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Coronamencement Athens Grads Reflect on a Strange Senior Year p. 14

MAY 20, 2020 · VOL. 34 · NO. 20 · FREE

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this week’s issue

contents

Keep it Local! you can still safely support our

local businesses!

for information check out Classiccitylove.com Athens art-rockers Immaterial Possession enter a surreal film in the video for “Midnight Wander,” on flagpole.com.

This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 NEWS: City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Cobbloviate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

BOE Member Greg Davis Gets a Pass

Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

NEWS: Guest Pub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Ahmaud Arbery’s Murder Brings Up Shades of Lemuel Penn

Sad Grads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Threats & Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Record Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

ARTS & CULTURE: Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

OCAF’s Juried Exhibition Goes Online

Adopt Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

ADVICE: Hey, Bonita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Jobless, Lonely and Stressed Out

Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Curb Your Appetite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey, Jessica Pritchard Mangum CITY EDITOR Blake Aued ARTS & MUSIC EDITOR AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jessica Smith ASSOCIATE EDITOR Noah Rawlings CLASSIFIEDS Zaria Gholston AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, David Mack PHOTOGRAPHER Whitley Carpenter CONTRIBUTORS Bonita Applebum, James C. Cobb, Lily Guthrie, Gordon Lamb, John Vodicka CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Ernie LoBue, Mike Merva, Taylor Ross OFFICE ASSISTANT Zaria Gholston EDITORIAL INTERNS Lily Guthrie, Elijah Johnston

ACC Attorney Judd Drake

WORKING WITH BUYERS, SELLERS

AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT! Music brought me to Athens so in support of the creative arts community we make a donation to music and arts programs in Athens with

EACH CLOSING.

SOUNDREALESTATEATHENS.COM

COVER PHOTOGRAPH by Amy and Alan Flurry featuring Camille Flurry (see feature story on p. 14) STREET ADDRESS: 220 Prince Ave., Athens, GA 30601 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603 EDITORIAL: 706-549-9523 · ADVERTISING: 706-549-0301 · FAX: 706-548-8981 CLASSIFIED ADS: class@flagpole.com ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com EDITORIAL: editorial@flagpole.com

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

Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 14,500 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $80 a year, $45 for six months. © 2020 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOLUME 34 ISSUE NUMBER 20

comments section “The lack of transparency that National EMS and the EMS Oversight Committee have demonstrated over the last decade is both in violation of state law and dangerous.” — Samuel Rafal From “EMS Oversight Committee Stops Meeting Rather Than Meet in Public,” at flagpole.com.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE SITE PLANNING & ENGINEERING COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Association of Alternative Newsmedia

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Congratulations to the Alanna

Daveon Montgomery CEDAR SHOALS

UGA LAW SCHOOL

Congratulations! We are so proud of you. Good luck on your adventure at Howard! Love from your coworkers, ACC Solid Waste

Congrats Alanna, hard work always

Everett

OGLETHORPE COUNTY HIGH

pays off! We are so, so, so proud of you!

Love, Dad, Mom and Brothers

Grattis till studenten! May you always enjoy köttbullar while blaring American Football and soaking up life på din favoritö! Stay cool! Love, Dad & Sharyn

Anna Frances Julian

Congratulations to

Daelynn!

CLARKE CENTRAL

Dual enrollment student. Accepted into Georgia State as a Film and Communication Major. She loves skate boarding, drawing, producing music, and creating short funny videos.

Cam Bush CEDAR SHOALS

CLARKE CENTRAL

Cam will be using his creative energies at Athens Tech in the fall, double majoring in Welding and Auto Mechanics. Congratulations on your graduation!

This isn’t the Senior year we expected but I am so proud of how you have handled everything.

GO JAGS!,

I Love You, Mama Rachel

Dad, Mom, Taylor, Hannah and Gabe

Beatrice Acheson CLARKE CENTRAL

Congratulations Beatrice, Bea, Beatsie, Bea Bea, Bug Bug! Every version of you—daughter, sister, friend, scholar—brings gladness to the world.

University of Toronto Class of 2024

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Emma Crane

CLARKE CENTRAL

We are so proud of youYou Did It!!! This is just the beginning to all you will accomplish, our sweet, beautiful girl. All our Love, Mama and Dad

Braden DeLamater Cecilia Yetter CLARKE CENTRAL

ATHENS MONTESSORI

Congratulations, Braden. We are so proud of you. We love you. Go Glads! Go Dawgs!

Happy kindergarten graduation, Ceci Yetter! You’re a Yellow Class graduate!

Love, Mom, Dad, and Yaya

Love, Mommy, Daddy and Bee

Everett Vereen CLARKE CENTRAL

Everett, Congratulations! You have been such a good student and we are so proud of you! Love, Mom and Jane

Jackson Shelton

Josie Elliott

CLARKE CENTRAL

JACKSON plans to go to Georgia State in the fall to pursue a degree in Sound Engineering and Music Production.

Congratulations to you, son! You’ve graduated high school, and we couldn’t be more proud of you! Your future is very bright! Love you lots, Dad, Mom, Siobhán and Gram

Jack Krohn CLARKE CENTRAL

CLARKE CENTRAL

ATTENDING UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

We are so proud of you and looking forward to watching you fly, Josiebird!

Congratulations! Can’t wait to see what your 2020 vision has in store for you. So very proud of all of your accomplishments.

Love, Mom, Dad, Jack, and Grammo!

We Love you, Mom, Dad & Luke

C O N G R AT S B LU E P R I N T S

SENIORS

Camille Flurry Jordan Dulcio CEDAR SHOALS

CLARKE CENTRAL Congratulations Camille! We are so proud of you and the person you’ve become. Love, Mom, Dad, Ellis, Ty, Kitty and Mao

BLUEPRINTS MAGAZINE AND W J A G -T V 2 0 2 0 S E N I O R S Dominic Bielli • Kadeisha Camp • Jacob Castile Jennifer Dorcin • Emma Dowling • Jordan Dulcio Leah George • Sachio Goodie • Ansley Guntermann Mclaren Jansen • Tristan Lankford • Alexis Lemus SaeJin Mallon • Daveon Montgomery • Aaliyah Nowell Denton Redmond • Dekovian Scott • Amy Sarr Alex Soto • Scott Wells

Congratulations, Jordan! We are so proud of you. Love, Your Family You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your Mountain is waiting, so...Get on your way!! - Dr. Seuss

Emma Dowling

CEDAR SHOALS Emma, we are beyond proud of you. Your independent spirit and love for life is infectious. Follow your heart and stay true to yourself and there will be no stopping you! We love you, Mom & Marc Dad & Valerie

M AY 2 0 , 2 0 2 0 | F L A G P O L E . C O M

Congratulations to Athens Academy’s Class of 2020!

THE CLASS OF 2020 BY THE NUMBERS

They will attend different colleges/ universities states and Canada, including UGA, Harvard, in UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Williams College, and many other prestigious schools.

Seniors were offered over

$5.3 million in merit

scholarship awards (not including HOPE).

5 seniors were named National Merit Finalists.

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

Way to go, Spartans!

ATHENS ACADEMY Over $1.25M in Need-Based FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE #10 Best School in the State (Public & Private) #2 Best Private School in the State for STEM National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence

Schedule Your Tour Today! www.athensacademy.org 6

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10 seniors will play collegiate athletics next year. 16 seniors will attend UGA, including 8 in the Honors Program and 2 Foundation Fellows!

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opposed. However, the motion fell short of the six votes required for passage. Greg Davis abstained. Dyckman said a hearing would be a distraction. “We should be spending 80 percent of our time talking about student achievement, and we spend the vast majority of our time talking about each other,” she said. Despite voting against a hearing, Gantt expressed disapproval of Greg Davis using the word, regardless of his intentions, and money and paying fees to process recyclacalled it an example of white privilege. “I bles,” Janssen said. don’t think it’s about what a person meant Another issue is finding a way for to do,” she said. “It’s about the impact on self-haulers to pay for recycling. They don’t the marginalized community.” pay the waste minimization fee because The board also discussed the proposed they don’t have a trash collector, but many fiscal 2021 budget, which, at $163 million, frequently take advantage of ACC recycling is about $2 million less than the current programs, and others don’t even live in year, thanks mainly to an expected 14% Athens. Janssen said the county needs to cut in state funding that amounts to $10.5 “figure out how we can truly get all of the million. That will be mostly offset by a 7.5% community to pay for the recycling educaincrease in the tax digest and $5 million in tion we provide to the whole community.” federal funding through the CARES Act for coronavirus relief. Chief Financial Officer Chris Griner also proposed dipping into A majority of Clarke County Board of CCSD’s $32 million reserve fund for $3 milEducation members voted to hold a hearlion to $4 million to balance the budget. ing on member Greg Davis’ recent use of a Funding for central office administraracial slur, but fell short of the two-thirds tion is set to rise about $400,000, but vote required. interim superintenDavis has been critiXernona Thomas We should be spending dent cized for reading aloud made clear that the a Langston Hughes 80 percent of our additional funding is poem that includes for legal fees related to time talking about student the n-word at a Black Means’ departure and achievement, and we spend History Month event paying two superintenat a local Africanthe vast majority of our time dents at once, as well as American church. Some providing for Thomas talking about each other. black residents—espeto return to her role as cially vocal defenders chief of staff when a of former superintendent Demond Means, new superintendent is hired. “I don’t want who was placed on leave in December after the narrative to be that we’re adding staff,” stating his desire to leave the district—have she said. called for his resignation, while others have Board members informally decided to called those demands a political ploy. Davis add about $1.2 million to the budget to apologized earlier this month for what he fund raises for custodians, pre-K teachers called a “lapse in judgement.” and parapros. They will tentatively adopt The board voted 5–3 in favor of holding a the budget May 21 and approve the final hearing on a potential ethics violation, with budget June 25. Public comment on the Linda Davis, Antwon Stephens, Patricia budget will be taken via Zoom at 12:30 and Yager, Charles Worthy and John Knox 5:30 p.m. June 9, and taxpayers can comvoting yes, and Kara Dyckman, Tawana ment on the millage rate at 1 or 6 p.m. June Mattox and board president LaKeisha Gantt 9, or 6 p.m. June 16. f

