com/ elpasoathenss
KARAOKE Every Wednesday and Friday evening.
Flicker Theatre & Bar
9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreand bar.com
KARAOKE Featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more. Hendershot’s
7 p.m. FREE! www.hendershotsathens. com
OPEN MIC Hosted by Lizzy Farrell the first Wednesday of every month. Sign up in person starting at 6 p.m.
Thursday 8
Buvez
8 p.m. $10. www.instagram.com/ buvez_athens
RED DAKOTA Athens-based indie rock group consisting of Alyssa Terry, Derek Terry, Lauren Leathers and Christian Gerner-Smidt. MANNEQUIN PARTY Athensbased funky, finger-style indie folk rock.
WAKING APRIL Alt-pop, synthrock duo from Raleigh, NC. Earth Fare
12 p.m. www.earthfare.com
RC OUTLAW COWBOY Country and gospel singer.
Flicker Theatre & Bar
8 p.m. $12. www.flickertheatreandbar. com
LAYZI Boston-based indie bedroom pop artist.
DADGUM Jazz-pop for enlarged hearts.
NANOCAR Indie rock band with rich harmonic segments. Hendershot’s
EDDIE 9V Modern blues musician influenced by ’60s and ’70s soul artists.
Marigold Auditorium for Arts and Culture
6–8 p.m. FREE! www.marigold auditorium.com
OPEN MIC Bring your instrument, a good joke or your favorite monologue. Hosted by Mayor Dodd Ferrelle and Adam Poulin.
Nowhere Bar
9 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens
GRAYSON HAUSER TRIO Electric guitarist and singer who plays an adventurous and expansive brand of high-energy music ranging from blues, hard rock, funk, jazz and everything in between.
CARDIEL Skate punk band formed in Mexico City under the influence of stoner rock, psychedelia and dub.
DEAF CONDORS Experimental garage-rock group with a genrebending sound anchored by Peruvian brothers Bob Jesus and Darrick Alvarez.
OCEANEATER Fuzzed out, surfy garage rock from Atlanta. El Paso Tacos & Tequila
6–10 p.m. www.instagram.com/ elpasoathenss
KARAOKE Every Wednesday and Friday evening.
Flicker Theatre & Bar
8 p.m. $12. www.flickertheatreandbar. com
TC SUPERSTAR Performance group whose music is rooted in bedroom pop, ’80s synthwave and ’70s dance music.
NEAT FREAK Post-punk with ethereal shimmer and poignant melodic pop sensibilities.
DOG PERSON Organ-driven pop with breezy ennui from members of The Buddy System, Nana Grizol and Go Public.
The Foundry
6 p.m. (doors), 7:30 p.m. (show). $12 (adv.), $15. bit.ly/TheFoundryAug9 DEEP ROOTS Athens and Atlanta musicians pulling inspiration from Motown, Southern rock, funk, jazz and everything in between.
GRASSLAND Six-piece “Amerigrass” band with classical organ, double bass and jazz guitar and a jazz-folk-pop-bluegrass sound.
GIMME SPRINGSTEEN A tribute to Bruce Springsteen. Nowhere Bar 9:30 p.m. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens
THE GRAWKS Punk and garageinfused local rock and roll band.
LARRY’S HOMEWORK Four-piece Americana/roots rock band from Athens started by Stephan Eutsler and Pat Pensyl.
the archaic fiddle traditions of the Southern Appalachians.
PADDY LEAGUE Traditional music of Ireland and the Greek Isles.
MICHAEL STARKEY Multi-instrumentalist, music teacher and old time clawhammer banjo player from Edinburgh, Scotland. work.shop
8 p.m. $10. www.workshopathens.
com
ONE NIGHT AT THE CASTLE A goth industrial dance night in homage to The Castle in Tampa, FL.
Sunday 11
Athentic Brewing Co.
2–5 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing. com
ATHENTIC BLUEGRASS JAM
Players of all skill levels are invited to participate in this open jam, which strives to unite members of the local folk music community. Every second Sunday.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
4 p.m. FREE! www.emmanuelathens.
org
LUX TREBLE CHOIR The program
“Kindred Spirits” features music that explores connections with each other across time and place.
HOG-EYED MAN Athens duo of Jason Cade (fiddle, banjo) and Rob McMaken (dulcimer, mandolin), who have a compelling approach to
SPACE BROTHER Electronic- and hip-hop-influenced sounds from local musician Donald Whitehead.
Tuesday 13
Flicker Theatre & Bar
8 p.m. $10. www.flickertheatreandbar. com
GOODHOST Energetic alternative group incorporating math rock elements.
HANDHOLDER A group whose multi-genre sound ranges from folk to rock to electronic.
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 Luca Lombardi, Seth Hendershot and various guests. State Botanical Garden of Georgia Sunflower Concert Series. 7 p.m. $12 (ages 5–16), $20 (Friends of the Garden), $24. botgarden.uga.edu
ABBEY ROAD LIVE Beloved local tribute band that keeps the crowd rocking to its extensive Beatles cover sets. Chairs, blankets and picnics are welcome at this concert in the flower garden.
Wednesday 14
Athentic Brewing Co.
6–9 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
KARAOKE WITH DJ GREGORY Every second and fourth Wednesday.
DESERT MAMBAS Dusty queer tunes from LA. TEENS IN TROUBLE Music that refracts the sounds of punk, garage and dream-pop through a prism of memory. Solo set. Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
FESTER HAGOOD’S MOJO CONFESSIONAL SHOWCASE Hagood continue’s Mark Wilmot’s series by spotlighting songwriters.
Oak House Distillery
3:30 p.m. FREE! www.oakhouse distillery.com
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ STOMP-
ERS Specializing in the historic “hot” syncopated dance music of the early 20th century.
Monday 12
Flicker Theatre & Bar
8 p.m. $10. www.flickertheatreandbar. com
GODDESS COMPLEX Atmospheric and layered electronic music.
DRY TALKER Indie band from Richmond, VA with speak-singing and rock stylings similar to Slint. LABANNA BABALON Artist from New Orleans with eclectic, beatdriven soundscapes.
HIBBS FAMILY BAND Quartet of family members combining the textures and rhythms of bluegrass and folk music with alt-rock melodic sensibilities and lyricism. (6 p.m.) El Paso Tacos & Tequila 6–10 p.m. www.instagram.com/ elpasoathenss
KARAOKE Every Wednesday and Friday evening.
Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreand bar.com
KARAOKE Featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more. 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.
