Metro Spirit 03.18.2004 by Metro Spirit

METRO SPIRIT Mar. 18-24 Vol. 15 No. 33

Augustaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Independent Voice

Judge Pickett

Is Closing Court

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

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Property Owners and Agents The Housing Authority of the City of Augusta, Georgia is currently seeking property owners and landlords in the Augusta-Richmond County area for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. If you have property that you are interested in renting, please attend our Owner’s Briefing.

March 19, 2004 Augusta Housing Authority Oak Pointe Community Room 730 East Boundary Augusta, Georgia 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM At the briefing, Housing Authority staff will explain the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Owners must have rental property that meets U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Quality Standards (HQS) requirements. 1435 Walton Way • Augusta, Georgia • 30901 P.O. Box 3246 • Augusta, Georgia • 30914 706-312-3112 • Fax: 706-724-3935 You can also find information on Section 8 and other housing programs at www.augustapha.org or www.hud.gov

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Paddle, Pedal & Party! PRESENTS

N AT I O N A L H E R I TA G E A R E A

17th Annual

Cruise & Cookout May 1, 2004 Celebrate Springtime along the Augusta Canal Paddle on the water or Pedal along the towpath and Party at the Augusta Canal at Enterprise Mill. Enjoy barbeque from Sconyers and bluegrass from Eryn Eubanks and the Family Fold. Plus hop aboard the Canal’s Petersburg tour boats and take a trip through the Interpretive Center. It’s all part of the 17th annual Augusta Canal Cruise and Cookout!

Fun Activities for All Ages: ! New to Canoes? FREE Lessons AWOL Paddle Days Lake Olmstead April 24

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New Petersburg tour boats - Boats depart from the docks throughout the afternoon. Free Admission to the Augusta Canal Interpretive Center - for all Cruise and Cookout ticket holders. Check out the great interactive exhibits! Canoeing - $40 per person includes canoe, life jacket, security and bus transportation from the Mill to the Headgates and chance to win kayak from A.W.O.L. (Children must be 7 and older and accompanied by a parent.) Bicycling - $20 per person includes mid-ride refreshment station and chance to win a bike from Andy Jordan's. Ride begins and ends at the Enterprise Mill. Kayaking - $15 per person. Bring your kayak and follow the canoers to Enterpise Mill. Then join the party! Picnic Only - $15 per person. Includes Interpretive Center and Petersburg tour boat ride.

All tickets include refreshments, admission to the barbeque at the Mill, admission to the Augusta Canal Interpretive Center, and a Petersburg boat ride (as space is available). The first 150 people to register to canoe, kayak or cycle receive a free Canal Cruise t-shirt!

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

Registration Deadline: Thursday April 29th, noon. Check-in begins at 1 p.m. at the Augusta Canal Headquarters at Enterprise Mill

Aug usta Canal Cruise & Cookout For more details call 706-823-0440 or visit www.AugustaCanal.com

Andy Jordan’s Bicycle Warehouse AWOL-American Wilderness Outfitters Communigraphics Publix and Publix Charities Sconyers Barbeque Taylor Auto Group

METRO SPIRIT ON THE COVER 18 Judge Pickett Is Closing Court Cover Design: Natalie Holle

By Stacey Eidson

Contents

MARCH 18-24 • FREE WEEKLY • METROSPIRIT.COM

FEATURES 23 Nowhere To Drop Dime

By Brian Neill

EVENTS 32 Calendar

OPINION 6 Whine Line 6 This Modern World 6 Words 8 Thumbs Up/Down 10 Guest Column 13 Insider METRO BEAT 14 Commission Sends Law Community a Reality Check 16 Diamond Lakes’ Library and Community Center Delayed BITE 26 Inexpensive Raspberry Duck Salad at Poppy Seeds Is a Sure Bet 27 In the Mix ARTS 28 South Carolina Artist Shows at Laney Museum 29 Local Choreographer Premieres Original Ballet at D. Timm’s 30 Touchdown at the Lindbergh Exhibit 31 Tuesday’s Music Live Presents Final Program of the Season

CINEMA 38 Flix 40 The “Eternal Sunshine” of Kate Winslet 41 Plot Twists Elevate “Taking Lives” Above Genre Cliches 41 Reel Time MUSIC 42 Lifetime Achievement Award Aside, Rolling Stone Founder Still in His Prime 44 Music by Turner 45 Sightings 46 CD Reviews 46 Music Minis 47 After Dark STUFF 50 News of the Weird 51 Brezsny’s Free Will Astrology 51 New York Times Crossword Puzzle 52 Amy Alkon: Advice Goddess 53 Datemaker 55 Classifieds

EDITOR & PUBLISHER David Vantrease ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Rhonda Jones STAFF WRITERS Stacey Eidson, Brian Neill ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Joe White

GRAPHIC ARTISTS Natalie Holle, Erin Lummen, Shawn Sutherland

PRODUCTION MANAGER Joe Smith

ACCOUNTING MANANGER/CLASSIFIEDS Sharon King

SENIOR MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR Ed Turner CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny, Rachel Deahl, David Elliott, Amy Fennell Christian CARTOONISTS Tom Tomorrow

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ASSISTANT Lisa Jordan ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT INTERN Andy Stokes

Metro Spirit is a free newspaper published weekly on Thursday, 52 weeks of the year. Editorial coverage includes arts, local issues, news, entertainment, people, places and events. In our paper appear views from across the political and social spectrum. The views do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers. Visit us at www.metrospirit.com. Copyright © Metro Spirit, Inc. Reproduction or use without permission is prohibited. Phone: (706) 738-1142 Fax: (706) 733-6663 E-mail: spirit@metrospirit.com Letters to the Editor: P.O. Box 3809, Augusta, Ga. 30914-3809

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OPINION

here has been so much talk about Charles Larke being paid $94,000 for 114 vacation days, causing his salary to be $310,000 for the year. Has anyone questioned how he could be paid $824.56 a day or $103.07 an hour? Do the math. I can’t believe Brian Neill went up to his knees in trash to do the story about the landfill. Did you pay him extra for hazardous pay? Is that an actual television program that comes on Fox 54 at midnight on Saturdays? That 95 rock show? I think it’s really one of those sad “Saturday Night Live” skits that goes on and on. That is the most uncomfortable I’ve been watching TV since Larry David had the hair stuck in his throat. To last week’s whiner who complained about the lack of coverage for Augusta artists: You’re going about it all wrong. Anonymous complaints won’t get your stuff noticed. It’s not entirely the writer’s job to seek you out, anyway. Contact a member of the press — you might be surprised at the result. There is no way that Lewis Blanchard is going to beat Sheriff Clay Whittle. The article last week made it sound as if Blanchard has a chance but, in reality, he doesn’t. The best thing Whittle can do is ignore him and go on about his business. The GBI investigation about the mailing list just fuels the fire needlessly.

It’s funny how “This Michael Jackson Thing” just fell out of the news! Ah, yes ... money can buy happiness. Yet they say Michael is in “financial trouble.” Silence is both golden and expensive. What ever happened to Wildwood Park? Bring back the Rangers. At least they ran the park correctly!

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

A big whine for President Bush, who finally decided to give a little over an hour to the 9/11 commission instead of wasting all his

Whine Line time flying around fundraising on taxpayer dollars. Thanks a bunch, George. Has Joey Brush gotten religion yet? That’s what those Republican-types usually do when they are caught out of bounds. They’ve got to get religion or they’ve got to renew their faith or they’re going to invoke God’s name is some way. I’ve been watching the papers for it, but I haven’t seen it yet. Still, I think we can expect it sometime soon. All obese persons (except genuine glandular cases) and all smokers should pay double medical/pharmacy rates. These sorry individuals are overwhelming our society and medical facilities because of their negligence, ignorance or plain indifference. Guess again, Congressman Norwood! The Columbia County Republicans will never unite while you are involved. We haven’t forgotten how you torpedoed Alvin Starks from party chairman and replaced him with Lee Muns. We also know you “sidestepped” Joey Brush’s alleged infidelity issues. Columbia County should be a Republican powerhouse, but as long as Norwood, Brush, Harbin, Fleming, Muns, Mercer and Cross hold elected office, the party will remain fragmented and the elected officials will be viewed as idiots. Based on the report of the Columbia County Republican Convention, it appears that Senator Joey Brush was missing. One might even say he was conspicuous by his absence, which was probably due to his recent publicity. Poor Joey must have thought someone would ask him some embarrassing questions! Although many might say that Jim Whitehead is not the best Columbia County could do as senator of Georgia’s 24th District, he is at least honest and morally sound. This is a massive leap forward after the years of representation by Brush, a wannabe role model with little intelligence, even worse judgment and the morals of a snake. Go, Jim!

Words “I thought personally it was a great idea. I took great pride in that class ... Teacher of the Year award, I thought I was going to get.” — Former University of Georgia Assistant Basketball Coach Jim Harrick Jr., as quoted in a sworn statement, the contents of which were reported in a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution article. Harrick, son of former UGA basketball Head Coach Jim Harrick Sr., is at the center of an investigation that could see UGA sanctioned by the NCAA over charges of academic fraud. The younger Harrick, the AJC reported, taught a course called Principles and Strategies of Basketball. All 39 students enrolled in the class in the fall of 2001 got As, even though many of them did not regularly attend or take the final exam, the newspaper reported.

This is for Bob Young. You can go up on the garbage rates, but you can’t go up on the city and county employees’ salaries. We haven’t had a raise in I can’t tell you how many years, but you can go up on our garbage. Thanks a lot! I could care less about the personal life of Senator Joey Brush. He’s a real Reagan Republican, consistently voting to put more money in my pocket and get the government off my back. Unlike most politicians — including his latest opponent — you know where Joey stands on the issues and you know he won’t waffle. It’s pathetic that people resort to such cheap shots in order to advance their own ambitions; as far as I’m concerned, Joey Brush is still the right man for the job. Well, here it is, The Department of Transportation put out the notice that it was going to block lanes of I-20, repair the roadway and we could expect delays. Three weeks have passed and we have a sign and two tractors. I guess the week before Master’s traffic

begins, they’ll fulfill their promise and dig up the road. As a Southern Baptist minister, I give a “Thumbs Up” to the Metro Spirit’s “Thumbs Down” in the March 11 issue. Religious symbols should not be placed on or in taxpayer-supported entities, whether they be the Ten Commandments, the Koran, the Book of Mormon or any other religious belief or cult. Our founding fathers made it very clear that our government should be of the people, for the people and by the people and should not endorse any specific religious belief. The only way our country can guarantee religious freedom is to maintain a separation between church and state. REPUBLICAN: Conservative; for everything America was founded upon; hates homosexuality and gay marriage; thinks you shouldn’t give all earned wages to federal government; loves people who have saved their money and have nice bank accounts; hates people who love rich people; thinks English shouldn’t be a second language; thinks you shouldn’t have anything you want continued on page 8

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During a recent conversation with a Metro Spirit reporter, Augusta Commissioner Bobby Hankerson said anything one wanted to know about how commissioners felt about City Administrator George Kolb’s performance was written down in a narrative portion of a job review Kolb received from them in November. Trouble was, City Attorney Steve Shepard, citing a subsection of Georgia Open Records law, denied access to that portion of Kolb’s review. The same held true when The Augusta Chronicle tried to acquire details of a recent job review of Richmond County School

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continued from page 6 without doing anything to get it; thinks every worker shouldn’t make $25 an hour no matter how much it may hurt the company; gets glad when a company moves its business out of the United States. Yes, Rhinehart’s, Columbia County did turn her pert little nose up at you, but for obvious reasons. Please don’t take this personally, but if the truth hurts, try aspirin. The average Columbia County resident considers the present-day Rhinehart’s to have all the atmosphere that a lawn equipment storage shed-like building can offer, stained cement floor and all. Truthfully, Columbia County loves good food and alcohol, which Rhinehart’s certainly has. But what is your excuse for continuing to operate a successful business in such a dump? A gallon of paint at Wal-Mart is eight bucks.

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

A big whine to the Republicans. Only they could ask John Kerry to apologize for telling the truth. Sometimes the truth is ugly, eh George?

Superintendent Charles Larke, who is compensated more than $200,000 annually in salary and benefits (fortunately, a school board member was willing to provide the details to the paper, anonymously). The salaries of both Kolb (who makes $127,000 a year and earned an overall 66.8 percent on the November evaluation) and Larke are paid by us, the taxpayers of Richmond County. Don’t we have a right to know what kind of job these people are doing, regardless of how the open records law is written? What do they have to hide?

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1,600 plaintiffs, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ray Brent Marsh, the former operator of the crematory, still faces criminal charges for failing to cremate more than 300 bodies, found buried around his property.

I wanted to say hat’s off to Senator Joey Brush for standing up to the radical homosexual lobby and taking a public stand against gay marriage. Georgia needs more elected officials like Senator Brush who refuse to be intimidated by liberal, pro-gay extremists in their Atlanta publications and their local allies. Why is it with the gas prices so high, they can’t fix the darn lights in Augusta, you

know? People have to wait, then another car is coming out of the blue and then when that car comes, the light turns green. Hasn’t anyone ever heard of ozone in Augusta? I am calling against the whine of last week defining Democrats. I’d like to define Republican: Against everything America was founded on; loves pedophiles and women-beaters; thinks you should give all your money to corporate scumbags; hates everyone who doesn’t speak English; thinks corporations are above the law; thinks everyone else should work for $2/hr. without complaint; thinks he is the only one who works hard to pay taxes; hates everyone who makes less than $100,000/year. With regard to the “Strange” hiring practices at the airport, I wonder if downtown will sweep this now-public debacle under the proverbial red carpet again, or maybe let it play out in the tabloids. I trust Commissioners Paulk and Smith will stay on top of the situation, since they both have their own goals in tow. I believe last week’s “Insider” knows what I mean. Seems we share a common interest in our county’s public embarrassment and obvious disappointments. Call our Whine Line at 510-2051 and leave your comments. We won’t use your name. Fax your whines by dialing (706) 733-6663 or e-mail your whines to whine@metrospirit.com.

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OPINION

Guest Column

Asks for Understanding on Gay Marriage Issue

he Georgia Senate has ruled in favor of making an amendment to ban gay marriage. This concerns me, for this amendment is just not one statement that marriage is for only one man and one woman. This amendment also goes on to say that same-sex relationships will not be recognized in the state of Georgia. I would like to explain how this will affect me and my family. By the state not recognizing my relationship with my partner of seven years and denying us to marry, my rights to live as an equal citizen are taken away. For example, my partner and I are given no legal rights to each other’s body if one should die. We will have no legal rights to visit one another in the hospital if one of us should fall ill. The amendment will give businesses the right to no longer offer partner benefits (which we have to pay the taxes on, which is not the case with married couples). My partner and I will not be allowed to adopt. And the one thing that most gays and lesbians fear: They can be fired from their jobs with no legal protection. This seems to be the one area that most straight folks can’t seem to believe; however, it is true that gays and lesbians can be fired from their jobs in 37 states.

My partner and I feel that if an amendment has to be created in order to assure that one group of people is left out, then that is discrimination. A couple of weeks ago I wrote a letter to (state) Sen. Randy Hall. In that letter, I wrote the following: “We are supposed to learn from our history so that we may never repeat it. Less than 60 years ago our country was fighting a similar fight. We had laws that made marriage of a white person to a black person illegal (in fact, South Carolina just revoked that law within the last five years). We had government officials stand in our places of worship and in our courthouses giving speeches as to how those types of marriages would corrupt our country. Senator Strom Thurmond even spoke of its immorality (how ironic). Our country now realizes how absurd and bigoted that philosophy was. And yes, we still have people who continue to believe in that philosophy, but thank God we have laws to protect even our minorities from people who hate and want to deprive all good people of equality.” I ask that each of you think about how your life would be different if you were denied all of these rights simply because of the person you loved. I am not sure why there is a fear for us to marry.

Marriage would simply afford us the same rights and protections as all married citizens. (Let me add that civil unions would not give us equal rights. We would have to pay taxes on these benefits and many benefits given to married couples would not be given to gays and lesbians in civil unions). I have heard four reasons as to why citizens opposed gay marriage: their religious beliefs, some feeling that our founding fathers did not intend for gays and lesbians to marry, heterosexuals are the majority, and the protection of our children. This country has established the separation of church and state for a good reason, so that it may assure the same, equal benefits are given to all, even our minorities. Since this wonderful country has such a diverse religious representation, the philosophy of this separation is to ensure that no one group forces their beliefs onto another. In the case of our founding fathers, they also believed that women shouldn’t vote and that blacks were 2/3 citizens. Lastly, it is correct to say that we must think about our children. The suicide rate among gay youth is enormously high. Half of the gay youth who “come out” to their parents are kicked out of their homes with many

having to live on the streets. These children need to be protected, to feel safe and to not have their own state/country discriminate against them. In 1917, my grandfather escaped from a country that hated him and felt that he wasn’t a full citizen because he was Jewish. The Jews never gave up and fought for their freedom and equality. Those same forces that tried to chisel away at the Jewish existence, I feel, are at work with the gay and lesbian community. Our fight is a long and hard one, but with the help of each of you, we can fight for the laws to change so that all Americans are protected equally. We hold the power to eliminate hate and to embrace all people, especially those who are not like us. Please don’t continue the bigotry and discrimination by supporting this amendment. Sincerely, MaLea Breland — Breland has lived in Augusta for 13 years. She and her partner are proud parents of a 6-month-old son and a 16year-old daughter. She and her partner support the Georgia Equality and Human Rights Campaign.

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OPINION

Insider

Wilhelmi Resigns

arcie Wilhelmi has submitted her resignation from the Augusta Aviation Commission. In a letter to the Augusta Legislative Delegation, Wilhelmi cited her responsibilities with a family business as the reason for her decision. Wilhelmi indicates that she is resigning from “active participation in my community activities, including the Augusta Aviation Commission.” She praised Executive Director Buster Boshears and Augusta Aviation Commission Chairman Cedric Johnson. Wilhelmi served on the commission for five years and worked diligently to attract low fare air carriers to Augusta. She has also been at the forefront of the drive to build a modern terminal at the airport. A replacement has not yet been named.

Marcie Wilhelmi

Locally, the biggest impact of the change is the placement of state Sen. Randy Hall (R-22), state Sen. Don Cheeks (R-23) and former District 22 Democrat state Sen. Charles Walker into the newly defined District 22. The move left Cheeks outside District 23 that he currently represents and leaves the district without representation. Local attorney Ed Tarver, who previously said he would run against Cheeks in District 23, is now also located in District 22. This scenario repeated itself throughout the state as several legislators now share districts. Do the math: Some folks aren’t going back to Atlanta. Legislators were scrambling after the maps were presented. Efforts are underway to change the maps but time is of the essence. Any changes must be agreed upon this week and ultimately submitted to the U.S. Justice Department for review. As The Insider goes to press, some legislators are attempting to tweak the maps, especially in areas where the new maps placed incumbents in the same district. They reason that if adjusting one precinct within a district would result in eliminating shared districts, the feds may go along with it. Other legislators doubt this will have an impact and are saying, “It’s over.” This year’s election will likely take place under the guidelines set forth by the new maps. The Local Impact • The rules state that a candidate must live in the district for a minimum of 12 months before he or she can run for the state legislature, so a change in residence in order to run for office is not an option since the election is this year.

• South Augusta is stirring over the possibilities in District 23. Don’t be surprised if former Augusta Commissioners J.B. Powell and Ulmer Bridges discuss entering the race. The two are friends and would not likely run against each other, but they are discussing the situation to determine if either of them should run. Stay tuned. • Former state Rep. George DeLoach may have his eyes on returning to politics. Insiders report DeLoach is considering a run against state Rep. Alberta Anderson (D100). It appears that Anderson’s district lost some African-American voters and may be ripe for a white candidate. Anderson is black, while DeLoach is white.

• Local politicos say Don Cheeks has no chance of winning in the new District 22. These insiders suggest that Cheeks does not appeal to enough African-American voters to beat Walker, while Hall has won over Walker in the past.

Sheryl Jolly

State Rep. Sue Burmeister • State Rep. Sue Burmeister (R-96) is mulling over a run for the now open District 23 senate seat. Her newly drawn house district is so heavily Republican that she is a safe bet to win the seat for years to come, but going to the state Senate also has its appeal. She is the only house or senate member living in the newly drawn District 23.

Sheryl Jolly Will Announce Richmond County Solicitor Sheryl Jolly will formally announce her candidacy for Superior Court Judge on Friday, March 19. As reported previously in The Insider, Jolly will seek the seat on the bench currently occupied by Superior Court Judge Albert Pickett. Local attorney Sherry Barnes has also been mentioned as a possible candidate. Look for Chief Assistant Solicitor Harold Jones to run for solicitor. A couple of other candidates could challenge Jones. More later. The views expressed in this column are the views of The Insider and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

Under The Gold Dome As The Insider reported last week, the courts brought “the maps” down from on-high on Monday, March 15, and informed the Georgia House and Senate where the new legislative district lines would be drawn. Sure enough, the new maps left many legislators at the capitol reeling as they immediately realized their political careers were over. Following the news, The Atlanta JournalConstitution (AJC) suggested that 20 percent of the current roster of legislators would not be coming back next year. The AJC went on to say that regardless of whether more Democrats or Republicans lose their jobs, the brain and talent drain would negatively impact on both the house and the senate.

Randy Hall

• Randy Hall will likely run against Charles Walker, even though voting age population in the new District 22 is 54 percent black. The new district gives Hall more voters in West Augusta and takes away some voters in South Augusta. West Augusta is more Republican, which will help Hall, and losing part of South Augusta doesn’t hurt him either. He has been heavily criticized by a large contingent of South Augustans for his stand against the Confederate flag. So he won’t have to fight his battle on the race front and the redneck front. Hall’s support among most white voters in the district is solid and he can concentrate on wooing more African-American voters. Still, it will be an uphill battle if Walker runs.

METRO BEAT

Commission

Commission Sends Law Community a Reality Check

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

ugusta commissioners finally had enough. For months, they’ve listened to judges and lawyers joke about the downtown site the commission chose for the proposed $74 million judicial center on the corner of Walker Street and James Brown Boulevard. Members of the law community have complained that the location is possibly contaminated, inconveniently situated in the downtown area, too close to the railroad tracks, facing the back of the post office and just plain ugly. By 10:30 p.m. on March 16, following an eight-hour meeting, several commissioners were sick of all the griping. “In light of the current unhappiness with the original (Walker Street) site and the likely unhappiness of our second site (an expansion of the current municipal building site), I would like to make the motion that we relocate the judicial center to Regency Mall,” Augusta Commissioner Andy Cheek said, as a number of commissioners gasped. Since 1997, back when former Augusta Mayor Larry Scoyners was in office, there has been an ongoing debate as to where the new judicial center should be located. The law community and several commissioners insisted that the judicial center needed to remain downtown near the majority of the city’s law offices. However, there has always been a small segment of commissioners that felt that the judicial center should be more centrally located, specifically in south Augusta’s vacant Regency Mall site. Last year, commissioners finally agreed that the judicial center should remain downtown, until Cheek decided to reopen that door. “I think all of us are kind of tired of what has become apparent to me as foot-dragging on the part of those who are not in favor of this (Walker Street) site,” Cheek said, referring to the Judicial Center Subcommittee’s recent recommendation to abandon the Walker Street site following a preliminary $4,000 environmental study that said the site could possibly be contaminated. The decision to abandon the site was made during a meeting of the Judicial Center Subcommittee on March 12, at which several committee members sharply criticized the commission’s selection of the Walker Street site. “When I go out and talk to the public, all I hear is, ‘You must be crazy to even be thinking about that site,’” said Superior Court Chief Judge William Fleming, Jr. “I hear that every day.” District Attorney Danny Craig said that the Walker Street site “would not make sense whatsoever” because the future judicial site could only be accessed by a two-lane street and the courts would be at the mercy of the downtown trains.