Bethel Redevelopment Moves Forward PLUS, RECYCLING REVENUE, STATE EDUCATION CUTS AND MORE LOCAL NEWS By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com The Athens-Clarke County Commission will housing, one-third subsidized housing and finalize a deal next month with the Athens one-third market-rate housing. The land Housing Authority and two private develand some of the buildings will be publicly opers to raze Bethel Midtown Village and owned and managed by AHA, with other build a new mixed-income housing project. buildings owned by Columbia Residential Coronavirus has prevented planners and Jonathan Rose Companies, the private from continuing to meet with residents developers involved. and finish the master plan for the site, but “We’re not going to be reducing the a deadline for applying for the tax credits number of deep subsidy units on the site,” that will fund a majority of the project is Parker said. “We will be increasing affordlooming. “Ideally, we would be done with able housing on the site through the use of master planning at this time,” Christina low-income housing tax credits. It will be Davis, a project manager with Columbia a mixed income site. We will do everything Residential, told commissioners at a May we can to avoid disruption to existing resi12 work session. However, the partners dents to the fullest extent possible.” “feel that applying in 2020 is really critical” because living conditions at Bethel are “not ideal,” and criteria for the tax credits might Solid Waste Director Suki Janssen change. warned commissioners last week that The arcane process requires the comcounty recycling programs are in danger of mission to rezone the property from mulrunning out of funding by mid-2022. tifamily to commercial-downtown, in order Traditionally, recycling has been breakto allow for the necessary density for proeven, with the cost of processing recyclable viding additional affordable housing. That materials offset by revenue from selling zoning will be a placeholder until the masthem. The recycling market collapsed in ter plan is completed. The ACC Planning 2018, though, and still hasn’t recovered, Commission unanimously recommended Janssen said. approval. The commission previously approved a The commission also needs to approve small waste minimization fee that’s tacked a resolution acknowledging the downtown onto the trash bills of both ACC and private master plan that was accepted in 2013. haulers’ customers, as well as a recycling Both must be done before the partnership education fee that was supposed to be can apply to the Georgia Department of included in water bills, but then-county Community Affairs for the tax credits, attorney Bill Berryman which will then be sold said that fee was illegal. and used to fund about The point is, The landfill fund two-thirds of construcgreat services do cost. now supports dozens tion costs. The deadline of recycling programs, to apply is June 21. including recycling drop-off centers, Keep In addition, DCA gives applications Athens-Clarke County Beautiful’s litter points for something called “beneficial pickup and roadside flower-planting, financing.” ACC is contributing $44 milthe Teacher Reuse Store, the Recovered lion to the project through SPLOST 2020 Materials Processing Facility and the Center to buy land and build infrastructure—but for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). that money won’t count. Technically it However, it was never meant to support will come through the AHA because the recycling and is slated to run dry within two “gratuities clause” in the Georgia constituyears. tion prevents ACC from spending money “The point is, great services do cost,” directly on the project, Executive Director Janssen said. “An alternative funding Rick Parker said. To satisfy the “beneficial source for these integral programs is going financing” aspect, ACC will have to dip into to be required if we want to maintain these its $700,000 affordable housing trust fund. The money will be transferred to the Athens programs into the future.” To start, Janssen is proposing moving Downtown Development Authority, which KACCB and its $270,000 budget into the will then provide a low-interest loan to the general fund, where it would be funded AHA. That transaction is scheduled to be through taxes rather than landfill tipping approved June 19. fees. She also wants to raise the waste minDCA will award this year’s round of tax imization fee from 60 cents to $1.20 per credits in November, about a month or two month for households and from $1.60 to after Davis expects the master plan to be $8.20–$16.40 per month for businesses, finished. There will be more face-to-face depending on size, and to start charging the meetings with residents once gatherings University of Georgia 70 cents per student are allowed again, she said, and in the annually. That would raise $390,000 a year. meantime, residents are being surveyed via Other programs, like the CHaRM and print newsletters and asked to comment recycling facility, may need to be moved on Facebook, Instagram and the website into the general fund within three years, ndathensplanning.com. If the tax credits are granted, demolition Jannsen said. With little market for recycled goods, the RMPF has become a monand infrastructure installation will begin ey-loser. It’s projected to need a $315,000 in January, with construction following subsidy. Solid Waste is asking businesses six months later. The first phase of the for innovative ideas “so we can maybe flip development is expected to open in fall it back to making revenue instead of losing 2022. It will consist of one-third public

Recycling Funding Runs Dry

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No Ethics Hearing for BOE Member

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M AY 2 0 , 2 0 2 0 | F L A G P O L E . C O M

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cobbloviate

A New Great Depression? LIKE THAT CRISIS, CORONAVIRUS COULD AFFECT GENERATIONS By James C. Cobb news@flagpole.com

Painfully aware of how abruptly the rhetoric of “permanent prosperity” had turned to ashes in the mouths of the leading economic experts of the 1920s, a great many Americans clung to the parsimonious habits ingrained by their long ordeal of deprivation, even after World War II finally brought the long-awaited economic recovery. Their children and grandchildren will surely recall their steadfast resistance to purchasing any but the cheapest consumer items for themselves. Nor was there any excuse for tossing perfectly good aluminum foil or wax paper after a single use, or any reason to be in a hurry to dispose of paper bags or any jar, bottle or box that might come in handy for storing something one day. While there is certainly no basis at this point for anticipating that the economic consequences of the coronavirus onslaught will be comparable, in some apples-to-apples computation, with the enormous losses registered between 1929–1933, those who actually find themselves caught up in such crises seldom assess the severity of their situation in purely objective terms. We may have the means to calculate that, adjusted for inflation, the approximately $41 billion price tag for the entire New Deal amounts to roughly 38% of the cost of the initial coronavirus economic stimulus package. An impoverished Oklahoma family in 1936. But there is no formula for determining how the psychological effects and other businesses. Though more akin to of spending several years trying to stave off a drop in an ocean than a bucket, President absolute impoverishment might compare Hoover’s modest rescue initiative noneto those of fearing that you or someone you theless amounted to a new precedent upon care about might suddenly fall ill and die which his successor would expand and while stressing out about your current or improvise repeatedly as the Depression possible economic jeopardy. defiantly dragged on. While we are unlikely to witness anyAfter FDR took office, in a five-year thing approaching the enduring parsimony whirlwind of legislation ranging from the of the Depression generation once the Agricultural Adjustment Administration immediate crisis has passed, an explosive to the Social Security Act to the Fair Labor release of pent-up purchasing power may Standards Act, his New Deal established not be in the cards either. Apart from quesa federal presence in practically every tions of job security, millions of what just aspect of national economic life. However, weeks ago seemed comfortably middle-class Roosevelt had proceeded in such disjointed parents will be facing a dramatic shrinkage and piecemeal fashion that, ultimately, in the portfolios they were counting on even his economic advisor Alvin Hansen to educate their kids, anchor their 401(k) was forced to admit that, “I really do not plans or provide collateral for a loan to buy know what the basic principle of the New their dream house. Whatever its duration, Deal is.” FDR had effectively, if unwittingly, a period of austerity may be in the offing. as the historian Paul Conkin observed, Throw in the health risks possibly associcreated what amounted to a virtual “welated with venturing out to malls, restaufare state.” Yet because he had given his rants, bars, theaters, etc., and you hardly fellow Americans little reason to see it that have the recipe for a post-pandemic surge, way or view it holistically in any sense, much less one while the pandemic is still succeeding generations were inclined to very much with us. consider the expanded federal presence Much as the economic devastation of the in national life largely in terms of how its Great Depression brought lasting changes component programs benefited them. How to the consuming habits of an entire generquickly and completely they had come to

F L A G P O L E . C O M | M AY 2 0 , 2 0 2 0

DOROTHEA LANGE

Unemployment stood at 25% and 7,000 banks had folded in the last three years when President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural address on Mar. 4, 1933. Even as he cautioned his fellow Americans that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” he also conceded that “only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.” The realities of that moment still appear grimmer than those of the current one. Yet with a staggering 22 million Americans filing for unemployment over the last four weeks, it is difficult to dismiss projections of jobless rates reaching or even eclipsing the Depression-era peak that confronted Roosevelt on that first day of his presidency. The desperate, decade-long struggle to keep their families fed, clothed and under the same roof left an indelible imprint on the mindset of many of the adults who survived the Great Depression. If that historic effect is any indication, we may emerge from our own global crisis to find our habits and lifestyles significantly altered as well—a prospect that runs counter to the blithe assumptions of some politicians and presidential advisers that the U.S. economy will quickly return to “normal” once it’s reopened. Most Americans continued to trust Roosevelt even when his New Deal recovery efforts faltered: Even after unemployment climbed back into the vicinity of 20% in 1937–38 and his Democratic Party suffered major losses in the 1938 midterm elections, FDR’s presidential approval rating still stood at 54%. Still, a great many of his supporters never managed to divest themselves entirely of the fear that he warned could undermine efforts to promote recovery. In fact, for many of them, that fear endured long after the recovery arrived. A vital part of FDR’s recovery plan was not simply getting Americans back to work, but persuading them, insofar as it was possible, to resume their normal spending patterns. For example, the Civilian Conservation Corps was expected to preserve and beautify the natural landscape, but its guidelines stipulated not only that the young men it employed were to come from families on relief, but that they must send all but $5 of the $30 they earned each month back to those families, who presumably would have no choice but to spend it. The upshot was supposed to be thousands of mini-stimuli injected into a near-comatose consumer economy, raising prices and encouraging businesses to reopen. However, as some oral histories reveal, much of the money sent home to parents wound up stuffed in Mason jars or sewn into the corners of sheets. Unprecedented federal spending was aimed at boosting employment and thereby consumer demand; this should have had a net inflationary effect. Yet the years 1930–1940 registered a cumulative 19% decline in the inflation rate—reflecting, at least in some measure, the extreme reluctance of frightened Americans to spend on anything but absolute necessities.

