May Issue B 2012

KETCH & CRITTER AT PAPA JOE’S BANJO-B-QUE | PAGE 15

verge AUGUSTA & THE CSRA

FREE | MAY 16 2012 | VOL 5 ISSUE 6 | YOUR SOURCE FOR COMMUNIT Y DRIVEN NEWS

PHOTOGRAPHY THE BEAUTY OF PHINIZY SWAMP

MUSIC A MONTH OF BLUES AND BLUEGRASS + BOOKS JAMES GRANT’S NEW NOVEL PROGRESS SAND BAR FERRY + ARTS OPERA RETURNS + READ THE RED BARON

vergestaff

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR FOR VERGE

publisher Matt Plocha editor Lara Plocha

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.”

events editor Sarah Childers copy editor Andrea Bennett contributors Alison Richter, Alison Ryan, Amy Swann, Anne Lovell Swan, Ben Casella, Christopher Selmek, Derek Berry, Dino Lull, Elizabeth Benson, Gabi Hutchison, Holly Birdsong, John Cannon, Jonathan Karow, Karen Farley, Leah Deslandes, Mariah Gardner, Michael Swan, Nora Blithe, Skyler Andrews, Stephen Delaney Hale

vergeconnect

we want to hear from you call us: 706.951.0579 mail us: P.O. Box 38

Augusta GA 30903 email us: advertising and general stuff publisher@vergelive.com story tips, ideas and letters editor@vergelive.com free event listings events@vergelive.com find us online: vergelive.com

vergepolicies the boring part

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents

copyrighted 2011 by verge. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Editorial content of verge is the opinion of each contributing writer and is not necessarily the opinion of verge, its staff or its advertisers.

DISTRIBUTION: verge is published twice a month and available free of charge at locations throughout the CSRA, including Publix, Kroger, Bi-Lo and Earth Fare.

RECYCLE: verge is printed on 50 percent recycled stock.

vergecover by ed belinski

PHINIZY SWAMP: When he’s not behind the camera, Ed Belinski spends his time in Augusta teaching at Augusta State University, The Morris Museum of Art and Phinizy Swamp. Read his tips on capturing the swamp’s beauty on page 20.

– TONY ROBBINS

Listening. Applying. Growing.

This is what verge has been doing for the past four-and-a-half years. What started out as a “little downtown” monthly newspaper has grown in to something more than just “another” newspaper in town. We have listened to you, our reader, and have been applying your important feedback to our pages, slowly and over time. We hope that you have seen and enjoyed the growth – the evolution, so to speak, of verge, your community newspaper.

We do not look at ourselves as mainstream or alternative press, we are a community newspaper and your input is listened to and applied.

Our first big step more than five years ago was to create a concept new to the market. We saw the need to publish a newspaper that was relevant to some of the happenings and people that were not getting the well-deserved publicity they warranted. We also saw the need for a medium to provide consistent, affordable advertising for mom-and-pop businesses. Our vision was simple: come up with a design that was fresh and new, launch the concept of a truly community driven newspaper, be the voice for those without one and to keep the content positive and family friendly for all households to enjoy. Change.

The next step was to continually grow our editorial coverage while not getting pulled into the quagmire of he said/she said or he does/she does editorial. To write about the people, places, art, events and culture in our area and challenge its citizens to get involved. We take this responsibility to a high level and have hopefully raised the bar and expectations of the market a bit. More change.

We have accomplished this while also taking good care of our distribution – finding locations where you might be able to find your issue of verge remains important to us. Currently, there are more than 150 locations where you can find a copy of verge. Some locations run out really fast – if you see a copy, grab it. We try to provide easy access to all of the great things that are happening in our area. Whether you prefer the print or online version, we try to be accessible. Our print copies nearly run out with each issue and our online readership is going to levels we never thought imaginable for what we are doing. I guess good news is hard to beat. We are happy to be the market leader in a few areas electronically and in print. You do deserve the best. Even more change.

Now we move on to the here and now. Change. On June 20th we will be launching a “new and improved” verge. I know you must be asking “How can it get any better?”

There are several improvements we will be making during the next few weeks to the overall design, editorial pages, distribution areas and online version that will make verge better and more involved in community than ever before.

All of this CHANGE will take us a few weeks – the wait will be really worth it. Please stay tuned to our Facebook page at Verge Magazine as we will bring you updates of the status. This is an exciting time for our community and we want to make sure that you are well represented, not only now, but in the months and years to come. Change. We do look at it as Tony Robbins said: “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.”

The next issue of VERGE hits the newsstands on

JUNE 20

Look for our outdoor boxes or find your copy at Publix | EarthFare Kroger | Bi-Lo

WHAT’S INSIDE

SMATTERINGS

yeah, we made this

We hope to see you out and about in your neighborhood, city and the greater CSRA making changes for the good, too. We’re really excited and humbled by the constant support we receive from you, our reader and our advertisers.

Speaking of advertisers, visit a few of them in this issue of verge and support our local economy. I am sure they will enjoy seeing you.

See you in a few weeks.

Matt

4 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

you won’t want to miss a page

the main feature

13 Progress for Sand Bar Ferry District 15 A Weekend of Music and Barbecue 16 Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival As flooding issues are addressed, revitalization occurs

Papa Joe’s Banjo-B-Que returns with an all-star line-up

Aussie Geoff Achison shows that the blues are everywhere

17 The Expanding Arena of Bluegrass 20 Capturing the Beauty of the Swamp Fiddler Megan Lynch comes to the Morris this month

Photographer Ed Belinski offers tips on getting good shots

23 A Beauty So Loud

James Grant’s new novel marries classics and modern

heard around town 5 Miller Theater “Coming Soon” 7 Wet Paint for the Arts Council

music | theatre | art | film 11 15 25 27 29 30 31 31 33

Books: The Love Letters of Fran & Jack Music: The Ramblin’ Fevers Books: Summer Reading Kick Off Music: The Augusta Opera Film: The Film Reel Music: Sound Bites Fashion: A Review of Sally Ann K Music: The Fence Sitters Rave Books: Between the Covers

regular stuff 05 07 09 09 21 25 31 33 35 35

Heard Around Town LensMaster Buzz on Biz The Green Life Chow Bella + Food Bites The Daily Planner Nightlife Ask Dr. Karp The New York Times Crossword Life Face First

vergequotes

here’s what inspires us

“One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.”

— henry ford

heard [ paint a guitar for art’s sake ]

around town

what’s happening in augusta and aiken

Artists Row will sponsor Guitars with ARTitude to raise money for its annual scholarship fund, which will culminate in the sale of 12 artistically recreated guitars on Sept. 15 during this year’s Arts in the Heart festival in downtown Augusta.

Interested artists have until May 31 to apply to receive one of 12 guitars from Rock Bottom Music, which will be on display in the windows of 12 local business sponsors for the month leading up to the auction, the location for which has yet to be determined.

“The artists we select will be able to use the guitar as a canvas to paint on, or as the base to a sculpture, or in any way they can creatively think of,” said Syd Padgett, a co-chairman of Artists Row. “I look forward to finding out how our artists have visualized using these guitars and I think everyone else is going to enjoy seeing the different ways artists can creatively express themselves using the same base.”

Last year, Artist’s Row raised money for two $1,500 scholarships, one for North Augusta High School senior Caroline Kalayjian and one for Augusta Prep senior Carolyn Calloway. These artists will be returning this year to raffle off their own guitar-based art, but will not be included in the final auction. All money raised by

the auction will go toward next year’s scholarship fund.

“We’d like to increase our fundraising efforts and possibly do more than one a year, because these scholarships that we give out really do go to help young artists get their college education and I believe it is a really good cause,” said Padgett. “It’s also a great opportunity to participate in Arts in the Heart, because there’s going to be a lot of people downtown anyway and this gives them an opportunity to help our young local artists get the experience they need.”

Padgett says he hopes to give half the guitars to local artists and half to artists from around the country. For applications, visit artistsrowaugusta.com. | by CHRISTOPHER SELMEK

[ recognition for the emporium ] The Emporium condominiums at 1104 Broad St. received a 2012 Preservation Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation on April 20.

Natalie McLeod, the building’s owner, and Alan Venable, the architect, both traveled to Roswell, Ga., to receive the honor. Mark Capers, the owner of the construction company Capers and Associates, and Cliff Eckles, the vice president of Queensboro Bank, also received certificates for developing and financing the project, which McLeod and Venable agree enabled the project to get off the ground.

“They don’t give the award to a person, they give it to a project, because each project has a number of people who had to be involved in making it a reality,” said Venable. “I’ve had lots of projects that I want to do and the owners want to but the banks won’t finance it. I can sit here and draw all I want to draw but until we have a partnership with the people who can make it happen, nothing is ever really going to happen.”

Construction took place from January to December 2010.

Venable said that the excellence in the rehabilitation was because of oversight from both the state and federal levels of the Department of the Interior.

“What we did was take an old building and adapt it to a new use but maintain as much of the original architecture as possible,”

[ celebrating 20 years of hope ] Hope House Inc., an Augusta nonprofit organization that provides housing and services to women and children, will mark its 20th anniversary on May 10 with a luncheon at the Kroc Center, which is open to the public.

Celebrating 20 Years of Real Hope will bring together the organization’s founders, funders, staff and current residents.

The event will be hosted by WJBF anchor Brad Means and will include a speech by the Hon. James G. Blanchard, the executive director of the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse.

“This is a significant milestone for Hope House and this community,” said Karen Saltzman, the executive director of

[ miller theater coming soon ] The marquee above the historic Miller Theater has read “It is Time” since Symphony Orchestra Augusta purchased the building in 2011. On April 18, SOA changed it to read “Coming Soon,” leading many downtown residents to question just how soon “soon” is.

said Venable. “We had to redesign the rear of the building a bit, but we took our cues from the building design. There was a loading dock; we removed two-thirds of the first floor of the building and created a parking lot inside the building, which was a major change.”

This was Venable’s sixth project to receive an award from the Georgia Trust. The nine condominiums within The Emporium have all been occupied at one time since the dedication of the building and are currently being managed by Rex Properties. rexgroup.com | by CHRISTOPHER SELMEK Hope House. “At its start, Hope House had a single house and could help just eight women. Today we serve 42 families.

We could not do this without the support of so many here in Augusta.”

Hope House provides services to women with mental health disorders, including substance use disorders, and its program allows the residents to keep their children with them as they complete treatment. Each woman leases an apartment at The Highlands West, the permanent supportive housing facility run

by Hope House.

Tickets for the luncheon are $25 and may be purchased through

hopehouseforwomen.org. For more information, call Rosemary Forrest at 706.737.9879. | by CHRISTOPHER SELMEK

“Assuming everything goes smoothly, we hope the theater will be open sometime during the 2014 or 2015 season, but there are a lot of variables involved” said Sandra Self, the executive director of the SOA. “It depends on how long it takes us to come up with the design; then the architect will hire a construction company and we have to have a series of meetings with our partners in the community. It’s all part of the process that we’ve already got rolling now.”

The SOA has chosen the architect and has two major donors to help finance the project, but will wait until late June to make an official announcement about how they plan to proceed.

SOA has already put almost two years of work into the theatre, consulting with acousticians, business planners and fundraisers before accepting previous owner Peter Knox’s gift of the Miller in September 2011. According to Self, as soon as the SOA Board of Directors made the decision to accept they removed the word “Not” from the marquee, which Knox had jokingly added during his frustrating search to find an owner for the theater.

“We’re very excited about this because the Miller is going to be a theater for all the performing arts, not just the symphony, and we are currently working with the architect so that the completed theatre will have all the amenities we need it to have,” said Self. “We are so pleased to be moving forward. It is just about time, and it is coming soon.” | by CHRISTOPHER SELMEK

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 5

6 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

the

lens masters thoughts and tips on photography from the pros

My Five Top Shot Spots It’s funny how most of us will grab our camera when we’re going on vacation.

Sunset at the beach, mountain morning mist -- we strive to get that great “picturepostcard” shot when we’re out of town. But sometimes, closer to home, we don’t see the photo opportunities all around us.

heard

around town

[ wet paint for the arts council ] The Greater Augusta Arts Council will host a Wet Paint Party membership drive, which will feature several artists painting canvases during a silent auction of the works, at the Old Government House on Telfair Street on May 19.

Here are five of my favorite Augusta shooting locations:

The Wet Paint Party is for members of the Arts Council, but nonmembers can join at the door for as little as $25 or $50 for a family. All artists will set their own opening-bid prices and receive the money for their paintings, while the Arts Council will raise money to support its operations through new memberships.

The 500 and 600 blocks of Telfair Street There is extraordinary architecture along the south side of the street, including the old Medical College of Georgia, First Presbyterian Church, the old Richmond Academy and the Gertrude Institute of Art. In the spring, the mature dogwoods and cherry blossoms provide great foreground interest. And in autumn, the jewel-hued leaves of those same trees offer another stunning frame.

“This event was very well attended last year when we did it at Sky City, but this year we wanted to have a bigger venue and attract more people,” said Grace Inman, the outreach director for GAAC. “The artists will set their selling price and they get their money, but most of our fundraising will come from memberships and the interest this generates in all types of local art.”

Upper Augusta Canal / Savannah Rapids Area Many folks find the old stone locks, headgates and the Savannah River rapids attractive subjects. But venture down the towpath and you’ll find other worthy subjects. Try to capture the motion of the Reed Creek waterfall, or turn off the trail and go down the old fish camp path. The vaulting trees and vistas of the Savannah are inspiring.

Downtown Saturday Market The colorful abundance is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. I like to grab shots of produce vendors’ wares as they spill forth from their baskets, then choose a few interesting fruits and veggies, take them home, arrange and shoot as a still life (before they become dinner).

Harrisburg The simple symmetry of 100-year-old shotgun houses, the touches of gingerbread detailing on the rooflines, the weathered front porch of a home that has seen better days. Some of the beauty of this former mill village is obscured by deterioration and neglect, but even that presents interesting photographic possibilities.