Nowhere Bar 5:30 p.m. & 9 p.m. (two sets). www. facebook.com/NowhereBarAthens JAY GONZALEZ Athens songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with an affinity for ’70s power pop melodies. f
Heart of Pine will play an album release show at Nowhere Bar on Friday, Aug. 9.
event calendar
Tuesday 6
CLASSES: Mouse and Keyboard for Early Beginners (ACC Library)
A basic computer class to learn how to use the keyboard and mouse. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athens library.org
CLASSES: ESOL (Bogart Library) Learn or polish your English skills using Mango languages online and in-person basic conversation and vocabulary. 12:30 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart
CLASSES: Adult Line Dancing (Rocksprings Park Pavilion) All skill levels are invited to learn and practice a new line dance each month. Ages 18 & up. $1. 6:30 p.m. www. accgovga.myrec.com
CLASSES: Create Your Death File Workshop (Getting Real Counseling Center) Learn how to convey your end-of-life wishes through an organized death file with all materials provided and access to an End of Life Doula to answer questions. Registration required. 6:30 p.m. $75. https://forms.gle/61uWwUDD1nwriXq97
EVENTS: Tiki Taco Tuesday (Live Wire) Enjoy live music, craft cocktails and a taco pop-up from Don Carne. Tuesdays, 5–10 p.m. www. livewireathens.com
FILM: OLLI Summer Film Festival (Ciné) This weekly film festival featuring women directors sponsored by OLLI presents The Farewell Tuesdays, 1:30 p.m. $8. www. athenscine.com
GAMES: Lunch and Learn New Games (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and try out some new games. 11:30 a.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
GAMES: Mahjong Club (Winterville Cultural Center) Learn to play the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong. Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1–4 p.m. $1. www.wintervillecenter.com
GAMES: Tuesday Night Shenanigans (Southern Brewing Co.) Play board games and arcade games on site, bring your own games or even your D&D group. Tuesdays, 5–10 p.m. www.sobrewco.com
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo
GAMES: Singo! (Beef O’Brady’s) Win gift certificates and prizes at this music bingo night. Tuesdays, 7–9 p.m. www.beefobradys.com/athens
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Eddie’s Calzones) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddog athens
LECTURES & LIT: Bogart Bookies (Bogart Library) Pick up a copy of Middle Age by Joyce Carol Oates and discuss it with the group. 1–2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ bogart
MEETINGS: Knot Just For Knitters (Oconee County Library) Bring your own crafting project to work on while chatting with fellow crafters. Tuesdays, 3–5 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. info@petanque.org, www. athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 7
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: Digital Art Class (Oconee County Library) Learn how to use the digital art software Clip Studio Paint with a one-on-one lesson with art instructor Zakk Wilder. Registration required. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.com/oconee
CLASSES: Salsa Dancing (El Carretonero) Join SALSAthens for Cuban salsa lessons meeting a variety of dance abilities. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. (advanced), 7:30 p.m. (beginner/intermediate). $10. SALS AthensDancing@gmail.com
CLASSES: MS Excel Spreadsheet Basics (ACC Library) Learn how to enter, move, select and format data to create simple equations and charts. 6:30 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. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com
EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods, art and crafts. Live music at 6 p.m. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent. Wednesdays, 5–8 p.m. www.athens farmersmarket.net
FILM: Blood Everywhere (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of Dario Argento’s horror film Phenomena 7 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatre andbar.com
GAMES: Shadowfist Power Lunch (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and play Shadowfist. New players welcome. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
GAMES: 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 (Eddie’s Calzones) Test your trivia knowledge with host Nickalous Benson. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook. com/baddogathens
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: Stuffie Storytime (ACC Library) Bring your stuffies in for a checkup or repair by an expert and hear stories about healthcare. 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
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 Prism Club (Oconee County Library) Hang out in the library to play games, do crafts and build friendships in an inclusive and welcoming space. Grades 6–12. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee
LECTURES & LIT: Word of Mouth (The Globe) Athens’ longest-running spoken word open mic, with this month’s featured reader local poet Steve Scurry. 6 p.m. (sign-
MEETINGS: Avid Writers’ Collective (Avid Bookshop) Members critique each others’ pre-submitted writing of all forms. First Wednesdays, 6:15 p.m. FREE! events@ avidbookshop.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, 6:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing.com
Thursday 8
ART: Opening Reception (UGA Special Collections Library) Photographer Jason Thrasher’s exhibition “Athens Potluck” about the local music scene will be on display with music, food and drinks. 6–8 p.m. FREE! libs.uga.edu
CLASSES: DMC: Adobe InDesign for Beginner (ACC Library) Learn to create layouts for print or digital display. Registration required. 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org
CLASSES: Lion’s Gate Circle for Abundance (Shakti Power Yoga) Experience journaling, meditation, a manifestation ritual, heart-opening cacao ceremony and a soothing sound bath. Registration required. 7:15 p.m. $30. hello@shakti yogaathens.com
FILM: Club Ned Anime Society (ACC Library) Join club members to watch and discuss episodes of “Serial Experiments Lain,” “Kaguya-sama: Love is War” and “Erased.” 6:30–8:30 p.m. FREE! www. animefandom.org
LECTURES & LIT: How Religion Happens Book Club (ACC Library) Discuss Bart D. Ehrman’s novel How Jesus Became God. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
MEETINGS: Coffee Hour (Oconee County Library) Drop in to drink some coffee, while supplies last. Thursdays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
MEETINGS: KnitLits Knitting Group (Bogart Library) Knitters of all levels are invited to have fun, share craft ideas and knit to their hearts’ content. Thursdays, 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart
OUTDOORS: Athentic Cycling Group (Athentic Brewing Co.) Cyclists of all skill levels are invited for a no-drop group ride that starts and ends at Athentic Brewing. Every
GAMES: Friday Night Initiative (Online: Tyche’s Games) Learn how to play a new roleplaying game. New players welcome. 7 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
KIDSTUFF: Meet & Play (Bogart Library) Drop in for facilitated open play with age-appropriate toys. Best for ages 6 & under. Every Friday, 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart
THEATER: Legally Blonde (Oconee Youth Theater) A cast of local teens star in this production based on the big screen story of Elle Woods. Aug. 9–10, 7 p.m. Aug. 11, 3 p.m. $15–20. www.oconeeyouthplay house.com
GAMES: Mahjong Club (Winterville Cultural Center) Learn to play the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong. Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1–4 p.m. $1. www.wintervillecenter.com