ation, FDR’s approach to combating it left its own enduring mark. Federal involvement in certain public-service initiatives, such as disease prevention and social education, had expanded notably during the “Progressive Era” of the early 20th century, but taking action to relieve economic distress was another matter. President Grover Cleveland declared in 1887 that “though the people support the government, the government should not support the people.” Cleveland’s dictum largely held sway until the sudden profusion of breadlines, soup kitchens and homeless encampments marking the onset of the Depression put the lie to his insistence that “the friendliness and charity of our countrymen can always be relied upon to relieve their fellow-citizens in misfortune.” The severity of the situation finally moved even the hidebound free-marketeer Herbert Hoover to agree in 1932 to set aside $2 billion for loans to banks, credit agencies

take those benefits for granted was apparent in Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s blunt warning in 1954 that setting out to abolish Social Security, farm subsidy programs or other vestiges of the New Deal would be suicidal “for any political party.” Grudgingly acknowledging as much, even latter-day Republican critics of the post-New Deal welfare state have largely spurned ripping it out by its roots in favor of repeatedly hacking away at its branches. Yet for all their zeal for slashing federal social and economic welfare programs, Republicans have shown no such ardor for the tax hikes or other political compromises, such as expanding Medicaid, that would allow the states to begin filling the void in public assistance created by federal cutbacks. When the coronavirus crisis began, state and local leaders initially turned to Washington for assistance in relieving the health-care crises confronting their respective constituencies. However, in this case, the response to their demands has been limited and slow in coming, and the extent of the federal government’s obligation to fulfill them has been subject to much debate. Still uncertain of the details and parameters of a constantly shape-shifting federal response, several governors began to forge their own collaborative plans to address the challenges they face. Though he earlier insisted that he was the one with the power to reopen state economies, President Trump himself has more recently declared that decision-making about this facet of the crisis was the responsibility of each individual governor. The meaning of the New Deal’s expansion of federal responsibility was never spelled out in so many words, but the American people came to understand what it meant for them as individuals. If the coronavirus response continues in its currently contested form, history suggests that today’s citizens will discern that the burden of responsibility is shifting back to the states—and that they may reset their long-term expectations accordingly. Meanwhile, Americans may not emerge from the current coronavirus siege embracing anything approaching the extreme, self-imposed austerity of those directly impacted by the Great Depression, and no reduction in federal responsibilities in the current situation is likely to take the country all the way back to pre-New Deal mode. Still, it would be unwise to assume that the severe jolt to their sense of physical as well as material well-being inflicted by this crisis will leave no mark on their habits and attitudes going forward. Like other era-defining historical trials, the Great Depression finally passed. But, both on an individual and governmental level, the end did not signal a return to status quo. While the history of crises past seems to assure us that, one way or another, today’s will eventually recede, that history just as surely cautions us against assuming we can anticipate what the world may look like when it does. f

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Lemuel Penn to Ahmaud Arbery GRIM PARALLELS CONNECT ATHENS AND BRUNSWICK MURDERS By John Cole Vodicka In the darkness of the early morning hours of July 11, 1964, four white men patrolling the downtown streets of Athens watched a car bearing Washington, D.C. license plates drive by Guest’s Garage on Hancock Avenue. Three African-American men were riding in the car, heading east through town. As recounted in Bill Shipp’s 1981 book, Murder at Broad River Bridge, one of the white men said, “Looks like some of Lyndon Johnson’s boys. Let’s go get us a n-----.” JOHN COLE VODICKA

never tried for the murder. After the acquittal, the defendants celebrated in the courtroom with their wives and others. The local prosecutor shook Sims’ and Myers’ hands, telling them, “It was nothing personal.” Fast forward 55 years. Ahmaud Arbery was jogging through a Brunswick neighborhood on Feb. 23. He apparently stopped at a house under construction, perhaps to urinate. At the same time, two white men, father and son, set out in their pickup truck to ambush the black jogger. They met Arbery in the middle of the road. The father, 64-year-old Gregory McMichael, stood in the bed of the truck brandishing a pistol. The son, Travis McMichael, 34, stood at the side of the truck, holding a shotgun. Video footage shows the younger McMichael shooting Arbery three times with his shotgun. After the third blast, Arbery is seen running away, but within seconds he collapses to the ground. Arbery, 25 years old, is dead. The police arrive on the scene, make their report and tell the McMichaels to “go on home.” It was a little after 1 p.m. It was broad daylight. Gregory McMichael had previously worked for both the Glynn County police departOn Georgia Highway 172, on the Madison County side of the Broad River ment and the district northeast of Athens, Lt. Col Lemuel Penn was shot dead in 1964, just short of attorney’s office. After the bridge and the Elbert County line. the shooting, the current DA recused herself Less than an hour later, the driver of from the case and brought in a prosecutor the D.C. vehicle, Lemuel Penn, was shot from a neighboring county. That DA advised dead at the Broad River Bridge, 25 miles police that there was “insufficient probable from Athens in Madison County. His assail- cause” to issue arrest warrants. Once again, ants—Joseph Howard Sims, Cecil Myers as in so many instances past and present, it and James Lackey—were all members of seemed that vigilante justice would prevail. the Athens Ku Klux Klan. Lt. Col. Penn and Then, in early May, the 30-second his two companions were Army reservists graphic video of the shooting emerged. returning home after training exercises at The Georgia attorney general and the GBI Fort Benning in Columbus. got involved. More than two months after After the klansmen returned to Athens Arbery was gunned down, the McMichaels and Guest’s Garage, owner Herbert Guest, were arrested and charged with felony muralso a KKK member, asked what had hapder and aggravated assault. pened. Sims joked that their mission was Penn was buried on July 14, 1964. unsuccessful because “the car [carrying His body rests in the Arlington National Penn and his two comrades] didn’t go into Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Arbery’s the river.” funeral was held on Feb. 29. He is buried in Surprisingly, Penn’s killers were indicted New Springfield Baptist Church Cemetery by a Madison County grand jury. Their in Waynesboro. 1965 trial, held in the late summer in Now we wait to see how this case plays Danielsville, was a sham, however. For out. Will redress be had for the family of yet starters, the all-white-male jury consisted another African-American man summarily of at least a few Ku Kluxers. They deliberexecuted by someone who is white? Or will ated for just a short time, returning not two more white men be absolved because guilty verdicts against Sims and Myers. The they decided it was time to “Let’s go get us a third Klansman, Lackey, initially confessed, n-----”? Will the long arc of history continue fingering his two companions. During the on this cruel path, or will it finally bend trial, however, Lackey recanted. He was toward justice? f

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Coronavirus Brings Out the Best and Worst in Us Crises can bring out the worst in us, but also the best. They lay bare the sickness and rot of our society, which we may not see or experience ourselves, and make the lives of those already suffering worse. The coronavirus pandemic is showing the worst in us as basic necessities like soap and food are hoarded and scalped for profit. Many promote the dubious argument that stockpiling is simply the result of an innate, biological force of self-preservation; some go so far as to pathologize it as a “disorder.” However, most will not entertain the idea that it is, in fact, a natural response to living within a capitalist system that encourages individualism at all costs—a system that so deeply and effectively atomizes and divorces us from ourselves, our neighbors, our communities, nature, and the most marginalized that we internalize the very market forces that oppress us in the first place, forcing us to become fearful and lash out at others. In this sense, we devolve from homo sapiens to homo economicus. Given this economic backdrop, there should be less blame placed on those who buy out of fear than on the structures of power that facilitate and encourage such behavior. The crisis also highlights the best in us. Drawing from our innate, biological instincts to help one another, people are building upon existing mutual aid networks and organizing new ones, from food shares to crowdsourced social solidarity, showing that the molding of our genes and selves by the state and market can be resisted through solidarity. Like “solidarity,” the phrase “mutual aid” is losing its meaning. It is being stolen and misused by opportunistic politicians, self-appointed community leaders and market forces. And, also like solidarity, mutual aid is not something you say; it’s something you do. Mutual aid is a practice, a way of living, being, and doing. It is people giving what they can and getting what they need. The COVID-19 crisis—and the failure of the state and market to address it—shows us that there are other ways of living, other ways of being and other ways of relating to one another. It provides us an opportunity to strengthen and organize community projects that concurrently function as counter-institutions, forms of protest, social welfare and organization. Just as crises can broadly expose the rot and poison of our society and institutions, they can reveal the possibilities of a society that looks and operates much differently. While the Earth has a moment to breathe, we have an opportunity to practice (and reflect upon) mutual aid with those most negatively affected by COVID-19. These actions may cause us to question why things are the way they are, to see root causes, to see what may happen when we start to see the worst of the climate crisis and ecological collapse, to see that there are alternatives to the state and market, and to see that we must not only be reactive, but proactive. We can subvert disaster capitalism with disaster collectivism.

Through mutual aid, we also have the opportunity to question what community means, and what it means to organize it. Is it viewing the world as a battlefield where short-term, top-down “fights,” “battles,” and “wins,” suffice for social change? Is it exerting our limited time and collective energy electing politicians that ultimately turn their backs on us? Or, is it viewing the world as a commons where organizing is seen as a long-term effort from the bottom-up, outside of failing institutions? If we are to weather the storm of neofascism, ecofascism, climate crisis, ecological collapse and COVID-19—which very well could get worse—we have to find a place within the shelters of community. The shelters of community we repair, build, and organize should be constructed as long-lasting structures against problems, so that resilience is a term that is rarely uttered. In order to find ourselves again, we must find one another again. Our current crisis is a moment that can be seized, a crack that can be widened, a seed that can be planted. It gives us a view into what a just future can look like when everything around us falls apart. Start where you are, where others are, and go from there. Joel Izlar Athens

Exposed to Pollution While Sheltering in Place As I sit here in my Colbert home, sheltering in place, I have come to recognize a crossroads in my safety. I’m a part of the at-risk population required to stay home, due to my rare and incurable lung disease. At the same time, I live approximately one mile from Colbert’s GRP biomass facility, which has been and is still burning creosote-treated railroad ties as fuel to generate power. (Notably, this plant is about 11 miles from the Arch.) Ordinarily, I would be spared from the fine particulate matter generated by this plant for at least 10 hours of the day, five days a week. Now, staying in place in my home, I am exposed to these toxins 24/7, which begs the question of how safe it is for me to stay home in the first place. To my knowledge, there are no known filters that could prevent the fine particulate matter from entering my HVAC system, crawling through the ducts and penetrating my dwelling. No amount of music can drown out the noise, and the thought of this plant’s potential impact on our water continues to give me pause. In weighing the risks and benefits of the scenario at hand, of course I remain in place as our nation pushes forward with its battle against the novel coronavirus. However, it should be noted that staying at home does not make me safe. It is my hope that our state senators, along with Gov. Brian Kemp, will acknowledge this predicament by supporting House Bill 857 once the legislature is back in session. As neighbors and friends, I further hope Athenians will continue with their support of the bill as well. Leigh Ann Jones Colbert

