Metro Spirit 03.28.2013 by Metro Spirit

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GabrielVega|lead designer gabe@themetrospirit.com

BrendaCarter|senior account executive brenda@themetrospirit.com

AmyChristian|arts editor/production director amy@themetrospirit.com

JoeWhite|publisher joe@themetrospirit.com

JohnnyBeckworth|circulation manager johnny@themetrospirit.com

Michael-RKQVRQ_VLJKWLQJV Valerie(PHULFN_ZULWHU Amy3HUNLQV_HGLWRULDO LQWHUQ Laura3HUU\_YROXQWHHU KristinHawkins|editorial intern

WHINELINE

blocks away. Normally I would not mind walking, but downtown Augusta did i want to say that im very against hilary clinton and joe not feel safe. It was poorly biden on same sex marriage lit and we saw no police or when god create adam and hardly any people for that matter. We were approached eve not adam steve 4 times in a five block walk by bums reeking of alcohol I was just in Augusta for a convention downtown. I was and urine asking for money. Our group consisted of not impressed! There was no shuttle service provided all middle aged women. Suffice to say, we will not from the hotel about 5

be returning to Augusta for another convention. For what we paid to come to Augusta we could have gone to a much nicer destination like Charleston or Savannah. So let’s see some facts about who got the contract out-of-town for those 40 cars for the sheriff’s dept. Was the company “friends” or relatives in any way with

Roundtree or any of his higher ups? Would local dealers say they can match such prices? There is no “Alice in Chains” without Layne Staley. Using his image and voice to promote this tour is disgraceful (and false advertising)! Jerry Cantrell should have changed the name (Alice Unchained?)

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EricJohnson|news editor eric@themetrospirit.com

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INSIDER RUFFIN’ IT AUSTIN RHODES

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Metro Spirit is a freee newspaper published publis weekly on Thursday, 52 weeks eks a year. Editorial coverage includes local ocal al issues and news, arts, arts entertainment, entert people, places and pectrum. The he views do not necessarily represent present the views of the th publisher. publish Visit us at metrospirit.com. m.© events. In our paperr appear views from across the political and social spectrum. ner/Publisher: Joe White. Legal: Phillip Scott Hibbard. Reproduction or use without permissio p person, perso please. 15 House, LLC. Owner/Publisher: permission is prohibited. One copy per

CONTENTS

Remanufacturing Success: Local man builds business through rebuilding The Full Monty: Augusta Entertainment Complex general manager’s growing reputation

COVER DESIGN: KRUHU COVER PHOTO: JWHITE

out of respect. Without the magic of Layne’s unique voice and compelling personality the band is boring. Stay away. Want to advertise in the Metro Spirit? 706.496.2535 or 706.373.3636 (continued on page 42)

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INSIDER@THEMETROSPIRIT.COM Insider is an anonymous, opinion-based examination of the hidden details of Augusta politics and personalities.

SIDER

Masterstroke of Misery Reversed? Last year Canadian Dave Rawlings and his wife, Dianne, sold their Masters tickets to a stranger from Illinois as they left the course early Tuesday afternoon. They spent the rest of the day in jail. “We were walking out and this guy came over and asked if we were finished with the tickets,” Rawlings says. “I told him that we never got them scanned so he wouldn’t be able to get back in, but he said he’d take the chance. We were going to give them to him for nothing, but he gave us $50 because he didn’t feel right taking the tickets for nothing.” This is what the Spirit reported last April. Luckily, his wife had $500 in her wallet. That was enough to bail him out of jail, albeit four hours later. One of the guys who was in there with them took him back to the Augusta National, where he got his car and went looking for an ATM so he could withdraw another $500 and bail his wife out. They were apprehended at 1:15 p.m. and he didn’t get her out until 7:30. According to Sheriff Ronnie Strength at the time, six plain-clothed officers were working the Masters that year. Between them, they made around 40 arrests, six or eight more than the year before. “It’s for the benefit of the patrons,” Strength said. “The reason we do it is because people are harassed for tickets so much as they’re leaving.” At the time Rawlings told the Metro Spirit, “I could see it if they had a sign up saying that beyond this point transferring tickets is illegal, but they didn’t. And how many people go online and see what the scalping laws are, especially when you have to run the gauntlet of so many people buying and selling tickets just to get to the course?” Strength, however, remained indifferent to the idea that anyone was unfairly trapped by the ambiguity of the no-sell zone. “They don’t post signs telling you not to rob a bank,” he says. As for the Rawlings, he couldn’t come back to the tournament even if he wanted to. “They already told me I’d have to get somebody else to put my name in,” he says. “There will be a red flag beside mine.” We contacted the new administration concerning the new sheriff’s approach. We were told in no uncertain terms that there will be plainclothed officers patrolling the area, but they will be focused on targeting professional scalpers, not couples such as the Rawlings. “We certainly want to avoid the controversy,” they said. We applaud the move and hope it’s true, but until the National stops worrying about intruding on the refinement of the occasion and actually starts posting some warning signs, it’s bound to happen again. Sure, there aren’t signs that tell you not to rob a bank, but people aren’t robbing banks everywhere you look and getting away with it. It is a monumental failure to not communicate the rules.

Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement

Augusta-Richmond County Public Library Presents: Poet and Author

Frank X. Walker reading and discussing poems from Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers This program is free and open to the public!

Thursday, April 4, 2013 | 6:30– 8:30 p.m. | Headquarters Library | 823 Telfair Street 4

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Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, Obviously, amazon.com considers itself big enough to ignore Georgia law and get away with it. Last year, the legislature passed and Governor Nathan Deal signed into law a bill that required companies like Amazon, who have affiliates in this state, to collect sales tax on purchases made in Georgia. The bill went into effect on January 1, 2013, but Amazon continues to make sales here without collecting sales tax. As a result, local Georgia businesses who have to charge sales tax are suffering. As they continue to lose customers and are forced to scale back operations or shutter their doors completely, our communities will continue to feel the impact. It’s time for Amazon to obey Georgia law. It’s also time for our federal officials to take action. Amazon operates all over the country, which means small businesses nationwide are suffering from the same unfair tactics by online competitors like Amazon. There is a bill before Congress — the Marketplace Fairness Act — that would require all businesses in the U.S. to collect sales tax on purchases, regardless of whether they are a local shop or an online outlet. Georgia’s congressional delegation needs to support this bill and fight for its passage today, not tomorrow. Sincerely, Larry Moore, president Trucks and Moore

Tape it to the Fridge It’s no secret that there’s not much trust displayed these days in the Lee Beard Commission Chamber, and it’s certainly no accident that the commissioners and Administrator Fred Russell sit in physical opposition to one another. “Fred never follows through,” the commissioners complain. “We tell him to do something and it never gets done.” And talking about never getting done — commissioners had a field day discussing how little progress has been made regarding the $500,000 disparity study, which is now in legal need of updating. Lots of fingers pointing in lots of directions on that one. But when it comes it the goals and objectives Russell brought before commissioners, it might do well to jot some of them down just to see whether or not they actually do get done. To make it easier, he even provided some dates. ~ Develop a citywide beautification plan to address gateways, streetscapes, litter and trash management and code enforcement by May 1. ~ Inventory all abandoned and dilapidated houses by district and chart the timeline for clearance or removal by May 1. ~ Complete the reorganization of the Human Resources Department by June 1. ~ Develop a succession-planning document for top management positions by August. ~ Create a committee on local and regional economic development and charge it with preparing a report and plan by September that addresses the impact of the university merger, industrial and retail development, rural and downtown development and regionalism. ~ Create a committee to study transit issues and develop a plan to improve and increase services while reviewing the current provider and determining steps forward by September. ~ Continue to work on stormwater drainage (ongoing). That’s just a partial list, but still — it might be fun to pull it out this fall and see what got done and whether or not anyone else remembers.

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Whoo-Hoo!

Political Face-Palm Hall of Fame nominees… and some good news! This past week, like most weeks, featured a dizzying array of things to get infuriated about. To be fair, it’s not like I don’t enjoy writing about things that work me up into a frenzy, in much the same way some Metro Spirit readers can’t help making a crack about my day job every third issue or so (you’re right, by the way; I can slice limes like a son of a bitch). Ours is a masochistic, symbiotic discourse, readers. And I do appreciate it; without your responses, my editors couldn’t justify the monthly care package of shrimp-flavored Ramen and “Archer” DVDs that serve as my compensation. It’s a matter of easy targets, and there is no easier target than Michelle Bachmann, Skeletor facehaver and my first pick for this week’s milquetoast, journalistic flaying. It’s not like it surprises me anymore when or that Bachmann butchers logic and language; if you could tangibly amass all the misquoted facts and outright lies Bachmann has told over the years, they would outnumber even the legion of spider-babies Ann Coulter nurses in her lair every full moon. So, in the grand scheme of things, it was no big deal when Bachmann urged Congress to repeal Obamacare — which you may recognize as something that Republicans have already tried twice, once for real and once as a publicity stunt/ temper tantrum — before it begins “to kill people.” Keep in mind, this is a national leader who also thinks you can pray away the gay (or at least shut your eyes, plug your ears and shake your head back and forth while screaming “LA LA LA LA LA LA!”). Michelle Bachmann thinks… wait, no. I was going to come up with something clever, but “Michelle Bachmann thinks” is hyperbole enough. She’s even being investigated now for alleged financial shenanigans in her 2012 campaign. At this point, it’s just kinda like watching Stalin stub his toe. Just behind Bachmann in the Political FacePalm Hall of Fame vote count, NRA boss Wayne LaPierre — who looks like Mitch McConnell mated with another Mitch McConnell — has a beef with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, crusader against high fructose corn syrup and founder of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, over the latter’s recent $12 million advertising campaign promoting gun control legislation.

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METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

LaPierre insists that Bloomberg is attempting to “buy America,” despite the fact that a majority of the country — not to mention a good number of actual NRA members — support most of the proposed legislation. LaPierre is so unfamiliar with scare tactics, he thinks “Reefer Madness” is a viable drug deterrent at Pentecostal churches. No, but see, I’m choosing to ignore most of this for the time being, because the American Academy of Pediatrics — aka the organization whose sole job it is to watch over, study, research and monitor the well-being of our nation’s children — just came out in advocacy of marriage equality. Not only that, but they have social science to back it up. The abstract on their official online journal reads: “Extensive data available from more than 30 years of research reveal that children raised by gay and lesbian parents have demonstrated resilience with regard to social, psychological, and sexual health despite economic and legal disparities and social stigma. Many studies have demonstrated that children’s well-being is affected much more by their relationships with their parents, their parents’ sense of competence and security, and the presence of social and economic support for the family than by the gender or the sexual orientation of their parents. Lack of opportunity for same-gender couples to marry adds to families’ stress, which affects the health and welfare of all household members. Because marriage strengthens families and, in so doing, benefits children’s development, children should not be deprived of the opportunity for their parents to be married. Paths to parenthood that include assisted reproductive techniques, adoption, and foster parenting should focus on competency of the parents rather than their sexual orientation.” Boo-yah! Though we could nitpick about language all day — marriage in and of itself doesn’t necessarily strengthen families, because you and I both know some miserable-ass married folks — the logic herein and the ensuing data are both solid. I’m not gay that I know of, but as I understand it, the marriage equality movement inherently contains a two-pronged motivation: to have one’s love be validated by society at large and to have one’s existence, thusly, be validated by society at large.

The more hateful among us will see an easy way out of acknowledging this study: just don’t let gay couples adopt! Then their hypothetical children won’t be burdened by hypothetical feelings of hypothetical subhuman self-regard. Problem solved. Sorry, worst-kind-of-Christians. See, with that, we slip-slide clean past “separate but equal,” smack into “separate but ridiculously unequal,” and that just ain’t gonna happen. The nation supports same-sex marriage by a 60-40 margin; the Supreme Court is, as of this publishing, hearing/considering two laws that could change the trajectory of marriage equality in America for the better, forever; high-profile Republicans are in favor of it. It’s happening. Right now, it’s happening. Naturally, even those on the side of good are tempering their optimism. Back in the ‘70s, marriage equality looked like it was going to become the law of the land before a few contingents of supremely organized bigots halted its momentum at the state level. But fears, I think, can likewise be tempered. Popular support has never seen these numbers. A sitting president has never supported marriage equality. That’s why I’m not worried, and why I’m in such a good mood. The horror stories I used to concern myself with — some hick preacher (this is true) saying we should sequester all the queers inside an electrified fence and let them starve to death — are on a scale so small as to be infinitesimal. Large-scale, it’s a different story, a good story. The tides have long since turned. They are making inexorably for the shore.

JOSHRUFFIN, a Metro Spirit alum, is a published

journalist and poet who just received his MFA from Georgia College & State University. He was once the most un-intimidating bouncer at Soul Bar.

MONEY

DOESN’T

GROW ON TREES (Although some local tree services must belililiev be evee it does ev ddoe oess according oe acco ac cord co rdin rd ingg to their in tthe heir he ir estimates!) est est stim imat im ates at ess!)) believe

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Roundtree in the Right Place at the Right Time! Kudos to Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree for helping keep the peace at the scene of the Laney Walker Grocery eviction mess Tuesday morning. While just about everyone else dropped the ball when it came to safety and public health, the sheriff helped calm and disperse the gathered crowd. Not sure what was in greater supply that morning, huge piles of “dicey” dry goods and food piled in the right-of-way as the store was cleared, or the hundreds of onlookers hoping to scoop up free armfuls of said discarded booty. The handful of deputy marshals that normally are present for routine evictions were way outnumbered, and word has it things were getting a bit tense in the growing mob of spectators and potential scavengers until Roundtree’s appearance. Officials at the dispossession had to think fast to avoid a free-for-all and the likely riot that would have accompanied any such mass feeding frenzy if the dumped groceries had ever officially been deemed up for grabs. There were a few who wanted to cite the rules and regulations for residential evictions, and how disposing of the contents of a domicile must be handled in a quite specific way (insane rules in drastic need of reform, if you ask me), but this was no routine neighborhood eviction. In this situation, with dangerous materials and the risk of harm to citizens and environmental concerns, the call that was made was a no brainer. For the weenies who want to say that immediately hauling away the removed items was in some way illegal or against the rules, feel free to call a cop. Anytime

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the government becomes aware of a hazard to public health and welfare, they are allowed to make aggressive decisions that may not be recognized as “by the book.” Happens all the time, and no judge worth a warm bucket of spit would allow a legal roadblock at such a time. Leaving dubious foodstuffs and free crap piled on the sidewalk in a poor neighborhood is not only inviting trouble and violence, it is sending tragedy and heartbreak an engraved invitation. In the meantime, Marshal Steve Smith should perhaps develop a game plan for dealing with any future events like this, and city leaders should make sure that the business owner who abandoned the property, and all the garbage, never again be allowed to have a business license in Augusta, Georgia. In government, there are no real secrets. It is a line I have heard literally hundreds of times in my three decades of covering the news and business of the people, from elected officials in local, state and federal government: “I cannot comment on personnel issues.” Wrong. They can comment, if they wish. There is no law, no proper regulation and no legal requirement that elected officials have to stay quiet about personnel matters, particularly if what they are being asked is reflected in written reports and paperwork generated by taxpayerfunded personnel. If they are reviewing someone’s work in a closed session, they may choose not to comment, but there is no requirement to maintain silence. With the exception of specific medical information,

every scrap of information documenting the performance and disciplinary history of any and every employee of the government is publicly reviewable material that must be presented on demand. Here is a good rule of thumb, if there is a piece of paper generated by taxpayer-funded workers or enterprises, unless there is a pending real estate deal, or a pending legal case connected to it, it cannot be kept from public review. Unproven allegations that are not logically germane to a public employee’s work history can be removed from the record but, other than that, unless security or police issues are involved, there are no secrets that should be kept from the public. As David Hudson, the father of Georgia’s Sunshine Laws, once told me, “...there is almost never a legal requirement to close a meeting (or block access to documents)... it may be a good idea to close a meeting, but it is rarely mandatory.” It seems several times a year either myself or my media colleagues are put in a position where we have to challenge the powers that be in such matters, and we are virtually never proven wrong. So to my political and bureaucratic friends I say lighten up and open it. It is the law, it is the right thing to do and God will love you for it!

