Metro Spirit 08.01.2002 by Metro Spirit

VOL. 13 - ISSUE 52 • AUG 1-7 • WWW.METSPIRIT.COM THE METROPOLITAN

Two State Defendants Plead Guilty

ARTS, ISSUES & ENTERTAINMENT

P.16

Ken Kraemer: “It’s Augusta’s Turn.” P.18

Bobby Ross: Back in the Mayor’s Race

P.8

ALSO INSIDE: YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Contents The Metropolitan Spirit

AUGUS T 1-7, 2002

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ON THE COVER

Ken Kraemer: “It's Augusta's Turn” By Stacey Eidson.....................................18 Cover Design: Natalie Holle

Ken Kraemer Photo: Brian Neill

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Opinion Whine Line ......................................................................4 Words ..............................................................................4 Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down ..........................................4 This Modern World ........................................................4 Suburban Torture ...........................................................6 Guest Column .................................................................8 Austin Rhodes ................................................................9 Insider ...........................................................................10

Annual Clearance Sale at Gerald Jones Honda

Metro Beat

CVB: Give United Methodist a Full Refund .................12 Ernie and Bernie Duke It Out at Airport .....................14

Gerald Jones Honda List $23,620 Gerald Jones Honda Discount - $3,000 Factory Incentives - $1,250 to Dealer

Arts Summer Jam Tour Makes Christian Music Accessible .....................................................................21 First Friday ....................................................................22 Sweet Adelines Is One Glitzy Chorus .........................23

Avril Lavigne, Better Than Ezra, and Cracker in Atlanta — Free! ..........34

Cinema

Movie Listings .............................................................24 Review: “Signs” ...........................................................27 Movie Clock ..................................................................28

Events

8 Days a Week .............................................................29

Music

Sonic Youth Ventures Off “Murray Street” .................34 Avril Lavigne, Better Than Ezra, and Cracker in Atlanta — Free! ............................................................34 Correction ......................................................................34 Music By Turner ............................................................35 Nightlife ........................................................................ 36

Stuff

News of the Weird .......................................................38 Brezsny's Free Will Astrology .....................................39 New York Times Crossword Puzzle ............................39 Amy Alkon: The Advice Goddess ................................40 Classifieds ....................................................................41 Date Maker ...................................................................42

EDITOR & PUBLISHER David Vantrease ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Rhonda Jones STAFF WRITERS Stacey Eidson, Brian Neill ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Joe White ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Kriste Lindler PRODUCTION MANAGER Joe Smith GR APHIC ARTISTS Stephanie Carroll, Natalie Holle ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Meli Gurley RECEPTIONIST/CLASSIFIED COORDINATOR Sharon King ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ASSISTANT Lisa Jordan CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Meli Gurley SENIOR MUSIC CONTRIBUTOR Ed Turner CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chuck Shepherd, Rob Brezsny, Austin Rhodes, Amy Alkon, Rachel Deahl CARTOONISTS Tom Tomorrow, Julie Larson

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

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Defendants Plead Guilty in Two State Construction Fraud Case By Brian Neill................................................16

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Whine Line Thumbs Up Finally, from the depths of our nation’s sorrow and never-ending cycle of bad news, comes something close to a miracle. Nine coal miners who spent three days in a water-filled, earthen tomb 240 feet down, were saved through the perseverance and know-how of rescue crews. Some watched the news in disbelief, expecting, as has been the case with most events recently, the worst possible outcome. The miners being raised one by one in relatively good condition from the earthen shaft was exactly the infusion of good news this country needed.

Thumbs Down We understand Augusta Aviation Commissioner Ernie Smith is passionate about issues at Augusta Regional Airport. But his recent display of aggression toward fellow board member Bernie Silverstein, standing up to confront Silverstein over an issue the two were disputing, was out of line. What is it with all of these boards here? It seems they are all typified by unprofessional behavior and petty squabbles. What’s wrong with this city?

ere Bonnie Ruben to run for mayor, she would indeed have my vote. Were she to be elected, I do believe firmly that she would provide the strong leadership and sound fiscal judgment that Augusta so badly needs. All the other voters will think, as do I. Will someone who has a set of values run for sheriff in Columbia County next election and get rid of the chief while they are at it? Get rid of this good ol’ boy network so the department can stop walking on eggshells and rebuild its morale. Austin Rhodes’ column on the PIA Jihad was excellent and right on target, but we need to add another name: Dr. Charles Larke and all his cronies at the Board of Education. They too, are ruining Augusta, by ruining the educational status. Ask yourself why Columbia County’s new recruits this year came primarily from Richmond County schools: Because no one can stand to work for this man. As far as modern warfare goes, the only difference between a mass murderer and a hero is which government wins the war. The Columbia County Sheriff's Department leadership has no regard for what is fair, not to mention what is right. If it’s true that government officials lead a community by example, Columbia County is in terrible trouble. Well here we go. The NAACP has spoken and it’s just what I expected. It’s the race thing again and again and again. I wonder if they have read the whole report? Probably not. I wonder why the black politicians in D.C. wanted Few gone? They must be racists too. Also, the blacks on the special grand jury — are they racist too? They questioned me and seemed intelligent enough. Those of you who don’t know anything about fire department business don’t know anything

W O R D S “Due to the numerous flaws in the adult entertainment ordinance, severing the unconstitutional portions is futile. Accordingly, that ordinance cannot be enforced as it was written prior to July 18, without violating the First Amendment.” — U.S. District Chief Judge Dudley Bowen, writing in his July 26 order granting the owners of Augusta Video X-Mart the preliminary injunction they sought to open the store. Bowen also said he would not consider the case in terms of a revised adult entertainment ordinance adopted by the Augusta Commission on July 18, after the hearing on the preliminary injunction had already been held.

about Few. If you read the special grand jury report and see nothing but color, you are a racist! In closing, if I respond to your house tomorrow, I don’t care where you live or what color you are, I am there to help you. Am I a racist? If you think our city officials are out of control, you should have been at the Augusta Stallions game this past Sunday. Our defensive coordinator was taunting the opposing team players to fight him; the officials completely lost control of the game; and one of our fans was injured by a flying helmet (thrown by an ejected Tallahassee player). I know it’s football, but seriously (especially the coach) grow up! This is one of those occasions where I’m glad these games are not televised (a good example of why these players, coaches and especially the truly pathetic officials are not Arena I material). How embarrassing! So Barbara Dooley says she is a conservative. Well, if by “conservative” she

means conserving and expanding every New Deal and “great society” budget buster, then yeah, she’s a conservative. A conservative to make Al “Lock-box” Gore, Don Johnson and Roger Kahn proud. The 12th District can’t afford that kind of forked-tongue “conservatism.” My whine is about Publishers Clearing House. I filled out one entry form and sent it in the mail, and almost everyday since, I’ve received entry letters from Publishers Clearing House. Is anyone else going through this? This is just ridiculous. Just heard Bob Young on a morning radio broadcast (105.7) trying to backpedal his way out of the Ronnie Few fiasco. When asked about “embellishing” Mr. Few’s letter of recommendation, all the mayor did was throw blame on everybody else. First, he implied he was doing Augusta a favor by trying to get rid of Mr. Few. Next, he said Washington’s mayor should have done a background check or called

him (Mayor Young) for a reference. He can’t deny that he deliberately told a lie and because of that, Augusta could be held responsible if Washington decides to seek legal action. Just what the taxpayers a need, being forced to pay for a lawsuit because our mayor is a liar. Bob Young is up to his ears in the grand jury-Ronnie Few disaster. If he keeps it up, he could end up being a “one-term” mayor. But it is a “who you know” world and I’m sure he could get a prestigious job with a local realtor. Maybe he could be vice president in charge of paper clips. I loved Stacey Eidson’s article on the grand jury. Bob Young is losing it. Why wouldn’t the city of Washington take what our mayor said at face value? Why would they even accept a letter of recommendation in the first place if they were going to assume it was not the truth? Besides, he shouldn’t be teasing about the three commissioners coming back from Washington. There’s no guarantee he will be coming back in January. People join private clubs to get away from angry peasants like you folks that keep griping about them. Get a life. Whew! The Democrats might have gotten lucky again. The 19-year-old tape on Al Sharpton could make the difference they need in the next presidential election. The Democrats certainly don’t want to have to split the African-American vote. The Insider was right on. Charlie Norwood is trying to flex his muscles and dominate Georgia republican politics. He’ll never do it because he is such a lightweight. I remember when Charlie went to Washington saying that we don’t need career politicians and professing to favor term limits. Now he’s got a bad case of Washington-itus. Hats off to our soldiers from Ft. Gordon. I had the opportunity to work as a volunteer with many of these fine men and women at several of the Georgia Games sporting venues. They were very respectful as well as dependable. The Georgia Games would not have been nearly as successful without the hardworking crew from the Fort. Thank you Ft. Gordon. Now that those coal miners have been rescued the Democrats are gonna try to blame the whole ordeal on President Bush. Doesn’t it frost your tail when you go out to eat, the food is good, the price is fair, and the server is nowhere to be found. All I ask for is one refill on my water, and you get a 15- to 30-percent tip. If you order tea, Coke or whatever, they will be there with the refills, get water, and they don’t come back. continued on page 6

HEALTH PAGE Take care of yourself. Let University help. “HealthTalk”on WGAC-580 AM

TIME FOR BACKTO SCHOOL

Tune in Monday, Aug. 5, at 8:30 a.m. to hear Kay Buckner, R.N., manager of University HealthService Center, discuss the ASK-A-NURSE program.

Parents, do you feel like your “to do” list for the new school year is overwhelming? Students, do you need a fun reminder that school is exciting? University is proud to sponsor three FREE Back-to-School Festivals, which will help both parents and children get ready for school.

Come to Camp Whispering Wind!

Camp Whispering Wind for children 8-14 with asthma will be held at Camp Bishop Gravatt in Aiken Oct. 4-6. Deadline to register is Sept. 6. For more information or to get an application, call 706/774-8535.

Mark your calendar and plan to attend the festival for your school district. This year, the Back-to-School Festivals will be held in Columbia, Richmond and Aiken counties.

Richmond County Sunday, Aug. 4, 12:30-6 p.m. Augusta Mall, 3450 Wrightsboro Road

The following are provided for your enjoyment: ■ Children’s corner ■ Door prizes ■ Giveaways ■ Refreshments ■ Crafts ■ Teacher gifts

Aiken County Saturday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. H. Odell Weeks Activity Center, 1700 Whiskey Road

Start the year off with a positive and excited outlook at a Back-to-School Festival. For more information, call 706/828-2460.

Columbia County Saturday, Aug. 3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Evans High School, 4550 Cox Road

University Health Care System is the proud sponsor of the United Way of the CSRA Campaign Kickoff 2002.

At each location you’ll find the following helpful resources: ■ Speech and vision screenings ■ Nutrition tips and immunization requirements ■ Drug, alcohol and safety awareness tips ■ Information on before- and after-school child-care programs ■ Registration for dance classes, sports and other recreational programs ■ Information on school calendars and bus schedules

Your resource for healthy living. Healthy Adults

Optifast Weight Management Information Session Thursdays 5-6 p.m. University Hospital Nutrition Center Registration is requested. Call 706/774-8917. ®

Fresh Start Smoking Cessation Program Tuesdays, Aug. 6-27 6-7 p.m. University Hospital Cafeteria No charge Registration is required. Call 706/774-8900. FREE Pulmonary Function Screenings Third Tuesday of each month 1-3 p.m. University Hospital Asthma Clinic Call 706/774-5696.

Healthy Older Adults

Registration is required. Call 706/738-2580 or 800/413-6652 for information on the following programs:

Seniors Lunch Bunch "Nutrition and Weight Management" Presented by Holly Ford, manager, Nutrition Center Aug. 16 11:30 a.m. The Grand Buffet Restaurant, 3435 Wrightsboro Road Dutch treat lunch Breakfast With the Doctor "Glaucoma, Cataracts and other Aging Eye Disorders" Presented by Manuel Chaknis, M.D. Aug. 22 9-11 a.m. University Hospital Dining Room 1 Seniors Club members: free; nonmembers: $3.00

Healthy Women

Lymphedema Education for Breast Cancer Surgery Patients Presented by Nicole Spiro, OTR/certified lymphedema therapist First Tuesday of each month 5 p.m. University Breast Health Center No charge Registration is required. Call 706/774-4141.

Healthy Parents

All classes are held in the third-floor Women’s Center classroom unless otherwise stated. Registration is required. Call 706/774-2825 for information or to register for the following classes: Childbirth Preparation Class Six-week series Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27, Sept. 3, 10; or Aug. 8, 15, 22, 29, Sept. 5, 12 7-9:30 p.m. $75

Weekender Childbirth Preparation Class Aug. 16 and 17 Friday, 6:30-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. $100 Refresher Childbirth Preparation Class Aug. 19 and 21 7-9:30p.m. $50 Mom-to-Be Tea Aug. 22 2-4 p.m. No charge

Women’s Center Tour Aug. 8 7-9:30 p.m. No charge

Healthy Children

Sibling Birthday Party Aug. 15 3-4 p.m. No charge Breast-Feeding Aug. 15 7:30-9:30 p.m. Babies R Us, Bobby Jones Expressway No charge

FREE Speech and Hearing Screenings For children and adults University Hospital Speech and Hearing Center Appointments are required. Call 706/774-5777.

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continued from page 5 If you listen to all the Georgia political commercials it would appear Georgia schools are probably graded “tops” in the U.S. with no discipline problems. Oddly enough I seem to recall the latest test scores could not be calculated since there was a problem with the company doing the grading. Just maybe the incumbents have been consulting a psychic or are they creating a smokescreen about their lack of accomplishments? I applaud the organization. If they are able to raise the self-worth of black people, we will see crime decrease in their neighborhoods. This country has spent hundreds of years telling us that we are less than human beings. The Black Supremacy Nation understands that they must combat that negative image at any cost, even at the cost of offending white folks. When the main objective is to uplift black people, others are not considered and do not matter. The organization is in the black community for black people. Who’s minding the store at Richmond County Animal Control? First we are told to shoot our animals in the head (so it’s one less animal for Bragdon to worry about). Next we hear that Animal Control scans for microchips after being euthanized (only to hear later that Bragdon wants mandatory microchipping passed—I guess our animals will be returned to us in plastic bags). Last, but

Suburban Torture

certainly not least, is the latest from the Department of Agriculture—no water available to the animals in 100-degree heat, no fans on and piles of feces! Somebody needs to look for a new job. I take exception to the whine about Barry Fleming and his quest to become a Georgia representative being a nothing like Charles Walker. Walker had the sidewalk deals, the contract for Grady Hospital, and campaign spending of questionable legality. So far, Fleming is just a small-time Columbia County politico who has the usual difficulty with the truth, the rain tax, and sales tax spending; but he’s no Walker, at least not yet! Forest fires aren’t good, but watching “The General Sherman Tree” burn seems to make it all OK. I know a lot of people are very upset about the black supremacy building on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. There are many publications on underground organizations about white supremacy. Now we are a nation of people that was under attack a few months ago. The (attackers) were of a different race. The attack was because of the hatred that they have for Americans in general; it didn’t matter if we were green with pink polkadots. If you are so afraid and worried that there is going to be a race war, take the time out and go in and see what is actually going on in that building. It

BY JULIE LARSON

won’t hurt. We are in such a hurry to judge and point fingers at everything before we can find out the real truth. I love that I was born black and in America, but what exactly will it take for all of us to wake up before we have another crisis on our hands and it’s worse than before? Who will you blame this time? Austin must have made a direct hit on some people out there. Isn’t it amazing how hateful people act when looking the truth in the face? Call me a whiner but the Richmond Co. animal shelter is disgusting! No water in a bowl and no air circulation. Let’s lock Dr. Bonnie in a cage on a hot afternoon and see how she likes it. In reference to The Insider in The Spirit referring to Linda Schrenko being a front-runner: I assure you that is a joke Sonny Perdue will crush her. He will totally destroy her, she has no chance! I think Congressman Norwood must have a problem with women. He’s supporting two aging white guys (Perdue and Burns) over two dynamic women. Norwood is such a radical conservative there is no way his views represent me and I vote Republican almost every time. Get with it Charlie. How is it white folks are always telling black folks when something isn’t racist

or they are not being discriminated against? This city and society is rooted in racism and everything in it is about race. Black people know when reports and the grand jury findings are discriminating. Stop trying to tell us what we know is true, that it’s a figment of our imagination or a people using the race card again. If this town wasn’t so racist, maybe black people would believe it, but we don’t. White people are the ones tearing up this city, not the commissioners, by trying to run down everything that’s black and replacing it with everything that’s white. It’s a power struggle no one is going to win. As an educated black man who has lived in Augusta since 1988, racism clearly exists. But this Black Supremacy Nation does absolutely nothing for me as a black man or for anybody else. This Malcolm X wannabe needs to just give it up and try to do something to bring peace among all the people, because we are all people of God. Yes, there is racism, especially here, but he doesn’t have to try perpetuating it with this Black Supremacy Nation crap. Let me see a White Supremacy Nation building like that and watch me and everybody else freak out. Get rid of it! — Call our Whine Line at 510-2051 and leave your comments. We won’t use your name. Fax your whines by dialing (706) 733-6663 or e-mail your whines to whine@metspirit.com

7 M E T R O

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Meet Georgia’s State-Level Candidates!