“When I deal with grand juries (at the current municipal building), we have to stop what we are doing every day that we work in order to let the trains go by,” Craig said. “We just stand there and look at each other quietly and when it’s over, I say, ‘Don’t worry, in three or four years, the county commission is going to put you even closer to a railroad track.’ And then I think to myself, that’s rather silly.” Craig also said he couldn’t understand why the commission would consider building its new judicial center on a site that could be heavily contaminated. “Why would you bring the innocent citizens of this community into a building on that

By Stacey Eidson

Mall as a possible site for the judicial center would affect proposed plans by local businessmen William S. Morris III and Frank Lawrence to build a $94 million sports arena at that exact site. “Does that mean the folks who are wanting to vote for Regency Mall have given up on the possibility of a new civic center?” Boyles asked. Williams said the commission never agreed to use future sales tax money to build a new sports arena in south Augusta. “I don’t think this body has talked about going nowhere with Regency Mall for anything other than the site for the judicial center,” Williams said. “Now, we know the rumor is out there about the sports arena through private

Betty Beard

“There is always been this thing about good land and bad land. There is no such thing. This is our city. All of it is good and we need to work with it.” — Augusta Commissioner Betty Beard property on a daily basis and also subject your employees to working in that building with the contamination on that property?” Craig asked. During the March 16 meeting, it was the commission’s turn to vent. Augusta Commissioner Marion Williams said if members of the law community don’t like the commission’s proposed downtown location, maybe they should consider driving out to south Augusta every day. “The (judicial center) subcommittee came here today and said in no uncertain terms that they weren’t fixing to go to the site on James Brown Boulevard,” Williams said. “So, I think the (Regency Mall) motion is a good one because I’m sick and tired of talking about it. I’m for moving forward.” But Augusta Commissioner Tommy Boyles was concerned about how selecting Regency

developers, but we haven’t had any conversation about that.” Cheek said he decided to propose the Regency Mall location because he was so outraged by the fact that members of the Judicial Center Subcommittee were assuming that the Walker Street site was contaminated without having any proof. “I’ve been somewhat schooled in environmental science and I’m quite frankly sick of people with very little knowledge making a Superfund site out of a piece of property they know very little about,” he said. But, in order to actually determine if the Walker Street site is contaminated, the city will have to get permission from property owners to perform environmental testing on the site. According to former City Attorney Jim Wall, most of the property owners have denied the city access to their land to conduct

the second phase of testing, which would cost approximately $15,000. Wall said the city could condemn the properties, but then, if contaminants are found, it becomes the city’s responsibility to clean up the pollutants. Augusta Commissioner Betty Beard said that the city should be open to that possibility. “I have toured the (Walker Street) area, and it is the most dilapidated thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Beard said. “It’s one of the worst looking pieces of properties, but we are supposed to be about revitalizing our community. If we are intent on improving this city, that should be a part of it.” Beard said James Brown Boulevard deserves a facelift. “For so long, we felt like we could not cross the railroad tracks,” Beard said. “There is always been this thing about good land and bad land. There is no such thing. This is our city. All of it is good and we need to work with it. “So, if there is something wrong with that land over there, then I think it needs to be cleaned up.” Williams said that Beard was absolutely correct. “We should have some testing done so the people in this city would know, ‘Don’t let your dog walk on it. Don’t let your children go around it. Don’t even fly over it with an airplane,’ if it’s that bad,” Williams said. “But I just think it’s a ploy to keep us from going on that site.” Augusta Commissioner Willie Mays suggested a compromise. He made a motion that the commission proceed in studying four possible sites: Regency Mall, the current municipal building, May Park and property owned by Mayfield Dairy Farms on Telfair Street next to the Walker Street site. “We are going to see what everybody is made of,” Mays said. “We are going to see what efforts (by the law community) are going to be made to prohibit testing in these areas ... This may drive people back (to the Walker Street/Telfair location).” Mays’ motion was approved 8-1-1, with Beard voting no and Cheek abstaining. After the meeting, Cheek said he suggested the Regency Mall location to give the law community a reality check. “We kind of talked among ourselves about it and it was a bit of levity more than anything else,” Cheek said. “All of us recognize the negative impact of moving the judiciary out of downtown. I just get pretty tired of the ignorant individuals who keep saying that the (Walker Street) site is grossly contaminated when it’s not any more contaminated than underneath their kitchen sinks.”

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METRO BEAT

Commission

Diamond Lakes’ Library and Community Center Delayed

or more than four years, Augusta Commissioner Andy Cheek has eagerly anticipated the construction of a combined library and community center complex at Diamond Lakes Regional Park. He has dreamed of seeing children race out to Diamond Lakes’ baseball facility for practice while their parents and younger siblings walk over to the library to enjoy a good book. But unfortunately, due to an error in the city’s bid process for construction of the new joint facility, Cheek’s dream is temporarily on hold. On March 16, the Augusta Commission listened to a complaint from a local firm, R.E. Shearer Construction, which had participated in the bid process for the Diamond Lakes Community Center and Library. Gail Stebbins, an attorney representing R.E. Shearer, protested the project’s lowest bid of $5,954,338 by R.W. Allen Construction, stating that R.W. Allen failed to follow the proper bid process by not preparing and submitting all the required documentation. “It is our position that an award to R.W. Allen violates state law,” Stebbins said. “And we are prepared to contest that.” Stebbins explained that, during the construction bid, a representative from each firm was supposed to fill out an original bid form and two handwritten copies and have them turned in to the city by the required deadline. According to Stebbins, R.W. Allen failed to submit all three of the required handwritten forms. “Let me read to you what another contractor will swear to in court if this contract is awarded to R.W. Allen,” Stebbins said, reading from a letter. “That by preparing and

submitting less than the required one original and two copies of the proposed forms a bidder can have a significant and material bidding advantage.” Stebbins insisted that R.E. Shearer was the

Andy Cheek

“This is a personal heartbreak for me ... I’m very dissatisfied with staff dropping the ball and not making sure that the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.” – Augusta Commissioner Andy Cheek

lowest “qualified” bidder, not R.W. Allen. “To give it to R.W. Allen under these circumstances, we will take you to court and we will prevail,” Stebbins said. An attorney for R.W. Allen disputed

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Stebbins’ argument, stating that R.W. Allen was the lowest bidder by $109,000 and was actually the first firm to submit a bid. “There is nothing about bid-rigging here,” attorney William Keogh said. “These folks

at R.W. Allen are ready to roll. Plans are ready, people are ready, they’ve got everything ready to go. With the contract signed, the work can begin the very next day.” While getting started on the project this

By Stacey Eidson

week sounded great to commissioners, Augusta Commissioner Don Grantham said, based on the protest from R.E. Shearer, the city had no choice but to rebid the project. The majority of the commission agreed with Grantham’s motion, voting 7-2 to rebid the project, with commissioners Jimmy Smith and Cheek voting no. “This is a personal heartbreak for me,” Cheek said after the meeting. “I have worked for four years for this project. I’m very dissatisfied with staff dropping the ball and not making sure that the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. “The low bid by $109,000 did not meet requirements by missing one copy of a total of three identical documents. One copy.” Cheek was clearly angry that the city’s mistake might have just cost the city at least $109,000. “I’m not done with my investigation on where the weakness occurred,” Cheek said. “I think it is pretty sorry on the part of anybody on staff who would say this is an acceptable condition and I intend to get to the bottom of it. “But we will move in due diligence to begin to rebid the process as early as tomorrow. It’ll probably take an extra 30 to 60 days, but hopefully we can begin construction as soon as possible.” No other mistakes by staff will be accepted on this project, Cheek said. “I see thousands of people at Diamond Lakes each weekend,” Cheek said. “They are fishing, walking, biking, chipping golf balls, flying kites and even canoeing. But now, they are having to do without (this new facility) because somebody didn’t pay enough attention to detail and it’s sad. “I’ve been very patient on this project, probably more patient than I should have been. That, too, won’t happen again.”

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Judge Pickett Is Closing Court By Stacey Eidson

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

ack in his hometown of Athens, Ga., many former classmates of Superior Court Judge Albert Pickett find it hard to fathom that their once spirited and, at times, unruly childhood friend now sits on the bench and is routinely addressed as, “Your honor.” But if Pickett has his way, the citizens of Athens-Clarke County may soon get a firsthand look at exactly how much he has matured since those early days. After almost 25 years of serving the Augusta Judicial Circuit, Pickett has decided to retire from the bench at the end of the year. He will relinquish his daily duties in the courtroom and take on the title of retired senior judge. This new role will allow Pickett, 62, to try cases across the state of Georgia at his own discretion. And for one of his first stops, Pickett said he would thoroughly enjoy hearing a case in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court. “I would love to go back to my own hometown and sit on the bench where no one would have ever thought they would see me,” Pickett said, laughing in his chambers on the third floor of the municipal building. “Not to say

that I was in any kind of serious trouble growing up, but I and my friends were known to enjoy life to the utmost.” The best way to describe his teenage years is “active and socially involved,” Pickett said. “In Athens, kids tended to grow up maybe a little faster than in high schools from other sections of the state,” he said. “That’s probably because of their ability to observe the actions and antics of students at the University of Georgia — some of which we tried to mimic before we probably should have. So, I would say, I had a typically active childhood and teenage years in Athens.” Pickett was recently made aware of how much he has changed since those early years during a wedding of a close friend’s daughter, at which he served as a lay reader in a ceremony held in the Episcopal church. “For the service, I vested (in a robe) and read the lesson and served Communion at this large, fancy, evening wedding with a crowd of elegant people from Atlanta,” Pickett said. “Later at the reception, I was having a libation, leaning against a railing on the patio when I saw a familiar face, or one that I thought was familiar, coming through the crowd straight toward me.”

As the man approached him, Pickett realized it was an old grammar school friend he had not seen in at least 30 years. “He said to me, ‘Pickett, when we were growing up in Athens, I would have bet everything I had then or would have later that I would not find you in two places,’” Pickett recalled with a smile. “He said, ‘One was in a pulpit. And the other would be in a judge’s bench.’” Appointed to the Augusta Judicial Circuit on Dec. 18, 1979 by former Gov. George Busbee, Pickett acknowledges that he became a judge at a considerably young age. “I was 38,” Pickett said. “Truth be known, I was probably too young. I had practiced law for 13 years prior to becoming a judge. At the end of this year, I will have served 25 years as a judge.” “This is where I’ve grown up,” Pickett added, looking out a window of the municipal building. “So, there will certainly be a bitter sweetness in leaving the work I’ve done for 25 years.” Over the past two and a half decades, Pickett has presided over some of the most controversial and deeply disturbing cases in Augusta’s history. Pickett encountered one such horrific trial only a few years after taking the bench. On July 4,

1981, a former Swainsboro resident by the name of Hill Rivers brutally shot and killed two college students, both 24, in a field in Burke County. The murders occurred after the two men discovered Rivers robbing one of their homes. “It’s a case that I’ll never forget because it was one of the rare opportunities to confront, headon, pure evil,” Pickett said. “Hill Rivers was a man, as far as I could determine, totally devoid of any redeemable human qualities. He was as close to pure evil that I had ever experienced. “He killed when killing was not necessary. He killed without remorse. He killed to cover what otherwise would have been a routine burglary case, if there is such a thing.” And the result of Rivers’ actions were devastating. “He mercilessly assassinated two bright, young college students home for the holiday,” Pickett said. “He tormented them by making them kneel, then lie in the dirt and he shot them in the head.” That same year, Rivers was also accused of violently killing a 56-year-old McDuffie County grandmother, kidnapping and killing her sevenyear-old granddaughter and sodomizing and killing the woman’s 13-year-old son.

“This is where I’ve grown up. So, there will certainly be a bitter sweetness in leaving the work I’ve done for 25 years.” — Superior Court Judge Albert Pickett

“Hill Rivers was given the death penalty, as he so richly deserved,” Pickett said. “But fate had a way of intervening. Before the state could execute him, God carried him away. He developed cancer while waiting on death row and died in prison.” There was only one case that Pickett could equate with the evil in the Rivers’ murders and that was this year’s trial of rapist and murderer Reinaldo Rivera. Rivera, who was accused of raping and killing four area women and attempting to kill a fifth, told jurors that even after being arrested for the local murders, “I still fantasize about hurting the same girls that I killed.” “By Rivera’s own testimony and his own admission, we had in our presence a man who raped hundreds of women over a period of many years at different locations across the country,” Pickett said. “And after brutally attacking and murdering a number of women in the Augusta area, his only excuse for such actions was that he was sexually addicted through a constant need and exposure from an early age to graphic pornography.” Rivera testified he was “living proof” of why pornography is dangerous because it turned him into a “sexual predator.” “Of course, I never understood how pornography even began to explain murder, but that was his story,” Pickett said. “And it was a fascinating experience, if you can call it that, to see this particular defendant, who was among other things, very intelligent and very articulate, take the stand and tell this incredible story of lust and violence to the jurors, who must have been, as I was, stunned and astounded by what they heard.” After deliberating for almost eight hours, 12

jurors agreed that Rivera should receive the death penalty for killing Army Sgt. Marni Glista in Richmond County. Whenever the court deals with a potential death penalty case, a trial takes on an entirely different tone, Pickett said. “As the United States Supreme Court has said, ‘Death is different,’” Pickett said, referring to a long-standing principle set by the Supreme Court that basically says, in order to deprive someone of his or her life, the state must exercise its due diligence in providing the accused every procedural protection. “There is a heightened scrutiny of the actions of the trial judge, the actions of attorneys, the actions of the jury and the decisions that are made during the course of a capital case. So, death is different.” Because of the disturbing nature of the testimony in the trial, the Rivera case seemed to capture the attention of the community and reminded Pickett of the way the public used to view trials. “Trials don’t hold the interest of the public like they used to,” Pickett said. “When my grandfather, who practiced law for 60 years in Statesboro, Ga., before the turn of the century, presented a case, the courtroom would be overflowing. People would come from all over the county to hear him make an opening statement and cross-examine people. “He was a showman, my grandfather, and he was also one hell of a trial lawyer.” However, to Pickett’s disbelief, the title “trial lawyer” has suddenly taken on a negative connotation following Sen. John Edwards’ failed attempt at becoming the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. “I was disappointed, distressed and even angry at the criticism aimed at Sen. Edwards,” Pickett

said. “The criticism was not over his senatorial record or not because of his position on political issues, but because he was a ‘trial lawyer.’” “Sen. Edwards and, by extension, all trial lawyers, were referred to as some sort of bandits, which is the most egregious overstatement and the most desperately inappropriate description of these lawyers that I can imagine,” Pickett added. “I’m proud to have been a trial lawyer. I’m proud to have known and worked with trial lawyers.” Needless to say, Pickett isn’t afraid of speaking his mind, a character trait that has served him well as a superior court judge. In 1981, after a little over a year on the bench, he approached former Rep. Mike Padgett about increasing the penalty for child abuse from a maximum 10-year sentence to a 20-year sentence. Pickett said he did so because he was faced with two particularly horrific child abuse cases in his first year as a judge. One case involved an infant being badly burned by his parents with lighted cigarettes. Another case dealt with a child being beaten with an electrical cord. “Those cases were horrendous examples of child abuse,” Pickett said. “And my feelings at the time was the 10-year maximum penalty was certainly not enough. I thought it should be at least double that. And probably, as far as I’m concerned, ought to be more because there is no crime more inexplicable and more damaging to the victim than the abuse of a baby or child.” Pickett’s recommendation resulted in a bill being passed by the Legislature which raised the maximum penalty to 20 years. After that success, Pickett continued to fight for change where he saw fit. In 1999, he won the National Child Support Enforcement Judge of the Year award for a

program he devised to bring the local Child Support Enforcement staff into his courtroom on sentencing days for criminal defendants. Pickett created the program so that part of an individual’s condition of probation would be to pay any delinquent child support. As Pickett walked over and picked up the crystal 1999 award from the National Child Support Enforcement Association on his side table, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “This was really an odd occurrence, me winning this award, because I don’t handle domestic cases,” Pickett said. “I don’t handle child support cases ... In fact, I think I was the first non-domestic relations judge ever to be honored by this association. “I simply devised a program that enforced child support obligations as any other condition of probation. Now, we get hundreds of people paying child support through threat of probation violation, who would never have paid any other way.” While the praise is nice, Pickett said judges are also open to criticism and are sometimes forced to rule on cases that carry, what he calls, “political overtones.” In 2001, Pickett ruled against the Augusta Commission’s decision to deny an alcohol and entertainment license for a restaurant on Broad Street called Off Broadway Dine & Dance. This particular case grabbed newspaper headlines because more than 200 members of Curtis Baptist Church voiced their opposition to the liquor license at the commission’s public hearing in 2000. “It got hot because a very large, influential church, located in downtown Augusta, vigorously objected to the alcohol license,” Pickett said. continued on page 20

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“Hill Rivers was a man, as far as I could determine, totally devoid of any redeemable human qualities. He was as close to pure evil that I had ever experienced.” — Superior Court Judge Albert Pickett continued from page 19 “They were outraged over the request and appeared in great numbers and with great vigor at the various commission hearings on the issue. “But I found that the commission overstepped its bounds and did not follow its standards and guidelines. They had treated this particular applicant differently than they should have been treated. So, I reversed the commission’s decision.” Pickett ruled the commission’s denial of the license was “arbitrary and capricious.” “I imagine those church people were not very happy with me,” Pickett said. “But I’m here to uphold the law, not the passions of the public.” Pickett also doesn’t shy away from matters concerning the city of Augusta. In 2002, Pickett read the final presentment of the Richmond County Special Grand Jury’s report aloud in open court. When jurors recommended in the report that the city abolish the Augusta commissioners’ ability to abstain during a vote, Pickett couldn’t help but exclaim, “Hallelujah.”

“To any outside observer it looks like a fifthgrade operation,” Pickett reportedly said in court. Today, Pickett just smiled at the comment and said he has no beef with the Augusta Commission. “The commission has always treated the judges fairly when we’ve had the opportunity to work together,” Pickett said. “However, I am concerned about the location of the new courthouse.” Currently, the Augusta Commission is debating whether to build a new courthouse on the corner of Walker Street and James Brown Boulevard, across from the downtown post office. “Apparently they’ve settled on a location that is virtually unusable because of the site’s existing environmental conditions,” Pickett said, referring to a recent report conducted by Graves Engineering that suggests the Walker Street site could possibly be contaminated. “H.L. Mencken (the late sage and former columnist for The Baltimore Sun) once said something that reminds me of the commis-

sion’s decision on this matter. He said, and this is paraphrasing, ‘It is as though one had been invited to a banquet with the finest foods and culinary delights imaginable. And when afforded this opportunity, one turns away and says, ‘No. I think I’ll take a plate of flies instead.’” Pickett said he’s simply astounded that the commission doesn’t realize it needs a convenient and workable courthouse to serve Augusta’s growing urban population. “In this building, the heating and cooling system is held together with spit and baling wire,” Pickett said of the municipal building. “We are either roasting or freezing. It’s ridiculous.” “The elevators are dangerous,” Pickett added. “We all had to vacate this building during the middle of a trial last week and stand around in the cold out on Greene Street waiting for the fire department to arrive and determine that the elevator had a bad wire in its light.” There are eight superior court judges in the Augusta Judicial Circuit and six of those judges

work out of the municipal building, with only two main courtrooms. “It’s the only courthouse in the state serving a major urban population that does not provide one courtroom per judge,” Pickett said. “Literally, this is the only courthouse in the state that is so poorly equipped to serve its people. It’s the worst. There isn’t another one to match it. There is none even close to it.” Unfortunately, at the rate the Augusta Commission is moving on the construction of the new courthouse, Pickett said he will be long gone from the current seat on the bench when the city finally has a ground-breaking ceremony. By that time, if he’s lucky, Pickett hopes to be calling to congratulate his former colleagues in the Augusta Judicial Circuit from a bench in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court. “That would be my delight,” Pickett said. “To ascend to the bench at the Clarke County Superior Court, where no one ever imagined I would be, and announce, ‘Court is open for business.’”

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

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Nowhere To Drop Dime By Brian Neill

In an age in which we watch TV in our cars, communicate instantaneously worldwide via the Internet and even teen-agers sport cell phones with text-messaging, the death of the payphone is only a natural progression, some say. Even so, the most recent U.S. Census data, from 2002, showed that roughly 3.6 million Americans were living without phones in their homes. Many of those individuals, consumer groups say, rely on payphones because they are unable to afford cellular phones or keep their home phone bills paid. For them, the payphone is a link to family, friends and services. To the chagrin of many law enforcement departments, however, payphones also have served as outdoor offices for drug-dealers and continued on page 24

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

f you pulled up to one of those familiar blue payphone stands recently, only to find an empty shell, get used to it. By the end of this month, BellSouth plans to have yanked all of its payphones from service, citing lack of revenue and obsolescence. Though this is the second or third deadline the company has set in the past several years, BellSouth officials say this time they really mean it. “By the end of March, that’s when they anticipate it. I have not heard anything that suggests they cannot make that deadline,” said Al Schweitzer of BellSouth corporate communications in Atlanta. “Because really, ever since January 1, they’ve been on a tear taking these out, literally right and left.”

continued from page 23 prostitutes. Schweitzer didn’t have an accurate count of how many BellSouth payphones remain in our area, but an informal, drive-around-town survey revealed at least half a dozen empty BellSouth stands in just the area bordered by East Boundary Avenue and 15th Street, and Broad Street and Laney-Walker Boulevard. A number of BellSouth payphones also have been removed from the Aiken area. “All we know is that there are still probably thousands of phones left out there,” said Schweitzer, referring to BellSouth’s U.S. service area, covering nine Southern states. Schweitzer said BellSouth will keep dial tones on any payphones that have not yet been taken out of service. He also said that BellSouth employees who had serviced payphone routes — collecting money, making repairs and the like — are considering their options. “At least all the ones I’ve been in touch with, they’re BellSouth employees who, when this is over, will either retire or I know some that are going to look for other opportunities (within the company),” Schweitzer said. “Some of them are talking about some kind of life change where they might try some other type of work, or whatever. I know there are some of them who have worked for maybe 30 years who, even though they might be middle-aged, could retire.” Schweitzer said the company did not have a break-down of how many

local employees would be impacted by the discontinued payphone service. Just because BellSouth is getting out of the payphone business doesn’t mean the payphone is dead, Schweitzer added. “I want to make one point clear: Just because BellSouth is exiting the business doesn’t mean that the payphone business isn’t doing quite well,” Schweitzer said. “As a matter of fact, when BellSouth exits the business, the customers, meaning the local city or whatever, they certainly have an option to continue payphone service, because there are literally hundreds of other payphone companies.” Indeed, a listing of payphone service providers (PSPs) maintained by the Georgia Public Service Commission runs 28 pages, with roughly 30 to 50 company names per page. In an effort to increase competition, Congress passed measures in 1996 to deregulate the telecommunications industry, meaning, among other things, that individuals could enter the payphone business. Deregulation also meant that PSPs could charge whatever they saw fit for phone calls. “With the deregulation of payphones, we no longer really regulate what they could charge for a local call,” said Delancey Todd, program operations manager with the Georgia Public Service Commission who oversees PSPs. “They can charge whatever the market will take, as long as they post it on the phone.”

While many likely remember the days when a phone call cost a dime, most local pay phone calls today cost 50 cents. In the instance of any existing BellSouth payphones still in service, Schweitzer said, 50 cents will get the caller unlimited, local talk time. Other PSPs, however, will sometimes charge varied costs for initial connection to a local call, but may require the caller to continue to feed coins into the payphone at intervals during the call. For instance, a payphone operated by StarQuest Telecom, Inc. of Quebec, Canada at Bailey’s Stop-NShop, 711 Laney-Walker Blvd., gave unlimited local calling for 25 cents. But another payphone, at the closed Exxon at the intersection of Walton Way and Crawford Avenue, charged 50 cents for 15 minutes of local calling before prompting the caller to deposit more coins. That payphone was operated by ETS of Lithia Springs, Ga. (ETS, by the way, was the subject of a federal investigation for allegedly conducting a pyramid scheme by touting the company’s profitability in a misleading way and paying artificially high returns to original investors of payphones using money earned through recruiting new ones). Despite an overabundance of PSPs in the state, however, Todd said her agency has received little in the way of complaints about unscrupulous payphone operators. “Not yet,” Todd said. “I expect we may in time, but nothing right yet.” Just because there have been

myriad newcomers to the payphone business in the wake of deregulation doesn’t mean there aren’t others trying to get out. One of them is Bryan Malone, a Macon resident who has run Southeastern Telecom as a side business for about the past decade. He currently has 10 payphones located throughout the Macon area. “The more I got into it the more I realized I never wanted any more than that,” Malone said. “Because I knew this day was coming.” Malone said the prevalence of cell phones has reduced his payphone revenues by about 70 percent. Malone has a home computer with software that allows him to remotely check his payphones’ daily receipts, as well as if there are any maintenance problems. Malone conducts any repairs on the payphones himself. “You know, the technical advances of the phones have increased over the years as far as the ease of installation and the ease of repair and everything like that,” Malone said. “But the use of the payphone itself has completely died almost with the use of cell phones being so widespread.” Now, Malone said, the payphones are basically a tax write-off for him. “I’ve probably got about $24,000 tied up in 10 phones and the labor and expense of operations and everything else,” Malone said. “I was offered $4,000 for everything three years ago. That is it. And I told them, ‘No thank you.’”