The King and Sibley mills district When the light is just right, and that usually is toward sundown in late autumn, the bricks of these venerable old buildings take on a burnished glow, reflected in the glassy water of the Augusta Canal. This is perhaps my favorite photographic subject in Augusta.

I hope these suggestions help inspire you to keep your camera gear ready to capture that next great shot close to home. We’d love to see it entered in the 2012 Augusta Photo Festival competition.

The Festival is a 10-day exploration of photography, October 27 through November 4. It has uncovered an extraordinary vein of local talent and enthusiasm for this medium of expression.

One of the hallmarks of our festival is its appeal to many levels of photo enthusiasts, from practiced professionals to point-and-shoot beginners. Through participation in the festival, skills are learned, professional alliances forged and, perhaps most importantly, lasting friendships formed. We invite you to join us; just let us know your interest at the festival website.

Rebecca Rogers is the marketing director for the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area and is president of the Augusta Photo Festival. Her photos of Augusta have appeared in several publications, most recently in the Washington Post travel section and on the National Park Service website.

LensMaster is a behind-the-lens look at the world of photography, prepared by members of the Augusta Photography Festival, Oct. 27 to Nov. 4.

Submissions for this year’s photo competition are now being accepted.

AUGUSTAPHOTOFESTIVAL.ORG

what’s happening in augusta and aiken

The party will include a fashion show by Vintage Ooollee and Modish Salon and an art contest by various city employees, including Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver; Art Gomez, of the Department of the Tax Commissioner; and John Paul Stout, of the Department of Sustainable Development.

“It doesn’t have to be a painting, it can be any medium of art,” said Inman. “We encourage everybody to participate even if they aren’t professional and just dabble.”

Membership information and applications are available at augustaarts.com. For more information, call 706.826.4702 ex. 2. | by CHRISTOPHER SELMEK

[ start writing for the porter fleming competition ] The 2012 Porter Fleming Literary Competition, now in its 19th year, recognizes outstanding fiction, nonfiction, poetry and plays. Writers age 18 and older who reside in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina are invited to enter.

“The Trustees of the Academy of Richmond County are honored to have sponsored the literary competition since its founding by Augusta author and artist Berry Fleming,” said Cobbs Nixon, a trustee of the Academy of Richmond County. “Our hope is that this competition will foster more great writers within our city, state and region.”

The writing competition is held in memory of Porter Fleming, a prominent citizen of Augusta. In 1963, Fleming’s son, Berry, who achieved renown as a writer, artist and philanthropist, established a charitable foundation in honor of his father. To this day, The Porter Fleming Foundation contributes to the educational, literary, artistic, scientific, historical, musical and cultural enrichment of the lives of the residents of Augusta and the surrounding areas.

Porter Fleming Literary Competition winners receive cash prizes totaling $7,000. The deadline for submissions is July 13.

Entry forms and guidelines can be found at themorris.org/porterfleming.html.

The awards ceremony will be held on Oct. 6 at 5 p.m. at the Morris Museum of Art. | PRESS

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 7

8 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

the buzz on

biz

what’s moving and shaking in local business

living the

green life practical ways to be more eco-concious

Fighting the Invasion of the Ants with a Natural Solution Ants invaded my kitchen a couple of weeks ago. They were in the cabinets, the stove, even the microwave. Because most commercial insecticides contain toxic chemicals that can harm people, pets and the environment, I wanted to use an eco-friendly product.

HAPPY 100TH ANNIVERSARY TO AIKEN GOLF! Old photos tell the story of a different era of golf – one in which female golfers were encouraged to play and take leadership roles – such as this one from the Aiken Golf Club. The photo showcases Hall of Famer Patty Berg, who won the first-ever LPGA Women’s Invitational held at the Aiken club.

Olympic Gold medalist Babe Didrickson Zaharias also played.

The Aiken Golf Club recently turned 100. The club’s course was originally developed by the owners of the Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina and has since changed ownership. In 2008, the course was voted One of the Best Places To Play by Golf Digest.

COMPANY AND CUSTOMERS HELP LOCAL CHARITY Kudos to the employees of Precision Waste

and their new customers. Together, their efforts were not a “waste” of time during the first quarter of 2012. The company presented a big check to the McDuffie County Relay For Life before the May 11 event at Thomson High School.

In a brilliant stroke of smart and good business, Precision Waste executives launched their Kick Cancer to the Curb initiative in March and pledged a $10 donation to Relay for Life for every new residential customer that enrolled in 12-month service during March, April or May. “The response to our Kick Cancer to the Curb initiative was tremendous,” said Robert Alan Wilson, the president of Precision Waste Services. “We are honored to be just a small part of the American Cancer Society’s fight against cancer and our company looks forward to supporting other local charities and nonprofits that enhance the quality of life for our communities in the CSRA.”

GREAT DEALS ON MATTRESSES AND DESIGN Eddie and Carole Kennedy,

of Great Deals on Furniture, have watched several furniture stores go out of business in 2011 and 2012. During that time, the couple expanded their own business by growing into a 65,000-square-foot store near Sam’s Club in the Bobby Jones Expressway Plaza. They have seen a boost in mattress sales at the new store and the buzz is they will be opening a stand-alone mattress store and design center in the building next door to their furniture store. Expect the opening and advertising to begin sometime in June.

AS SEEN ON TV FEATURES EVANS ENTREPRENEUR Nicole Thomas is an Augusta State University graduate and credits three female professors for her entrepreneurial spirit and success.

“Dr. Loda, Dr. Coleman and Dr. Mobley were very influential in my business marketing education.

I have been an entrepreneur since elementary school and now I have a patented product with As Seen On TV,” wrote Thomas in an email to the Buzz.

Her product, Fix A Flop, is a fun, safe and easy way to fix your flip flops when they blowout from the sole. It is a new arrival on the AsSeenOnTV.com website. A portion of the proceeds from orders on her fixaflop.com website helps St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Partners in Hope).

Neil Gordon owns Buzz on Biz LLC, a company dedicated to highlighting business growth through newspaper, television, radio, and Web content. Story idea? Email neil.gordon@buzzon.biz

According to Sonora Environmental Research Institute, borax is a safe alternative for killing ants and other household pests. Borax, also known as sodium borate, is a naturally occurring mineral with low toxicity – about the same as table salt. When borax is mixed with a sugar solution or honey, it acts as bait for pests such as ants, silverfish and roaches.

The insects take the bait back to their nests, where it kills the entire population through dehydration. Sure enough: Two days after putting the borax bait on some strategically placed saucers, my kitchen was ant free.

In addition to being a good insecticide, borax is an inexpensive substitute for many products used in your home. Borax is best known as a laundry booster, and you can usually find it in the laundry aisle of the grocery store. To remove stains and brighten clothes just add one-half cup to your washing machine at the beginning of the wash cycle.

Borax can also be used as a general purpose cleaner for your walls, floors and bathtub; just add one-third cup of borax and a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent to a half bucket of warm water.

Here are some other ways you can use borax: • Neutralize pet urine odors. Dampen the spot, rub in borax, let dry, then vacuum or brush clean. This also works well for neutralizing odors from mattresses and mattress covers.

• Unclog drains with a half-cup of borax followed by 2 cups of boiling water. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then run your water for a few minutes to flush it out.

• Reduce water spots on glasses and dishes by adding one tablespoon of borax to the dishwasher.

• Sprinkle borax on pots and pans and rub with a damp sponge or cloth to remove stains and buildup – using it in this way will not scratch your cookware.

• Clean and deodorize your refrigerator by dissolving one tablespoon of borax in a quart of warm water and wiping down the surfaces with a clean rag.

• Dust the bottom of your trashcans with borax before putting in a new garbage bag to eliminate lingering odors.

• Clean and disinfect your toilet by adding one-half cup of borax to the water in the bowl.

Let it sit for 15 minutes and then scrub with a toilet brush until the bowl is clean. Flush to rinse.

• Kill fleas by sprinkling borax on your carpet. Leave it for an hour and vacuum it up thoroughly.

• Kill weeds by sprinkling borax in concrete cracks and on walkways, but don’t use it in the garden because it will also kill your plants.

Anne Lovell is an environmental consultant who lives in Aiken with her husband and three dogs. Her column, Living Green, focuses on practical ways to be more environmentally conscious.

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 9

10 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

two the love letters of fran and jack Fran and the Red Baron

by DOUG HOLLEY AND JENNIFER CRAIG

As Jack approached the oak he couldn’t see Fran but he could hear her. She was sobbing and her cries were coming from above. They both had climbed the tree dozens of times, a number which had increased significantly after they went to the nickelodeon for his birthday and watched Maureen O’Sullivan play Jane to Johnny Weissmuller’s Tarzan, their fingers greasy with popcorn butter and their minds bubbling with root beer.

Fran heard Jack call, “Jane. Jane?” in his best monkey-man voice, a voice that usually made her smile and giggle but this time not so much as a tug pulled up her pouting lips.

When he reached the branch where she was perched she looked up and said, “I’m not playing. I don’t wanna play.” And sniffled, dragging her forearm across her face and under her nose.

Princess.” The anger replaced some of her sadness and she spat out the rest. “But I saw that her white apron was blooming with red and noticed it moved under her hand. I told her that she better let me see or I’d tell Daddy. ‘Fine,’ she said and walked to the trash.

She unfolded her apron and the cutest, most helpless little yellow chick was wrapped in there. It was bloody and twitching. ‘Happy now, Princess?’” She took a big gulp of air and squared her shoulders just as she had when Silly had asked that stupid question.

“What happened to it?” Jack asked, leaning forward.

“She said one of them cats had gotten to it and now she was gonna put it outta its misery.

Send it home to God, she said and that awful, despicable Silly put her hands tight around it til it stopped twitching.” She put her face in her hands and started crying again like it had just happened.

He leaned back and tore some leaves off of the closest branch and started flinging them at Fran, one by one.

“So what? You seen Syl kill hundreds a birds. Where do you think your chicken or Thanksgiving turkeys come from, your fancy duck dinners?”

Fran’s anger returned. How could he not understand how awful it was watching Syl’s hands take all the air – “It’s not the same! This was a baby! It never got to play with its brothers and sisters! And now it’s dead! Gone forever!”

Jack began climbing down the oak but not before he said, “You’re such a girl, Frannie.”

“What is wrong, sad Jane?” Tarzan Jack inquired as he crept further out on the limb.

“I said I don’t wanna play, Jack,” she insisted, hoping that by using his name he would understand her earnest condition.

“O.K., O.K., What’s wrong, Doll? Why the waterworks?” stealing a line from a different movie.

Fran composed herself, placed her hands in her lap and began, “This morning, after Syl fed the chickens, she came into the kitchen with something wrapped in her apron.” New tears blurred her vision and she reached out to grip the branch to steady her balance. She continued slowly, “And she told me to go outside, that she had to take care of something and that a lady shouldn’t be around for such dirty work.”

She hated when he called her “Frannie,” almost as much as when Silly called her “Lil Princess.”

... she used her pretty princess fingers to pry pieces of bark off the branch.

She pelted him with the pieces as he laughed and ran around under the tree with his arms stretched out from his sides ...

Fran pursed her lips and felt the anger turn her face an unladylike shade of pink. She grabbed fists full of leafs and threw them at Jack’s retreating figure.

“Didn’t hurt, Frannie!”

She heard his feet hit the ground and she used her pretty princess fingers to pry pieces of bark off the branch. She pelted him with the pieces as he laughed and ran around under the tree with his arms stretched out from his sides, he exclaimed “Neeeeeeeeeerrwwww, You can’t hit the Red Baron! I’m uncatchable! Neeeeeeeerrwwww!” He zoomed under her doing loop-de-loops and darting from side to side.

Fran paused as she watched Jack’s face. It must have looked like the face she made after

The bloody yellow chick and the devastation of the morning losing its hold on her young,

Syl’s order; his eyes grew wider and he seemed to sit up straighter, the picture of curiosity.

active mind, she gingerly stood, gripped the branch below with her bare feet and the one

“What did she have to do?” Jack asked.

above with a tight hand. She continued to let the leaves and twigs and bark rain down on the ruthless Red Baron and shouted, “Your time is drawing near, you devil of the sky!”

“That’s what I wanted to know, but that mean ol’ Silly got real stern and told me to go outside, that she knew best, that dirty work was not for lil princess’ eyes.” She took a deep breath, “I almost went too, ‘cause I could hear my kitties mewing outside and I was gonna play with ‘em any way but then...” her voice trailed off and she looked down at her hands.

Jack inched forward and pushed Fran’s story along, “Come on, Frannie, out with it.”

She hated when he called her “Frannie,” almost as much as when Silly called her “Lil

The Love Letters of Fran and Jack by Doug Holley and Jennifer Craig is an ongoing, serialized story cycle. Look for the further adventures of Fran and Jack in the second issue of verge each month.

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 11

12 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

overcoming challenges to make progress

in sandbar ferry aN ONGOING look at augusta’s master plan: WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE’RE GOING

Each district of downtown Augusta has its own unique challenges to overcome in order to achieve the improvements envisioned by the 2009 urban area Master Plan: The Westobou Vision. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the Sandbar Ferry district, which extends along Sandbar Ferry Road from East Boundary to Interstate 520. The area is the lowest geographical point in Augusta, which leads to regular flooding and has caused difficulties in planning significant improvements to the area.

“When we first unveiled the Master Plan, it was difficult to imagine developing this area because of the flooding issues,” said Camille Price, the executive director of Augusta Tomorrow. “Every time it rains, a substantial amount of the water flows into the Sandbar Ferry area, so until this issue is resolved we cannot begin to address any of the proposed development projects.”

According to Price, the city took a strong stance and said it was important to fix the flooding issue in Sandbar Ferry.

Augusta’s Department of Engineering contracted with W.R. Toole Engineers to perform a drainage analysis and develop a multi-phase concept plan for the region.