AUSTINRHODES

The views expressed are the opinions of Austin Rhodes and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

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ERICJOHNSON

Remanufacturing Success Local man builds business through rebuilding

Mark Branum

Mark Branum, president of Augusta-based America’s Remanufacturing Company, is sitting in his office watching a tangible example of the fivefold growth of his business roll by his window. “I’m not easily scared, but I’ve sat here and watched three semis pull into my lot already,” Branum says. “And I’ve got 30 semi-loads sitting in Juarez, Mexico.” In only two weeks, not only will those 30 loads start arriving at his facility on New Savannah Road, but so will loads from nine Walmart return centers and six consolidated return centers scattered across the country. A little over a month ago, Branum’s company was doing anywhere from 17 to 20 percent of the North American remanufacturing work for TTI Floor Care, the company that owns both Dirt Devil and Hoover vacuum cleaners. Now, he’s got it all — TTI closed its remanufacturing plant in Mexico and outsourced all of its remanufacturing business to Branum. “We’re going to go from about 80,000 pieces to about half a million small appliances a year,” he says as a fourth semi rumbles in. It’s one of those “be careful what you wish for” situations. To handle the expansion, he says he’ll have to add a lot of jobs, probably topping out at 100. Currently, he’s at about 35. Forty-five days ago, he was at 15. Obviously, remanufacturing is a growing business, but 8

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what really is remanufacturing? Basically, it’s taking a returned item and turning it around for resale by tearing it down to its components and then rebuilding it. “It goes through the same basic procedure a new production goes through, except instead of just buying new parts to build our units, we actually disassemble the old ones to get our parts,” he says. And that’s an important distinction. Remanufacturing isn’t like a large-scale fix-it shop. Because of the sheer volume, it can’t be. “You can imagine if you had 10,000 units and you had to figure out what’s wrong with each of them,” he says. “You would never be able to get anything done — you’d be spending all your time trying to figure out what’s wrong with them.” At the same time, the disassembly is not solely a

question of time management; it’s also a question of controlling the process. “You can’t troubleshoot because, to have any consistency in quality on your build, you’ve got to be doing the same thing over and over again, just like in any production,” he says. “So in order to have any consistency of quality, we have to take it all down and we have to identify a structured way of doing everything. You can’t just be identifying what’s wrong with each individual unit.” The finished products go to places like Big Lots and Fred’s and other stores that sell remanufactured items, which aside from a few scratches here and there are every bit as functional as a new model, only at a more affordable price. Branum stresses that the items are in no way sold as new. 28MARCH2013

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“After it’s all tested out and reassembled, then it goes into new packaging with a new manual that says refurbished, a new box that says refurbished product and it’s labeled with a refurbished product ID sticker on the bottom of it,” he says. All that new helps the local economy beyond the taxes and the new jobs. Branum is using a local printer and local recyclers, and given the numbers he’s dealing with, those are big, big contracts. “We know the numbers,” he says. “And the numbers say that once we get up in production in two weeks, if we don’t do 1,200 units a day, we’re going deeper in the hole.” The remanufacturing business, which has become extremely popular with electronics, became such a strong industry when states began passing laws limiting a company’s ability to shift returns directly to the landfill. Instead, companies are required to remanufacture and recycle, limiting waste and providing significant relief to the already burdened landfill system. “We take it all the way down to the ABS plastic, separate the polypropylene, the motors and the cardboard,” Branum says. “We recycle everything that’s possible so that when we throw it in the trash, it’s trash. There is absolutely no value to it.” That green outlook is one of the things that interested Walter Sprouse, executive director of the Augusta Economic Development Authority. “All that stuff could be in a landfill, but it’s not,” he says, acknowledging that remanufacturing could be a good industry for Augusta. “It’s something we’re taking a look at because one of the things about it — we want to make sure that we work with companies that not only provide jobs, but also are environmentally friendly.” Sprouse admits that Branum did most of the work on this project, but says it illustrates an often-overlooked principal of economic development. “I’m in the process of hiring an existing industry business coordinator simply because the majority of the new jobs created in any community are created by those companies that we already have,” he says. America’s Remanufacturing Company started in 2002 as part of Branum Sewing and Vacuum on Washington Road in Martinez. Back then, on a trip to a facility in Ohio, Branum noticed the number of returns that were being thrown away. “So instead of throwing it away, I convinced them to sell it to me,” he says. “They said okay, and I started buying it by the truckload.” About 45 days later, they realized he was onto something and they decided to have him remanufacture the items and then they’d sell the finished product. “I was taking their trash and turning it into vacuum cleaners for them,” he says. “They were such a big company that there was not enough that they could make financial sense out of it, but because I was such a small player and I didn’t have some of the expenses they had, I was able to take their smaller numbers and make it work.” Smaller numbers are, of course, relative. Now, he’s got a 36,000-square-foot building that he purchased and he’s renting a 19,000-squarefoot building across the street to set up as a distribution center. And besides the vacuum cleaner contract, he’s also added servicing the cleaning equipment used by the 1,100 Publix grocery stores to his list of obligations. “I could see in a couple of years having to be in a larger facility,” he says, looking out the window, waiting for the next semi to arrive.

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GREGORY A. BAKER, PH.D

Judgement Day? Remember the Terminator, people!

Every once in a while, you come upon a headline that makes you scratch your head. No, I’m not talking about the wired.com article this week, “Want to Make an Alligator Angrier Than Normal” (uh… why?) or the Cnet article “Your Next Phone’s Screen Will Be Incredibly Strong.” (Really? Like, duh.) The headline that really made me wonder if we are traveling aboard some unstoppable force toward an immovable fate was another Wired story, “DARPA Sets Out to Make Computers That Can Teach Themselves.” First of all, did these guys not see the Terminator movies?!? Remember, the whole SkyNet artificial intelligence thing becoming self-aware and trying to wipe out mankind? You know, John Connor? Arnold? “I’ll be back”? Apparently none of those things ring a bell. Instead, DARPA kicked off a 46-month development effort called Probabilistic Programming for Advanced Machine Learning, or PPAML. According to Wired, Program Director Kathleen stated that the goal of the program, “is that future machine learning projects won’t require people to know everything about both the domain of interest and machine learning to build useful machine learning applications.” DARPA wants to make it easier for non-experts to build machine-learning applications. Now, I get the gist of the principal. While in college, I developed some very crude genetic algorithms, which I suspect are related to instantiations of PPAML components, to solve some relatively simple orbit trajectory problems. While extremely computationally intensive, the genetic algorithms were effective in optimizing solutions without the need for multi-dimension calculus, least squares linearization or even knowledge of orbital mechanics theory. These algorithms can get you to the “what” without knowledge of the “how” or, even more importantly, the “why.” From one point of view, these algorithms let us explore the art of the possible. Instead of just dreaming the future, machine learning can quantitatively show us what can be real. The process of discovery can be better managed as computers help navigate between true discoveries and dead-ends. These are powerful tools that can move us forward a great deal. On the other hand, a path to knowledge without full understanding creates longterm problems. Subject matter experts are important in every field in order to guide organizations along the healthiest path. No matter the program, the age-old “garbage in, garbage out” principal applies. Somebody needs ensure garbage doesn’t go into the machine. Unless, of course, the machine itself gets to a point where it starts making garbagein, garbage-out decisions for itself. In that case, we’ll have to change the name of PPAML, to “Please Pray, All Maybe Lost.” An Augusta First — BTW, I heard my first college joke about GRU this week: A UGA student, a Georgia Tech student and a Georgia Regents student all go into the men’s room (yes, they’re all guys… roll with it). The Bulldog does his business, then washes his hands, then completely dries his hands with a truly profligate amount of paper towels. “Georgia Bulldogs are trained to be thorough,” he explains. The Rambling Wreck does his business, then washes his hands. But he uses a minimal amount of paper towels, while making sure his hands are as completely dry as the Bulldog’s. “Yellow Jackets are trained to be thorough and efficient!” he explains. The GRU student does his business, and walks out without washing his hands! Flabbergasted, the UGA and GT students demand an explanation. “Jaguars don’t pee on their hands.” Until next time, I’m off the grid @gregory_a_baker. GREGORY A. BAKER, PH.D, is vice president and chief rocket scientist for CMA, which provides information technology services to CSRA businesses and nonprofits.

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ERICJOHNSON

The Full Monty

Augusta Entertainment Complex general manager’s reputation is growing

Long after impressing locals with his leadership, Monty Jones Jr., general manger of the Augusta Entertainment Complex, is starting to turn heads on a national level. Jones was recognized earlier this week by Venues Today Magazine as a winner of the Generation Next Award, which is given every year to industry leaders under 35 who make their mark in the sports, music and convention part of the entertainment industry. “For the first time this year we also opened up voting on our Facebook page for our fans, and Monty Jones actually won the popular fan vote, so he’s designated as the Social Butterfly,” says David Brooks, managing editor for Venues Today. “He had overwhelming support — he’s a really active guy in the venues industry, and he’s really well known within Global Spectrum.” Jones came to Augusta in August of 2008 with Global Spectrum, the Philadelphia-based management company hired by the Coliseum Authority to run the James Brown 12 METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

Arena and the Bell Auditorium. Since then, the venues have experienced a remarkable turnaround, with Jones receiving much of the credit. “I think it kind of highlights what we’ve been able to do here with the change of culture at the James Brown Arena and the Bell Auditorium,” he said. “I have a great team.” Coming in after years of dysfunctional leadership, it was supposed to take Jones and Global Spectrum a couple of years to turn things around, but things started improving almost immediately, with a quick infusion of popular shows like Avenge Sevenfold and a touring company of “Mama Mia,” which sold 11,000 tickets over the course of a week run and went a long way toward convincing locals that big-city entertainment could end up here in Augusta. Jones, who said he books about 90 percent of the acts himself, has also managed to convince the big-city entertainment world that Augusta is worth the risk, bringing in big-name acts like Carrie Underwood, Elton John and comedian Jerry Seinfeld, among several others. His biggest surprise, however, came when Lady Antebellum sold out in a matter of three minutes.

“That just blew my mind,” he said. Jones, who was born in Guam and graduated from the North Carolina State University, cut his teeth in arena football, first as an unpaid intern and later as a director of operations, a job he said has many similarities to his job now. “With arena football, there’s constant movement, and as director of operations, I was the one controlling the whole show,” he said. “Being able to think on your toes is important, because sometimes when stuff’s not ready, you’re going to have to put something else in place and switch it all around… and make sure nobody knew that there was a mistake in the first place.” Because his degree was in sports management, Jones didn’t initially see himself on the facility side of things. “My ideal until I did that internship and got to see the behind the scenes product was to be a sports agent,” he said. “That internship kind of changed my whole concept about my degree and my focus switched to behind the scenes stuff.” After his time with football, where he had to work at a rental car company because the pay was so bad, he took a job with Global Spectrum as an event manager in Columbia. 28MARCH2013

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Locally Owned & Operated

He was promoted to director of event services in 2006 and then went north, opening a new 6,500-seat arena at Chicago State University in 2007. Once in Augusta, he was able to take all those experiences and put them to use, especially his booking experience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We try to make it as diverse as we can, but some of it has to make sense depending on what else is going on in the market or what else is routing through this area,â&#x20AC;? he said. And though the management contract was put up for bid, a controversial move given Global Spectrumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success, Jones has not only mastered navigating through show business, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managed to work with a Coliseum Authority that, while much more civil and professional than the pugnacious groups of old, is still a group of independent-minded people who sometimes like to flex their muscle. And yet, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managed to bring about some pretty significant changes, especially at the James Brown Arena, where heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s updated the air handling system and reduced the venueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power usage by getting a white roof. And then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Windsor Club, where members receive access to tickets before they go on sale, use of the special club area before, during and after shows, private restrooms and their own private parking right beside the arena. According to Jones, the Windsor Club has been well received by the community and is close to operating at full capacity. As one of the five Generation Next Award winners, Venues Today will profile Jones in the June issue, and later that month heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll actually receive the award at a special reception during the Event and Arena Marketing Conference in Austin, Texas. 28MARCH2013

AUGUSTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

METROSPIRIT 13

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ANY PUN FOR TENNIS? By J. R. Leopold / Edited by Will Shortz

94 Mastery 40 Like some awakenings 95 “Alexander’s Feast,” e.g. 41 Neither raise nor fold 96 “Nothing” and “aught”? 42 Sloppy fast-food sandwich 98 Part of R.S.V.P. 43 “Semper Fidelis” composer 100 Captain Hook’s alma mater 44 ___ Bay, former U.S. base in the 101 Ready follower? Philippines 102 Bit of voodoo 46 Eliza Doolittle, for one 104 Tech release of 2010 47 Subjected to voodoo 108 Mex. miss 50 Vex 110 Of two minds 51 White Castle offerings 112 Author of a 1719 literary 52 Barely remembered days of old sensation 57 Zoo department 113 Transamerica Pyramid feature 59 Batting champ John 114 Planchette holder 62 Turn-___ 116 Luke Skywalker’s volley? 63 Start to puncture? 119 Hit single-player game of the 65 Kind 1980s 66 Part of a requiem Mass 120 Goes over the top, in a way 68 Anchor-hoisting cry 121 Does again 69 As expected 122 It falls between 3760 and 3761 on 70 “Singin’ in the Rain” composer the Jewish calendar ___ Herb Brown 123 Housekeeping 71 Way things are going 124 Broad-minded 72 Durable fabric 76 Abbr. after a period Down 77 Crumbly snack 1 Vice president John ___ Garner 78 Start of a tennis game? 2 Setting for a 1935 Marx Brothers 80 Either Zimbalist comedy 83 Con 3 Public radio offerings 86 Praying figure 4 Ever 87 “Top Gun” org. 5 Swiped 89 D.D.E. opponent 6 Cabinet dept. 90 Frankie Valli sang in it 7 Pleasant 92 1958 hit with the line “Yip yip yip 8 Scottish landowners yip yip yip yip yip” 9 Modern kind of name 93 Jefferson’s vice president 10 Lightish blade 97 Response to “I bet you won’t” 11 Home of the Shoshone Mtns. 98 It can be gross 12 It’s higher than an ace 99 Container on a counter, maybe 13 Celebrity 102 Perfume 14 Art Deco master 103 Mysterious blip 15 Monk’s title 105 Michelangelo masterpiece 16 Barbie’s last name 106 Eve of old TV 17 Mistakenly hitting into the doubles 107 One who does not believe in area during a singles match? miracles 18 Pirate, e.g., for short 108 Not bad 19 One goes after it 109 Destroy 24 Biloxi-to-Birmingham dir. 111 City near Provo 29 Sporty car features 112 Bit of residue 32 Middle brother in a 2000s pop trio 113 Dry 33 Jerk 115 Mandela’s org. 35 Epithet for Nadya Suleman 117 Three-time Tony winner Hagen 37 Riga resident 118 Daughter of Loki 38 Spanish irregular verb 39 Ski-___