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Georgia Candidate for Governor Bill Byrne

LAURA GIVEN & KEITH VON SCHRILTZ

Georgia Candidate for Lt. Governor

SUZANNE STEMBRIDGE & TIMOTHY ANSLEY

Sen. Mike Beatty

and a Preview of... “De-Mything the Goddess” Exhibit with Artist Rhian Swain-Giboney

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Opinion: Guest Column

Yes Augusta, I Really Do Want To Be Your Mayor

believe it would be a great job! Mayor of Augusta. Being in that position and bringing to the citizens ideas of substance, proposals that will enhance all Augustans, an attitude that emphasizes what we can do. And my list goes on and on. As mayor, I would think in a holistic way, being concerned with the whole as opposed to just one segment. This would be a truly awesome position to occupy, and yet very humbling. You see, I think a leader must be out there leading, understanding that as mayor, he is a servant of the people. As your mayor I will bring an agenda that will be multifaceted. I will work to restore trust from our citizens to their government. We must think different before we will act different. We must take the attitude that if we raise the tide all the boats float higher. Our citizens deserve to see communication, mutual respect, better stewardship and a mayor who is out there, physically. The ideas that I bring forth will be the result of creativity and communication. We must be more creative and I will lead that charge. There must be more appropriate accountability. I will raise the level of expectation. Our government must be user-friendly. The citizens deserve more efficiency. Do we

have the right people doing the job? How can we be better? I support giving the administrator the authority to hire and fire department heads. Let him do his job and hold him accountable. Better stewardship is essential. We must give Augustans more for their tax dollars. I will look for and do all that I can to eliminate areas of waste. People deserve to see their tax dollars spent in a fashion that the city as a whole is benefiting. I will ask questions, inspire thought, and always lead. It is what leaders do. When all else around them is chaotic they use their God-given abilities, developed over the years, and move forward. I bring the citizens discipline, spontaneous creativity and passion for the position of mayor of Augusta, an approach to economic development that includes a regional approach realizing that Augusta is the hub, and our small businesses play a major role in our movement. Again we must lead the way, make other communities proud to be associated with us. As your mayor, I will seek out ideas that have worked for similar communities, establishing relationships along the way. My focus will be on Augusta, and how we can economically impact our city in a positive way. We will recruit (from a tremendous pool) our local

business leaders, our small business owners, to give their time and talents to developing ideas that will work knowing that mediocrity is no longer the norm. I will provide bold, innovative leadership. As I read the other day, we do not know how high we can fly until we spread our wings. And with all of the work that will lie ahead to be done, we must ensure that we are doing everything we can to give our citizens a high sense of security. Public safety is critical. Without it, our initiatives could easily wither on the vine. Let people know that lawlessness will not be tolerated. As mayor, I will support our public safety departments. Citizens of Augusta, I believe one of the strongest attributes I bring to you as a candidate is my desire to be your mayor. This city has given so much to me and I have learned so much that I am prepared for the tasks that lie ahead: to give myself to this office; to come to work every day working for all of the citizens of Augusta. I will proudly represent Augusta in the best light. I will stand up for what is right and I will not tolerate behavior that puts Augusta in a negative position. I will ask questions, think outside the box, and bring to the office a progressive, “can do” attitude. We must always be recognizing our local assets,

Bobby Ross using this enormous pool of talent that we have here at home. Our city is sitting on the verge of great things, and therein lies the problem. We are too busy sitting. We have so much going on in our city, we need to continue the efforts already started. I will give hands-on, bold, innovative leadership to you. I would be honored to serve as your mayor.

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t was not a politician, or a rich businessman who resurrected downtown Augusta, but it appears those are the types who are damn well trying to ruin it again. This time the scheme may come with an assist from the fine arts crowd. A move to eliminate public alcohol consumption downtown is the latest in a series of goofy plans, dreamed up by intellectual geezers, bound and determined to kill the goose that continues to lay golden eggs in, what was not so long ago, a depressed demilitarized zone. Twelve years ago you could fire buckshot on Broad Street after 6 p.m., and the only thing you would hit was an empty building. Today, downtown Augusta bustles with activity late into the evening, and it has become a fine destination on about a hundred different levels. There are a few stalwarts like Bonnie Ruben and the Ballas family, owners of Luigi’s, who stayed the course and kept the area on life support when everyone else jumped ship for the malls. But the real champions of the rebirth are guys like my old high school and college classmates, Matt Flynn and Coco Rubio. Young entrepreneurs who gave downtown what it really needed: hip party spots and crowd-pleasing food and beverages. Those guys weren’t in the room when the geezers decided to pee on their parade. This week, officials with the Downtown Development Authority announced the crackdown on public alcohol consumption, to begin with the August edition of First Friday. They didn’t have to ask for a new law to do it; they want one already on the books to be enforced. Funny thing about those kinds of laws. Give me 15 minutes and a magnifying glass and I bet I can produce an Augusta city ordinance proclaiming it illegal for unescorted ladies to be out after sundown. But I digress. First Friday was a creation of the folks who comprise Artists Row as a showcase for their talents and shops. They should be proud as peacocks for inventing an event that fills Broad Street with more people than it has seen on a regular basis in decades. From what I hear though, they are far less than enthusiastic as the event has started attracting a group made up of more than the brie and Bordeaux crowd. The artsy farts now feel like they have created their own Frankenstein, complete with all the uncouth accouterments that go with it. Of primary concern to them are the itinerant craftsmen who peddle their wares on the sidewalks during the event. The “undeserving upstarts” are horning in on their business. The old-timers made a stink, and for their troubles got new rules. These card-table merchants will now have to pay $25 a month for the privilege of participating. Annually, that is about three times what it would cost to have a business license for a regular establishment. Ain’t government grand? Not to say that someone didn’t need to

come forward and take charge. One official close to the event told me that live music groups were setting up too close to each other, and certain areas were becoming impossible to navigate because of undue gridlock. Some oversight was needed, but who decided that booze bullies were necessary? There are public safety concerns associated with bottles. No one says that rules banning them are a bad idea. But the act of trolling art exhibits with a plastic cup of Chablis should not have been criminalized in the same fell swoop. Main Street Augusta Director Chris Naylor was right when he suggested recently that folks conducting their own personal garage sales should be discouraged from participating in First Friday, but this new foray into the drinking habits of adult attendees is a bit out of left field. The new Downtown Food and Beverage Association wasn’t even consulted on this development. Bad move. And they are not happy about it. If there are drunks making a nuisance of themselves, let them be carted away. That is common sense. But stay out of people’s lives, and their cups, unless they are creating a disturbance. The fact that Main Street Augusta has even issued a statement on this matter has angered many otherwise lawabiding citizens. Generally speaking, people don’t like being told what to do and how to act. Hit the troublemakers and leave everyone else alone. The good news is, I hear that is very likely the way the enforcement will be implemented. The reaction to this mess has been so strong, and so negative, that the cops will likely look only the way of the miscreants and leave everyone else be. One final note. I was told by one of the downtown bar owners that they have made an effort to hire off-duty deputies to constantly walk between a few of the watering holes to watch the sidewalks and keep panhandling to a minimum. They have been rebuffed in those efforts by the sheriff. He says that deputies can only be hired for one specific business and that they cannot “walk the streets” on a special. That is absolutely ridiculous. We are not talking about abandoning the concept of the on-premise cop, but adding an additional officer, at private expense, to patrol the sidewalks. If there is a rule prohibiting it, change it fast. It is stupid. Our public officials need to stop being obstructionists and start thinking outside the box. Downtown is what it is, a growing success, because people other than politicians took it upon themselves to make it happen. Now, get the hell out of their way and let them continue.

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— The views expressed in this column are the views of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. The archived Austin Rhodes columns can now be seen at www.wgac.com. R28163 • BTS080801

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10 M E T R O

Democratic Primary August 20th

S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

An independent voice... our kind of representative.

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• Elected - Richmond County Solicitor 1988-1992 and re-elected 1992-1996.

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• CREATE economic empowerment zones outside Atlanta • BRING industries and higher paying jobs to Augusta through tax incentives

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Opinion: Insider

Young’s Implosion Produces Another Opponent

ugusta Mayor Bob Young has been hammered for the past several weeks over his letter of recommendation for former Augusta Fire Chief Ronnie Few and his subsequent feeble explanations of why he wrote such a glowing endorsement. One person who has been observing the situation is local businessman Bobby Ross and, according to him, he is fed up and wants to do something about it. He vows to oppose Young and any other candidate for the job of mayor. (See the Guest Column on Page 8.) Ross flirted with the idea several months ago, going so far as to Bob Young publicly announce that he would run, talking with community leaders, meeting with businesspeople, and seeking advice from political insiders about how to mount a campaign. After serious consideration and subsequent talks with Young, Ross decided not to proceed with his plans and came out publicly for Young. Now, he says he can’t sit idly by and watch the city fall into the abyss. Ross flatly states that, regardless of what happens, he is in this race to stay. He must stay in the race this time. Otherwise he loses all credibility. That’s bad news for Young. With former state Rep. Robin Williams already in the race, perennial candidate Brian Green making noise about entering the contest, and former Mayor Ed McIntyre playing political “cat and mouse” about his intentions, Young has enough to worry about without another candidate entering the race, especially when that candidate will appeal to some of Young’s previous supporters. Regardless of the number of votes Ross garners in the election, the majority of those votes will come from Young. Speaking of Mayoral Candidates Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority board member Bonnie Ruben has indicated that she has been approached to run for mayor and is considering it. Her interest in the possibility surBonnie Ruben faced after Augusta Commissioner Lee Beard informed Ruben that he was replacing her on the authority. Beard was apparently upset with Ruben’s vote to oust Civic Center Manager Reggie Williams. Ruben’s term has expired but Beard has not made a new appointment. It is his prerogative to replace her at any time. Supposedly, Beard will appoint someone

else at the Aug. 6 meeting of the Augusta Commission. Ruben indicated in her public statements that her interest in the mayor’s job would likely depend on the outcome of that meeting, a not-so-veiled challenge to Beard’s decision to replace her. Apparently, she thinks the commissioners may vote to keep her. Don’t bet on it. Generally, commissioners have a gentleman’s agreement to vote unanimously in favor of appointments to boards and authorities made by their fellow commissioners. Don’t expect anything different this time. Even though some commissioners may want to keep Ruben, a change in protocol could begin an argumentative process whereby any commissioner’s appointment could come under challenge. Chaos will ensue if that happens. There is enough divisiveness already. The commissioners are astute enough, hopefully, to move on and not add this particular selection process to the long list of contentious issues facing them. We’ll see. Bye-Bye Brian Quinsey Columbia County insiders are furious at the revelation that Columbia County Chamber executive Brian Quinsey donated $2,000 to state Sen. Charles Walker. The controversial senator does not even represent Brian Quinsey Columbia County. Plus, Walker is a Democrat while Columbia County is solidly Republican. Not to mention that Walker is despised by a large number of Columbia County Republicans. What was Quinsey thinking? He wasn’t. Columbia County News-Times Publisher Barry Paschal lambasted Quinsey in a recent column, citing that state Sen. Don Cheeks (D-23) and state Sen. Joey Brush (R-24) actually represent portions of the county, yet Quinsey didn’t donate a nickel to either of them. According to the article, Cheeks was especially chapped at Quinsey and vowed to give money to Walker’s opponent, Randy Hall, in November. The shaky relationship between Columbia County and Richmond County, especially in the area of economic development, is reason enough for any public official in Columbia County not to give money to Walker. For a chamber official to donate that much money to Walker is political suicide. Columbia County insiders are spreading the word that Quinsey has to go. Several candidates for public office this year will likely make the matter an issue. Reliable sources within the county doubt that Quinsey will survive long-term. Don’t be surprised if his resignation is accepted within the next few months. Quinsey is toast. —The views expressed in this column are the views of The Insider and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

MCG Community Education Calendar

August 2002

For additional information, directions to class locations or to register, call 706-721-CARE (2273) or 1-800-736-CARE. You may also visit our website at MCGHealth.org.

Special Events Motion Explosion! at Fort Discovery Join the MCG Children’s Medical Center at Fort Discovery and learn about the importance of physical activity through a new exhibit: Motion Explosion! – where virtual play is a reality. Fort Discovery, Augusta

Parenting and Childbirth Education Childbirth Education and Parenting Preparation Thursdays, August 1–September 5 7–9 p.m. A 6-week class for expectant women or couples to help develop the skills, learn the information and build the support for a confident childbirth experience. Children’s Medical Center Conference Center, First Floor, BT 1810 $50

OB Tours Monday, August 12, and Thursday, August 29 5:30–6:30 p.m.

Breast-feeding Class Tuesday, August 13 7–9 p.m. Children’s Medical Center Conference Center, First Floor

Project LINK Lecture Series Tuesday, August 6 6:30–8 p.m. Nancy Duncan, Director of Georgia Americans with Disabilities Act Exchanges will present “Disability Rights for Children.”

SIBSHOPS Saturday, August 17 10 a.m.–1 p.m. A program for siblings of children with special health and developmental needs. Sessions are fun with lots of activity. Children’s Medical Center Conference Center, First Floor $5

Wee Wisdom Wednesdays, 12–1 p.m. Educational program for parents of children under 5. Topics include childcare, discipline and how to keep your infant healthy. Call for schedule.

Family Health

Support Groups

Quit Smoking with the American Cancer Society’s Freshstart Program Wednesdays, 10 a.m.

MCG Breast Cancer Support Group First Thursday of each month 7–8:30 p.m.

Education and support for individuals as they quit smoking.

Education and support for individuals with breast cancer.

MCG Family Medicine Conference Room 1134

MCG Day Surgery Procedure Waiting Room

Wellness Program Thursdays, 2 p.m.

Children/Teen Support Group First Thursday of each month 7–8:30 p.m.

Weight loss group program emphasizing healthy lifestyles, physical activity and a choice of nutritional plans. Please call to register–space is limited.

For children and teens with a mother, significant other or family member dealing with breast cancer. MCG Student Center

MCG Ambulatory Care Center

Augusta MS Center’s “MorSel for Thought” Tuesday, August 27, 12–1 p.m. A lunch seminar addressing common medical, physical and emotional issues associated with multiple sclerosis. MS patients and their families and friends are encouraged to attend. Please call for registration and topic. Location: TBD

Children’s Medical Center Family Resource Library, First Floor

Meet at Concierge’s Desk on the 7th floor of MCG Hospital

All classes are offered to the community free of charge unless otherwise noted.

Tomorrow’s Medicine, Here Today.

12 M E T R O S P I R I T

MetroBeat

A U G 1 2 0 0 2

CVB: Give United Methodists a Full Refund

BY STACEY EIDSON

magine it’s a special night and you are planning a nice dinner with your spouse at a local restaurant. “You make a reservation and when you get there your table is not ready,” said Barry White, executive director of the Augusta Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau. “When you finally get to order and you get your food, there’s a fly in it.” Disgusted by the service, you ask to see the manager. When the manager comes over he is completely apologetic. “The manager says, ‘This meal is on us and here’s a coupon for a free dessert when you come back,’” White said. Two days later, you get a surprise call from the owner of the restaurant. “The owner says, ‘You know, we had some cost incurred for that meal we gave you. And the manager really doesn’t have the authority to really give that away, so, we aren’t going to give you the meal for free after all,” White said. “Oh, and we’re probably going to need that coupon back too. “Are those people ever going back to that restaurant?” That’s exactly how the AugustaRichmond County Coliseum Authority is treating representatives from the North Georgia Annual Conference of United Methodists, White said. Former civic center officials made promises to the United Methodist representatives of a full refund for the poor service they received at the civic center, and now the “owners” of the civic center, the authority, are reneging on the offer. The four-day conference held in midJune has been described as a complete disaster by the authority members themselves. The United Methodist officials told

the authority during a closed-door executive session on June 25 that the event was sorely understaffed, the meals were frequently served late, the facility was filthy and there were even times when there wasn’t enough food to go around. During that meeting, the board unanimously agreed to refund the United Methodist conference a “reasonable” sum, in hopes that conference officials would consider returning to Augusta next year. However, according to White, civic center officials, including former General Manager Reggie Williams, told the United Methodist representatives that they would receive a full refund. Williams was fired during the June 25 meeting after the authority learned of the

poor service provided at the conference. “They should refund the money. All of it,” White said. “They (civic center officials) stated that they were going to refund the money. They made a promise at a meeting at 7:30 that morning (June 25) in front of two (Augusta) commissioners and members of the church that they were going to refund the money. They need to keep that promise.” But a civic center committee formed by the authority to come up with a recommendation on how much money should be refunded to the United Methodist officials disagreed. On July 31, the committee unanimously voted to recommend to the board to only refund a portion of the conference’s money. According to authority member Billy

Holden, the United Methodist officials were charged approximately $45,000 for catering and $53,200 for renting the civic center. “It has been reported that we voted to give back all the money,” Holden said. “That is just not the case.” Holden said the authority actually voted to refund what the civic center deemed “appropriate,” and that’s what he felt the authority should do. “There is no doubt that the catering wasn’t up to what it should have been and the building wasn’t up to what it should have been, too,” Holden said. “What I think would be appropriate would be to give them a refund of $10,000 on the civic center (rent) and $28,000 on the catering. Because the catering seemed to be the biggest problem.” The four-member committee voted unanimously to recommend Holden’s proposal to the board. White couldn’t believe his ears. He said the North Georgia United Methodists conference has a $2.4 million economic impact on Augusta and brings 2,300 delegates to the city. “This conference means too much to this community,” White said. “There is a bigger picture than the civic center’s bottom line. There’s the city’s reputation. There’s the integrity of the civic center and the integrity of the city. And there is too much riding on this. “The United Methodists have been clients of ours, the Convention & Visitors Bureau’s, for at least 15 years. They’ve been good, repeat business. They’ve come back every few years. And, honestly, I think that is all in jeopardy right now.”