“Phase 1 was to ease the flood-prone area to the east of Hornsby Elementary and East Augusta Middle School, which was a very crucial part of the problem because of the amount of school traffic that comes through there,” said Tom Dunaway, an engineer with W.R. Toole. “Phase 2 is a project we have planned to serve as a backbone for the whole area. After Phase 2 is completed, we’ll be able to extend the drainage out into the more distant parts of the neighborhood, but Phase 2 has not gone out for bid yet and the city is still working through the details.”

While redevelopment of most of the district hinges on remediation of the flooding problem, the retention pond behind Walton Oaks has allowed for the growth of the community there, and could provide additional relief to the neighboring Marion Homes subdivision.

“Walton Oaks and the back third of Marion Homes use a pumping station, so we’re not really constrained the way the rest of the community is,” said Dave Loeffel, the managing director of affordable housing for Walton Communities.

“There’s already been a tremendous change in the type of housing available here, which will help the entire community as we expand over the next several years.”

“Walton Communities has been very willing to work with the city to make sure that they and Marion Homes get the best use from the retention pond,” said Price. “They have been very good neighbors, and their willingness to cooperate is a boon for the entire district.”

The first 75 residential units at Walton Oaks were built after the demolition of Underwood homes in summer 2010, and were fully leased by the end of 2011. Walton Communities has since started construction on a second phase of family residences that have already begun leasing and are on track to be fully leased by the end of this year.

The roughly 75 units of family housing will include a fitness center, playground and after school “Adventure Center” for children, which will likely be staffed by a nonprofit organization. The Legacy Center at Walton Oaks already

“I keep having to remind myself that we are only in year three of a 20- to 25-year plan, but already we’re seeing progress on a level that was hard to imagine when we started.”

— CAMILLE PRICE

contains a business center, fitness center and community room, along with balconies overlooking a courtyard. Loeffel says the land planning process took great care to preserve several large oak trees in the courtyard and the remainder of the community, which has added to the beautification of the community and is appreciated by the residents.

“When all of the apartment homes are built, all 300 will need maintenance, so we’re bringing a lot more jobs into the community than just the construction workers we need to build it or the property management staff that handles the day to day operations,” said Loeffel. “It creates a kind of a ripple effect that will allow the entire district and the city to grow even as we provide housing for many of the working professionals who use the onsite Public Transit stop to go into work in the city every day.”

Loeffel sees Interstate 520 as a potential gateway into Augusta, and Walton Oaks as the first impression many people will get of the city. Future developments might include improved river access, particularly as Walton Oaks and Marion Homes work together to create a pathway between their properties, though the board members of Augusta Tomorrow agree this could yet be a long way off.

“When ICON Architecture began assembling the Master Plan they said that Sandbar Ferry included about a mile of beautiful waterfront that we didn’t even realize we had, and I’d love to see it utilized,” said Price. “I keep having to remind myself that we are only in year three of a 20- to 25-year plan, but already we’re seeing progress on a level that was hard to imagine when we started.”

On April 18, District 1 Commissioner Matt Aitken chose the Legacy at Walton Oaks as the location to announce his re-election bid, highlighting the senior center and the improvements of that community during his tenure as commissioner.

“The area had some problems with flooding, which really became a central campaign issue, and as commissioner I worked with the city to take a strong stance to relieve some of the problems around the schools in that area,” Aitken said.

“We are still working on resolving that issue for the whole area, but the fact that Walton Oaks will be launching their second phase this summer is a sign of some of the incredible improvements going on in that area, and I’m happy to have been a part of it.”

by CHRISTOPHER SELMEK

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 13

14 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

bluegrass and bbq: what could

be more southern

ketch & critter and the ramblin’ fevers joins the papa joe’s banjo-b-que for a weekend of food and music

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW DUO: KETCH & CRITTER Ketch Secor, one half of the duo Ketch and Critter, is no stranger to the Augusta area. He lived in Aiken as a youngster and remembers celebrating his eighth birthday at Chuck E. Cheese, a delicacy that required a drive into Richmond County.

Secor’s family relocated to the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia, and that’s where he met Critter Fuqua when they were both in seventh grade. Early on they developed a close friendship and musical partnership that has carried them through the past 20 years, including the highly successful Old Crow Medicine Show, which Fuqua has been a member of on and off (presently off) during the band’s near 13-year history.

The group will release a new album, Carry Me Back, on July 7.

LOCAL FLAVOR: THE RAMBLIN’ FEVERS

The Ramblin’ Fevers – David Beverly, Stephen Dodd and Becca Wilson – describe their sound as Southern folk, which means original music, simple melodies, complex harmonies, traditional roots and a modern twist. Born and raised in Augusta, the band members got together in February 2011 and released their self-titled debut EP in March 2012.

In the meantime, Secor and Fuqua – or Ketch and Critter, as they call themselves – have been on the road as a duo for the past six months, “having a lot of fun celebrating 20 years of making music together,” says Secor. “Old Crow has grown to national attention as a roots group and nationally known string band, and at the very foundation is this chance encounter and friendship that blossomed out of our growing up together.”

Verge: You’ve been together since seventh grade. At that age, do you really know it’s going to work, or are you just working with the guy because he’s your friend or because you don’t know anyone else?

Secor: There was a mutual kind of egging on of one another. There was like a fire in our eyes, and you could see the reflection of my fire and his too. I guess we got really passionate early on about wanting to do something. It was just the typical American town in which everybody seemed to be looking in this one direction that Critter and I weren’t interested in. We didn’t want to go to high school and then get jobs or get careers going; we weren’t interested in what the future would hold. Rather we wanted to do something cool. For some reason, music became this language that Critter and I could speak so well to one another.

“You can’t sing a song about tobacco unless you harvested it. You can’t just smoke it to be able to sing about it. You’ve got to have stood in the field.”

–ketch secor

Verge: What do you bring out in each other as writers, performers and musicians?

Secor: Critter and I look at each other and feel transported back in time to when we first looked at each other when we were 12. We were kids, but something set us apart from everyone around us. One, we’ve got this fascination and this camera eye that’s constantly looking for the real thing, this quest we’re on for getting down to the general article of music and life. When Critter and I take a stage together, that feeling carries forth. It’s just like when we used to meet downtown.

There’s a part of downtown where the trains used to come through and they carried corn, and kibbles and bits, and we’d meet down there. When we saw each other from a distance you could see our smiles from a long ways away. That feeling of kinship between us is palpable from the stage when we perform, and the music we make is oftentimes made best by siblings. You look at a great gospel group and kinship is such an important part of American song. Critter and I are close as kin, as 20 years prove, and when you’re still making music 20

years after the fact with a kid you met in the seventh grade, there must be some kind of wonderful gravity between you.

Verge: What did it take to bring this type of music forward and make it work? How does this genre sell itself?

Secor: One, you’ve got to live it. You can’t just stand up there and sing and not have done the work. You have to have been around the people that are the eyewitnesses to the song. You have to be around the people who would be the firsthand. You can’t sing a song about tobacco unless you harvested it. You can’t just smoke it to be able to sing about it. You’ve got to have stood in the field. We worked a lot of jobs together. We used a shovel a lot, and there’s something about coming home with your rent money and beer from a job that was all about wielding a shovel — and we’re talking about red clay that we were moving — and you’ve got to hang around the people for whom the songs are so important. This music gets sung at a lot of college parties and there’s some Ivy League element to the fan base, for sure, but if you’re going to play country music, you’ve got to be around country people. Critter and I spent a lot of time living in those places, and I feel like we got the blessing from some great banjo players and great fiddlers to go ahead and play. It’s like the torch got passed, and it’s an honor to have been asked to keep it going. I feel very young, but even now there’s people much younger than me that are playing roots music in great stadiums and having great effect with it. People that we’ve inspired who are younger than us are making this music all around the country. I’m not ready to let go of the torch and pass it on yet because I think we have a lot left to say, but I appreciate that there’s a little more light flickering out there and the exponential growth of banjos ringing and joyful singing being sung. I’m honored to be a part of it. I know who else is and I’m humbled by the presence.

by ALISON RICHTER photo JUSTIN WRIGHT

The group’s start is as far removed from folk as possible: Beverly and Dodd played together in hardcore bands before branching out into acoustic music. Dodd is a drummer, but as the two began exploring other genres, he taught himself to play guitar, banjo and mandolin. With Beverly on guitar, they added Wilson, a fiddle player, and created the Ramblin’ Fevers, drawing influence from artists such as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and the Avett Brothers.

The group began writing original songs and moving in an acoustic roots direction.

Last summer, Dodd went to Florida on an outreach mission trip; upon his return, the three musicians began writing more songs, and in August 2011 they tracked their six-song EP with Nick Duke of Mazes and Monsters producing.

In addition to working on new material, the Ramblin’ Fevers are looking ahead to recording a new CD this fall. They’re also booking shows across Georgia and South Carolina, with the show this month at the Banjo-B-Que festival and a June date at Stillwater Tap Room. | by Alison Richter

see the show WHAT Papa Joe’s Banjo-B-Que & Bluegrass Festival WHERE Evans Towne Center 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd.

WHEN May 25 and 26 TICKETS $35 for weekend pass BUY | ticketalternative.com MORE | banjobque.com

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 15

even the land down under

has the blues

australian native geoff achison joins this year’s line-up for blind willie mctell blues festival

Blues guitarist Geoff Achison grew up in Malmsbury, Australia, and began playing music professionally when he was 13. By his early 20s, he was on the road and formed his own band, The Souldiggers, with which he began recording on his independent label, Jupiter Records, in 1994. His unique blend of blues, soul and jazz and stripped-down instrumental stylings quickly caught the attention of music fans, and Achison began winning awards and garnering cover stories in international guitar publications.

Today, Achison resides in Australia with his family, but he continues touring regularly. His past two albums were live recordings – the acoustic Live at the Burrinja Café and the electric Live from Guitars Across the Bay. He is currently on tour in the United States to promote his re-released album Little Big Men. The disc was released in Australia several years ago and now features three previously unreleased bonus tracks.

Verge: Why the decision to re-master and re-release Little Big Men at this time?

Achison: My last four CD releases have all been “live” recordings due to my constant touring.

I haven’t even seen a recording studio since 2008. Recently, our U.S. publicist asked if we had a relevant studio album. The “live” stuff wasn’t right for him and so Little Big Men was suggested. We still play the material and it was well received in Australia but never properly released in the U.S. I elected to take the chance to arc it up a little in the mix and also fix a couple of small goofs that had always bothered me. The new artwork fits the material better than the original cover, which was kind of rushed through at the time. So it looks and sounds better than it ever did and I’m thrilled about that.

Verge: Has your approach changed over time when performing these tracks?

Achison: Yeah, it’s onstage that the songs really start to evolve. I find it almost impossible to play something the same way every night. I’m constantly under the hood, if you like, tinkering with the nuts and bolts to see what’s possible. Nearly all of the compositions have sections in them designed to be extended or shortened, depending on how I feel about it at the time. I guess that’s why the “live” recordings for a group like this are popular with fans.

“There is something innocent, almost

childish, about the wonderment of mucis that has always stayed with me.”

— GEOFF ACHISON

Verge: Throughout the course of your career, you have relocated several times to help expand your audience and establish yourself in different geographical markets. How did this also influence your sound and musical direction?

Achison: Each place I’ve settled in has had its own vibrant music scene. It’s been largely through interacting with the local musicians wherever I find myself that has helped to shape and influence who I am and how I play. I’d say it has been the general acceptance and respect I’ve received from the American musicians that has given me confidence to pursue my own sound rather than emulate another’s. Coming from Australia I questioned whether it was the right path, especially considering I’d based my style on American blues. So it’s amazing for me to play New Orleans music with genuine New Orleans musicians, for example, but I’ve endeavored to find my own voice within whatever style we’re playing.

Verge: You’ve been playing guitar since you were 13 years old. In terms of feel and approach, what has changed and what has stayed the same?

Achison: It’s an interesting question because I have a theory that the essential desire to play music is unchanged from when I first picked up the instrument. There is something innocent, almost childish, about the wonderment of music that has always stayed with me. So far as ability and sensibility goes, I’d say there was a time in my 20s when I kind of peaked as a technically proficient player. There are early recordings of me absolutely blazing through these old blues, brimming with ideas and wanting to blurt it all out at once. These days I’m much more inclined to take my time and enjoy every moment. I also learned to listen to everything around me and the power of silence in a musical piece. So my emotional drive to play is still thoroughly intact, but hopefully I understand what I’m trying to achieve better than ever. Oh, the other thing that hasn’t changed since I was 13 is that I’m much the same height ... that’s sad.

by ALISON RICHTER photo PRESS

see the show

Verge: You are also an instructor. What do students want to know, and how have their needs and interests changed to reflect the times?

Achison: When I was learning, it was often from other guitar players that you got your next chord or riff. We’d exchange techniques and skills like baseball cards. These days I find that many of my students are able to access that information from hundreds of online sources.

The workshops I do will often focus on playing with soul. In other words, how to turn those scales and exercises into deeply moving music. I get really spiritual about it. Creating musical sounds at the purest level is an otherworldly experience that I want everyone to discover. The theory end is certainly helpful, but we usually agree that playing a million scorching notes with technical correctness rarely conveys the same level of feeling that someone like B.B. King can garner with one perfectly struck note. How does that work? I find that’s what students really want to master.

16 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

WHAT Blind WIllie McTell Blues Festival: Delbert McClinton + James Cotton + the Randell Bramblett and Geoff Achison Band WHERE One mile north of Interstate 20 at Thomson, exit 172 WHEN Saturday, May 19 | noon to 9 p.m.

TICKETS $25 to $35 BUY | TIXONLINE.COM

DELBERT MCCLINTON

MORE | GEOFFACHISON.COM

the fiddle comes alive in

megan lynch’s hands champion fiddler performs at the morris

Megan Lynch grew up in Redding, Calif., and began taking fiddle lessons when she was 4 years old.