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PREVIOUSPUZZLEANSWERS

Across 1 Polite response to “Thank you” 9 Classic verse that begins “Ah, broken is the golden bowl!” 15 Kafka or Liszt 20 Written justification 21 Part of a doubleheader 22 Esther of “Good Times” 23 Tennis clinic focusing on drop shot skills? 25 More competent 26 Haunted house sound 27 “It’s a Wonderful Life” cabdriver 28 Meter reader? 30 Architect Saarinen 31 “Don’t get all worked up!” 32 Young actor Smith 33 Cutter 34 Churchill, e.g. 36 Pigs 38 Coaches who help you use your wrist in shots? 42 Ed.’s pile 45 Spiny ___ 46 Fleece 48 Chooses not to participate 49 Tennis players who clown around? 52 “One can only ___ much” 53 BlackBerry, e.g., in brief 54 Having freedom of tempo 55 Illumination unit 56 Year that “Shrek” and “A Beautiful Mind” came out 58 Putter (along) 60 “The fix ___” 61 “Haven’t the foggiest” 64 Photo developing compound 67 “For a righty, you hit the ball pretty well on your left side,” and others? 73 Allay 74 Destroy 75 In ___ form 76 Source of the line “They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind” 79 Part of R.R.: Abbr. 81 “___ in cat” 82 You might set one out for a cat 84 Due follower 85 Part of R.S.V.P. 88 Line judge’s mission? 91 Commercial law firm specialty 93 Canadian natives

R O A D S P T S E E C A R H S O S T H E T I T G U H H2O P O P S N E S A B H E D A M U S I L

T A M A L W A L M B O A T T I H 2O F U S S E A Q L U G A A T I C S

U L I P M I S H A C H I N O P E T H R A M A I M I C N A T E D T S T E E S B R O N T M E L S C A T C H R L U U I B B L X L O A C U Z T L E O F R A S E O R K U U E Y

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28MARCH2013

AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

METROSPIRIT 15

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To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement, poet Frank X. Walker, author of “Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers,” will visit the Headquarters Branch Library for a book talk and signing on Thursday, April 4, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org.

ENTERTAIN

Arts

Art Swap and Sale will take place at the Morris Museum of Art 2-6 p.m., Saturday, March 30. Bring works, supplies or tools for swapping and selling. Table space free. Reservations required. Open to public. Closing beer ceremony at 5 p.m. Call 706-828-3867 or visit themorris.org.

Exhibitions

Exhibition Opening: First Lady Ellen Axson Wilson and Her Circle will be held at the Morris Museum 6 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Amy Kurtz Lansing, curator of the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut, will discuss the influence of the Lyme Art Colony. Exhibit shows until May 5. Call 706-724-7501 or visit themorris.org. Agnes Markwalter Youth Art Competition and Exhibition will show at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art through March 28. Call 706-722-5495 or visit ghia.org. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School Senior Exhibition will be held at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art April 4-25. Call 706-722-5495 or visit ghia.org. “Alterations: Fashioning a Black Identity” exhibit will be presented by Nancy Wellington Bookhart at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History through April 30. Call 706-724-3576 or visit lucycraftlaneymuseum.com.

Magellan String Quartet will perform with the Aldersgate Choir at Aldersgate United Methodist Church 8:30 and 11 a.m., Easter Sunday, March 31. Call 706-733-4416 or visit aldersgateum.com. Southern Brass Quartet will perform at Martinez United Methodist Church, 11 a.m., Easter Sunday, March 31. Call 706-863-6541 or visit martinezgaumc.org.

Coffee ‘n’ Conversation reading and book signing with four authors will be held at the Inner Bean Cafe, 2-4, Saturday, March 30. Authors: Ciara Knight, YA; Hildie McQueen, Western historical romance; Lindi Petersen, inspirational contemporary romance; Susan Carlisle, medical romance. Call 706-364-3752.

“Sleeping Beauty,” a Storyland Theatre original musical production, will be performed at the Imperial Theatre. School shows are at 9:30 and 10:45 a.m., and 12:15 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday, April 2-4. Reservations required. $4.50. Teachers and chaperones free. Active-duty military and family free with military I.D. Call 706-736-3455 or visit storylandtheatre.org.

Book Talk and Signing with Frank X. Walker, author of “Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers,” will take place at the Headquarters Library, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Thursday, April 4 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement. Free. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org.

Flix

Dance

“The Invisible War” (NR), a 2012 documentary about sexual assault and abuse in the U.S. military, will be shown in University Hall at GRUA as part of the spring film series, 7 p.m., Monday, April 1. General admission, $3; students, faculty and staff, free with JagCard. Call 706-729-2416 or visit gru.edu.

“Restoration,” an exhibit of work by GRU adjunct instructor Mahera Khaleque, will be on display at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, through May 17. Members, free; non-members, $5. Call 706-722-5495 or visit ghia.org.

Augusta International Folk Dance Club meets Tuesday nights from 7:309:30 p.m. at the Augusta Ballet Studio on 2941 Walton Way. No partners needed. First visit free. Call 706-399-2477.

“Requiem” by John Rutter will be performed at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, 6:30 p.m., Maundy Thursday, March 28. Call 706-733-2275 or visit reidchurchaugusta.org. Augusta Choral Society will perform “Stabat Mater” by Karl Jenkins at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center, 7:30 p.m., Good Friday, March 29. General admission, $25; seniors, $20; students, $10. Call 706-826-4713 or visit augustachoralsociety.org. 16 METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

“Fox on the Fairway” will be performed by Aiken Community Playhouse, 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, March 29-30. Call 803-648-1438 or visit aikencommunityplayhouse.info.

Best-selling mystery author Sara Paretsky will read from her novel, “Body Work” at GRUA University Hall, 3 p.m., Friday, March 29. Visit gru.edu/nursing.

Belly Dance Class is held every Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Euchee Creek and Wallace libraries. Pre-registration required. Call 706-556-0594 (Euchee Creek), 706-722-6275 (Wallace), or visit ecgrl.org.

Music

Davidson students and faculty, $5. Call 706-823-6924, ext. 124, or visit davidsonfinearts.org.

Golden Dragon Acrobats of Hebei province, China, will perform at the GRU Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre as part of the Lyceum Series, 3-5 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 30. General $20, kids and GRU faculty and staff, $10. Call 706-667-4100 or visit gru.edu.

Literary

Millie Gosch art exhibit is on display at Sacred Heart Cultural Center through April 30. Call 706-826-4700 or visit sacredheartaugusta.org.

“Romantic Spirits” exhibit, featuring paintings of the South from the Johnson collection, will be on display through May 26. Call 706-828-3825 or visit themorris.org.

Christian Singles Dance, a smoke-, alcohol- and drug-free event for those ages 40 and over, is each Saturday night at the Ballroom Dance Center in Evans. Dance lessons start at 7 p.m., and the dance begins at 8 p.m. No partners needed. Members $8, guests $10. Call 706-854-8888 or visit christiandances.org. Saturday Night Dance with live music is each Saturday night at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Post 1197 from 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. $5. Call 706-495-3219.

Theater

“Noises Off” by Michael Frayn will be performed by the Davidson Fine Arts School Drama Department at 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday, April 4-5. General admission, $8; seniors and military, $7; children and students, $6;

“92nd St. Y: Joy Behar With Judy Gold” will be shown at the Augusta Jewish Community Center, 2:30 p.m., Sunday, March 31. Call 706-228-3636 or visit augustajcc.org.

“Zombieland” (Rated R) will be shown at the Maxwell Library, 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 2. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org. “Life of Pi” (Rated PG, 2012) will be shown at the Headquarters Library, Tuesday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org.

Special Events

Art Patchin/Will Weston Celebration will be held at The Richmond on Greene, 6 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Individuals, $50; couples, $75. Call 706-667-0030, 706-729-5660 or 706-729-5656, or visit universityhealth.org. Spring Fling Car Show will be held at Aiken Mall, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, March 30. Call 803-270-3505 or visit aikenhorsepower.com. Pink Zebra Launch Party for ladies will take place at Hawthorn Suites, noon, Saturday, March 30. Crafts, prizes, games, business opportunity. 28MARCH2013

Coming Soon to Evans! Opening May 2013

4349 Washington Road Across from Mellow Mushroom in front of Kroger

Phyllis Salazar Vice President & OfďŹ ce Manager 706-650-2265

www.firstbankofga.com

V24|NO13

You know what makes a great Saturday morning? Getting up for the Triple 8 Group Run, which meets at 8th and Reynolds at 8 a.m. every Saturday for a 3-, 6- or 8-mile run (or walk) and then returning to the 8th Street Bulkhead to browse at the Augusta Market at the River, open each Saturday through November 23 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. And while you browse, you can grab some breakfast. Visit theaugustamarket.com. Free. Call 706-228-1990 or visit hawthorn.com/augusta. First Thursday will be held in the Central Avenue/Kings Way area, 5-8 p.m., April 4. Free childcare will be offered for infants through fifth graders at Hill Baptist Church. Reservations required. Call 706-736-8466 for childcare, 706-733-1788 for info.

Lymphedema Education Class will be held at the University Hospital Breast Health Center at noon, Tuesday, April 2. Call 706-722-9011 or visit universityhealth.org.

Tai Chi for Boomers is held at 6 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. Call 706-394-0590, email sbeasley@augustameditation.com or visit augustameditation.com/taichi.html.

Total Joint Replacement Class will be held at the University Hospital, 1-3 p.m., Tuesday, April 2. Call 706-774-2760 or visit universityhealth.org.

Stress Management Classes are held at the University Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute at 8:15 a.m., 9:15 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. each Wednesday. Call 706-774-3278 or visit universityhealth.org.

Evans Towne Farmers Market is held on the grounds of the Columbia County Public Library each Thursday through June from 4:30-7 p.m. All meats, eggs, dairy and produce will be from local and sustainable farms. There will also be cooking demos and education, local artisans with handcrafted goods, live music, local food vendors and weekly events. Visit evanstownefarmersmarket.com.

Weight Loss Surgery and You will be held at the University Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute 6-7 p.m., Tuesday, April 2. Free. Call 706-774-8931 or visit universityhealth.org.

Augusta Market at the River is each Saturday through November 23 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the 8th Street Bulkhead downtown and features vendors, food, drinks, entertainment and a group run that begins at 8 a.m. Visit theaugustamarket.com.

Cribs for Kids will be offered at the Safe Kids Office, 5:45-8 p.m. Thursday, April 4. Teaches caregivers how to provide a safe sleep environment. Families who can demonstrate a financial need will receive a portable crib, fitted sheet, sleep sac and a pacifier for $10 per registered child. Registration required. Call 706-721-7606 or visit grhealth.org/safekids.

Health

Bariatric Seminar will be held at Doctors Hospital for anyone looking for options for medical weight loss. Takes place 6-7 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Free. Registration required. Call 706-651-4343 or visit doctors-hospital.net.

Alzheimer’s Support Group will be held at the Kroc Center 10 a.m., Thursday, April 4. Call 706-731-9060 or visit trinityofaugusta.com.

Center for Women Tour will be offered at Doctors Hospital, 7-8 p.m., Thursday, April 4. Registration required. Call 706-651-2229 or visit doctors-hospital.net.

Colorectal Cancer Treatment and Genetics talk will be given by oncologist Mitchell Berger at The Legends, 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Call 706-722-9011 or visit universityhealth.org.

Childbirth Education Class will meet at the Georgia Regents Medical Center, 6:30 p.m., each Wednesday in March. Free. Registration required. Call 706-721-9351 or visit gru.edu/classes.

Introduction to Infant CPR class will meet in the University Hospital lobby, 7-8:30 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Registration required. Call 706-7742825 or visit universityhealth.org.

Adult Boot Camp high intensity exercise class will be held at the Wilson Family Y through April 19. Class meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. Members $35 per session; non-members $65 per session. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org.

The Happiest Baby on the Block educational session will be offered at Doctors Hospital, 7 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Learn “5 S’s” of calming a fussy baby and getting baby to sleep better. Class recommended before having the baby or soon after birth. Registration required. Call 706-6512229 or visit doctors-hospital.net. Mobile Mammography Screenings will be held 8 a.m.-3 p.m. the following dates and locations: University Hospital, Friday, March 29; Belk, North Augusta, April 2; Home Depot, Bobby Jones, April 3; University Hospital, April 4. Free through Medicare. Appointment required. Call 706-774-4149 or visit universityhealth.org. Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Class will be held in the University Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute, 6 p.m., Monday, April 1. Free. Registration required. Call 706-774-5548 or visit universityhealth.org. 18 METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

Child Safety Seat Inspections offered by appointment at the Safe Kids office (call 706-721-7606), Martinez/Columbia Fire Rescue Engine Co. 3 (call 706-860-7763) and Columbia County Sheriff’s Substation in Evans (call 706-541-3970). Visit gru.edu. Car Seat Classes are offered by appointment only at the Safe Kids Office in Augusta and at the Martinez Columbia Fire Rescue Headquarters. $10. Registration required. Call 706-721-7606 or visit gru.edu/safekids. Yoga I offered at the Weeks Center in Aiken 8:45-9:45 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays; Yoga II is offered 8:45-9:45 a.m., Fridays; Evening Yoga is offered 5:30-6:30 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays. $41 for 10 tickets. Call 803-642-7631.

Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease Aquatics Class meets every Monday and Friday at noon at the Wilson Family Y. Members, free; nonmembers, $5. Pre-registration required. Call 706-922-9664 or visit thefamilyy.org. Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Orientation is held every Tuesday at 2 p.m. at University Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute (Classroom 3). Free. Call 706-774-5548 or visit universityhealth.org. Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation program covers topics such as coronary artery disease, heart attack and CHF at the University Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute. Program is held each Wednesday at 8:15 and 9:15 a.m., and 1:45 p.m. Call 706-774-3278 or visit universityhealth.org. Joint Efforts, presented by Trinity Hospital of Augusta, meets from 1111:45 a.m. every Thursday at Augusta Bone and Joint, and features a free seminar about knee and hip pain, treatments, medication, food and exercise. Call 706-481-7604 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. Adapted Evaluation, a 30-minute initial and annual evaluation including medical history and water assessment, is offered at the Wilson Family Y. $25. Call 706-922-9664 or visit thefamilyy.org. Adapted Special Populations classes offered at the Wilson Family Y. Members $11; non-members $22. Call 706-922-9664 or visit thefamilyy.org. Adapted Wii Special Populations available by appointment at the Wilson Family Y, and feature individual half-hour classes for physically and developmentally challenged individuals of all ages. Members, $10; nonmembers, $20. Call 706-922-9662 or visit thefamilyy.org.

Support

Look Good, Feel Better workshop for female cancer patients will be held at Doctors Hospital, 3-5 p.m., Monday, April 1. Registration required. Call (706) 651-4343 or visit doctors-hospital.net. CSRA Dream Catchers, a brain injury and disability support group, meets 6-7 p.m. April 1 at Walton Options for Independent Living. Call 803-2799611 or visit csradreamcatchers.com. 28MARCH2013

PARcourse FOR THE

This in-gym workout will help golfers improve their scores Golf, in case you haven’t noticed, is a game that has changed drastically in the past couple of decades. Gone are the days when guys would play a round, then retire to the clubhouse to indulge in a few bad habits. “In the past, you played golf and then, when you got done, you went in, you played cards with your buddies and you drank beer,” said Premier Fitness PT’s Tony Dempsey. “And that’s all they did. Now, athletes play golf.” Tiger Woods spotlighted how overall fitness could improve your golf game and he’s paved the way for a new generation of players. Players like last year’s Masters Champ Bubba Watson, who Dempsey says worked out at Gold’s Gym on Walton Way every day during the tournament last year. “He had his trainer with him and we watched a lot of those exercises and 85 percent of what they were doing was balance,” Tony said. “Balance, balance and then a lot of flexibility with stretching.” You don’t have to be a pro, however, to reap the benefits of a targeted ingym workout. Recreational players can also improve their game by focusing on improvements in three key areas: control, balance and flexibility, and power. “Those are really the keys, and then a lot of people just don’t really even think about cardio, but you have to work on your cardio as well,” he said. “If you’re out there playing golf, you don’t want to get to the 14th or 15th hole and start getting tired.” Getting into a regular routine of working out at the gym will ensure that you enjoy the game of golf for many years to come. “Nobody wants to go out and play bad,” Tony laughed. “Nobody wants to go out and play worse than the time before. So just as important as working on your golf swing is working on your physical abilities so you can take it to the next level and enjoy the game of golf.”

GOLD’S GYM: APRIL 2013 |p.3

The Workout

To lower your handicap, Tony suggests at least 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 times a week and adding the following three in-gym exercises to your routine three times a week. He also suggests stretching at any of the Gold’s Gym locations’ dedicated areas. And don’t be surprised if you’re sore for the first week or two before beginning to see results on the course. “They’ll be a little sore, and that’s normal,” he said. “And they’ll be sore in their golf muscles. They’ll be sore in muscles they didn’t know they had. But in three or four weeks, they’ll start noticing that they feel better. They’ll have more range of motion in their golf swing, their balance will be better, their posture will be better and they’ll just generate more power and hit it longer and straighter.” And what golfer doesn’t want that?

Weighted Ball Slam Bosu Ball Squat Improves: Balance Equipment needed: Bosu ball (half of a ball with a side that’s flat) Number of sets and reps: Five sets of 12-15 reps How it’s done: Flip the Bosu ball so that the ball part is on the ground. Stand on the flat part of the ball, feet shoulder-width apart, and slowly lower yourself into a squat position, then slowly come back to the start position. Your core should be engaged and your knees should not extend any farther than your toes. Tony’s advice: This is a difficult exercise and, while the trainer pictured here is using a weighted ball for added benefit, Tony says beginners should modify this one by placing the Bosu ball near a wall. “Use the wall to kind of gauge where your balance is,” he said. Once mastered, Tony said there are a whole host of exercises building off this move, including adding weighted bar twists, a twist-and-release move with a weighted ball and single-leg squats.

Improves: Power Equipment needed: Weighted ball Number of sets and reps: Five sets of 12-15 reps How it’s done: Start in a squat position, feet shoulder-width apart, with a weighted ball held out in front of you. Stand straight up as you raise the ball over your head. Return to the squat position while slamming the ball into the floor. Tony’s advice: “The biggest thing is just making sure you don’t have a ball that’s too heavy, because it’s not the weight. It’s actually the explosive move,” he said. “The ball should be something you’re comfortable with, that you can comfortably hold out in front of you for all the sets and reps.”

Cable Crossover Rope Twist Improves: Control Equipment needed: Rope attachment for the cable crossover machine Number of sets and reps: Five sets of 12-15 reps on each side. How it’s done: Set the rope at waist height and set the weight at one you can comfortably maintain. Stand behind the rope attachment, perpendicular to the machine with feet hip distance apart. Grasp the rope, inside hand with an underhand grip and outside one with an overhand grip, and pull the rope in a slow, controlled movement from one side to the other. Return to start position. To complete the exercise, turn the opposite way for sets and reps on the other side. Tony’s advice: “You should make sure you don’t feel like you’re jerking with your shoulders,” he said. “The move should come from somewhere below the shoulders but above the waist. And the move should be very controlled. The core is very engaged.”

Rock Jocks Local DJs get healthy and fit at Gold’s Gym

Being a disc jockey doesn’t usually go hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle: odd work hours, long periods of time sitting down and lots of nighttime and weekend events can make it very easy to slip into some very bad habits. Matt Stone of 95 Rock and Kris Fisher of HD 98.3, however, are bucking that trend. The two, who both began working at Beasley Broadcast Group seven years ago, have been working out at Gold’s Gym for several years now and are in the process of preparing for the Marine Mud Challenge at Fort Gordon in May. So we sat them down at the Gold’s Gym location on Bobby Jones Expressway to ask them why working out is so important to them, and why they chose Gold’s Gym.

Gold’s Gym: So where were you fitness-wise when you first joined Gold’s Gym? Both laugh before answering.

per month

$10

Matt Stone: I’ve never been overweight or anything like that. I’m lucky there, but I had no muscle, no tone and I couldn’t run five minutes without choking. I also smoked back then so I quit smoking years ago and working out

no commitment | month - to - month

no kidding

*Amenities vary by location. Walton Way is $19.99 per month. Additional fees may apply.

GOLD’S GYM: APRIL 2013 |p.5

helped because you feel it. Kris knows, especially working in bars, you’re in bar where it’s all smoky and the next day you go and try to work out? It’ll kick your butt. Kris Fisher: I was horrible. I mean, fitness-wise, I wouldn’t even use the word fitness. I grew up a chubby kid so I’ve always had a gut problem, a weight problem, so that’s about where I was when I started. Weight wise, I was about 225-230 pounds, and now I’m down to 205 and it’s manageable. If I was like Matt, strict on my diet, it would be a lot better, but I just use the excuse now that I work out so I can eat what I want because I love food. Gold’s Gym: So what inspired you to begin working out? Kris Fisher: For me it was my kids. That’s the biggest reason. We pick up mannerisms and habits from our parents and, for me, I picked up a bunch of bad habits, but I just wanted to be a good example for my kids and it’s really worked out. Because of training at Gold’s, I run a lot of races now. I used to hate running: hated it, hated it. But now I live for it and my kids like it too. Like my daughter, she’s the best at her grade in running. They have competitions in school and she wins all the time. She is 8. My son, who is 11, is the same way, a huge competitor during football. They’re both very athletic and my youngest, who is 4, he’s always telling me he wants to go running with me, so I see that working and that’s the hugest thing. And the other thing is I’m married now and I don’t want my wife to ever wake up and go, “Uhhhhh, I ended up with this?” I mean, I know you love your husband or your wife for who they are but, you know, I want my wife to be attracted to me. Matt Stone: My reasons are all superficial. I wanted to look good. I wanted to feel good, too, but I’m competitive, so as soon as I got that in my head — okay, I want to become fit, I want to become bigger and stronger and whatever — I beat myself up about it. So I just got into it for the full superficial reason of wanting to look good, look better and feel better. Gold’s Gym: So what made you choose Gold’s? Matt Stone: Gold’s is easy because it’s accessible. We both work on Belair Road, so I can either stop by here or I go to North Augusta. I love North Augusta because of the sauna. And Gold’s does this thing: I’m the horrible person that, if I go out of town, I still want to work out, so I can go to a different Gold’s if there’s a Gold’s in town. Kris Fisher: That’s huge for me, too, but one of the reasons I love it is my kids’ school is right here, so I can drop my kids off and drop by here. And the fact that they’re open so much. My schedule is so crazy, I can come here whenever. I’m on the air from 2-7 every day, but I also DJ weddings on the weekends and stuff like that, and I’ve got three kids, so I never know what’s going on. Matt Stone: That’s a really good point. Being open 24 hours most days is pretty awesome. Like tonight I’ll work until 9 o’clock so, if I wanted to, I could just go to the gym after. And I joined for the classes, too. When I first started coming to Gold’s I did Bodypump, which I loved, but now I have my own workout. I do my own schedule, but the classes were awesome. Gold’s Gym: So what’s a typical workout like for you? Kris Fisher: Mine vary a lot. I usually come here a lot when I’m about to run a race, especially when it’s cold, so I’ll hit the treadmill for 30 minutes to an hour and of course I do weights first and I try and alternate days. I’ll do an upper-body day, a lower-body day, and get in a lot of abwork. Matt Stone: I’m here five days a week. I’ll do arms and abs one day, next day will be chest and legs, stuff like that, and I’ll try and do cardio after I lift but it’ll usually be five minutes and by then I’m spent. I read every day. I’ll

go to menshealth.com or muscleandfitness.com and read about some new crazy arm workout and I’ll come here and try it. I like to mix it up. Gold’s Gym: Does your job have anything to do with why you work out? Kris Fisher: With social media, we’re very accessible and very viewable and, another part of it is, we sit all day. And I’ve seen so many people in radio who are completely unhealthy and completely, I hate to say it, fat. And I don’t want to end up like that. Matt Stone: I think it’s true and I think it’s nicer when people can picture a good-looking guy and say, “Okay, I’m listening to Matt. He’s a good-looking dude.” Kris Fisher: They don’t say that about you! Matt Stone: Ooooohhhhh, they do! Or, you know, “Hey, I’m listening to Kris and he’s talking about running.” I don’t know… you have a whole different mentality when you’re listening to someone like that. But we’re also so out in people’s faces. Like Kris said, with social media we do videos and all that kind of stuff where our face is everywhere, so I’d much rather look good. Gold’s Gym: How has Gold’s helped you with your fitness goals? What goals are you working on now? Kris Fisher: I do 5Ks as much as possible, and Gold’s has had a huge amount to do with this because I can’t stand running in the cold so I come and run on the treadmills here. But I can run a 5K at the drop of a hat. You can say, “Hey let’s go run three miles” and I could do it nonstop and never could I do that, even in my 20s and teens. But now I do two or three 10Ks a year, too. I’m going to do the Peachtree

in Atlanta in July and I did the Jingle Jam last December. I’m hoping to work up to half marathons and eventually a marathon but, you know, baby steps. Matt Stone: That’s where Kris and I differ because I despise running. I tried to get into it and Kris and I have even worked out before, but running on the treadmill? I just can’t do it. I’d much rather come in here and lift weights for two hours. But I know to complete the last part of my fitness goals, my cardio has to start going up and so that’s the necessary evil. So I’m starting, I’m trying. But my goals are, I want a full-fledged six-pack and I would like to have 2-3 percent body fat. And the only way you’re going to get there is with cardio. So I’ve got the eating down, I’ve got the lifting weights down, but my cardio is just horrible. But Gold’s has everything I need.

RAISIN’Kane 2013 Masters Picks

My Favorite Things About The Masters

THE FAVORITE Tiger Woods. It’s hard to believe that it’s now been seven years since Tiger Woods last slipped on the Green Jacket. He comes into this year’s tournament firing on all cylinders. Three wins already and he just took over the top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking from Rory McIIroy. He’s also gone public with a new girlfriend, Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. Patrons get bonus points if they see Lindsey navigating the rolling hills of Augusta National. CONTENDERS Keegan Bradley. His mentality is built to win majors. He’s already got one under his belt (the 2011 PGA Championship), so why not add a Green Jacket to his closet? Brandt Snedeker. He’s back playing after missing five weeks with a hip injury. While he might be a little rusty, you can’t discount Sneds on this golf course, which he calls his favorite. One of the best interviews and nicest guys on tour is due to win a major championship very soon. SLEEPERS Bill Haas. Vegas has him as a 70-1 longshot to win. His best Masters finish is a T26. I believe Haas is ready to step it up this year and finish in the top-10. Bubba Watson. I know what you’re thinking... “Defending champion Bubba Watson... a sleeper pick?” Keep in mind, it’s so difficult to win back-toback Masters Tournaments. It’s only been done three times (Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods). However, if Bubba sticks to his routine from last year, he’s got a chance. Remember, he worked out at Walton Way Gold’s Gym during tournament week in 2012. It’s what winners do! Enjoy The Masters! Chris Kane is a Gold’s Gym member and is the coanchor of Good Morning Augusta and News Channel 6 at Noon on WJBF-TV (ABC).

per month

$10

This April will mark my 15th year of covering The Masters. I look forward to this week more than any other and it’s the main reason why I applied for a television job in Augusta 15 years ago. I grew up watching The Masters on television with my dad and none of those memories will fade away. In ‘86, I remember my dad telling me shortly after Jack Nicklaus won the green jacket at age 46, “Son, you will never see anything like this for the rest of your life.” He was right. Here is a list of my favorite things about The Masters: AMEN CORNER: During the third round, I always make it a point to walk down to Amen Corner and sit there for an hour. It’s the best 60 minutes I’ll spend on the course all week. Maybe I’ll make it two hours this year! PIMENTO CHEESE SANDWICHES: When I attended my first Masters in ‘98, everyone said that I had to try the pimento cheese sandwich. I was skeptical at first, but was hooked after I ate my first one. You can’t attend The Masters without eating a pimento cheese sandwich. It’s a Masters tradition and it will only cost you $1.50. Do it! SWEET 16: If you are lucky enough to attend a practice round, make sure you spend quality time on the par-3 16th hole. All of the competitors put on a show by trying to skip their golf balls over the pond and onto the green. The patrons love it and I always make it a point to watch the skipping on sweet 16. HONORARY STARTERS: In ‘98, I made it a point to get up extra early during the first round just so I could watch Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead hit the first tee shots. I’m glad I did and it’s one of my most treasured Masters memories. Now Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player serve as honorary starters. Cherish every moment you get to see The Big 3 on the grounds at Augusta National Golf Club. GREEN JACKET CEREMONY: Nothing signifies golf immortality more than the Green Jacket. While the whole world gets to watch the Green Jacket ceremony “live” from the Butler Cabin, I enjoy the outdoor ceremony even better. This is the ceremony that takes place after the Butler Cabin presentation. Very few people get to see this. A podium is set up in front of Eisenhower Cabin and the Green Jacket is once again presented to the winner. The champion gets the mic and gets to speak from his heart for as long as he wants to. With the sun setting, it’s a perfectly unscripted moment. If you have a badge on Sunday, stick around for this ceremony... you won’t regret it. CADDIES: White coveralls and green hats. No other tournament requires caddies to wear uniforms. I’m sure it’s not pleasant on a 90-degree day, but it’s a classy look. THE BIG OAK TREE: Is there a more famous tree in golf? It’s the meeting place for patrons to gather and deals to be brokered by some heavy hitters in the golf industry. Grab a drink and hang out near the Big Oak in front of the clubhouse. You never know who you might see and what you might hear. MAGNOLIA LANE: I’ve been lucky enough to drive my own car down Magnolia Lane twice. Each time, I think it took me about 10 minutes to navigate the 330-yard road. There is no better drive to a golf clubhouse. It’s one that I’m sure every golfer savors.

no commitment | month - to - month

no kidding

*Amenities vary by location. Walton Way is $19.99 per month. Additional fees may apply.