“This conference means too much to this community. There is a bigger picture than the civic center’s bottom line.” – Barry White, executive director of the Augusta Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau

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14 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

Ernie and Bernie Duke It Out at Airport

BY STACEY EIDSON

ed flags were raised last week at the Augusta Aviation Commission meeting when board member Bernie Silverstein happened to notice the signatures of his fellow aviation commissioners, Marcie Wilhelmi and Cedric Johnson, on a $776,187 work authorization agreement, as well as a 5-year contract with the airport’s aviation consulting firm, Black & Veatch. Neither document had been presented to the full board for its approval. And to make matters worse, Wilhelmi and Johnson signed the documents before County Attorney Jim Wall was given the opportunity to review them. On July 18, Wilhelmi signed both agreements in her official capacity as chairperson of the aviation commission, while Johnson attested to Wilhelmi’s signature. As soon as the aviation commission’s July 25 meeting began, Silverstein immediately wanted answers as to why there were signatures on these documents. “I’m not here to witch hunt. I’ve been trying to watch expenses, income and the budget,” said Silverstein, who also is a member of the aviation commission’s finance committee. “Black & Veatch is new on the scene and I made it a point to go ahead and check these items.” And what Silverstein found deeply disturbed him. According to the commission’s agreement with Black & Veatch, each assignment performed by the firm will only occur pursuant to a written authorization, otherwise known as a “work authorization,” issued by the commission. Silverstein said it was his understanding that the $776,187 agreement, referred to in the documents as a “work authorization,” had not been approved by the aviation commission. “Black & Veatch signed this on July 2 and the chair (Wilhelmi) signed it on July 18 with my dear friend Cedric (Johnson) attesting to the signature,” Silverstein said. “I don’t see the written authorization. I don’t see that it went through the finance committee or this commission.” “This agreement is a little less than $1 million,” Silverstein added, turning to address Wilhelmi. “So, I’m not sure we are following the proper procedures, Madam Chairwoman.” Wilhelmi explained that several months ago, during an April 25 meeting of the aviation commission, the board had unanimously approved the airport to proceed with a terminal area concept plan. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration requested that Augusta Regional Airport conduct a “terminal wetland assessment.” Wilhelmi also said that U.S. Senator Max Cleland recently went to bat in Washington for future funding for the airport. Therefore, with all of these matters in play, Wilhelmi said she felt that the board had given her prior authorization to move swiftly and sign the documents. Silverstein told Wilhelmi that he didn’t have a problem with moving swiftly, just as long as the commission was going through the proper procedures. “I’m not going to debate this for an hour,” Silverstein said. “The procedure for the work authorization is in the contract. The commission has to approve it. It doesn’t say the chairwoman.” Johnson explained that it was also his

“I’m not here to witch hunt. I’ve been trying to watch expenses, income and the budget.” – Aviation Commissioner Bernie Silverstein

understanding that the commission had already given its approval on the terminal concept plan on April 25. However, Wall wanted to clarify what he, as the attorney, thought the aviation commission needed to do. “The only comment I would make is, it has been the practice, and I would encourage you to continue the practice, that you have all of these documents, including the work authorizations, reviewed by legal counsel before they are signed,” Wall said. “As for these, I did not review the work authorization. ... I did not review (the 5-year contract) prior to it being executed.” When asked if the aviation commission was legally bound to the $776,187 work authorization agreement since it’s signed, Wall said it all depends on the minutes of the April 25

meeting and what was officially approved. Those minutes are currently under review, but according to Airport Director Ken Kraemer, he thought that the aviation commission discussed only $576,000 of the work authorization. As to the 5-year contract, Wall explained to the aviation commission that he had some serious reservations. “I don’t think it’s a good contract,” Wall said. “It is a multi-year contract. It does not have an hourly rate associated with it on how they are going to bill (the commission). It says, they will charge a fee. So there is no basis for that determination.” Since it is a multi-year contract, Wall said that it must be approved by the Augusta Commission. Therefore, Wall told the aviation commissioners that they could approve

the contract, subject to legal review. “But to approve it, as is and as signed, is not in your best interest or Augusta’s best interest,” Wall said. The board agreed to Wall’s suggestion, with only Silverstein objecting to the motion. Silverstein also suggested that all financial matters be sent to the finance committee for a recommendation before they are presented to the full board. “If we are going to have a one-person commission, I don’t need to serve on the finance committee,” Silverstein said. “If you want her (Wilhelmi) to approve up to a million dollars without a recommendation from the finance committee and then bring it already signed to the commission, then that’s your choice.” As tension began to mount in the room, Wilhelmi again tried to explain why she signed the two agreements. “I’ll tell you what actually happened, in all sincerity,” Wilhelmi said. “We (Johnson and she) asked, when we were signing and notarizing these on Thursday (July 18), has Mr. Wall seen this? Ken (Kraemer) says he told me, ‘No.’ I recall Ken saying, ‘Yes.’ And it’s probably my fault because it’s not the first time I did things wrong.” To avoid any future problems, Wilhelmi suggested that Wall send the airport staff a detailed outline of the proper procedure when approving contracts at the airport. Aviation commissioner Sheila Paulk immediately came to Wilhelmi’s defense. “This commission gave our director, Ken, the task of dealing with Black & Veatch and working out all the details,” Paulk said. “I don’t like being embarrassed. ... Our director should have handled it properly and this was not done.” Aviation commissioner Whitney O’Keefe couldn’t believe Paulk was blaming Kraemer for the signed documents. “I don’t think you ought to blame the director,” O’Keefe said. “Blame the folks that signed the documents.” As people began pointing fingers at one another, aviation commissioner Ernie Smith became visibly angered. “There is no blame, period,” Smith said, banging on the conference table. “I think you (O’Keefe) need to take time just like all these other guys and spend 30, 40 to 50 hours handling this work, as opposed to waiting to the last of the month and trying to grandstand.” “We are going to have an end to this BS today,” Smith added, before turning his frustrations toward Silverstein. “And Bernie, I’ve got to say, you’re on the finance committee, but this is the chair,” Smith said, pointing at Wilhelmi. “If you want to address the chair, you tell the chair, I don’t agree with you.” As Smith raised his voice, Silverstein told him to calm down. “No, I’m not going to calm down,” Smith said, quickly rising from his seat, confronting Silverstein. “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Wilhelmi said, clearly surprised at Smith’s actions. “My gosh,” Smith said, now yelling. “We’ve got too much work for this stuff, guys. It’s time to go to work. But now we have all of these crazy questions.” As Smith slowly took his seat again, Silverstein, a long-time member of the commission, reacted to Smith’s behavior by saying, “That’s a first.”

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For more information, call 706/828-2460 or log on to www.universityhealth.org

16 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G

Defendants Plead Guilty in Two State Construction Fraud Case

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B Y

hat could have been a lengthy, documentintensive trial came to an abrupt end after three men indicted on federal charges in a scheme to defraud the Monsanto/Searle pharmaceutical company entered guilty pleas. Clifford Poston, 48; Darwin Schneider, 44; and Joseph Ribordy, 58; appeared in federal court on July 25 and pleaded guilty to reduced charges outlined in the original 357-count indictment against them and Thomson-based Two State Construction Company. Poston and Schneider pleaded guilty to 42 and 40 counts, respectively, ranging from conspiracy and income tax evasion to mail and wire fraud. The men confessed to bilking the drug company for millions of dollars through

B R I A N

inflated site work invoices submitted by Poston, then-president of Two State, which were approved by Schneider, who served as construction engineer with Monsanto/Searle. U.S. District Chief Judge Dudley Bowen told the men that each of the counts could carry a maximum of five years in prison, $250,000 in fines and three years of probation. However, the government made no specific sentencing recommendations and the defendants will likely receive downgraded sentences for their acceptance of responsibility under federal sentencing guidelines. The men are also each responsible for restitution to Monsanto/Searle in the amount of $1,558,387. Ribordy took the lightest rap for the illegal operation, pleading guilty to only

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one of the mail fraud counts in the indictment, and admitting that he accepted two checks totaling $10,000 from Poston as kickbacks. Ribordy consented in open court to the prosecution’s claim that he ensured Two State would get construction contracts without having to bid for them through his role as an administrative manager in charge of accounting with Monsanto/Searle. Ribordy’s guilty plea to mail fraud could net him the same maximum penalties as each of his co-defendant’s charges, Bowen told him. Poston also accepted full responsibility for fraudulent activities conducted through Two State, leaving the company free from prosecutorial action. A court official said it could be anywhere from 30 to 45 days until a

sentencing hearing is set for the defendants. Currently, they are all free on bond. The summarizing in court of the plea agreement by Bowen proceeded smoothly until the issue arose of the assessed amount of back taxes, penalties and interest Poston and Schneider now owe to the IRS. Atlanta attorney Michael Abbott, cocounsel for Poston, questioned if the totals owed to the IRS in the plea agreement documents were arrived at by someone working directly on the criminal investigation. John Bell, court-appointed attorney for Schneider, who had claimed indigent status for the pending trial that would have started in August, said he had only been provided the IRS tally prior to walking into court.

Joseph Ribordy (upper left), Clifford Poston (bottom left), Darwin Schneider (bottom right)

“This has been approved by the U.S. Attorney’s office. Either we have an agreement or we don’t.” — Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Goolsby, responding to the questioning by the defense of the accuracy of taxes, penalties and interest owed by Poston and Schneider to the IRS.

Joel Ozburn, a special agent with the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, testified later at the hearing that Poston owed the IRS $971,507 in unreported taxes, penalties and interest, and Schneider’s obligation for the same totaled $2,117,514. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Goolsby told Bowen that the defense had been provided with the figures well in advance of the ongoing hearing and they had consented to all aspects of the plea agreement. Answering Abbott’s concern, Goolsby said the figures were arrived at by a revenue agent, but not a special agent assigned to the case. “I think the sticker shock they might be experiencing is as to the interest added,” Goolsby told the judge. “But that’s done by computer; we don’t have any control over that.” Abbott then questioned if that aspect of the plea agreement had been approved by Goolsby’s supervisors. That irritated Goolsby. “I object to him telling me how to do my job, with respect to my supervisors,” Goolsby told the court. “This has been approved by the U.S. Attorney’s office. Either we have an agreement or we don’t.” Bowen told the defendants they and their attorneys could sit down with the revenue agent at a later time to go over the figures, but the agent’s assessment of the amount owed would be the final word. “You understand that the revenue agent is the final decision on the amount, not

me?” Bowen asked Poston and the other defendants. “Yes I do, your honor,” Poston replied. Schneider and his attorney also agreed. Poston also agreed that he and Two State would surrender ownership of the Evans Diner on Washington Road in Columbia County, which the indictment alleged Schneider had originally purchased with kickback money from the defrauding scheme. Bowen strongly suggested that the federal government attempt to keep the Evans Diner a viable business, rather than simply board it up. “So many times I’ve seen the government seize fancy cars and they just end up rusting away in a lot somewhere,” Bowen told Goolsby. “You know my concern here. If we’ve got a good, operating business here, let’s try to make something out of it.” The investigation into Two State began with a tip to the FBI, Ozburn, the IRS investigator, testified during the plea hearing. Ozburn told the court he then began combing through Two State invoices from the company’s 1997 and 1998 fiscal years that had Poston and Schneider’s names on them. “A number of those jobs had 50, 60, 70, 80-percent profit,” Ozburn told the court. “And one job had 100-percent profit.” According to the indictment, the facts of which the defendants acknowledged in open court were true, the scheme worked like this: Schneider, through his position as construction engineer with

Monsanto/Searle’s Augusta plant for producing arthritis drug Celebrex, ensured Poston’s company got the lion’s share of construction jobs at the plant without having to bid on them. Poston would submit invoices to Schneider charging as much as twice what the work actually cost. Schneider’s complicity earned him more than 250 kickback payments, which totaled more than $2.7 million, from Poston. In 1998, Searle needed an existing plant in Puerto Rico retrofitted to produce Celebrex and other drugs. Schneider was brought in as construction engineer on the job and Ribordy, a friend of Schneider’s, was hired as administrative manager in charge of accounting for the project. Two State got the Puerto Rico job without submitting a bid. Federal investigators determined that, with Schneider and Ribordy’s assistance on the project in Puerto Rico, Poston reaped a gross profit of roughly $11 million through his overcharging the drug-maker. Schneider played it fast and loose with the kickbacks provided by Poston, buying extravagant gifts for girlfriends like a $16,000 platinum-and-diamond ring, a breast job, and trips to ski resorts and Walt Disney World. Poston wrote Schneider checks to purchase antique cars for display in front of the Evans Diner. Poston also funded Schneider’s purchase of a black Corvette worth $20,000 and made the final, $18,500, payment on Schneider’s loan for a 1995 Dodge Viper, worth more than

$53,000. Although many of the kickbacks Poston paid to Schneider were in the form of cash, he also assisted Schneider in purchasing vacation homes and paying expensive dating service fees. Poston also made the payments on more than $200,000 in credit card charges Schneider and his girlfriends racked up. Poston even paid for Schneider’s hair plugs, which, judging by Schneider’s physical appearance at the plea hearing, had not had the desired effect. Other things Poston used Two State checks to pay back Schneider with included: a lakefront lot and expenses toward the construction of an $800,000 log cabin vacation home at Great Cormorant Lake, Minn.; a total of $150,000 toward the purchase of a $2.1 million vacation home at the ski resort in Whistler, British Columbia; and two boats. In addition to the work Two State performed for Monsanto, the construction company has an extensive local portfolio. Two State built the Belle Terrace Swim Center, the Dale Phelon Information Technology Center at Aiken Technical College and the Warren County Courthouse. Currently, Two State is working on an $18.2 million classroom-replacement project at Augusta State University. The new facility, to be named Allgood Hall in honor of the late Thomas F. Allgood, is scheduled to be dedicated on Aug. 7.

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17 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

18 M E T R O S P I R I T

Ken Kraemer: “IT’S

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By Stacey Eidson

“The fact that this airport was selected by Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta as America’s air-service development zone, the one and only, I don’t think any one of us in this community, including myself, fully appreciates the importance of that unique designation.” – Airport Director Ken Kraemer

AUGUSTA’S TURN.”

ne year and counting. This week, Ken Kraemer, executive director of Augusta Regional Airport, will be celebrating his one-year anniversary in the Garden City.

When Kraemer arrived in Augusta on Aug. 1, 2001, the airport was right in the middle of its Continental Challenge, an air service campaign which was established in hopes of bringing Continental Express to Augusta. Augusta had raised more than $600,000 in pledges from area companies and community leaders who desperately wanted direct service to Newark, N.J., by Continental. On Sept. 7 of last year, five representatives from Continental were in Augusta with their measuring tapes in hand, reviewing the airport’s ticket counters and baggage-claim area. The airport appeared to be on the brink of success. Four days later, everything changed. The tragedies of Sept. 11 sent the nation’s airline industry into a tailspin. Continental canceled any immediate plans to service the Augusta area. To be that close to a new airline announcement and see it all suddenly disappear was a hard pill for the airport officials to swallow, but these days, Kraemer says it’s just a matter of time before Augusta welcomes Continental. “Had it not been for what happened on Sept. 11, Continental would be here by now,” Kraemer said during a recent interview with The Spirit at the Partridge Inn. “Sept. 11 did affect Continental’s plans, but it didn’t cancel them. They were just delayed.” Sept. 11 simply gave the airport more time to prove to Continental that Augusta is a viable market, Kraemer said. And according to an announcement last month from the airport’s marketing director, Kathryn Solee, it appears that Augusta has once again successfully sold itself to the airline. Continental recently asked Augusta Regional Airport to officially submit its incentives offer to the airline in writing. Currently, the airport is offering Continental $100,000 per added flight to Augusta. These funds will be used to help the airline promote the proposed new service. The airport will also offer Continental other discounts at the airport, such as waiving the landing fees for one year and a 50-percent discount on aircraft fueling

for six months. In exchange for these incentives, Continental would commit to providing Augusta with at least two non-stop flights to Newark for a minimum of one year. Solee predicted that Augustans will be able to fly to Newark via Continental by spring of 2003. But Kraemer, optimistic as ever, said there is a possibility that Continental won’t just stop there. “Over this past year, we have been able to supply more data to Continental and when we spoke to them most recently, they are now contemplating not only two flights a day to Newark, the back door to New York City, but also a flight a day to Houston,” Kraemer said. “That decision will be on their timeframe, but I remain confident that they will recognize the strengths of this market. “They recognize the community, in particular the business community, is screaming for competition to Delta (Air Lines) and ASA (Atlantic Southeast Airlines). And they want to be part of it.” However, Continental hasn’t been the only airline Augusta experienced some ups and downs with last year. Comair, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, which flew into Augusta from Cincinnati starting in late 2000, canceled service to Augusta Regional Airport after the airline experienced a pilot strike in 2001 and was hit with budgetary cuts after Sept. 11. Augustans benefited from Comair service for only four short months. By December 2001, Comair decided to pack up and leave the Garden City. But the recent news coming out of the airport’s marketing department is: Comair wants to come back. Comair is requesting $50,000 in incentives from the airport to promote Comair’s proposed two daily flights to Cincinnati. Comair is also asking that the airport waive the landing fee at Augusta for one year, which would equal approximately $51,000. Comair could be in town as early as Sept. 15, but, according to Kraemer, when Comair comes back to Augusta this time, it will be under much better circumstances.