“It was my kindergarten teacher’s idea,” she said. “My mom taught me to read before I went to school, so I was in kindergarten and apparently I was a little bored.

I assume that means I was probably causing trouble!

I’m not sure; we can interpret that however we want.

My teacher sent a note home to my mom saying, ‘Your daughter already knows how to read. We have a strings program, and I think she’d be a great candidate for it.’”

Lynch immediately took to the instrument, and within four months of instruction she had entered her first contest. By age 8, she was a national champion and on her way to what would become a successful career as a musician, performer, instructor and recording artist.

Now based in Nashville, she is sought after as one of the industry’s top fiddle players. When she’s not on tour with Pam Tillis, she’s teaching, holding workshops and performing her own concert dates. She founded the FiddleStar Youth and Adult Fiddle Camps and continues to instruct at fiddle camps worldwide.

Lynch spoke to verge about her goals as a musician and the expanding boundaries of bluegrass music.

Verge: What drew you to bluegrass? lYNCH: I went through school competing and traveling all over the country. I was successful doing that and I loved it, but it was very planned; I worked up my arrangements and in some ways it was almost like classical music. Everything was laid out note for note. When I got into college I had this revelation that I was terrified of improvising and playing on the fly. I decided that it was now or never and I had to do something to get over that hump. I didn’t want to stagnate in that way, and also, one cannot make a living competing in Texas-style fiddle contests! The director of admissions and records at my college had a bluegrass band, so I joined his band. I started listening to contemporary artists like Alison Krauss, and then I started playing for singer/songwriters. I played fiddle in a punk band in college and it took off from there in terms of the genres and things I thought I was capable of doing. I went to a community college in Chico, Calif., and then Cal State Chico and several other colleges before I figured out that I was going to be a professional musician. I kept going to college, and then taking a gig, and then going back to college. I did that about four times until I finally acknowledged my destiny!

Verge: There’s a quote in your bio: “Megan is a musician who listens to, and respects, lyrics as much as melody. She knows exactly what to play – and when – and is always about the song, not herself.” How long did it take you to learn to do that? lYNCH: I’m always striving for that and still working on that.

The biggest part of that education came from my childhood, because I grew up in such a musical household. Nobody in my family plays an instrument, but my mother had a fantastic ear and I grew up listening to music in the house constantly.

My grandfather was from Texas and he was obsessed with Bob Wills, Ray Price and Mel Tillis. I heard those fiddle players, and I had this innate sense for where the fiddle was supposed to go from hearing that stuff over and over again. I was married briefly when I was 22 to a very talented singer/songwriter who had a strong vision for what he wanted the fiddle to do. We

toured as a duet for a couple of years and I sang harmony with him. I’ve listened to songwriters for so many years talk about what they want out of an accompanying instrument of any kind, and I’ve made that a goal. I was passionate about being that person, and the music I listened to had the biggest influence on that.

Verge: Who are your students? Is fiddle gaining, waning or stable in popularity? lYNCH: That’s an excellent question. My students are extremely split. I have younger students, as well as students in their 50s and 60s who played classical music when they were younger, put it away, discovered fiddling and want to get back into it. There are so many fiddle contests around the country that the kids are just out of control. It’s so different from when I was growing up and you played one style. Today, the kids play Texas style, old time, bluegrass, Celtic – it’s all without boundaries, which is fantastic. It keeps me on my toes as a teacher because I have to be aware of the trends. In contemporary country music, it’s waning and has been for 20 years. It’s hard to be a fiddle player in Nashville if you can’t

play another instrument, because there aren’t that many gigs to be had. However, old-time and fringe bluegrass, the more acoustic stuff, is huge. So many universities now have bluegrass and traditional music programs. I think there is a movement to go back to “real” music. A lot of younger artists are putting their own bands together and making a decent living playing bluegrass and all kinds of music. Alison Krauss was very helpful to all of us in this way with her success in bluegrass and mainstream country.

by ALISON RICHTER photo by PRESS

hear the music

WHAT Megan Lynch at Music at the Morris Where Morris Museum of Art auditorium When Sunday, May 20 | 2 p.m.

Tickets Free MORE FIDDLESTAR.COM or THEMORRIS.ORG

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 17

18 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 19

capturing magical vistas at

phinizy swamp on film photographer ed belinski shares

tips and prepares for june exhibition

Nature photography is a wide and varied subject. A nature photographer can take photographs of large animals, small animals, invertebrates, birds, insects, scenics, habitat or the environment. If you are intrigued by nature photography, any or all parts thereof, then an outing to Phinizy Swamp is for you. The proper name of the area is the Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy, though it is sometimes referred to as Phinizy Swamp Nature Park or just “The Swamp.” If you have never visited the swamp, it is located near the Augusta airport “on 1100 acres just minutes from downtown Augusta,” according to the park’s website.

If you are looking to take photographs of animals and birds in their natural environment, this is a convenient place that’s close to home. I enjoy photography at the swamp because there is always something unexpected to photograph. It might not be exactly what you came to photograph, but it will be interesting. Just last week, on a cool morning, I was out to photograph the wading birds in the early morning light.

There were fewer birds than I’d expected, but the amount of turtles sunning themselves on partially submerged fallen trees was amazing.

Everywhere I looked there were three or four on each log. (Think back to school, why do the turtles climb out of the water on a cool sunny morning?) The photographs of yellow-bellied sliders turned out great. and the best were taken from the bridge near the parking lot.

One thing you must possess when photographing nature is patience. Animals and birds have habits of feeding, nesting and sleeping, and they are very good at hiding. A little knowledge about your subject will also help. Knowing what fields the deer like to graze in, ponds the herons and egrets feed in, or logs the turtles like to sun themselves on can only help in your search for photographic opportunities.

Along the Beaver Dam Trail is one of the best places for sunning turtles; look opposite the Mayor’s Fishing Hole. At this time of year, the best time to look for the turtles is earlyto mid-morning. Be very quiet and you will be rewarded with as many as five turtles lined up on a floating log. Turtles can also be seen from the large bridge over Butler Creek.

I have three favorite places for scenic photographs at the swamp. One is the large bridge that links the parking lot to the campus buildings. ; if you have a camera that has a panorama or stitch-assist, this is a perfect place to try it. A second is from the Beaver Pond Deck, which is particularly good in the early mornings, and the third is a sunrise photograph from the Rain Garden Deck.

During fall I have seen many deer when walking to the constructed wetlands after leaving the campus area on the Constructed Wetland Trail; look to your right as you are walking down the trail. Birds can be found year-round at the Swamp, both migratory and indigenous, and a little research at the visitor’s center will let you know what birds are “in season.” I like photographing the heron and the cranes because when they are looking for food they stand very still, allowing you to work slowly. If you enjoy photographs of dragonflies, there are many species at the park. They are a challenge to photograph when they are moving, so try to find a plant they’ve rested on for greater success. The boardwalk that begins at the Rain Garden Deck is also a good place for dragonflies.

As far as equipment is concerned, many of the newer digital cameras have zoom lenses that are appropriate for nature photography.

You might want to invest in a tripod to keep the camera steady if you are taking photographs at dawn, late in the afternoon or evening. If you have modes on your camera, set it to scenic or landscape mode when taking pictures of the environment. Animals can be photographed in the portrait mode and moving animals or birds in the sports mode.

If you have never taken a tour of the Swamp, visit the first Saturday of the month. when trained volunteers lead a free 2.5-mile, 1.5-hour hike through the park. Call 706.828.2109 in advance for groups. To help with your photography, the volunteers can tell you where they have seen certain animals, birds and other wildlife. article and photos of Phinizy Swamp by ED BELINSKI

Ed Belinski began taking photographs in middle school, continuing through high school and used his skill to pay for college and graduate school. He specializes in environmental and location portraiture, taking photographs of people in an environment where they feel comfortable.

His latest endeavor is working with the Library of Congress Veterans History project, videotaping interviews with World War II veterans.

TALKINGHORSEMEDIA.COM

20 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

SEE the photography WHAT First Thursday with featured artist Ed Belinski WHERE Midtown Market | 2113 Kings Way WHEN Thursday, June 7 | 5 to 8 p.m.

WHY The featured charity is Phinizy Swamp MORE TALKINGHORSEMEDIA.COM

fresh food bites an average joe’s guide to eating healthier

where’s the beef

south meets spice

chow bella simple tips and recipes on cooking with natural goodness

In researching this month’s Food Bites article, I discovered that, despite Father’s Day being a whole month away, May is in fact a very manly month – a beefed-up one, if you will.

While most May holidays involve sweet treats and cool fruity desserts, May also has three food holidays dedicated to that American classic – the hamburger. As if being National Hamburger Month was not enough, the second week of May is National Hamburger Week and the 28th is National Hamburger Day. That’s a lot of meat! Enough to make a guy arm curl a few brewskis while firing up the grill with the ol’ manly flamethrower. So, what should we toss on the fire?

Frozen patties? Pre-shaped deli burgers? Veggie burgers?

Hmm … maybe turkey or chicken burgers? Heck no! I know we like to keep things lean and mean around this spot but, at the end of the day, guys are still guys. BREAK OUT THE BEEF! Here’s a recipe sure to fire up any red-blooded male with the need for angst and gusto. Wussies, you might want to turn the page right about now.

white pimiento cheese Big Bomb Burgers INGREDIENTS 2 pounds lean ground beef 3 tsp. chopped jalapeño peppers ½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. minced garlic 1 onion, finely chopped ¼ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese 1 tomato, sliced 4 hamburger buns

At age 13 I moved to the South. This was culture shock in its utmost for me, having a Hispanic mother, living most of my life on foreign soil, and having the most beautifully multiethnic friends growing up, the product of military marriages.

Needless to say, I was eating things such as arroz con pollo and kimchi before I had ever even heard of grits. So, moving to the states and to the southern most - not in geography, but in tradition, style, and everything else - was the most frightening thing you could do to a 13-year-old. This isn’t a commentary on Augusta, which I have grown to love and have made my and my family’s home, but a story of worlds colliding.

Being in Augusta has been a growing process for me, a process of learning to open my eyes to all the beautiful things around me. Though we do not live at the foot of the Frankenstein Castle, like we did in Germany, our family is growing bigger here in the states, a greater joy.

Life is a mixed bag, just like I am: You look at me and don’t think I am Hispanic. I am the only child that doesn’t resemble my mother, but I suppose what I lack in appearance in regards to heritage I make up for in personality. I get asked at least once a day if I am Irish, and I assume I owe that to my Dad’s hodgepodge-white-man’s heritage. I still can’t understand why I have freckles and red hair, no one as far as we can remember did. Either way, I definitely caught the fiery disposition that some might say is stereotypical of Hispanics, but I say is my all-too-common life story.

So, this dish is like me: a little spicy, seasoned, mostly white and full of cheese (like Dad). Ha, just kidding, but mostly true, and, though it took a while, it’s Southern like me, too.

Enjoy, because it is delicious and super easy to make. article and photo by ELLIE BENSON boyandabride.virb.com

DIRECTIONS 1. Combine the ground beef, jalapeño peppers, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, black pepper, garlic and onion until well blended.

2. Form into four patties approximately one-inch thick and about four inches in diameter.

3. Grill over medium coals for 7 to 9 minutes, turning once.

4. About a minute before the burgers are done, place 1 tbsp. of shredded cheese on each burger.

5. Top each burger with a slice of tomato and get creative with other toppings, such as lean bacon and deli mustard. One of my favorites is a bit of jacked-up spicy ketchup. You can “man it up” however you want.

The Big Bomb Burger is big on flavor and size but will only set you back about 500 calories and the fat is at a safe, low level and – best yet – it kicks in over 30 grams of protein.

WOOOOOH!

by JOHN “STONEY” CANNON John believes that anyone can learn to eat healthier - in small steps - taking one bite at a time.

from chow bella’s kitchen: white Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches A kicked-up take on a Southern classic

INGREDIENTS: 6 oz. white cheddar, shredded Green onion, to taste, chopped ¼ large red onion, diced ½ cup poppyseed dressing salt to taste

4 oz. Monterrey jack, shredded 6 to 8 oz. of pimiento, chopped and drained ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese White bread

DIRECTIONS: 1. Mix the cheddar, Monterrey jack, dressing, mayonnaise and pimientos in your mixer or food processor on the highest setting.

2. Add the onions 3. Mix in the cream cheese until the mixture is fluffy and well blended. Season appropriately.

4. Spread on bread for sandwiches. I like to toast my bread, as it makes for a very delicious lunch.

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 21

22 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

marrying classic to modern in

a beauty so loud local author publishes third book,

reframing two epic sagas into modern day augusta

Local author James Grant will host a book signing for his latest novel, Beauty So Loud, at The Book Tavern on June 8.

This is Grant’s third novel, following Children of Venus and Ten Tales for Almost Anyone, the latter of which was written during the six years it took Grant to finish Beauty So Loud and includes many of the same ideas contained in his most recent book.

“This one took me six years to write it in fits and starts, then I would just go into a cocoon for a while and not write at all,” he said. “I had written some fairy tales for this book to stand alone, but when I realized that it would take me a while to get through this story I thought how neat it would be to write a few more stand-alone fairy tales and publish them together in Ten Tales.”

Beauty So Loud is a modernist novel that follows several characters and their interactions within Augusta and Harlem. Grant describes it as a modern day adaptation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a late 14th Century alliterative romance which he grew to love while learning about it in Dr. Christina Heckman’s Middle English Literature class at Augusta State University.

“There’s a section of the book where Joseph Corgan is driving to the store listening to NPR, and I have a literature professor being interviewed about her newest translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” he said. “I’m essentially using her as a mouthpiece for my own views about the text, but I use an anagram of Dr. Heckman’s name for the interviewee.”