KEEPMoving

GOLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GYM: APRIL 2013 |p.7

Pregnancy is no excuse to skip gym visits

The little plus sign on your pregnancy test makes it official: youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have a baby. But what about that trip to Goldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gym that you were planning on taking this afternoon? Should you still go? The answer, in most cases, is yes. Exercise during pregnancy, once scoffed at, is now commonplace and can relieve some of the discomforts that befall moms-to-be, such as backaches, exhaustion and stress. There have even been reports that regular exercise keeps morning sickness and gestational diabetes at bay. And while women have run marathons and completed triathlons while pregnant, there are some guidelines that those new to the whole baby game should follow, especially if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a first timer. STEP ONE: TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR Chances are, that gym visit will not harm you or your baby, especially if you already have a well-established exercise routine. However, until that all-important first visit to the OB/GYN, you might not want to give it 110 percent like you normally do. In fact, until you see your doctor for the first time, keep it light and simple: walking on the treadmill, hopping on the elliptical, doing a beginnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yoga class (tell the instructor youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re expecting), stretching and upper-body strength training should be safe. However, pay extra attention to how your body feels and the minute anything feels off, stop what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing. At your first doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appointment, take a list of all the exercises youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing and how long youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing them. Armed with this information, as well as the results of a battery of medical tests your doctor is sure to perform, she can tell you whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe and whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not safe. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, however, be satisfied with the simple answer. Go through your workout and exercise list and make sure thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing on it that the doctor might consider harmful to your baby. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been exercising, are relatively young and had a pretty easy time getting pregnant, your doctor will probably clear you. There are, however, some women who should not exercise while pregnant and should not begin a workout regimen without asking their doctor first. Those who have asthma, heart disease, diabetes or pregnancy related conditions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and those whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had miscarriages or previous pregnancy complications â&#x20AC;&#x201D; may be included in this list. STEP TWO: TALK TO A TRAINER Once your doctor has cleared you to exercise, now may be the time to invest in a trainer. After all, a fitness trainerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job is to help you achieve your goals. Before you were pregnant, your goal may have been 10 percent body fat. Now, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delivering a safe and healthy baby while maintaining your own health. Not only can a trainer help you with that, but they know where everything in the gym is and, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an overachiever or a Type-A personality, can keep a

watchful eye on you so that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go overboard. STEP THREE: GET MOVING! As is the case with other athletes, consistency is the key to reaping the benefits of a prenatal exercise program. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day on most if not all days of the week is safe, so take advantage of that recommendation even on the days you really donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like it. And unless your doctor says differently, this goes for your entire pregnancy. Most women need not stop visiting the gym in their third trimester. Use your pregnancy to explore workouts you may not have considered before. Walking and jogging on the treadmill, stationary cycling, step and elliptical machines and low-impact aerobics are all considered safe for the majority of pregnant women, and light weight training can be performed as well. Just be aware that, as your belly grows, your balance and coordination may be affected. Not only that, but hormones produced during pregnancy often cause ligaments that support your joints to stretch, which increases your risk of injury. So while you may be relieved to get into your second trimester and get away from all that morning sickness, there are other symptoms you should watch out for. Always pay attention to how your body feels and make adjustments as necessary.

Guidelines for Prenatal Exercise Â&#x152;?MIZ TWW[M Ă&#x2026;\\QVO KWUNWZ\IJTM KTW\PM[ Â&#x152;1V^M[\ QV I OWWL [XWZ\[ JZI Â&#x152;1V^M[\ QV XZWXMZ [PWM[ aW]Z JM[\ XZW\MK\QWV IOIQV[\ QVR]Za M[XMKQITTa L]ZQVO aW]Z [MKWVL IVL \PQZL \ZQUM[\MZ _PMV aW] UIa VMML M`\ZI K][PQWVQVO Â&#x152;-`MZKQ[M WV I Ă&#x2020;I\ TM^MT []ZNIKM M[XMKQITTa L]ZQVO \PM [MKWVL IVL \PQZL \ZQUM[\MZ \W XZM^MV\ QVR]Za Â&#x152;+WV[]UM MVW]OP KITWZQM[ \W UMM\ \PM VMML[ WN aW]Z XZMOVIVKa I[ _MTT I[ aW]Z M`MZKQ[M XZWOZIU /MVMZIT O]QLMTQVM[ KITT NWZ UWZM KITWZQM[ I LIa \PIV JMNWZM aW] _MZM XZMOVIV\ J]\ I[S aW]Z LWK\WZ

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Discovery, a grief support group for those dealing with personal loss, meets at Trinity Hospice Community Bereavement Center 6-7 p.m., Monday, April 1, and 11 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, April 3. Call 706-729-6021 or 800-533-3949 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. Parents Healing Together will meet in the University Hospital Dining Room 2, to provide support for parents, families and friends who have lost infants through miscarriage, death, ectopic pregnancy or stillbirth. Meets 7 p.m., Monday, April 1. Call 706-7742751 or visit universityhealth.org. A-Team, an Autism Spectrum Disorder support and resource group will meet at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia Family Resource Library, 6-7 p.m., Tuesday, April 2. Free. Call 706-721-5160 or visit gru.edu. The Lunch Bunch Bereavement Support Group for adults meets noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, April 3 in the first floor cafeteria of Aiken Regional Medical Centers. Registration required. Call 803-641-5389 or visit aikenregional.com. Spine Education and Support Group will be held at the University Hospital Levi Hill III Auditorium 1-2:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 3. Free. Call 706-774-2760 or visit universityhealth.org. Cancer Support Group meets in the First Baptist Church parlor, 3-4 p.m., Wednesday, April 3. Call 803641-5000 or visit aikenregional.com. Alzheimer’s Support Group will be held at the Kroc Center 10 a.m., Thursday, April 4. Call 706-731-9060 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. Amputee Support Group meets at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital, noon-1 p.m., Thursday, April 4. Amputee clinic held from 1-2 p.m., immediately after the support group meeting. Call 706-823-8504. Weight Loss Support Group, for anyone suffering ailments due to obesity, will meet in the Sister Mary Louise Conference Room at Trinity Hospital, 7 p.m., Thursday, April 4. Call 706-481-7298 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. AA meets every Sunday and Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. at Aiken Regional Medical Centers’ Aurora Pavilion, and includes an open discussion. Call 800-322-8322 or visit aikenregional.com. Adult Sexual Assault and Rape Support Group provides group counseling at University Hospital for those who have experienced sexual assault, incest, rape or childhood sexual abuse. Call 706-724-5200 or visit universityhealth.org. Alcoholics Anonymous is a support group for those who wish to stop drinking. Call 706-860-8331. Beyond the Bars is a support group for those with incarcerated loved ones. Call 706-855-8636. Burn Support Group meets every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at Doctors Hospital’s Lori Rogers Nursing Library, JMS Building. All burn survivors, and their families and friends are welcome. Call Tim Dorn at 706-651-6660 or visit doctors-hospital.net.

Living With Diabetes, a program designed to teach skills needed to manage diabetes, is offered at Trinity Hospital. Physician referral required. Call 706-4817535 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. Lupus Support Group meets at the Headquarters Branch Library. Call 706-394-6484 or 706-821-2600, or visit ecgrl.org. Narcotics Anonymous meets Fridays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Hospital of Augusta. Visit na.org. Natural Family Planning support group meets locally. Call 706-481-7604 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. Overeaters Support Group meets locally. Call 706-7850006 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. Parents of Hearing-Impaired Children meets locally. Call 706-481-7396 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. Reach for Recovery is presented locally by the American Cancer Society. Call 706-731-9900 or visit trinityofaugusta.com. Recovery Support Group meets 7:30 p.m. Sundays and Fridays. Call 706-855-2419.

Education

Intro to Microsoft Word will be offered at Euchee Creek Library, 10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 4. Registration required. Call 706-556-0594 or visit ecgrl.org. Free Tax Help is available at the following library locations: Headquarters Branch, every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. through April 12; Maxwell Branch, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through April 13; Columbia County, every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. through April 11; Euchee Creek Branch, every Monday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through April 15. Visit ecgrl.org. Intermediate Spanish Language Class is each Monday from 2:30-4 p.m. at Friedman Library. Pre-registration required. Call 706-736-6758 or visit ecgrl.org. Beginner’s Spanish Language Class is each Monday from 4-5 p.m. at Friedman Library. Call 706-736-6758 or visit ecgrl.org. Free Tutoring for all ages, offered by GRU’s Literacy Center, is available by appointment Monday-Thursday, from 4-8 p.m., at the center at 1401 Magnolia Drive. Appointments required. Call 706-737-1625 or visit gru.edu. GED Classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Headquarters Branch Library. Preregistration required. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are offered every Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m. at Headquarters Branch Library. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org. Fort Gordon Toastmasters meets 11:30 a.m. each Wednesday in the Organizational Conference Room (Fish Bowl) on Fort Gordon Army base. Open to public. Visit fortgordon.toastmastersclubs.org. Adult Hebrew Class is taught at Congregation Children of Israel at 10:30 a.m. every Thursday. Email office@ cciaugusta.org or visit cciaugusta.org.

Cardiac Support Group meets three times a year. Free. Pre-registration requested. Call 706-774-5864 or visit universityhealth.org.

Computer classes are offered every Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Wallace Branch Library. Call 706-722-6275 or visit ecgrl.org.

Diabetes Youth Support Group meets quarterly. Call 706-868-3241 or visit universityhealth.org.

Guided tours of 1797 Ezekiel Harris House offered by appointment only Tuesday-Friday, and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Last tours of the day begin at 4 p.m. Adults, $2; children, $1. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustamuseum.org.

Families Who Have Lost a Baby Support Group is offered by GRU. Call 706-721-8299 or visit gru.edu. Gamblers Anonymous is a support group for those who wish to stop gambling. Call 800-313-0170. 28MARCH2013

Historic Trolley Tour of Augusta boards at the Augusta Museum of History at 1:30 p.m., Saturdays. See historic sites and hear spooky legends. $12, including AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

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admission to the museum. Reservations required 24 hours in advance. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustaga.org.

25-32 miles. Participants should bring their own water and helmet. Call 706-855-2024 or visit chainreactionbicycles.net.

Tours of the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson are held regularly. Adults $5; seniors $4; kids K-12 $3; under 5 years free. Reservations required for groups of 10 or more. Call 706-722-9828.

Riverview Disc Golf League meets each Thursday at 6 p.m. at Riverview Park in North Augusta. Entry fee, $5; ace pool, $1. Call 803-215-8181 or visit augustadiscgolf.com.

Sports-Outdoors

Road Bike Ride meets each Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Andy Jordan’s Bicycle Warehouse downtown for an approximately 25-mile ride at a moderate to fast pace. Front and rear lights, as well as a helmet, are required. Call 706-724-6777 or visit andyjordans.com.

National Collegiate Disc Golf Championships will be held at the Hippodrome Disc Golf Complex, Wednesday through Sunday, April 3-7. Visit ncdgc.com. Triple 8 Group Run meets at 8th and Reynolds, 8 a.m., every Saturday through Oct. 26. Choose your distance: 3, 6 or 8 miles. Open to everyone. Visit theaugustamarket.com. Lacrosse registration will be held at the Marshall Family Y, for kids age 7-15, through April 21. Members, $55; non-members, $75. Visit thefamilyy.org. Summer baseball registration will be held at the Family Y of Augusta South through April 21. Visit thefamilyy.org. Adult swim lessons are offered at the Family Y of Downtown Augusta for ages 13 and up. Days and times vary by branch. Members $55 per month; nonmembers $85 per month. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org. Olympic-style Tae Kwon Do, taught by Master Michael L. Weintraub, is each Tuesday and Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Kroc Center. Call 706-364-5762 or visit krocaugusta.com. Tae Kwon Do is offered at the Wilson Family Y, Family Y of Augusta South and Family Y of North Augusta. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org. Kickball League registration is available for a new adult co-ed league that starts April 7 at Riverview Park. Call 941-716-3163 or visit augustakickball.com. Wheelchair Tennis Clinic, presented by the Walton Foundation for Independence, meets each Monday at 6 p.m. (weather permitting) at The Club at Rae’s Creek. Free and open to the public. Call 706-826-5809 or email alsalley@wrh.org. Yoga Class at Euchee Creek Library meets every Tuesday at 4 p.m. Call 706-556-0594 or visit ecgrl.org. Weekly Group Runs include the Monday Metro Run meeting at Metro Coffeehouse at 6 p.m.; Monday Intervals meeting at the Family Y track on Wheeler Road at 7 p.m.; the Tuesday Nacho Mama’s Group Run at 6 p.m.; Wednesday’s Blanchard Woods Group Run at 6 p.m.; Wednesday Stay in Shape Group Run at 6 p.m.; Wednesday’s Post Office Hill Training Run at 7 p.m.; Thursday’s Homer Hustle at 6 p.m.; and Saturday’s Stay in Shape Run at 8 a.m. Visit augustastriders.com. The Augusta Furies Women’s Rugby Football Club practices 6-8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Julian Smith Casino for players 18 and up. Email augusta.furies@gmail.com or visit augustafuries.org. The Augusta Rugby Club holds weekly practice sessions at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Larry Bray Memorial Pitch in Augusta. Experienced players and newbies ages 18 and up are welcome. Bring a pair of cleats or cross trainers, a mouthguard, gym shorts and a T-shirt. Visit augustarugby.org or Facebook under the Augusta Rugby Club heading.