Kraemer said Comair will offer earlier morning flights that cater to the business traveler. “When we discussed restarting service with Comair, we spent a major element of the discussion saying, ‘If you come back, we want you back at more convenient times. We want you to be more user-friendly, particularly for the business traveler,’” Kraemer said. So, why all of a sudden are airlines becoming interested in Augusta? Well, as of last month, Augusta is not just your average airport anymore. Sure, it may look basically the same right now, but Augusta has just recently found itself in the national spotlight. On June 26, not only was Augusta’s airport awarded a $759,000 development grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), but that same day it was announced that Augusta had been chosen by U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta as the first and only airport in the country to be designated as an air-service development zone. The new designation means that, under this small-community, air-service program, the DOT and other government agencies – including the Department of Commerce and the Federal Aviation Administration – will assist Augusta with economic development planning in and around the airport. “The fact that this airport was selected by Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta as America’s air service development zone, the one and only, I don’t think any one of us in this community, including myself, fully appreciates the importance of that unique designation,” Kraemer said. “The one and only in the country out of more than 400 other airports. It’s phenomenal.” While this designation may sound impressive, most Augustans have no idea what the designation means. Kraemer acknowledged that the airport staff and members of the Augusta Aviation Commission are still learning the true meaning of the designation themselves. “That was really, truly our purpose for visiting Washington, D.C. (two weeks ago), to try and find out what it means,” Kraemer said. “The particular law pertaining to the air service development zone was written just a few years ago. So, we visited with the Senate Commerce Aviation Subcommittee, both the Republican and Democratic sides saying, ‘OK, Augusta is the one. We are America’s air-service development zone. So, what did you mean when you wrote this?’” Kraemer said the framers of the law told them that the air-service development zone was intended to be a cooperative relationship with several federal agencies, such as the DOT and

the FAA, to see what kind of impact these entities could have on one chosen airport if they all worked together. “These different governmental agencies are supposed to come together to help with the economic revitalization of the airport,” Kraemer said. “At this point, there is no commitment of federal funds to go along with this special unique designation, but it is still a work in progress and a great opportunity for this airport. “And I think the reason Augusta was selected is because we had a damn good application.” Earlier this year, Solee put together a lengthy application that detailed Augusta Regional Airport’s strengths and weaknesses, including the airport’s main goal of getting “butts in the seats.” “She put together a hell of an application,” Kraemer said, adding that the application pointed out the number of governmental bodies invested in the CSRA. “The application talked about the Department of Energy at the Savannah River Site, the Department of Defense at Fort Gordon and the strength of Augusta’s medical sector. “So, I had pretty good confidence when we sent in that application that we were going to be one of the 40 communities to get a development grant, but I had no expectation that we would receive that special unique designation.” However, with this designation comes a lot of pressure, Kraemer said. “It’s a very challenging responsibility to have this unique designation,” he said. “The obvious question is: What are we going to do with that? At this point, it is a clean slate. “Over the next 45 to 60 days we are going to come up with our wish list of what we would like to see as far as development at the airport, but it’s not just the airport’s responsibility. It is up to this community to paint a picture that they would like to see and then we’ll take it to Washington and we will do our best job of selling it.” The last thing the airport wants to do is plan for the entire community by itself, Kraemer said. “The airport doesn’t want to operate in a vacuum. It shouldn’t,” Kraemer said. “The airport is too important to the economic vitality of the community for us to be doing this in a vacuum.” There are too many projects on the table for that, Kraemer said, including the aviation commission’s proposed midfield terminal project. “A terminal building is obviously the most visible aspect of an airport for the public,” Kraemer said. “A new terminal in Augusta is long overdue. The terminal that we have now wasn’t truly designed as an airline terminal. It was a surplus continued on page 20

“This airport has been neglected for a long time. The infrastructure needs at the airport have been sorely lacking.” – Airport Director Ken Kraemer

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20 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

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Music Explosion Concert Series

August 4, 11, 18, 25 Riverwalk Augusta Eighth Street Bulkhead 8:00-9:30 pm Admission $5.00

quietSTORM featuring Michael King and Karen Gordon performing a variety of music ... from jazz, blues, & R&B to country, rock and reggae! Bring your picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs and spend the evening dining and dancing on the river!

continued from page 19 military building from when Bush Field was a military airfield. “But, I’m the first to admit, there are a lot of people who have a very strong affinity with the present, ‘country club’ features of the Augusta terminal building. I think that’s why, when we build a new terminal in Augusta, it is important for us to keep a similar feel to a new terminal. Because the airport is the front door to the community.” But that doesn’t mean that the airport is planning on building a Taj Mahal for a terminal, Kraemer said. The airport’s master plan, developed by its aviation consulting firm, Black & Veatch, proposed that the first phase of airport construction should include a midfield terminal and parallel runways at a cost of approximately $92.5 million. However, those previous plans are now changing, Kraemer said. “The FAA has endorsed the parallel runway concept, but the FAA has reaffirmed its recommendation that the top priority for Augusta Regional Airport is a new terminal,” Kraemer said. “So, a replacement or a parallel runway may come in Phase Two in the future, but probably not in Phase One.” Therefore, the estimated cost of $92.5 million for the first phase of the project is now, “out the window,” Kraemer said. Currently, Kraemer said, the airport is waiting on a revised five-year plan from Black & Veatch. Another change in Kraemer’s game plan was the funding source for the new development at the airport. Previously, with the proposed parallel runways, Kraemer said he was looking to the federal government for a large portion of the airport’s funding. However, without a parallel runway initially, that changes things, Kraemer said. “The FAA ranks funding for terminal projects, on a nationwide prioritization system, fairly low,” Kraemer said. “That is why, we have turned to a very aggressive state legislative delegation.” Kraemer said he has received a great deal of support from state Senator Charles Walker. But Kraemer said he hasn’t given up on federal funding. The area’s congressional delegations, both in South Carolina and Georgia, are becoming very familiar with Kraemer’s face. “We have to depend on these political leaders for success,” Kraemer said. “And when you consider that we will be asking for significant federal dollars in future years, I think the trips to Washington are very, very beneficial.” And Kraemer feels that it’s finally Augusta’s time for some financial attention. “This airport has been neglected for a long time,” Kraemer said. “The infrastructure needs at the airport have been

sorely lacking.” Kraemer explained airports receive federal funding from two different pots: entitlement monies and discretionary monies. The government is required to supply the airports with entitlement funding, but there is a huge competition among airports for discretionary monies. In the past two decades, the nation’s airports haven’t worried about competing with Augusta because no one from Augusta was asking for money. Over a 19-year period, Augusta received only $87,100 in discretionary funds, while surrounding airports like Savannah received millions of dollars, Kraemer said. In one year, since Kraemer has arrived in Augusta, the airport has received $1.58 million in grants. And Kraemer says that’s just the beginning. “It’s Augusta’s turn,” Kraemer said. And Kraemer also promises to try and avoid using airport or municipal bonds to fund the future development of the airport. “I am going to do everything that I can to avoid the necessity of bonding. I don’t want to have to go to New York and Wall street (to get bond ratings). That stuff scares me,” Kraemer jokingly said. “So, I tell people, ‘We need to go to Washington rather than New York. Because the stuff that you get in New York has to be repaid. The stuff that you get in Washington doesn’t.’” But, one thing is for certain, Kraemer said: Local tax dollars will never be a funding source for the airport. “Most important of all, no local tax dollars will be used,” Kraemer said. “The airport is self-sufficient. It has been and will remain so.” The only thing the airport needs from the citizens of the CSRA is their support as users of Augusta Regional Airport. “We’ve set some very ambitious goals,” Kraemer said. “And having a ribbon cutting on a terminal is going to require a concerted, community-wide effort to make this happen.” However, for a town that is currently questioning its political leaders and wading through controversy over the recently released special grand jury report, people seem skeptical over the possibility of anything successful in Augusta, including the airport. “I think our biggest challenge is for us to get over the naysayers,” Kraemer said. “At times, it gets frustrating with people always questioning whether this is going to be successful or not. Sometimes I feel like the community is down on itself.” It’s time for Augusta to “get over it,” Kraemer said. “A turtle only makes progress when it sticks its neck out,” Kraemer said. “And for those naysayers, I think our future success will be our greatest revenge.”

“The airport is too important to the economic vitality of the community for us to be doing this in a vacuum.” – Airport Director Ken Kraemer

21 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

Arts

& Entertainment

Summer Jam Tour Makes Christian Music Accessible

uitar-driven rock, smoldering Latin dance rhythms and lifting female pop vocals. No, it’s not the remainder of the lineup for the On the Bricks concert series; it’s the sounds behind Summer Jam 2002, and it’s coming to Bell Auditorium Aug. 3. "We started doing Summer Jam about four years ago," says Eddie Carswell, one of the founding members of NewSong, the band that hosts the tour. "We do a big tour called Winter Jam, when there’s not a lot of tours out." Following the success of Winter Jam, NewSong decided to put together another annual touring act, and they’ve been compiling diverse multi-artist tours twice a year ever since. And oh, yeah – did we mention Summer Jam features music with a message? "We do a night of music and fun and ministry," says Carswell, speaking by cell phone from Fayetteville, N.C., and gearing up for the third night of the tour. "It’s really a lot of fun." But Carswell also wants people to know that the Summer Jam tour is easily accessible, both in terms of audience diversity and in terms of the logistics of attending the show.

"It’s a diverse crowd; the age demographics are pretty broad," says Carswell. "It’s not one thing aimed at a very select crowd. We make sure the lineup is pretty diverse. "From the very beginning, there’s never been a ticket. Anybody can come, not just contemporary Christian, not just that crowd." Carswell says you just show up at the door and pay there; it’s only $10 to see the five performers that are taking part in Summer Jam 2002. "We’ll do our best to get everybody in the building," he says. Other performers include Rachael Lampa, a female pop vocalist who’s only 17 and has a hauntingly beautiful voice; Brother’s Keeper, a three-piece band with pop-rock sensibilities; and Freddie Colloca, Argentina native and one of the only Latin pop sensations in the Christian music world. "It’s a fast-moving concert, going from one artist to the next," says Carswell. "It’s great for the audience – basically greatest hits." And the teamwork between each of the bands needed to make Summer Jam successful isn’t the only teamwork behind the tour. "We’re all there together, and it’s just a great situation," Carswell says. "We believe God led us to start doing these tours." From Top Left-Clockwise: Brothers Keeper, NewSong, Freddie Colloca, Rachael Lampa

M U S I C

BY LISA JORDAN

Local Pastor Releases Second CD

"This is the second CD of worship music that I’ve been a part of," says local worship leader and Vineyard Church executive pastor Reese LeRoy. He’s talking about his new album, "Generous God," issued last month. Though LeRoy says the process that produced "Generous God" was very different than the one that bore 1999’s "Passion," he admits that making both of the albums was an enjoyable experience. "It was a lot of fun for me, because this is not something I do every day," says LeRoy. "I had a blast doing it. It was just really exhilarating." That exhilaration comes through in LeRoy’s songs, from the quiet reflections in "You are Faithful" to the uplifting, full sound of the title track – a song, LeRoy says, that came to him while he was running on a treadmill at the Y. "It just sort of hit me," he says. Music, however, has always been one of LeRoy’s pursuits. "I started taking piano lessons when I was 7," he says. "And my family was always very involved in church. "Music’s been a wonderful, rich part of my life." In melding the two, LeRoy is hoping that his music and his words that address God directly will become an important part of others’ lives – as a tool for worship. As a parent, he says, "I’m thrilled about hearing from people who’ve gotten the disc that their kids really like it." Though LeRoy’s looking to record more songs of worship in the future, he acknowledges that’s not entirely up to him. "We’re looking to do one every year to 18 months," says LeRoy. "As long as God keeps giving the songs."

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Arts: Events

First Friday

By Rhonda Jones

MUSIC

A Latin Beat

It’s going to be a hot First Friday, with highs already in the high 90s at this writing. Vacunao is not going to help the situation much. The Morris Museum has brought this Atlanta band here to perform free for you to help you celebrate First Friday. Well, admission is free from 5 p.m. until 8:00. Salsa and merengue is what you’ll get with Vacunao, who will be performing from 5:30 to 7:30. In case you’re wondering, it’s an AfroCuban thang. You won’t understand – unless you come on out and give it a try. This is a 14-piece orchestra featuring members of the Grammy-Award winning Los Munequitos de Matanzas and other hot-hot-hot Latin artists. Vacunao is formerly known as Tropico, in case you’re already a fan and don’t realize it. Did we mention it was free?

Music on da Street

As you know, Main Street Augusta puts musicians out on the street. But they seem to like it, so that’s OK. Chris Naylor, who is executive director of just about every group you can think of, has drafted Jerusalem Sounds to save your soul at 9th Street. At this writing there was no one set for 11th Street, but I’ll bet he’s found someone by now. Go on and check it out in your Friday wanderings. Other hot spots to hit are the space in front of Art Gro Studio and near Ellis St. at

Crossroads Bar. Naylor said he was planning to put a band down there so no one would get upset at their loudness. You know how those electric rockers are. They have a tendency to, well ... rock. But that’s a good sign. First Friday has become so popular that people are tussling for space. Air space as well as physical space. You may also want to take yourself down to a little shop called the Rebel Lion’s Den. Those of you familiar with Bob Marley might say, “Hmm. Sounds like it’s got something to do with reggae.” Well, yeah. But the owner, see, he’s in a band called Rebel Lion ISO, a reggae, hip-hop sorta deal. And he and his band may just be in front of his shop Friday putting on a little show. It’s down on the lower end of the event, but then the event is spreading, isn’t it? So check that out. And even the Lamar Building is getting in on the act. Kelly Burrows is the bringer of bands to the park across from the building, from 1-5 most Fridays and from 11:30 till 5:00 First Friday. That’s two good reasons to go for a stroll that day. Another is Sibin. Word has it they’ll be playing in front of Broad Strokes Gallery this month. If it’s a fib, the fiddler told it. They make babies dance. I’ve seen it with me own eyes. And if you wander the other direction, toward 13th Street, you might just hear the Elvis impersonator. First Friday has a little bit of everything these days.

EVENTS DIANA GURLEY’S PHOTOGRAPHS of Italian coastal towns will be on display at the Juice Bar on Broad Street. Call Randy at the Juice Bar, 826-1678. NEW EXHIBIT AT THE MARY PAULINE GALLERY: Arless Day exhibits “Collages & Unique Variations.” Call 7249542 or visit www.marypaulinegallery.com for details. AT THE MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART: First Friday features Latin rhythms by Vacunao from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Gallery spotlight tour, “Looking at Art ... in Four Easy Steps,” at 6:30 p.m. This is also the last month for the “See Yourself in Art” community art project. Free admission. Call 724-7501. EXHIBIT OPENING AT THE SOUL BAR: Jay Jacobs continues his successful July exhibit with new pieces and new work by Jesse Newkirk goes up First Friday. For more information on Soul Bar art exhibits, call 724-8880 or visit www.soulbar.com. DWAYNE BROWN EXHIBIT OPENS First Friday at the Metro Coffeehouse. For more information, call the Metro at 722-6468. FIRST FRIDAY PARTY with DJ Flip at Club Continuum on Ellis Street. For information, call the Continuum at 722-2582.

“Am I Pretty?” by Duane Brown. Come visit this piece and several others of his at Metro: A Coffeehouse during the month of August. WINE TASTING AND MUSIC BY THE BRIT at Modjeska. For more information on this First Friday event, call 303-9700. MUSIC ON THE STREET: Jerusalem Sounds will be playing at 10th Street and various gospel groups will be featured in the plaza in front of Art Gro studio. For more information, contact Main Street Augusta at 722-8000.