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arts & culture

art notes

ings by Tom Stanley of Rock Hill, SC. Citing his upbringing in his mother’s boarding house in a mill town as an early influence, Stanley’s artwork reflects ideas pertaining to home, interior and exterior structures, rooms and imagined architectural facades. Though Stanley’s exhibition was not installed on site, the online presentation allowed for new possibilities such as the inclusion of pieces he no longer owns. The conveys carefree satisfaction as its plastic piece of op art. artist typically works within series to fully threads extend off its edges like a heatIn an anticipated announcement at every focus on one idea at a time, and “Inside wave. And if ever a utensil could express “SouthWorks,” the director of OCAF recand Outside” acknowledges this approach amusement or surprise, it’s got to be Logan ognizes one artist whose work stands out by including images sampling five sepaWoodle’s “Clabber Ladle,” rate bodies of work. Created a sterling silver spoon with in 1985 while tending an streaming udders. injury, “Corner Drawings” “SouthWorks” also showare significant to the artist cases regional craftsmanship, for marking his renewed like Abraham Tesser’s spalted interest in mechanical drawoak and walnut “Keystone ing, a skill set that carried Stool,” Shirley Chambliss’ over into future work. “The woven shawl named after Neighborhood,” developed its matching namesake in 2005–06 after a trip to “Victorian Topaz Clasp,” and South Africa, uses stark Bonnie Montgomery’s patblack-and-white silhouettes terned rag rug. of industrial structures in The gallery includes three a way that amplifies a disvideos of artists who received parity of resources. Made awards, with each offering most recently in 2018–19, firsthand insight into the “en route to here” combines winning works. Deborah several of his artwork’s most Tidwell, who received the prevalent characteristics— honor of “Best in Show” for silhouettes, hard edges, her portrait of two pouting emphasis on line, and buildgirls dressed as Alice and ing structures—for maze-like the Cheshire Cat at “The spaces full of stairwells and Tea Party,” speaks on her shadowy animals. love for painting textures OCAF is currently acceptlike the orange velvet chair ing submissions through and the tarnished silver tea June 1 for its upcoming 26th set. Merit Award winner annual “OCAF Members’ Jonathan Merrill points out Exhibition,” which will be that his lifelike charcoal porpresented virtually June trait “Stronger” chooses to 15–Aug. 1. Artists are guarcrop out any contextualizing anteed acceptance as a perk background, instead encourof membership, and works aging viewers to lock eyes and “Potion,” a woodblock print by Amanda Burk, was accepted into this year’s “Southworks” in all media are welcome. The exhibition. imagine the narrative of the gallery is also accepting venindividual. A lone photograph dor applications for its annual certainly wouldn’t have done justice for and bestows the opportunity to return the holiday market, which will hopefully be the Honorable Mention “Sunflower Kinetic following year for a solo show. This year’s held in December. Visit ocaf.com for appliSculpture” by Mark Beduhn, who explains Director’s Choice exhibition is “Inside and cation guidelines and to see the current the mechanics behind his mesmerizing Outside,” a collection of drawings and paint- exhibitions. f

‘SouthWorks’ Celebrates 25th Anniversary OCAF’S JURIED EXHIBITION SPOTLIGHTS REGIONAL TALENT ONLINE By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com As galleries across the globe temporarily transition to online platforms in the wake of the outbreak, each is confronted with a series of choices of how to present their exhibitions, and to what extent they want to incorporate biographical, multimedia or other supplemental materials that may have otherwise cluttered gallery walls. With the web’s seemingly limitless boundaries, informational or interactive experiences can compensate for what’s lost during the absence of an in-person viewing. The Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation is currently presenting a virtual version of its 25th annual juried exhibition, “SouthWorks,” with over 80 pieces representing a variety of media. Tasked with evaluating submissions from across the country, this year’s guest juror was Chris Clamp, a realist oil painter with a background in exhibition design, art handling and artist consultation from Charlotte, NC. In his juror statement, Clamp remarks that he observed a common thread among submissions—the expression of emotion— and used this as a unifying denominator among the majority of his selections. The show is anchored by powerful, detail-oriented portraits with expressions that run the gamut from proud, joyful and relieved to pensive, annoyed and determined. Even the non-human subjects seem to convey elements of emotion in their own way. “One in Six,” Manda McKay’s photorealistic oil painting of a purple flower petal caught in a spiderweb lined with raindrops, conveys helplessness and sorrow while recalling the staggering statistic of sexual abuse among men. Ginger Goekjian’s pair of black-and-white photographs capture rippling, psychedelic swirls in wet sand that resemble acrylic paint pours, creating confusion and curiosity. Amanda Burk’s block print of a colorful lawn chair, “Rapchur,”

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Farm to School Garden Champion Awards Congratulations to this year’s Garden Champions! Outstanding Administrator: Christopher Pendley, Clarke Middle School Outstanding Administrator: Scott Emard, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary Outstanding Elementary School Student: Itzel de Paz Garcia, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary Outstanding Elementary School Student: Jaden Lewis, Alps Road Elementary Outstanding Elementary School Teacher: Sara Clarke, Barrow Elementary Outstanding Elementary School Teacher: Kristin Beasley, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary Outstanding Garden Champion: Andie Bisceglia Outstanding Garden Partner: Young Urban Farmers Outstanding Garden Volunteer: Debora Ondracek, JJ Harris Elementary Outstanding Garden Volunteer: Laura Hall Gabriel, Clarke Central High School Outstanding High School Student: Isabella Gonzalez, Clarke Central High School Outstanding High School Teacher: Carly Chandler, Cedar Shoals High School Outstanding High School Teacher: Kalev Jaason, Clarke Central High School Outstanding Middle School Student: Latavious Johnson, Clarke Middle School Outstanding Middle School Student: Odin Bullock, Clarke Middle School Outstanding Middle School Teacher: Rebecca Glennie, Clarke Middle School Outstanding Parent Volunteers: CMS Animal Care team, Clarke Middle School Outstanding School: Barrow Elementary Outstanding School Staff : Emma Meyers - AmeriCorps Vista, Clarke Middle School Outstanding School Staff: Adapted Curriculum Team, Clarke Middle School Outstanding School Staff: 7th Grade Science Team/FCS/Ag Science, Clarke Middle School

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Class o Cedar Shoals High School Peace Abhieyighan - H Antranasiah Allen La’nesha Allen La’Twanna Allen Marilyn Alva-Arroyo Karen Alvarado-Mendez - H Gabriel Alvarez - H Julissa Alvarez Pedro Alvear Christodiah Amoah - H Nakia Anderson Sakia Anderson Isaiah Anderson-Presley Jesse Aquí - H Armando Aranda - H Alliyah Armstrong Jary Balderas Maria Balver Nadia Barnes Karen Barrera-Bello Rene Benitez Audrey Bennett - H Dominic Bielli Noah Blackmon Shawn Bolton Linden Bowden - H Kenbrecka Bowens LeShuntre Briscoe Jaden Brock Zykeria Brooks Jakiyah Brown Shivonne Brown D’Quavious Browner J. Carter Bush Iarely Cabrera-Valdes Jackson Camp - H Kadeisha Camp - H Kemya Campbell Aaliyah Candley Jamal Canty Quincy Canty Daniela Cardenas Cordova - H Kiche’ Carter - H Keyla Casas Jacob Castile - H Jacob Chetney - H Sara Chetney - H Cederia Christopher Ashanti Clarke D’Nasia Clink Shaunderia Cofer Trevor Colbert Shemar Collins Evelyn Contreras Shelssy Cortez-Franco Delenzo Cox - H Ayriel Crawford Jose Solis Cruz Yasmine Daniel Joana De La Luz Katherine Delgado - H Sebastian Dickson Alberto Dimas Elias Asia Dogan Jennifer Dorcin

Emma Dowling Jacquelin Duarte Jordan Dulcio Kenneth Dulcio Tayewanda Dumas - H Randy Dunn Jahkaius Dye Edgar Escutia Chagoya - H Jennifer Espinoza-Osorio Jackelyn Esteban James Farley Dav’aria Faust Paula Figueroa-Monterola - H Valedictorian Quenti’yas Fleming Dania Flint Avery Fortson McKenzie Fortson Morgan Frankowiak - H Brooke Fraysher - H Abril Fuentes-Mandujano - H Kasey Gabriel-Servant Keamber Gaither Leah George Angela Ghimire - H - Salutatorian Citlalli Gil Dominguez Eboni Gilree Sachio Goodie - H Ta’Dyria Grant Ka’Nisha Greene Ansley Guntermann - H Zykese Hancock Dorian Henley Jalicia Henson Silvia Heredia-Ruiz Jessica Hernandez-Yanez Aaliyah Hill - H - Salutatorian Damion Hill Ja’Kwon Hill Eric Hixson Jacob Hixson Abigail Hoover Julia Hoover Lemetrius Howard Marquavious Howard Shakira Howard KeAsia Hunter - H Aaliyah Jackson Giovanni Jackson - H Jalen Jackson Weenta James McLaren Jansen Stephanie Jimenez Tyler Johnson Alyssia Jonas Anthony Jones Edrick Jones Jayden Jones Khaija Jones - H Quanesha Jones Delondrickous Jordan James Keeney Kagen King Ava Kitchens - H Gabriel Knight

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Klara Lankford - H Tristan Lankford - H Misa Lara-Brass Jakaya Lee Alexis Lemus - H Jennifer Lemus-Hernandez TyAmber Lester Marshiyana Levy Yusin Linares - H Andrew Linares-Chagolla - H Tahjahree Linston Kara Litwin Keyanna Lloyd Clarke Christopher Lopez - H Kanesha Luke Alia Lyvers-Knapp Antonia Magana - H SaeJin Mallon - H Jovany Marcial Magen Marshall - H Brittany Martin - H Erik Ortiz Martinez Karla Martinez Leslie Martinez Maria Martinez-Mondragon LaMicheal Mathis Ah’Niya McCoy Idayijah McGuire Harry McIntosh Harper McWhorter Lucas McWhorter Abril Medina Xavier Melton Itzel Mondragon Daveon Montgomery - H Devonah Morris Kamerian Moses Gisellia Mouele-Makita - H Mauricio Munoz Alexander Nava-Moran Sequoyah Neal Carla Nieto Villarreal Aaliyah Nowell - H Chinyere Obioha-Alphonsus - H Leslie Ortega Flor Cruz Ortiz Brian Ortiz-Munoz Michelle Palillero Emma Parker Louren Patterson - H Brianna Pattmon Carla Pena-Avalos - H Justin Pena-Hernandez Gregory Pendley Thomas Peters Jason Phillips Ta’Jayua Phillips Daishai Pittard Marquis Potts - H Andreis Rayton Daryon Redic Denton Redmond Sandra Reyna Timothy Riden Johnny Robinson