GAMES: BINGO (VFW Post 2872) Join in to play this weekly game of chance. Thursdays, 6 p.m. (doors). FREE! www.facebook.com/vfw2872
GAMES: Adult Dungeons & Dragons (Bogart Library) A gaming session for players of all skill levels. Ages 18 & up. 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart
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: Olympics Trivia (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your Olympics knowledge and compete for prizes. 7–9 p.m. FREE! www.athentic brewing.com
KIDSTUFF: Read to Rover (Oconee County Library) Drop in to read a story to Grady the therapy dog. All Ages. 2:30–3:30 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee
other Thursday, 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. www.athenspetanque.org
Friday 9
COMEDY: small talk, BIG SHOW (work.shop) A late night talk show hosted by Matt House featuring comedian Kelly Petronis and the musical stylings of libbaloops. 8–9:15 p.m. $10. www.flyingsquid comedy.com
EVENTS: Athentic Brewing Co.’s 4 Year Anniversary Party (Athentic Brewing Co.) Enjoy special beer releases, pop-up food vendors and live music during this all-day celebration. Aug. 9, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Aug. 10, 12–10 p.m. www. athenticbrewing.com
GAMES: Chess Club (Winterville Cultural Center) Join others for a
EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Bishop Park) Markets offer locally grown groceries and handmade goods with live music and children’s activities. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent. Saturdays, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmers market.net
EVENTS: Danielsville Farmers Market (Danielsville City Hall) Browse vendors with an array of homemade, handmade and stategrown products. 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.danielsvillemarket.wixsite. com/farmersmarket
EVENTS: Ag Festival (Farmview Market) Learn about local agriculture with the Mobile Ag Classroom and enjoy a local petting zoo, face painting, giveaways, live workshops, music and more. 9 a.m.–2 p.m. FREE! www.farmviewmarket. com
EVENTS: Open an Oyster Fundraiser (The Pearl Girls) Shuck an oyster, find a pearl and choose a necklace to wear it with with proceeds benefitting Project Safe. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. $25. www.thepeargirls. com
EVENTS: West Broad Farmers Market (Rocksprings Park Pavilion) Vendors will be on site with fresh produce, local fare, rare plants, artisan goods and more. Saturdays, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. FREE! www.athens landtrust.org/wbfm
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: Athentic Brewing Co.’s 4 Year Anniversary Party (Athentic Brewing Co.) Enjoy special beer releases, pop-up food vendors and live music during this all-day celebration. Aug. 9, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Aug. 10, 12–10 p.m. www. athenticbrewing.com
THEATER: Pride and Prejudice (Town & Gown Players) A theatrical adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel about the witty heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Aug. 9–10 & 15–17, 8 p.m. Aug. 11 & 18, 2 p.m. $15–20. www.townandgownplayers.org
Saturday 10
ART: Artist Talk (Winterville Cultural Center Gallery) Wood crafter Barbara Odil will give a brief talk and demonstrate her technique. 11 a.m. FREE! www.wintervilleccgallery. com
ART: Closing Reception (ACE/ FRANCISCO Gallery) Jason Thrasher’s exhibition “Kashi Washi” will be on view. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. FREE! www.acefranciscogallery.com
ART: Opening Reception (Steffen Thomas Museum of Art) The group exhibition “Queer Perspectives” featuring 13 LGBTQ+ identifying artists will be on view. 4–6 p.m. www.steffenthomas.org
EVENTS: Black Creatives Connect (Lyndon House Arts Center) Creatives of all professions and industries are invited to network and listen to a panel discussion that centers black creatives. 1 p.m. FREE! posh. vip/e/black-creatives-connect
GAMES: Learn to Play Shadowrun RPG (Tyche’s Games) Join others to learn about the science fantasy tabletop role-playing game. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com
KIDSTUFF: Where’s Waldo Party (Avid Bookshop) Celebrate the end of summer with games, a photo station, art activities, prizes and more. 10 a.m. FREE! www.avidbookshop. com
KIDSTUFF: Discover the Story Trail (Bogart Library) Celebrate the Story Trail’s grand opening by exploring, reading books and creating an outdoor art project. 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
KIDSTUFF: Critter Tales (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Listen to a story about nature, then go outside for an activity. 2:30 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/scnc MEETINGS: Athens Council of the Blind (ACC Library) The group
The group exhibition “Queer Perspectives” featuring 13 LGBTQ+ identifying artists will open Aug. 10 at the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art. Pictured above is “Red Shoes and the Blues” by Royce Soble
will present questions and ideas for Rep. Houston Gaines on how to improve services for those with visual impairments. 11 a.m. FREE! www.georgiacounciloftheblind.org
OUTDOORS: Accessible Bird Walk
(Wild Birds Unlimited) Enjoy the beauty of nature, learn about local bird species and connect with fellow bird enthusiasts. Registration required. 8 a.m. FREE! www.face book.com/wbuofathensga
OUTDOORS: Walk Into Wellness (Dudley Park) Get moving alongside and meet others in the community, with each walk focusing on a different health topic. Ages 8 & up. Registration required. 10 a.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/myrec
THEATER: Legally Blonde (Oconee Youth Theater) A cast of local teens star in this production based on the big screen story of Elle Woods. Aug. 9–10, 7 p.m. Aug. 11, 3 p.m. $15–20. www.oconeeyouthplay house.com
THEATER: Pride and Prejudice (Town & Gown Players) A theatrical adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel about the witty heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Aug. 9–10 & 15–17, 8 p.m. Aug. 11 & 18, 2 p.m. $15–20. www.townandgownplayers.org
Sunday 11
COMEDY: Off The Clock Comedy (The Globe) Athens Comedy presents local comedians and improv, this week featuring Zac Hadlock and friends. Sundays, 9–10:30 p.m. $5. www.facebook.com/athenscomedy
EVENTS: Back to School Mingle and Market (The Globe) Students, faculty and community are invited to this vendor market featuring locally made gifts. 1–6 p.m. FREE! www.globetavern.com
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Southern Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Sundays, 4 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddog athens
PERFORMANCE: Athens Drag Brunch (Hendershots) Enjoy brunch and disco themed drag entertainment. 11 a.m. $40. www. athensshowgirlcabaret.com
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. info@petanque.org, www. athenspetanque.org
THEATER: Pride and Prejudice (Town & Gown Players) A theatrical adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel about the witty heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Aug. 9–10 & 15–17, 8 p.m. Aug. 11 & 18, 2 p.m. $15–20. www.townandgownplayers.org
THEATER: Legally Blonde (Oconee Youth Theater) A cast of local teens star in this production based on the big screen story of Elle Woods. Aug. 9–10, 7 p.m. Aug. 11, 3 p.m. $15–20. www.oconeeyouthplay house.com
Monday 12
GAMES: BINGO Bash (Rocksprings Community Center) Persons with developmental disabilities are invited to play for prizes. Ages 18 & up. Registration required. 10:30 a.m. $1 (ACC resident), $2 (nonresident). www.accgovga.myrec. com
GAMES: General Trivia with Erin (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host Erin. Mondays, 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.