Guided Trail Rides at Hilltop Riding Stables at Fort Gordon are available Saturdays at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.; Sundays at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and noon; and Wednesday-Friday at 11 a.m. with reservations 24 hours in advance. All trail rides are on a first-come, first-served basis, and participants should arrive 30 minutes prior to the trail ride starting for sign in procedures. $23-$30. Call 706-791-4864 or visit fortgordon.com. Lakeside Rideouts at Hilltop Riding Stables at Fort Gordon are each Sunday beginning at 1:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. The ride, which begins at 2 p.m., is a two-hour guided ride to Wilkerson Lake. $45-$50. Call 706-791-4864 or visit fortgordon.com. Adapted Aquatics for Special Populations offered at the Wilson Family Y by appointment. Members, $11 per session; non-members, $22 per session. Discount for additional siblings. Call 706-922-9664 or visit thefamilyy.org. Augusta Canal Interpretive Center and Petersburg boat tours winter schedule runs through March 31 and is as follows: The center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Hour-long Petersburg boat canal tours depart at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3 p.m. Admission to center is $6, or free with $12.50 boat tour ticket. Seniors 65 and older, active military/dependent and students (age 4-grade 12 or with valid college I.D.) are $2. One child under 3 per ticketed adult may get in free. Call 706-823-0440, ext. 4. Groups call ext. 7. Visit augustacanal.com. The Augusta Fencers Club is open five nights a week from 5:30-9 p.m. and most Saturday mornings from 10 a.m.-noon. Visitors always welcome. Call 706-722-8878. BlazeSports Swim Team, for all ages of physically challenged swimmers who want to train for competition, meets at the Wilson Family Y. Members, $35 a month; non-members, $50 a month. Preregistration required. Visit thefamilyy.org. Civil War 150th Canal Tour, “Food, Fabric and Firepower,” is offered by the Augusta Canal Interpretive Center at 1:30 p.m. daily through 2013. Call 706-823-0440 or visit augustacanal.com.

Kids-Teens

Google Gateway will be held at Diamond Lakes Library for teens, 10 a.m., Thursday, March 28. Participants set up a Google account and learn about the variety of services available to them such as Gmail, Drive, Calendar and more. Registration required. Call 706772-2432 or visit ecgrl.org. Craft Workshop for ages 3-5 will be offered at the Appleby Library, 11-11:45 a.m., Thursday, March 28. Bring glue, crayons and markers. Registration required. Call 706-736-6244 or visit ecgrl.org.

Hott Shott Disc Golf is held each Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Killer B Disc Golf in downtown Augusta, and features games and prizes for all ages and skill levels. $2. Call 706-8147514 or visit killerbdiscgolf.blogspot.com/p/hott-shott.

Pirate and Princess Party will be held at Evans Library, 4 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Call 706-556-0594 (Euchee Creek), 706-556-9795 (Harlem), 706-8631946 (Evans) or visit ecgrl.org.

Thursday Night Chain Reaction Ride begins at 6 p.m. each Thursday at Patriots Park in Grovetown. For intermediate to fast-paced cyclists, who average

Lego Club for grades K-5 will meet at the North Augusta Library, 4-5:30 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Call 803-642-7575 or visit abbe-lib.org.

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Bunny Tales for children of all ages will be held at the Aiken Library, 4 p.m., Thursday, March 28. Stories, games and a craft. Registration required. Call 803642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org. Easter Egg Scramble is at Blanchard Park, Saturday, March 30. Events for ages 1-4 begin at 10 a.m.; events for ages 5 and up begin at 11 a.m. $1 per child. Call 706-312-7192 or visit columbiacountyga.gov. Baskets, Eggs and Rabbits, 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, March 30. Ages 3-10 make own baskets, then go on egg scavenger hunt looking for clues through the woods. Then short program on rabbits. Program $3; parking $5. Call 706-541-0321 or visit gastateparks. org/mistletoe. Insect Investigation will be offered at Reed Creek Park for ages 5 and up, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Saturday, March 30. Catch and release insects. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration required. Members free; non-members $2 per child. Call 706210-4027 or visit reedcreekpark.com.

Nature Clubs: Spring Sessions are being offered at Reed Creek Park. Session for homeschoolers 6-8 years old, 1-2:30, Tuesday, April 2. Session for homeschoolers 9-11 years old, 1-2:30, Thursday, April 4. After school grades K-2, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 4. Indoor and outdoor activities. $25/ child. Registration required. Call 706-210-4027 or visit reedcreekpark.com. YA National Poetry Month Contest will be held at the Headquarters Library for ages 11-17. Original poems accepted April 1-19, with awards presented at the April Monthly After Hours Scavenger Hunt. Those wanting to perform an original work at the event must pre-register with the YA librarian. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org. 30-Day Drawing Challenge will be held at the Appleby Library for ages 11-17, April 1-30. Pick up a form at the front desk. Call 706-736-6244 or visit ecgrl.org.

Family Day in the Park takes place at Liberty Park in Grovetown, 1 p.m., Sunday, March 31. Free. Food, games, Easter egg hunt. Call 706-726-6584 or visit mcogfamily.org.

Photo Scavenger Hunt will be held at the Appleby Library, April 1-30. Forms available at front desk. Call 706-736-6244, email HYPERLINK “mailto:appleby@ ecgrl.org”appleby@ecgrl.org or visit ecgrl.org.

Black & White Story time will be held at the Headquarters Library, 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 2. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org.

Georgia Regents Health System is taking applications for the summer Volunteen Program. High school students between 15 and 18 years of age are eligible to apply for this six-week program that provides an educational, hands-on volunteer experience in the academic health center environment. Call 706-7213596 or visit grhealth.org/volunteer.

Manga Club meets at the Evans Library, 4-5 p.m., Tuesday, April 2. Registration required by 5 p.m., Monday, April 1. Call 706-447-7660 or visit ecgrl.org. Special Guest Story Time will be held at the Wallace Branch Library, 10-10:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 3. Registration required. Call 706-722-6275 or visit ecgrl.org. Skype Author Talk and National Poetry Month Contest information for ages 13-18 will be offered at the Wallace Branch Library, 11 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, April 3. Registration required. Call 706-722-6275 or visit ecgrl.org. Let’s Talk Self-Esteem Seminar for older teens and adults will be held at Diamond Lakes Library, 6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 3. Registration required. Call 706-772-2432 or visit ecgrl.org. French Language Class for grades 1-5 will be offered at the Aiken Library, 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 3. Call 803-642-7575 or visit abbe-lib.org. “Scooby Doo” movie will be shown at the North Augusta Library, 4-6 p.m., Wednesday, April 3. Call 803-642-7575 or visit abbe-lib.org. Splendid Still Lifes, part of the What’s in the Box? series for children and their parents, is Thursday, April 4, at 10 a.m. at the Morris Museum of Art. Participants will view still-life paintings and then create their own. $4; pre-registration required. Call 706-7247501 or visit themorris.org. T-Ball and T-Ball School will be offered at the Marshall Family Y for ages 4-7 years, through April 22. Members 4-5 years, $40; non-members, $60. Members 6-7 years, $55; non-members, $75. Discounts for additional siblings. Financial assistance available for all Family Y programs. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org. Celebrate Women’s History Month Contest is going on through the month of March at the Headquarters Branch Library. Participants should pick up a contest form at the children’s department desk. Call 706-8212600 or visit ecgrl.org. “Larry Cat in Space” will be presented at the DuPont Planetarium, 7 p.m., Saturday, March 30. “To the Moon and Beyond” will be shown at 8 p.m. General admission 30 METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

$4.50; seniors $3.50; students 4K-12 $2.50. Reservations encouraged. Call 803-641-3654.

Youth Boot Camp high-intensity exercise class will be offered through April 13 at the Family Y of North Augusta for ages 10-14. Meets twice a week for six weeks. Members $20 per session; non-members $40 per session. Visit thefamilyy.org. Swim Lessons are offered at the Wilson Family Y and the Family Y of Downtown Augusta for all skill levels from 6 months to adult beginners. Held in four-week sessions with twice-weekly classes through March 28. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org. Tae Kwon Do is offered for all skill levels age 5 and up at the Family Y of Aiken County, North Augusta, Augusta South and the Wilson Family Y. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org. Winter Basketball is held through March at the Family Y of North Jefferson for ages 7-18 years. Members, $30; non-members, $50. Call 706-547-2653 or visit thefamilyy.org. Ceramics Class, for ages 14 and up, meets Mondays at 9 a.m. or 6 p.m., Tuesdays at 6 p.m., and Wednesdays at 9 a.m. in the Weeks Ceramics Center. Call 803-6427631 or visit cityofaikensc.gov. Creative Arts offered at the Family Y of North Augusta for ages 5-12 years. Members, $35 per month; nonmembers, $55 per month. Visit thefamilyy.org. Toddler Time, playtime for children ages 5 and under, is each Monday and Wednesday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the H.O. Weeks Center in Aiken. $2 per visit; $16 per 10-visit pass. Call 803-642-7631 or visit cityofaikensc.gov. Mother’s Morning Out is offered at the Family Y of North Augusta for ages 2-4 years, 9 a.m.-noon, either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday. Mothers enjoy a relaxing morning twice a week while kids learn. Members, $70 a month; non-members, $90 a month. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org. Drop and Shop is offered Monday-Friday at The Family Y of Augusta South for kids age 8 weeks-4 years, 8:30 a.m.-noon. Members, $5 a child per day; nonmembers, $7 a child per day. Also offered at North Augusta branch, 9 a.m.-noon. Members, $9 a day; 28MARCH2013

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and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 11:15 a.m., while Silversneakers Yogastretch is offered Mondays and Wednesdays at 11:15 a.m. at the Weeks Center in Aiken. Call 803-642-7631 or visit cityofaikensc.gov.

Community Easter Sunrise Service, hosted by Mosaic United Methodist Church, is Sunday, March 31, at 7 a.m. at the Columbia County Amphitheatre. Call 706650-9187 or visit mosaicumc.org.

Study Hall for teens meets Wednesdays from 3-5 p.m. at the Headquarters Branch Library. Call 706-8212600 or visit ecgrl.org/teens.

Ceramics Class is offered at 9 a.m. on Mondays or Wednesdays and 6 p.m. on Mondays or Tuesdays at the Weeks Center. Call 803-642-7631 or visit cityofaikensc.gov.

Sunday activities at the Kroc Center include an adult Bible class at 9:30 a.m., youth Sunday school at 9:45 a.m., and a worship service at 11 a.m. Free. Call 706364-5762 or visit krocaugusta.org.

Homeschool Playgroup meets each Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at Creighton Park in North Augusta. Call 803613-0484.

Computer Classes for Seniors are taught at The Kroc Center Mondays and Thursdays. Registration required. Visit krocaugusta.org.

Elsewhere

Mudpuppies, an arts and crafts program for ages 2-5, is held each Thursday at 10:45 a.m. at the Warren Road Community Center. Call 706-860-2833 or visit augustaga.gov.

Fit 4 Ever is offered at the Weeks Center in Aiken on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10-11 a.m. $27 for 10 tickets; free for SilverSneakers members. Call 803-642-7631 or visit cityofaikensc.gov.

The Augusta Arsenal Soccer Club Junior Academy, for boys and girls ages 5-8, meets each Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Augusta Soccer Park. Call 706-854-0149 or visit augustasoccer.com.

Line Dancing is each Tuesday at the Weeks Center in Aiken at 10 a.m. $31 for 10 tickets; free for SilverSneakers Swipe Card members. Call 803-6427631 or visit cityofaikensc.gov.

Fairy Tale Ballet is held at the Family Y of Aiken County. Offered once a week for one month for a total of four classes. Members, $25 a month; non-members, $35 a month. Visit thefamilyy.org.

Yoga I and II are offered at the Weeks Center in Aiken on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:45-9:45 a.m. and on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Call 803-642-7631 or visit cityofaikensc.gov.

Boy and Girl Scout troops are hosted by Augusta Jewish Community Center. For Boy Scouts, visit troop119bsa.com or email geoffstew@gmail.com. For Girl Scouts, email sbehrend@bellsouth.net. For Daisy/ Brownie Troop, email bdmrev@yahoo.com.

Silver Sneakers, a senior exercise class, meets each Wednesday and Friday from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Kroc Center. Free. Call 706-364-5762 or visit krocaugusta.org.

non-members, $15 a day. Visit thefamilyy.org.

abbe-lib.org.

Little Friends Gym, a parent and child class for those ages 6 months-4 years, is held each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Warren Road Community Center. Call 706-860-2833 or visit augustaga.gov.

Story Time at the Euchee Creek Branch Library, for all ages, is held each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and each Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Call 706-556-0594 or visit ecgrl.org.

Story Time is held at the Columbia County Library at 10:15 and 11 a.m. Tuesdays, for kids under 2 years old; at 10:15 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for 2-year-olds; at 11 a.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for preschoolers; and at 4 p.m. Wednesdays for all ages. Call 706-863-1946 or visit ecgrl.org. Loud Crowd, a supervised after-school program for those ages 4-12, is Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m. at the Warren Road Community Center. Call 706-8602833 or visit augustaga.gov. Homeschool PE Time, for elementary school aged kids, meets Monday-Friday, from 9-11 a.m. at the Kroc Center. Members free. Call 706-364-5762 for nonmember prices. Visit krocaugusta.org. Mother’s Morning Out is every Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Wilson Family Y for children ages 3-4. The schedule follows the Richmond County school calendar. $90 per month for members; $110 per month for non-members. Register at any Family Y or visit thefamilyy.org. Story Time is held at the Diamond Lakes Branch library 10 a.m. each Tuesday. Registration required for groups of six or more. Call 706-772-2432 or visit ecgrl.org. Tai Chi Panda, a Chinese martial arts program for kids ages 5-13, meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ages 5-7 meet at 4 p.m.; ages 8-10 meet at 5 p.m.; ages 11-13 meet at 6 p.m. Call 706-394-0590 or visit augustameditation.com/taichi.html. Preschool Story Time is every Tuesday at Headquarters Branch Library at 10 a.m. Toddler Story Time is every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Group registration required. Call 706-821-2600 or visit ecgrl.org.

Creek Freaks, a Georgia Adopt-a-Stream team of middleand high-school students, meets regularly at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park to monitor the health of Butler Creek. Call 706-796-7707 or visit naturalscienceacademy.org. Fun-Time Fridays, for ages 2-5, is held each Friday at 10:45-11:30 a.m. at the Warren Road Community Center. Call 706-860-2833 or visit augustaga.gov. Gesher, a teen program for post b’nai mitzvah youngsters (7th-12th grade), meets every other Sunday at Adas Yeshurun Synagogue. Call 706-733-9491.

Story Time is held every Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Friedman Branch Library. Groups of six or more must pre-register. Call 706-736-6758 or visit ecgrl.org.

Parties at the Family Y offers various activities, days and fees, according to branch location. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org.