“As a matter of fact, when BellSouth exits the business, the customers, meaning the local city or whatever, they certainly have an option to continue payphone service, because there are literally hundreds of other payphone companies.” — Al Schweitzer, spokesman for BellSouth

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

BITE Inexpensive Raspberry Duck Salad at Poppy Seeds Is a Sure Bet By Amy Fennell Christian

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

here’s no shortage of lunch spots in Augusta — places where you can get sandwiches, salads, soups and drinks for under $10. But would you believe there’s a place (besides, maybe, D. Timm’s or the nowdefunct lunch service at Bistro 491) that has duck on the menu? Well, there is, and you can get a raspberry duck salad at Poppy Seeds on Walton Way for the astounding price of $6.75. A home décor and gourmet food store, Poppy Seeds sells everything from colorful serving pieces and interesting barware to hard-to-find foodstuffs. They also have a “Gourmet To Go” area, where they sell takeout casseroles, salads and desserts. But it’s the restaurant that has endeared Poppy Seeds to the surrounding area’s lunch crowd, many of whom tumble in minutes after the kitchen opens at 11. Many are so familiar with Poppy Seeds that they don’t even need to glance at the extensive menu, which takes up both sides of the legal-sized paper it’s printed on. They just plop down at a table, begin munching on the nice assortment of crackers and flatbreads that fill a basket and rattle off their preferences to the wait staff. In addition to the menu, there’s a small chalkboard behind the counter that has the daily specials written on it. The day I went, they included two soups (Cajun cream of tomato and black bean), a BBQ brisket sandwich and lemon cheese layer cake. The menu has several mainstays of lunch menus everywhere, but there are some inventive choices as well. The tabbouleh tomato salad — a tomato stuffed with tabbouleh salad, poached chicken breast and vinaigrette — sounded interesting, as did a sandwich filled with peanut butter, banana, honey and chocolate chips. Even the “Coney Island Dawgs” sounded more interesting than your normal, everyday hot dogs. Judging by the fact that four people ordered it in the span of time I waited for my order, the Cobb salad seems to be a favorite here. It’s fairly traditional — mixed greens, chicken, bacon, red onion, tomato, bleu cheese, eggs and avocado — so I decided to branch out, but as a waitress breezed past on her way to another table with two of them, I began to doubt my choice. My choices were, by the way, the Cajun

cream of tomato soup and the raspberry duck salad. I’m not a big duck fan by any means, but the description — mixed greens with mandarin oranges, raspberries, roasted cashews and breaded duck strips with orange zest and raspberry vinaigrette — kept drawing my eye. And, frankly, for the low price, I just had to see if it was any good. The soup came to the table first and, after the first few bites, I was still puzzled as to why they called this version “Cajun.” I think that, when most people think of Cajun food, they immediately think of spicy offerings and this wasn’t spicy at all. It was, rather, creamy with the slightly gritty (for lack of a better word) consistency that cream of tomato often has, and filled with large chunks of tomatoes and onions. I finally detected a nice hint of sausage-like smokiness to the soup, so I guess that’s where the name came from. The salad arrived a few minutes later, and I can honestly say that I’ve never seen a more beautifully presented one (and on a black plastic plate, no less). The mixture of reds, oranges and greens, topped with the mochabrown colored fried duck strips, were inviting on their own, and the taste did not disappoint. One of the reasons I’ve never been a big duck fan is the fatty nature of the meat, but these were the exceptions. Perfectly cooked and still warm, they were incredibly good even if they were a little hard to cut with the matching black plastic knife. The rest of the salad was wonderful as well — the greens as well as the raspberries were fresh and the cashews stood in for croutons, giving the salad a nice crunch. Volume-wise, nothing was overdone, including the tangy-sweet dressing which was lightly drizzled over the mixture. But then, this is one salad that doesn’t need much dressing. My only regret during my Poppy Seeds visits was the fact that I had no room to spare for a slice of the heavenly sounding lemon cheese layer cake. Poppy Seeds is located at 3626 Walton Way, (706) 738-6125. Lunch hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Gourmet To Go hours are 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday2. They accept all major credit cards.

i i i

in the mix Just the facts Michelle, originally from North Carolina, moved to Augusta 12 years ago with her sister, who works for Delta Airlines. Since then, she’s become a customer favorite at T-Bonz. Why Augusta? Well, I tried Atlanta and it’s too fast, and North Carolina is too slow. Augusta’s better — there’s not a lot of crime happening and I just like it. There’s always something to do. Three words that describe her best Outgoing, fun-loving and outspoken because I never shut up. What her friends would say about her My friends would say that I like to have fun — that I always have something to say and that when I’m not talking not to bother me. What she and her friends like to do We all hang out together. It usually starts at TBonz — we’re like a big family here — or we’ll go bowling, have some cocktails. I like to be out with them, so we’ll always throw something together.

Photo by Joe White

Craziest thing she and her friends have ever done One night we all went to the bowling alley, and none of us can bowl, so one girl threw the bowling ball up in the air, one girl didn’t let it go and hit herself in the leg and I went halfway down the lane with the ball.

Did they get kicked out? No. The guy from the bowling alley came back with a stack of free tickets and told us to bring everybody back. Most embarrassing thing to happen to her at work Well, I fell and busted my butt a couple of times, but when I first started waitressing I dropped a whole entire tray on a customer. He didn’t get mad or upset at all. He had to tell me to calm down because it scared me so bad. Best tip she’s ever gotten It was during Master’s week and it’s been a couple of years ago. I had a party of eight guys who got pretty rowdy. I think the tip came out to be about $400. It was really fun. Michelle’s dream car A big-body Benz, candy-apple red. I would really love to have one. Michelle is envious of people who … Have their lives together and are doing things with their lives. Who she’d most like to be like Diana Ross. She’s beautiful, she’s talented, she can sing and she can pretty much do anything she puts her mind to … and she’s a good actress. One last question: Any relation to Don? No! Everybody asks me that.

Michelle

Knotts

Waitress/Bartender, T-Bonz on Gordon Highway Welcoming springtime to Augusta, “The Garden City,” with garden exhibits, floral design displays, the Garden Market Place, the Tea Room, tours of private and public gardens, outdoor cooking demonstrations, children’s activities including a puppet show, and lectures from author and host of HGTV’s Homes Across America, Alexandra Stoddard.

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

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ART S South Carolina Artist Shows at Laney Museum

By Rhonda Jones

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

orothy Wright’s paintings are filled with serene, rural settings. In one piece, an elderly woman feeds chickens. In another, a woman draws water from a well. Still another features angels and a heavenly carriage drawn by white horses. The imagery, she said, is drawn mainly from her memories of childhood. She was born in the “very” small town of Timmonsville, S.C., she said. “In my paintings over and over again you’ll see my grandmother, who was the most influential person in my life,” she said. That’s her feeding the chickens (pictured), she said. Her name was Caroline Nicholes (pronounced like “Nichols”). I asked her just how her grandmother had influenced Wright as a child. “Well, she was a very strong woman. You know, she was very small. She was very religious and she had a sense of right and wrong, which she taught me. And she taught me to work and always respect work. We had a pretty hard life, but I didn’t realize it until later on.” In another painting, titled “Two Against the World,” Mrs. Nicholes comforts her young granddaughter, whom she raised. “I stayed with her until I left for college,” Wright said. “I went to college in Orangeburg, S.C.” She studied art at Claflin College. I asked her if art was something she’d discovered in college, or if she’d always done it. “Oh yes, I did that before I went to school,” she said. “I started drawing … My grandmother used to wash clothes every Monday and I would draw in the back yard with a stick. I was self-taught until my sophomore year in college, until an art teacher came to Claflin. After that, that was all I wanted to do.” As for materials, she said, “I use all sorts of mixed materials. I use beads, paper, newspaper, papier maˆché, lots of fabrics, paper towels, bathroom tissue — whatever I have on hand. I do a lot of crocheting and add that too, and of course I

use acrylic paints. Exclusively acrylic.” I asked her how she got into crocheting, confiding that I’ve never had the patience for it myself. “Now when I was young,” she said, “I didn’t have the patience either. I just started doing it after all my children were born.” She said that she had a friend who crocheted, and who suggested that they crochet some Easter dresses for their daughters. Wright laughed. “Of course, she did hers and mine too. After that, I got hooked on it.” I asked if there are any young people in her family who show potential in the realm of art. “Well,” she said, “one of my granddaughters loves art. She loves arts and crafts a lot, but I don’t know whether she’ll remain with it or not. But usually, when she’s with me in the summer, we’re always working on something. For the last two summers we’ve been working on hooked rugs.” Her granddaughter is 12 now, she said, and is in one of the paintings on exhibit at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum. The artist added that the girl was much younger when Wright painted the piece, which is titled “Patience in a Swing.” I asked what art means to her today. “Everything,” she said. “Everything. I try to do a little bit of it every day.” “It’s very important to me,” Wright added, “and that’s the one thing I don’t intend to retire from. I worked in the school system all over South Carolina for 32 years, and I retired 20 years ago — but I don’t intend to retire from painting.”

“My grandmother used to wash clothes every Monday and I would draw in the back yard with a stick. I was self-taught until my sophomore year in college …” — Dorothy Wright, artist

Artist: Dorothy Wright Venue: Lucy Craft Laney Museum of AfricanAmerican History Dates: Through April 30 For Info: (706) 724-3576

arts

Local Choreographer Premieres Original Ballet at D. Timm’s

By Rhonda Jones

ugusta Ballet is getting ready to perform a work by its choreographer Peter Powlus. It’s called “Under a Cajun Moon,” and was inspired by a series of Cajun dance classes he and his wife took in Atlanta a few years ago. “We looked into the Louisiana culture. I was charmed by Louisiana. Everything about it I found interesting.” The story, he said, serves as a vehicle to celebrate the various aspects of Louisiana culture. “It’s kind of an idea that I’ve had percolating in my brain for many, many years, wondering if I would ever have the resources to do it,” Powlus said. He realized it was possible, however, when he ran across a band called Odeon. He said they’re based in New York City, and that many of them play for the Lincoln City Jazz Orchestra. “It’s an eclectic bunch, including Wycliffe Gordon. So (executive director) Zanne (Colton) and I decided this might be the year to give it a try.”

“It’s kind of an idea that I’ve had percolating in my brain for many, many years, wondering if I would ever have the resources to do it.” – Peter Powlus, choreographer In addition, they have local musician Joe Patchen wearing the musical director’s hat, as well as arranging and playing keyboard. Local vocalist Pamela Bowman and Ferneasa Cutno, owner and director of Cutno Dance, are also on board.

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- Robert Koehler, DAILY VARIETY Event: “An Evening Under a Cajun Moon” spring gala Production: “Under a Cajun Moon” by Peter Powlus Company: Augusta Ballet Venue: D. Timm’s Jazz Café, downtown Augusta Date: March 24, 2004 Other Goodies: Music by Odeon, of New York City; dinner features a dish by Randy Lewis, the executive chef for Kendall Jackson Wine Estates in Santa Rosa, Calif.; silent auction and raffle with a weekend trip to New Orleans at stake. For Info: (706) 261-0555

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

The Story Powlus said his production, which takes place in 1880, is about a young woman whose boyfriend is involved with a cult. Voodoo has spread to rural Louisiana. Meanwhile, another young man falls in love with her. He is a reporter sent to write an article on Louisiana voodoo, and she is a relative of his editor. He stays with her family and begins to endure some sleepless nights. The young woman, whose name is Marie, is having sleepless nights of her own. “She has nightmares throughout this ballet,” Powlus said. And they turn out to be precognitive. “The first nightmare is based on her fears of voodoo. She wakes up at night, and hears voodoo drums.” Of course, the first thing she thinks of doing is following the drums. And the reporter,

whose name is Willie, winds up following her. The two come upon the boyfriend’s rite of initiation. And, of course, the two interlopers make themselves known. And, of course, really bad things happen after that. The leader of the cult is not at all pleased that Marie is spying on them. When her boyfriend tries to protect her, the leader kills him. “Accidentally on purpose,” Powlus said. “The voodoo king has anger issues.” “That is where things really start to take off,” Powlus added. The voodoo king’s actions get him ostracized by the cult. Since he’s not very happy about that, he begins to pursue Marie and Willie. But Willie has a plan. “The reporter suggests that they make their way to New Orleans, La., and enlist the help of the voodoo queen of New Orleans.” Before they do that, though, they decide to spend some time and recuperate with a relative of young Marie in the country, and so begins the second act. She has another nightmare, concerning Civil War ghosts, which is a premonition of the third act, when they will have to finally face the voodoo king. In fact, he does catch up with them briefly, and is the reason they finally flee to New Orleans. Meanwhile, she and Willie become closer. Marie and Willie arrive in New Orleans on the day of Mardi Gras, Powlus said. They find Marie Laveau, who owns a voodoo parlor, hair salon and brothel. “I’m not doing too much with the hair salon,” Powlus said, “but the voodoo parlor and brothel work for me.” The voodoo queen advises young Marie about her situation and helps her prepare for the final struggle with the voodoo king. “Under a Cajun Moon” will premiere at D. Timm’s Jazz Café during Augusta Ballet’s spring gala, which will be titled “An Evening Under a Cajun Moon.”

Augusta Veterans Affairs Medical Center

arts

Touchdown at the Lindbergh Exhibit

By Rhonda Jones

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

The Charles A. Lindbergh Story The reason Lindbergh is such a big deal is the flight that the young airmail pilot made on May 20-21, 1927. Raymond Orteig, a man with more money than sense and who wished to promote aviation, offered $25,000 to the first aviator or aviators to fly nonstop between New York and Paris. According to materials provided by the museum, Lindbergh, who was 25 at the time, decided he had to win the Orteig prize. So he began collecting funds from businessmen, who were wooed, apparently, by his great enthusiasm, after which he commissioned San Diego’s Ryan Airlines to build an aircraft. It cost him over $10,000 to build, most of which came from his sponsors. He chipped in about $2,000 of his own money. The craft, which he would christen the “Spirit of St. Louis” in honor of his sponsors, was to have a steel tube, wood and cloth body; no navigation lights, fuel gauges or radio. And he would carry no parachute.

um officials thought that it was a pretty important exhibit to have, since, he said, Lindbergh “single-handedly changed the course of aviation.” Walking me by the encased suit, which had obviously belonged to a pretty tall guy, Loehr said, “This exhibit is about encounters with the real stuff.” He pointed out, also, that the exhibit is both kid- and adult-friendly. For instance, at the eye level of, say, an 8year-old, there is a multiple-choice question concerning what Lindbergh took with him and what he left out. Two of the possible answers are “chewing gum” and “parachute,” and the answer is underneath a flap. He chose to take the gum, and in fact it was Wrigley’s spearmint. And, yes, a stick of it is on exhibit, its edges a bit singed.

Courtesy of the Augusta Museum of History

he Augusta Museum of History has a pretty amazing exhibit going on right now. It’s amazing not only for its subject matter — “The Life and Legend of Charles A. Lindbergh” — but also for the fact that Augusta is one of only five stops that the exhibit is making. It had visited the North Carolina Museum of History prior to coming to Augusta, museum Director Scott Loehr said. After Augusta, he said, it will go to its final stop in Richmond, Va. The collection is owned by the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis, to whom it was donated by the Lindberghs themselves. “It’s essentially a chronology of his life: It begins with his birth and ends with his death, and highlights most of the trip in between,” Loehr said. It is also the most comprehensive exhibit that has been shown of the Lindbergh collection, he added. “The exhibit, as you see it in this format, is unique in that it’s never been assembled in this way before. … It’s a more comprehensive presentation of Lindbergh’s life. In the past, there’s just been bits and pieces.” The collection includes goodies like his flight suit, a mockup of his instrument panel, a to-scale model of his cockpit, diary pages, his post-flight to-do list, front pages of newspapers and gifts from places he visited after his flight, among other things. There is even video footage of his takeoff.

CHARLES A. LINDBERGH POSES WITH THE PLANE THAT TOOK HIM FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS.

“This exhibit is about encounters with the real stuff.” — Scott Loehr, director, Augusta Museum of History

Loehr explained that Lindbergh had decided the parachute would be useless anyway, as he didn’t expect to be rescued if he went down. Many men had already died in pursuit of the Orteig prize. The world didn’t have a lot of hope for Lindbergh, either, calling him “The Flying Fool” before his takeoff from New York’s Roosevelt Field, Loehr said. But later, when it looked as though the daring young man might just make it after all, he became “The Lone Eagle” and “Lucky Lindy,” the first American celebrity of the 20th century, and the first global celebrity as well, according to sources. Thirty-three and one-half hours later, he touched down at Paris’ Le Bourget Field to the cheering of a

150,000-person crowd. That cheering, as well as a photograph of the crowd, is also on exhibit at the history museum. And he’d done it blind. In order to have a larger gas tank, Lindbergh had given up having a windshield, navigating instead by homemade periscope. More About the Exhibit Standing at the exhibit’s entrance, in front of Lindbergh’s flight suit, I asked Loehr how Augusta got such an apparently prestigious exhibit. “The museum made inquiries to the Missouri Historical Society when it realized this exhibit was traveling the country,” he said. Loehr added that the muse-

After Paris After Paris, Lindbergh and the “Spirit of St. Louis” went on a 48-state tour of the U.S., acting as aviation ambassador, collecting all manner of gifts. He soon met writer Anne Morrow, who was to become Anne Morrow Lindbergh. He taught her to fly, and they adventured all over the globe. And, of course, they wrote. He published “Of Flight and Life,” “The Spirit of St. Louis” and “We,” as well as shorter pieces like wartime journals and articles for newspapers and magazines. She published, among other things, “Gift From the Sea.” But there were less-than-happy events in the Lindberghs’ life as well, such as the well-publicized kidnapping and murder of their child, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr. And then there are the controversies. Lindbergh accepted Japanese and German Nazi medals of honor, and was an activist against U.S. involvement in WWII. He even went so far as to support America First, which was an organization that promoted American isolationism. Charles A. Lindbergh was apparently quite a complex character. “He was not just some simple aviator,” Loehr said.

Exhibit: “The Life and Legend of Charles A. Lindbergh” Venue: The Augusta Museum of History, downtown Augusta Dates: Through May 23, 2004 Times: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. 5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m. Cost: $6 general admission, $5 seniors, $4 ages 6-18. Children 5 and under free. For Info: (706) 722-8454, www.augustamuseum.org

arts

Boris Goldin

REPRESENTATIVE OF CHOSEN PEOPLE MINISTRIES

Tuesday’s Music Live Presents Final Program of the Season By Rhonda Jones

Boris and Irina Goldin

FRIDAY, MARCH 26 7:30 PM AT

CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM We meet at RIVERWATCH COMMUNITY CHURCH 3701 OLD PETERSBURG ROAD FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL

796-3797

ell, it’s time for the final program of the Tuesday’s Music Live series this year, a season which began on Sept. 23 of last year with Gaelic band Mithral. The season went on to feature the Augusta Symphony Woodwind Trio; a dixieland band called Hotlanta (I’ll bet you can’t guess where they’re based); a jazz/Celtic band called Savannah Moon; The Accidentals. Tuesday’s Music Live

started the 2004 portion of the season with Montana Skies, who played “Music for Cello and Guitar.” Following that, in February, the series featured dance for the first time, as Lili Banan and a partner displayed their talents. Then, in March, the series artistic director himself, Keith Shafer, played the organ alongside Fabio Mann’s trumpet. Now it’s time for Artemesia Thevaos and Claire Murray to present a program of piano with violin. See the details below.

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Program: “Music for Piano and Violin” Series: Tuesday’s Music Live Performers: Artemesia Thevaos and Claire Murray Venue: Historic St. Paul’s Church Location: 6th and Reynolds Street at the Riverwalk Date: March 23, 2004 Time: Noon Reason: Because music is good for you. Lunch: Prepared by Tuesday’s Music Live from the Saint Paul’s Cookbook. Lunch is usually prepared by local restaurants but the Tuesday’s Music Live crew decided to do it themselves this time. Lunch Reservation: (706) 722-3463 General Info: (706) 724-2485

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Kids

Learning

Volunteers

Sports

Calendar Health

Education

Out of Town Music

Special

Benefits Meetings Theater Auditions Exhibitions Attractions MuseumsArts Seniors Dance Arts

Music DOYLE LAWSON AND QUICKSILVER, FLO CARTER AND THE SOUNDS OF JOY perform March 28, 7 p.m., at the Imperial Theatre as part of the Southern Soul and Song series. Tickets are $20 each and are available at www.imperialtheatre.com or by calling 722-8341.

Auditions ONE DOLLAR ENTERPRISES is holding auditions for the May production of the gospel stage play “Never Again” March 19, 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 790-0250 or visit www.onedollaratime.com.

HANDEL’S “MESSIAH” EASTER PORTION will be presented by the Columbia County Choral Society March 26, 7:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Evans. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $6 for students or seniors and are available at the door. Call 6508901 or 650-2311.

ENOPION THEATRE COMPANY is looking for volunteers to act, sing, sew, build and more for their new musical, “Creation.” Applications are available at www.imaryproductions.com or by calling (803) 442-9039.

SANDHILLS CONCERT WITH KATE CAMPBELL March 18, 10 p.m., at Le Café du Teau. 737-1500.

SWEET ADELINES HARMONY RIVER CHORUS OPEN REHEARSAL for singers each Thursday at 7 p.m. at Church of Christ, 600 Martintown Rd. in North Augusta. They are on the lookout for voices in the lower ranges. Contact Stacy Branch at 877-9931.

“BOWFIRE” comes to the Etherredge Center at USC-Aiken March 19 as part of the university’s Cultural Series. Pre-performance lecture at 7:10 p.m.; performance at 8 p.m. (803) 641-3305. SPRING CONCERTS AT THE COMMON are held the Augusta Common April 9 and May 1 from 7-9 p.m. For more information, call 821-1754.

AUGUSTA CHILDREN’S CHORALE is holding auditions on three Saturdays this spring, beginning in March. For more information, call 826-4718. THE BEECH ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY is looking for a couple to duplicate a wedding that took place on the Sandbar Ferry Bridge in 1924. Clothing, vintage automobile, media coverage, minister and music will be provided at no cost to the wedding couple. The Historical Society would like the groom to be from Georgia and the bride to be from South Carolina. For more information, contact Joan Harrison at (803) 827-3209 or The Beech Island Historical Society at (803) 867-3600.

Education “THE BUSINESS OF ART” CAREER DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS 6 p.m. March 23 and 30. March 23 session covers documenting artwork through traditional and digital photography; register by March 15. March 30 session covers contracts, copyright and intellectual property; register by March 22. Free admission. Call 722-5495.

WORKS BY RICHARD JOLLEY ARE ON DISPLAY AT THE MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART THROUGH MAY 9. AN ART AT LUNCH GALLERY TALK WILL BE HELD MARCH 19 AND AN EXHIBITION TOUR WILL BE HELD MARCH 28. GERTRUDE HERBERT INSTITUTE OF ART is accepting applications for tuition assistance for spring quarter classes through March 19. Spring quarter begins March 13. For more information, contact Amy Etheridge at 722-5495.

Exhibitions

GRADUATING SENIORS ART EXHIBITION at ASU’s Fine Arts Gallery through April 30. Opening reception is 5:30 p.m. March 18. Free. For more information, call 737-1878.

OIL PAINTINGS BY ROBERT CAMPBELL will be on display March 18-April 10 at the Arnold Gallery in Aiken. Reception will be held March 18, 6-9 p.m. For more information, contact Frank Steele, (803) 502-1100.

Dance

ART WERGER exhibits at the Mary Pauline Gallery through March 27. Call 724-9542.

ART CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS are offered year-round at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art. Classes and workshops are open to toddlers through adults and feature instruction in drawing, painting, photography, pottery, weaving and sculpture. For a newsletter or detailed information on registering for classes at the Gertrude Herbert, call 722-5495. The Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art also offers educational tours; for information, contact the education director at the above telephone number.

AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ART SHOW at the upper gallery of the Etherredge Center in Aiken through April 5. For more information, call (803) 641-3305.

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

ISRAELI DANCE WORKSHOP at the Augusta Jewish Community Center Sunday afternoons, 4-5 p.m. Open to teens and adults; no experience or partners are necessary. Cost is $2 per session, with the first session free. For information or to schedule a pre-class beginner/refresher session, contact Jackie Cohen,738-9016.

ART CLASSES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS at the Art Factory. The Art Factory also has a homeschool program and scholarships are available. Programs include painting, pottery, pilates, hip hop, modern dance and more. Classes are held at the Art Factory, 418 Crawford Ave., or at the Augusta Jewish Community Center. Call 731-0008 for details.

“RECENT ACQUISITIONS: AFRICAN-AMERICAN ART IN THE SOUTH” will run at the Morris Museum of Art through March 28. For more information, call 724-7501.

“TIME AND TIDE,” an exhibition of works by artist Wanda Steppe, will be on display through April 10 at the Rabold Gallery. For more information, call (803) 641-4405.

MATT WHITFORD will display art at the lower gallery through April 2. For more information, call (803) 641-3305. RICHARD JOLLEY, sculptor of glass, will display works through May 9 at the Morris Museum of Art. For more information, call 724-7501. 25TH ANNUAL AGNES MARKWALTER YOUTH ART COMPETITION to take place through March 28. Competition will feature works from area public, private and home-school students. For more information, contact Amy Etheridge at 722-5495.

THE AUGUSTA INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCE CLUB meets Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. No partners are needed and newcomers are welcome. Call 737-6299 for location and info. THE DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE held the first Saturday of every month, 7-9 p.m., at the Unitarian Church of Augusta, honor the religious traditions of the world through song and movement. Call (803) 643-0460 for more information. AUGUSTA CHAPTER OF THE UNITED STATES AMATEUR BALLROOM DANCERS ASSOCIATION holds a dance the first Saturday of each month, from 7:15-11 p.m. Cost is $7 for members and $10 for non-members. Held at the BPOE facility on Elkdom Court. Contact Melvis Lovett, 733-3890, or Jean Avery, 863-4186, for information. DANCE LIKE THE PROS with ballroom dance lessons on Tuesdays, through April 6 from 7:30-8-30 p.m. at the H.O. Weeks Center. Call (803) 642-7631 for more information. UNDER A CAJUN MOON, performed by the Augusta Ballet and featuring world renowned musicians, will take place at the Imperial Theatre on March 26 and 27 at 7 p.m.

BLUE HIGHWAY AND RALPH STANLEY AND THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS perform at the Imperial Theatre on March 21 at 7 p.m. Admission is $30. For more information, contact Tania Beasley-Jolly at 724-7501. ZING! GO THE STRINGS a presentation in the ASU’s Lyceum Series, will be presented on March 21 at 3 p.m. in the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre. For more information, call 737-1878.

Theater “A TRIBUTE TO LEWIS GRIZZARD” will be presented by the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council March 30, 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of North Augusta High School. Tickets are $12 each or $40 for four tickets. Contact Ken Smith at (803) 442-7588 for additional information. SENIOR CLASS OF 2004 SHOWCASE at Davidson Fine Arts School’s Beverly J. Barnhart Theater March 30. Admission is $5 adult, $4 senior citizens and children under 5 and $3 for Davidson students. Call 823-6924, ext. 122 for information. “SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN” will be performed by the Greenbrier High School Pack Players March 25-27 at the Greenbrier High School Auditorium. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. March 25-26 and 3 and 7 p.m. March 27. Tickets are $5 in advance or $6 at the door. Contact Steve Hansen at 650-6040, ext. 335, for information. “THE GIRLS ARE BACK IN TOWN” with Chonda Pierce and Sandi Patty at the Bell Auditorium has been postponed until March 29. Call 1-800-965-9324 for information and ticket prices. “HARVEY” will be presented March 28 at 3 p.m. and March 2931 at 8 p.m. at ASU’s Maxwell Performing Arts Theater. For more information, call 737-1878. “QUILTERS” will be presented by USC Aiken’s University Theatre Players April 1-5 at 8 p.m. and April 4 at 3 p.m. at the Etherredge Center. For more information, call (803) 641-3305.