Mirthala Rodriguez Monterroso Jameia Roebuck Moises Romero Erika Ruballos-Salazar - H Rodney Rucker Jaylan Rusher Jose Salas-Guerrero Maximino Salinas-Baltierra Brenda Sanchez Gustavo Sanchez Jair Sanchez-Rebollar - H Moussa Sarr - H Ndeye Sarr - H Emily Sause DeKovian Scott Tykevia Scott Munzer Sharif Kenyonta Sheats Laniya Sims Camron Smith Jameshia Smith Jayona Smith Julianne Smith - H Kadric Smith Kenneth Solano Candy Solano Romero Jose Solis-Cruz Victor Soto-Rosales Cedria Stone Yasmine Street Ebonie Suakollie Gabriel Suarez Jaime Suarez-Martinez Shevlyn Taylor Jason Thomas Lashyriun Thomas Daireonna Thompson Odalys Tinoco Carla Trigueros - H Trel’Lesha Turner Angelena Valdez Robert Van Hessen Edgar Villafuerte-Pinto Steven Wakefield Marquevious Wallace Tyson Waller Keleigh Ward Aaliyah Watson - H Jada Watson Elijah Welch Scott Wells Tre’Vay Wheeler Tywan Wheeler Eve Williams Jaiden Williams Zykaya Williams Rickil Willingham Jaheim Wilson Jackson Woods Sylvan Wyatt Anasia Wymbs Trenton Yearby Jeremiah Youngblood el Marcos Zuniga - H

Classic City High School

Clarke Ce

Elizabeth Campbell Melissa Campbell - Salutatorian Arielle Dillard Kidarius Dillard John Gordon III Kieves Hughes Rakeil Kelley Christopher Pinkard Sharonda Rice Joseph Thoyi Le-Le Walker - H - Valedictorian Toure White Latasha Wyatt

Beatrice Ac William Ada Achimike A Jillian Aker Olasubomi Zumer Alam Andres Alba Ja’Lisa Alex Melanie Alf Sherlin Alva Demonte A Luis Archilla Ta’liyah Ard Aliyah Arno Camryn Arn Karla Arriag Kristofer Av Catherine B SeNorra Ba Don Bannis Maximo Ba Tonique Ba Kara Barne O’Brien Bar Sidney Barn Stacey Barn Treyvon Ba Carter Bass Noe Bautist Luzmaria B Jamaya Ben Kaitlyn Ben Adrionna B Verdaisha B Jalen Bisho Uriel Blanco Anna Blum Serenity Br Jason Brizo Antonio Bro G’Niya Brow Ta’Kyiah Br Lillian Bruc Christian B Jasiyah Bur Ardajia But Alexander B Jasani Byrd Xzavier Byr Colin Callah Theron Cam Asa Campb Nyah Carlso Ty’Jada Car Sofia Casta Jazmine Ca Sarah Caud Memphis C Jonathan C Cintia Cham

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

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entral High School

cheson - H ams Adogu rs Akindipe - H m-H arran Jr. xander fonso-Hanzlik arez Lopez Appleby a-Rodriguez dister old nold ga Sotomayor vrett Bahena Jimenez aldwin ster Jr. ardner - H arnes ett rnett nett nett arnett s ta Benavides nnett Sorrells nson - H Berry-Morse Billups op o-Sanchez m-H rewster o Rivera own wn rown - H ce-Ritchie - H Bryan - H rgess tler Byrd - H d-H rd han mp - H - Valedictorian bell on - H rson aneda - H atalan dill - H Cawthon Cervantes morro

Carter Chavis Kevin Chen - H Patrick Childs D’Amber Clark Noah Clark Tanquerious Cofer Zy’Rian Colbert John Conaway Oliver Conley-Mullis - H Michaella Cook John Cooney IV Ashanti Cooper - H Lavangela Cooper Devon Corley Emilly Cornejo Jeremiah Cornish Treavion Cox Emma Crane Cameran Daniel Alexis David Kaelyn Davis Alan De Paz-Rocha Kai DeCruise William DeLamater - H Marjorie DeMaria - H James Derrickson Samanta Diaz Jesse Dillard TayShaune Dowdy Josephine Elliott - H Autiania Ellison Maricus Estrich Thomas Evans Patrick Fell Kimberly Figueroa - H Jack Fischer Camille Flurry - H KenDarius Ford DreMeriya Fortson Dremeriyan Fortson Ja’Shauntee Foster Nadiiyah Fox Maria Franco Cruz Myron Franklin Miayata Freeman Colin Frick - H Gwendolynn Gadd KenAsia Gainer Chandler Gantt - H Amy Gaona Carlos Garcia - H Eric Garcia - H Tamara Garcia-Martinez Lesley Garfias-Guadarrama Jalen Gary Jorge Gaytan Lucy Gibson - H Elena Gilbertson-Hall - H Valedictorian

Emily Gillespie Mikaylin Glover Alphonzo Gonzalez Kevin Gresham Jr. Clarence Grier III Gimena Gutierrez Guadalupe Gutierrez Colton Hanna Demarco Hardy Arion Harris - H Sequoia Harris Jasmin Heard Jordyn Hearst - H Cidney Herman Daviel Hernandez Jenifer Hernandez Luis Hernandez Jara Gerardo Hernandez-Arriaga Jennifer Hernandez-Martinez Yesenia Hernandez-Uriostegui Mayely Herrera-Sandoval - H William Herrin Jeremiah Hill Jonathan Hill Jordan Hill Tayveon Hollman Anayah Howard Thaw Htoo Kristine Huaman - H David Huato Andreiona Hubbard Kayanis Hull Jasiri Hutchens Elias Hutchinson Naomi Ibañez Lalita Imes Robert Isakovich Henry Ivy - H Cassandra Jackson - H Toni Jackson Michael Jackson-Coston Trinity James - H Kent Jeffries Jr. Elisa Jewell Oscar Jimenez Akehaton Johnson Christopher Johnson Raekwan Johnson Mackenzie Jolly Jocelyn Jones Samuel Jones - H Aleena Joseph - H Anna Julian Jovitta Julius - H Bianca Kelley Jamarris Kelly Trayvon Kinnerson Victoria Knowlton

Everett Krause - H John Krohn - H Justin Layne Brian Leahy - H Simon Leavell - H Travontae Lee Sarah Lenoci Demetrion Lester Omar Lester Desmond Lewis Pacey Lewis Joshua Lineberger Asianna Lott Shemar Lowe Noeli Loya Nick Maddox Prana Maldonado Collins - H Benny Mannakulathil - H Breanna Martin Brian Martinez Cristal Martinez Stephanie Martinez - H Jakiya Mathis Nicholas Mauldin - H Rosemary Mayorga Shawqi Mays Carlos Mazariegos-Alvarez Rachel McAllister D’Rahn McCarty Matthew Meeks Oscar Mejia Manuel Melendez Rossi - H Ashley Mendoza Alejandra Mendoza Garcia Emerson Meyer Casey Michaux Anthuanett Morales Madueño Daniela Morales Madueño Amber Morris Zareia Morris Jordan Mosley De’Asia Muckle Ivone Muñoz-Garcia - H Litzy Munoz-Rico Matthew Musyoka - H Gerardo Navarro Kimberly Navarro Trent Nesbit - H Joshua Newson Olivia Ngu - H Andrew Nguyen - H Martin Nguyen - H Janelly Onofre Sotelo Uchenna Onunkwo - H Jose Orduna Kattia Palomino Joanna Pantoja-Alvarez Emily Parks Ricky Parks Jr.

Henry Pattavina - H Rianna’ Pearson Sarahi Penaran-Medrano Casey Pendley - H Chandler Pendley - H Shea Peters - H Quinn Phillips - H Ke’Asia Pilcher Samuel Pleitez Eric Pollard Lauren Pollock - H Zikira Powers Audrianna Price Cullen Pynn - H Zachary Quick Erica Raines Saul Ramos - H Errol Reed Jr. Aiden Reichner - H Sheccid Rete Jessica Reyes Guillermo Reynoso Jaishon Richards - H Melissa Richardson Tecoya Richardson Gabriel Rico Morgan Riley - H Alaijah Roach Cadence Robertson - H Alexander Robinson - H Alexis Robinson - H Oscar Robles Kiara Robles-Ventura - H Jawan Rodriguez Aracely Rojas Angel Rosa Evan Rosch - H Ciera Rucker Emanuel Sanchez Jose Sanchez Vasquez Katherine Sartain Caroline Sartor Ka Yo Say - H Eden Sears - H Avery Sepesi Saran Sesay - H Eddie Sesmas-Mondragon Kelson Shaner - H Jackson Shelton David Silva Bastidas Georgia Simmons - H Robert Simmons James Sims III Damarius Smith Jaiquez Smith Jakirra Smith Joshua Smith Kalia Smith Macshayla Smith

Shekinah Smith Taionne Smith - H Ansley Solis Jimena Somilleda - H Jordan Sorrells Chaundia Stafford Tamya Starks Cameron Stokes Shelly Storr Angel Suarez-Pompa James Sunta Hunter Swafford Matthew Swaim - H Imani Sykes Rosario Sykes Kourtney Teasley Dillin Temple Jessiah Tenorio Aravian Thomas - H Sijourney Thomas Tajanay Thomas Lamin Touray Eric Tovar Sekura Towler Raymond Town Katherine Upchurch - H Bianca Uriostegui Brandon Vargas Emily Vargas - H Dai’Jonna Varnum Pamela Velasquez - H Isabel Ventura Everett Vereen - H Diego Villafana-Escobar - H Esperanza Walker Anglow Walton Isaac Ward - H Chance Warren Jr. LaNayha Washington Harold Waters III Ke’ala Watkins Wil’Neisha Watkins Noah Weidemann Daelynn White Bryan Whitehead Manya Wilkins Anna Williams - H Rikkeirra Williams TaNaiya Williams Tylend Willingham Samuel Wilson IV Joshua Wong Loyola Trinity Woodey Kentevin Woods Jr. Alexis Wright Alexandria Yarbrough Lucy Yeomans - H Salutatorian Nicole Zalud-Ibañez

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news

feature

Pandemic and Circumstance Seniors Grapple with Graduating During an Epidemic

By Noah Rawlings news@flagpole.com

degree of uncertainty inherently comes with finishing high school. Even if one has committed to a particular job or university, it’s impossible to envision the ways that post-grad life will change oneself: Work or class may alter one’s priorities and worldview; romantic relationships may simultaneously open up and delimit lifepaths; living or traveling in new places may undo one’s social and cultural assumptions. Yet, this swirl of unknowns tends to be balanced by a row of foreseeable rituals, of which prom and a graduation ceremony are the most momentous.

seniors, though he has been less fazed by the cancellation of graduation festivities. “I was not super looking forward to a lot of the senior traditions,” he says. This is partially because Camp, through the Clarke County School District’s dual enrollment program, has taken all his classes over the past year at the University of Georgia, where he will officially begin undergraduate studies this fall. “I’m not as bothered or disturbed by that as I expect a lot of people are, but I don’t think my experience is really representative.” To compensate for the slew of cancellations, Clarke County public high schools intend to host proms and in-person graduation ceremonies at the end of July. Graduation ceremonies in the form of pre-recorded videos will also be held on Friday, May 22, the original date of graduation. While virtual graduation may be the best, socially responsible alternative to the real thing, students see its limitations. “I think there may be some loss in the spontaneity in the graduation speech,” says Camp, who recorded his valedictorian speech in the Clarke Central auditorium on Friday, May 15.

makes you feel a little bit lazy,” says Sarr. “Right now we’re assuming that [college classes] will be in person. But it will be sad if it’s online.” Goodie expresses a similar sentiment. “When Cedar went all online, I definitely realized how tough it was for me to focus on the schoolwork,” he says. “I fell behind a good bit.” In addition to disrupting students’ study habits, online classes fail to provide the social atmosphere and physical environment that draw students to particular universities. “You know, UT Austin is a good school, but I also like the social culture of it. I was really looking forward to going to football games,” says Goodie.