Corgan, the main character in Beauty So Loud is driving to the store because he wants to buy some Sevindust to kill the caterpillars eating his garden. In the chapter where Corgan is introduced, Grant also introduces the caterpillar as though it were a monster challenging Corgan’s honor, but Grant feels the quest for some Sevindust is more realistic that the Holy Grain it is meant to represent.

“Everyone has their own reading voice that they hear inside their head, but as the author I feel like I know how I want it to sound ...”

— james grant on author readings

“Another character named Mildred represents the character of the Lady from Sir Gawain and is sort of like his temptation,” said Grant. “Joseph Corgan has a very set way of viewing the world and Mildred is a very nihilist character, even though I don’t think she wants to be. He does what he has to do and sort of challenges her in that way. Between the two, I’m going for something like a Socratic dialog, so they converse and she becomes a challenge for him as well.”

A third character, Johnny, is meant to represent Stephen Dedalus from James Joyce’s novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, though he never ends up meeting his counterpart as Dedalus does in Joyce’s novel.

“He sort of spends the whole day wandering around Augusta,” said Grant. “He’s done all these things that in our culture we think are supposed to make you a man, but he’s haunted by this episode where he went hunting and failed to shoot the deer when he had it in his sights and his brother took the shot instead, and he’s always asking himself if that wasn’t his one chance at manhood and he missed it.”

“My intentions in writing this book were that Sir Gawain and Ulysses met on a street corner and decided to have an illegitimate child together,” he jokes. “I am in no way comparing myself to Joyce, but the way his characters navigate Dublin is how I would like my characters to navigate the streets of Augusta.”

Grant is currently a middle and high school English teacher at Augusta Christian School and enjoys writing about the region he has lived in his entire life.

“I think this town has character,” he said. “I’ve lived in the city for a year but then moved back to Harlem when I had kids. There’s a spirit to the place and I think I know it pretty well. I make up some of the details, but I think people who are familiar with the city will recognize certain parts of it in my book.”

Grant will be available to sign books and will give a public reading at the Book Tavern at 6 p.m. on June 8.

“I like The Book Tavern because I get to read, too,” he said. “Everyone has their own reading voice that they hear inside their head, but as the author I feel like I know how I want it to sound, and I hope people appreciate getting my input about it.”

“I give a lot of little clues along the way about what text I’m referencing, and my hope is that when by the end of it, if you are familiar with the story of the Green Knight, you will be able to connect the two,” he said. “But if you aren’t familiar with the text then it really doesn’t matter, and I hope you have enjoyed reading my book.” article and photo by CHRISTOPHER SELMEK

MEET THE AUTHOR WHAT Author James Grant: book signing and reading of A Beauty So Loud WHERE The Book Tavern | 1026 Broad St. WHEN Friday, June 8 | 6 to 8 p.m.

TICKETS free MORE BOOKTAVERN.COM or twistedtreepress.com

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 23

24 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

the

daily planner

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

may 16 to june 2

[ SUMMER IS FOR READING ] Augusta’s Headquarters Library will be stopping traffic to announce its summer reading programs for children, teens and adults on May 19. It’s a block party on Ninth Street to celebrate the advent of the lazy days of summer and the joy of reading. While signing up for one of the reading programs, enjoy free cotton candy, popcorn and sno-cones. Games and crafts will line the sidewalk – and don’t miss the giant book sale. To top off the afternoon, kids can jump in the inflatable play zone to the sounds of several local bands. | PRESS

WHAT Summer Reading Block Party WHERE Headquarters Library | Ninth Street between Telfair and Greene streets WHEN Saturday, May 19 | noon to 3:30 p.m.

TICKETS Free MORE 706.821.2600 or ECGRL.ORG The Daily Planner is our selective guide to what is going on in the city during the next two weeks. IF YOU WANT TO BE LISTED: Submit information by email (events@vergelive. com) or by mail (verge, P.O. Box 38, Augusta, GA 30903). Details of the event - date, time, venue address, telephone number and admission price - should be included. Listings included are accurate at press time, check with specific venues for further details.

BUSINESS YPA LUNCHN-LEARN with guest

LITERARY PHILOSOPHY CLUB Kroc Center; 7 p.m.; free; 1833 Broad St.; 706.364.5762

SPORTS AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS vs. the

Rome Braves. Lake Oldmstead Stadium, 7:05 p.m., $10 to $13, 78 Milledge Road, 706.922.9467

THURSDAY

5.17

LITERARY BROWN BAG BOOK CLUB State of Wonder

by Anne Patchett. Columbia County Library; 11:30 a.m.; free; 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans; 706.863.1946

5.18

speaker Ted McLyman on Understanding Behavioral Finance. Fat Man’s Café; 11:45 a.m.; $10; 1450 Greene St. YPAUGUSTA.COM

CONCERT MIDDAY MUSIC SERIES First

Presbyterian Church; noon; music free, $9 for lunch; 224 Barnwell Ave. NW, Aiken; 803.648.2662 AIKENPRESBYTERIAN.ORG

WEDNESDAY

5.16

FRIDAY

FESTIVAL THUNDER OVER AUGUSTA Celebrate Armed Forces Day with a motocross stunt team, static military displays, a skydiving performance, live music, a kid zone and one of the largest display of fireworks the area has ever seen. Evans Towne Center Park; 2 to 10 p.m.; free; 7016 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans

ART ART AT LUNCHArthur GOOD CAUSE COTTON BALL Historic Augusta’s

annual membership drive will take place in the gardens surrounding High Gate, the home of Trav and Kate Paine at 820 Milledge Road.

The home was originally built as a summer home for the family of Hugh Nesbitt in 1810. Memberships can be purchased at the door. High Gate; 6:30 p.m.; memberships from $50; 820 Milledge Road; 706.724.0436 HISTORICAUGUSTA.ORG

CONCERT DOUG AND THE HENRYS WITH DEVERON Bring a chair.

Maude Edenfield Park; 7 p.m.; free; 400 Buena Vista Ave., North Augusta; 706.877.6577 HENRYWYNN.COM

J. Phelan, whose collection comprises the exhibition Window on the West, discusses Western art and the process of collecting. Lunch by Shane’s Rib Shack. Paid reservations due May 16. Morris Museum of Art; noon; $10 to $14; 1 10th St.; 706.724.7501

FOR KIDS COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY FOR CHILDREN Annual “school’s

out” celebration features free food, live performances, radio remotes and give-aways.

6 p.m.; free; Turpin Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard; 706.821.1754

THEATRE GAME SHOW

See listing on May 17. Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre; 6:30 p.m.

Set during a live broadcast of a fictional TV game show, Game Show places the theatre audience in the role of the TV studio audience, in which members are picked as the contestants to play the triviabased game and win actual prizes. Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre; 6:30 p.m.; $25 to $40; 32100 Third Ave.; 706.703.8552 FORTGORDON.COM

CONCERT HAYDN’S THE CREATION The CONCERT A D’OYLY CARTE EVENING: MUSIC OF GILBERT & SULLIVAN

Featuring works by Gilbert and Sullivan, such as The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore and The Mikado. Read the article on page 27. Sacred Heart Cultural Center; 7:30 p.m.; $25 to $35; 706.364.9114 THEAUGUSTAOPERA.COM

SATURDAY

THEATRE AVENUE Q

CONCERT 19TH ANNUAL BLIND WILLIE MCTELL BLUES FESTIVAL Featuring

Morris Davidson, rock-pop guitar and vocals. Enterprise Mill dock; 7 p.m.; $25; 1450 Greene St.; 706.823.0440 AUGUSTACANAL.COM

Laugh-out-loud musical tells the story of recent college graduate Princeton who move into a shabby New York City apartment where he meets Kate (the girl next door), Rod (the Republican), Trekkie (the Internet sexpert) and other colorful types who help him discover his purpose in life. Le Chat Noir; 8 p.m.; 304 Eighth St.; 706.722.3322 LCNAUGUSTA.COM

CONCERT GOOD OLD HARMONY Harmony River

THUNDEROVERAUGUSTA.COM

THEATRE GAME SHOW

OUTDOORS MOONLIGHT MUSIC CRUISE with

Aiken Choral Society with Dr. Kathleen Cartledge and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church choirs perform the oratorio, accompanied by a chamber orchestra, harpsichord and organ. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church; 7:30 p.m.; $15; 961 Trail Ridge Road, Aiken AIKENCHORALSOCIETY.ORG

5.19 Delbert McClinton, blues legend James Cotton, the country blues of Guy Davis, the Southern soul of the Randall Bramblett and Geoff Achison Band, and local Mama Says.

Read the article on page 16.

Thomson; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; $25 to $35; one mile north of I-20 at exit 172; 706.541.9828 BLINDWILLIE.COM

FOR KIDS CAMOUFLAGE IN NATURE Learn about

Chorus, the Garden City Chorus and Quartets from Lakeside High School. First Baptist Church of Evans; 8 p.m.; $10; 515 North Belair Road, Evans; 706.860.6022

creative camouflage through first-hand observation and games. For ages 5 and up.

Preregistration required. Reed Creek Nature Park; 10 a.m.; $2; 3820 Park Lane; 706.210.4027 REEDCREEKPARK.COM

THEATRE MAN OF LA MANCHA Based on

GOOD CAUSE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE Appleby Branch Library;

HARMONYRIVERCHORUS.ORG

Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Aiken Community Playhouse; 8 p.m.; $10 to $25; 126 Newberry St. SW, Aiken; 803.648.1438 ACP1011.COM

10 a.m.; free; 2260 Walton Way; 706.736.6244 ECGRL.ORG

FESTIVAL MAY FEST Live

gospel, R&B and hip-hop. May Park; 10 a.m.; free; 622 4th St.; 803.279.2330

discover more events and classes @ vergelive.com vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 25

26 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

SATURDAY

MONDAY

5.19 5.21

the

daily planner SATURDAY

5.26

LITERARY MONDAY NIGHT BOOK CLUB

Rebecca’s Tale by Sally Beauman. Columbia County Library; 6:30 p.m.; free; 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans; 706.863.1946

FOR KIDS SUMMER READING KICK-OFF

Read the article on page 25. Headquarters Library; noon; free; 823 Telfair St.; 706.821.2600 ECGRL.ORG

CONCERT PICKIN’ AND PRAISIN’ CONCERT Meal, desserts and beverages are available for donations. Glenn Hills Baptist Church; 6 p.m.; free; 2877 Lumpkin Road; 706.373.7855

THEATRE GAME SHOW

See listing on May 17. Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre; 6:30 p.m.

Read more on page 7. Old Government House; 7 p.m.; membership required; 432 Telfair St.; 706. 826.4702 AUGUSTAARTS.COM

5.22

FILM MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE Rated R.

Headquarters Library; 6:30 p.m.; free; 823 Telfair St.; 706.821.2600 ECGRL.ORG

CONCERT EVENINGS IN THE APPLEBY GARDEN

Mike Santangelo will perform contemporary. Bring chairs or a blanket. Appleby Library; 8 p.m.; free; 2260 Walton Way; 706.736.6244 ECGRL.ORG

5.23

FOR KIDS YOGA FOR KIDS Appleby Library;

10:30 a.m.; free; 2260 Walton Way; 706.736.6244

CONCERT KELLEY FAMILY BLUEGRASS CONCERT While some siblings fight, the five Kelley kids prefer to make music together. Donations accepted. Mistletoe State Park; 8 p.m.; $5 parking; Leah Road, Appling; 706.541.0321 GASTATEPARKS.ORG

THEATRE AVENUE Q See listing on May 18. Le Chat Noir; 8 p.m.

THEATRE MAN OF LA MANCHA See listing on

May 18. Aiken Community Playhouse; 8 p.m.

SUNDAY

5.20

CONCERT MUSIC AT THE MORRIS: FIDDLER MEGAN LYNCH Read the article on page 17. Morris Museum of Art; 2 p.m.; free; 1 10th St.; 706.724.7501 THEMORRIS.ORG

CONCERT AIKEN CHORAL SOCIETY CONCERT See listing on May 18. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church; 4 p.m.

CONCERT CANDLELIGHT JAZZ with Davidson Fine Arts Jazz. Rain or shine. River Stage; 8 p.m.; $6 for ages 13 and up; Eighth Street and Riverwalk GARDENCITYJAZZ.COM

SPORTS AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS vs.

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

ART WET PAINT PARTY

FOR KIDS THE WORLD OF OWLS Learn about

owls that live in Georgia, their adaptations, and their natural history. Registration required. Columbia County Library; 2 p.m.; free; 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans; 706.447.7657 ECGRL.ORG

CONCERT LADY ANTEBELLUM Own the

Night 2012 World Tour with special guest Thompson Square. James Brown Arena; 7 p.m.; $50 to $70; 601 Seventh St.; 706.722.3521 GEORGIALINATIX.COM

THURSDAY

5.24

LITERARY BOOK SIGNING WITH GARDENING GURU JAMES FARMER Southern

Living contributing editor James Farmer signs his two latest books, Porch Living and Sip & Savor: Drinks for Party and Porch. Morris Museum of Art; 11 a.m.; free; 1 10th St.; 706.724.7501 THEMORRIS.ORG

THE MIKADO

[ opera’s comEback ]

The Augusta Opera will present a D’Oyly Carte Evening with the music of Gilbert and Sullivan on May 17 at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center, which will feature excerpts from The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance.

D’Oyly Carte was the name of the theatre company that staged Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas in the late 1800s and toured England and Europe. According to Richard Cook, the general director and conductor of the Augusta Opera, the name today represents the type of Victorian opera for which Gilbert and Sullivan were famous – witty, tongue-in-cheek humor and frequent references to class struggles.

“Gilbert and Sullivan are very clever with their plots and their opera has a lot to do with pitting the classes against each other, particularly in English society, which is even today very class ridden,” said Cook. “The original goal of opera was to revive the original spirit of the Greek tragedies and create a complex art form where man could learn deep truths about himself, which is why many operas that were written hundreds of years ago are still very relevant and topical today.”