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (LumberJaxe) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Mondays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddogathens
KIDSTUFF: Monday Funday (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for songs, fingerplays, storytelling and STEAM activities. Ages 3–7 years. Registration suggested. 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
MEETINGS: Classic City Rotary (Athentic Brewing Co.) The local chapter meets weekly. Mondays, 11:30 a.m. FREE! www.athentic brewing.com
MEETINGS: Hook and Needle (Winterville Cultural Center) A crafting group with a focus on creating and contributing blanket projects for Project Linus. Second Mondays, 2 p.m. FREE! www.wintervillecenter. com
MEETINGS: Pen Pals Writing Group (Oconee County Library) Meet other writers, share your writing experiences and get feedback on your work. Second Mondays, 5:30 p.m. Fourth Mondays, 4 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/oconee
Tuesday 13
CLASSES: ESOL (Bogart Library) Learn or polish your English skills using Mango languages online and in-person basic conversation and vocabulary. 12:30 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart
CLASSES: Reiki Circle (Serenity Attunement) Connect in meditation and learn more about Reiki. Second Tuesdays, 6 p.m. $22. www.serenity attunement.com
CLASSES: Adult Line Dancing (Rocksprings Park Pavilion) All skill levels are invited to learn and practice a new line dance each month. Ages 18 & up. $1. 6:30 p.m. www. accgovga.myrec.com
EVENTS: Tiki Taco Tuesday (Live Wire) Enjoy live music, craft cocktails and a taco pop-up from Don Carne. Tuesdays, 5–10 p.m. www. livewireathens.com
EVENTS: West Broad Farmers Market and Garden (Athentic Brewing Co.) Vendors will be on site with fresh produce, local fare, rare plants, artisan goods and more. Second and Fourth Tuesdays, 5–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing. com
FILM: This or That: Adventure Movie (Bogart Library) Screening of an adventure movie voted on by attendees. Second and fourth Tuesdays, 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
GAMES: Mahjong Club (Winterville Cultural Center) Learn to play the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong. Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1–4 p.m. $1. www.wintervillecenter.com
GAMES: Tuesday Night Shenanigans (Southern Brewing Co.) Play board games and arcade games on site, bring your own games or even your D&D group. Tuesdays, 5–10 p.m. www.sobrewco.com
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo
GAMES: Singo! (Beef O’Brady’s) Win gift certificates and prizes at this music bingo night. Tuesdays, 7–9 p.m. www.beefobradys.com/athens
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Eddie’s Calzones) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddog athens
KIDSTUFF: Toddler Tuesday: Terrific Textures (Georgia Museum of Art) Enjoy art and storytime in
the galleries, then complete an art activity. Ages 18 months to 3 years. RSVP by email. 10 a.m. FREE! gmoa-tours@uga.edu
MEETINGS: Knot Just For Knitters (Oconee County Library) Bring your own crafting project to work on while chatting with fellow crafters. Tuesdays, 3–5 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee
MEETINGS: Memoir Writing Group (Bogart Library) During this monthly group, hear memoirs from others and learn tips on how to write your own. 5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. info@petanque.org, www. athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 14
CLASSES: Salsa Dancing (El Carretonero) Join SALSAthens for Cuban salsa lessons meeting a variety of dance abilities. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. (advanced), 7:30 p.m. (beginner/intermediate). $10. SALS AthensDancing@gmail.com
COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Townie improv that invites you to bring suggestions to help create improv magic. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com
EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods, art and crafts. Live music at 6 p.m. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent. Wednesdays, 5–8 p.m. www.athens farmersmarket.net
FILM: Pachinko Pop (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1988 Japanese film Kaito Ruby. 7 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreandbar.com
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Eddie’s Calzones) Test your trivia knowledge with host Nickalous Benson. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook. com/baddogathens
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) Join other fans of manga and anime to discover books, play games, snack and watch anime. Grades 6–12. 7 –8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee
MEETINGS: Athens Psychedelic Society (740 Prince) Meet likeminded individuals and discuss what community and support could look like in Athens for sacred medicine. 6 p.m. FREE! Athens Psychedelic Society on Facebook
Down the Line
8/15 Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park)
8/15 Coffee Hour (Oconee County Library)
8/15 Mahjong Club (Winterville Cultural Center)
8/15 Artist Talk (Lyndon House Art Center)
8/15 BINGO (VFW Post 2872) f
threats & promises
Giant Day’s Glass Narcissus PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP
By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com
SEPTEMBER’S COMING SOON: A really neat exhibition and event will happen Thursday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Richard B. Russell Jr. Special Collections Libraries Building (300 S. Hull St.). Back in 2017 photographer Jason Thrasher, along with his wife Beth, published the book Athens Potuck featuring 33 Athens musicians. This exhibition is that book popped up into artifacts, memorabilia, selected stories and images from the book, and live music, to boot! Featured performers include Charlie and Nancy Hartness and Jill Carnes. This event is free and open to the public. For more info, please see libs. uga.edu/scl.
MERRY BLISS MIST: Primordial Void will release the debut album from Reed Winckler, Gull, on Aug. 9. It is available both digitally and as a cassette tape. The first single is the title track, and it’s lovely, gentle and deeply personal, which is like a lot of Winckler’s work. Check out the single and preorder information at primordialvoid. bandcamp.com, and check out some of her other work at reedwinckler.bandcamp.com.
WATCH OUT, YOU MIGHT GET WHAT YOU’RE AFTER:
The magnificently named Doom Ribbons is the years-long and generally collaborative project of James Owen, and he has a new collection of solo work out now. It’s named Burning House Party and features three tracks. The first song, “Sweetest Honey (Rachel was Right),” is a very groove-oriented dark track with goth overtones. “Soaring Sin (For Steven Hopper)” is unsettling and deeply moody. It’s often punctuated by bird crows. Ultimately, it descends into a cacophony that then dissipates, and you’re left with static and crowing. Finally, we have “This House Is On Fire,” which is credited to Doom Ribbons with Boba Fetish (featuring Shane Parish). It’s very much in the acceptably experimental style of the 1980s, featuring heavy drumming, electronics that only sometimes veer from a melody, and some tubular bell sounds at around the 2:30 mark that shift the track towards its end, which resolves its melody and ends in a traditional way. Find this at doomribbons.bandcamp.com.
about volunteer opportunities, please see historicathens.com.
GETTIN’ TOGETHER: Killick Hinds has released so much music over the past three decades that it’s seriously impossible to keep up. If you have a year or so to spare, maybe you can spend some time with his massive catalog. That said, a new collaborative release between Hinds and Javelinas members Scott Burland and Ryan Taylor was the result of them asking to collaborate with Hinds. The five-track album is named Invisible Incremental. These are each lengthy pieces, with the shortest coming in at 11:42. Everything is performed with guitar, theremin and Killick on Vo-96 and K’Harp. I suppose I could go deeply academic on this, but suffice it to say that this is an experimentally meditative record that can be jarring but is rewarding by its end. Find it at killick.bandcamp.com, and while you’re there check out Javelinas proper over at javelinas-atl.bandcamp.com.
POPTONES: The debut album from Giant Day, the new project from Derek Almstead and Emily Growden, just released a truncated digital teaser version of its debut album Glass Narcissus, which is officially slated for release Aug. 23. This release contains all the singles that have come out so far. Both Almstead and Growden are longtime members of the Elephant 6 Collective and, indeed, their name is taken from the Olivia Tremor Control song. The four songs here, though, exist in a musical place that shutters the collective’s bohemian, kick around folk aesthetic well outside its sound. The music here is nicely new wave but with a maturity of the kind expressed by Jah Wobble, Kraftwerk, OMD and Ultravox. The best overall track here is “Walk with a Shadow,” which is heavily rhythmic and bass oriented. Close listeners will hear overtones of both Pylon and Immaterial Possession on those bass lines. The digital release can be enjoyed at giantday.bandcamp.com. This is an official Elephant 6 release, and you can order physical products now via elephant6.com.
STAND IN THE PLACE WHERE YOU LIVE: The annual Historic Athens Porchfest happens this year on Sunday, Oct. 20. And while there is absolutely no doubt this event will once again pack our in-town neighborhoods with thousands of music fans, the fact is, they’re going to need some places to pack. As of the end of last month, this was what was needed: 15 porches in the Boulevard Neighborhood, 14 in Normaltown, 16 in Pulaski Heights, 10 in Cobbham, 11 in Buena Vista and 10 in the Reese-Hancock corridor. For more information and details
NEW TUNEZ: Phantom Dan continued to plow new music into the scene last week when he released his newest single “Get So Low.” While this follows in a similar stylistic vein as his other songs (big choruses, catchy guitars, shouts, etc.), this tune itself is musically slightly darker than previous releases. Not like a full U-turn, not even close, but this still all sounds like it’s in a more minor key. Lyrically, this is Dan nearly eviscerating himself over depression, anxiety, manic behavior, etc. Find this on Spotify and follow along at facebook.com/ phantomdan88. f
Giant Day
bulletin board
Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board is every THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Email calendar@flagpole.com.