Story Time is every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at Harlem Branch Library. Call 706-556-9795 or visit ecgrl.org.

Seniors

Story Time is held every Wednesday from 10-11:15 a.m. at Wallace Branch Library. Pre-registration required. Call 706-722-6275 or visit ecgrl.org. Story Time is held each Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Maxwell Branch Library. Pre-registration required for groups. Call 706-793-2020 or visit ecgrl.org. Wacky Wednesday Story Time is each Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the children’s department of Barnes and Noble in the Augusta Mall. Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com. Story Time is held each Wednesday at the Appleby Branch Library from 10:05-10:20 a.m. for toddlers age 18-35 months, and from 10:30-11:15 a.m. for preschool kids age 3 and up. An adult must remain with the child. Call 706-736-6244 or visit ecgrl.org. Story Time is every Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. for pre-K, and either 11 or 11:30 a.m. for preschoolers at Aiken County Public Library. Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org. Story Time is every Wednesday from 10:30-11 a.m. for toddlers and 11:15-11:45 a.m. for preschoolers at North Augusta Branch Library. Call 803-279-5767 or 28MARCH2013

AARP Tax Aide allows seniors to have their returns prepared for free at The Kroc Center through April 15. Call 706-364-4064 or visit krocaugusta.org. Silversneakers strength and range of movement class is offered Mondays and Wednesdays at 9 a.m.

DECLASSIFIED

Kroc Trotters Running Group, for those ages 16 and older, meets at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday at the Kroc Center to run the trails of the Augusta Canal. $15. Call 706-364-5762 or visit krocaugusta.org.

Free tax preparation will be provided through April 12 at the Aiken Library (803-642-2020) and the Nancy Carson Library in North Augusta (803-279-5767). Visit abbe-lib.org.

ANNUAL CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE Unitarian Universalist Church 3501 Walton Way Extension

Hobbies

Bingo is held every Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and every Monday and Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Post 1197 on Scott Road. Free. Call 706-495-3219. Crafters Night is each Monday from 6-8 p.m. at the Kroc Center. Call 706-364-5762 or visit krocaugusta.org. Simple Cooking Class meets each Monday from 6:308:30 p.m. at the Kroc Center. Call 706-364-5762 or visit krocaugusta.org. The Garden City Chorus, the area’s leading men’s singing group and a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, is seeking new members. Those interested are welcome to attend Tuesday night rehearsals, held at 7 p.m. at North Augusta Church of Christ on W. Martintown Road. Visit gardencitychorus.org. Weekly Wine Tastings at Vineyard Wine Market in Evans are held 4:30-6:30 p.m. Fridays, and 1-6 p.m. Saturdays. Call 706-922-9463 or visit vine11.com. Bingo is held every Saturday at 1 p.m. at American Legion Post 205 on Highland Avenue. Call 706-495-3219.

Mobile Mammography Screenings will be held 8 a.m.-3 p.m. the following dates and locations: Fievet Pharmacy, Washington, Thursday, March 28. Free through Medicare. Appointment required. Call 706774-4149 or toll-free 866-774-4141. Smithsonian Institute traveling exhibit opens at the McDuffie Museum in Thomson, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Friday, March 29. “New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots” explores the early traditions of American music. Free. Author Peter Guralnick will speak. Call 706-595-9923. Karate is offered at The Family Y of Thomson 130 Center and Family Y of North Jefferson for all skill levels. Members, $43 a month; non-members, $63 a month. Registration required. Visit thefamilyy.org. “Impressionism from Monet to Matisse” exhibit will be on display at the Columbia Museum of Art through April 21. Adults, $15; seniors and military, $12; students, $5; kids 5 and under, free; members, free. Call 803-799-2810 or visit columbiamuseum.org. “Anxious Visions” by surrealist Michael Northuis will be on display at the Columbia Museum of Art until April 7. Call 803-799-2810 or visit columbiamuseum.org. “Sketching Politics,” an exhibit of political cartooning, will be on display at Hickory Hill historic house in Thomson through April 15. General admission, $3; seniors, $2; children, $1. School and educational groups are admitted for free, but must make reservations. Visit hickory-hill.org. Story time is held at the Warren County Library in Warrenton at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Call 706-465-2656. Thursday Nights at the High, a special event at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, offers half-price tickets from 4-8 p.m. each Thursday. A guided tour is offered at 6:30 p.m. Call 404-733-4200 or visit high.org. If you would like to see your organization’s events listed in our calendar, please email Amy Christian at amy@themetrospirit.com. The deadline for each Thursday’s issue is the previous Friday at noon.

Spiritual

Easter Sunrise Service is Sunday, March 31, at 7 a.m. at the Jessye Norman Amphitheatre downtown. Call 706-821-1754 or visit augustaga.gov.

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15 in 5

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JENNYWRIGHT lives in Summerville with her husband, who she calls The Man, and two kids, who she affectionately calls The Boy and The Girl. She enjoys taking photos, cooking and playing tennis.

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28MARCH2013

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VALERIEEMERICK

Making a Connection

Community Unity

Australia’s Little River Band formed in 1975 and haven’t slowed down much since then. “For a 38-year-old band, we have a very active schedule,” said lead singer and bass player Wayne Nelson. “We do somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 shows [a year], and that’s been the average now for the last four years. The year before the economy took a nosedive we did 110 shows, so we’re active that’s for sure.” Responsible for hits such as “Reminiscing,” “Lonesome Loser,” “Cool Change” and “Take It Easy on Me,” LRB, coming to the Lady Antebellum Pavilion on Saturday, March 30, with the Atlanta Rhythm Section, plays venues big and small, from large theaters to small clubs. They just returned from a five-day cruise in which they and nine other bands, including the Moody Blues, interacted with fans on a very personal level. “There were 10 acts and five different stages, so we were just rotating in and out,” Nelson explained. “We did question and answers, concerts, and one band stripped down and did an acoustic version of what they do. Everybody was just mingling together and hanging out and there was no drama and no weirdness. It was just a great experience.” LRB did two shows, but Nelson said his favorite part of his time at sea was talking to the fans. “The question and answer thing where everybody could just sit and chat was fun,” he said. “That puts people in touch with the real person as opposed to the production.” The band, since beginning to tour again in earnest in 2000, has made connecting with fans a priority, no matter how big or small the venue they play. Visit their Facebook page and you’ll notice that there are few pictures of the band, but tons of fans taken from almost every show from the stage. So who takes the pictures? “Yours truly,” Nelson laughed. “We’ve got a 35-mil we carry with us and when we’re done with the main body of the set, they hand me the camera. It’s a very popular thing that people get to see themselves.” It’s that connection that keeps LRB touring and releasing albums nearly 40 years after the band started. They are, however, a much different band than in the beginning and their fans have changed along with them. “We’re not 23, we’re not a young band. We don’t draw people who have disposable income that can jump in the car and go away for four days,” he explained. “We play to people who like the band. We go wherever they are and to venues that are still providing music for the people in those areas. Some are small theaters, some are renovated theaters, some are events like Evans, Georgia, where it’s a thing outside.” And though people assume that they’d rather be playing arenas, Nelson said it’s not true. “What’s interesting is everybody says, ‘Oh you’d probably much rather be playing those big places.’ Those are fun, those are great, it’s great to play for a lot of people and feel that energy, but it’s also very great to be able to stand nose to nose with somebody sitting at a table that can put their foot up on the stage and do that too. Yes, it’s different, but it’s not less of an experience to play at a small venue where people are very intimately packed there.” That all-important connection with fans is easier to make in a small venue, he said. “Greg Lake of Emerson Lake and Palmer, he said something very pertinent. ‘Anybody can stand there and plug in a guitar or sing and make noise, but if you don’t connect with somebody you’re only making noise.’ You’re not necessarily making a connection that is musical,” he said. “Music needs a receiver. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody’s there to hear the majesty, it just falls. If you play music just for yourself, I guess you’re connecting with yourself, but people want to feel something and that’s the great thing about it.”

Most people in Augusta have heard of First Friday, but how many know about First Thursday? First Thursday is an event that was started a few years ago by Cheryl Grace, back when Pastel on Central Avenue was still around. Pastel may be gone, but the tradition continues and is still growing and picking up momentum, according to Laura Evans Moody, one of the owners of the Midtown Market on King’s Way. “Now it includes us [Midtown Market], The Cottage, across the street on Central, 5 O’Clock Bistro, Gypsie Pearl — Hill Baptist Church has also joined us, with free childcare for anyone that has children up to fifth grade. They have snacks and games and everything. All you have to do is call and let them know you’re coming,” said Moody. “And the firehouse has joined us, now. This Thursday, if I’m not mistaken, they will be selling hot dogs and hamburgers to raise money for the firehouse.” The firehouse Moody is referring to is the 100-year-old Fire Station #7 on Central Avenue. There is a campaign going on currently to save the building and turn it into museum. While First Thursday may be seen by some as a way to generate business for the Shops at Kings Way and Central Avenue, Moody said it’s also a great community event. “Of course we like people coming in to purchase things,” explained Moody, “but we also like the feeling of unity within the community — you see a lot of the same people, and we get new people, and we have a good time. We provide drinks and hors d’oeuvres and things for people to try. We just have a good time.” Not only is First Thursday a chance for the community to come together, but each month the shops select a local charity and collect donations. “This First Thursday coming up in April will be Sacred Heart,” Moody said. “And normally, they will have someone on site to showcase what they’re doing down there.” Over the years the event has grown and Moody said they would really like to see more people from all over the CSRA come down and participate and maybe have more area shops and businesses join in. She also said the word is getting out and in recent months they’ve started seeing people from Evans and Martinez at the event, and even a few people from Aiken. There are specials offered by the vendors during First Thursday, so it’s a good time to get a bargain, said Moody. “It’s a lot of fun. You should come down.”

Little River Band has been pleasing audiences for 38 years

The Litter River Band and the Atlanta Rhythm Section Lady Antebellum Pavilion | Saturday, March 30 | 7:30 p.m. $25, lawn seats; $40, VIP reserved; $60, VIP gold reserved 334-799-7177 | etix.com 28MARCH2013

First Thursday is more than a chance to shop and have fun

First Thursday Hill Baptist Church, Fire Station #7, Shops at Kings Way and Central Avenue Thursday, April 4 | 5-8 p.m. | 706-733-1788

AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

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FEATURED

March 28 28Thursday, Live Music

French Market Grille West - Doc Easton Smooth Jazz Joe’s Underground - Von Holmes Malibu Jack’s - Marilyn Adcock Mellow Mushroom (Downtown and Evans) - Live and Local The Playground - A Memory Down, Screaming for Silence Rose Hill Estate - Preston Weston & Sandra Sky City - Panic Manor w/ Everybody Run Somewhere In Augusta - Tyson Thaxton Soultry Sounds - Psycho Pilla, Tek9Twin Tavern at the Bean - Irish Music The Willcox - Jazz Wild Wing - Granny’s Gin

Futurebirds, an Athens band who play country rock with a psychedelic twist, visit Sky City on Saturday, March 30, with Shaun Piazza. Doors open at 8 and music starts at 10 p.m. $10. Visit skycityaugusta.com.

What’s Tonight?

Chevy’s Nite Club - Karaoke, wine tasting Cocktails Lounge - Karaoke Fishbowl Lounge - Karaoke Fox’s Lair - Trivia, Soup and Suds Helga’s Pub & Grille - Trivia The Highlander - Butt Naked Trivia Joe’s Underground - Trivia w/ Jacob & Wendell The Loft - Karaoke MAD Studios - Open Mic w/ John Lacarbiere III Malibu Jack’s - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Downtown) - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Evans) - Karaoke The Playground - Open Mic with Brandy Shannon’s - Karaoke Villa Europa - Karaoke Wooden Barrel - ’80s Night Karaoke

March 29 29Friday, Live Music

Chevy’s Nite Club - The Southern Meltdown Band Country Club - Michael Stacey Band Coyote’s - The Lacs Doubletree - Classic Jazz First Round - Jesup Dolly, Mann Ray Fox’s Lair - Chris Hardy French Market Grille West - Doc Easton The Highlander - Angwish, Finer Joe’s Underground - She N She Malibu Jack’s - Tony Williams Blues Express PI Bar & Grill - Music for Lovers w/ Matthew Whittington Polo Tavern - Pretty Petty Rose Hill Estate - Swamp Pop Shelly, Shrimp City Slim Sky City - Stillview, False Flag, 57 Flip Somewhere In Augusta - The Unmentionables Stillwater Taproom - Lindsay Lou and the Flat Bellys Surrey Tavern - Soul Dimensions Tavern at the Bean - Steven Bryant Wild Wing - Toyzz

What’s Tonight?

Armando’s - Karaoke w/ Rockin Rob Cocktails Lounge - Grown-Up Fridays with DJ Cork and Bull Pub - Karaoke Eagle’s Nest - Free Salsa Lessons; Latin Dance Party Fishbowl Lounge - Karaoke Iron Horse Bar & Grill - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Downtown) - Karaoke with Ryan Moseley Mi Rancho (Washington Road) - Karaoke with Jeff Barnes Mi Rancho (Clearwater) - Three J’s Karaoke 34 METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

Ms. Carolyn’s - Karaoke Palmetto Tavern - DJ Tim The Playground - DJ Rebeck’s Hideaway - Open Mic Roadrunner Cafe - Karaoke with Steve Chappel Soul Bar - ‘90s Night Wooden Barrel - Karaoke Contest

March 30 30Saturday, Live Music

The Acoustic Coffeehouse - Open Acoustic Jam Session with Eryn Eubanks and the Family Fold Chevy’s Nite Club - Live Music Country Club - Holman Autry Evans Towne Center Park - Little River Band, Atlanta Rhythm Section Malibu Jack’s - David Heath Perfect Picture P.I. Bar and Grill - Not Gaddy Jazz with Pam Bowman Polo Tavern - Pretty Petty Sky City - Futurebirds w/ Shaun Piazza Somewhere In Augusta - J.C. Bridwell Soul Bar - Joy Division Cover Band Surrey Tavern - Funk You Wild Wing - Todd Coleman Band

What’s Tonight?

Mi Rancho (Downtown) - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Washington Road) - Karaoke, Salsa Dancing Shannon’s - Karaoke with Peggy Gardner

April 1 01Monday, Live Music Shannon’s - Open Mic Night

What’s Tonight?

Applebee’s (Evans) - Trivia Club Argos - Karaoke Malibu Jack’s - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Downtown) - Trivia The Playground - DJ Rana Robolli’s - Trivia with Mike Thomas Somewhere in Augusta - Poker Wild Wing - Trivia

April 2 02Tuesday, Live Music

The Highlander - Open Mic Night Shannon’s - Karaoke Contest Somewhere in Augusta - Jacob Beltz The Willcox - Piano jazz

Club Argos - Variety Show Cocktails Lounge - Latin Night Fishbowl Lounge - Karaoke Helga’s Pub & Grille - Trivia The Loft - DJ Richie Rich Mi Rancho (Downtown) - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Clearwater) - Karaoke with Danny Haywood Mi Rancho (Washington Road) - Karaoke Ms. Carolyn’s - Karaoke The Playground - DJ Rana, DJ Lew Robbie’s - Saturday Night Dance Party Tavern at the Bean - Karaoke Wooden Barrel - Kamikaze Karaoke

What’s Tonight?