Aravian Thomas Paula Figueroa

Although not every student is invested in these events, they smooth out, enliven and memorialize the passage from adolescence to adulthood for many graduating seniors. However, the global outbreak of COVID-19 has necessitated the cancellation, postponement or extensive modification of such rites, adding a layer of uncertainty and disappointment to an already tumultuous time. “It’s my first year going to prom—I never went to prom before—and I was asked to go, so I was really excited,” says Amy Sarr, a graduating senior at Cedar Shoals High School who will be attending Georgia State University in the fall. “I went to the mall and got my dress, and that same week the coronavirus pandemic came out, and it just stopped everything. When I found out that graduation was not gonna happen and prom was not gonna happen, I was very sad. It was not a good feeling at all.” Cedar Shoals’ valedictorian, Paula Figueroa, bought her prom dress the day before in-person classes were canceled. Aravian Thomas, a graduating senior at Clarke Central High School, was also upset by the cancellation of graduation events. “I was disappointed, because everybody else got to experience decision day, senior walk, senior picnic, senior breakfast, and I didn’t get to experience it to its full potential,” says Thomas, who will attend Howard University in Washington, D.C., this fall. Her summer plans were also upended: “I was planning on going on a graduation trip, but I can’t go because of the virus.” Clarke Central High School’s 2020 valedictorian, Theron Camp, sympathizes with the disappointments of his fellow

Theron Camp

Figueroa, who will attend Emory University this fall, hopes to use her valedictorian speech to address both the difficulties of the virus and the way it has facilitated personal growth across the Class of 2020. “Of all the things the Class of 2020 has gone through, this is definitely the biggest one,” she says. Though they are part of a generation whose tech-savviness is frequently touted, some students in the Class of 2020 do not intend to watch their graduation video, citing its impersonality. “I’ll watch the graduation ceremony, because I’m sure in a way it will be special to me, but it’s tough. I definitely don’t blame kids for not wanting to do it,” says Sachio Goodie, a senior at Cedar Shoals who will be attending the University of Texas in the fall. Graduating seniors may continue to face virtual experiences in the fall if their universities switch to online learning. On May 12, California State University decided to move to primarily online instruction for the fall 2020 semester; other schools across the nation are likely to follow suit. This is not an appealing prospect to some of Athens’ 2020 seniors. “I don’t like doing stuff online. And I think a lot of people don’t like doing stuff online. It just

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Acknowledging that college is often perceived as a holistic, multifarious “experience” rather than a straightforward, utilitarian education, professors, journalists and university administrators across the country have speculated that a greater number of students will take gap years during the 2020–21 academic year, instead of paying full tuition for online courses. However, according to the students who spoke to Flagpole, taking a year off of school is neither desirable nor a significant trend amongst their peers. “I haven’t heard any of my friends say they’re taking a gap year. Everybody I know is either going to school or going to the military,” says Thomas. Starr adds, “I haven’t come across that at all. The people I’ve talked to, they’re all planning on going to college.” Gap years are often spent traveling, interning or working. They provide students with a break from school and a chance to assess professional and academic interests. However, with the virus still prevalent, travel may be impossible, if not unwise, and jobs and internships are increasingly difficult to come by. For some students, taking a gap year at this time would be like putting the breaks on life. “If [class] does go full online,” says Goodie, “I’ll probably still move out to Texas and do my online coursework from there. I really want to get on with the next chapter of my life.” Figueroa says that she did not consider a gap year, either, but she plans to spend her first semester at home if her classes at Emory are online. Camp, who received UGA’s Foundation Fellowship—one of the most prestigious and generous undergraduate scholarships at that university—said he might have wanted to

music

threats & promises

The Orange Constant Release Peel PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com

take a gap year, had he known the virus was coming. “But I’m not sure whether, having already accepted the scholarship, I would be allowed to do that,” he says. “I think I’m going to have to roll with it and see what happens.” If any good has come to seniors from the pandemic, it is the free time afforded by canceled sporting, work and social events. Students have been using this time to reconnect with family members, explore their hobbies and develop skills. “I think my grades got better,” says Thomas, “I didn’t have to work during my free time.” Goodie, who plays guitar, is hoping to spend some time this summer writing and recording music. “I actually just bought some recording software,” he says. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, and this is a good time to do it.”

dive and read his superb book from 2016, Babbling Corpse: Vaporwave and the Commodification of Ghosts. OTHER MOTHER BROTHERS: Sometimes I imagine it must be

hard, cosmically speaking, to be Telemarket and always in the shadows—relatively speaking—of The Pink Stones. I mean, songs have feelings, too, right? In any case, that’s just me jabbering, so don’t pay that no mind. But if you’ve got five minutes to spare, run your ears through Four Track Demos, which landed at telemarket.bandcamp.com at the JULIAN ALEXANDER

Amy Sarr

KEEP ON SMILING: The new album from The Orange Constant got pushed back a few times, but it’s out now and named Peel. The band continues its reliable path of fusing classic Southern rock with modern sensibilities. The band tends to eschew any sort of boogie rock tendencies, and its influences tend to be much more compositionally oriented than party oriented. Let’s say they’re much more directly influenced by Sea Level and Wet Willie than, say, Skynyrd. Highlights here include “Far From Home,” “Reach” and “The Blackout.” If you spin this, pay close attention to the transition between “Reliance” and “Reincronic,” which I thought was a particularly nice piece of sequencing. You can find Peel on all the major streaming services and you can dig into the history of The Orange Constant over at theorangeconstant.band camp.com. STATIC AGE: The release of the new album,

Demagogue, by Ihlytt (the ongoing project of artist J Anderssen) came about by a chance meeting when the owner of Fargo, ND label Dough Girl Tapes was on tour and they played on a bill together. Yet again, Anderssen threads his head through a needle’s eye, but this time imbuing his apocalyptic drone with subtle, yet recognizable, elements. For example, on “Ine,” listeners of a certain age will hear bits of Front 242’s “Headhunter.” The Orange Constant By the same turn, there’s readily available Electronic Body Music all over “Neophyte.” Even end of April. Although it only runs three tracks long, one so, Ihlytt doesn’t traffic in club tunes. This will still ruin of them is a 4-track demo of “Lizard Queen,” which we first your sleep just as surely as it will ruin your ears. And met on Telemarket’s 2019 album You Deserve a Hard Day’s that’s fairly high praise for a new record in an increasingly Work After a Long Night’s Rest. Enjoy this and more courtesy crowded musical space in which it’s become increasingly of Avenue Noise & Sound and visit them on the World Wide difficult to distinguish oneself. Find this over at doughgirl Web at avenuenoiseandsound.bandcamp.com and telemartapes.bandcamp.com/album/demagogue. ket.bandcamp.com. WORDS AND DAYS: Musician and author Grafton Tanner HMU, FAM: For the past several weeks this column has been returns to the musical fold in earnest this week with the largely, if not exclusively, record reviews and mentions of release of a new single under his Superpuppet moniker. streaming events. Yes, I know that’s pretty much the only The new single is named “O Sun,” and Tanner described it public-facing news anyone has right now. But those of you to me as “an homage to U.K. garage and Chicago footwork who have recording plans or are perhaps working on a new with an apocalyptic refrain.” Although this is the first time record as we speak, forming new bands/projects, expanding anything has been described to me as an homage to both a style of music and a style of dance, I get what he means and your reach into other creative areas, whatever—I want to know. It doesn’t need to be huge news, either—just someit works. This is an interesting intellectual take by Tanner, thing you’re doing that you think is cool and interesting. who is well-versed in the manipulative aspects of the “nosIn the dearth of live music, touring news, etc., the new talgia industry,” but also deeply steeped in the history of wave of projects is going to consume most of our creative modern dance music. This won’t be released until Friday, energy. Who knows? Maybe you’ll inspire someone who’s May 22, but on that date it’ll be available at superpuppet. been feeling completely lost creatively and encourage them bandcamp.com. In the meantime, and of course afterward, to explore some new paths. So, on that very Tony Robbins head over to graftontanner.com and spend some time note, send it all to the email address above. f with his excellent essays, or perhaps even take the deep

record review Sachio Goodie

While circumstances are less than ideal, ACC’s graduating seniors are trying to see the positives of a bad situation. “The decision to go to school close to home is looking much better in retrospect,” says Camp, who originally applied to several schools in the Northeast. Sarr, who was initially discouraged by the social limitations of quarantining and the prospect of online college instruction in the fall, has started to see this time as an opportunity for spiritual growth. “I’ve been reading the Quran more; I’ve been praying more… I’ve started to really kinda adapt to a new lifestyle, even though it was pretty hard,” she says. Figueroa is also of an optimistic mindset: “I think we’re gonna be more grateful for what we have, and not overlook the time that we have with the people that we love.” f

Dazy Chains: Illusion Confusion (Independent Release) Self-described as “a psychedelic-jazzy-hard rock band,” The Dazy Chains are a new Athens outfit who shed electric sunshine on a summer in dire need of some musical magic. The band dropped their debut EP on Apr. 19, a two-track release titled Illusion Confusion, which also claims the namesake of the first song. The guitar bursts through to the forefront, delivering a crunchy, lo-fi lick with elements of prog rock laced in between a tingling trip. The drums make their entrance, reminiscent of ‘70s funk and soul, and cradle the guitar line into the vocal kickoff, brandished with classic rock confidence. From metal to marching band, several genres meld together to create one anthemic sound, celebrating the various influences brought by each individual member. The same is true of their second song, “Like a Bird,” a mellowed, post-punk piece that maintains a necessary urgent energy to propel the melody forward. Old school jangle-pop is highlighted by the fluttering guitar riffs and accented vocal harmonies, and it’s underscored by a throbbing low note that draws from the heartbeat of hardcore. Despite having cancelled their first five gigs due to COVID-19, this is only the beginning for The Dazy Chains, who promise more music to come. [Lily Guthrie]

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NORTHSIDE & WESTSIDE BOTTLE SHOPS ARE HIRING! If you are highly motivated, 21+ with experience (preferred, but not required) in retail, stockroom, wine or craft beer please apply here: www. bottl eshopathens.com/ employment-application

PART-TIME Seeking excellent typists (65+ WPM) to start immediately. Flexible schedules with 16 hours/per week minimum. Office policies include mandatory cleanings, socially distant workstations and no unauthorized visitors. Pay starts at $9.75 with $1/hour or higher raises after training. No previous transcription experience required. Apply at www.ctscribes.com. Looking for employees? Advertise your job openings in the Flagpole Classifieds! Call 706-5490301 today. Worked with Copytalk before? Immediate openings available, paying $2.50–$5.00/hr. more than when you last worked. Re-join as an employee and help us type through this crisis! E-mail ath recruiting@copytalk.com.