AAAC QUARTERLY GRANT (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council offers $500 grants to visual and performing artists in any medium to support specific projects that enrich the culture of Athens. Rolling deadlines are Sept. 15, Dec. 15, Mar. 15 and June 15. Apply online. www. athensarts.org/support
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM
(Lyndon House Arts Center) The AIR Program provides participants with a semi-private workspace, access to the center’s seven open studios and a $250 stipend. Rising professional and studio-based artists are invited to apply. Artists will be expected to present their work in a workshop or artist talk and will be invited to take part in a group exhibition with other AIR Program alumni. Applications are reviewed Sept. 20 for residencies beginning Jan. 1 and Apr. 20 for residencies beginning July 1. www.accgov. com/lyndonhouse
ATHENS CREATIVE DIRECTORY
(Athens, GA) The ACD is a platform to connect creatives with patrons. Visual artists, musicians, actors, writers and other creatives are encouraged to create a free listing. athenscreatives@gmail.com, www. athenscreatives.directory
BIPOC ARTIST/CURATOR PROJ-
ECT OPEN CALL (Lyndon House Arts Center) Seeking BIPOC individuals residing in Georgia to develop an art exhibition to be on display for 6–8 weeks at the LHAC. A stipend of $1500 is provided. www.accgov. com/9799/ArtistCurator CALL FOR COLLECTORS (Lyndon House Arts Center) The LHAC’s
“Collections from our Community” series features unique collections of objects found in the closets, cabinets and shelves of Athenians. Email if interested in displaying your collection. shelby.little@ accgov.com CALL FOR EXHIBITION PROPOSALS (Lyndon House Arts Center) Artists, artist groups and curators can submit original exhibition proposals for consideration in the arts center’s gallery schedule. Arts can also submit images of their work for consideration in larger group or themed shows. Deadline Sept. 20, 11:59 p.m. www.accgov.com/6657/ Exhibition-Proposal-Form 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 MUSIC AND ARTS EDUCATION GRANTS (Athens, GA) AthFest Educates will award a total of $65,000 to music and arts education programs for local students. Applicants may request up to $5,000. Check website for requirements. Applications accepted through Aug. 24. www.athfest educates.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
art around town
ACE/FRANCISCO GALLERY (675 Pulaski St., Suite 1500) Jason Thrasher’s exhibition of photographs, “Kashi Washi,” documents his return to a specific street corner in Benares, India 25 years after his first visit in 1998. Closing Reception Aug. 10, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) “Kurt Silvershield: Photographs” presents images taken in the heavily industrial landscape of the River Rouge and Zug Island area near Detroit between 2018 and 2021. Through Aug. 25.
CLASSIC CENTER (300 N. Thomas St.) In Classic Gallery I, “Spotlight” features works by painters William Ballard, Jaci Davis and Ella Hopkins. • In Classic Gallery II, Kristin Roberts’ “The Fables” illustrates Aesop’s Fables with detailed works that are both whimsical and dangerous. DODD GALLERIES (270 River Rd.) In “Trick Mirror,” Dodd professor and recent retiree Diane Edison examines through portraiture the complexities of platonic, professional, and romantic relationships. Through Sept. 26.
FOYER (135 Park Ave.) Recent MFA graduate and interdisciplinary artist Kit Rutter presents a pop-up exhibition of paper works. Closing party and sale Aug. 9, 5–8 p.m.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “A Perfect Model: Prints after Anthony van Dyck’s Portraits” presents prints that attest to Van Dyck’s lasting impact as a printmaker and portraitist. Through Dec. 1. • Organized in conjunction with the American Liszt Festival at UGA’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music in October 2024, “Saint Petersburg as Franz Liszt Saw It” features works on paper that show Russia at the time of the Hungarian composer and pianist’s visits there in the 1840s. Aug. 10–Dec. 1.
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.) The second annual “Together We Dazzle”
PUBLIC ART SELECTION PANELS
(Athens GA) The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission is seeking community members to participate in upcoming public art selection panels. Panels review, evaluate and select from submitted proposals for ACC-funded public art commissions. www.accgov.com/9656/ Public-Art-Selection-Panels
STEAMROLLER PRINTMAKING WORKSHOP (Lyndon House Arts Center) Workshop participants will carve 4-foot wooden blocks to create their own relief image on Sept. 14 and Sept. 21 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Printing with the steamroller will take place during public events on Sept. 28 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sept. 29 from 12–5 p.m. www. accgov.com/lyndonhouse
Auditions
ANASTASIA (Quinn Hall at Memorial Park) Athens Creative Theatre hosts auditions for a musical. Prepare one minute of music of your choosing (bring sheet music for audition accompanist). Actors will be expected to complete a dance/ movement portion. Email to schedule. Auditions held Aug. 12–13, 6–9 p.m. Rehearsals held Monday–Thursday nights. Performances held Nov. 7–10 at the Morton Theatre. act@accgov.com
MOUSETRAP (Winterville United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall) Winterville Players are hosting auditions for Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap. Auditions held Aug. 25-26, 6–9 p.m. Rehearsals held Tuesday–Thursday nights beginning Aug. 29. Performances held Oct. 11-12 at the Winterville Marigold
Auditorium. wintervillecampus@ gmail.com
Classes
A COURSE OF LOVE (Unity Athens Church) Learn a positive path for spiritual living based on A Course in Miracles. Wednesdays, 10–11:30 a.m. FREE! www.unity athens.com
AQUA AEROBICS (Memorial Park) In this low-impact exercise, participants will experience a variety of stretching, limbering and weight routines set to music. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 10–11 a.m. $5/session, $20/five classes. 706-613-3580
ART CLASSES (K.A. Artist Shop) The shop offers a range of fine art classes and workshops for adults, private classes and parties, summer camps, and art clubs for youth. Topics include acrylic, aqua oil, bookmaking, calligraphy, gouache, printmaking, and watercolor. Register online. www.kaartist.com
BLACKSMITHING CLASSES (Greenhow Handmade Ironworks, Washington) A variety of blacksmithing classes include “First Time at the Forge” (Aug. 9, Aug. 17 or Sept. 13), “Forge a Fire Poker” (Aug. 10 or Sept. 21), “Forged Grilling Tools (Aug. 16), “Forge a Bottle Opener” (Aug. 30), “Forge Basic Blacksmith Tongs” (Sept. 14), “Forge a Railroad Spike Knife” (Sept. 20). Classes held 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $150. www.greenhowhandmade.com/ blacksmith-classes
CANOPY CLASSES & SCHOLARSHIPS (Canopy Studio) Canopy offers a variety of trapeze and aerial arts classes for children and adults. Scholarships and financial aid are available. outreach@canopystudio. org, www.canopystudio.org/ outreach/scholarships
COOKING CLASSES (Athens Cooks)
art show and benefit features artwork by over 20 local artists. A portion of art sales will benefit the Ehlers-Danlos Society. Closing Reception Sept. 21, 3–8 p.m.
LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) The Window Works series presents a site-specific artwork by Atlanta artist Michael Reese that questions the perception of the Black Body against cyanotype photography popular with architectural blueprints. Through spring 2025. • “Pathways” is a solo exhibition featuring Kristy Bishop’s body of work, “Metaweaves.” Through Aug. 31. • “Traditions Highway” is a presentation of photographs by Irina Rozovsky taken between 2017–2021 along Georgia State Route 15. Through Aug. 31. • Steven L. Anderson’s “Entropy Plan for the Western Fam” was inspired by Joseph Beuys’ 1974 tour of lectures and performances meant to address ecological and spiritual problems of the time. Through Aug. 31. • Led by Martihn van Wagtendonk, the kinetic sculpture “Cupola: A Collaboration” was inspired by Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi. Through Aug. 31. • “Celestial Bodies” is a group exhibition exploring the relationship between the heavens and the earth. Through Aug. 31. • “Morphogenesis” spotlights Wilay Méndez Páez, an Afro-Cuban artist based in Atlanta whose small metal sculptures are made from discarded car parts. Through Aug. 31. • Collections from the Community presents Mac Little’s collection of flying discs. Through Aug. 31. • Amiri Farris’ paintings and collages blur the lines between contemporary cultures and pop traditions while delving into themes of history, culture, perception and time. Through Oct. 5. • “Scissors, Paper, Art” is an exhibition of collaged works by Jack Burke and Claire Clements inspired by nature. Through Oct. 5.
MAGALLERY (125 W. Jefferson St., Madison) The 2024 Annual Members Exhibition, “It Figures,” features approximately 40 works by 20 artists. Through Aug. 31.
MASON-SCHARFENSTEIN MUSEUM OF ART (567 Georgia St., Demorest) Toccoa-based artist Normando Ismay shares recent sculptures made from recycled aluminum. Through Sept. 7. THE NEST (523 Prince Ave.) Susan Pelham’s collages are inspired by Magic
“Spicy Takeout Treats” will be held Aug. 7, 6–8 p.m. $103. “Knife Skills and Sharpening” will be held Aug. 14, 6–8 p.m. $75. “Cheese 101: Basics of Artisanal Cheese” will be held Aug. 17, 6:15–8 p.m. $65. Register online. www.athens cooks.com
PÉTANQUE CLUB OF ATHENS (5 Alumni Dr.) Learn to play Pétanque. RSVP for a free Wednesday introduction. athenspetanqueclub@ gmail.com, www.athenspetanque club.wixsite.com/play
QPR SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING (Nuçi’s Space) Nuçi’s hosts free monthly QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention sessions for anyone interested, not just mental health professionals. Nuçi’s also offers free training for businesses and organizations. qpr@nuci.org, www.nuci.org/qpr
SPANISH CLASSES (Emmanuel Episcopal Church) Join Casa de Amistad for a 12-week Spanish class. Wednesdays beginning Aug. 21 or Thursdays beginning Aug. 22, 6:30–8 p.m. $360. www.athens amistad.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. liveoak martialarts@gmail.com, www.live oakmartialarts.com
WHISKY 101 (Tapped Athens Wine Tasting Market) “Whisky 101: A Tour of Scotland” examines the political, geographical and cultural background of whisky as a whole in Scotland, as well as region-toregion and distillery-to-distillery.
YOGA AND MORE (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) Revolution is a multipurpose mind-body wellness studio offering yoga and therapy with an emphasis on trauma-informed practices. Check website for upcoming classes and programs. www.revolutiontherapyandyoga.com
YOGA CLASSES (Let It Be Yoga Studio, Watkinsville) Classes are
offered in Hatha, Vinyasa, Kundalini, beginner, gentle and other styles. Check online calendar for weekly offerings. www.letitbeyoga.org
YOGA CLASSES (Shakti Yoga Athens) This body-neutral and traumainformed space in Normaltown offers heated and unheated classes. Classes are offered in Power Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Yin and Restorative Yoga. New student offer: four weeks of unlimited yoga for $40. shakti yogaathens.com
Help Out
ATHENS FILM FESTIVAL (Athens, GA) The inaugural Athens Film Festival, held Aug. 15–17 across multiple venues, is seeking volunteers. See free films, meet filmmakers and help support local creatives. support@athensfilm.com, www. athensfilm.com/volunteer
MULTIPLE CHOICES VOLUNTEERS (Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living) Seeking volunteers to assist a nonprofit agency that serves individuals living with disabilities throughout a 10-country area of Northeastern Georgia. Contact Daniel Myers at 706-850-4025 or dmyers@multiplechoices.us
SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Sandy Creek Nature Center, Inc., is seeking new members for its board of directors. Brochures and applications are available online. scncinc@gmail.com, www.sandy creeknaturecenterinc.org/boardmembers
SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS (Morton Theatre Corporation) The Morton Theatre Corporation is seeking new members for its board of directors and volunteers. The application is available online. board@morton theatre.com, www.mortontheatre. com/join-the-board
Kidstuff
ATHENS FOREST KINDERGARTEN (Sandy Creek Park) Now enrolling children ages 3–6. AFK is a cooperative preschool that aims to develop initiative, persistence, interdependence, and empathy. www.athensforestkindergarten.org
Realism, Surrealism, nursery rhymes, fables and more. Through Sept. 14. PORCELAIN AND DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM (2450 S. Milledge Ave.)
Two new collections celebrating the connection between art and nature include a complete Jasperware tea set from Wedgewood in England and a series of hand-carved coconut vessels.
OCONEE LIBRARY (1925 Electric Ave., Watkinsville) Members of the Athens Art Association share their work. Through August.
STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead) “Queer Perspectives” is a juried exhibition featuring work by 13 Georgiabased artists including Yousef Bousheri, Perrine Gaudry, Rial Rye, Ezra Witkowski andClint Zeagler. Opening Reception Aug. 10, 4–6 p.m. Through Jan. 4.
UGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER LOBBY GALLERY (230 River Rd.) In “Low Anchored Cloud/Spring Hoax,” Joseph Peragine, director of the Lamar Dodd School of Art at UGA, explores themes of life and death through two distinct bodies of work. Artist Reception Aug. 20, 5 p.m. Currently on view through Dec. 21.
UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “Athens Potluck” revisits Jason Thrasher’s 2017 book that includes portraits of 33 musicians at home or in the studio.The exhibition includes photographs, stories, loaned items from the featured musicians and items from the music collections of the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Opening Reception Aug. 8, 6–8 p.m.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF ATHENS CLEMENTS GALLERY (780 Timothy Rd.) “The Claire and Robert Clements Summer Invitational” features UUFA artists as well as artists who have shown or are scheduled to show in the gallery. Through Sept. 29.