Don’t Drink Outside! Police officers are going to be patrolling the streets, looking for you, if you happen to be carting around a container of alcohol. Any alcohol: beer from the bars, wine from the galleries. Doesn’t matter. No alcohol on the street unless you want to have a conversation with one of the boys in blue. Here’s the word from the office of the Downtown Development Authority and Main Street Augusta, word for word. Except for the boring bits: “The Downtown Development Authority, Main Street Augusta, Inc. and Artists Row have discussed these problems with city leaders and area businesses. All have agreed that keep-

ing with the spirit of this cultural, family-oriented event, guests will be asked to comply with the city ordinance that alcoholic beverages be consumed inside the businesses where they are purchased and not consumed on the streets or sidewalks. Off duty sheriff deputies employed by the event organizers will begin reminding our guests of the ordinance and request they not carry nor consume the alcoholic beverage outside the business. “This change in policy will take effect on August 2nd event.” Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

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Breakfast

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Dinner

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Arts: Theater

Sweet Adelines Is One Glitzy Chorus

M E T R O

By Rhonda Jones

S P I R I T

he 26-year-old Peach State Chorus of Sweet Adelines wants you. Chorus director Stacy Branch – who also directs the chorus of Lakeside High School – said that the group is one of the larger small Sweet Adelines choruses, at 31 heads. Or mouths, rather. Some have 150, she said. Others have 18. “We’re always looking for more and more,” she said. “We’re trying to reach out to as many people as we can.” The Sweet Adelines are a barbershop chorus, singing fun songs in four-part harmony. But don’t get the idea that this is just any old chorus. It’s glitzy. It’s glamourous. It sparkles and shines. Their mission? “Harmonize the world,” Branch said. “We sing around the community. We sing for banquets, anything people ask,” she said. They also perform every Christmas with the Garden City Chorus, their male counterpart in the barbershop chorus world. Each of those Christmas concerts (matinee and evening) usually draw about 400 people, Branch said. This weekend, however, you can see them at Aiken Community Playhouse at 1613 Two-Notch Road in Aiken, and a week later at Lakeside High School. Branch describes

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the shows on both dates as “beachy.” There’s a skit involved, during which the girls will transform themselves into a gathering of old sorority sisters who are hanging out ... well, at the beach. Some of the songs you can expect to hear at Sweet Adelines concerts are “Under the Boardwalk,” “Sh-boom,” “God Bless America,” “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” They also do a Beach Boys medley. And that pretty much sums up the first half

of the show. “The second half is more serious,” Branch said. It is going to be a tribute to the events of Sept. 11, she added, and will include a repertiore of patriotic songs. The Aiken performances will be on Aug. 3 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and will be in support of the Aiken Community Playhouse’s move to their new location for their upcoming season. The Aug. 10 performance will be at Lakeside High School at 533 Blue Ridge Drive in Evans, at 7 p.m. Women interested in four-part a cappella harmony are encouraged to come say hello

during a rehearsal, which are open and held at 7 p.m. each Thursday at the North Augusta Church of Christ at 600 Martintown Road. For info on the following Sweet Adelines events, call these numbers: • Aiken concert on Aug. 3: 649-1710 or 649-0689 • Lakeside concert on Aug. 10: 364-9931 or 279-6499 • Booking or joining them: 736-7730 or 279-6499 You can visit the umbrella organization at www.sweetadelineintl.org.

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Cinema Movie Listings “Signs” Austin Powers in Goldmember (PG-13) —

Randy 1960s spy Austin Powers is still sparring with Dr. Evil and Mini-Me; this time, the duo teams up with new villain Goldmember to kidnap Austin’s father and transpor t him to the 1970s. Austin follows, sexy Beyonce Knowles in tow as his par tner Fox xy Cleopatra, and vows to contain Dr. Evil once and for all. This is the third and final installment in the Austin Powers series, with plenty of cameos to take it out in style. Cast: Mike Myers, Michael Caine, Beyonce Knowles, Seth Green, Verne Troyer, Rober t Wagner, Michael York. Bad Company (PG-13) — It stars schticky Chris Rock and stolid Anthony Hopkins, who seem barely in the same movie. Rock plays a straight-arrow CIA agent named Kevin, whose cover is running an antiques store in Prague. Kevin gets killed on duty and replaced in a rush by identical twin brother Jake, a jokey speed-chess hustler in New York who never knew he had a twin "separated at bir th." His recruiter is Hopkins as the CIA's Gaylord Oakes. It's another car toon show without animation. This is where James Bond has finally gone for burial. Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Chris Rock, Kerry Washington, Peter Stormare. Running time: 1 hr. 45 mins. (Elliot t) ★ Blade 2 (R) — Wesley Snipes is Blade. He's a buff leather dude, a half-vampire who hunts vampires with weapons that might give James Bond pause, and with the mar tial moves of a Hong Kong dervish on a spree. There is a vampire aristocracy, their bodies so bleached and pasty you expect them to crumble into talcum powder. And there is a new strain of killer virus monster. Set in a Prague that surpasses Kafka's bad dreams, the movie has a necro-glam ostentation. Kris Kristofferson is Blade's friend, mentor, old daddy-o. The movie is an enjoyable showoff until it turns pompous, runs too long, and tries to find pathos in the decay of the vampire dynasty, as if this were Greek tragedy instead of pop kitsch. Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman, Leonor Varela, Norman Reedus. Running time: 1 hr., 52 mins. (Elliot t) ★★ The Bourne Identity (PG-13) — Bourne (Mat t Damon) was sent to kill a risky African leader on a yacht, had an at tack of qualms, then plunged overboard with holes in his back. He was saved by fishermen, the captain an amateur doctor who pulls the rounds out of Bourne, and ex tracts an implant that has

the number of a Swiss bank account. In an identity fog, though now with money and passpor ts, and reflexively gif ted with all his trained skills — his sour CIA boss, Conklin (Chris Cooper), decides to snuf f Bourne as "a malfunctioning $30 million piece of equipment" — Bourne zips to Paris af ter emptying the deposit box in Zurich. "The Bourne Identity" has the identity of potent enter tainment. Cast: Mat t Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles. Running time: 2 hrs. (Elliot t) ★★★1/2 Changing Lanes (R) — A propulsive nerve-biter with genuine human characters, about a yuppie law firm hawk (Ben Af fleck) who upsets the precarious life of a volatile working stif f (Samuel L. Jackson), their mutual moral crisis moving on lines that converge jarringly, despite some plot conveniences. New York is seen smar tly by ace English director Roger ("Persuasion") Michell, with Toni Collet te also outstanding as a lucid mistress. 1 hr., 47 mins. (Elliot t) ★★★1/2 The Country Bears (G) — A blend of live action and Jim Henson-esque puppets, "The Country Bears" tells the story of a young bear, Beary, who is raised by humans and doesn’t realize he was adopted. When he learns the truth, Beary sets out on a journey to the forest to find his family. Cast: Christopher Walken, Deidrich Bader, Daryl Mitchell, Queen Latifah, Haley Joel Osment.

The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (PG) — Steve "The Crocodile Hunter " Irwin and wife

Terri dance circles around inept government agents and cuddle flesh-eating crocodiles. When the highenergy hosts of the hit wildlife series "The Crocodile Hunter " are accused of stealing a fallen U.S. spy satellite, they bat tle two silly CIA agents in an Outback adventure. Forget the common sense, but if you toss in the bot tle-sucking joey kangaroo cameo, this lite comedy is a close second to family bonding at the zoo. 1 hr, 27 mins. (Diamond) ★★1/2 Eight Legged Freaks (PG-13) — A clunky, mildly amusing "salute" to big-bug monster movies, as toxically enlarged spiders chase, spear and web dumb-bunny humans in Arizona. The only style is TVfiller nostalgia, not the wit tier goofiness of "Tremors," and scenes like a terrified girl being wrapped in web by a giant arachnid are too ickily intimate for kids (some adults, too). Kari Wuhrer, David Arquet te and

“Austin Powers in Goldmember” RATINGS

★★★★ — Excellent.

Doug E. Doug are screaming bait. Acting dies first. 1 hr. 22 min. (Elliot t) ★1/2 Halloween: Resurrection (R) — Jamie Lee Cur tis makes an appearance once again in the eighth film in the "Halloween" series. This time, six teens decide to host a live Internet chat in the house where Michael Myers grew up, stirring up evil. Cast: Jamie Lee Cur tis, Tyra Banks, Brad Loree. Ice Age (PG) — Most of "Ice Age" is about a lippy sloth named Sid, voiced by John Leguizamo. (Is there a less sloth-like actor alive?) Fleeing the advancing polar ice cap, he tries fiercely to bond with a hairy mammoth, Manfred (Ray Romano) and even a sabertoothed tiger, Diego (Denis Leary). Sure enough, Sid, Manfred and Diego rescue a human baby from marauding saber-toothed tigers. That's the story: the three travelers, each way ahead of the evolutionary curve with their jokes, and the papoose-like human with big eyes, and the pursuing big cats, who expect Diego to betray his new companions. There is a clima x, so safely predictable you won't find your temperature budging. "Ice Age" will probably get enough kids smiling to earn its big cost back, and then some. Cast: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Goran Visnjic, Jack Black, Tara Strong. Running time: 1 hr., 24 mins. (Elliot t) ★★ Insomnia (R) — From Christopher Nolan ("Memento"). LAPD detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and his par tner (Mar tin Donovan) travel to Alaska to assist an old pal with a murder case. There's a lurching, Nolanesque vector shif t, and suddenly it's a different movie, infused with Dormer's exhaustion in the 24-hour sunlight. A twisted, vaguely repulsive hack writer/murder suspect (Robin Williams) feeds of f Dormer's growing weakness. With Hilary Swank, sor t of — her character is sorely underwrit ten. Adapted from a 1998 Norwegian film of the same title. Running time: 1 hr, 55 mins. (Salm) ★★★ Juwanna Mann (PG-13) — Miguel A. Nunez Jr. is Jamal. The vain, preening NBA star is suspended for a burst of irate mooning and then full-frontal exposure on cour t. And then — inspired by a young girl whose love of the game moves him — he becomes Juwanna, a fake female, who fires up a women's pro team. Vivica A. Fox is the team's reigning beauty, on whom Jamal has a cover t crush. The cour t action is all high points, no game. Gender comedy becomes a ruthless reduction of both sexes. Director Jesse Vaughan came from music videos, and should probably return. Hectic, vapid, almost witless, "Juwanna Mann" keeps jammin' across the goofs, then milking inane sentiment before stumbling to a blooper reel that is no dif ferent than the preceding inept movie. Cast: Miguel A. Nunez Jr., Kevin Pollak, Vivica A. Fox, Ginuwine, Tommy Davidson. Running time: 1 hr., 26 mins. (Elliot t) ★ K-19: The Widowmaker (PG-13) — is about the vir tually suicidal mission and hapless plight of a Soviet sub of that name, during a tense time (1961) of the Cold War, based on actual facts. Though said to be the pride of Soviet Russia's new nuclear fleet, K-19 goes to sea inadequately prepared, on a politically motivated mission. It must voyage under polar ice to fire a demo missile, showing the cocky new man in the White House (JFK) how virile Moscow can be. The crew's beloved skipper, Capt. Polenin (Liam Neeson), is demoted to executive of ficer under Capt. Vostrikov (Harrison Ford), a fierce patriot. "K-19" puts a clammy whammy on us when a pressure leak in one of the reactors brings on nuclear horror. This is one of the most machocentric and masochistic movies ever made by a woman; Kathryn Bigelow directed. Cast:

★★★— Worthy.

★★ — Mixed.

★ — Poor.

0— Not worthy.

Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Joss Ackland, Peter Sarsgaard. Running time: 2 hrs., 10 mins. (Elliot t) ★★ Like Mike (PG) — The rapper Lil Bow Wow plays 14-year-old Calvin Cambridge, one of the older residents in an L.A. orphanage. Calvin has two wishes – to find parents who love him and to play in the NBA like his idol, Michael Jordan. Then one day, Calvin's only adult ally, Sister Theresa (Anne Meara), discovers an old pair of sneakers that once belonged to Michael Jordan. Calvin tries them on, and they are a per fect fit. The nex t day, Calvin's dreams begin to materialize. He meets one of his idols, basketball superstar Tracey Reynolds (Morris Chestnut), during a half time contest at a Los Angeles Knights game. Calvin makes a wish to be "like Mike" and suddenly displays moves reminiscent of Jordan. He is quickly signed by the Knights, and both he and new teammate Tracey go on a journey of self-discovery. Cast: Lil Bow Wow, Morris Chestnut, Jonathan Lipnicki, Brenda Song, Crispin Glover, Anne Meara and Eugene Levy. Running time: 1 hr., 30 mins. (McCormick) ★★★ Lilo & Stitch (PG) — A cute Disney 'toon made in Florida but set in Hawaii, where darling Lilo turns a space crit ter into a pet. The animation is not computerized and has lovely watercolor ef fects, though the plot, voicework, Elvis tunes and product plugs are generically New Disney, not of Walt caliber. 1 hr., 20 min. (Elliot t) ★★1/2

Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat (R) —

“Mar tin Lawrence Live: Runteldat” is a documentar yst yle version of Lawrence’s bad-boy comedy, complete with commentar y by the man himself and liberally mixed with pounding hip-hop beats. The standup comedy por tion, where Lawrence is a solitar y presence onstage, illuminated by a spotlight, contains personal anecdotes and social commentar y. Cast: Mar tin Lawrence. The Master of Disguise (PG) — Dana Carvey stars as a waiter with a bad habit; he can’t help but impersonate everyone he serves. Though he is able to take on other identities with ease, he has trouble finding out who he really is. Cast: Dana Carvey, James Brolin, Jennifer Esposito, Bo Derek, Edie McClurg. Men in Black 2 (PG-13) — Will Smith (very post-"Ali") and Tommy Lee Jones (looking aged and bored) return as the alien-busting men in black, in a movie stuf fed with crit ters and special ef fects, like a vast expansion of a Mad magazine parody. Rosario Dawson is a decal of innocence, Lara Flynn Boyle a creepy space witch, the pug dog gets more lines, the fun is rather oppressive even at 82 minutes. Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Rosario Dawson, Lara Flynn Boyle. Running time: 1 hr., 22 mins. (Elliot t) ★★ Minority Report (PG-13) — "Minority Repor t" is a sci-fi thriller set in one of those futures (2054) most of us hope never to endure. At the front edge is John Ander ton (Tom Cruise), head of Pre-Crime. He works in a tech hive called the Temple, where three clairvoyants float in a tank like nearly comatose dolphins, feeding their pre-vision of impending murders to a big computer screen. Ander ton assembles the clues, then leads the police team to arrest the presumptively guilty. Once Ander ton is himself accused of being a future killer, he abducts one of the "pre-cog" floaters (Samantha Mor ton). "Minority Repor t" has a kind of ugly beauty and, in its central storm of murk and rush, the suction of a compelling nightmare. Cast: Tom Cruise, Samantha Mor ton, Lois Smith, Peter Stormare, Ma x Von Sydow, Tim Blake Nelson. Running time: 2 hrs., 15 mins. (Elliot t) ★★

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“Master of Disguise” Monsters, Inc. (G) — Pixar 'tooner Pete Docter, now directing, has twisted a clever story pretzel with his writers. They have fine-'tooned monstrous, but cuddly variants of the gross blob, Cyclops, Medusa, furry freaks and a Mr. Vile. They work in a huge factory under boss J.J. Waternoose. The best "scarers" collect screams as necessary fuel for their high-tech world of comfy ick and cozy schtick. This is done via doors, magic por tals that allow fast entry to sleeping kids' bedrooms. James "Sully" Sullivan is a huge shag pillow of a monster. His pal is one-eyed lit tle Mike Wazowski, a sor t of pea-pod Polish joke with borscht belt vibes. The buddies get stuck with a human, a toddler named Boo, who thinks they're just wonder ful. Her innocence, that of a cupcake Columbus, changes the world of monsterdom. Cast: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, James Coburn, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, Bob Peterson, Jennifer Tilly. Running time: 1 hr., 24 mins. (Elliot t) ★★★1/2 Mr. Deeds (PG-13) — is an update or takeof f on the 1936 Frank Capra hit "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town." In that, Gary Cooper was a gentle, gallant rube who inherits a for tune, confounds the city slickers and radiates fuzzy ideals, while Depression audiences again got to ogle the idle (but frisky) rich. Now Adam Sandler is Longfellow Deeds, who inherits $40 billion from a genial old flake (Harve Presnell). Peter Gallagher is a fairly standard corporate wheeler as the sharpie running the vast estate. But as star repor ter Babe, Winona Ryder is game and slyly charming. The real ace is John Tur turro as Deed's new manservant, Emilio. It's a fond update and funny comedy, even making good use of John McEnroe (still cocky) and the Rev. Al Sharpton (dit to). Cast: Adam Sandler, John Tur turro, Winona Ryder, Peter Gallagher, Jared Harris, Erick Avari, Harve Presnell. Running time: 1 hr., 31 mins. (Elliot t) ★★★ Reign of Fire (PG-13) — In a post-apocalyptic England, a group of fire-breathing dragons has awakened af ter centuries of hibernation. An American militia leader, played by Mat thew McConaughey, and London’s fire chief (Christian Bale) must team up to save London and slay the queen dragon. Plenty of special ef fects. Cast: Christian Bale, Mat thew McConaughey, Gerard Butler. Road to Perdition (R) — Tom Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, an Irish-American hoodlum and family man in grim 1931, in the Quad Cities on the IllinoisIowa border. He's an enforcer and ar t ful killer, almost an adoptive son of bootleg mob boss John Rooney (Paul Newman), a patriarch stricken by inner rot. Sullivan feels rot ted, too, but is an iron survivor. The movie has a solemn, dirgelike (but not dull) conviction of fated purpose. Tragedy must come, violently. It would be criminal here to spell out the exact cost to Sullivan, which spins him free of the Rooney gang, along with his now aware and endangered son Mike Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin). On the long roads, and humble towns, they enact an almost archaic Greek vengeance upon the Rooneys. There is father-son bonding (and humor), yet we never forget that every thing is at stake. This story is so mor tal. Cast: Paul Newman, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ciaran Hinds, Liam Aiken, Stanley Tucci, Jude Law. Running time: 2 hrs. (Elliot t) ★★★★ Signs (PG-13) — This highly anticipated thriller, writ ten and directed by M. Night Shyamalan of "The Six th Sense" fame, finally makes it to the big screen. Mel Gibson stars as Graham Hess, a rural Pennsylvania pastor and farmer. When 500-foot wide crop circles are carved into his fields, Hess must face the mysterious entities that lurk in the night. Cast: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (G) — A sweetly bland DreamWorks car toon film about a bold

horse that runs across much of the Old West, his thoughts spoken by Mat t Damon, his adventures doused in Bryan Adams tunes that are like a floral tribute to Rod Stewar t. The horse action is swif t, and borrowed John Ford bits can mean nothing to modern kids. 1 hr., 25 mins. (Elliot t) ★★1/2