Attractions MOTORIZED TOURS OF HISTORIC AIKEN every Saturday, 1011:30 a.m. Tours leave from the Washington Center for the

Performing Arts. Reservations are required, and patrons must be age 2 and older. (803) 642-7631.

6-17. For more information, call (803) 827-1473. 181 Redcliffe Road, Beech Island.

AUGUSTA CANAL INTERPRETIVE CENTER: Housed in Enterprise Mill, the center contains displays and models focusing on the Augusta Canal’s functions and importance to the textile industry. Hours are Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sun., 1-6 p.m. Admission is $5 adult, $4 seniors and military and $3 children ages 6-18. Children under 6 admitted free. Guided boat tours of the Augusta Canal depart from the docks at Enterprise Mill at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tour tickets are $6 adults, $5 seniors and $4 students and children. For tour information, call 823-7089. For other info, visit www.augustacanal.com or call 823-0440.

SACRED HEART CULTURAL CENTER is offering tours of its 100year-old building. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $1 per person, children free. 826-4700.

THE BOYHOOD HOME OF WOODROW WILSON: Circa 1859 Presbyterian manse occupied by the family of President Woodrow Wilson as a child during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Original and period antiques, restored house, kitchen and carriage house. 419 Seventh Street. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tues.-Sat. Tours available; groups of 10 or more by appointment only. Admission is $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 students under 18 and free for ages 5 and under. 722-9828. AUGUSTA GOLF & BOTANICAL GARDENS OF THE GEORGIA GOLF HALL OF FAME features beautiful display gardens, as well as bronze sculptures of some of golf’s greatest masters. Available for rent for a variety of functions. Group discount rates available. Closed Mondays; open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; open from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5.50 for adults; $4.50 for students, seniors and military; $3.50 for children (4-12); free for children 3 and under. Sundays are two for one with a Super Sunday coupon. Annual garden memberships are available. Call 724-4443 or 1-888-874-4443. Also, visit their Web site at www.gghf.org. NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTER’S FORT DISCOVERY: Children and adults alike can immerse themselves in the wonders of science through live demonstrations, virtual realities, Starlab, KidScape and more than 250 hands-on exhibits. General Admission: $8 for adults; $6 for children, seniors and active military. Group rates available. Operating hours: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Call 821-0200, 1-800-3255445 or visit their Web site at www.NationalScienceCenter.org. REDCLIFFE STATE HISTORIC SITE: 1859 mansion of S.C. Governor James Henry Hammond, held by the family for three generations until 1975. Grounds and slave quarters are open Thursday-Monday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. House tours will be offered at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Admission to the grounds is free. Fee for house tours is $3 for adults and children ages

HISTORIC COTTON EXCHANGE WELCOME CENTER: Open Mon.Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m. Riverwalk. Free. Call 7244067. THE EZEKIEL HARRIS HOUSE: Deemed “the finest 18th century house surviving in Georgia” by the “Smithsonian Guide to Historic America.” Open Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. General admission is $2; senior admission is $1 and children get in for 50 cents. For more information, call 724-0436. PICTURING THE CIVIL WAR: A SYMPOSIUM will take place March 26-27 at the Augusta Museum of History, Augusta State University, the Boyhood Home of Woodrow Wilson and the Morris Museum of Art. The symposium will create a literary and pictoral record of the Civil War period. For more information or to pre-register for any of the events, call 737-1636.

Museums

Donations are currently being accepted. For more information, contact Stacie at 731-9060 or 1-800-236-0688.

THE AUGUSTA MUSEUM OF HISTORY hosts permanent exhibition “Augusta’s Story,” an award-winning exhibit encompassing 12,000 years of local history. For the younger crowd, there’s the Susan L. Still Children’s Discovery Gallery, where kids can learn about history in a hands-on environment. The museum also shows films in the History Theatre and hosts a variety of programs. Located at 560 Reynolds Street. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Admission is $4 adult, $3 seniors, $2 kids (6-18 years of age) and free for children under 6. Free admission on Sundays. Call 722-8454 or visit www.augustamuseum.org for more information.

NORTH AUGUSTA COUNCIL OF GARDEN CLUBS TEA AND FASHION SHOW 2-4 p.m. March 27 at the North Augusta Community Center, 101 Brookside Dr. For more info, contact Linda Smiley, (803) 279-5074.

THE MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART hosts exhibitions and special events year-round. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, noon-5 p.m. Closed on Mondays and major holidays. 1 Tenth Street, Augusta. Call 724-7501 or visit www.themorris.org for details.

“GIVING VOICE TO THE VISION: RESONANCE IN THE WORKS OF WOMEN ARTISTS AND WRITERS” at the Morris Museum of Art March 21, 2 p.m. Free admission. 724-7501.

THE MUSEUM OF LAUREL AND HARDY OF HARLEM, GEORGIA features displays of various Laurel and Hardy memorabilia; films also shown. Located at 250 N. Louisville Street in downtown Harlem. Open 1-4 p.m. Thursday-Monday. For more information, call 556-3448.

ART AT LUNCH GALLERY TALK with Richard Jolley at noon March 19 at the Morris Museum of Art. Boxed lunch is available, or bring your own brown-bag lunch. $10 for museum members and $12 for non-members. Call 724-7501 for reservations.

LUNCH AT NOON LECTURE SERIES held the second Wednesday of every month at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Call the museum at 724-3576 for more information.

MASTERWORKS OF SOUTHERN ART TOUR March 21, 3:30 p.m. at the Morris Museum of Art. Free. Call 724-7501 for information. “RICHARD JOLLEY: SCULPTOR OF GLASS” EXHIBITION TOUR March 28, 2 p.m., at the Morris Museum of Art. 724-7501. “PICTURING THE CIVIL WAR: A SYMPOSIUM” March 26-27 at the Augusta Museum of History, Augusta State University, the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson and the Morris Museum of Art. Tickets are $35 for members of the Morris Museum, the Augusta Civil War Round Table, the Augusta Museum of History, Historic Augusta, the Augusta-Richmond County Historical Society and the Augusta State University President’s Club and $50 for the general public. Call 737-1636. THE GERTRUDE HERBERT INSTITUTE OF ART in Ware’s Folly exhibits works by local and regional artists. Art classes, workshops

Lucky Leprechauns Wednesday, March 17-- Sunday, March 21

Escape wallet pinches, and

and other educational programming for children, youth and adults are held in the Walker-Mackenzie Studio. Open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment only. Admission is free, but a donation of $2 for adults and $1 for children and seniors is encouraged. Call 722-5495 or visit www.ghia.org for more info.

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Special Events SACRED HEART GARDEN FESTIVAL March 19-21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Sacred Heart Cultural Center. Call 826-4700. AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY’S INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL March 18, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., in the campus quadrangle. This year’s festival focuses on the music, arts and food of South Asia. Free and open to the public. 737-1411. TRASH AND TREASURE YARD SALE to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association of Augusta March 27, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at 851 Broad St.

A WALK THROUGH HISTORY 2004 March 20, 9 a.m., at Augusta Commons. Call 733-5277 for more information.

CAROLINA ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL March 27-28 at the Hippodrome Complex in North Augusta. Proceeds benefit the St. Vincent DePaul Health Center. Call (803) 279-8017 for more information. SANDHILLS WRITERS CONFERENCE begins March 18, 11 a.m., in Room 101 of Galloway Hall at Augusta State University. Free reading for the public 10 p.m. at Le Café du Teau. Free readings on March 19 and awards presentation March 20. 737-1500. PEACE RALLY AND CANDLELIGHT VIGIL March 20 at the Army Reserve office at Wrightsboro and North Leg Roads. Peace rally will be held from noon-1 p.m. and candlelight vigil will be held from 7-9 p.m. Participants may bring signs, poetry and the names of loved ones. Call 736-4738 for additional information. AUGUSTA SHOWCASE, an economic development campaign to market the area to potential business residents, will soon be underway. The Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce is giving presentations on the effort. Contact Tammy Stout, 722-8326, ext. 2, to schedule a speaker for your club or civic group. MCDUFFIE FRIENDS OF ANIMALS holds pet adoptions each Saturday, 1-3 p.m. at Superpetz on Bobby Jones Expressway. Call 556-9090 or visit www.petfinder.com. COLUMBIA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY holds pet adoptions every Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and every Sunday from 1-4 p.m. at PetsMart. For more info, call 860-5020. RICHMOND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL AND AUGUSTA ANIMAL RESCUE FRIENDS hold pet adoptions at Superpetz off Bobby Jones Expressway every Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Call AARF at 3644747 or visit www.aarf.net. Adoptions also held at the Richmond County Animal Control Shelter, Tues.-Sun., 1-5 p.m. Call the shelter at 790-6836. THE CSRA HUMANE SOCIETY holds pet adoptions every Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and every Wednesday evening from 5:307:30 p.m. at the Pet Center located behind the GreenJackets Stadium on Milledge Rd. 261-PETS.

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MOLLY’S MILITIA, a pet adoption agency, meets each Saturday at Superpetz in Aiken from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Petsmart in Aiken from 36:30 p.m., and Petsmart in Augusta from 4:30-7:30 p.m. For more information, call (803) 279-7003.

Acupuncture, Children’s Medical Services Clinic, Special Needs Safety Seat Loaner Program, Focus on Healing exercise class for breast cancer survivors and more. Call 823-5294 for information. DIET COUNSELING CLASSES for diabetics and those with high cholesterol at CSRA Partners in Health, 1220 Augusta West Parkway. Free. Call 860-3001 for class schedule.

HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY FILM SERIES shows “The Big Combo” on March 22, and “The Narrow Margin” on March 29. Show times are at 6:30 p.m. and admission is free. For more information, call 821-2600.

UNIVERSITY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM COMMUNITY EDUCATION holds workshops, seminars and classes on a variety of topics: weight and nutrition, women’s health, cancer, diabetes, seniors’ health and more. Support groups and health screenings are also offered. Call 736-0847 for details.

4TH ANNUAL TRIPLE CROWN STREET FAIR celebrates Aiken’s rich equine heritage on March 19 from 6-11 p.m. at the Newberry Street Festival Center. Call (803) 642-7631 for more information.

Kids

Out of Town ST. PAT’S IN FIVE POINTS March 20 in Columbia, S.C. Admission is $7. Call (803) 748-8555 or visit www.stpatsinfivepoints.com for information.

“WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?” through April 18 at the Alliance Theatre Company’s Alliance Stage in Atlanta. (404) 7335000. AT THE HIGH MUSEUM OF ART in Atlanta: “The Undiscovered Richard Meier: The Architect as Designer and Artist” through April 4; “Flashes of Memory: Paintings by Linda Anderson” through March 20; “Glories of Ancient Egypt,” through Sept. 19; and “African Gold From the Glassell Collection,” through Sept. 19. There will also be an African Film Showcase Fridays at 8 p.m. throughout March. Call (404) 733-HIGH or visit www.high.org for information. “LEAP” makes its world premiere through April 11 on the Hertz Stage in Atlanta. Call (404) 733-5000 for ticket info. “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM,” presented by the New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta, will run through April 4. For more information, call (404) 874-5299.

RALPH STANLEY AND THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS PERFORM AT THE IMPERIAL THEATRE MARCH 21. Blood Center at (803) 642-5180 or the Augusta Blood Center at 868-8800. HOPE HOUSE “VIVA LAS VEGAS” FUNDRAISER will take place May 7, 6:30-11 p.m. at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel. The evening will feature a Vegas-style casino including craps, blackjack, roulette and poker, with prizes available to purchase with winnings. All proceeds benefit Hope House, Inc. For more information, call 737-9879. 2ND ANNUAL KELSI LONG MEMORIAL RIDE will be March 27, beginning at Polaris of America at 10 a.m. and ending at the MCG Children’s Medical Center. There, ride organizer Mike Maddox will present a check to the center. All proceeds will benefit the Special Child Clinic of the MCG Children’s Medical Center. All motorcyclists interested in participating in riding and contributing a $15 donation should call 860-1872.

Benefits

Learning

GOLF TOURNAMENT to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association of Augusta 1 p.m. March 22 at The River golf club. For more information, call 731-9060.

ROOTS OF GARDENING SERIES March 18, 6-7 p.m. at the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Botanical Gardens. This month’s topic is “The Basics.” Donation is $3 per person and advance registration is requested. 724-4443.

AUGUSTA BALLET MERCEDES RAFFLE: The Augusta Ballet will raffle off a 2004 Mercedes CLK 320 Cabriolet during May’s First Friday celebration. Tickets are $100 each and may be purchased through the ballet office at 261-0555. AUGUSTA-RICHMOND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL is in need of dog and cat food, cat litter and other pet items, as well as monetary donations to help pay for vaccinations. Donations accepted during regular business hours, Tues.-Sun., 1-5 p.m. at the shelter, 4164 Mack Lane. Call 790-6836 for information. SHEPEARD COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER BLOOD DRIVES in various locations around the CSRA this month. For detailed information on locations and times to donate, visit www.shepeardblood.org. You may also call Susan Edwards at (803) 643-7996 for information on Aiken locations and Nancy Szocinski at 737-4551 for information on all other locations. AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES at the Aiken Red Cross Blood Center on Millbrook Drive and the Augusta Red Cross Blood Center on Pleasant Home Road. The bloodmobile will also stop at various area locations this week. For a complete list, call the Aiken

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USC-AIKEN CONTINUING EDUCATION offers Paralegal Certificate Course, Taming the Wild Child, Conversational French, Italian, Spanish for the Beginner, Sign Language, Debt-Free Living and more. Travelearn learning vacations for adults and Education to Go online courses also available. For info, phone (803) 641-3563. CULLUM LECTURE SERIES, “South Asia: On a Tryst With Destiny,” continues on March 18 with an International Festival, and on April 1, Dr. Selima Sultana will lecture at 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Visit www.aug.edu/library/cullum2004 or call Michael Bishku, 7371709, or Jeff Heck, 667-4905. AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY CONTINUING EDUCATION is now offering the following classes: Shag, Ballroom, Line Dance, Beginning and Intermediate Language courses, Interior Design, Acting Workshop, Stained Glass, SAT Review, Power Yoga, Photography, Origami and more. Also, ASU offers online courses. For more information, call 737-1636 or visit www.ced.aug.edu. AIKEN TECH CONTINUING EDUCATION offers the following courses: computer technology courses, healthcare courses, contractor

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programs, real estate courses and more. Aiken Tech also offers Education to Go classes online. For more information or to register, call (803) 593-9231, ext. 1230. GED classes are offered by the Community Resource Center. Tuition is free, call 722-4999 for more information. SERVICE CORPS OF RETIRED EXECUTIVES (SCORE) provides counseling and mentoring to business people either starting or continuing their business. Counseling is free and administered by retired executives. For more information, call 793-9998. INTRODUCTION TO E-MAIL: Learn how to set up a free email account at the Friedman Branch Library on March 25 from 910:30 a.m. Space is limited; reservations are recommended. For more information or to make reservations, call 736-6548. TECHNOLOGY CLASSES AT WALLACE BRANCH LIBRARY: Learn to use computer programs like Microsoft Word or Excel throughout March. Registration is required. For more information, call 7226275.

Health ANGELS HAVE WHEELS: Medicare recipients suffering from conditions such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disorders who have difficulty walking or propelling a standard wheelchair may be eligible to receive an electric wheelchair. For information on eligibility, call Gregory at 1-800-810-2877. AUGUSTA BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUP meets the second Thursday of every month, 6 p.m., at Walton West TLC. Brain injury survivors and their family members and caregivers are invited to attend. 737-9300. CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP meets the first Thursday of every month, 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital. 823-5294. WALTON REHABILITATION HOSPITAL AMPUTEE CLINIC for new and experienced prosthetic users meets the third Thursday of each month, 1-3 p.m. 722-1244. WALTON REHABILITATION HOSPITAL offers a number of health programs, including Fibromyalgia Aquatics, Water Aerobics, Wheelchair and Equipment Clinics, Therapeutic Massage, Yoga,

pure joy Become an anonymous egg donor! Ovations is seeking healthy, educated women between the ages of 18-31, living in or going to college in the Aiken-Augusta area. Suitable donors will be compensated in the sum of $5,000

For more information call 733-0130 1-866-517-7513

CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSPECTIONS by SAFE KIDS of East Central Georgia and the MCG Children’s Medical Center on the first Wed. and Fri. of each month, by appointment only. To make an appointment or for more information, call 651-9300 (Wed. appointments) or 721-KIDS (Fri. appointments). SAFE KIDS also sponsors car seat installation education workshops; the next is March 15, 9-11 a.m., at the MCG Children’s Medical Center. Call 721-KIDS. AIKEN COUNTY PONY CLUB meets weekly. Open to children of all ages who participate or are interested in equestrian sports. For more information, contact Lisa Smith at (803) 649-3399. GIRLS INCORPORATED OF THE CSRA AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM runs through May 21. Open to girls currently enrolled in kindergarten through high school. In addition to offering specialized programs, Girls Incorporated offers van pick-up at select schools, neighborhood drop-off, homework room and a hot evening meal. For information, call 733-2512. WEEKLY STORY SESSIONS at all branch libraries. Visit www.ecgrl.public.lib.ga.us for more information. FIRST SATURDAY STORYTELLING at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum. In addition, there is a tour of the museum. Held 10 a.m.noon the first Saturday of the month. Call 724-3576. STORYTIME IN THE GARDENS will take place Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in March and May in Hopeland Gardens. For more information, call (803) 642-7631. WEE WISDOM, an educational program for children under 5, presents “Encouraging Language for Children with Special Needs” on March 18 and “Ready to Learn” on March 25. All lectures are from noon-1 p.m. in the Resource Library on the first floor of the Children’s Medical Center. For more information or to register, call 721-5437. FAMILY STORY TIME: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS:” Friedman Branch Library celebrates Dr. Seuss’ 100th birthday on March 24 from 6-7 p.m. with Dr. Seuss’ stories and Suess-themed games. Registration required. For more information, call 7366758. PHINIZY SWAMP DAWN WALK on March 27 at 5 a.m. Register by March 24. Call 828-2109 for more information or to register.

Seniors SENIORNET LEARNING CENTER OPEN HOUSE March 22, 9-11 a.m. at the SeniorNet facility on the USC-Aiken campus. Free and open to the public. SeniorNet offers computer classes for senior citizens. Classes start in April. (803) 641-3563.

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AT THE GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART in Athens, Ga.: “Myths and Metaphors: The Art of Leo Twiggs” through March 28; “Leaving for the Country: George Bellows at Woodstock” through May 16; and “Landscape and Laughter: British Watercolors from the West Foundation Collection” through April 1. Visit www.uga.edu/gamuseum or call (706) 542-4662 for info.

“THE LITTLE RED HEN” will be presented March 18 at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre. Tickets are $3 per person and seating is on a first come, first served basis. Contact the ASU Born to Read Literacy Center at 733-7043 for information.

IN PRINT OR ON THE WEB, METRO SPIRIT IS AUGUSTA’S SOURCE FOR NEWS, ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND HAPPENINGS.

The innovative partnership between the Morris Museum of Art and Augustaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic Imperial Theatre On March 21st, you can hear a Grammy Award winning favorite, Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, with the perfect blend of bluegrass and gospel and up and coming Blue Highway. On March 28th, the 2001, 2002, 2003 International Bluegrass Music Association vocal group of the year - Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver along with local favorite Flo Carter & her family band!

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004 35

AARP TAX ASSISTANCE provided through April 13 at Friedman Branch Library on Thursdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Maxwell Branch Library Tuesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; and at the Gibbs Memorial Library Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Call the Friedman Branch at 736-6758, the Maxwell Branch at 793-2020 or the Gibbs Memorial Library at 863-1946 for more information.

SHEPHERD COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER is seeking donors to prevent a blood supply shortage. To donate call 737-4551, 854-1880 or (803) 643-7996. RICHMOND COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES is seeking dependable foster parents to provide temporary housing, care and support for Georgia’s children. For more information, contact L. Lewis at 721-3718.

UNIVERSITY SENIORS CLUB has moved to a new location at 4106 Columbia Rd. University Seniors Club offers health screenings, support groups, health education classes and social activities. For more information, call 868-3231 or 1-800-413-6652.

Meetings CSRA PARKINSON DISEASE SUPPORT GROUP meets March 23, 6 p.m. at St. John Towers, 724 Greene St. Program is on eyesight and Parkinson Disease. Patients, caregivers and family are welcome to attend. Call 855-7690 or 860-5868 for information.

HOME-BASED CARE available for low- to mid-income families seeking alternatives to nursing home placement. To participate, individuals must be aged 60 or up or must have disability status as defined by Social Security Administration guidelines. Applicants must also meet program income guidelines. For more information, contact the CSRA Area Agency on Aging at 210-2018 or 1-888922-4464.

EAST AUGUSTA MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING March 30, 11 a.m., at East Augusta Middle School Media Center’s Lecture Room. The public is invited to listen to the council discuss pertinent school issues, including parental involvement. Call 823-6960.

WALTON REHABILITATION HOSPITAL offers Arthritis Aquatics and People With Arthritis Can Exercise. Call 823-5294 for information. SENIOR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for the new visitor center at Phinizy Swamp Nature Center to greet visitors, hand out literature and sell merchandise. Volunteers are asked to commit one Saturday or Sunday per month, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. or 1-5 p.m. Call 828-2109 for information. AIKEN PARKS AND RECREATION offers a multitude of programs for senior adults, including bridge clubs, fitness classes, canasta clubs, line dancing, racquetball, arts and crafts, tennis and excursions. For more information, call (803) 642-7631. THE ACADEMY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING offers lectures, courses, field trips, discussion groups and community information seminars on a variety of topics to mature adults. For more information, contact the USC-Aiken Office of Continuing Education at (803) 641-3288. THE SENIOR CITIZENS COUNCIL OF GREATER AUGUSTA AND THE CSRA offers a variety of classes, including ballroom dance, aerobics, quilting, tai chi, Spanish, line dancing, bowling, bridge, computers, drama club/readers theatre and pinochle. For dates and times, phone 826-4480. SENIORNET provides adults age 50 and over education for and access to computer technology. Many different courses are offered. Contact the USC-Aiken Continuing Education Office at (803) 641-3563. SENIOR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for new Docent Training Program at the historic home of Nicholas Ware. Learn the fascinating history of Ware’s Folly and the families who lived there. All interested should call 722-5495.

Sports AIKEN TRIPLE CROWN GOLF CLASSIC March 29 at Woodside Plantation. Tee off is at noon. Call (803) 648-3456 for information. FAMILY Y AQUATICS SESSION III is scheduled for March 29-May 8 at the Wheeler Branch indoor pool. Classes are available for all ages, including waterbabies parent and child classes and swim lessons for adults. For a complete list, visit www.thefamilyy.org or call 738-6678. TERRY TANKERSLEY MEMORIAL LINCOLNFEST TRAIL RIDE March 27, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Bussey Point Recreation Area in Lincolnton. There is a $5 fee per horse and proof of negative Coggins is required. (706) 359-7970. 28TH ANNUAL AIKEN TRIPLE CROWN ROAD RACES March 27 at the H.O. Weeks Activity Center in Aiken. Call (803) 648-7042 for registration information. SPECIAL OLYMPICS will be held March 31, 10 a.m., at the lower end of Barton Field at Fort Gordon. In the event of rain, the games will be held April 1. Call 791-2599.

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

THE AUGUSTA LYNX play home games March 19-21 and April 1. For tickets, call 724-4423 or visit www.augustalynx.com.

HISTORY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP meets March 23 at 11 a.m. at Headquarters Library. For more information, call 821-2600.

GUEST CLASSICAL GUITARIST MANUEL BARRUECO WILL PLAY IN AUGUSTA SYMPHONY’S “ZING! GO THE STRINGS” CONCERT AT ASU’S MAXWELL PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE ON MARCH 21 AT 3 P.M. FAMILY Y RECREATIONAL GYMNASTICS session held through May 14. Classes available for toddlers through teens. Call 7386678. THE AUGUSTA VOLLEYBALL ASSOCIATION is looking for new members. For more information, visit www.augustavolleyball.com. THE AUGUSTA RUGBY CLUB is always looking for new members. Teams available for women and men; no experience necessary. Practice is Tuesday and Thursday nights, 7-9 p.m. at Richmond Academy. For more information, call Don Zuehlke, 4952043, or e-mail augustarfc@yahoo.com. You may also visit www.augustarugby.org. VOLLEYBALL OPEN GYM will be held Wednesday nights in March and April in the H.O. Weeks Center from 7-9:15 p.m. For more information, call (803) 642-7631. AUGUSTA FLYERS TRACK CLUB invites area youth ages 7-18 to join the team. Registration is through May 15; practice begins March 13. For more information, contact George Taylor at 738-3737. HOCKEY SCHOOL CLINICS AND LEAGUE, sponsored by the Family Y, are to take place all throughout March for ages 4-6, 712 and teens. For more information, contact Donna Pope at 364-3269. VOLLEYBALL CLASSES FOR KIDS take place on Mondays through April 19 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the H.O. Weeks Center in Aiken. Call (803) 642-7631 for more information. OPENING DAY CEREMONIES for North Augusta baseball and softball leagues will be on March 20 at Riverview Park.

Volunteer FORTE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE ASSOCIATION is in need of local host families for high school international exchange students for the 2004-2005 school year. For more information, contact Tracy Klemens, (678) 358-5890. THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT COALITION is looking for volunteers with basic computer skills to prepare tax returns for individuals with low and limited income, individuals with disabilities, non-English speaking persons and elderly taxpayers. Volunteers receive free training and instruction materials from the IRS and will serve at VITA sites throughout the community. For more information, contact Sheryl Silva, 826-4480, ext. 341. AUGUSTA/CSRA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY needs volunteers at ReStore, Walton Way and Tenth Street, to assist with receiving donations of new and used building and home improvement materials and warehousing them for sale to the public. The store is open Thursday-Saturday year-round. If you can commit eight or more hours per month, contact Steve Buck, 364-7637.