WINTERVILLE CULTURAL CENTER GALLERY (371 N. Church St., Winterville) On view in the lower exhibition hall, “Pen, Pencil, Paper and Ink” is a group exhibition highlighting different artistic approaches. Through Aug. 8. • “New Beginnings” is a group exhibition held in celebration of the center’s grand opening. Through Aug. 16. • Wildlife photographer Mike Ramy presents “An Intimate Look at Nature.” Through Aug. 16.
BRELLA ACTIVITIES (’BRELLA STUDIO) After-school art lessons for ages 6–11 include drawing and mixed media activities and are held Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Family Playgroups are for ages 0–5 and their caregivers. Check website for descriptions and meeting times. www.brellastudio.com/events
CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES (Treehouse Kid & Craft) Treehouse offers a variety of art-centric activities for children, such as “Crafty Maker Mondays,” “Storytime with Mr. Doodles,” “Digital Art Designer,” “Baby Artists,” “Toddler Process Art,” “Creative Playtime,” “Saturday Craft” and more. Check website for current schedule. www.treehouse kidandcraft.com
GROUPS AT REBLOSSOM
(ReBlossom) A variety of classes, playgroups and support groups are offered for parents and young children. Topics include birth and breastfeeding, prenatal and parent-baby yoga, instrument play, maternal mental health and more. Check website for a schedule. www. reblossomathens.com
LIBRARY STORYTIMES (ACC Library) Storytime for preschool aged children and their caregivers is offered every Tuesday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. www.athens library.org
Support Groups
ACA ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS AND DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES (Holy Cross Lutheran Church) This support group meets weekly. Tuesdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. annetteanelson@gmail.com
AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple Locations) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Free daytime and evening meetings are held several times throughout the week in Athens. Monday meetings, 6:30–7:30 p.m., are held at the Commencement Center. Tuesday meetings, 1:30–2:30 p.m., are held at Watkinsville United Methodist Church. www.ga-al-anon.org
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) If you think you have a problem with alcohol, call the AA hotline or visit the website for a schedule of meetings in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee Counties. 706-389-4164, www. athensaa.org
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
BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP
(St. Mary’s Hospital, 5th Floor Therapy Room) This support group for survivors of traumatic head injury, their families, friends and caregivers offers friendship, information about resources and opportunities for advocacy. Every third Monday, 4:30–6 p.m. Contact Floretta Johnson, 706-353-1892, floretta.johnson@stmarysathens. org
NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP (Oconee Presbyterian Church) Peer-led support group for any adult with a loved one who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. Second Monday of the month, 6:30–8 p.m. FREE! joannehnamihallga@gmail.com
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. Second and fourth Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.byyourleave.org
MINDFULNESS & CRAFTS GROUP
THERAPY (Bridge Family Therapy)
Ages 14–18 can participate in a four-week therapy group teaching mindfulness techniques through crafts. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Aug. 20–Sept. 12, 4:30-6 p.m. $25/session. sam@bridgefamily therapy.com
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (24th Street Clubhouse) Learn to stop eating compulsively or curb other unwanted food-related behaviors. Tuesdays, 12 p.m. Text: 678-7363697
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
POLYAMORY SUPPORT GROUP
(Revolution Therapy and Yoga) This open support group for adults practicing or considering polyamory or nonmonogamy discusses navigating jealousy, polysaturation, relationships with metamours and polyamorous parenting. Thursdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. $10 donation. www.revolutiontherapyandyoga.com
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
SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE (Nuçi’s Space) SOS is a support group for anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide. Meets the third Wednesday of every month, 5:30–7:30 p.m. www.nuci.org
Word on the Street
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 participating locations. www.accgov. com/10584/Bike-Repair-Stations
DIAMOND HILL FARM CSA (Athentic Brewing Co.) The Community Supported Agriculture program offers a variety of seasonal vegetables, fruits and/or flowers directly to consumers each week. Check website for weekly pickup locations, home delivery details and to register. $15 (flower share), $25–35 (farm box). www.diamondhillfarm athens.com
FALL PROGRAM REGISTRATION (Athens, GA) The Leisure Services Department offers a diverse selection of activities highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports and holiday events for both adults and children. Now enrolling. www.accgov.com/myrec FASHION DEEP DIVE (Oconee Library) The library will run fashionthemed programs in September and October. Seeking local designers
and models to participate in a finale fashion show on Oct. 26, as well as local experts to teach workshops in fashion design basics, cosmetics, fashion sketching or costume design. Contact James Mitchell, jmitchell@athenslibrary.org
FREE DENTISTRY DAY (Timothy Road Dental Care) Residents in Athens and surrounding areas can receive free cleanings, fillings or extractions on Sept. 7. No insurance or appointment necessary. First come, first served. www.timothy roaddentalcare.com
LEISURE SERVICES MASTER PLAN (Athens, GA) The ACC Leisure Services Department is in the process of developing a new comprehensive master plan. Share your thoughts online or in person. Check website for pop-up events. www. accgov.com/activateathens
LITTER LEAGUE (Athens, GA) Any individual who tracks litter using the Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful + UGA list on the Debris Tracker app or picks up litter and reports their clean-up between now and Aug. 15 can win prizes. www. accgov.com/litterindex
PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT (Athens, GA) The Capital Projects Department invites residents to provide input on potential improvement projects to help improve connectivity and pedestrian access on the Lexington Road corridor. View project details, reference material, maps and survey online. Through Aug. 11. www.accgov.com/ lexingtonroad
RABBIT HOLE EVENTS (Rabbit Hole Studios) Weekly events include Open Mic (Tuesdays, 7–11 p.m.), Acoustic Song Circle (Thursdays, 7–11 p.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
SEEKING MUSIC (Athens, GA) Seeking music submissions for the third season of “View Finders,” a locally produced TV series that will air on national PBS. Music can vary from electronic, ambient, hip hop, folk, Americana, rock, country, blues, classical and beyond. Contact for submission form. chrisgreer photography@gmail.com, www. viewfindersontv.com
SEEKING POLL WORKERS (Athens, GA) The Elections Department is seeking residents to serve as poll workers for the Nov. 5 general election. www.accgov.com/pollworker
SEVENTH GENERATION (Healing Path Farm) Seventh Generation Native American Church hosts gatherings on Sundays at 11 a.m., Men’s Group on Tuesdays at 6 p.m., and Women’s Circle every second and fourth Wednesday at 6 p.m. www.seventhgeneration nativeamericanchurch.org
WALK INTO WELLNESS (Dudley Park Picnic Pavilion) Get moving and meet others on a path to wellness. Each walk will focus on a different health topic. Pre-registration required. For ages 8 & up. Aug, 10, 17, 24 & 31, 10–11 a.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/myrec
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
calendar picks arts & culture
ART | THU, AUG. 8
‘Athens
Potluck’ Opening Reception
UGA Special Collections Libraries • 6–8 p.m. • FREE!