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (PG) — This is No. 5 in the series and is visually

spectacular (entirely filmed in digital, and projected that way in some theaters). It moves swif tly and has action payof fs, but George Lucas is still a turgid story teller, and stif f dialogue drags the actors down to mere plot function too of ten. Ewan McGregor seems to be coming into his own as wise Obi-Wan. 2 hr., 23 mins. (Elliot t) ★★1/2 Stuart Little 2 (PG) — is a sequel capsule, as smooth and shiny as a jellybean. It brings back the Manhat tan mouse (Michael J. Fox), a computerized dearie loved by the Lit tle family as equal to their son, George (Jonathan Lipnicki), and his baby sister. The slow-star ting story is Stuar t's adventure to rescue new pal, birdie Margalo (Melanie Grif fith), a flut ter-ball of gold feathers, from the raptor Falcon (James Woods). 1 hr. 18 mins. (Elliot t) ★★1/2 Undercover Brother (PG-13) — The source was a Web comedy site, and it's a derivation of old bla xploiters, "In Living Color " and the Austin Powers goofs, but this lampoon of black heroics is funny in a pumped-up way. Eddie Grif fin wears the power Afro as the main bro, and Malcolm D. Lee also got good stuf f from Chris Kat tan, Denise Richards, Dave Chappelle, Aunjanue Ellis and Billy Dee Williams as a Colin Powell-like general who wants to be the new Col. Sanders. 1 hr., 26 mins. (Elliot t) ★★★ Unfaithful (R) — Richard Gere is Ed, businessman, loyal husband, devoted father, living in a plush suburb of New York City. Wife Connie (Diane Lane) seems equally pampered and happy, but there is something nervy and urban about her and, on a visit to SoHo, a wind storm blows her right into Paul, bookseller and stud, French, with facial stubble wor thy to be a put ting green. Paul is the other man, played by Olivier Mar tinez. It's some af fair, with Lane exposing much skin but also emotions that imply the af fair is a necessary, obsessive risk. The movie has a rather complacent dependence on rote situations. The vivid sex can't disguise the petrified fossils of countless studio melodramas about love triangles and sof t-rot marriages. Cast: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Olivier Mar tinez, Erik Per Sullivan, Kate Bur ton. Running time: 1 hr., 47 min. (Elliot t) ★★ Windtalkers (R) — The core of it is about the Navajo "code talkers," some 400 men who confounded the Japanese by speaking radio code in Navajo. Of course, in a racist era, they had to face white bigotry as well as the enemy. Adam Beach, a strong presence with a boyish grin, plays Ben Yahzee, code volunteer. Nicolas Cage is Joe Enders, patched-up war dog assigned to protect Ben and, if he faces capture, kill him — also the secret order to Ox (Christian Slater), whose code man is Charlie (Roger Willie). The rest of the Marines unit sent to murderous Saipan in 1944 is much like the old studio ethnic squads of 1944 Hollywood. "Windtalkers" depicts bravery, sacrifice, honor and horror. But the moments of uplif t are like confet ti in a morgue. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Mark Ruf falo, Adam Beach, Peter Stormare, Noah Emmerich, Christian Slater, Frances O'Connor, Roger Willie. Running time: 2 hrs., 8 mins. (Elliot t) ★★ —Capsules compiled from movie reviews written by David Elliott, film critic for The San Diego Union-Tribune and other staff writers.

26 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G

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An Offering of Our Wines By the Glass Beringer White Zinfandel, California Mellow yet crisp, fruity yet refreshing.

core that is cloaked in toasty coconut, presenting a velvety texture on the middle palate.

Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Dry Riesling, California A fresh, vibrant wine with great retention of primary fruit. Very distinctive green apple and elder-blossom nose.

Benziger Merlot 1999, Sonoma County, California Varied nuances of cherry, black fruits, and soft tannins, combined with vanillin spice notes.

Beringer Founders Estate Chardonnay, California Rich tropical fruit, sweet oak, vanilla and citrus aromas and flavors. Hess Select Chardonnay 2000, California Clean and crisp with ripe fruit flavors and aromas of pineapple, mango, and passion fruit. RH Phillips Toasted Head Chardonnay 2000, California Aromas of apricot and vanilla, flavors of tropical fruit and a slight spiciness layered with toasted oak. Beringer Founders Estate Merlot, California Plum and ripe cherry flavors. Columbia Crest Grand Estate Merlot 1999, Columbia Valley, Washington The wine offers a chewy raspberry-blueberry

Beringer Founders Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, California Rich cherry and berry character. Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, California Aromas of blueberries, raspberries, and cherries and flavors of blackberry and allspice give the Cabernet a lingering texture and a toasty, silky finish. Chateau Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, Alexander Valley, California Intense flavors of currant blackberry, and chocolate, balanced by soft tannins and vanillin oak nuances. Napa Ridge Coastal Pinot Noir 1998, California Concentrated black chewy nose, very fragrant, elegant black cherry and raspberry flavors, with a cinnamon note. Soft and velvety finish.

LaCrema Syrah 2000, Sonoma County, California A concentrated spicy red wine with fabulous berry aromas. Lindeman’s Padthaway Shiraz 1999, Australia Medium to full bodied with intense, ripe mulberry fruit with sweet spicy notes, which include licorice, and hints of cherries, plums, blueberries and vanilla. Cecchi Chianti 2000, Tuscany, Italy Smooth and simple with bitter cherry flavors. Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel 2000, Sonoma Valley, California Ripe cherry and lush jammy raspberry flavors with subtle earthy nuances. Soft tannins linger surrounded by hints of pepper and spice. The finish is velvety, long and lasting. Ravenswood Zinfandel 1999, Sonoma County, California Full, spicy, and richly berry-like, but balanced with firm astringency. Containing black cherry and mint, providing a wine that is simultaneously powerful and elegant.

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Cinema: Review

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Study in Opposites Makes “Signs” Compelling By Rachel Deahl

ithout even opening the cover of the latest issue of Newsweek, which features a picture of director M. Night Shyamalan behind a caption that boldly declares him “The Next Spielberg,” the reason behind the gimmicky comparison becomes obvious after viewing “Signs.” Shyamalan, who rocketed into the Hollywood A-list after his debut feature, “The Sixth Sense,” landed him on the Oscar ballot, continues his stylized brand of simplistic cinematic spook stories with this, his third film. So, is this up-and-coming young moviemaker the next Spielberg after all? Well, “Signs” proves that the answer to this question is both yes and no. Mel Gibson stars as Graham Hess, the stoic father of two young children, living on a sizeable farm outside of Pennsylvania. A former man of the cloth, Hess abandoned his faith after his wife was hit and killed by a dozing local driver and is now raising his kids with the help of younger brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix). When the clan discovers a large, mysterious pattern carved into their corn crop, the group is seized by a panicked curiosity about who or what could be responsible. Is this the work of God? Have pranksters done this? Are little green men the culprits? Combining Shyamlan’s distinctively slow, steadied camerawork with a kitschy 1950s style sci-fi TV show, “Signs” is a refreshing blend of opposites. From the opening credits, which feature stark black writing against a gray sun-splashed backdrop and accompanied by a grating staccato soundtrack, “Signs” is declared as a kind of extended episode of “The Twilight Zone” or “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” from the very start. And, with Gibson and company living in a bizarrely enclosed ‘burb lost somewhere between the 1940s and today (you gotta love a town where everybody calls you Father even after you’ve quit the church), the feeling that Alfred Hitchcock will appear on screen in the final frame to explain what just happened never quite leaves. The triumph of Shyamalan’s latest film

once again shines through in the wonderful storytelling. With the action essentially limited to the house, Shyamalan shows great skill at developing a compelling and, at times, terrifying scenario that finally fits together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. Another surprising highlight comes from the exquisite ensemble cast – youngsters Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin are exceptional as the two smallest Hesses with Joaquin Phoenix once again shining in a supporting role (Phoenix nearly upstaged Russell Crowe in “Gladiator”). And, as for the reference to a certain other well-known filmmaker, the comparison is certainly worth noting because Shyamalan demonstrates here his unique ability to combine intelligent filmmaking with simple ideas and shiny American values. Steven Spielberg’s genius isn’t simply his ability to craft unforgettable images; it’s his ability to craft those images in the context of identifiable stories that give mass audiences hope and comfort. It’s Spielberg’s unique, and uncanny, understanding of how to manipulate audiences and please them at the same time that sets him apart from his peers. It’s a quality that is both fascinating and infuriating to watch unfold. And, in many ways, Shyamalan displays similar tendencies. Like Spielberg, he is wed to patriarchal themes – his films all attempt to re-establish the nuclear family, a journey that, for Shyamalan, usually centers on children re-connecting with their father. In “The Sixth Sense,” a fatherless pre-teen gets a surrogate kind of dad in the form of Bruce Willis’ ghost of a shrink. In “Unbreakable,” another kid connects with his dad through a comic book-like fable that turns his pops into a superhero. In “Signs,” this journey takes on an added element of faith, as the story strives to turn Gibson’s character back into both a father and a Father. While there’s no doubt that this young director displays shades of a Hollywood legend, Shyamalan still shares more philosophy with the elder director than style. Shyamalan certainly has proven that, like Spielberg at his worst, underneath his finely tuned stories often lay disappointingly hollow cores.

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Movie Clock

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Washington Corner 3241 Washington Road 706-210-0300 Behind California Dreamin'

REGAL AUGUSTA EXCHANGE 20 Movies Good 8/2 - 8/6 Signs (PG-13) Fri-Sat: 12:00, 2:00, 2:30, 4:40, 5:10, 7:00, 7:15, 7:45, 9:30, 9:45, 10:15, 12:00, 12:30; Sun-Tues: 12:00, 2:00, 2:30, 4:40, 5:10, 7:00, 7:15, 7:45, 9:30, 9:45, 10:15 Master of Disguise (PG) Fri-Sat: 12:05, 2:10, 4:15, 7:40, 10:00, 12:05; Sun-Tues: 12:05, 2:10, 4:15, 7:40, 10:00 Martin Lawrence (R) 12:30, 3:00, 5:40, 8:10, 10:40 Austin Powers in Goldmember (PG-13) FriSat: 12:00, 12:25, 12:55, 2:40, 3:00, 4:20, 5:05, 5:35, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 9:15, 9:45, 10:15, 11:20, 12:15, 12:40; Sun-Tues: 12:00, 12:25, 12:55, 2:40, 3:00, 4:20, 5:05, 5:35, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 9:15, 9:45, 10:15 Country Bears (G) Fri-Sat: 12:15, 2:30, 4:45, 7:05, 9:20, 11:35; Sun-Tues: 12:15, 2:30, 4:45, 7:05, 9:20 Stuart Little 2 (PG) Fri-Sat: 1:10, 3:10, 5:10, 7:10, 9:10, 11:20; Sun-Tues: 1:10, 3:10, 5:10, 7:10, 9:10 K-19: The Widowmaker (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00, 7:25, 10:25 Eight Legged Freaks (PG-13) 5:10, 10:25 Road to Perdition (R) 12:50, 4:15, 6:55, 9:40 Reign of Fire (PG-13) 1:05, 3:35, 7:50, 10:20 Halloween: Resurrection (R) Fri-Sat: 1:20, 3:30, 5:40, 8:15, 10:35, 12:45; Sun-Tues: 1:20, 3:30, 5:40, 8:15, 10:35 Crocodile Hunter (PG) 12:10, 2:25, 7:20 Men in Black 2 (PG-13) Fri-Sat: 12:30, 2:45,

4:55, 7:40, 9:55, 12:20; Sun-Tues: 12:30, 2:45, 4:55, 7:40, 9:55 Like Mike (PG) Fri-Sat: 12:40, 3:00, 5:20, 7:50, 10:20, 12:45; Sun-Tues: 12:40, 3:00, 5:20, 7:50, 10:20 Mr. Deeds (PG-13) Fri-Sat: 12:05, 2:35, 5:15, 7:45, 10:05, 12:25; Sun-Tues: 12:05, 2:35, 5:15, 7:45, 10:05 Lilo & Stitch (PG) 12:15, 2:20, 4:30 Minority Report (PG-13) 1:05, 4:10, 7:25, 10:40 The Bourne Identity (PG-13) 12:45, 3:50, 7:15, 10:15 EVANS 12 CINEMAS Movies Good 8/2 - 8/6 Signs (PG-13) 1:00, 2:00, 4:00, 5:00, 7:00, 7:50, 9:30, 10:00 Master of Disguise (PG) 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30 Austin Powers in Goldmember (PG-13) 12:45, 1:45, 2:45, 3:45, 4:45, 5:45, 6:45, 7:45, 8:45, 9:45 Country Bears (G) 1:05, 3:05, 5:05, 7:05, 9:05 Stuart Little 2 (PG) 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15, 9:15 K-19: The Widowmaker (PG-13) 1:05, 4:05, 6:55, 9:40 Road to Perdition (R) 2:10, 4:40, 7:20, 9:50 Crocodile Hunter (PG) 1:15, 3:25, 5:35 Men in Black 2 (PG-13) 1:50, 3:50, 5:50, 7:50, 9:50 Like Mike (PG) 7:10, 9:10

Mr. Deeds (PG-13) 7:40, 9:55 Lilo & Stitch (PG) 1:10, 3:10, 5:10 MASTERS 7 CINEMAS Movies Good 8/2 - 8/6 Signs (PG-13) 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:45 Master of Disguise (PG) 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30 Austin Powers in Goldmember (PG-13) 1:25, 3:25, 5:25, 7:25, 9:25 Country Bears (G) 1:20, 3:20, 5:20, 7:20, 9:20 Stuart Little 2 (PG) 1:10, 3:10, 5:10 K-19: The Widowmaker (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00, 6:55, 9:40 Men in Black 2 (PG-13) 7:10, 9:10 Like Mike (PG) 1:05, 3:05, 5:05, 7:05, 9:05 REGAL 12 CINEMAS Movies Good 8/2 - 8/8 Insomnia (R) 1:55, 4:30, 7:10, 9:40 Monsters, Inc. (G) 2:15, 4:35, 7:25, 9:50 Unfaithful (R) 2:00, 4:35, 7:05, 9:35 Windtalkers (R) 1:50, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30 Spirit (G) 2:20, 4:45, 7:45, 9:55 Juwanna Mann (PG-13) 2:35, 4:55, 7:00, 9:30 Bad Company (PG-13) 2:00, 4:40, 7:15, 9:50 Star Wars: Episode II (PG) 2:30, 5:15, 8:00 Undercover Brother (PG-13) 2:40, 5:15, 7:40, 10:05 Ice Age (PG) 2:10, 5:00, 7:35, 9:55 Changing Lanes (R) 2:05, 5:05, 7:30, 10:00 Blade 2 (R) 2:25, 4:50, 7:20, 9:45

Movie listings are subject to change without notice.