VEHICLES MISC. VEHICLES REDUCED CHEVY RV: $8,500. Fridge, freezer, microwave, 4-burner stove, full bath. New fuel pump, brakes and tires. Call/text for pictures. 706-201-7608.

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ADOPT ME! ACC Animal Control 125 Buddy Christian Way, Athens 706-613-3540 Call for appointments. Available animals can be seen online at Athenspets.net

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Difficulty: Easy

7 1 6 9 3 5 3

1 4 6 1 4 8 3 5 2 2 8 6 7 8 2 4 6 7

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Innergies Yoga Now is the time to try yoga! Many of the yoga centers have responded to the crisis by creating online classes. Yoga and meditation have changed, and will continue to transform the world!

HOW TO SOLVE:

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain theofnumbers 9. Week 5/18/20 1- to 5/24/20

The Weekly Crossword 1

by Margie E. Burke 9

1 3 32 2 38 7 42 5 4 9 53 6 59 8 27

24 to Sudoku: Solution 28 29 9 730 3 6 8 4 5 9 8 133 6 2 5 7 7 6 4 5 839 9 403 1 9 2 443 6 8 5 6 2 3 8 1 4 9 46 8 3 5 9 7 2 1 49 50 2 4 7 1 5 3 6 3 7 8 2 9 1 544 5 1 6 3 460 7 2

2 4 34 1 3 7 6 51 8 5 61 9

41 44

48 52

62 63 64 65 66 67 68

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Innergiesyoga.com features Kundalini yoga. Sangha Yoga Studio on Facebook features Hatha and many other types. Other studios have their live and recorded classes online, so try one out! As you become more serene, so will everyone around you!

53 55 59 60

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ACROSS 1 Trapper's device 6 "You ___?" 10 Shot in the dark 14 Time punctuation 15 "A Death in the Family" author James 16 Hefty horn 17 Highly capable 18 Prom attendee 19 Turing portrayed in "The Imitation Game" 20 Checkout slip 22 Really dislike 24 Purse part 26 Potsie's pal 27 Bothersome bug 30 Take to court 32 Give some slack 34 Convention voter 38 Go up against 39 Zoo structures 41 Roswell sightings 42 Lantern filler 44 Garage job 46 Ice Age mammal 48 Like some humor 49 Architect's output 51 Ratched or Pilbow

Join in!

Campfire sound Back off, in battle Big name in IRAs Soldier's stance, with "at" Circle spokes Part of A.M. Gets one's goat "All kidding ___ ...." Garden invader Farm workers? One of the Monkees

DOWN 1 Leave a mark on 2 Junction point 3 "The Black Stallion" boy 4 Boxing ring borders 5 Give the right (to) 6 Drum sounds 7 Sensitive subject, to some 8 Requirement 9 What Ike Godsey ran 10 Upholsterer's tool 11 Garden bulb

12 13 21 23 25 27 28 29 31 33 35 36 37 40 43 45 47 49 50 52 53 54 56 57 58 61

Embarrass Cause of ruin Darth's daughter Fill, and then some Walter of "Mrs. Miniver" ___ jacket Brain section Part of BYOB "___ whiz!" Endured Not too many Sightseeing trip TV sports award Aardvark's tidbit Went under Release a fastening band Coercion Lying face-down Starbucks offering Expunge Stick in one's ____ Have coming Do magazine work Campaign worker Bleacher feature Workout segment

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

Art #ARTSCENTERONLINE (Lyndon House Arts Center) Though currently closed to the public, the Lyndon House is still offering educational programming and art activities online. Search for the hashtag #ArtsCenterOnline on Instagram and Facebook for art education programs for families sequestered in their homes, virtual tours and other art related activities designed for sheltering in place. www.accgov.com/ lyndonhouse AAAC GRANTS (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council is offering financial aid to artists in need. All local artists, arts organizations or arts-based projects are welcome to apply. info@athensarts.org, www. athensarts.org ARTS IN COMMUNITY AWARDS (Athens, GA) The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission awards grants of $1,500 each to promote creative placemaking in the community. Grants will be awarded based on the level of community enrichment through the arts, contribution to the local identity and quality or artistic merit. Artists, local organizations and groups can apply. Deadline May 20, 11:59 p.m. Fill out online proposal. info@athensculturalaffairs. org, www.athensculturalaffairs.org/ calls-for-artists

Auditions THE CAROL BURNETT SKETCHES (Elbert Theatre, Elberton) Encore Productions hosts auditions for this comedy production. Be prepared to read excerpts from the script. Auditions are on June 1–2, 6–8 p.m.

Classes ART CLASSES (KA Artist Shop) Virtual classes are now held through Zoom. “Calligraphy Club” is held every first Thursday, 5:30–7 p.m. FREE! “Brush Lettering” is offered May 26 at 6 p.m. or June 20 at 1 p.m. $25. “Pencil Calligraphy Class” is offered June 6 at 1 p.m. $15. “Modern Calligraphy with Pointed Dip Pen” is offered June 13 at 1 p.m. $25.hello@kaartist.com, www. kaartist.com MORNING MINDFULNESS (Georgia Museum of Art) Participate in a guided meditation session through Zoom. Every other Friday at 9:30 a.m. www.georgiamuseum.org

Help Out BLOOD DRIVES (Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center) All blood types are urgently needed after over 160 blood drives were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. Drives will be held May 19 and May 26 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support and May 21 and May 28 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the hospital’s Oconee Health Campus. Schedule appointments online using the sponsor code ARMC. www.redcrossblood.org THE ARK’S SHERO 2020 Join The Ark in honoring the women whose strength, courage, stamina and grace shine forth in the darkness of the present crisis. Send a card to mothers, teachers and nurses through the

art around town CITY OF WATKINSVILLE (Downtown Watkinsville) “Public Art Watkinsville: A Pop-Up Sculpture Exhibit” consists of sculptures placed in prominent locations around downtown. Artists include Benjamin Lock, William Massey, Stan Mullins, Robert Clements, Harold Rittenberry and Joni YounkinsHerzog. • “Artscape Oconee: The Monuments of Artland” features a total of 20 paintings on panels installed around town. Artists include Claire Clements, Peter Loose, Andy Cherewick, Lisa Freeman, Manda McKay and others. GALLERY AT INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Tiny Universe #3” is an exhibit of small works by over 70 artists from Athens and Atlanta. Through May 30. GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection” features over 60 objects spanning over 30 years of the famous stained glass artist’s career. • “Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates Exhibition” is an annual exit show for the graduating master of fine arts students at the Lamar Dodd School of Art. • “Rediscovering the Art of Victoria Hutson Huntley” contains approximately 30 lithographs and two paintings. Through June 21. • “Drama and Devotion in Baroque Rome” celebrates Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s influence. Through Aug. 23. • “Altered Landscapes: Photography in the Anthropocene” includes images that demonstrate humanity’s impact on the natural world. Through Sept. 27. Though the museum is temporarily closed, many of the exhibitions, as well as the permanent collection, are currently available to view online at georgiamuseum.org. GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Supple Moments, Dark Corners” is a site-specific installation by Eli Saragoussi that is accompanied by a soundscape by Max Boyd called “Jungle Drone.” Saragoussi recently incorporated additional set pieces built for Ad•Verse festival. LAMAR DODD SCHOOL OF ART (270 River Rd.) Available in an online

month of May. Each $10 donation per card will benefit The Ark’s COVID-19 Assistance Fund. ark umoc@msn.com, www.athensark. org/arkshero2020

Rehearsals will be held mid-June through August, with performances following Aug. 21–23 and Aug. 28–30. 706-283-1049

Kidstuff ART CLASSES (KA Artist Shop) “Art Club Junior” is for ages 8–12 and held on Fridays at 4:30 p.m. “Art Club for Teens is for ages 12–18 and held Fridays at 6:30 p.m. Subjects include radial symmetry (May 22) and paper airplanes (May 29). Check website for details and to register. Classes are held over Zoom. $15. www.kaartist.com PROJECT SOCIAL STORY (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) ATHICA presents Project Social Story, a photo and film contest for local teens to share their experiences of social distancing, distance learning and staying at home. For ages 13–19. Submit up to five images or videos. Top submissions in the categories of “friends, family, pets, feeling and fun” will win prizes. Deadline May 31. www.athica.org/updates/projectsocialstory

Support Groups AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple Locations) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Visit the website for a calendar of electronic meetings held throughout the week. www.ga-al-anon.org ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) If you think you have a problem with alcohol, call the AA hotline or visit the website for a schedule of meetings in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee

“KITCHEN,” a new animation by New York-based artist and former Athenian Michael Siporin Levine, is currently presented online by UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art. Check out the Dodd Galleries’ virtual exhibitions at art.uga. edu/galleries. Counties. 706-389-4164, www. athensaa.org CRISIS TEXT LINE (Athens, GA) Anyone experiencing an emotional crisis can text GA to 741741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor. Children and teens welcome. This service is free, confidential and available 24/7. www.crisistextline. org/textline NAMI (Multiple Locations) “NAMI Connections” is a support group for adults living in recovery with mental illness. “NAMI Family Support” is for family members, friends and caregivers of individuals with mental illnesses. Multiple online groups are now available. Days, times and contact information is available at www.namihall.org and www.namiga. org. 770-225-0804, namihallga@ gmail.com RECOVERY DHARMA (Recovery Dharma) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction. Meetings are currently held through Zoom at zoom.us/j/2465753412. Thursdays, 7–8 p.m. FREE! Find “Recovery Dharma Athens GA” on Facebook