MENTORS AND VOLUNTEERS needed to provide support for MACH Academy at the May Park Community Center and the Fleming Tennis Center. Education, tutoring and technology sessions held Monday-Thursday, 3-6 p.m. at each location. Tennis instruction and fitness activities held Monday-Thursday, 6-7 p.m. at May Park and Monday-Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Friday, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, 2-5 p.m. at the Fleming Center. 796-5046. FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED for children and teenagers in Richmond County. For information, contact Luera Lewis, 721-3718. PHINIZY SWAMP NATURE PARK VISITOR CENTER is in need of volunteers to greet visitors, hand out literature and sell merchandise. Volunteers must commit to one Saturday or Sunday each month, from either 9 a.m.-1 p.m. or 1-5 p.m. 828-2109. UNITED HOSPICE OF AUGUSTA is in need of volunteers to support terminally ill patients. Scheduling and training times are flexible. Call Donna Harrell at 650-1522 for information. THE ARTISTS’ CONSERVATORY THEATRE OF THE CSRA is looking for volunteer board members, actors and production crew. Call 556-9134 or e-mail ct@theatermail.net. SOUTHERNCARE HOSPICE SERVICE is currently seeking volunteers to perform a variety of tasks, including relieving caregivers, reading to patients and running errands. Training is included. For additional information, contact Lisa Simpson, (803) 463-9888 or 869-0205.

AUGUSTA GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY meets every third Friday at 7:30 in the Georgia Military College Building on Davis Rd. For more information, call 547-0178. METRO AUGUSTA FRISBEE DOG CLUB meets on the last Sunday of each month. Locations to be determined. For more information, call 210-8577. CSRA LINUX USERS GROUP meets every fourth Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Borders. For more information, call 790-8439. CANOE AND KAYAK CLUB OF AUGUSTA meets every fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Warren Road Community Center. For more information, call 860-5432. JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY OF AUGUSTA civic advocacy meeting every third Saturday from 10-12 a.m. at Friedman Branch Library. For more information, contact Tonio at 373-3772.

Weekly OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS meets every Sunday night, 7:30 p.m., at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in North Augusta. For more information, call 278-5156. NAR-ANON FAMILY GROUP for relatives and friends of drug abusers. No dues or fees.The group meets Mondays at 7 p.m. Call for location. For information, contact Josie, 414-5576, or Lionel, 860-0302. GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS meets Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., in the basement of Fairview Presbyterian Church. 1-800-313-0170. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: For more information and a meeting schedule, call 860-8331.

COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE PROGRAM VOLUNTEER TRAINING: The CASA program is looking for volunteers 21 years of age and older to advocate for abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system. Volunteers need no experience and will be provided with specialized training. Call 737-4631.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: If you want to stop using any drugs, there is a way out. Help is available at no cost. Call the Narcotics Anonymous help line for information and meeting schedules at 855-2419.

CSRA HUMANE SOCIETY NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION PROGRAM the third Saturday of every month at the Pet Center, 425 Wood St. Orientation starts at 11 a.m. Volunteers under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian present during orientation and while volunteering. Call 261-PETS for information.

SEXAHOLICS ANONYMOUS, a 12-step program of recovery from addiction to obsessive/compulsive sexual thoughts and behaviors, meets Wednesdays at 8 p.m. at Christ Church Unity, 2301 Central Ave. Call 339-1204 and leave first name and phone number; a confidential reply is assured.

THE KITTY ORTIZ DE LEON FOUNDATION needs volunteers to help promote organ donor awareness. For more information, contact Cassandra Reed or Espy De Leon at 394-0838 or kodfoundation@aol.com.

AUGUSTA TOASTMASTERS CLUB #326 meets each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Advent Lutheran Church in Martinez. Learn communication and leadership skills. For more information, call 868-8431.

GOLDEN HARVEST FOOD BANK needs volunteers during the day, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, to help sort donated products and assist in their agency shopping area. Help is needed year-round. If you are able to lift 25 pounds, can commit to at least 3-4 hours per month and would like to help fight hunger in the Augusta area, contact Laurie Roper at 736-1199, ext. 208.

GUIDELINES: Public service announcements are listed in this section without charge at the discretion of the editor. Announcements must be received by Monday at noon and will be included as space permits. Send to Events, Metro Spirit, P.O. Box 3809, Augusta, GA 30914 or fax (706) 733-6663. You may also e-mail listings to rhonda.jones@metrospirit.com or lisa.jordan@metrospirit.com. Listings cannot be taken over the phone.

AUGUSTA-RICHMOND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL: New volunteer orientation is scheduled the first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. at the shelter, 4164 Mack Lane. Schedule subject to change; call 790-6836 to verify dates and times.

Check us out on the web at www.metrospirit.com

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Bomb Epic

Hollywood

Flix Must-See

Boring

Comedy Sleeper Oscar Pick Director Stars This Rocks Famous Silly

Awesome

Action

The Butterfly Effect (R) —

Media hottie Ashton Kutcher, bearded but nearly naked of acting technique, is Evan, a painful mess who reads his old diaries (the words rise like ghosts) and then psychically returns to his miserable childhood (molestation, pet torture, etc.). As he rehabs the past, his present worsens. This claptrap wastes the considerable talents of Amy Smart, Elden Henson and pathetic sunken Erick Stoltz, but mainly wastes our time. 1 hr., 53 minutes. (Elliot) !

u al S rn te “E

Cheaper by the Dozen (PG) — To

Focus Features

ine of the Spotles s M ind ”

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

nsh

make an old (1950) Clifton Webb comedy without Clifton Webb is a serious loss, but getting Steve Martin — a vanilla-shaked version of Webb's snappish fussiness — is not a bad idea for "Cheaper By the Dozen." He's engaging as Tom Baker, football coach and father of 12 kids. Bonnie Hunt plays the wife and mom, Kate, looking awfully good despite the wear. The Bakers have a great life in a small town where Tom coaches, but he's hired to go to a bigger team outside Chicago, and the only story is the stress on the family from their move. The film is simple and obvious and plastic, but diverting.

RATINGS !!!! — Excellent

Universal

the roots-deep Calvin Jr.'s Barbershop on Chicago's South Side. Again, more talk rises than hair falls, though the scissors team from the 2002 hit have a new worry, a slick rival across the way. The best laughs come from Cedric the Entertainer as Eddie, with a broad beam and a do to match. Eddie isn't quite so rife with the riffs that won the first movie a little notoriety, but gets into a fine lip-off with the big beautician from down the street (Queen Latifah, offering an appetizer of her upcoming "Beauty Shop"). As long as it is simply being a barbershop, the gab has a razor-cut charm. Running time: 1 hr., 40 mins. (Elliott) !!1/2 stars. Brother Bear (G) — Latest Disney animated offering about a young man, Kenai, who is transformed by The Great Spirits into a bear. On a quest to gain back his human form, Kenai befriends a bear cub, Koda, and evades his human brother, who, not realizing Kenai has been turned into a bear, is on Kenai’s trail on a revenge mission.Cast: Jeremy Suarez, Joaquin Phoenix, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas.

no w a ”D

As if once wasn’t enough. Frankie Muniz is back as the title character. Agent Cody is faced with infiltrating … the seat of an enemy government? No. The top-secret hideout of a supervillain? No. A government think-tank gone wrong? No, no and no again. Our little Cody is sneaking into a hosh-posh boarding school so that he can track down a stolen (and topsecret, of course) mind-control device. To make matters almost interesting,the enemy he’s tracking is his old trainer. Oh, and there’s some female eye-candy as well. Does that make her a “Banks girl”? Well, peeps, he’s no James Bond, but then we weren’t expecting him to be, were we? Cast: Frankie Muniz, Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt, Keith Allen, Anna chancellor, Keith David, James Faulkner, Daniel Roebuck, Cynthia Stevenson, Connor Widdows. Bad Santa (R) — For very jaded kids and adults already sick of the holiday season but needing a cup of bile nog. If that is you, there is amusing alienation from Billy Bob Thornton as an alcoholic thief and cranky department store Santa, Tony Cox as his rancid "elf" and Bernie Mac, Cloris Leachman, the late John Ritter, directed with zip plot but a jingle of crass flippancy by Terry "Crumb" Zwigoff. Running time: 1 hr., 33 mins. (Elliott) !!1/2

Barbershop 2: Back in Business (PG-13) — Ice Cube runs

ead”

Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (PG) —

Funny

Not Bad

eD f th

Drama

Masterpiece

“

Lame

Designed to be fluff, it's fluffy all the time. Cast: Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Piper Perabo, Hilary Duff, Richard Jenkins. Running time: 1 hr., 34 mins. (Elliott) !!

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (PG) — Another

Disney dinky, turning the dreams of girls into piffle. Lindsay Lohan pitches her pretty charm like mad as "drama queen" Lola, who leaves New York for New Jersey (looks like a section of Burbank), wins a worshipful friend, dazzles a boy, squelches a snarky rival, stars in a "rock" version of Pygmalion full of "American Idol" razzle. Wasted rather depressingly are Carol Kane, Glenne Headly and other talents, treated as confetti at Lohan's feet. 1 hr., 34 mins. (Elliott) ! Dawn of the Dead (R) — Thanks to a plague, the United States is taken over by zombies. It pretty much follows the rules found in the Zombie Codebook: If killed by a zombie, one must return as one. Once turned into a zombie, one must seek fresh blood. One must also go to the mall. (To the mall?) The good guys, for some reason, think that the mall is a perfect place to hide out from the undead. And the dead guys, for some reason, think that the mall is a pretty neat place to be too. Needless to say, forces collide, with the good guys deciding to make a run for it to a (supposedly) safe island. But first, they have to get through a sea of the undead. Based upon the 1979 movie “Dawn of the Dead.” Cast: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Michael Barry, Lindy Booth, Ty Burrell, Jayne Eastwood, Michael Kelly, Jake Weber, Kevin Zegers, Tom Savini.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (R) — One wonders

exactly what the production meeting for this idea

!!!— Worthy

!! — Mixed

! — Poor

was like. “Oh I know! Let’s have a movie about a guy … call me crazy, but I’m seeing Jim Carrey … whose girlfriend’s memories of him are erased. And he can decide to have his memories of her erased too, because he doesn’t want to be in love with someone who doesn’t remember him. Only … and get this, this is the good part … once the procedure starts, he decides he doesn’t want to forget her after all, and so he starts squirreling away his memories in parts of his brain where they don’t belong. And those memories affect his other memories. So … whatdaya think?” Cast: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, David Cross, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Wilkinson, Elijah Wood, Ellen Pompeo, Victor Rasuk.

50 First Dates (PG-13) — Henry (Adam Sandler) is a vet at an aquarium in Hawaii and a serial seducer of island visitors, his policy being love 'em and let 'em leave. True love, of course, lies in wait. At a picturesque diner, he sees Lucy (Drew Barrymore), and it's love at first sight. They hit it off wonderfully, but when they meet at the diner the next morning, she has no idea who he is. Henry learns that Lucy, following an accident the year before, has that favorite Hollywood malady, amnesia. The romantic aspects benefit from being contrasted to the comedy, which is oafish in the extreme. Oh, well — you can always look at the beautiful island scenery. Cast: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore. (Britton) !! The Girl Next Door (R) — High school boy falls in love with … well, with the girl next door, only to find out that she is an ex-porn star. Cast: Elisha Cuthbert, Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olyphant, James Remar, Maria Arce, Nicholas Downs, Paul Franklin Dano, Dane Garretson, Brandon Irons, Brian Kolodziej, Sung Hi Lee, Ulysses Lee, Chris Marquette, Autumn Reeser, Laird Stuart, Amanda Swisten, Nicholas Thomas, Olivia Wade, Jacob Young.

0— Not worthy

JOIN N US

remake of the 1987 teen comedy “Can’t Buy Me Love.” An unpopular geek blackmails a cheerleader into posing as his girlfriend in an attempt to improve his reputation. Cast: Nick Cannon, Christina Milian, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Kal Penn, Steve Harvey, Kenan Thompson.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (PG-13) — The best film yet about men fighting at sea under sail. Two of Patrick O'Brian's books have been beautifully transposed into a cogent and moving tale of the Napoleonic Wars. Capt. Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his friend Dr. Maturin (Paul Bettany) bond tightly despite amusing frictions and lead through storm and shot a stout crew against a French ship larger and better built. It all fits and works like good seamanship, under Peter Weir's direction, manly without fakery. Running time: 2 hr., 19 min. (Elliott) !!!! The Missing (R) — Cate Blanchett is again superb, as a flinty frontier mom who rides hard across 1870s New Mexico, chasing a mostly Apache band that took her daughter, slowly making up with her long absent and "gone Injun" father (Tommy Lee Jones). Ron Howard directed with a true eye for detail and landscape, Eric Schweig is an alarmingly vicious sorcerer, the brutality is frequent and not for tender viewers. Running time: 2 hrs., 10 mins. (Elliott) !!! Monster (R) — To play Florida serial killer (of seven men) Aileen Wuornos, Charlize Theron did a monstrous job on herself: extra pounds, ratty hair, facial beauty slumping into a slum except for the rare, radiant smile. It's one of those bravely mutative performances that win laurels and make critics lose their marbles, but it lacks the truly risky daring of Daniel Day Lewis in "My Left Foot" or Robert De Niro in "Raging Bull" because director-writer Patty Jenkins has simplified Wuornos' story (already much documented) into the tragic fall of a soulful loser. Her total victimization becomes a beastly cry of protest against men and society. The wretched pulp as she kills men who are usually just barely human is pulverizing. Theron is affecting, and Christina Ricci is terrific as a childish depressive who bonds to Aileen like a giddy little leech. 1 hr., 53 mins. (Elliott) !!1/2

The Passion of the Christ (R) — Mel Gibson's risky, passionate treatment of Christ's last 12 hours, long on fear and gore and agony, devils (even Satan), sadistic and/or guilty Romans, hatefully smug Jewish priests and, above all, the tormented face of Jim Caviezel as Jesus.

Girls Inc - Spring Jam Masters® Week Camp 2004

WHAT: For girls kindergarten – high school WHEN: April 5-9, 7:30am until 5:30pm ( Includes field trips, breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks)

ACTIVITIES: Jewelry Making, Sports, Movies, Swimming, Cookout and Dance!

RSVP: 733-2512

Elgin and David are best friends who are serious about their hobby: urban street dancing. When another town’s top group challenges them to a dancing competition, the boys must create new, cutting-edge moves to stay in the game. Cast: Marques Houston, Omari Grandberry, Jennifer Freeman, Jarrell Houston, Dreux Frederic. —Capsules compiled from movie reviews writ ten by David Elliot t, film critic for The San Diego Union-Tribune and other staf f writers.

Taking Lives (R) — Canadian

cops are hunting for a serial killer who steals the identities of the people he kills, which means that the title is a really cool double endendre. Anyway, the cops call on an FBI profiler, played by Angelina Jolie, to help out. Cast: Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke, JeanHugues Anglade, Paul Dano, Tcheky Karyo, Olivier Martinez, Gena Rowlands, Kiefer Sutherland.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (R) — It’s

a remake of the original film and based loosely on true events that inspired that film and “The Silence of the Lambs.” A group of friends becomes isolated in the

The North Augusta Cultural Arts Council presents

“A Tribute to Lewis Grizzard” Bill Oberst A One-Man show

Springer Theater on Tour, The State Theater of Georgia

Tuesday, March 30, 7:30 p.m. North Augusta, High School Auditorium Knobcone Avenue, No rth Augusta, SC Tickets: $12.00 each or 4 tickets for $40 (student tickets $5.00 each) Tickets may be purchased at Parks’ Pharmacy or Communigraphics in North Augusta. For more information, please call Ken Smith at (803) 442-7588.

I N S P I R I N G A L L G I R L S TO B E ST R O N G , S M A R T & B O L D

Viewing "Starsky & Hutch" is embarrassing, like watching Hollywood eat a cadaver in order to stay alive. It uses Ben Stiller as cop Dave Starsky and Owen Wilson as cop Ken Hutchinson, a nervous straightarrow and a blithe screw-around shoved together by barking Capt. Doby (Fred Williamson). At first hating each other, they bond as dude partners. There are drugs and cash and cars and whores (or "hostesses"), all filmed in the bleached yet florid visual cliches of bad '70s TV and films. The soundtrack digs retro vibes right into the grave. S&H underline and undermine every plot turn with a vaguely nostalgic, inanely satirical emphasis. Movies don't have to be like this. Hollywood, please listen: There is no reason on the planet for movies this bad. Cast: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Juliette Lewis, Snoop Dogg, Fred Williamson, Chris Penn. Running time: 1 hr., 36 mins. 0

You Got Served (PG-13) —

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

PRICE: $70 for the week + $35 annual membership fee

Starsky & Hutch (PG-13) —

Warner Bros.

Love Don’t Cost a Thing (PG-13) — “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” is a

midst of a clan of cannibals. Cast: Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Eric Balfour, Erica Leerhsen. Torque (PG-13) – It’s a motorcycle-racing movie. One good-guy biker named Cary Ford (Henderson) is framed by his arch enemy, who is part of a gang. Our hero’s supposed crime? The murder of the brother of the leader of yet another biker gang, and the most feared in the country. Cary & co. have to run, as they are being followed by the really, really bad gang and the FBI. Cast: Ice Cube, Martin Henderson, Monet Mazur, Will Yun Lee, Jay Hernandez, Faizon Love, Justina Machado, Christina Milian, Jaime Pressly, Nichole Robinson, Matt Schulze, Adam Scott, Fredro Starr, Dane Cook, Gichi Gamba, Eddie Steeples, Jim Cody Williams. Twisted (R) — Ashley Judd plays tough San Francisco cop Jessica Shepard, recently promoted to homicide detective. Jessica picks up big, horny men in bars, then has fast, rough sex that has an aura of foreplay for murder. Sure enough, a series of her studs turn up dead. And Jessica, who is prone to drinking red wine in quantity, yanking her trigger temper and then "hearing voices," becomes a key suspect in her first murder case. Just as the male victims seem to have "disposable" stenciled on their foreheads, to go with the cigarette burns on their hands, so does the film appear to carry the label Video Bin: Recycle Fast. Cast: Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, Andy Garcia, David Strathairn, Russell Wong. Running time: 1 hr., 37 mins. (Elliott) !!

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minutes. The last 20 can feel like an hour, for clearly creator Peter Jackson didn't wish to let his saga go. Bernard Hill, Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom are impressive fighters, and Cate Blanchett makes a gorgeous Galadriel. This is posing, not acting. Sir Ian McKellen acts very well as noble Gandalf, but lines about heart, courage and fate make him Lord Fortune Cookie. "Lord" is all epic, all the time. Jackson loves battles, which means hurling dense masses of mostly computerized fighters at one another. If the climax battle this time is more overpowering than the Helm's Deep boggler in "Two Towers," does it truly deepen the story? Maybe it is just more spectacle, as climaxes are stacked high and then the epic winds down with Elijah Woods as Frodo (now mildly matured) exiting sweetly, his destiny done. Cast: Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Ian Holm, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin. Running time: 3 hrs., 20 mins. !!

Gibson uses heavy, hackneyed devices and naive tactics; he thinks a few brief flashbacks to benign gospel episodes can offset and illuminate the relentless flood of anguish and bloodshed, and he comes close to making this a rite of faith-based sadism. It is up to believers to decide if Gibson's Jesus is their own, but since no actor can truly act the Son of God spiritually, Caviezel becomes a sacrificial offering. (Elliott). Rated R; 2 hrs. 7 mins. !! Scary Movie 3 (PG-13) — The third film in the “Scary Movie” series once again spoofs a series of recent horror hits, fantasy epic films and other pop culture sensations, including “8 Mile,” “The Matrix,” “The Ring,” “The Others” and “Signs.” Cast: David Zucker, Anna Faris, Charlie Sheen, Regina Hall, Denise Richards. Secret Window (R) — Take one writer, and stick him out in the boonies. Add some mental trauma (in this case, a painful divorce – not to be confused with the other kind) and one psychotic stranger. This one, played by John Turturro, accuses the writer, played by Johnny Depp (his writer is a ragged blond fellow in bad glasses and even worse sweater), of stealing his story. And he’s willing to spill some blood. Knowing Stephen King, however (Wot? You couldn’t tell this little gem was based on a King?) there’s probably something a little more chilling at work than just a simple psychosis. Cast: Johnny Depp, John Turturro, Maria Bello, Charles S. Dutton, Timothy Hutton, Len Cariou, Gillian Ferrabee.

” ives L g

again featuring cheesy, story-altering references to the rides, as well as plots about ghosts and curses. Eddie Murphy is a workaholic real estate agent and a smooth-talking sleazebag. A promising real-estate deal turns out to be more than he bargains for, and his eagerness to scope out a house on the way to a family vacation leaves his entire family stranded at a creepy, cobweb-ridden Louisiana mansion with a curse. The result is a movie that, while consistently amusing, plays like a hackneyed effort to stretch a few minutes of ride into a coherent, hour-and-a-half story. Running time: 1 hr., 39 mins. (Fu) !! Hidalgo (PG-13) — Viggo Mortensen plays Frank Hopkins, who was an actual man and won a lot of long endurance races on a lot of horses. Mortensen's Hopkins has seen something (the Wounded Knee massacre in 1890) that drops him into drink and depression. He drifts into showbiz, working for Buffalo Bill Cody, which sours him further because he's part Indian and knows the show is a brazen travesty of the expiring Old West. But he has Hidalgo, the mustang. The look in his equine eye always says "I'm a star, buster," and in his tough American way he's ready for the challenge: the epic "Ocean of Fire" race across the Arabian desert, up through Iraq and to the sea. Nobody should become too sophisticated for this sort of entertainment, which delivers great-looking people and animals and action to stir your most youthful blood. Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, Louise Lombard, Zuleika Robinson, Silas Carson. Running time: 2 hrs. (Elliott) !!! Honey (PG-13) — Like having the fluids drained out of your system and replaced by a sugar-loaded, mixed-drink concoction of a color not found in nature. Honey Daniels (Jessica Alba) bartends, dances and teaches hip-hop dance at a youth center. Discovered, she makes a fast splash as a music-video dancer and choreographer. There are jolts of energy from occasional moments of hip-hop frenzy, but the editing is so rapid-fire that what appears on the screen looks more like a video game than dance. Will Honey remember her old pals in the 'hood? Why, yes. First "Radio," now this; uplift has never seemed so enervating. Running time: 1 hr., 28 mins. (Salm) !1/2 House of Sand and Fog (R) — Ben Kingsley plays Massoud Amir Behrani, a high-ranking but exiled Iranian officer forced to work menial labor jobs in California to support his wife and son. Buying a house he hopes to sell for a profit to send his son to college, he encounters legal troubles when it becomes known that the house belongs to former drug addict Kathy (played by the lovely Jennifer Connelly). Cast also features relative newcomer Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ron Eldard, Francis Fisher and Jonathan Ahdout. Running time: 2 hr., 6 mins. The Last Samurai (R) — Tom Cruise stars as Nathan Algren, a heroic Civil War veteran and then embittered cavalry man, reduced to heavy drinking and shilling for a gun company. Algren goes to Japan, paid to train the new imperial army in modern ways and weapons. But he finds himself drawn to the insurgent cause and almost idyllic life in the hills of samurai leader Katsumoto (Watanabe), who fights for the old ways and hopes to win over the adolescent emperor from greedy modernists. Having come to teach, Algren stays to learn. He is captured after impressing Katsumoto with his fighting spirit; the "barbarian" has a tiger within. "The Last Samurai" bides its time, has a predictable plot, but gives pleasure of a sustained kind. Cast: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Tony Goldwyn, Timothy Spall, Koyuki. Running time: 2 hrs., 24 mins. (Elliott) !!!

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (PG-13) — lasts 200 minutes, and some of those are long

“

The Haunted Mansion (PG) — Another movie based on a ride at Disneyland,

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

your Saturday and hear weekend news, views, and commentary. From

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flix

The “Eternal Sunshine” of Kate Winslet By Joey Berlin

y age 22, Kate Winslet had achieved worldwide acclaim and a place in popculture history by starring in “Titanic.” And before she was 23, Winslet had methodically and successfully unburdened herself of that immeasurable public attention. Winslet promptly vanished beneath the waves of publicity, giving brave performances in films that barely registered in the public consciousness, such as “Hideous Kinky” and “Holy Smoke.” Now 28, Winslet steps back fully into the spotlight, starring with Jim Carrey in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” In the bizarre dramatic comedy, Winslet undergoes a new medical procedure to erase all her memories of a failed romance with Carrey. Despondent, Carrey decides to purge Winslet from his memory banks as well. But halfway into the procedure, he subconsciously realizes that some memories are worth holding onto. It all sounds silly, until you consider the source. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is the latest flight of imagination from Charlie Kaufman, the gifted screenwriter of “Adaptation” and “Being John Malkovich.” Winslet lives in London, not far from her hometown of Reading, with her two children and her husband, director Sam Mendes. Q: What was it like for you to work with a Charlie Kaufman script? A: Charlie’s writing is just brilliant. You receive a script like that and you read those words that are on the page. Everything is there for you, every pause, every “Umm — ah —” he’s written it all down for you. For an actress, it’s a very luxurious experience. And as a moviegoer, I think the genius that is Charlie Kaufman is that he creates these simple stories and then gives the characters very complex minds. That’s what makes them kind of crazy and wild, and a bit of a roller coaster. I love the fact that this was a love story about two people who were polar opposites of each other, and had this crazy relationship which was very real. Q: Did the film’s ideas about old memories change the way that you look at your personal life? A: It actually had no impact on my personal life at all. I don’t really like talking about my own relationships or my past. All I can say is that I’m very, very happy. There is nothing that I’ve been through, whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, that I would like to erase. Those are the things that make us stronger and make us human beings. There’s nothing I would go back and change. Q: The film has a great sequence in which you and Jim Carrey climb into a kitchen sink full of water. How was director Michel Gondry able to shoot that complicated scene? A: It was an oversized kitchen sink! There were no camera tricks, no nothing. Michel is just brilliant like that. It was this incredible sink, and we put on our bathing suits and got into it.