For its 2012 season opener, the Augusta Opera has contracted with Lyra Vivace, a local chamber orchestra. The four soloists are from the region: soprano Tina Stallard from Colombia, S.C., mezzo soprano Diane Haslam from Aiken, baritone Isaac Holmes from Augusta and tenor Jamison Walker who is stationed at Fort Gordon.

“I’m a big believer in hiring people from the local community to take part in local art,” he said. “The professional musicians in your community are what keep the local artistic community vibrant and thriving. They’re the ones who teach your children about art and who you are most likely to see having an impact in your neighborhood. Otherwise you’re just importing talent, but Augusta has a lot to offer right here.”

Created in 1967, the Augusta Opera is the oldest opera company in the South, though it was forced to cancel its season three years ago.

“We suffered as a result of the economic downturn just like all artists, but now we’re hoping we can generate some enthusiasm in the community and get back on our feet,” said Cook. “Opera is the most expensive art form there is and that is by design. It’s a dramatic form in which the action unfolds equally in the words and in the music, so you have vocal and instrumental art happening at the same time as the visual art involved in the costumes and set design, and opera brings it all together. Opera can be very captivating and can rival anything of Broadway in terms of technical effects, spectacle and storyline.” | by CHRISTOPHER SELMEK WHAT D’Oyly Carte Evening with the Augusta Opera WHERE Sacred Heart Cultural Center | 1301 Greene St. WHEN Thursday, May 17 | 7:30 p.m. TICKETS $35 to $45 BUY 706.364.9114 or THEAUGUSTAOPERA.COM

Savannah Sand Gnats. Lake Olmstead Stadium; 7:05 p.m.; $10 to $13; 78 Milledge Road; 706.922.9467

THEATRE AVENUE Q See listing on May 18. Le Chat Noir; 8 p.m.

OUTDOORS CANAL DISCOVERY WALK: GONE FISHIN’ A Rivers

and Glen professional fishing guide explains how, when, where and what to fish for in the Augusta Canal. Lake Olmstead entrance; 10 a.m.; $2; 1450 Greene St.; 706.823.0440 AUGUSTACANAL.COM

FRIDAY

5.25 OUTDOORS HERBS AND WILD EDIBLES Become

FESTIVAL PAPA JOE’S BANJO-B-QUE Created in

2010 to honor Joe Pond, the festival brings his favorite things: authentic bluegrass music, fresh cooked barbecue and a fun, family atmosphere.

Proceeds benefit the Joseph R. Pond Memorial Foundation.

Read the article on page 15.

Evans Towne Center; $35; 7016 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans; 706.495.6885 BANJOBQUE.COM

a wild gourmet: learn about wild edible plants and sample tasty treats. Mistletoe State Park; 2 p.m.; $5 parking; Leah Road, Appling; 706.541.0321 GASTATEPARKS.ORG

FOR KIDS BOYS ONLY STORY TIME Wear pajamas

and bring a sleeping bag for stories around the camp fire by the Boy Scouts of America.

Headquarters Library; 2 p.m.; free; 823 Telfair St.; 706.821.2600 ECGRL.ORG

FOR KIDS STORY TIME TIMES with the Augusta

Green Jackets’ mascot Auggie.

Headquarters Library; 10 a.m.; free; 823 Telfair St.; 706.821.2600 ECGRL.ORG

SPORTS AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS vs.

Savannah Sand Gnats. Lake Olmstead Stadium; 7:05 p.m.; $10 to $13; 78 Milledge Road; 706.922.9467

CONCERT MOONLIGHT MUSIC CRUISE with Angela Easterling and Southern country-folk vibe. Enterprise Mill dock; 7 p.m.; $25; 1450 Greene St.; 706.823.0440 AUGUSTACANAL.COM

THEATRE AVENUE Q See listing on May 17. Le Chat Noir; 8 p.m.

THEATRE MAN OF LA MANCHA See listing on

May 18. Aiken Community Playhouse; 8 p.m.

go to

vergelive.com for more things to do and place to go

CONCERT MEMORIAL: REMEMBER THE FALLEN The Augusta Choral Society remembers the country’s fallen heroes through song. Sacred Heart Cultural Center; 5 p.m.; 1301 Greene St.; 706.826.4713

THEATRE CHURCH FOLK, A STAGE PLAY USC Aiken

Convocation Center; 7 p.m.; $15 to $30; 375 Robert Bell Parkway, Aiken; 803.643.6901 GEORGIALINATIX.COM

THEATRE AVENUE Q See listing on May 18. Le Chat Noir; 8 p.m.

THEATRE MAN OF LA MANCHA See listing on

May 18. Aiken Community Playhouse; 8 p.m.

FILM SEE THE MOVIEREAD THE BOOK!

Charlotte’s Web, rated G. See the award-winning movie and get a free copy of the book.

Bring a lawn chair or blanket and view the movie on the big screen outside. Appleby Library; 8:30 p.m.; free; 2260 Walton Way; 706.736.6244 ECGRL.ORG

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 27

SUNDAY

FRIDAY

OUTDOORS CANAL DISCOVERY WALK See

COMMUNITY SAND HILLS HAT & TIE TEA Sand Hills

5.27

listing on May 26. Lake Olmstead entrance; 3 p.m.

6.1 FILM ANONYMOUS Rated PG-13. Headquarters Library; 6:30 p.m.; free; 823 Telfair St.; 706.821.2600 ECGRL.ORG

CONCERT EVENINGS IN THE APPLEBY GARDEN

THEATRE MAN OF LA MANCHA See listing on

May 18. Aiken Community Playhouse; 3 p.m.

SPORTS AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS vs.

Savannah Sand Gnats. Lake Olmstead Stadium, 2:05 p.m., $10 to $13, 78 Milledge Road, 706.922.9467

Harcourt Waller performs piano classics. Bring chairs or a blanket. Appleby Library; 8 p.m.; free; 2260 Walton Way; 706.736.6244 ECGRL.ORG

WEDNESDAY

5.28

R. Lynn, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Signal Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, will be the guest speaker. Fort Gordon’s U.S. Army Signal Corps Band and Post Ceremonial Detachment Color Guard also will be featured. Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home; 9 a.m.; free; 1101 15th St.; 706.721.2531

CONCERT MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT ON THE RIVER by the Augusta

Concert Band. Jessye Norman Amphitheater; 7 p.m.; free; 15 Eighth St.; 706.825.9124

TUESDAY

5.29

FILM FILMS ON FRIDAY

EDUCATION THE NIGHT SKY Join Tedda Howard of the

THURSDAY

5.31

FOR TEENS GAME DAY For students, ages 13 to 18. Headquarters Library; 2 p.m.; free; 823 Telfair St.; 706.821.2600 ECGRL.ORG

SPORTS 21ST ANNUAL G.A.M.E.S. BANQUET

Awards program highlights outstanding amateur athletes that represent a broad spectrum of sports disciplines in the CSRA. Motivational speaker, author, entrepreneur and athlete Kyle Maynard will be the special guest speaker.

Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center; 6 p.m.; $40 to $45; 2 10th St.; 706.722.8326

FOR KIDS THE WEATHER AROUND US Learn about

thunderstorms, hurricanes and other weather phenomena.

Best for ages 6 through 12.

Limited to 60 total participants.

Diamond Lakes Library; 10:30 a.m.; free; Diamond Lakes Regional Park; 706.772.2432

28 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

My Darling Clementine (1946).

A John Ford classic, starring Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp, was reportedly based on Earp’s own recollections of his time in Tombstone, Az. After viewing the film, museum director Kevin Grogan leads a discussion. Participants are invited to bring a lunch.

Morris Museum of Art; noon; free; 1 10th St.; 706.724.7501 THEMORRIS.ORG

FESTIVAL FIRST FRIDAY

Celebrate the First Friday of each month by shopping at art galleries displaying new works, enjoy performers taking to the and visit arts and craft vendors along Broad Street. Downtown Augusta; 5 to 10 p.m.; free; Broad St.; 706.826.4702 AUGUSTAARTS.COM

THEATRE MAN OF LA MANCHA See listing on

May 18. Aiken Community Playhouse; 8 p.m.

CONCERT MUSIC’S WORLD CITIZEN YANNI

2012 Concert Tour of North America. Bell Auditorium; 8 p.m.; $45 to $105; 712 Telfair St.; 877.4AUGTIX GEORGIALINATIX.COM

FOR KIDS NUTS ABOUT NUTRITION FOR KIDS!

Kids learn about eating well the fun way with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extensions Office. Friedman Library; 10 a.m.; free; 1447 Jackson Road; 706.736.6758 ECGRL.ORG

of summer vacation with free lunch (for the first 500 attendees, a fire truck and a slip and slide. Riverview Park; 11:30 a.m.; free; 100 Riverview Park Drive, North Augusta; 803.441.4300 NORTHAUGUSTA.NET

5.30

Augusta Astronomy Club to learn about the night sky and all its wonders. Maxwell Branch Library; 10 a.m.; free; 1927 Lumpkin Road; 706.793.2020 ECGRL.ORG

COMMUNITY MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY Gen. Alan

FOR KIDS SPLASH DAY Kick off the beginning

MONDAY

Community Center; 10 a.m.; call for info; 2540 Wheeler Road; 706.842.1912

CONCERT THE BOOTH BROTHERS Tickets available at Anything Goes Gifts, Boots, Bridles and Britches or by phone. Immanuel Baptist Church; 7 p.m.; $10 to $18; 615 Old Edgefield Road, North Augusta; 803.278.4849 1027WGUS.COM

discover more @

COMEDY SCHRODINGER’S CAT PLAYS EXTREME THEATRE GAMES These

extreme theater games are sure to delight any mature audience member. Le Chat Noir; 8 p.m.; $8 to $10; 304 Eighth St.; 706.722.3322

vergelive.com

SATURDAY

6.2

the

daily planner

ONGOING

WEEK SUNDAYS ART SUNDAY SKETCH

HISTORY UNDER THE CROWN Step back into the

18th Century event with livestock displays, cotton spinning demonstrations, meat smoking, garden tours and a farmers market with local produce for sale. Tools and trades of the Colonial period will be presented and special guest General Cornwallis will make an appearance. Living History Park; 10 a.m.; free; 299 West Spring Grove Ave., North Augusta; 803.279.7560 COLONIALTIMES.US

EDUCATION THE ART OF BONSAI GARDENING

Introductory workshop covers topics that include keeping your plant alive, choosing a plant, tools of the trade, and available resources. Gallery on the Row; 1 p.m.; free; 1016 Broad St.; 706.724.4989 GALLERYONTHEROW.COM

Sketch in the galleries with materials supplied by the museum. The Morris Museum of Art; 2 p.m.; free; 1 10th St.; 706.724.7501 Bring a chair and enjoy the games. Whitney Field; 3 p.m.; $5 to watch, $20 includes the social tent; Mead Avenue, Aiken; 803.643.3611 AIKENPOLOCLUB.ORG

MONDAYS CONCERT HOPELANDS GARDENS CONCERT SERIES From May to

August. Hopelands Gardens; 7 p.m.; free; 1700 Whiskey Road, Aiken; 803.642.7650 CITYOFAIKENSC.GOV

THURSDAYS

Where the Wild Things Are, rated PG 13. See the awardwinning movie and get a free copy of the book. Headquarters Library; 2 p.m.; free; 823 Telfair St.; 706.821.2600 ECGRL.ORG

FESTIVAL MUDBUGABEAUX N BREW FESTIVAL Crawfish

boil and craft beer fest that will include crawfish eating contest.

Augusta Common; 3 p.m.; free; 836 Reynolds St.; 706.855.5511 FRENCHMARKETWEST.COM

SPORTS WWE PRESENTS SMACKDOWN WORLD TOUR Wrestlers include Triple

Threat, “The Great White” Sheamus and “The Big Red Monster” Kane. James Brown Arena; 7:30 p.m.; $16 to $96; 601 Seventh St.; 877.4.AUGTIX GEORGIALINATIX.COM

THEATRE MAN OF LA MANCHA See listing on

May 18. Aiken Community Playhouse; 8 p.m.

EDUCATION DUPONT PLANETARIUM More than

Meets the Eye reveals the mysteries of outer space as naked-eye views of objects in the sky are compared with views through binoculars and telescopes. Ruth Patrick Science Education Center; 9 p.m.; $1 to $4; 471 University Parkway, Aiken; 803.641.3654 RPSEC.USCA.EDU

ONGOING

ART

May 25. Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art; 506 Telfair St.; 706.722.5495

toward fiction writers interested in improving their craft. Columbia County Library; 10 a.m.; free; 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd.; 706.447.8184

CREEL-HARISON BIENNIAL EXHIBITION

SATURDAYS

JOHN FORT, GWEN MCDONALD AND JOANNE EVANS EXHIBITION An

Ends May 25. Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art; 506 Telfair St.; 706.722.5495

intriguing glimpse of the American West. Ends May 31. Aiken Center for the Arts; 122 Laurens St. SW, Aiken; 803.641.9094

Peruse the offerings of local farmers, artisans and other vendors. Eighth Street Bulkhead; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; free; Corner of Eighth and Reynolds streets; 706.627.0128 THEAUGUSTAMARKET.COM

HISTORY AIKEN HISTORIC TOUR Experience

Aiken’s grace, charm and elegance during a two-hour guided tour aboard a climatecontrolled trolley. Reservations recommended. Aiken Visitors Center & Train Museum; 10 a.m.; $15 per person; 406 Park Ave. SE, Aiken; 803.642.7631

OUTDOORS SUNSET CRUISES Three-hour

excursion to the Savannah Rapids and headgates.