On The Street ACRONYM (Athens, GA) ACRONYM is a new website compiling COVID19 aid for Athens-based live music

gallery at art.uga.edu, ‘Amiko Li: The Purpose of Disease” presents the Dodd MFA Fellow in photography’s explorations into acupuncture, palm reading, psychogenics, herbal supplements, antibiotics and the regeneration of limbs. • “KITCHEN” is a new animation by New York-based artist and former Athenian Michael Siporin Levine, inspired by his quarantine experience. BFA exit shows are shared on Instagram at @dodd_galleries. LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (293 Hoyt St.) The “45th Juried Exhibition” presents 199 works by 144 local artists. Through July. • On view in the Lounge Gallery, Lee Coffey presents a solo show of oil paintings celebrating the mundane, drawing inspiration from flea markets, thrift stores, internet holes, advertisements, art history and everyday objects. Through May. • The Lyndon House is currently closed to the public, but is presenting daily installments of artwork and activities on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtags #45JuriedShowOnline and #ArtsCenterOnline. OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville) Juried by Chris Clamp, the 25th annual “Southworks” exhibition features a juried show of works in all media submitted from across the country. The 2020 Director’s Choice exhibit presents “Inside and Outside,” a solo show by Tom Stanley of Rock Hill, SC. Both shows are available online at ocaf. com through May 29. UGA OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY (1180 E. Broad St.) “The Earth Day (Art) Challenge” is a virtual exhibition of works commemorating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Visit sustainability.uga.edu/earthday-art-challenge-exhibit. UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) Online exhibitions include “Steele Vintage Broadcast Microphone Collection,” “Foxfire on Display at UGA: 50 Years of Cultural Journalism Documenting Folk Life in the North Georgia Mountains, September–December 2016,” “Covered With Glory: Football at UGA, 1892–1917” and “Fighting Spirit: Wally Butts and UGA Football, 1939–1950.” Visit digilab.libs.uga.edu/scl/exhibits. THE WORLD FAMOUS (351 N. Hull St.) A series of drive-by art auctions are displayed in the front window, and bidding is done through Facebook. This week’s artist is James Burns on May 17–19.

F L A G P O L E . C O M | M AY 2 0 , 2 0 2 0

venues and artists. Check the website for updated listings on funding and financial opportunities, mental health guides, organizational support, community resources and more. Visit acroynym.rocks CINÉ FILMS (Ciné) Ciné has partnered with film distributors to make films available online. Ciné receives half of ticket sales. Current and upcoming films include The Roads Not Taken, Sorry We Missed You, Nothing Fancy and Bill Cunningham New York. www.athenscine.com ONE DUMB VIDEO (Chispa House) Chispa House is hosting a new platform called One Dumb Video that allows creatives to submit short videos to compete for cash prizes. One Dumb Video will award $100 to a daily winner, and every week there will be an additional $300 bonus to the weekly winner, determined by community votes. www.vimeo. com/401218230 SELF-GUIDED TOURS OF ATHENS (Athens, GA) The Athens Welcome Center is offering self-guided tour brochures of their popular walking or driving tours. Read about some of the most iconic Athens landmarks and locations. Options include an African-Amercian Driving Tour, Downtown Athens Tour, Athens Music History Tour and more. There are also narrated Athens Podtours with recordings of local stories and music. www.athenswelcomecenter. com/tours STORMWATER CALENDAR (Athens, GA) The ACC Stormwater staff is seeking photos of water and nature scenes from all around Athens to create a wall calendar. Submit photos by email with the name of the photographer and a description of where, when and why it was taken. stormwater@accgov. com THE FINCH (Online) “The Finch” is a new podcast aimed to dissect complext issues with a multidisciplinary approach. Hear interviews with professionals from the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Center for Vaccines and Immunology, Human Research Protection Program and more. sptfy. com/thefinchpodcast THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY: COVID-19 IN ATHENS, GA (Athens, GA) Historic Athens presents an 11-week, 55-episode interview series designed to document the effect of coronavirus on Athens. The free interactive series is available every weeekday at 1 p.m. through June 26. www.facebook. com/historicathens VIRTUAL LEISURE SERVICES (Online) ACC Leisure Services hosts various fitness classes, craft ideas, social distancing challenges, coding games for kids, daily crossword puz-

zles and other online activities. www. accgov.com/leisure

Virtual Events ATHENS CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY (Athens, GA) (Online) Learn what you can do about climate change during the pandemic. Newcomers welcome. Email gail.d.gill@gmail.com for the Zoom link. May 19, 6 p.m. www.facebook. com/athensccl BAND TOGETHER: A VIRTUAL CONCERT SERIES (Athens, GA) The Classic Center presents live performances on YouTube at Band Together Athens every Thursday at 7 p.m. Terrapin will host a “Terrapin Toast” introducing each act with a different personality each week. See Alec Stanley and The Orange Constant on May 21. Donations will support the Athens Area Community Foundations COVID-19 Community Response Fund. Local artists or businesses interested in participating should email bandtogether@ classiccenter.com CENTER FOR HEALTHY AGING TOWN HALL MEETING (Online) The University of North Georgia’s Center for Healthy Aging hosts a virtual town hall meeting to provide clear and concise answers about the pandemic. May 19, 2:30 p.m. ung. edu/healthy-aging LIVE FROM OVER THERE (The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording) Watch live broadcasts from musicians’ homes. Find Tweed Recording on Facebook for updates to the schedule. www.twitch.tv/tweed recording ONLINE TRAINING ON TRAUMAINFORMED CARE (Online) The Athens Area Community Foundation, in partnership with Envision Athens and the Athens Wellbeing Project, hosts a free online traning course on trauma-informed care. May 28, 8:30–11:30 a.m. Search for the Athens Area Community Foundation on Eventbrite.com. info@athensarea cf.org THE CRY BABY LOUNGE PRESENTS (Online) Eli Saragoussi hosts bimonthly shows using YouTube Premeire. Taylor Chmura, Nicholas Mallis and Strawberry Runners (Philadelphia) perform on May 29 at 7:30 p.m. Find The Cry Baby Lounge on Facebook. elinor. saragoussi@gmail.com VIRTUAL DRAG STORYTIME (Online) Athens PRIDE and Avid Bookshop co-host virtual storytimes with drag queens through Facebook Live. Drag queens include Lori Divine on May 22 and Cola Fizz on May 29. Every Friday in May at 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/athensga pride f

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advice

hey, bonita…

‘The Hidden Epidemic’ ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com Hi Bonita, I’m like so many people in Athens right now, struggling to find the next dollar because the restaurant I work at is closed and unemployment benefits aren’t enough to get by. Fortunately, I’m a good and thrifty cook, so feeding myself isn’t a problem, but I’m increasingly worried about the backlog of bills that I can’t pay. Even more troubling is the sheer loneliness. I live alone and—although I talk to friends and family via phone, take walks daily and do art projects—the feeling of isolation is often overwhelming. I’m a fairly introverted person and don’t need a lot of social contact, but these past weeks have been challenging, making me realize how much I actually do need contact with other people. This time has also made me aware of how much I depend on my job to give

out there doing this while having no idea where the next paycheck comes from. Many utility companies are asking customers to “reach out” to them if they are having issues paying a bill, but who knows what that even means. I assume that they’re offering payment plans or bill deferment, but I can’t imagine that the offerings will be as generous as what people really need when they have no income. But yeah, call your utility companies before things pile up to the point that you’re getting disconnect notices. Unfortunately, I don’t know of any plentiful work-from-home opportunities, but if any readers do, please email me. I also recommend you find the Athens Virtual Tip Jar and have yourself added, if you haven’t already.

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structure and purpose to my life. Lastly, anxiety and depression are things that I struggle with even under normal circumstances. Social distancing, sheltering at home, being jobless and the uncertainty of the future just exacerbate the mental health problems that I have. A friend said to me that this is the hidden epidemic that’s going along with the pandemic, and I think that observation is spot on. Bonita, could you offer some suggestions for how we in the service biz (or anyone, really) can handle this? Surely there are resources to turn to, but I have no idea where to look. Thank you, Lonely, broke and struggling Hey there LBS, I’m no longer a service industry worker, but I was for a long time, so I absolutely empathize with the way you feel. In a way, I’m going through pretty much the same thing even though I’m working from home: the boredom, the loneliness, the huge swathes of empty time that allow my own mental health to go astray here and there. I am not, however, dealing with joblessness right now, and I do not envy anyone

I also live alone, and I loved it very much up until isolation started. Jeez, what I would give to smell anyone but myself right now. Human touch: What is that? I’ve noticed that people have begun throwing caution to the wind, but I really don’t recommend trying to have in-person dates or hangouts until we know COVID-19 is on the decline. I think this is the perfect time to hop on Tinder or OKCupid in search of a similarly minded babe to flirt and possibly sext with until dates are back on the menu. You got money trouble; you’re lonely; and you seem to be staring into a future that resembles a void. That’s a pretty bad hand, but you’re not the only one out there with these cards, and soon it’ll be time to deal again. This will end. Take heart, but understand that it will take work. None of us can wish away the pandemic or the changes it’s created in our lives, but we can find ways to thrive while we ride this out. And this will end, y’all. The most powerful motivation I have for keeping my head up is the fact that I know that this can’t go on forever. You’ll get your life back, and it’ll happen sooner rather than later. f

M AY 2 0 , 2 0 2 0 | F L A G P O L E . C O M

We’re all in this together, Athens-Clarke County. Help stop the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.

STAY HOME • Stay at home as much as possible. The best way to avoid getting COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus. • Only allow essential visits. Cancel events, including parties, cookouts, or other group events until later. • Cancel unnecessary travel for social visits, errands, and shopping trips. • Keep high-at-risk people safe. Avoid in-person visits with the elderly, people with medical conditions, and people in nursing homes or care facilities.

feet

KEEP DISTANCE

• Stay at least 6 feet away from people when in public spaces or at work. • Avoid group gatherings with people who do not live with you. • Wear a cloth face mask in public. It helps cover your mouth and nose and helps protect others. • Consider curbside, delivery, or to-go options from stores and restaurants. • Follow business rules. All businesses should use ways to limit contact.*

STAY HEALTHY • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. • Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap is not available. • Avoid touching your face. • Use tissues or insides of your elbows when sneezing or coughing. • Clean surfaces. Wipe/disinfect oftenused items and surfaces frequently. • Seek medical advice and testing for symptoms. Call first for instructions.

KEEP CONNECTED • Check in. Call or connect virtually with friends, family, and neighbors. • Stay informed and get help: 0 Georgia Dept. of Public Health dph.georgia.gov/coronavirus COVID-19 State Hotline: 844-442-2681 0 ACC Unified Government (ACCGov) www.accgov.com/coronavirus Local Response Questions: coronavirus@accgov.com 706-613-3333

* - Full details at accgov.com/coronavirus or 706-613-3333