March 31 31Sunday, Live Music

April 3 03Wednesday, Live Music

Cotton Patch - Keith Gregory (brunch) Malibu Jack’s - Playback The Band w/ Tutu Dy’Vine Patridge Inn - Sunday Evening Jazz w/ the Not Gaddy Jazz Trio Wild Wing - John Kolbeck The Willcox - Jon Vaughn, brunch; Preston & Weston, night

Chevy’s Nite Club - Shag Night Club Argos - Karaoke Fishbowl Lounge - Dart League Joe’s Underground - Poker Night Laura’s Backyard Tavern - Karaoke w/ David Doane Limelight Cafe - Bottom’s Up Karaoke Malibu Jack’s - Poker Mellow Mushroom (Downtown and Evans) - Trivia The Playground - Truly Twisted Trivia with Big Troy Polo Tavern - Karaoke Shannon’s - Karaoke with Mike Johnson Somewhere In Augusta - Big Prize Trivia Surrey Tavern - Tubeday Tuesday Movie Night

Chevy’s Nite Club - Steve Chappel Joe’s Underground - Sibling String Malibu Jack’s - Marilyn Adcock

What’s Tonight?

Armando’s - Karaoke w/ Rockin Rob Club Argos - Santoni’s Satin Dolls

Cocktails Lounge - Augusta’s Got Talent Cotton Patch - Trivia and Tunes Hotel Aiken - Karaoke w/ Tom Mitchell Laura’s Backyard Tavern - Karaoke w/ David Doane The Loft - Karaoke Midtown Lounge - Karaoke w/ Charles O’Byrne Mi Rancho (Downtown) - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Washington Road) - Karaoke The Playground - Krazy Karaoke with Big Troy Polo Tavern - Karaoke w/ Tom Mitchell Somewhere In Augusta - Comedy Zone w/ Julie Scoggins and Jason Benci Surrey Tavern - Trivia with Christian and Mickey

Upcoming

The Mason Jars - Joe’s Underground April 5 Jason White - Laura’s Backyard Tavern April 5 Josh Hilley Band - Polo Tavern April 5 Musicians Hangout - Tavern at the Bean April 5 Red Dirt Empire - Joe’s Underground April 6 She N She w/ AcostA - Sky City April 6 2013 Masters Local Party - Country Club April 8 Ty Brown - Country Club April 9 Velcro Pybmies - Country Club April 10 Whetherman - MAD Studios April 10 Swingin’ Medallions - Country Club April 11 Ryan Morris - MAD Studios April 11 Lera Lynn w/ Shaun Piazza & Celia Gary - Sky City April 11 The Broadcast - Surrey Tavern April 11 Tyler Hammond Band - Country Club April 12 Carl Dylan - MAD Studios - April12 Brothers w/ Eat Lightning, Dirty Realists, & Night People - Sky City April 12 Masters Party w/ Panic Manor, Will McCranie and Chris Hardy - Tavern at the Bean April 12 Gary Ray - Country Club April 13 80’s Night w/ Same as it Ever Was & Die Young Stay Pretty - Sky City April 13 Easter Island - Sky City April 18 Carrie Underwood - James Brown Arena April 19 Vagabond Swing - Stillwater Tap Room April 19 Musicians Hangout - Tavern at the Bean April 19 Artist Showcase w/ Cameras, Guns & Radios Tavern at the Bean April 26 Alice in Chains - Bell Auditorium May 1 Derelict String Band - Stillwater Tap Room May 10 Palmetto Groove Band - Chevy’s Nite Club May 24 AcostA - Stillwater Tap Room May 31 Blair Crimmins and the Hookers - Stillwater Taproom June 14 28MARCH2013

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36 METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

28MARCH2013

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28MARCH2013

AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

METROSPIRIT 37

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Michael Johnson

mejphoto.photoreflect.com

Jenna Martin, John Paul Valenzuela, April Zahnor and Laraine Fraijo at the Cookin’ for Kids Oyster Roast and Toast at Daniel Field Airport.

SIGHTINGS

Anna and Nick Dickinson with Martha Marry at the Cookin’ for Kids Oyster Roast and Toast at Daniel Field Airport.

Sabrina Parkman, Shelby Rohrbaugh, Lisa Rohrbaugh and Rhonda Bradley at the Cookin’ for Kids Oyster Roast and Toast at Daniel Field Airport.

SIGHTINGS

DJ Spindrum, Sara Furno, Crystil Allen and Ben Lutz at Surreal at Surrey.

Katie Cullum, Jessica Hill and Nicole Whitfield at Surreal at Surrey.

William Edwards, Rob and Cindy Stephens, and John Myers at Wild Wing Cafe.

SIGHTINGS

Ben Tressel, Adrienne Hoffman and TJ Lucro at Wild Wing Cafe.

28MARCH2013

Ryan Moore, Austin Long, Cecilia Long and Natalie Loo at Wild Wing Cafe.

Brooke Marten, John Bishop and Sarah Fox at Wild Wing Cafe.

AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

METROSPIRIT 39

THE

EIGHT

V24|NO13

BOX TOPS

Forget Gerard Butler, the terrorists are no match for animated cavepeople! RANK

TITLE

WEEKEND GROSS

TOTAL GROSS

WEEK #

LAST WEEK

THE CROODS

$43,639,736

OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN

$30,373,794

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

$21,568,957

$177,097,090

THE CALL

$8,900,935

$31,105,056

ADMISSION

$6,154,984

SAMEIFLING

“Olympus Has Fallen”

It’s not “Die Hard,” but it’s still a decent popcorn flick If 15-year-old boys took business trips, and mowed through paperbacks in airport bookstores, they’d make the novelization of “Olympus Has Fallen” a runaway success. It’s like a Tom Clancy story for gents who have to shave only once a week. It’s not particularly smart, but it does generate a sense of unbridled, gravity-free plotting and action, as if it were written under the influence of Mountain Dew Code Red and Fox News, in a tree house, the night before it was due. The script and ensuing play-acting thereof are just a vehicle to answer this bonghit-ilicious question: How could terrorists take over the White House and kidnap the president? Or, more to the point, how can that scenario be proffered without inspiring the audience to laugh popcorn out their noses? You will laugh at “Olympus Has Fallen,” if only at its audacity. Here’s what happens. The president is Aaron Eckhart. He has an accident that leads to the dismissal of his best Secret Service agent, Gerard Butler. (Shots of flags being lowered, sounds of shrill brass and snare drums.) Time passes. The news is on. North Korea has a big army! Then, a South Korean delegation visits the White House. There’s an attack on Washington, and everyone in the Oval Office scrambles into a deep bunker. The attack gets so intense that pretty soon a bunch of Korean commando-terrorists have killed practically every single person in the White House except for — our man Gerard Butler! He learns that in the bunker one of the Koreans is in fact a bad guy (Rick Yune) who’s using his hostages to leverage many bad guy plans. Over at the Pentagon, Speaker of the House Morgan Freeman has been appointed acting president. He believes in agent Gerard Butler, who has to do a great deal of running and shooting and neck-breaking on behalf of America. Getting through the whole bloody, explosiony mess will require a heavy dose of “sure, why the hell not.” You wish it were “Die Hard.” It wishes it were “Die Hard.”

Director Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”) can’t quite pull off that much verisimilitude, but he steers right along the edge of groan-worthy camp without ever capsizing. (Unless you count one overindulgent recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by a delirious secretary of defense. It’s like having liquid George Washington poured into your ears.) In some ways, you have to credit “Olympus” for the mistakes it didn’t make. There’s a subplot involving a child that wraps early instead of becoming uncomfortably manipulative. Butler and Eckhart play heroes with the right note of fear. At two hours, it’s actually long enough to let the story breathe some. It also carries an oddly classic vibe, one that harks to the Cold War shoot-’emups of the ’80s. Almost 12 years after a truly horrific set of terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, we can once again support escapist entertainment that features a plane flown by suicide pilots, a terroristic takedown of a major government building, a crumbling landmark — and no mention whatsoever of 9/11 or Al Qaeda. We’ve reverted to a state of quasi-comfort that only comes with distance and a sense of steady, if permeable, safety. For as many times as it was repeated, usually with a dollop of irony, during the past decade, the terrorists did not win. We know this because we still put them in our movies and let them think they’re winning just before we break their necks, all for Saturday matinee kicks.

MARCH 29 ACTION

DRAMA

“G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” rated PG-13, starring Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson, Ray Park, Bruce Willis. It looks like they recruited every generation of action star for this sequel to 2009’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.” So does the story even matter? Nah, probably not.

“Temptation,” rated PG-13, starring Vanessa Williams, Kim Kardashian. Tyler Perry’s latest, about a married woman and a handsome billionaire, will surely be a hit, despite the presence of “actress” Kim Kardashian.

“The Host,” rated PG-13, starring Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, William Hurt. Did you know Stephanie Meyer, who wrote this one, is author of the Twilight book series? You’ve been hit over the head with that information if you’ve seen any of the commercials they’ve been bombarding us with. Not surprisingly, this story deals with love triumphing over supernatural, dangerous circumstances. Yawn.

“The Place Beyond the Pines,” rated R, starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Rose Byrne. A motorcycle stunt driver turned bank robber clashes with a rookie cop. It may be very close in story to “Drive,” but Gosling and Cooper will surely pack in audiences.

COMEDY

DOCUMENTARY

“Mental,” not rated, starring Toni Collette, Anthony LaPaglia, Liev Schreiber. A politically ambitious husband, a wife reeling from his cheating and a not-quite-normal nanny who looks after the couple’s five girls: Sounds like fun!

40 METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

“Room 237,” not rated. This film explores the possible hidden meanings in Stanley Kurbrick’s “The Shining.” Room 237, of course, was the one Danny visited that scared the crap out of him, so this by all accounts fascinating doc is one we’re definitely excited about seeing.

28MARCH2013

WHINE

V24|NO13

WHINELINE@THEMETROSPIRIT.COM

Have something you want to get off your chest? Send your whines to whineline@themetrospirit. com. If you do so by noon on Friday, you might just see it in the next Thursday’s issue. Oh, and whines may be edited for content but will pretty much be printed exactly as you type them.

LINE

Hey Georgia Power here is an idea , STOP SPENDING MONEY ADVERTISING AND LOWER MY BILL !Your market saturation is pointless ! YOU ARE A MONOPLOLY! look it up. ( everybody knows about your conservation programs.) What in the world has become of common courtesy?? People at the mall bump into me, paying more attention to Twitter than to where they’re going. And of course, no “Excuse me.” In stores, cashiers are ignored without so much as a nod or a “thank you.” Parents talk on phones in church or while letting their kids run wild in stores, pulling items off shelves. Tipping seems to be optional or passe’. We’ve become a nation of self-centered, rude people.....scary.

I drove a Fire Engine for over 10 years in Augusta. I believe some whiners are exaggerating just a bit. Yes we run through red lights AFTER we determine its clear. Yes we get in on coming traffic. Either when traffic jams require it or motorists do not move into the right lane as you are suppose to! As far as being “run off the road” or “almost being hit” I doubt it. The trucks are big, bright, and loud and yes it can be a little scary when one is passing you at a intersection. Do you not confuse this with reckless driving. Next you will whine about how long it took us to get on scene to HELP you!

the so called born here American roofing companies, especially; in Augusta, Columbia County are not worth your time - if you want your roof done right;get the mexican crews to do it- you will never regret it. It hurts me to write this statement as a natural born American.

It’s good to see that Hulk Hogan got Brooke Hogan (his daughter) a paying gig with TNA wrestling. I mean, the minute she opened her pie-hole and tried to create a “singing” career, well, it was the S.S. Titanic meets the Hindenburg. It must be nice to ride your old mans coat-tails instead of filling out application after application and not getting a regular job. And I can’t wait for what the Hulkster does for his son Nick, the former drift car driver that didn’t do anything but crash cars and get speeding tickets.

I’m in shock that at what the guy said about speeding through intersections with a red light and then asking what if it was your family member. This mentality is what causes more injuries. Get there as fast as you can but damn realize you are driving a huge fire truck that could easily kill plenty of people if you wrecked it. If my house is on fire I want you there as quickly as possible, but I would rather see my house burn down than know you wrecked or killed someone with your driving through red lights to get there. Shame on you.

To let everyone know; Rubens department store went above and beyond in helping with my wife’s Easter’s outfit. many thanks.

Did I read the other paper right, Richmond county s.o. getting new chargers because They look better, never mind they paid more money for cars then new cars they just got (pant adjustment) plus new interceptors they got last year are only cars ever designed from scratch on volvo’s db80 chassis as nothing but a police car and not one from a retail car made to look like a police car.

What happened to all of the Yiddish in the whine line? I enjoyed seeing it. Reminded me of growing up in Brooklyn. Ah, the zikhroynes!

THUMBS

I love to watch the restaurant report card on channel 26 . It gives good information about places I have and will frequent . I found it strange that they reviewed a place named after THE DEVIL! It may be a different lauguage but the message is the same

who won the lexus lease in the ronald mcdonalds house and Hudson lexus? who could investigate this possible contest scam? Publisher Note The winner of the fundraiser sponsored by Jim Hudson Lexus, Ken Manning, generously donated the two-year lease value of the 2012 Lexus CT back to The Ronald McDonald House. It was a most worthy venture for a great cause.

Is it true that all you have to do, in order to be a cool commenter on the daily’s website, is clear your cookies? That’s it?! it never ceases to amaze and dismay that augusta tv media and city officials become orgasmic as THE MASTERS approaches...this elitist club and tournament that 99% of augustans won’t ever be allowed to see and WAS supported in the old days by augustas citizens when the national couldn’t GIVE tickets away...is an inconvenience to the locals who deal with traffic and rude out of towners who take over our restaurants,streets etc...”the king has no clothes”

In response to the person who said I was “Bitching” about the speed of the fire truck, calm down there. I do know what I am talking about and I can tell you right now that endangering the lives of others to get to an emergency is not a sane argument. You always make sure the people who aren’t in danger are safe first and move on to the next victim. Same with you behind the wheel running through red lights at 40mph. Maybe your insane driving could save a life or a house, but what if you kill 30 driving like that. YOU GET A CLUE!!

Enjoy the cold. It’ll be 150 degrees soon enough.

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But Mother Nature does know the Masters is in a little over a week, right?

HITTING THE HAY SINCE 1938!

CLOSING SALE EVERYTHING MUST GO! Now Open next to the new Weinberger’s | 3002 Riverwatch Pkwy | Augusta| 706.496.8741 42 METROSPIRITAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

28MARCH2013