We’re Not Just German … There's So Much More

A Sample of our Dinner Menu 10 oz Black Angus Filet Mignon . . . .18.95 Homemade Lasagna . . . . . . . . . . . . .10.25 French Melt Sandwich . . . . . . . . . . .7.95 Beef Rouladen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12.50 French Onion Soup Au Gratin . . . . .3.50 Escargot Bourguignone . . . . . . . . . . . .4.95 Roast Prime Rib . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.50 Veal Cutlet Parmigiana . . . . . . . . .14.50 Jaegerschnitzel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12.50

A Sample of our Lunch Menu Bavarian Bratwurst Melt . Grilled Reuben . . . . . . . . Chicken Florentine . . . . . Villa Chef Salad . . . . . . Chicken Parmigiana . . . . Wrap of the Day . . . . . . . Steamed Vegetable Platter

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Some of Our Summer Chalkboard Specials Broiled Salmon Fillet with Velvety Shrimp Sauce . . . . . . . . .15.50 Blackened Tilapia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.50 Smothered Ribeye Steak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.95

Much More to Choose From…

Life is hectic. Weekends shouldn't have to be. Join Scott Simon for Weekend Edition every Saturday at 8:00 AM on WACG, 90.7 FM. Reclaim your Saturday and hear weekend news, views, and commentary. From gardening tips and film reviews to in-depth news analysis, Peabody Award-winning host Scott Simon eases you into the weekend with a fresh perspective.

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If you do not visit us please support another of Augusta’s fine locally owned restaurants. D I N N E R & D R I N K S N I G H T LY • L U N C H M O N - F R I

Days A Week

Arts

Auditions SWEET ADELINES PEACH STATE CHORUS OPEN REHEARSAL for singers each Thursday at 7 p.m. Held at 600 Mar tintown Road in Nor th Augusta. Contact Mildred Blain at 736-7740 or Mary Norman at 279-6499. COLUMBIA COUNTY CHORAL SOCIETY OPEN HOUSE August 13, 7:30 p.m.at First Baptist Church of Evans. Open to inquiring singers and friends. For information, call 3645920. AUDITIONS FOR “CAMELOT,” A MUSICAL for Aiken Kidney Benefit, will be held in Room 115 at USC-Aiken’s Etherredge Center August 11, 4-7 p.m.; August 12, 7-10 p.m.; and August 15, 7-10 p.m. Par ts for 30 adults and five children. Gymnastic ability a plus; be prepared to sing, dance and read. Accompanist provided. Per formances November 8-10 at the Etherredge Center. Call David Culp at (803) 648-5253. AUGUSTA CHORAL SOCIETY will hold auditions August 6 at Covenant Presbyterian Church on Walton Way. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Carolyn Dolen at 826-4713.

Education “WE WHO DRUM” WORKSHOP presents an introductory course on traditional hand drum construction with an emphasis on beginning hand technique and rhythmic song ensemble. Clinic noon on August 17 at the Windgate Inn off Belair Road. Open to people with various musical backgrounds ages 14 and up. No experience required. $100 course fee includes all materials, instruction and a t-shir t. Call Joseph Gillespie at 495-4420 for information. USC-AIKEN MUSIC CONSERVATORY PROGRAM begins in August. Students of all ages and experience levels welcome. Private lessons available for musical instruments and voice; instructors are USC-Aiken faculty and have at least a master’s degree in their per formance area. (803) 641-3288.

Exhibitions AUGUST ART EXHIBITS AT AREA LIBRARIES: Linda Baack’s watercolors will be on display at the Gibbs Library; steel sculpture by George Graham will be up at the Euchee Creek Branch Library. Call the Gibbs Library at 863-1946 or the Euchee Creek Branch at 556-0594 for more information. DIANA GURLEY’S PHOTOGRAPHS of Italian coastal towns will be on display at the Juice Bar on Broad Street First Friday, August 2. Call Randy at the Juice Bar, 826-1678. “DE-MYTHING THE GODDESS” EXHIBIT August 4September 29 at the Lucy Craf t Laney Museum of Black History includes paintings, writings and photography relevant to historical and current perceptions of women’s selfimage. Works by Rhian Swain-Giboney. Opening reception August 4 from 3-6 p.m. $2 museum admission fee. 6518712.

ARNOLD GALLERY in Aiken features new work by Mary Alice Lockhar t and Al Beyer. Call (803) 502-1100. ART ON BROAD features pot tery by local ar tists Jerry Pruit t and Carol Craig. Also features oil paintings by Russ Bonin and Raku pot tery by Peter Alsen. Call 722-1028. AT WARE’S FOLLY AND THE WALKER-MACKENZIE STUDIO through August 2: “If These Walls Could Talk,” “Impressions of the Print: Recent Works by Alex Murawski and Tom Hammond,” “Ger trude Herber t Youth and Adult Student Exhibit.” Call the Ger trude Herber t Institute of Ar t, 7225495. AT THE MARY PAULINE GALLERY from August 1 to September 21: Arless Day exhibits “Collages & Unique Variations.” Opening reception is August 1, 5-8 p.m. Call 724-9542 or visit www.marypaulinegallery.com for details. “OVER THE LINE: THE ART AND LIFE OF JACOB LAWRENCE” exhibit through September 8 at the High Museum of Ar t in Atlanta. For more information, call (404) 733-HIGH or visit www.high.org on the Web.

Dance SINGLES DANCE each Saturday night from 8-11 p.m. sponsored by the Christian Social Organization for Single Adults. Held at Westside High School. Tickets at the door; free dance lessons at 7 p.m. For more information, call 2786422.

Music TICKETS NOW ON SALE for Paine College’s “Jazz 2002: The Thir teenth Annual Evening of Jazz” September 1, 5-10 p.m. Available at the Paine College Business Office, Hamilton Bookstore, Nan’s Collections and Pyramid Muisc and Video. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 the day of the event. Proceeds benefit the Paine College/UNCF Campaign. 8218217. “SOUNDS OF SUMMER” CONCERTS per formed by the Peach State Chorus of Sweet Adelines: August 3 at 3 and 8 p.m., the group per forms at the Aiken Community Playhouse; August 10 at 7 p.m., the group per forms at Lakeside High School in Evans. $12 for adults, $8 for kids. Call 649-1710 or 649-0689 for information on the Aiken shows and 364-9931 or 279-6499 for information on the Evans show. MUSIC EXPLOSION at Riverwalk’s Eighth Street Bulkhead August 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Picnic, dance and enjoy the sounds of local musicians. 821-1754. CANDLELIGHT CONCERT IN THE PARK 8 p.m. August 2 at Creighton Living History Park in Nor th Augusta. Bring a candle and a blanket or chair and enjoy the music in the park.

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SAVAGE GALLERY EXHIBIT showcases the pot tery of David Stuar t and sculpture by John B. Savage. For more information, call the gallery at 736-3336.

TOM KLOSE exhibits his work at Borders Books and Music through the end of August. Upcoming exhibits include: Carl Purdy in September, Alex McCain in October and Rober t Lee in November. Call Borders Books and Music at 737-6962.

Attention all goddesses! It’s time to be de-mythed. “De-Mything the Goddess” is an exhibit of paintings, photos, digital art and writings by Rhian Swain-Giboney. This exhibit will explore the cultural female myths, historical feminine mystique and women’s self-image. There will be interviews, writings and portriats of a cross-section of Augusta women: Charlene Sizemore, Gwen Fulcher-Young, Pat Walker, Judith Goodwin, Brenda Durant and Rebecca Rogers. There will be an opening reception on Sunday, Aug. 4, from 3-6 p.m. at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History and Conference Center. Price is $3 for adults and $1 for students. No cost for media. For more info call (706) 724-3576 or (706) 651-8712. Call (803) 442-7588 for more information. HOPELANDS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES continues August 5 with the Crossroads Band. Begins 7 p.m. at Hopeland Gardens in Aiken. For rain information and for those who need special assistance or accommodations, call 642-7631.

Theater “GODSPELL” August 9-10, 8 p.m. and August 11, 3 p.m. at St. Mary on the Hill Parish Hall. $5 general admission ticket. Phone 733-6627 for more info. “STEEL MAGNOLIAS” will be presented by Stage III. Dinner theater per formances August 22-24, with a 3 p.m. matinee August 25. $25 dinner theater ticket; $15 matinee. Held at the Augusta Jewish Community Center in Evans. 228-3636. NEIL SIMON’S “PROPOSALS” August 2-3, 8 p.m. Presented at the Abbeville Opera House in Abbeville, S.C. Also at the Abbeville Opera House, “Heaven Can Wait,” a family comedy; August 9-10, 16-17, 23-24 and 30-31 with matinees August 10, 17 and 24. Tickets are $15 adults, $14 for seniors and children under 12. Call (864) 459-2157.

Attractions “AUGUSTA’S 2 FOR $9” TICKETS offer a special deal for admission to two of Riverwalk’s at tractions: Augusta Golf and Gardens and For t Discovery. Offer valid through September 30. Available at ticket offices of either at traction. Call Augusta Golf and Gardens at 724-4443 or For t Discovery at 821-0200. RIVERBANKS ZOO AND GARDEN EXTENDED HOURS: Admission gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Weekday admission is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular admission is $7.75 adults, $5.25 for children ages 3-12. Call (803) 7798717 or visit www.riverbanks.org. THE BOYHOOD HOME OF WOODROW WILSON: Circa 1859 Presbyterian manse occupied by the family of President Woodrow Wilson as a child during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Original and period antiques, restored house, kitchen and carriage house. 419 Telfair Street. Open 10 a.m. 5 p.m., Tues.-Sat. Tours available; groups of 10 or more by appointment only. Admission is $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3

COLUMBIA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY holds pet adoptions every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and every Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at PetsMar t. For more info, call 860-5020.

M E T R O

RICHMOND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL AND AUGUSTA ANIMAL RESCUE FRIENDS holds pet adoptions at Superpetz off Bobby Jones Expressway every Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Call AARF at 364-4747 or visit www.aar f.net. Adoptions also held at the Richmond County Animal Control Shelter, Tues. through Sun., 1-5 p.m. Call the shelter at 790-6836.

S P I R I T

LOW-COST RABIES VACCINATIONS: Augusta-Richmond County Animal Control holds low-cost rabies vaccination clinics the four th Sunday of every month for privately owned pets. $8 per animal. 1 p.m. at Superpetz. Dogs must be on a leash and cats in a carrier. Puppies and kit tens must be three months old and current for all vaccinations. Schedule subject to change, so please call 790-6836 to verify dates and times.

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THE CSRA HUMANE SOCIETY holds pet adoptions every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and every Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Pet Center located behind the GreenJackets Stadium on Milledge Rd. 261-PETS. ALLGOOD HALL DEDICATION August 7, 2 p.m. in the atrium of the building on the ASU campus. 737-1445.

Out of Town “SPACE STATION 3D” IMAX FILM, “Seahorses: Beyond Imagination” at the Tennessee Aquarium; Rock City Cornfield Maze; Southern Belle Riverboat. It’s all happening in Chat tanooga. Call the Convention and Visitors Bureau at (423) 756-8687.

Come learn about Augusta at the historic Cotton Exchange Welcome Center located on Reynolds Street. Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m. Free. Call 724-4067. students under 18 and free for ages five and under. 7240436. AUGUSTA GOLF & GARDENS OF THE GEORGIA GOLF HALL OF FAME features beautiful display gardens, as well as bronze sculptures of some of golf’s greatest masters. Available for rent for a variety of functions. Group discount rates available. Closed Mondays; open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5.50 for adults; $4.50 for students, seniors and military; $3.50 for children (4 to 12); free for children 3 and under. Sundays are two for one with a Super Sunday coupon. Annual garden memberships are available. Call 724-4443 or 1-888-874-4443. Also, visit their Web site at www.gghf.org. FORT DISCOVERY/NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTER: Children and adults alike can immerse themselves in the wonders of science through live demonstrations, vir tual realities, Starlab, KidScape and more than 270 hands-on exhibits. General Admission: $8 for adults; $6 for children, seniors and active military. Group rates available. Half-price admission daily af ter 3 p.m. Operating hours: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Call 821-0200, 1-800-325-5445 or visit their Web site at www.NationalScienceCenter.org. REDCLIFFE STATE HISTORIC SITE: 1859 mansion of S.C. Governor James Henry Hammond, held by the family for three generations until 1975. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday-Monday on the grounds. House tours are noon-3 p.m. by appointment. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission to the grounds is free. Fee for house tours is $3 for adults and children ages 6 to 17. For more information, call (803) 827-1473. 181 Redcliffe Road, Beech Island. SACRED HEART CULTURAL CENTER is offering tours of its 100-year-old building. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $1 per person, children free. 826-4700. HISTORIC COTTON EXCHANGE WELCOME CENTER: Open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m. Riverwalk. Free. 724-4067. THE EZEKIEL HARRIS HOUSE: Deemed “the finest 18th century house surviving in Georgia” by the “Smithsonian Guide to Historic America.” Open Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. General admission is $2; senior admission is $1 and children get in for 50 cents. For more information, call 724-0436.

Museums THE MUSEUM OF LAUREL AND HARDY OF HARLEM, GEORGIA features displays of various Laurel and Hardy memorabilia; films also shown. Located at 250 N. Louisville Street in downtown Harlem. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wed.Sat. and 1-4 p.m. Sundays through October 14. Af ter October 14, hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fri.-Sat. and 1-4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 556-3448. AT THE MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART: First Friday, August 2, features Latin rhythms by Vacunao from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Gallery spotlight tour, “Looking at Ar t ... in Four Easy Steps,” at 6:30 p.m. “See Yourself in Ar t” community ar t project.

Free admission. Call 724-7501. LUNCH AT NOON LECTURE SERIES held the second Wednesday of every month at the Lucy Craf t Laney Museum of Black History, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Call the museum at 724-3576 for more information. EVENTS AT THE AUGUSTA MUSEUM OF HISTORY: “Keepers of the Faith: A History of Organized Religion in Augusta” exhibit runs through November 10. August’s film is “Heritage of the Black West” and will be playing, free with admission, continuously in the History Theatre. Call 7228454 or visit www.augustamuseum.org. “THE TIES THAT BIND” African-American Ar t and Heritage Tour Program available to students in grades 3-12. Prior to touring the Morris Museum, a museum docent visits students in their classroom and provides a slide orientation. Available year-round, Tuesday-Friday, and must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. Call the Morris Museum of Ar t at 724-7501 or visit the museum Web site at www.themorris.org.

Special Events CELTIC REVIVAL MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL August 17 from 7-10 p.m. at the Savannah Rapids Pavilion. Features music by Eric Duncan, Kelly Stewar t and ‘Smath Sinn Dragon; Celtic pipes and dancing; Celtic jewelry and music vendors. Tickets are $15 adult, $12 seniors and students. Contact Shari Parris at 863-2251. MODEL OF THE YEAR COMPETITION and fundraiser for various non-profit scholarship programs August 24, 4 p.m. at For t Gordon’s Gordon Club. Model registration through August 20 for teens 13-19 and adults. No experience necessary. For more info, call 724-3220. PARTRIDGE INN BRIDAL SHOW August 4, 6-9 p.m., in the Inn’s Morris Par tridge Ballroom. Area wedding vendors will be on hand to showcase their services; tours of The Par tridge Inn’s wedding facilities will be conducted. Tickets are $10. 737-2428. PORTER FLEMING WRITING COMPETITION entry deadline is August 1. $10 entry fee. Categories are non-fiction, poetry, script writing, and fiction. Winners invited to par ticipate in a special literary program at the Ar ts in the Hear t festival. Contact the Greater Augusta Ar ts Council at 826-4702. AUTISM AWARENESS DAY EVENT August 3 at Wal-Mar t in Nor th Augusta. Sponsored by Unlocking Autism, a national non-profit organization promoting understanding and research. For more information, contact Maurine Meleck at (803) 819-1426. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE features food, fun and music by the hot test bands in the CSRA. Held at Riverwalk’s Eighth Street Plaza from 7-11 p.m. August 10, and 24. Phone 821-1754.

ART IN THE PARK August 17 in Blowing Rock, N.C. Ar tists and craf ters present their work from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the American Legion Grounds in downtown Blowing Rock. Free shut tle vans to site are available. Call the Chamber of Commerce at (828) 295-7851. ATLANTA FALCONS CHARITY KICKOFF LUNCHEON to benefit the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation August 16 at the Georgia Dome. Auction, player autographs and speeches by Ar thur Blank and Dan Reeves. $40 per ticket; $400 for a corporate table. (404) 586-8510. THEATER OF THE STARS PRESENTS “42ND STREET” at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta August 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $20 to $52.50 and are now on sale through TicketMaster. (404) 249-6400. MASTERS OF THE AMERICAN WATERCOLOR, SOUTH CAROLINA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY exhibits run through August 18 at the Columbia Museum of Ar t in Columbia, S.C. Gallery talk by Angela Bradburn August 3 at 1 p.m. Visit www.columbiamuseum.org or call (803) 799-2810. ATLANTA BUCKARAMA spor tsman’s show features exhibits, speakers and door prizes August 1-4 at the Atlanta Expo Center. Fundraising event sponsored by the Georgia Wildlife Federation to fund conservation education effor ts. Admission is $7/adults, $4/seniors and kids 6-12; kids under 6 are free. For more info, contact Doug Rithmire at (770) 787-7887. GEORGIA MOUNTAIN FAIR August 7-18 in Hiawassee, Ga. Midway and carnival rides, craf ts and exhibits, historical demonstrations, pioneer village, fireworks, parade and more. Call (706) 896-4191 or visit www.georgia-mountainfair.com. SUMMER EVENING CONCERTS AT BILTMORE ESTATE in Asheville, N.C. Bruce Hornsby, Aug. 2; Guy Lombardo’s Royal Canadians with Al Pierson, Aug. 3; Ar turo Sandoval, Aug. 10; Beach Night with Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs, the Embers and Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, Aug. 16; Randy Newman, Aug 17; Pat ty Loveless, Aug. 24; and the Indigo Girls, Aug. 31. For reservations, call 1-800-543-2961. ADOPTION INFORMATION SESSION at the Independent Adoption Center in Tucker, Ga., August 3, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For reservations, call 1-800-385-4016. THE ATLANTIS MUSIC CONFERENCE through August 3 at various venues throughout Atlanta. Showcase concer ts, educational panels, a job fair and more. Three-day wristbands for showcase per formances are $25; conference registration is $165 in advance or $200 walk-up. Call (770) 499-8600 or visit www.atlantismusic.com.