Athens Potluck is a photography book by Jason Thrasher that takes an up close and personal look at the Athens music scene. Published in 2017, it compiles photographs and interviews from local musicians into a visual representation of the city’s diverse music scene, featuring 33 artists from across many genres, including Laura Carter (Elf Power), Vanessa Hay (Pylon), Ross Shapiro (The Glands) and more. The interconnectedness of the scene shines through in Thrasher’s process for creating the collection; he started with one musician, then found the next through that musician’s referral, and so on, finding himself moving from rock to punk to country to indie musicians rather than getting stuck in one genre. The opening reception for this exhibition will include live music from Charlie and Nancy Hartness of old time string band duo Hawk Proof Rooster and Jill Carnes (Thimble Circus), as well as drinks and hors d’oeuvres. [Mary Beth Bryan]
MUSIC | FRI, AUG. 9
TC Superstar
Flicker Theatre & Bar • 8 p.m. (doors) • $12
TC Superstar is a collaborative performance group that combines electronic indie pop music, dance and visual arts. Formed in 2017 under the direction of frontman Connor McCampbell, it features a wide cast of choreographers, performers and collaborating musicians from across Austin, TX. The collective’s discography is equally diverse in its themes. Its debut (from which the collective’s name originated via a track called “Toyota Corolla’’), is about notions of masculinity, while its subsequent release, a conceptual EP called Heat Death, is about consumerism and the environment, and more recent albums cover everything from love and relationships to the nature of entertainment consumption. TC Superstar’s most recent album, Static Dynamic, is described in Happy Mag as “a sprawling celestial collection” that explores the ideas of home and humanity amidst the conversation of colonizing Mars. The collective’s Athens performance will be opened by local bands Neat Freak and Dog Person. [MB]
MUSIC | FRI, AUG. 9
Cardiel
Ciné • 8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show) • $12
Though rooted in the skate punk scene, and even named after skater and snowboarder John Cardiel, Venezuelan band Cardiel refuses to be bound by genre traditions. The duo is composed of Sam Ambrosio and Miguel Fraino, who originally began writing music together in Mexico City in 2010 for a friend from home who had started a skateboard company. The two incorporate touches of stoner rock, psychedelia and dub into their sound, crafting live experiences that move from slow and heavy to what RVA Mag writer Griffin Smalley calls “a tremendous danceable onslaught.”
Cardiel is picking up local genre-defying garage rock band Deaf Condors and Atlanta garage rock band Oceaneater for support at its Athens show, which is part of a larger U.S. tour. [MB]
THEATER | AUG. 9–18
Pride and Prejudice
Town & Gown Players • Times Vary • $23.09 Jon Jory’s stage adaptation of Pride and Prejudice brings Jane Austen’s classic novel about the Bennet family to life. The story explores the efforts of a family to marry off each of its five daughters in eighteenth century England, with a particular focus on the story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, who must battle with societal expectations and their own biases as they navigate their relationship. Jory’s version of Pride and Prejudice keeps all the wit and romance of Austen’s novel, but channels it into a fastpaced live action format, and Christine Carpenter’s direction with Town & Gown Players—Athens’ longest-running, all-volunteer community theater—brings an extra emphasis to the female empowerment at the center of the story. Performances will be held Aug. 9–10 and 15–17 at 8 p.m. and Aug. 11 and 18 at 2 p.m.
Various ticket discounts are available for students, seniors and Town & Gown members. [MB]
ART | SAT, AUG. 10
‘Kashi Washi’
Closing Reception
ACE/FRANCISCO Gallery • 11 a.m. • FREE!
“Kashi Washi” is a term referring to the people working along the riverbanks of the ancient city of Benares, India. Photographer
Jason Thrasher originally visited and photographed Benares and its people in 1998 during a months-long trip across India, but in 2023 he returned to the specific street corner he had stayed on to recapture the people he met all that time ago. When asked by Raghu Rai, one of India’s most famous photographers and photojournalists, why he wanted to photograph Benares’ people, Thrasher explained, “I’m trying to see who I would be if I was born and raised on the other side of the planet.” He found that the shop workers in Benares reminded him of his father’s own clothing shop in Alabama, drawing a seemingly unlikely parallel between himself and his subjects from across the world. The exhibition explores the passage of time by featuring black-andwhite photos from Thrasher’s first visit next to color photos from his 2023 visit, and is being displayed at the gallery co-owned by Thrasher and his wife, Beth Hall Thrasher. [MB] f
“Kashi Washi”
classifieds
REAL ESTATE APARTMENTS FOR RENT
3BR/2BA Apt. in Scarborough Place avail. Sept. 1st. $1,800 a month. 1600 sq. ft. w/sunroom. Call 706-2271326.
HOUSES FOR RENT
3BR/2BA House in Normaltown, quiet interior street. Central heat/air. Furnished. Hwd floors. Washer/dryer. Driveway/on-street parking. No smokers, pets. Calls only! 706-372-1505
3BR/1.5BA, HWflrs., high ceilings, off street parking, at Pulaski and Cleveland. Near Greenway, Downtown and UGA. $1950. Call 706510-7089.
4BR/2BA. CHAC. W/D. Fenced in backyard. Multiple-car private driveway. Deck. Walkable/close to downtown Athens. Calls only 706-255-8800.
Rent or sell your property in the Flagpole Classifieds. Call 706-549-0301 to place an ad.
FOR SALE
MISCELLANEOUS
Business Water Solutions offers the cleanest drinking water available through innovative bottle-less water coolers and ice machines. Call 706-248-6761 or visit www.businesswatersolutions.com to set up a consultation.
MUSIC
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Nuçi’s Space is always accepting and selling used gear and instruments. All profits go toward our mission of ending the epidemic of suicide. Visit nuci.org/ rewired.
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
MUSICIANS WANTED
Athens 3 piece band looking for a guitarist, keyboardist or other instruments to fill out sound. Check strangetorpedo/ onthebrink/bandcamp. Contact Tom at 706-247-1259.
SERVICES
CLASSES
Zoom Acting Class w/ Industry Pros! Mon, August 12 at 7 PM. $15. bit.ly/ ray-wiederhold
HOME AND GARDEN
We offer garden clean-up/ maintenance, invasive plant removal, raised beds, personalized native/edible gardens for home/business and more! Call/Text: 706395-5321.
JOBS
FULL-TIME
Taste of India is now hiring (busser, host, to-go specialist, team member). Paid weekly, employee meals, flexible schedules, full-time or part-time. $15–20. APPLY IN PERSON.
PART-TIME
Join a diverse, inclusive workplace and get paid to type! 12–40 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 our growing team of well-paid, motivated, hardworking individuals. Junk South offers starting pay of $15/hr + tips (totaling $22+/hr). Learn more about Junk South at www.junksouth.com and text us at 706-424-4389.
Find employees by advertising in the Flagpole!
The Inter-Community Council, Inc. (ICC) is seeking an Administrative Coordinator. This position provides support for the ICC office, located at 156 Parkview Homes, Mon. & Wed. 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Tue. & Thurs. 1–6 p.m. Applicants must have excellent customer service skills, a teamwork attitude and a desire to work with a diverse population of people. Must be 18+, have a high school diploma (or GED equivalent), min. three years office
administration experience (or equivalent training) and preferably be a current resident of the Athens Housing Authority. Drug test, background check and valid GA driver’s license required. Applications are available at the Athens Housing Authority (300 S. Rockspring St. Mon–Fri. 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) Deadline for applications: August 23, 2024. Phone calls not accepted! Flagpole ♥s our advertisers, donors and readers!