Q: Did it bring back memories of filming “Titanic,” where the whole set was flooded with cold water? A: Yeah! They were worried about how long we were going to have to be in that sink. I said, “Guys, don’t worry about how long I have to be in water. Hello? Been there. Done that.” I wasn’t remotely phased by that. But they actually heated the water up. And you know when you see the warnings by hot tubs which say, “Please do not stay in here for more than 15 minutes”? We were in this bath that was hotter than a hot tub for three hours. So after a while, of course, I said, “Hang on, I feel a bit faint.” I got out, and someone had brought me a chair to sit down. I sat on the chair and I said, “I’m so out of it,” and then I fainted! It was just too hot. So I had a bit of a momentary blackout, which was kind of funny in hindsight. Q: For a while you were not so comfortable talking about “Titanic.” Has that changed for you now? A: Talking about “Titanic” when it was coming out was really difficult. I was younger, for a start, and less adept at describing things. It was very hard bearing the burden of such a successful film. It was such a huge machine. I really didn’t know how to deal with it at the time. And how I did deal with it was, I ran off to Morocco and filmed “Hideous Kinky,” which was a tiny movie. That helped me hang on to my sanity. Q: So you would not want to erase any of your memories from “Titanic?” A: So many people, to this day, love “Titanic.” Even the most unlikely of people, who I would have thought would find it cheesy or mushy, say, “Oh, I just love that film! I’ve seen it so many times.” It’s a tremendous feeling to think, “Well, I’m in that film! Kate from Reading. How did that happen?” I have no problems talking about it at all. You learn to really appreciate those experiences, and I would never erase any of them.

flix reel time

Plot Twists Elevate “Taking Lives” Above Genre Cliches By Rachel Deahl

enerally, I don’t like films that rely on plot twists. More accurately, and specifically, I hate twist endings. The twist ending represents a gimmick, a staple in Hollywood thrillers that, too often, values cinematic trickery over good storytelling. But audiences love to be fooled, so movies with trick endings and repeated plot twists aren’t going away. In “Taking Lives,” a new thriller about the hunt for a Canadian serial killer, the plot twist is certainly alive and well. Thankfully, the cheap device is put to relatively good use in this spooky, popcorn tale that recalls some of the finer films in this genre without ever quite matching them. “Taking Lives” opens in a Canadian train station in 1983. An awkward-looking teenager with oversized glasses and shaggy, unkempt hair (Paul Dano) buys a oneway bus ticket to, well, to somewhere else. On the bus he meets another teen breaking away from his family, a charismatic and handsome kid, who offers him a beer. When the bus breaks down, the two rent a car and continue their journey toward greener pastures. After getting a flat tire, the dorky, quiet one, who introduced himself as Martin, unleashes a sudden burst of insanity when, while his new friend kneels down to fix the flat, he launches the poor fellow into the path of an oncoming truck. Afterward, Martin soothes his former traveling companion, now about to expire, before bashing his face in with a rock and walking off into the surrounding fields (literally green pastures) with the kid’s guitar and ID. This long and effective lead-in makes way for the opening credits, which displays the names of the impressive cast — Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke, Olivier

Martinez, Kiefer Sutherland and Gena Rowlands — over eerie shots of microfilm newspaper clippings documenting unsolved murder cases. The look and feel of the sequence, replete with shots of someone (presumably the killer), shaving off excess skin cells from his fingertips, is reminiscent of “Seven.” Although “Taking Lives” comes closest to matching the intelligent, moody and unnerving feel of David Fincher’s masterful thriller in just its opening credits, the film is more entertaining than most movies of its ilk in recent memory. Angelina Jolie stars as an unorthodox FBI agent, known for her reliance on psychology and intuition, who’s beckoned to Montreal to help catch a serial killer on the loose. The profile is a young male who “takes lives” — he kills other reclusive young men and then literally takes on their personae, staying in their apartments, dressing in their clothes, using their credit cards. When a successful artist named James Kosta (Ethan Hawke) comes forward claiming to have witnessed the killer at work, the police try to use him as bait. And when Jolie’s guarded agent reluctantly falls for Hawke’s sweet and charming Kosta, the case becomes even more complicated and personal. With its French-Canadian setting and strong (rather, strong-looking) cast, “Taking Lives” is elevated above its genre clichés. The Montreal location, with its disorienting but sexy feel — the dialog is mostly in English but the cops occasionally lapse into French — is ideal as it compliments themes of alienation and loneliness. In this way, the city of Montreal may emerge as the true star of the movie. Displaying the city’s unusual blend of cosmopolitan urbanity and quaint historicism, the Montreal shown here leaves more of an impression than the does killer.

REGAL AUGUSTA EXCHANGE 20

Movies Good 3/19 –3/25 Dawn of the Dead (R)

Fri-Sat: 1:50,

2:35, 4:30, 5:15, 7:15, 8:00, 9:45, 10:30, 12:00; Sun-Thur: 1:50, 2:35, 4:30, 5:15, 7:15, 8:00, 9:45, 10:30 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (R) Fri-Sat: 12:50, 3:45, 7:30, 10:00,

12:30; Sun-Thur: 12:50, 3:45, 7:30, 10:00 Taking Lives (R) Fri-Sat: 1:05, 3:50, 7:25, 9:55, 12:20; Sun-Thur: 1:05, 3:50, 7:25, 9:55 Secret Window (PG-13) Fri-Sat: 11:50, 1:30, 2:25, 3:55, 4:55, 7:15, 7:45, 9:35, 10:15, 12:00, 12:30; Sun-Thur: 11:50, 1:30, 2:25, 3:55, 4:55, 7:15, 7:45, 9:35, 10:15 Agent Cody Banks: Destination London (PG) Fri-Sat: 11:45, 1:10, 2:20, 4:15,

5:00, 6:45, 9:20, 11:40; Sun-Thur: 11:45, 1:10, 2:20, 4:15, 5:00, 6:45, 9:20 Starsky & Hutch (PG-13) Fri-Sat: 11:55, 2:15, 4:35, 6:55, 9:25, 11:50; Sun-Thur: 11:55, 2:15, 4:35, 6:55, 9:25 Monster (R) Fri-Thur: 7:40, 10:25 Hidalgo (PG-13) Fri-Mon: 1:00, 4:10, 7:10, 10:15; Tues: 1:00, 4:10, 7:10, 10:10; Wed: 4:10, 7:10, 10:15; Thur: 1:00, 4:10, 7:10, 10:15 The Passion of the Christ (R) 12:00, 12:45, 1:15, 1:45, 3:30, 3:50, 4:20, 4:50, 6:40, 7:00, 7:20, 7:50, 9:40 10:10 10:30, 10:50 Twisted (R) Fri-Sat: 1:55, 4:40, 7:45, 10:05, 12:25; Sun-Thur: 1:55, 4:40, 7:45, 10:05 Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (PG) Fri-Sat: 12:10, 2:30, 4:55, 7:35,

9:50, 12:05; Sun-Thur: 12:10, 2:30, 4:55, 7:35, 9:50 50 First Dates (PG-13) 12:15, 2:40, 5:10, 7:55, 10:20 Barbershop 2 (PG-13) 12:35, 3:00, 5:35, 8:05, 10:40 You Got Served (PG-13) Fri-Sat: 1:15, 3:35, 7:05, 9:25, 11:50; Sun-Thur: 1:15, 3:35, 7:05, 9:25 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (PG-13) 12:00, 4:05, 8:10 Girl Next Door (R) Sat: 7:30 EVANS 14 CINEMAS

Movies Good 3/19 - 3/25 Taking Lives (R) Fri-Sun: 2:20, 4:50, 7:10, 9:25; Mon-Thur: 4:50, 7:10, 9:25 Dawn of the Dead (R) Fri-Sun: 2:30, 4:40, 7:25, 9:45; Mon-Thur: 4:40, 7:25, 9:45 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (R) Fri-Sun: 1:50, 4:20, 7:05, 9:30; Mon-

Thur: 4:20, 7:05, 9:30

Sat-Sun: 12:55, 3:50, 6:50, 9:35; MonThur: 3:55, 6:50, 9:35 Twisted (R) Fri: 3:20, 5:30, 7:50, 10:00; Sat-Sun: 1:10, 3:20, 5:30, 7:50, 10:00; Mon-Thur: 5:30, 7:50, 10:00 Passion of the Christ (R) Fri: 2:00, 4:00, 5:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:45; Sat-Sun: 1:00, 2:00, 4:00, 5:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:45; MonThur: 4:00, 5:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:45 Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (PG) Fri: 2:50, 5:10, 7:15, 9:20; Sat-Sun:

12:45, 2:50, 5:10, 7:15, 9:20; Mon-Thur: 5:10, 7:15, 9:20 50 First Dates (PG-13) Fri: 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:30; Sat-Sun: 1:05, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:30; Mon-Thur: 5:20, 7:30, 9:30 Miracle (PG) Fri: 4:10, 6:55, 9:30; SatSun: 1:30, 4:10, 6:55, 9:30 Mon-Thur: 4:10, 6:55, 9:30 MASTERS 7 CINEMAS

Movies Good 3/19 – 3/25 Torque (PG-13) Fri: 5:00, 7:00, 9:00; SatSun: 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00; MonThur: 5:00, 7:00, 9:00 Butterfly Effect (R) Fri: 4:30, 7:25, 9:45; Sat-Sun: 1:45, 4:30, 7:25, 9:45; MonThur: 4:30, 7:25, 9:45 The Perfect Score (PG-13) Fri: 5:15, 7:15, 9:15; Sat-Sun: 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15, 9:15; Mon-Thur: 5:15, 7:15, 9:15 Something’s Gotta Give (PG-13) Fri: 4:15, 6:55, 9:35; Sat-Sun: 1:30, 4:15, 6:55, 9:35; Mon-Thur: 4:15, 6:55, 9:35 Cheaper by the Dozen (PG) Fri: 4:30, 7:05, 9:20; Sat-Sun: 2:00, 4:30, 7:05, 9:20; Mon-Thur: 4:30, 7:05, 9:20 The Last Samurai (R) 8:00 Master and Commander (PG-13) Fri: 4:00, 6:45, 9:25; Sat-Sun: 12:55, 4:00, 6:45, 9:25; Mon-Thur: 4:00, 6:45, 9:25 Haunted Mansion (PG) Mon-Fri: 5:10; SatSun: 1:10, 3:10 REGAL 12 CINEMAS

Movies Good 3/19 – 3/25 Bad Santa (R) 7:00, 9:25 Brother Bear (G) 2:10, 4:15 Butterfly Effect (R) 2:00, 4:25, 7:20, 9:35 Cheaper by the Dozen (PG) 2:05, 4:35, 7:15, 9:30 Haunted Mansion (PG) 2:15, 4:20, 7:10, 9:20 Honey (PG-13) 2:35, 4:50, 7:35, 9:45 House of Sand and Fog (R) 2:00, 4:50, 7:40 The Last Samurai (R) 1:55, 4:55, 7:55 Love Don’t Cost a Thing (PG-13) 2:20, 4:30, 7:05, 9:20 The Perfect Score (PG-13) 2:40, 5:00, 7:45, 9:55 Scary Movie 3 (PG-13) 2:45, 5:05, 7:50, 9:50 Texas Chainsaw Massacre (R) 2:25, 4:40, 7:25, 9:35 Torque (PG-13) 2:30, 4:45, 7:30, 9:40 Movie listings are subject to change without notice.

M O V I E L I S T I N G S A R E S U B J E C T C H A N G E W I T H O U T N O T I C E .

T O

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

Agent Cody Banks (PG) Fri: 3:00, 5:15, 7:35, 9:50; Sat-Sun: 12:50, 3:00, 5:15, 7:35, 9:50; Mon-Thur: 5:15, 7:35, 9:50 Secret Window (PG-13) Fri: 3:35, 5:45, 7:55, 10:00; Sat-Sun: 1:25, 3:35, 5:45, 7:55, 10:00; Mon-Thur: 5:45, 7:55, 10:00 Starsky & Hutch (PG-13) Fri: 2:10, 3:25, 4:30, 5:35, 6:45, 7:45, 9:00, 9:55; SatSun: 1:15, 2:10, 3:25, 4:30, 5:35, 6:45, 7:45, 9:00, 9:55; Mon-Thur: 4:30, 5:35,

6:45, 7:45, 9:00, 9:55 Hidalgo (PG-13) Fri: 3:50, 6:50, 9:35;

MUSIC Lifetime Achievement Award Aside, Rolling Stone Founder Still in His Prime By George Varga

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

s the vice chairman of the board of directors of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, Jann S. Wenner has been on hand to welcome the honorees and audience at all but one of the hall’s previous 18 induction ceremonies. It’s a fitting role for Rolling Stone’s founder and publisher, who was instrumental in raising the funds that transformed the Cleveland-based Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame and Museum from a dream to a reality. But when Wenner makes his opening remarks March 15 in New York to welcome the Rock Hall’s class of 2004 — which includes Prince, Bob Seger, Jackson Browne, ZZ Top, the Dells, Traffic and the late George Harrison — he’ll be in the unusual position of also acknowledging the hall’s newest Lifetime Achievement honoree in the Non-Performer category: himself. “Frankly, I was against it,” said Wenner, 58, who recognizes that his pending induction may prompt conflict-of-interest charges. “I felt a little awkward about it, being on the board, and also hoping that I’m (still) in the middle of my active career.” Yet, if any non-musician is worthy of induction into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, it is the man whose name has always been synonymous with Rolling Stone. Wenner’s trailblazing publication was a mustread for fans and performers alike from the late ‘60s on. Its admirers include such vintage and recent Rolling Stone cover subjects as Dave Matthews, OutKast, Bruce Springsteen, Kid Rock, Alicia Keys, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Keith Richards, all of whom will be on hand to induct the Rock Hall honorees. Granted, the slick, oh-so-sleek Rolling Stone of today favors puff pieces and revealing cover shots and photo spreads of Britney, Justin and Beyonce — not the indepth essays, incisive reviews and probing interviews and investigative pieces featured in the hippie-bred magazine’s sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll heyday. But that doesn’t diminish the profound impact of the Wenner-led publication, or how he helped rock music become a serious art form that spoke to, and for, a music-driven young generation with a mandate (whether real or imagined) to change the world. “Rolling Stone, particularly in its early years, played the vital role of giving the community it covered a sense that it existed and that it mattered,” said San Diego’s Paul Williams, who in early 1966 founded Crawdaddy, the nation’s first periodical devoted to rock. “So while I certainly sympathize with Jann that it can be embarrassing to be acknowledged by something he’s as involved with as the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, I feel Rolling Stone deserves the acknowledgment

and is a significant part of the story of the modern history of rock.” “Once it had been explained to me that the voting was done, and I’d been approved by a large margin, I accepted it and am proud of it,” said Wenner, who hopes he’ll be inducted by Atlantic Records founder (and Rock Hall chairman) Ahmet Ertegun. “It was one of those things where my time had come.” In actuality, his time first came nearly 40 years ago in San Francisco. It was then that Wenner launched a modest publication that has helped mirror, if not shape, popular music and culture ever since. Armed with just $7,000, he and a staff of 13 published the first issue of Rolling Stone on Nov. 9, 1967. The 24-page issue, which retailed for 25 cents (a pittance compared to today’s cover price of $3.95), was available only in the Bay Area. It featured a black-and-white cover photo of John Lennon and an inside story about his dramatic acting debut in the film “How I Won the War.” Also included were stories about such future Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame inductees as Jimi Hendrix and the Byrds; an editorial against racism; a letter from the editor by the then-21-year-old Wenner (who also wrote all three of that issue’s album reviews); and an investigative piece on the missing profits from the purportedly nonprofit Monterey Pop Festival. The man who was soon to launch his own rock ‘n’ roll periodical wrote an essay for the official Monterey festival booklet. His recollection today of that three-day event sounds very much like a description of his inspiration to start Rolling Stone. “It really was the first time all the rock people from San Francisco met all the rock people from New York and L.A.,” recalled Wenner, who was then a pop-music columnist and entertainment editor for the magazine Sunday Ramparts. “There was a lot of suspicion about the motives of the L.A. and New York people, but everyone had the same purpose and goals. The real importance of being there was just seeing the gathering power. It was the emergence of the new rock scene on the world stage.” With Wenner at the helm, Rolling Stone helped cover and expand that new scene. Doing so eventually made him a multimillionaire — and a major media and pop-culture force. Wenner’s initial goal, as he recalled in a 1992 San Diego Union-Tribune interview, was to create “a newspaper or magazine that could be relevant about rock ‘n’ roll and be involved with the rock ‘n’ roll scene. And I knew it would be accepted and successful, but who knew the measure?” Certainly not this maverick magazine owner, who today publishes seven foreign editions of Rolling Stone, is the father of three teen sons,

and in the mid-1990s quietly left his wife for a younger man, with whom he is still involved. Yet, while Rolling Stone’s covers are now often devoted to teen-pop, hip-hop and TV stars whose staying power is best measured in months, not years, Wenner still loves the classicrock artists his magazine helped immortalize in previous decades. “The stuff I listened to back then that was so meaningful to me — whether the Beatles, Stones or Dylan — is still so important to me,” said Wenner, who is now making plans for a Rolling Stone cover story on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. “I listen to this music all the time, and it still uplifts me. Even without the freshness of discovery, I’m reminded how fresh and original it still is. This morning in the car, I listened to (Bob Dylan’s 1965 album) ‘Bringing It All Back Home,’ and it still gives me shivers. “I’m also a huge aficionado of (the Rolling Stones’ 1997 album) ‘Bridges to Babylon.’ I find it’s powerful and stirring and makes me want to get up and jump around as much as listening to (the Stones’ 1965 album) ‘Out of Our Heads.’ It still goes right straight to the spine, right in my heart and my body and brain.

“I’ll go see the White Stripes and Foo Fighters; I’m impressed by them,” said Wenner. “But it’s not the same to me. Its not quite as special. In general, I think the older guys are better than the younger guys.” Why? “The originality and talent,” he replied. “There are periods in all art forms where, all of a sudden, 25 great artists come along, and then it’s fallow for 25 years. Were the abstract expressionists as great as Picasso and his peers? No. But it will come again. There was a confluence (in the 1960s) of youth culture, the social movement in the postwar baby boom, and the development of technology, so the first creators and explorers were these guys in the ‘60s.” Now, with his 60th birthday only two years away, Wenner still believes — as he wrote early on in Rolling Stone — that rock ‘n’ roll can set you free. “It just liberates your soul,” he said. “At its best, it has a way of getting to you, emotionally and physiologically, and lifting you up. It gives you access to an emotional and soulful part of yourself that is quite extraordinary.”

An Augusta Original

s s A S

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Tantric Touring Dept. STING is teaming up with ANNIE LENNOX for a lengthy U.S. tour this summer. Sting’s latest “Sacred Love,” recently sold its millionth copy in the States and former Eurythmic Lennox is promoting “Bare,” her album from last year that was the talented vocalist’s first solo effort since 1995. Lennox recently won an Oscar for her work on “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” Expect both to trot out many of their hits from their former bands, as well as hits from their respective

Adam Hatfield

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solo careers. Two Southern dates have been set for the pair: Sept. 2 at Atlanta’s Philips Arena and Sept. 3 at Charlotte’s Verizon Amphitheatre. Ah … New York in March. The weather’s warming up, Broadway is back in full swing and soulful Southern rock is leakin’ from The Beacon. THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND will again headline the historic venue in the Big Apple for nine shows beginning this week on the 18th and concluding March 28. The band, who has played multi-date shows at the Theater many times, always mine their back catalog for obscurities to keep things interesting for the fans and band alike. Augusta’s relatively inexpensive direct flights to NYC from Bush Field makes the shows that much more accessible for most everyone. Caught a COWBOY MOUTH gig in North Carolina last week and was blown away at just how good the band is these days. Leader, drummer and vocalist FRED LEBLANC has come a long way since his stint in DASH RIP ROCK and has his band tighter and tougher than David Crosby’s defense lawyers. The New Orleansbased band performs over 200 gigs a year and boasts a strong following all over the U.S. Check out their 2000 release, “All You Need Is Live”(which contains “Hurricane Party,” “Take Me Back to New Orleans” and their bestknown song “Jenny”), or last year’s “UhOh” to hear one of the best party bands that I’ve ever seen. Turner’s Quick Notes LINDA RONSTADT will tour this summer behind a new album with AARON NEVILLE in tow. No Southern dates have been announced … TESLA’s original lineup re-formed last year and have a new disc, “Into the Now,” in the stores … GODSMACK has their new, acousticonly “The Other Side” out this week … The Virginia-based PAT MCGEE BAND will rock the Georgia Theater in Athens April 13 and are releasing a new LP, “Save Me,” the same week … Ready to jam? Look out for the three-disc set, “On the Road” from STRING CHEESE INCIDENT out this week … NORAH JONES’ “Feels Like Home” is number one again this week on the album charts, her fourth consecutive week at the top spot … Don’t forget “Blue Highway” featuring bluegrass greats RALPH STANLEY, DOYLE LAWSON and QUICKSILVER March 21 at the wonderful Imperial Theatre in downtown Augusta. As always, the music scene in our town just keeps getting better all the time. Turner’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Jeopardy A. This band used to appear on stage wearing nothing but socks. Q.Who are the Red Hot Chili Peppers?

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

Blanchard

y feet hurt just thinking about it, but it’s worth every step. Atlanta’s fabulous Music Midtown Festival has announced some of the performers for this year’s event. The wellorganized, extravaganza starts April 30 and ends May 2. As in previous years, the three-day affair boasts an impressive lineup featuring most every kind of music. It is an exhilarating but exhausting weekend that usually has first-time attendees promising themselves that they’ll never miss it again. Artists already confirmed and scheduled to perform include FOO FIGHTERS, WYCLEF JEAN, THE DOORS, OFFSPRING, PUDDLE OF MUDD, KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD, FORMER BLACK CROWE CHRIS ROBINSON and GEORGE CLINTON AND PARLIAMENT/FUNKADELIC. Classic rock fans can enjoy REO SPEEDWAGON, STEVE MILLER and even JOURNEY. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE also are set for the show but I doubt Stacey’s mom (Rachel Hunter) could handle the heat, humidity and stupidity that is a by-product of any large festival. Tix are already on sale and are $40 for a one-day pass and $45 for the entire three days — easily one of the best bang-for-the-buck events you could ever attend. Oh yes — bring some comfortable shoes and wear your party clothes.

Wednesday

Session Pat

music by turner

B Y

E D

T U R N E R

s g tin

h g i S

LATOYA FREEMAN AND JAMES DEAN AT SURREY TAVERN.

ROB ANT AND N E IS H W DEBBIE THEATRE. IMPERIAL

MILLS AT

THE

NANCY SOLO MON-STUTTS , RAM STROV AND DARREN EN AND MICHELLE SCHEYER AT ADAMS NIGH TCLUB.

KIM MASTEL AND

CONUTS.

JIKOLE AT CO

STEFANIE RIFFE, ROSE KNOX AND BROOKE HARRISON AT FORT GORDON’S WINTER WARS.

RYAN WIDENER, LISA ARNOLD AND C.J. MCCOLLUM AT SURREY TAVERN.

MANI AND AMS, IKE OF JE VE CREW TRINDA WILLI 2 LI LIAMS AT THE LAVERNE WIL OSSROADS. CONCERT, CR

ANDREA EDWARDS AND SCOTT LEVINE AT THE 2 LIVE CREW CONCERT, CROSSROADS.

Photos by Michael E. Johnson

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

PETER AND NANCY JO HNSON AT THE BELAIR CONFERENCE CENTER FOR AN EVENING IN MONTE CARLO WITH TH E AUGUSTA JUNIOR WOMAN’S CLUB.

music

music minis Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown Institutionalized No, we didn’t say that they’re musical institutions: The musicians are in institutions. Houston has checked into a drug rehabilitation facility. She had admitted to using drugs in the past, but said she had gotten over it. Now she’s found that sometimes it takes a little more than prayer to make big demons go away. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, her husband, R&B singer Bobby Brown, snagged himself a two-month jail term for violating probation by striking Houston, for which he incurred a misdemeanor battery charge. Guess they’re going to be in their respective corners for a while. Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame Receives 2004 Inductees Congratulations to Prince; the late George Harrison, formerly of The Beatles; ZZ Top; Jackson Browne; Bob Seger; The Dells; Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone.

Blink-182 on the Bench Once upon a time, there was going to be a Blink-182 tour of Australia. Those plans have been shelved thanks to the limitations of the human body. Drummer Travis Barker, reportedly while getting off a bus down under, broke his foot. They have cancelled tour dates in Australia, Japan and Hawaii. Guns N’ Roses Take on Geffen Records The band wants to block the record company’s planned “Greatest Hits” collection. Axl Rose has been joined in his fight by Slash and Duff McKagan, who are no longer part of the group, in carrying out the lawsuit against the record company. If the musicians fail to get a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the record company, the set will be issued March 23.

COMPILED BY RHONDA JONES

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

Information compiled from online and other music news sources.