Enterprise Mill; 5:30 p.m.; $21; 1450 Greene St.; 706.823.0440

NOW PLAYING ON THE BIG SCREEN

BATTLESHIP GAME GOES ALIEN

AMELIA GRACE BROOKS: MURMURATIONS Ends

MARKET AUGUSTA MARKET AT THE RIVER

film reel

at dusk. Visit the observatory and enjoy the view. Boyd Pond Park; 7 p.m.; free; 373 Boyd Pond Road, Aiken; 803.642.7559 BOYDOBSERVATORY.ORG

SPORTS SUNDAY POLO

LITERARY CREATIVE WRITING GROUP Geared

FOR KIDS SEE THE MOVIE-READ THE BOOK!

OUTDOORS BOYD POND PARK Special programs held

the

GEORGIA BROOKS: A MOMENT IN TIME Ends June 1. Arts and Heritage Center of North Augusta; 100 Georgia Ave., North Augusta; 803.441.4380

GOLDEN AFTERNOON: ENGLISH WATERCOLORS FROM THE ELSLEY COLLECTION Ends July 1.

Morris Museum of Art; 1 10th St.; 706.724.7501

WINDOW ON THE WEST Ends July 21. The Morris Museum of Art; 1 10th St.; 706.724.7501

ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION June 1 to July 31. Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History; 1116 Phillips St.; 706.724.3576

go to vergelive.com

for more art exhibits to see, classes to attend and more to do

Milton Bradley’s naval combat game, immortalized by the advertising tagline “You sunk my battleship,” hits the big screen on May 18 with some help from toy and game industry powerhouse Hasbro. BATTLESHIP is yet another action film in a remarkably action-packed summer box office that kicked off with The Avengers and will include Prometheus, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises and The Bourne Legacy. Liam Neeson stars along with Taylor Kitsch (John Carter), Alexander Skarsgard and Brooklyn Decker as part of a team of naval officers who do battle with aliens they encounter on the high seas. This movie marks the film acting debut of pop superstar Rihanna. In Hasbro speak, Battleship is Transformers meets G.I. Joe, but without the cool toys.

A long-time best seller gets Hollywood’s star-studded ensemble treatment this week with a romantic comedy-style adaptation of Heidi Murkoff ’s 1985 pregnancy manual when five couples experience different pregnancy ups and downs in WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING. So, who is “expecting”? Cameron Diaz and Glee star Matthew Morrison play a celebrity couple, swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker (in her second major movie opener of the week) is the young trophy wife of Dennis Quaid’s character, Anna Kendrick and Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl) are attractive young business competitors who have a fateful hook-up, and Elizabeth Banks plays a revered lactation expert whose own uncomfortable pregnancy causes her to lose her cool. Jennifer Lopez’s character in this film has a different type of expectant mother experience, that of adopting a child.

Critically speaking, fictionalized adaptations of well-known nonfiction books should be received with skepticism. Similarly, star-packed ensemble comedies such as Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve tanked at the box office, too. Waking Ned Devine director Kirk Jones takes the reins for this comic look at impending parenthood. The femaletargeted flick also features the comedic presences of Chris Rock and Thomas Lennon, who are part of a group of imperfect dads with a vow of secrecy akin WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING to Fight Club.

Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is reuniting with director Larry Charles for another ridiculously eccentric international character comedy. Always one to thrive on shock value, Cohen’s latest purposely ignorant and one-dimensional personification, THE DICTATOR, is thankfully more Borat than Bruno. The character who famously doused Ryan Seacrest in ashes on the Oscars red carpet is a feared leader from the Middle East who travels to the United States to take a stand against democracy. While in this country, he is kidnapped and stripped of his trademark beard, leaving him unrecognizable, completely broke and having to earn a living amongst the American working class. Comic relief comes into play as his dictatorial principles stay intact, causing him to hurl ruthless insults at anyone he perceives to be inferior, including women and minorities. Anna Farris (nearly unrecognizable with a short brown hairdo) co-stars along with Ben Kingsley and John C. Reilly.

May 25 brings a long-awaited sequel 10 years after Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith made their second appearances as intergalactic crime-fighting Agents J and K. MEN IN BLACK III finds Smith traveling back in time to save his partner and to prevent future alien warfare.

Perfectly cast Josh Brolin stars as young Agent K (Jones). Series director Barry Sonnefeld returns for this 3D adventure. Look for lots of celebrity cameos.

by MARIAH GARDNER, MOVIE GURU

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 29

stoney’s

sound bites

the guy who put the “k” In lokal gets vocal about augusta’s music scene

We here in the funky A-U-G know good and well that May is the month to celebrate the legend that was – and is – our very own James Brown. May’s First Friday was a great day to throw a birthday par-taaay for the Godfather of Soul.

But the party started before May even hit and continues on, after all, this IS James Brown we’re talking about – not just some second-rate facsimile. Starting in April, tributes popped up all around the world, proving yet again that Brown’s influence continues to be felt far and wide and not just by the funky duplicators, but by fans and musicians of all genres. Augusta had a super great party at Sky City with some of JB’s peers in attendance and I wanna take a sec to report how our funky friends and neighbors across the land celebrated Brown’s groove: The newly reconstructed historic Howard Theater in Washington, D.C., played host to a special James Brown tribute show on April 29 that featured a screening of James Brown: The Man, The Music, and The Message, followed by a performance by Mousey Thompson and the James Brown Experience.

Less than a week later, on May 5, Portland’s The Goodfoot presented its annual All-Stars Tribute to James Brown, featuring a huge cast of the area’s top musicians jamming out some love for the Godfather. Brown’s music entered millions of homes nationwide as Juliet Simms, of Clearwater, Fla., tore down the house on the hit reality show The Voice with a rousing rendition of “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” that many are saying has cast her as the favorite to win the competition among the last four finalists. It MIGHT be a man’s world, but it would be nothing without a woman.

Speaking of which: The birthday of an icon such as Brown is so massive that sometimes it takes more than a month. Emergency Art in Las Vegas not only has its own tribute planned but looks to spread it through June with its second annual exhibition “It’s a Man’s World but …” The exhibition will bring together some of the area’s top art female artists who will present their own vision of legendary tune “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” via different mediums, such as paint, pencil/pen, graphic design and photography. I really dig this idea and would love to see some of the work the song inspires.

It wasn’t too long ago, an event in California where members of the Brown family announced several upcoming tribute projects. I would love to see an Augusta James Brown tribute album featuring some of Augusta’s great artists across all genres.

Maybe the proceeds could benefit a music school or two … something to think about.

Before I drop the funky vinyl on this column, I would like to recommend you check out the Daily Planner in this issue of verge – or at VERGELIVE.COM – for a guide to some great upcoming live shows and, to keep up in between issues, stop

by LOKALLOUDNESS.COM. And, of course as always …

Make it LOKAL, Keep it Loud.

John “Stoney” Cannon is considered the guru of “lokal” music.

Check out his long-running Augusta music website: lokalloudness. com. Send any music news to lokalloudness@yahoo.com.

30 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

night

A SELECTIVE GUIDE TO NIGHTLIFE IN THE CSRA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16

TUESDAY, MAY 22

COMEDY ZONE: GRANDMA LEE + CHRIS KILLIAN @ Somewhere in Augusta 8 p.m.; $8

JOHN FISHER @ The Fox’s Lair | 10 p.m.

OLD MAN CRAZY @ Wild Wing Café | 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 17

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23

PATTERSON & NALE @ Wild Wing Café | 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 24

PROFILE: sally ann k “Hi, my name is Sally,” a fresh-faced beauty announced to a standing-room-only crowd from the stage at Sky City on a warm April night.

SHE N SHE @ Wild Wing Café 10 p.m.

This was Sally Ann Keiser’s second fashion show at Sky City since arriving from Michigan – the first was in December.

With the Garden City starting to live up to its name, Keiser says she is ready for those warm spring nights with a wardrobe full of lingerie.

“Before the show I was a little nervous because my mother (Roxanne Welsford-Morris) was flying down to Augusta. I was confident everything would be amazing, having prepared for the last few months and did all my checks and balances.

I wanted her to be proud of my work since she’s the one that taught me how to sew,” Keiser says. “She came a day early and helped me with last minute preparations, steaming the line for the photo shoot and doing little tasks. Front row at the show, she was blown away and loved everything! She wasn’t expecting such a production and turnout.”

Seventeen ladies from the Augusta area walked from the wings of Sky City and to the end of the catwalk, where photographers clicked away like a horde of lightning bugs. It was a stunning parade of hand-made lingerie.

CHAIRLEG

MOBILE DEATHCAMP + HEMLOCK + CHAIRLEG @ Sky City | 9 p.m.; $ 5 to $ 8 ACOSTA @ Wild Wing Café 10 p.m.

RAVENSWOOD @ First Round 8 p.m.

Keiser’s next show will be at Gaartdensity Gallery in June.

SALLYANNK.COM | by DINO LULL photo FRED SWINDELL

CAMERAS, GUNS...

CAMERAS GUNS AND RADIOS + JESSUP DOLLY @ First Round | 10 p.m.

LOCAL PROPOGANDA @ The Fox’s Lair | 10 p.m.

TOYZZ @ Wild Wing Café 10 p.m.

POP LIFE @ Soul Bar | 10 p.m.

WOODY PINES @ Stillwater Tap Room | 10 p.m.; $5

SATURDAY, MAY 26

TREAT YO’SELF: RAVE AND CUPCAKES The Fence Sitters – Number 5, Linear North and Polyphase – return to the allages Sector 7G this month with a mission – and a bake sale – to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Sector 7G will also donate a portion of each $5 door charge to the charity.

The classic concept of a rave party started in 1989 as underground gatherings in old warehouses – typically accompanied by dancing to electronic music, played by a set of live DJs. The concept spread from the United Kingdom and evolved into a rave culture, which chose the acronym PLUR as its mantra – standing for peace, love, unity and respect.

TFS uses laser lights, glow sticks and music to set the mood for a night of energetic dancing in an all-ages setting where it’s all in good fun. @ Sector 7G | 8 p.m.; $5

WEDNESDAY, MAY 30 COMEDY ZONE: DONNA CARTER + DAVID BECK @ Somewhere in Augusta 8 p.m.; $8 OLD MAN CRAZY @ Wild Wing Café | 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 31

WHISKEY GENTRY

WHISKEY GENTRY @ Stillwater Tap Room| 10 p.m.; $5

KILLER MIKE + FREEDOM BLACK + FUZZ JACKSON + GRINDHOUSE GANG + BROTHA TRAV @ Sky City 9 p.m.; $10; $12 day

“I don’t think I’d change a thing about the show. The girls were absolutely gorgeous! They walked with sass and sex appeal,” said Keiser. “They couldn’t have been represented my work any better. Danny Jacobs’ music was amazing, and he flew all the way from Dubai for the weekend just for the show.”

DISCO HELL @ Soul Bar 10 p.m.

TFS RAVE: TREAT YO’SELF + NUMBER5 + LINEARNORTH + POLYPHASE @ Sector 7G | 8 p.m.; $5

Most of the Keiser’s lingerie is comprised of bra/halter tops that accompany short slips that look more like miniskirts.

At the end of the show, the models walked the stage, followed

by Keiser and her crew of hairdressers and makeup artists. Of course, the items also were for sale.

TY BROWN @ The Country Club | 7 p.m.; $5

BEN WELLS @ The Country Club | 7 p.m.; $5

DANIEL LEE BAND @ Wild Wing Café | 10 p.m.

Pastels are the hue du jour, each light and reminiscent of spring fever. The flower prints are subtle, not overpowering. Some of the more stunning outfits include a yellow slip one-piece that presses the simplicity sexy minimalism, a dark purple velvety top with contrasting white and one with jewelry dangling along the hem like a gypsy fortune teller.

FRIDAY, MAY 25

FRIDAY, MAY 18

The models wore heels that sparkled as they glided down the runway and their makeup was expertly applied. The overall feel was one of a professional model-walk, a blend of all the great eras.

The stitching up the middle of the tops creates a crinkled bisected look that is less Madonna and more 1960s housewife.

The cut is slightly deep but stops short of indecency.

FRIDAY, MAY 18

SABO & FRIENDS @ Wild Wing Café | 10 p.m.

OLD YOU + DR. BREAD @ Sky City | 9 p.m.; $5

The lights were up, the speakers playing “Fame” by David Bowie and the crowd yelling in excited anticipation.

life

THRU june 1

FUNK YOU @ Stillwater Tap Room | 10 p.m.; $5

SATURDAY, MAY 19

THROUGH AGONY WE REIGN + YOUR CHANCE TO DIE + INVOKING THE ABSTRACT + HOMICYDE ONLY + IN OCTOBER @ Sector 7G 6 p.m.

WE ARE DEFIANCE

WE ARE DEFIANCE + MY TICKET HOME + MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA + THROUGH AGONY WE REIGN + CONVEXIS + BURN THE SAILS @ Sector 7G | 6:30 p.m.

THOMAS TILLMAN @ The Country Club | 7 p.m.; $5 ‘90S NIGHT (HERE WE ARE NOW ENTERTAIN US) @ Sky City | 10 p.m.

CASEY MARSHALL @ Coyote’s | 10 p.m.

PLAYBACK THE BAND FEATURING TUTU DEVINE @ Wild Wing Café | 10 p.m.

R2D1 @ The Fox’s Lair 10 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 29

RAVENSWOOD @ First Round 8 p.m.

ACOSTA @ Wild Wing Café 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 1 FIRST FRIDAY ‘80S NIGHT + JACOB PAUL ART SHOW @ Sky City | 8 p.m.; ladies free, guys $5 after 10 p.m.

WEEKLY MONDAYS MIKE FROST JAZZ @ The Willcox | 8 p.m.

TUESDAYS Twisted Trivia @ The Playground Bar | 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS Krazy Karaoke @ The Playground Bar | 8 p.m.

THURSDAYS

ROSS COPPLEY

ROSS COPPLEY @ The Country Club | 7 p.m.; $5

MIKE RITCHIE & JOJO WALKER @ The Fox’s Lair 10 p.m.

SUNDANCE JENKINS @ Wild Wing Café | 10 p.m.