CD Reviews

By Andy Stokes

The Bad Plus — Give (Sony) With last year’s “These Are the Vistas,” Minnesota/Wisconsin jazz combo The Bad Plus established their position as mainstream jazz-bop’s bright future. With one single album (they released an eponymous debut in 2001; their second, “These Are the Vistas,” was their major label debut that opened eyes), the trio was able to push musical limits well into the stratosphere and, at the same time, give new meaning to jazz’s full potential. Cue the seemingly endless list of understatements: They have talent to burn; they’re as tightly knit as Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew-era backing band; they started playing at a level that most jazz trios could only hope to achieve after decades of playing. Equally versed in rock (the “jazz” classification only works because it has to), the group has paid tribute to pop music, covering tracks by Nirvana, Blondie and even Aphex Twin. But, as phenomenal as their talent proved to be, it was still only one album, and The Bad Plus still had some work to do in proving they were in no way a novelty act. “Give,” The Bad Plus’ second album, allows jazz aficionados everywhere to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Following such a profound statement as “These Are the Vistas” was no task to be taken lightly, but the group didn’t try to do that album any better with “Give”; they just tried to produce more of the same. The debut, in fact, was no fluke, and pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson and drummer David King have only grown (as if that were possible) since their last recording. All three musicians wield a merciless (if at times demanding) command over their respective instruments, but Iverson tends to serve the band best as frontman. Instead of being one of jazz’s most promising young talents, however, his abundance of talent allows him to be placed among jazz history’s elite pianists (a crowd that is usually identified by its numerous back catalog titles). His deft right hand fearlessly plays a complex lead part while his left stays with Anderson’s precise and fluid bass line on “Neptune (The Planet)” and “Frog and Toad.” Tchad Blake, who produced The Bad Plus’ last album, again makes his trademark production style immediately recognizable, mainly on King’s drum kit. The low frequency and filter-loving knob-twiddler’s

work can be heard on Peter Gabriel’s “Up” and Neil Finn’s “One All,” among countless others. On “Give,” his touch results most noticeably in the full-bodied snap of King’s snare on tracks like the cover of the Pixies classic “Velouria.” But while the covers of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Heart of Glass” on the last album seemed to garner the most attention, the originals on “Give” show a progression in songwriting, of which all three members equally share the duties. Iverson’s piano work is where most of the songs get their personality, whether it’s melancholy or quirky, and the eagerness to impress as seen on “These Are the Vistas” is replaced on “Give” by a simplistic approach to allow the parts of each song, not the chops of the performers, to make the impression. But don’t mistake this switching for conformity — structure is still a curse word. A second album this soon (“Give” came out almost 13 months exactly after “These Are the Vistas”) proves that these guys burn and have a love for the music, and are not simply filling album obligations set by their label. Careful attention to the evolution and quality of their performances displays their utmost respect for their craft. And that their originals will likely overshadow the three covers on this album (along with the Pixies cover, there are also grand and worthy covers of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” and Ornette Coleman’s “Street Woman”) proves indisputably that The Bad Plus has made a move away from trying to save jazz and are now making music for themselves. Discriminating jazz critics, Rachmaninov lovers, jam band followers — The Bad Plus has a song for each of you.

AFTER DARK

TAKING ON THE IT AIN’T THE O.C., BUT ROONEY’S

Thursday, 18th Aiken Brewing Co. – The Royal We Andy’s – Nathan and Friends The Bee’s Knees – Meditate on This! Blind Pig – Rooney, Pat Blanchard Cafe Du Teau – Kate Campbell Club Argos – Karaoke Dance Party Coliseum – Karaoke with Dana Continuum – Playa*Listic Thursday Coyote’s – The Rhes Reeves Band Crossroads –212 D. Timm’s – The Section Finish Line Cafe – DJ Fox’s Lair – Karaoke, Open Mic Greene Streets – Karaoke Hangnail Gallery – Then Came Silence Honky Tonk – DJ Dougie Joe’s Underground – Keith “Fossill” Gregory Locals – Preston and Weston Metro Coffeehouse – Living Room Legends Michael’s – Marilyn Adcock Modjeska – The Comedy Zone, DJ Kenny Ray Playground – Open Mic The Pourhouse – Karaoke with the Pourhouse Friends Robbie’s Sports Bar – DJ Rusty Serendipity Café – David Owen

Shannon’s – Karaoke with Peggy Surrey Tavern – Parakeet Nelson Wheeler Tavern – DJ Flashback Buddy

Friday, 19th Aiken Brewing Co. – Keith “Fossill” Gregory Back Roads – DJ The Bee’s Knees – Projections and Selections Blind Pig – Shameless Dave and the Miracle Whips Borders – Eryn Eubanks and the Family Fold Cafe Du Teau – Bernard Chambers Charlie O’s – Live Band Club Argos – Stephanie Ross and Jackie Chanel Coliseum – Tracy’s Birthday Bash with Sasha and Dianne Cotton Patch – Jason and Mike Coyote’s – The Rhes Reeves Band Crossroads – Red Headed Stepchild D. Timm’s – The Section El Rodeo – DJ Sontiago Finish Line Cafe – DJ Fox’s Lair – Roger Enevoldsen French Market Grille West – Quiet Storm Greene Streets – Karaoke The Helm – Preston and Weston Hangnail Gallery – The Little, Overdale

AT A.U.G. MARCH 18 WITH A SHOW

Highlander – Greg Williams Band Honky Tonk – DJ Doug Romanella Joe’s Underground – Tony Williams and the Blues Express Last Call – DJ Richie Rich Little Honky Tonk – Randy Carver and Georgia Heat Locals – Karaoke Marlboro Station – Claire Storm Michael’s – Marilyn Adcock Modjeska – DJ Monk Ms. Carolyn’s – The Horizon The Pourhouse – Borderline, Augusta Lynx PostGame Party Robbie’s Sports Bar – DJ Rusty The Shack – DJ Chip Shannon’s – Bart Bell Stillwater Tap Room – Shaun Piazza Surrey Tavern – Playback feat. Tutu D’Vyne Wheeler Tavern – DJ Flashback Buddy

Saturday, 20th Aiken Brewing Co. – Psychedelic Breakfast Andy’s – Open Jam Back Roads – DJ The Bee’s Knees – Jazz Sessions w/ Moniker

THE BLIND PIG.

Blind Pig – Shameless Dave and the Miracle Whips Borders – Paul Gordon Cafe Du Teau – Bernard Chambers Charlie O’s – Live Band Club Argos – Savannah Morgan and Claire Storm Coconuts – DJ Tim Coliseum – Joel and Charity’s Birthday Bash Cotton Patch – Cool Cats Coyote’s – The Rhes Reeves Band Crossroads – Local Ghost, Senile Driver and Leohsa D. Timm’s – The Section Finish Line Cafe – DJ, Karaoke Fox’s Lair – Living Room Legends Greene Streets – Karaoke Hangnail Gallery – Affront, Three the Hard Way The Helm – Karaoke Contest Honky Tonk – DJ Doug Romanella Joe’s Underground – Black-Eyed Susan Last Call – Return to Wonkaland Little Honky Tonk – Randy Carver and Georgia Heat Marlboro Station – Ravion Starr Metro Coffeehouse – Live Afternoon Bluegrass with Eryn Eubanks and the Family Fold Michael’s – Marilyn Adcock Partridge Inn – Sandy B. and the All-Stars

continued on page 48

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continued from page 47

Sunday, 21st Adams Lounge – DJ Cafe Du Teau – The Last Bohemian Quartet Hangnail Gallery – Thieves, Dig Shovel Dig, Whiskey Priest, Made in China Marlboro Station – Petite DeJonville Orange Moon – Smooth Jazz Sunday with Emery Bennett Robbie’s Sports Bar – DJ Rusty Serendipity Café – Jason Miller, Anna Grace Carter The Shack – Karaoke with DJ Joe Steel, Sasha Shannon’s – Shelly Watkins Somewhere in Augusta – Jason and Mike Wheeler Tavern – Karaoke w/ DJ Dog

Monday, 22nd Coliseum – Q.A.F. Continuum – Monday Madness Fox’s Lair – Open Mic Greene Streets – Karaoke Joe’s Underground – John Kolbeck Michael’s – Mike Swift

Tuesday, 23rd Adams Lounge – Keith “Fossill” Gregory The Bee’s Knees – 12 Tone Lounge Coliseum – Tournament Tuesday D. Timm’s – The Section Fox’s Lair – Open Mic

French Market Grille West – Wayne Capps Greene Streets – Karaoke Joe’s Underground – John Kolbeck Metro Coffeehouse – Irish Night with Sibin Michael’s – Marilyn Adcock Surrey Tavern – Tuesday Jam Session with Pat Blanchard

Wednesday, 24th The Bee’s Knees – The Cubists Blind Pig – Sabo and the Scorchers Coconuts – Karaoke Coliseum – Wacky Wednesdays Continuum – Open Mic Jam Sessions Coyote’s – The Rhes Reeves Band Crossroads – John Kolbeck D. Timm’s – The Section Fox’s Lair – Open Mic Greene Streets –Karaoke Joe’s Underground – Happy Bones Michael’s – Marilyn Adcock Playground – Open Mic Robbie’s Sports Bar – DJ Rusty Shannon’s – Shelly Watkins, Bart Bell Somewhere in Augusta – Ruskin Yeargin Soul Bar – Live Jazz Surrey Tavern – Pat Blanchard and Adam Hatfield Veracruz – Wayne Capps

Upcoming Spectral Erosa with DJ Triskyl, DJ Ghost, Claire Storm – Club Argos – March 26 Bloodkin – Crossroads – April 2 Larry Jon Wilson and Friends – Imperial Theatre – April 3 VIP and Locals Party – Last Call – April 5 Swingin’ Medallions Par 3 Party – Last Call – April 7

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Many tickets are available through TicketMaster outlets by calling 828-7700, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets may also be available through Tix Online by calling 278-4TIX, online at www.tixonline.com or at their outlet location in Southgate Plaza. After Dark listings are subject to change without notice. Deadline for inclusion in After Dark calendar is Tuesday at 4 p.m. Contact Rhonda Jones or Lisa Jordan by calling 738-1142, faxing 736-0443 or e-mailing to rhonda.jones@metrospirit.com or lisa.jordan@metrospirit.com.

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

Granddaddy, Saves the Day, The Fire Theft – Tabernacle, Atlanta – March 19 French Kicks – 40 Watt Club, Athens, Ga. – March 23 Preston School of Industry – Tasty World, Athens, Ga. – March 24 Britney Spears, Kelis – Colonial Center, Columbia, S.C. – March 24 John Vanderslice – The Earl, Atlanta – March 25 My Chemical Romance, Poison the Well, Thrice – The Masquerade, Atlanta – March 25 The Sleepy Jackson – Echo Lounge, Atlanta – March 26 Gaither Homecoming – Colonial Center, Columbia, S.C. – March 26 Phantom Planet – 40 Watt Club, Athens, Ga. – March 27 Yanni – Colonial Center, Columbia, S.C. – March 30 Slipknot, Fear Factory – Tabernacle, Atlanta – April 3 Air – Earthlink Live, Atlanta – April 6 Bela Fleck and the Flecktones – University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. – April 7 Aerosmith, Cheap Trick – Colonial Center, Columbia, S.C. – April 7; Philips Arena, Atlanta – April 9 The Darkness – Cotton Club, Atlanta – April 8 The Distillers – Cotton Club, Atlanta – April 10 The Liars – Echo Lounge, Atlanta – April 14 3 Rivers Music Festival – Congaree Vista, Columbia, S.C. – April 16-18 Josh Groban – Fox Theatre, Atlanta – April 20 Ben Kweller, Death Cab for Cutie – 40 Watt Club, Athens, Ga. – April 20; Variety Playhouse, Atlanta – April 21

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Elsewhere

Four Tet – MJQ, Atlanta – April 22 Stereolab – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta – April 22 Squarepusher – Echo Lounge, Atlanta – April 24 Jump, Little Children – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta – April 24 Blonde Redhead – Echo Lounge, Atlanta – April 26 Yes – Philips Arena, Atlanta – April 28 Tortoise – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta – April 28 Music Midtown Festival – Midtown Atlanta – April 30-May 2 David Bowie, Stereophonics – Chastain Park Amphitheatre, Atlanta – May 8 Vans Warped Tour ’04 – HiFi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta – July 28

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‘80s Costume Party with McFly – Modjeska – April 9 A1A Buffett Tribute Band – Last Call – April 9 Masters Massacre – Crossroads – April 9-10 Honestly – Crossroads – May 7

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The Pourhouse – The Recaps featuring Sassy Brass, Augusta Lynx Post-Game Party Robbie’s Sports Bar – DJ Rusty The Shack – DJ Buckwheat Shannon’s – Bamboo Soul Bar – Entropy Stillwater Tap Room – Dromedary Surrey Tavern – Playback with Tutu D’Vyne Wheeler Tavern – DJ Flashback Buddy

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

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ew York City high school chemistry teacher Elihu McMahon, 69, reports daily to a do-nothing job, at $77,000 a year, as the result of being ordered out of the classroom based on various complaints and administrative findings. In fact, according to a February New York Post story, he has spent about three-fourths of his time in the last 15 years in such jobs (since New York teachers have generous job protections), costing the schools an estimated $600,000 in salary. Among the complaints against him: racist remarks to students (McMahon is black), insubordination, incompetent teaching, improper grading and sexual harassment (although McMahon blames the problems on bad administrators). Finer Points of the Law An 18-year-old man was transferred to youth court, with its more lenient procedures, after he was arrested and charged with stabbing a man to death at a New Year’s Eve party in Edmonton, Alberta. He will not be tried as an adult because the victim was stabbed just before midnight, and the alleged killer did not actually turn 18 until Jan. 1. Magnificent Obsessions • The New York Times reported in February on a Washington, D.C., man whose love of music led him, in the 1960s, to meticulously hand-make and hand-paint facsimile record album covers of his fantasized music, complete with imagined lyric sheets and liner notes (with some “albums” even shrink-wrapped), and, even more incredibly, to hand-make cardboard facsimiles of actual grooved discs to put inside them. “Mingering Mike,” whom a reporter and two hobbyists tracked down (but who declined to be identified in print), also made real music, on tapes, using his and friends’ voices to simulate instruments. His 38 imagined “albums” were discovered at a flea market after Mike defaulted on storagelocker fees, and the hobbyists who found them said they were so exactingly done that a major museum would soon feature them. • Tom Musser, 81, and brother Jack, 84, are ex-cowboys who, for the last 12 years, have made and sold their own one-of-akind, crooked furniture through independent dealers from their home base in Delta, Colo. Their awkward-looking pieces are best sellers (1,600 sales so far), even though each one is almost unavoidably primitive, owing to the fact that the proud Mussers aren’t (in the words of a satisfied customer) “burdened with any knowledge of woodworking.” Said Tom, “We just do what the sticks (the wood) want.” Latest Important Animal Research Case Western Reserve University

researchers revealed in a December journal article that cockroaches do not age gracefully: That after about 60 weeks of adulthood, they get stiff joints (which inhibits climbing) and hardened foot pads (which prevents sticking to vertical surfaces). One of the researchers, noticing that aged roaches seem to have lost their ability to escape from predators, hypothesized that the loss was brain-based; he tested the hypothesis by removing the roach’s head (and, thus, brain), and, sure enough, the roach once again was able to flee like a youngster. The Entrepreneurial Spirit Among recent U.S. patents (according to a January story in the East Bay Express, Emeryville, Calif.): (1) a penile prosthesis with a magnet, from Deborah Knoll-Ewers, Hercules, Calif. (to overcome erectile dysfunction with new-age magnet therapy); (2) a plastic liner for men to use beneath their underwear, from Wesley Johnson, Burbank, Calif. (to keep the clothing clean while engaged in fully dressed sex, such as lap dances); and (3) an electrically safe device that attaches to the tongue, to make it vibrate, from Eric A. Klein, Mountain View, Calif. (to enhance a partner’s sexual pleasure). Recurring Themes “News of the Weird” has remarked several times on the late composer John Cage’s “4’33,” a 273-second “musical” number containing nothing but utter silence. In February 2004, according to a New York Times report, cuts from “White Album” by the band Sonic Youth were being listed for downloading on Apple’s iTunes online store, and included was “Silence,” a 63second cut consisting of no sound at all, for which fans were nonetheless expected to pay the regular iTunes price of 99 cents. (In a subsequent clarification, a Sonic Youth spokesman said “Silence” would only be sold to purchasers who bought all of the album’s cuts.) Undignified Deaths A 41-year-old model airplane hobbyist was killed when his radio-controlled helicopter went haywire and crashed into his neck (Houston, November). A 27-yearold woman was killed when, during calm weather on a suburban street, a 40-foot magnolia tree fell on top of her while she was jogging (Titusville, Fla., December). A 38-year-old man was killed when his pickup truck hit a ditch at 60 mph, with the cause of death later determined to be that the truck’s radio had been jarred loose during the crash sequence and hit him on the head (Timberlake, N.C., January). — Chuck Shepherd © United Press Syndicate

Brezsny’s Free Will

Astr ology ARIES (March 21-April 19)

For too long, grace has eluded you; you have had to fight your way through life. But now your luck is about to turn; your soul will get the refreshment it needs. To celebrate, imagine you’re the one speaking in this poem by Theodore Roethke: “Near the rose, in this grove of sun-parched, windwarped madrones Among the half-dead trees, I came upon the true ease of myself, As if another person appeared out of the depths of my being, And I stood outside myself, Beyond becoming and perishing. A something wholly other, As if I swayed out on the wildest wave alive, And yet was still. And I rejoiced in being what I was.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

In the first “Matrix” movie, the central character, Thomas “Neo” Anderson, gradually begins to suspect that his entire understanding of reality is a delusion. At a key moment, a mysterious ally named Morpheus offers him a choice between two pills. If Neo takes the red pill, Morpheus tells him, he will be able to see the truth he has been blind to. If he swallows the blue pill, he will sink comfortably back into the lie he has been living. I see the coming weeks as a comparable turning point for you, Taurus. Which will it be, the red pill or the blue pill?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

I’ll tell you a little cosmic secret, Gemini. One of the best ways to stay on top — which is where you are now, right? — is to keep paying homage to the bottom. So as you harvest your good fortune in the coming weeks, I suggest you express your gratitude for the painful experiences that have taught you how to thrive. While basking in the glow of people’s praise and attention, recall the parts of you that are still unripe. When you come home after a day of radiant success, take out the garbage.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Last century, Walt Disney coined a word for the inventive engineers who designed the rides and ACROSS

Actress nominee 5 Score 10 Move slowly 14 Onetime newsman ___ Abel 15 Flip over 16 Air-cooled machine gun 17 Cave explorer’s need 18 Where explorer John Cabot was born 19 Take to mean 20 Road repair tools 23 Barbecue items 24 Test for some srs. 25 Program begun under Kennedy 28 “Thou pleasing, dreadful thought,” to Addison

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

What’s the best way to get yourself in sync with the plans that the Goddess has for you? Follow poet Robert Bly’s admonition to “poke holes in your habits.” Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Strike up a conversation with a person you’d normally ignore. Write with your nondominant hand. Try a food you’ve never tasted. Sprinkle seldom-used words like “sublime,” “curiosity” and “reverence” into your conversation. Walk backwards now and then. Slap a crafty grin on your face and wish for something impossible.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Don’t sit there passively, Virgo, hoping that fate will be nice to you. Be aggressive about cultivating good fortune. Drum up and track down the lucky breaks you need. To get you in the mood, I’ve infused the rest of this horoscope with subliminal suggestions that are scientifically formulated to make you a magnet for favors and synchronicities. (Combustion luster verve blaze.) They will set in motion shifts in your inner chemistry that will help other people see how beautiful you are. (Luminous flourish lucid mojo.) Soon you’ll be tuning in to evidence that life is actually conspiring for you to succeed. (Lightning splendor wake-up fuel.)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

I’m always on the lookout for real heroes. Not the celebrities, athletes and other fake heroes endlessly hyped by the mainstream media, but brave innovators who show courageous flair in standing up for what’s right. The good news is that I recently located an actual hero, and he’s a Libra. It’s Gavin

33 Western

hoopster, for short 34 Gillette product 35 Norma Webster’s middle name 36 Shrink 40 Ike’s command in W.W. II 41 “Armageddon” author 42 Film producer credited with discovering Sophia Loren 43 Woody Allenlike 46 Snags 47 Two-time U.S. Open winner 48 “No problem!” 49 Classic geocentric theory 57 Certain sitar piece 58 Cant

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE S T E R A A T W J I H A D

O V E R R A T E

H O H O H O C O S T U M E S

I R A B L R E N S E E B E H A S A N C T R P E O P L I L K O K E Y I N B O R E S E A R I S T M A L I O V I E T N S D A S O A L

E N V I Y A L E R A G F I M R E E T H E Y T L E

W A S I O F A N O R O F A P O A M A R L E U M L L O O R O N V E E S T I R O N S L U A T E R R A D E G R O

P R I M E N O G

59 “___ Road”

(1999 Oprah’s Book Club selection) 60 ___ house (down-home music site) 61 TV exec Arledge 62 Tennis score 63 Silent parts of 20-, 36- and 49-Across 64 Schlepper 65 R-rated, maybe DOWN 1 Sustenance for a sea urchin 2 Joie de vivre 3 White coat 4 Plato’s ideal 5 Where Jonny Moseley won a skiing gold medal 6 “Golden Boy” playwright 7 N.B.A.’s Kukoc 8 Bigmouthed critter 9 Helmets and such 10 Rockne player 11 Former Dodger Hershiser 12 Enthusiasm 13 Periods 21 Nursery buy 22 Elementary letters? 25 Town near Snowmass 26 Mail, in Marseille 27 “Shame ___!” 28 Reason to be good

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

In his book, “America As Empire: Global Leader or Rogue Power?,” Jim Garrison says America has changed from being a republic to an imperial empire. If you’re liberal, you hate this development, and if you’re conservative, you like it; but in any case, the deed is done. The genie won’t go back into the bottle. The question now is, how will America wield its global power? Will it be a bully using brute force to serve its narrow economic aims? Or will it be a gracious sovereign, leading a movement to bring democracy and freedom to every corner of the globe? In my view, Scorpio, you’re facing a small-scale version of this dilemma in your personal sphere. How will you handle the weighty responsibilities that accompany your increasing clout? Will you mostly indulge your selfish interests, or will you work for the good of all?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

It took six years for Mark Salzman to write his novel, “Lying Awake.” When it was done, he told the New Yorker about the tortures he’d put himself through as he fought against writer’s block. During one stretch, he shut out distracting sounds by wrapping a towel around his head. To discourage his cats from crawling on his lap as he wrote, he covered his lower body with aluminum foil. But nothing worked until he fled to a quiet cabin in the woods. “It was like waking from a bad dream,” he said, “— the removal of all the reminders of art as a profession, as a way of making money or gaining a reputation. The book wrote itself in five weeks.” I suspect that after enduring a period akin to Salzman’s arduous warmup, Sagittarius, you’re about to have a cathartic five week breakthrough of your own.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Your imminent future reminds me of the archaeologists in Scotland who celebrated when they

33 37

47 49

30 35

Puzzle by Alan Arbesfeld

29 ___ chic 30 Figure skater

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

It’s check-in time, Pisces. What progress have you been making in your work on this year’s major assignment? As I suggested last December, 2004 will be prime time for learning much, much more about the arts of intimacy. So have you been shedding bad habits and unripe attitudes that in the past interfered with your ability to get the closeness you want? Have you sought teaching from experts who are wise about relationships? Have you vowed to seek unions only with emotionally intelligent people who take responsibility for their own darkness? — © Rob Brezsny

You can call Rob Brezsny, day or night, for your

Expanded Weekly Horoscope

1-900-950-7700

$1.99 per minute • 18 & over • touchtone phone required • C/S 612-373-9785 • www.freewillastrology.com

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

“Be born into the right family. Choose your chromosomes wisely.” So begins a list in which Aquarian heiress Paris Hilton details her secrets of success. “Develop a way of entering a room that looks almost royal — but not snobby,” she continues. “Never have only one cell phone when you can have many. Eat only the worst junk food or the most fabulous food there is, but nothing in between. Only sleep in Egyptian cotton sheets with a 400 to 600 thread count.” I offer you these definitions, Aquarius, in the hope that they’ll inspire you to compose your own list. It’s an ideal time for you to get very specific about how you plan to achieve happiness and fulfillment.

23 25

thought they found the remains of a ninth-century Viking village. Upon further review, however, they realized it was actually the site of a suburban patio from the 1940s. Like them, Capricorn, you will probably be disappointed in your initial forays into the mysterious depths; what you unearth will rouse hopes that are quickly dashed. Unlike the archaeologists, though, you will eventually locate treasure lying beneath the discredited discovery — if you keep digging, that is.

Slutskaya 31 Toothsome 32 Himalayan sightings 34 Longfellow’s bell town 37 Fool 38 Silly trick

39 Guiding light 44 Circuit breakers 45 Adjective

51 Blackguard 52 Buck chaser?

53 Jerome Kern’s sometimes used “___ Love” with 60-Across 54 Cry before 46 1970’s applause Plymouth 48 Bakery treat 55 Pop singer Carmen 49 Brace 50 Mending stuff 56 Countless

For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.20 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. Online subscriptions: Today's puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($34.95 a year). Crosswords for young solvers: The Learning Network, nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

New York Times Crossword Puzzle

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attractions for Disneyland: imagineers. In anticipation of the creativity I expect will flow through you this week, Cancerian, I’m going to describe you, too, as an imagineer. It’s not that I expect you to literally invent a radical new variation on a roller coaster or anything. But there’s a good chance you’ll come up with brilliant innovations in the way you have fun.

Newsom, mayor of San Francisco, a Rosa Parkslike figure in the crusade to extend a full array of civil liberties to gays. In his calm fight for fairness, in his skillful use of logic to deal with emotionally charged issues and in his artful approach to breaking an absurd taboo against joy and passion, he has embodied the highest expression of your sign’s potentials. I recommend that you imitate his approach in your own sphere during the coming weeks.

The Advice Goddess

Amy Alkon

have a fantastic new girlfriend. I could really see having a future with her. She says she feels the same. There’s just one problem: She’s in a rock group, and they’re recording an album. I know her music means a lot to her, but I worry that her career will overtake our relationship. Am I wrong to feel this way? What can I do to keep the relationship alive? — Worried Boyfriend

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

viewing pleasure!

Hollywood is just crammed with aspiring movie idols and rock legends. They’re called waitresses. If every one of them made it big overnight, the hostess at the Polo Lounge would take Steven Spielberg and David Geffen to their table, then tell them, “When you’re ready, go help yourself to whatever’s still left in the fridge.” Sooner or later, all the moguls would starve to death. Sure, your girlfriend might leave you for some rock stud if she makes it big — just as she might leave you for some busboy or parking attendant if she makes it small. There’s really no telling what her future holds — except that it’s unlikely to be you if you sit around quaking with fear that you’re going to get the silver stiletto-heeled boot. Instead, turn to the wisdom of the under-appreciated, late-20th-century philosopher, Cyndi Lauper: “Girls just want to have fun.” OK, so Cyndi’s no Kierkegaard, but she’s right. Sure, it’s tempting to grab your girlfriend’s ankle and hang on with the death grip you’d use to save yourself from going over Niagara Falls. You really couldn’t do anything dumber. And why go to the trouble? Just have a good time with her today, and there’s a very good chance she’ll agree to whatever good time you’re proposing for tomorrow. No, this is not your cue to start memorizing “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Fun.” Actually, there’s nothing quite as unfun as a guy working overtime at being fun. Luckily, your girlfriend already seems to find you at least amusing — unless she’s only with you for your material merits; perhaps your stunning, 1992 primer-gray Hyundai with the duct-taped back bumper? Now, don’t be too quick to pat yourself on the back for being a one-man Disneyland. It’s actually the two of you, having fun together, right then and there — not huddling together to ponder the philosophical implications of the fun you might have in years to come. In other words, stop worrying about your future as a

My boyfriend messed around with a girl when we broke up briefly a while back. Yesterday, I found a letter from her, dated five days ago, that said stuff like: “I had fun the other night,” “I love you, too” and “Do you want to be with me or with her?” I packed his things and kicked him out. Every time I call he acts like nothing’s wrong, so I yell at him. Now he won’t answer my calls. What can I do? — Crushed Look down at your feet. Do you notice a boyfriend throwing himself at them, begging for forgiveness? If not, this girl’s “I love you, too” probably didn’t come in response to his “You’ve got a big green thing stuck between your teeth.” Lucky for him, he had that letter to do his dirty work. Where did you find it, accidentally taped to your mirror? Unfortunately, redialing him until your fingers bleed won’t make him realize he’s made a terrible mistake. You might, however, come to that conclusion about yourself — and avoid repeating it in the future. Just take your eyes off your feet and look back at what you least want to see: all the neon signs screaming “bad boyfriend risk” long before he left you a breakup note penned by an unwitting third party. — © 2004, Amy Alkon

Got A Problem? Write Amy Alkon 171 Pier Ave. Box 280

www.metrospirit.com

couple, and you might come to have one. Just move into the moment, do a lot of living while you’re there and hire an expert to remove the stains from the walls and the rugs. There is one bit of future-think you might sneak into your in-the-moment fun — how worried you are about the hernia you’ll get from lugging around piles of her platinum records. (Outlandishly unrealistic votes of confidence are most convincing when disguised as medical issues.) Of course, your real worry, right now, is the hernia you’re sure to get from pushing the entire band in their 1972 VW tour bus after their transmission falls out — again. While you’re supporting her ambitions, cultivate a few of your own. (A little something to live for in case she ditches you.) As a fringe benefit, you’re more likely to be of extended interest to her if you have plans for your own future — beyond picturing yourself weeping uncontrollably as Spielberg and Geffen fight to the death for the last piece of leftover roast chicken — when and if Hollywood suddenly goes all stars/no slaves. ____________________________________

Santa Monica, CA 90405 AdviceAmy@aol.com

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Male Black Divorced Female Hispanic Christian Long-term Relationship

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Gay White Asian Single Jewish Professional Non-Drinker Non-smoker

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METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

COMPANIONSHIP DWF, 50, interested in gardening, antiques and traveling. Churchgoer. Seeking DWM, 48-58, for loving, tender relationship. !732056 BE MY TEDDY BEAR SWF, 32, 5’3’’, 180lbs, auburn/blue, no kids, never married, enjoys movies, sports, travel, dining, bowling, cuddling, quiet evenings. Seeking honest, romantic SBM, similar interests, for dating, possible LTR. !894568 FRIEND IN FAITH SBF, 47, Capricorn, N/S, involved with church, very creative, artistic, designs tile and cards. Seeking BCM, 44-58, involved with church, who loves the Lord. !707742 SEEKING HONESTY SBF, 37, full-figured enjoys dining out, movies, reading, music, laughter, parks, and much more. Seeking similar SB/WF, 32-50, for friendship, maybe more. !964698 THE BOMB SWF, 18, with a full figure, seeks a male, 1825, who enjoys movies, dinner, for friendship and possibly more with time. !955355 COULD THIS BE YOU? SBF, 45, 5’4”, full-figured, Taurus, N/S, enjoys church, dining out, reading, and quiet times at home. ISO BM, 45-65, N/S, for LTR. !810309 ENDANGERED SPECIES SBF, 57, average build, independent, likes the good things life has to offer, fun to be with. Seeking SBM, 55-68, independent, honest and caring. !927805 CLOSER TO FINE SBF, 58, retired school teacher, N/S, enjoys traveling and tv. Seeking BM, 50-65, educated (high school at least, please), who enjoys having good clean fun. !909981 ISO CHRISTIAN VALENTINE SWCF, 61, outgoing, Libra, N/S, seeks SWCM, 59-65, with whom to share Christ, friendship, and laughter. Must be family-oriented, kind, outgoing, emotionally/financially secure. Let’s give our friendship a try. !911830 DREAM GUY SBF, 29, searching for open-minded, outgoing SM, 22-38, military man A+, for friendship, fun nights out, dancing, talks and maybe more. !836990 TALL BROWN SUGAR SBF, 25, 5’9”, N/S, enjoys movies, concerts, quiet times, and good music. Seeking WM, 23-30, N/S, no children. !906840 WANNA DANCE? SWF, 57, seeks dance partner for Salsa and Square Dancing! Any size, shape, big or tall, short or small, matters not! It’s the footwork that counts! Beginner-intermediate level. !898986 I WANT TO LOVE YOU SBF, 18, 5’2”, Cancer, enjoys writing poetry, walks on the beach, hanging out and enjoying life. Seeking BM, 18-24, who will treat her right, and expects the same in return. !880193 WAITING FOR YOU SB mom, 24, Virgo, seeks a man for days at the park, the mall, or at the movies, and spending time with family and friends. !883496

HIKER HEAVEN SWF, 45, full-figured, N/S, enjoys church, exploring, old movies, auctions, and gym. Seeking WM, 46-56, N/S. Let’s make tracks together. !807679 ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE Honest SWF, 28, 5’10”, 210lbs, blonde/blue, enjoys classic rock, horror movies, and quiet nights at home. Seeking SW/HM, 18-40, for friendship, possible LTR. !874789 LOVE OF LIFE Attractive, classy, vivacious SWCF, 50ish, N/S, N/D, seeks SWCM, N/S, N/D, who is honest, financially/mentally secure, and ready for commitment. !875741 SIMPLE KIND OF LIFE SWF, 34, listens to country and oldies music, and wants to meet a man to cuddle up on the couch and watch a good movie, or enjoy other simple pleasures. !860787 JAZZY MISS Slender and attractive SBPF, 31, loves music, conversation, travel. Seeking kind, friendly, honest and family-oriented SBM, 30-38, for fun times. !865339 LOOKING FOR ME Female, 34, Leo, smoker, seeks man, 25-38, for romance, real friendship, with similar interests, possibly more later on. !844726 OLD-FASHIONED LADY SWCF, 48, 5’3”, 150lbs, blonde/green, Scorpio, N/S, enjoys church, Bible studies, music, dining out. Seeking SWCM, 35-60, N/S, for friendship and more. !840939 SOMEONE TO LOVE SWF, 48, enjoys a good horror movie, a drama or a comedy. Seeking a man for romance, quiet times at home, or just dancing the night away! !832399 ADVENTUROUS MOM SBF, 29, Cancer, N/S, loves beaches, horror movies, and horseback riding. Seeking man, 25-40, N/S, strong-minded, who loves kids. !808682 LOVES TO BOWL WF, 48, petite, Capricorn, N/S, enjoys Chicano cuisines. Seeking WM, 46-59, N/S, very outgoing, for LTR. !806136 HI! I’m a 49-year-old SWF and I WLTM a onewoman’s man, very lonely person. I WLTM a gentleman who would to be good to me and treat me w/kindness and gentleness. !793024 A VERY SERIOUS WOMAN SBPF, 34, mother of 3, nurse, independent and secure, enjoys church, movies, dining. looking for commitment-minded, level-headed, spiritual, spontaneous, respectful man, who truly appreciates a good woman. Sound like you? !777612 AQUARIUS SEEKING SWF, 46, 5’6”, smoker, enjoys cuddling, movies, gardening. Seeking honest, handsome SWM, 40-50, with similar interests, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. !759515 SEARCHING FOR MR RIGHT SBPF, 39, Libra, loves church, traveling, movies, and dining out. Seeking SBPM, 3760, for possible LTR. !421273 YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO SBF, 39, Leo, N/S, seeks BM, 38-45, downto-earth, very direct and straightforward, to have fun with. !582549 WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE? SWF, 48, Cancer, N/S, seeks WM, 40-56, who wants to have a great relationship. Why not give me a call? You never know. !511453

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To respond to ads using a HEART OF GOLD SWM, 31, 6’3”, 210lbs, brown/blue, enjoys reading, movies, travel, sports. Seeking outgoing, attractive SF, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. !556440

DOGGONE LOVEABLE SWM, 37, Gemini, smoker, nature and animal lover (especially puppies), seeks outgoing, down-to-earth man, 20-70, for friendship. !909184 FUN-FILLED DAYS AWAIT SBM, 24, enjoys taking trips, nice restaurants, fun evenings, dancing, quality time together. Seeking masculine SBM, 20-55, for possible relationship. !894435 TAKE A CHANCE GWM, 43, 6’2”, 195lbs, black brown, seeks other GWM, for fun times and maybe something more. !493530 EASY TO TALK TO SWM, 48, loves good Italian or French cuisine, and is looking for a man who is easy to get along with, for romance. !870126 ACTIVE SBM SBM, 49, Pisces, N/S, enjoys bowling, movies, playing sports, seeks compatible BM, 30-46, N/S, with similar interests. !846543 HEALTHY AND FIT SBM, 25, 5’5”, 170lbs, masculine, nighttime inventory stocker, Capricorn, N/S, enjoys working out. Seeking energetic, passionate, masculine WM, 20-50, N/S. !708544 GLOVERVILLE GUY GWM, Capricorn, N/S, loves bars, karaoke, cooking out, and pool. Seeking GWM, 28-49, smoker, to cuddle up with. !936256 LET’S SADDLE UP SWM, 27, 5’8”, brown/brown, Virgo, smoker, loves horses, camping (with or without the horses), and traveling. Seeking man, 25-40, who can ride, ride, ride. !921725 LOOKING FOR COOL CAT... to converse with. SBM, 34, Capricorn, N/S, game and drama-free, seeks BM, 26-48, serious-minded, with sense of direction in life. !889038 LET’S GET TOGETHER GWPM, 37, 5’9”, brown/brown, who enjoys reading, movies, politics, entertainment, seeks a guy for dating, possibly growing into more. !883365 I WANT TO MEET YOU! GBM, 32, 5’7”, average build, Pisces, N/S, likes reading, movies, dining out, travel, sports. Seeking outgoing, caring GWM, 2445, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. !850885 SEEKS MAN WITH DIRECTION GBM, 33, Capricorn, N/S, seeks understanding, level-headed, secure GBM, 25-48, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. !854633 INTERESTED? Independent SWM, 37, 5’8”, 150lbs, brown/brown, would like to meet fun-loving, honest, real, professional, secure female to share dates, talks, walks, dinners and romance. !848764 FUN TO HANG AROUND WITH GWM, 52, 5’2”, smoker, enjoys playing pool, having fun, seeks outgoing GWM, 40-55, smoker, with similar interests. !844895 SEEKING SPECIAL GENTLEMAN SBM, 33, 6’2”, 245lbs, Taurus, N/S, likes movies, camping, music, reading, sports. Seeking out GM, 35-48, for friendship, possible romance. !824261

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

How do you

FRIENDSHIP FIRST GWM, 26, 5’3”, athletic build, N/S, likes sports, working out, travel, reading, swimming. Seeking non-smoking GW/AM, 20-26, with similar interests. !764332 GREAT PERSONALITY SBM, 18, 6’3”, 220lbs, masculine build, seeking SBM, 18-29, very masculine, energetic, fun-loving, to go out for dinners, walks and more. !627150 RELAXING AT HOME SBM, 35, Virgo, N/S, likes relaxing at home, fun, concerts, trips going to the beach. Seeks fun, spontaneous SBM, 26-37, N/S. !532700 LET’S MEET FOR COFFEE Good-looking GWM, 36, 6’, 200lbs, muscular, tan, enjoys working out, yard work, spending time with my dogs. Looking for attractive SM, 32-48, for dating, maybe leading to LTR. !436231 ME IN A NUTSHELL WM, 18, brown/blue, medium build, looking for fun, outgoing, energetic guy, 18-30, for movies, hanging out, quiet evenings at home, and more. Friends first, maybe becoming serious. !425471

SOMETHING SPECIAL DWF, 45, 5’8”, 145lbs, two kids at home, loves heavy metal music. Seeking SWF, 3050, likes being around kids, for possible LTR. !945525 WHY WAIT? SWF, 38, 5’6”,140lbs, short brown hair, easygoing, enjoys playing golf, the beach. Seeking feminine female, 20-40, to have fun times and more. !448489 AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUD Open-minded, spontaneous, laid-back SBF, 23, Pisces, N/S, loves R&B and old-school music. Seeking feminine woman, 25-50, race not important, who loves to have fun. !919677 READY TO HAVE FUN! SF, 25, seeks femme, 25-35, race not important, who is nice, pretty, slim. Let’s talk and get to know one another! !895256 WAITING FOR YOU SBF, 19, is in search of a friend first, maybe more with time, with a lady who likes to get out and have fun. !874312 ONLY A WOMAN WILL KNOW GBF, Capricorn, N/S, likes reading, movies, dining out, travel, sports. Seeking outgoing, caring GWF, 27-52, N/S, with similar interests, for dating and more. !850614

LOVES CHILDREN Easygoing, nice SF, 32, looking for someone with the same qualities, 29-39, and a people person. !388943

THE SWEETEST THING SBF, 26, 5’8”, 145lbs, wants to get out and have fun with a new friend, maybe more with time. !832018

1 YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR BiWF, 27, enjoys everything, promises you won’t regret it. If you’re looking for a good time and friendship, I’ll be perfect for you. !830500 PLAYS GUITAR, WRITES... poetry, and rollerblades. NativeAmerican/African-American female, 18, 5’5”, 117lbs, very toned, laid-back, a goofball at times, N/S, seeks woman, 18-29. !818596 BONEVILLE BABE SWF, 31, 5’5”, 130lbs, brown/green, smoker, enjoys playing golf, movies, and picnics at the lake. Seeking WF, 25-40, for friends, possibly more. !818908 DIVA WITH DIMPLES Independent DWF, 23, Gemini, smoker, enjoys hip-hop, R&B, and country music. Seeking WF, 20-30, smoker, for friendship, possible romance. !808179 GET TO KNOW ME SBF, 25, Taurus, N/S, enjoys movies, travel. Seeking woman, 21-30, N/S, for friendship, possible romance. !803723 A LOT TO OFFER Non-smoking GBF, 37, N/S, seeks very attractive, unique, romantic, fun, intelligent, feminine GF, 27-37, for friendship, dating, possibly more. !749660 JUST THE FACTS SBPF, 41, Libra, N/S, seeks PF, age and race unimportant, who enjoys dining out, quiet times at home, and movies, for LTR. !730225 ENJOYS BOWLING SBF, 32, Gemini, N/S, 5’3”, 145lbs, mother of one, enjoys movies, the mall, dining, going out to eat, bowling, quiet times at home, seeks woman, 21-38, for friendship, possible romance. !646271

much more than just a great way to meet peo ple.

SEEKING ADVENTURE SWPM, 44, 6’2”, slender, Sagittarius, smoker, loves to travel. Seeking woman, 18-30, slender or average-sized. !910584 I LOVE MY DOG... but I can’t take her to the movies. Puerto Rican SHM, 22, 5’9”, long curly (sometimes braided) hair, smoker, works in collections. Seeking BF, 18-40, for friendship, possible romance. !914936 LET’S TALK! SBM, 19, 6’, 145lbs, looking for a female, 1829, who is down-to-earth, knows how to have fun! !900587 LOOKING FOR MS. RIGHT SWM, 37, 5’9”, 180lbs, enjoys biking, sports, travel, dining out. Seeking outgoing, attractive SF, with similar interests, for friendship, possible LTR. !557954 HOW DO I SOUND TO YOU? Handsome, financially secure SWM, 54, enjoys the outdoors, long walks, swimming, dining out, biking and much more. Seeking intelligent, caring, trustworthy SW/AF, 38-55, for friendship, maybe more. !960841 SEEKING SOMEONE SPECIAL SBM, 61, Virgo, smoker, likes reading, movies, dining out, travel. Seeking outgoing, caring woman, 18-55, with similar interests, for LTR. !850674 A LITTLE TLC DWM, 49, 5’11”, 195lbs, homeowner, financially secure, enjoys cooking, home life, motorcycle riding. Looking for attractive WF, 35-50, with similar interests. !938440 PLEASE, PLEASE ME SWM, 32, N/S, N/D, is looking for a woman, 27-35, with a petite build, to share good times, conversations and maybe more. !871092 TENDER, LOVING CARE SWM, 40, enjoys sports, hanging out and just having fun. Seeking a lady who needs more romance in her life. !895728 CONTACT ME! DM, 34, 160lbs, sandy blond, would like to meet a female, 19-38, for movies, dining, and more! !891732 MUST LOVE THE LORD SBM, 56, 5’7’’, N/S, likes sports, gospel music, exercise, steak. Seeking SBF, 39-42, N/S, for friendship first, see what develops. !891808 YOU AND ME SHM, 30, 5’7”, black/black, with tanned skin, enjoys sports, and is looking for a woman, 20-32, to share the fun stuff of life. !881180 A NEW YEAR SBM, 29, 5’7”, 145lbs, with a handsome face, seeks a woman who is petite, pretty, and occasionally crazy, to hang out, maybe more. !884263 AVERAGE JOE SWM, 52, is in search of a woman who enjoys games of golf, riding motorcycles, trips to the beach, or anything with the right guy. !861645 GIVE ME A TRY SBM, 30, Virgo, N/S, likes reading, movies, dining out, travel, sports. Seeking outgoing, caring woman, 18-40, N/S, with similar interests, for LTR. !851101 GIVE ME A CALL SWM, 40, 5’8”, 185lbs, salt-n-pepper/green, N/S, enjoys fishing, horseback riding, stargazing, martial arts, reading, quiet times home. Seeking that special woman to share life, laughs and maybe love. !834688 WELL-ROUNDED MAN Educated SBPM, 41, 5’11”, loves reading, working out, the arts, dining out, travel, quiet times. Would like to meet SWF, 30-45, with similar interests, for fun, friendship, and maybe more. !442021

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Classifieds Alt. Lifestyles

THE COLISEUM

Premier Entertainment Complex & High Energy Dance Music

Thursday, Mar 18th Karaoke with Dana $50 Prize Friday, Mar 19th Drink Specials: Tracy’s Birthday Bash FRI & SAT with Sasha and Dianne Famous Beer Bust All You Can Drink $9 Saturday, Mar 20th Joel & Charity’s Birthday Bash $1.00 Well and Domestic Beer 9 - 11 Friday and Saturday Open Mon-Fri 8pm-3am Sat 8pm-2:30am

Fri & Sat. No Cover Before 10 p.m. 1632 Walton Way • Augusta, GA

706-733-2603

Email: ColiseumAugusta@aol.com

Mind, Body & Spirit

MARLBORO STATION

Begin a New Career in Massage Therapy

Aiken’s Ultimate Dance Club ! !

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$1.00 D ra Every N ft ight All Nigh t

Train for a Rewarding Career in Massage Therapy in only 7 months Call Today for Details!

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“UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP” STARLIGHT CABARET THURS - Dance Party FRI - Claire Storm

SAT - Ravion Starr SUN- Petite Dejonville

733-2040

141 Marlboro Street, N.E. Aiken S.C. • 803-644-6485

DOORS OPEN AT 9:00 • 18 to Party • 21 to Drink >> No Cover With This Ad <<

Augusta School of Massage Inc.

Equipment WOLFF TANNING BEDS

AFFORDABLE • CONVENIENT Tan At Home Payments From $25/month FREE Color Catalog Call Today 1-800-842-1305 (03/25#8320)

Services

Poor Water Drainage? • French Drains • Gutter Drains • Catch Basins • Erosion Control • Waterproofing • Crawl Space

GUARANTEED SOLUTIONS

3512 1/2 Wheeler Road • Augusta, GA 30909 Private Investigator

READINGS BY

Parliament House C A R D R E A D I N G S

www.metrospirit.com Business Opportunity Be your own boss! Unlimited income potential marketing a service everyone needs. Low star t-up-cost; training provided. Call Lisa Barret t, Independent Associate, 706.210.5530 (03/18#8375)

General Help Wanted 59 People needed to lose weight! All natural, doctor recommended 100% Guaranteed Call for free sample, 706-284-7650 (03/25#8368)

Announcements

Call 738-1142 to place your Classified ad!

Premier Investigations •Domestic •Child Custody •Surveillance •Background Checks 706-869-1667 (03/18#8390)

Travel

Music

Love & Light Healing Center 2477 Wrightsboro Road 706-733-8550 or cell 951-1300 (03/25#8370)

Dead Bodies Wanted

Cadillac’s Carnival Cruise Four days to the Bahamas September 26, 2004 All inclusive: • Meals • Enter tainment • ALCOHOL & NON-ALCOHOLIC Beverages For a low price, star ting at $410.00/pp Book now for a great vacation with your friends and the staff from Cadillac's. For details call 414-9392 or 828-5800 at The Vacation Shoppe (03/25#8380)

Metropolitan Community Church of Our Redeemer A Christian Church reaching to all: including Gay, Lesbian, and Transgendered Christians. Meeting at 557 Greene Street, 11 am and 6 pm each Sunday. 722-6454 MCCOurRedeemer@aol.com www.mccoor.com (03/18#8128)

We want your dead junk or scrap car bodies. We tow away and for some we pay. 706/829-2676

706/798-9060

Turn Your “Trash”* Into Cash! Sell your unwanted items or advertise your garage or yard sale in Metro Spirit Classifieds.

Call 738-1142 We accept VISA or Mastercard. *And remember ... one person’s trash is another man’s treasure.

MASTERS PARTY? Live jazz for Masters gatherings, private par ties, weddings, etc. Acoustic Jazz Quintet. Book Now! Call 738-5606 (03/25#8379)

Love’s Wedding Chapel All types of ceremonies NO BLOOD TEST!!!! NO WAITING PERIOD!!!!

Wheels

Religion

Sales

706-869-9988

www.sundownconstruction.com

Unlimited Long-Distance & Local Calling One Price, One Bill, One Company Keep Your Same Phone # Call 1-800-392-4050 Eula NEX X Independent Rep www.nex xrep.com/134741 (03/25#8377)

Professional Massage By experienced male. Designed for healthy men 18 - 55 only. A great way to relax House & Hotel Calls Only 706-589-9139 (03/18#8394) Full Body Massage! Therapeutic tension relief, intense or tender touch, relaxing music, aromatherapy, by appointment only - $49.00/hr. Call Joy - 706-771-9470 or John - 803-361-8811 (03/18#8398)

LICENSED • INSURED

Telephone Service

341 S. Belair Rd. Open from 9 a.m. til 9 p.m. Call (706) 733-5851

Rosedale Transport Needs OTR Drivers, both team and solo. If you have one year experience, CDL Class A with haz-mat, good driving record. Home weekly, 1-800-486-3681 (03/18#8378)

GRAND OPENING Proactiv Skincare Solution Expanding into the Augusta area Looking for professional sales manager and sales staff. Hiring enthusiastic people, oriented team players. Retail experience preferred. Not Required. Please call 404-395-4410 (03/18#8395)

RAY WILLIAMSON & ASSOCIATES Private Investigations 17 years experience Domestic Relations and Child Custody Cases Licensed and Bonded in Georgia & Carolina 706-854-9672 or 706-854-9678 fax (03/18#8389)

METRO SPIRIT - MARCH 18, 2004

FOR WOMEN ONLY Women of The Augusta Naturists will be holding a WINR (Women in Nude Recreation) information meeting for prospective female nudists April 15, 2004 If interested, please call 278-1835 for information. Sorry guys, this is for LADIES ONLY! ht tp://www.knology.net/~nudlikeme2/main.htm (03/18#8397)

Employment

Mrs. Graham, Psychic Reader, Advises on all affairs of life, such as love, marriage, and business. She tells your past, present and future. Mrs. Graham does palm, tarot card, and Chakra balancing. She specializes in relationships and reuniting loved ones.

SPECIAL READINGS WITH CARD

MRS. GRAHAM