LYNCH MOB

LYNCH MOB @ Coyotes 7 p.m.; $20

TANGO NIGHT @ Casa Blanca Café | 6 p.m.

JOHN FISHER @ The Fox’s Lair | 10 p.m.

SOUP, SUDS & CONVERSATIONS @ The Fox’s Lair | 6 p.m.

SABO & FRIENDS @ Wild Wing Café | 10 p.m.

4 CATS IN THE DOG HOUSE @ The Willcox | 6 p.m.

OPEN MIC NIGHT @ The Playground Bar | 8 p.m.

FRIDAYS LIVE MUSIC @ First Round LIVE MUSIC @ 1102 Bar and Grill | 10 p.m.

FIND THE VENUE

1102 BaR AND gRILL @ 1102 Broad St.; 706.364.4075 CASA BLANCA Café @ 936 Broad St.; 706.504.3431 The COUNTRY CLUB @ 2834 Washington Road.; 706.364.1862 Coyote’s @ 2512 Peach Orchard Road; 706.560.9245 FIRST ROUND @ 210 11th St.; 706.828.5600 the fox’s lair @ 349 Telfair St.; 706.364.8278 JOE’S UNDERGROUND Café @ 144 eighth St.; 706.724.9457 Metro pub & Coffee house @ 1054 Broad St.; 706.722.6468 THE PLAYGROUND BAR @ 978 Broad St.; 706.724.2232 SECTOR 7G @ 631 Ellis St.; 706.496.5900 SOUL BAR @ 984 Broad St.; 706.724.8880 SKY CITY @ 1157 Broad St.; 706.945.1270 Somewhere in augusta @ 2820 Washington Road; 706.739.0002 STILLWATER TAP ROOM @ 974 Broad St.; 706.826.9857 WILD WING CAFE @ 3035 Washington Road.; 706.364.9453 The Willcox @ 100 Colleton Ave. SW; Aiken; 803.648.1898

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 31

32 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

ask

dr. karp

between the

NO-NONSENSE NUTRITION ADVICE

Tonya from Burnettown, S.C., asks …

Can fast food be healthy?

Great question, Tonya, and I have asked Andrea Chapman, from St. Petersburg College, to help me answer it.

Many fast food restaurant advertisements give the impression that there are many “healthy” choices on the menus. BEWARE! And be aware that the restaurants’ owners are defining “healthy” in their own terms. You see, “healthy” might have different meanings for different people, especially if they are the ones selling the food and trying to make some money from it. At a basic level, you might consider a food healthy simply because it is free of bacterial contamination and you do not get food poisoning from eating it. From a health perspective, this expectation alone is much too low. A healthy food should meet the standards of the United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines (myplate.gov). These guidelines tell us that food should not be excessive in calories, fat (especially saturated and trans fats), salt or sugar. Food should also be an important source of major nutrients, such as calcium, fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals or whole grains.

Let’s look at a fruit smoothie: Is it healthy?

The ingredient label of one well-known pomegranate smoothie lists pomegranates, bananas, blueberries, apple juice and soy protein. “Wow,” you think, “this is a nutritional powerhouse.” The fast food restaurant also has signs up all over the place telling you that this smoothie is designed for your “good health.” But, looking on the web at the nutrition content of the pomegranate smoothie, it has 424 calories, 108 grams of sugar and only 1 gram of fiber and protein per portion. Clearly, it is not what you would define as “healthy,” using the USDA Dietary Guidelines as a reference. It is excessive in calories and sugar and it is not an important source of other nutrients, such as protein or fiber.

Looking at the nutritional content of other fast foods, such as burgers, chicken, roast beef sandwiches, tacos or pizzas, you might wonder why there is so much sugar, salt, fat and calories.

The answer is simple and has to do with economics. Adding these inexpensive components is a much more economical way of making inexpensive food taste “good,” rather than increasing the quality of the ingredients, which can be expensive. YOU need to define the cost of food by its long-term health consequences, not merely the cost of buying it.

So, in spite of all this, can you find a healthy fast food meal? The answer, for most people is probably NOT. In ONE meal, you might eat all the recommended calories, sodium, sugar and fat for an entire day. YIKES! Combined, a hamburger, fries and diet soda have approximately 1,190 calories, 1,400 mg of sodium and 14 grams of saturated fat. WOW. By ordering a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes, a side salad, a glass of skim milk and sliced apples, you will consume approximately 490 calories, 960 mgs of sodium and 3.5 grams of saturated fat. This is quite a difference, BUT it does not mean that the second meal is “healthy.” Though the calories are much lower, the meal is still too heavy in salt and saturated fat. It is healthier than the first meal, but not as healthy as the hamburger you make at home with lean ground beef, a whole grain roll, lettuce, thick slices of tomatoes and with baked potato fries. You might be thinking, “Yes, that is true, but it is not convenient. I work all day.” Well, we ask you: “Is it convenient to lug around all that extra weight and all those extra health problems with you every day?”

So, what is the no-nonsense nutrition advice that Andrea and I can give you today about fast food? Eating a fast food meal once in a while (not every day or every week) is not a great nutrition choice, but it is probably “OK.” When you eat at fast food places, make healthier choices, and don’t fool yourself, even with all your efforts to make the meal healthier, it will probably not be “healthy.”

Ask Dr. Karp focuses on food, diet and nutrition. Dr. Warren Karp is a professor emeritus at Georgia Health Sciences University. If you have a question you would like answered in this column, email him at DrKarp@vergelive.com, or visit his Facebook page, facebook.com/AskDrKarp or website at sites.google.com/site/drkarpverge.

covers ARE YOU WHAT YOU READ?

SUN POWER

The influence of the sun is so subtle that it is easy to underestimate its pervasive importance. The conversion of light to matter that plants achieve in photosynthesis, the basis of life on planet Earth and mankind’s recent attempts to mechanically capture “solar energy” are obvious examples of the sun’s importance. Several new books reveal in rich detail the myriad ways that the sun influences Earth, life on Earth and the likely quality of future life on the planet.

Chasing the Sun: The Epic Story of the Star that Gives Us Life by Richard Cohen is an entertaining romp through history and across the globe that covers every way that the sun has affected humanity. The engaging writing style and many evocative photographs make the 574 pages of this book surprisingly readable. Cohen’s eight years of research is well documented in end notes for studious readers who want to explore in more detail. Most readers will want to skip around to sample the savory variety in this feast of words, just as Cohen traveled to 18 countries while exploring the themes of this book. After documenting the sun’s vast historical influences on culture through mythology, religion, art, literature, politics and more, Cohen explains what science has revealed about the sun’s effects on time, weather, climate change, human health and solar power. The book contains a great balance of scientific and artistic perspectives.

For a completely scientific perspective, read The Sun’s Heartbeat by Bob Berman. In this case, scientific does not mean boring. With 17 years experience in writing other books, such as Astronomy, Discover and the Old Farmer’s Almanac, Berman knows how to write about subjects such as auroras and the transit of Venus in an understandable, witty way. Three hundred pages shorter than Cohen’s book, with less cultural history and more personal accounts, Berman’s book concisely explains everything from sunspots to melanoma.

To explore down-to-earth ways of making the sun’s power part of your everyday life, read the new books DIY Solar Projects: How to Put the Sun to Work in Your Home by Eric Smith, How to Solar Power Your Home: Everything You Need to Know by Martha Maeda and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Solar Power for Your Home by Dan Ramsey. All three books are good introductions to solar power. The best thing about the Idiot’s Guide is the simple summaries at the end of each chapter called “The Least You Need to Know.” Reading these bulleted main points first is like seeing a power point presentation on everything about solar energy that can inspire you to read the rest of the book. Though the Idiot’s Guide has good chapters about government incentives and financing programs that can reduce the cost of solar energy systems, How to Solar Power Your Home goes into even more detail about how to make solar cost effective. Maeda gives a clear presentation of how to determine whether solar energy is a good investment for your home. In addition to great information about “active” solar electric systems to power the home, both books present additional information on “passive” solar applications, such as solar water heating for the house or pool, and chapters on home energy efficiency.

If you are a DIY person who is interested in solar but who thinks that solar electricity seems like too big of a project, then be sure to read DIY Solar Projects, which contains mostly smaller scale uses of the sun’s free energy. This book explains how to construct or install a simple solar lighting system, a solar water heater, solar hot air collectors and other solar gadgets. It even illustrates modern updates on ancient solar projects such as wood drying kilns and solar ovens. All the projects are broken down into simple steps with great photographs of actual projects at each stage of completion.

Reading these books will increase your appreciation for “yon flaming orb,” the hub of our galaxy, maybe enough to invite its power into your home in some practical way. If so, you will ultimately save money and invest in a sustainable future.

by MICHAEL SWAN, DIRECTOR OF THE AIKEN LIBRARY

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 33

34 May 2, 2012 | community driven news | vergelive.com

puzzle 1

2

3

4

5

6

14

7

8

9

10

15 18

19

20

21

22

24

25

27 32

33

34

37

38

41

53

54

LIFE WITH A CELL PHONE HATER

28

29

35

36

39

30

31

43 46

48

49

55

47 50

56 60

51

52

57

58

59

62

63

64

65

66

67

61

Edited by Will Shortz | by DAVID KWONG | No. 0411 Across 1 From now on 6 Brewery supply 10 Pound sterling 14 Honolulu’s ___ Tower 15 Inner: Prefix 16 “Go back,” on an edit menu 17 Strike 20 Suffix with symptom 21 Rangers, on a sports ticker 22 “Save Me” singer Mann 23 Search for 25 Memo abbr.

27 Strike 32 Braid 35 Airs now 36 Lobster eater’s wear 37 Carnival follower 38 Famed batter in an 1888 poem 40 Sometimessaturated substances 41 Lansing-to-Flint dir.

42 Seldom seen 43 Try to corner the market on 44 Strike 48 Dairy section selection 49 Take a good look at 53 Bit of wisdom

56 Slow-pitch

path soil 58 Result of three strikes for 38-Across 62 Patron saint of Norway 63 Bucks’ mates 64 Printing press part 65 Feudal worker 66 River through Florence 67 Like dorm rooms, often Down 1 Radical Mideast group 2 Best of the best 3 “And that’s the truth!”

4 Women’s fiction, slangily 5 Use knife and fork, say 6 Regarding this point 7 Jet-black gem 8 School grp.

9 “Help!” at sea 10 Like many shops at Disneyland 11 One in a mint?

12 Not active 13 Lavish affection (on) 18 “… three men in ___” 19 Squelched 24 ___ Chex 57 Rich

25 Religious

mosaic locale 26 Where Paris took Helen 28 Gets up 29 Cyberspace marketplace 30 In ___ (as found) 31 Dosage amt.

32 Commoner 33 TV host with a college degree in speech therapy 34 From the top 38 Punish, in a way 39 Golden Fleece ship 40 Gas tank-to-engine connector 42 N.B.A. coach Pat 43 Item with straps 45 Leave a Web page, perhaps 46 David of “CSI: Miami” 47 One way to store data 50 Whites’ counterparts 51 Big name in jewelry 52 Tip reducer?

53 Calendario units 54 McCain : 2008 :: ___ : 1996 55 Nearly shut 56 Service closer 59 Muckraker Tarbell 60 And not 61 Energy

Find the solution to this puzzle at VERGELIVE.BLOGSPOT.COM

Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay.

The next issue of VERGE hits the newsstands on

JUNE 20

face first Negotiating one calamity at a time

“You know why my cell phone isn’t working right” my husband, Brian, exclaimed, “because my contract is about to expire!”

“Are you saying that cell phone companies purposely program phones to die when your contract is about to end?” I replied.

40

45

life

13

26

42

44

12

16

17

23

11

Look for our outdoor boxes or find your copy at Publix | EarthFare | Kroger | Bi-Lo

“Yeah and they’re really good at it, because this phone is a replacement phone under warranty.

It’s not the standard two years. They had to program in my end date.” He waved the phone for emphasis.

My husband, the guy who couldn’t work the antenna on his first cell phone, is now uncovering a criminal mastermind plot of mobile companies: cell phones that self-destruct just in time to force you to renew your contract.

Brian builds computers from scratch; watching a movie at home requires an hour-long set up to tweak the surround sound and amp the screen resolution; our house is wired from ceiling to floor with wi-fi, bluetooth, cable, Internet, satellite and standard radio, and fast food drive-thru intercoms for when he doesn’t want to leave his computer chair. Life is simple at our house. Want to make Brian happy? Give him a six-pack and something that requires wiring.

Yet the computer genius was resistant to the newfangled cell phone when it hit the scene. His first cell phone was a hand-me-down of mine. He frequently forgot to raise the antenna on that ancient phone, causing him to sputter and spew over his “lousy connection.” He wasn’t sure which button to push to make or end a call, frequently causing me to scream, “Push the red button!” through the phone when our connection refused to quit. His friends made fun of his old cell phone and his inability to use it, as only guys can do. He used the phone as little as possible and complained whenever he was forced to use it.

Then, in a little hamlet somewhere in Technology Land, a cell phone and a computer fell in love and had a baby named Smartphone. I bought one for Brian as an anniversary gift. Within days, our home phone was cancelled. He digitized, synchronized and downloaded our grocery lists, calendars, weights, IQs and hat sizes to our phones. He woke me up at night with the “Ah ha!” of an angry bird attacking pigs. All our conversations began to take place through text message, even when we were sitting side by side.

The age of the Smartphone had finally come to our house, and it was mercifully free of complaints about cell phones and cell phone users as in the old days.

So, the next time you can’t teach an old dog a new trick, try doing what I did: Rewire him!

Nora Blithe is the author of Door In Face, a humor blog about all things that lay you flat.

Read more at doorinface.com.

a parting shot A Broken Heart I had always heard of it, but, never thought of it.

I related it to wistful romanticism, not real life.

I equated it to the whims of poets and writers.

It is only supposed to be metaphorical not tangible ...

I know better now. photo and poem by wes english

vergelive.com | community driven news | May 2, 2012 35