Benefits CELEBRITY MEN’S GREAT OUTDOOR COOK-OFF August 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Lake Olmstead. Food, enter tainment, vendors and more. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under and may be purchased in advance at the Beulah Grove Community Resource Center or the ASU Athletic Depar tment. 823-0905.

AIKEN SUN RUN to benefit the Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons held August 24, 8 a.m. at the Odell Weeks Center. Af ter the 5K race,a one-mile Fun Run will be held for those ages 14 and under. Contact the volunteer/special events coordinator at (803) 649-0480 for more information. SHEPEARD COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER SHAG AND STROLL August 23, 7:30-11 p.m. at the Historic Firehouse on Broad Street. Fundraiser for a new bloodmobile features low country food, music by Flashback, limbo contests, shag demos, dancing, silent auction and more. Tickets are $30 per person; corporate tables available for $1000. Call Lanie Wilson at 737-4551 or visit www.shepeardblood.org. SUMMER BEACH PARTY AND DANCE to benefit the American Cancer Society August 9 in the Radisson River front Hotel Ballroom. 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Live music by The Fabulous Expressions and dancing, as well as an auction. Tickets are $37.50/person or $65/couple and are available at the American Cancer Society office or by phone at 731-9900. AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES at the Aiken Red Cross Blood Center on Millbrook Drive and the Augusta Red Cross Blood Center on Pleasant Home Road. The bloodmobile will also stop at various area locations this week. For a complete list, call the Aiken Blood Center at (803) 642-5180 or the Augusta Blood Center at 868-8800.

Learning UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH SERVICES is holding the following workshops: “Star ting Your Own Business” August 6 and “Writing a Business Plan” August 20. 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Small Business Outreach Services/Small Business Development Center Augusta Office on Claussen Road. $35 fee per workshop. Call 737-1790. AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY CONTINUING EDUCATION is now offering the following classes: Digital Photography for Beginners, Intermediate Photography, Stained Glass and Intermediate Shag I. Also, ASU offers online courses. For more information, call 737-1636 or visit www.ced.aug.edu. AIKEN TECH CONTINUING EDUCATION is now offering the following courses: Intro to Computers,Creating Web Pages, Intro to Massage Therapy, Intro to Java Script, Driver Education, and more. Classes begin in July and August. Aiken Tech also offers Education to Go classes online. For more information or to register, call (803) 593-9231, ex t. 1230.

Health PEACHCARE FOR KIDS AND RIGHT FROM THE START MEDICADE offers free or low-cost health coverage to qualifying families. Coverage includes prenatal care, hospitalization, vaccines, dental and vision care and is available to pregnant women of all ages and to children through age 19. Contact the RSM Project at 729-2086 or 721-5611 for information. YOGA CLASSES at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8 a.m. for $45/month or 10:30 a.m. to noon for $55/month. Call 823-6294. FREE HIV/AIDS TESTING every Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Ministry, 922 Greene Street. Free anonymous testing, pre- and post-test counseling and education. HATHA YOGA CLASSES at the St. Joseph Home Health Care Center in Daniel Village Plaza. Held 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. $10 per class or $60 a month for unlimited classes. Mats are provided, but bring a towel and a water bot tle. Call Tess at 738-2782 for more information. A FREE WOMEN’S HEALTH CLINIC is held from 6-8 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month at the Salvation Army and Welfare Center, 1383 Greene St. Services include Pap smear, breast exam and the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmit ted diseases. For more info or an appointment, call the St. Vincent dePaul Health Center at 828-3444. W.G. WATSON, M.D., WOMEN’S CENTER CONDUCTS EDUCATION CLASSES at University Hospital. Course topics include Lamaze, breast feeding, parenting and grandparenting. Par tners will learn positive suppor t techniques. There are also programs designed to help older siblings adjust to new family members. Some classes are free, while others require a fee. Registration is required by calling 774-2825.

Kids SAFETY PRESENTATION by Eva Cooper of the AugustaRichmond County Sheriff Depar tment August 14, 10:30 a.m. at the Appleby Branch Library. 736-6244.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BLAST August 24 at For t Discovery. Noon-4 p.m. celebration features live enter tainment, special activities, science demos, take-home projects and more. Admission is $8/adult, $6/children, senior citizens and active military. 821-0200. HOMESCHOOL FUN FAIR AND USED BOOK SALE August 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at St. Mark United Methodist Church. Info for parents of homeschooled children, health screenings. $3/person or $5/family. 736-2976. “STUDY SKILLS THAT STICK” CHILDREN’S WORKSHOP with Yolanda Davis August 5 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Friedman Branch Library. “How to Improve Your Child’s Education” parents’ workshop August 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call the library at 736-6758. BRAIDS AND CUTS DAY, August 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is sponsored by the Aiken County Recreation Center. Cer tified barbers and hair technicians donate their time to help kids look their best for the first day of school. Call Tony at (803) 663-6142. ACADEMIC HELP AND TUTORING available Saturdays, 2:304:30 p.m. at the Wallace Branch Library. Call 722-6275 to make arrangements. COLUMBIA COUNTY RECREATION SPORTS REGISTRATION August 5-17 at Patriots Park. Hours are Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fall spor ts offered are football, cheerleading, soccer, baseball and sof tball. $50 fee for first child, $45 for second child and $35 for third; out-of-county residents pay double. Visit www.co.columbia.ga.us or call 863-7523. TEEN ADVISORY COUNCIL AT THE MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART begins in September. Members meet weekly to plan museum events for young adults. Applications must be received by August 31 and can be obtained by contacting Victoria Durrer at 828-3865.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SKILLS PROGRAM for teens ages 12-19 held the third Saturday of the month at the Lucy Craf t Laney Museum of Black History. Call 7243576.

PEOPLE WITH ARTHRITIS CAN EXERCISE (PACE) meets at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-2 p.m. Call 823-5294. THE SENIOR CITIZENS COUNCIL OF GREATER AUGUSTA AND THE CSRA offers a variety of classes, including aerobics, quilting, tai chi, Spanish, painting, line dancing, bowling, bridge, crochet, pool/billiards, drawing and pinochle. For dates and times, phone 826-4480.

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ARTHRITIS AQUATICS offered Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital. Classes meet 99:45 a.m., 10-10:45 a.m. or 12:15-1 p.m. $37.50/month. To register, call 733-5959. SENIORNET provides adults age 50 and over education for and access to computer technology. Many different courses are offered. Contact the USC-Aiken Continuing Education Office at (803) 641-3563.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL FESTIVALS feature information for elementary and middle-school students and their parents. Physical exams and immunization and nutrition information will be available in addition to registration for ex tra-curricular activities. The Columbia County schools festival will be held August 3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Evans High School; Richmond County schools festival August 4, 12:30 - 6 p.m. at the Augusta Mall; and Aiken County schools festival is August 10, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Weeks Center. Call Beth Frits, 364-6400.

DIXIE YOUTH BASEBALL TOURNAMENT through August 3 at Diamond Lakes Regional Park. Call the park at 771-2979. ADULT FALL SOFTBALL REGISTRATION through August 10 at Diamond Lakes Regional Park. Call 771-2979.

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YOUTH MONTHLY SPARRING the last Thursday of the month, 5:30 p.m., at the Augusta Boxing Club. Call 7337533. BEGINNER’S ADULT HOCKEY LEAGUE held through August 15 at the Augusta Ice Spor ts Center. Contact Kyle Schultz at 724-4423 or the Augusta Ice Spor ts Center at 863-0061. AUGUSTA RECREATION AND PARKS SUMMER SWIMMING POOLS now open. Pools are located at Dyess Park, May Park, Jones Pool and Fleming Pool. Call 796-5025. OPEN SWIM at the Smith Hazel pool through August. Held Monday-Friday, 1-6 p.m.; Saturday, noon-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Cost for children is 50 cents and adults pay $1. Call (803) 642-7755 for more information.

Special Events August Calendar AUGUST 3 Riverwalk Gospel Back-to-School Extravaganza Jessye Norman Amphitheater • 4-8 p.m. Enjoy lots of good singing, food and fellowshipping. Sponsored by Bus Ministry and Youths for Christ along with New and Living Way Apostolic Church. Admission Free. For additional information call (803) 275-3331.

AUGUST 10, 24 Saturday Night Live Continues Eighth Street Plaza • 7-11 p.m. Featuring artist TBA. Brought to you by The Cotton Patch and Riverwalk Special Events. For more information call (706) 821-1754.

AUGUST 4, 11, 18, 25 Music Explosion Eighth Street Bulkhead • 8-9:30 p.m. Bring your picnic baskets, blankets, lawn chairs and dancing shoes and spend the evening enjoying “quietSTORM” performing a variety of musical tunes that will keep you on your feet. For additional information call (706) 821-1754.

AUGUST 15, 29 U.S. Army Signal Corps Band Presents “Music on the River” Jessye Norman Amphitheater • 7:00 p.m. A stroll through downtown can be a trip back in time. This particular monument can be found across Broad Street from the Lamar Building. Beware of pigeons, though.

M E T R O

A U G

FIRST SATURDAY STORYTELLING at the Lucy Craf t Laney Museum. In addition, there is a tour of the museum. Held 10 a.m. to noon the first Saturday of the month. Call 724-3576.

Seniors

S P I R I T

WEEKLY STORY SESSIONS at all branch libraries. Visit www.ecgrl.public.lib.ga.us for more information.

Sports

“INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS” one-session class offered August 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, 9:30-11 a.m. at the Ma xwell Branch Library. Phone 793-2020.

Come Eat With Us!

SIBSHOPS every third Saturday of the month at the MCG Children’s Medical Center Conference Center. This program is designed for siblings of children with special health and developmental needs. Phone 721-KIDS for information.

T.A.G. BALL is sponsored by Teens in Action with Goals and will be held 8 p.m. August 3 at the Henry H. Brigham Community Center Gymnasium on Golden Camp Drive. Tickets are $5/person; call 792-1088.

GIRLS INCORPORATED AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM begins August 12 and runs through the end of the 2002-2003 school year. A variety of programs will be offered. Services include van pick-up at select schools, evening drop-off, homework room and hot evening meal. Open to girls in kindergar ten through high school. Open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. for registration star ting August 5. Af ter-school program offered 2:30-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. For more information, call 733-2512.

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32 M E T R O

National Science Center's Fort Discovery Presents

Photo: Courtesy of Biltmore Estate, Asheville, N.C.

S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

June 29 thru Sept. 30, 2002 Fort Discovery's Knox Gallery Open During Regular Operating Hours The Knox Gallery becomes a virtual playground where visitors can snowboard, play basketball, ice hockey and team volleyball . . . even go rowing . . . without leaving the science center!

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If you feel like taking a trip to Asheville, N.C., to see the Biltmore House, you may as well go during a concert weekend. Aug. 2 will feature An Evening With Bruce Hornsby. General seating is $45. They have a discounted passholder price at $40, with no reserved seating for this concert. Aug. 3 features Guy Lombardo’s Royal Canadians with Al Pierson. Reserved seating is $32, with general seating at $25 and a passholder price of $20. Future dates will feature Arturo Sandoval, Marice Williams and the Zodiacs, The Embers, Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, Randy Newman, Patty Loveless, and the Indigo Girls. Visit www.biltmore.com for more info. AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS HOME GAMES August 1-3, 1421, 26-28, 30-31 and September 1-2. Ticket prices range from $6-$8, with discounts for children and seniors. Sundays are Family Fest/Junior Jacket days, Tuesdays are “Two Fer” Tuesdays/Team Trivia and Thursdays are Thirsty Thursdays. For tickets, call 736-7889 or go to www.tixonline.com. Also check out www.greenjackets.net.

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MARCH OF DIMES CHAIN REACTION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL currently accepting nominations for high school freshmen through juniors to serve on the council. Purpose is to increase awareness of the March of Dimes among high school students while building leadership skills. Deadline for nominations is September 13. Call Tracy Klemens at 7338438 for a nomination pack. THE JERRY LEWIS LABOR DAY TELETHON needs local volunteers to fill the following positions: phone operators, pledge verification, pledge tally, green room, production assistant. Groups and individuals welcome. Telethon is September 2, and volunteers work flexible shif ts. Call 7388543. OLDER AMERICANS ACT SENIOR NUTRITION PROGRAM is looking for volunteers to serve meals to needy older residents. To volunteer, contact the Senior Citizens Council at 826-4480. For those in need of home-delivered meals, call 210-2018 or toll free at 1-888-922-4464. AUGUSTA-RICHMOND COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL: New volunteer orientation is scheduled the first Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. at the shelter, 4164 Mack Lane. Schedule subject to change; call 790-6836 to verify dates and times. THE CSRA HUMANE SOCIETY is looking for animal lovers willing to donate a lit tle of their time. Volunteers are needed every Saturday at the Pet Center located behind GreenJackets Stadium on Milledge Road. Call 261-PETS for more info. SHEPEARD COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER is seeking donors to prevent a blood supply shor tage. To donate call 737-4551, 854-1880 or (803) 643-7996.

Meetings Beautiful Downtown Aiken 29 JULY - 10 AUGUST

CSRA VOLKSWAGEN CLUB is just star ting up and looking for members. Meeting August 2 at 6 p.m. in the parking lot at 6th and Reynolds. For information, call 736-3047 or visit the club’s Web site at www.csravwclub.org.

LUPUS SUPPORT GROUP holds its first meeting August 21, 7 p.m. in Classroom 1 on the third floor of University Hospital. Meeting will determine area interest in a lupus suppor t group; open to patients and their families. Call Marlene Roberson, 721-2171 or email Lupus_Friends@hotmail.com. BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP meets August 19, 7 p.m. at the Gibbs Library. Discussion on “Seabiscuit” by Laura Hillenbrand. Call 863-1946. THE RICHMOND COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY meets August 10 at 9 a.m. at the Piccadilly Cafeteria on Washington Road. Barbara Dooley and Ma x Burns, candidates for Congressional District 12, will speak. All interested persons invited to at tend. Call Dave Barbee at 394-4772. THE AUGUSTA COALITION FOR MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY meets August 7, 5:30 p.m. at Friendship Community Center on Central Avenue. Call Elizabeth Frank at 721-6696 for more details. AUGUSTA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN SINGLES GOLF ASSOCIATION meets the second Thursday of each month at Damon’s Restaurant from 6:30-8:30 p.m. RSVP by noon the Tuesday prior to meeting at 24 hour hotline: (803) 441-6741 or 650-1254. ASGA also holds golf outings and socials. Call (803) 441-6741 or 1-888-465-3628 for more information. THE AUGUSTA SKI AND OUTING CLUB is a non-profit organization for those who enjoy snow skiing, boating, camping, whitewater raf ting, cycling and other outdoor recreation. Meets 6:45 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month at the Cot ton Patch. Social scheduled for August 20 at Famous Dave’s on Washington Road. Club interests should call (803) 279-6186.

Weekly AUGUSTA TOASTMASTERS CLUB #326 meets Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at Advent Lutheran Church. Call 868-8431. BUSINESS NETWORKERS INTERNATIONAL Augusta Chapter meets every Thursday morning from 7 to 8:30 a.m. in the Par tridge Inn main dining room. All professionals welcome; breakfast provided for a fee. Call Stuar t Rayburn, 737-0050. RIVERWALK TOASTMASTERS meets Mondays, 7 p.m. in Classroom 3 at University Hospital. Call Gale Kan, 8557071. GUIDELINES: Public Service announcements are listed in this section without charge at the discretion of the editor. Announcements must be received by Monday at noon and will be included as space permits. Send to Events, The Metropolitan Spirit, P.O. Box 3809, Augusta, GA, 30914 or Fa x (706) 733-6663. Listings cannot be taken over the phone.

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34 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

Music Sonic Youth Ventures Off “Murray Street”

BY LISA JORDAN

onic Youth’s new album, “Murray Street,” is an epic storybook of sound. It’s the kind of CD that makes the perfect soundtrack to a lazy summer afternoon and lends itself equally well to a solitary cross-country drive. It begins with the laid-back drum sounds behind “The Empty Page” and meanders down that road for a while before rising into the punk wailings of “Plastic Sun.” But maybe that’s to be expected from a band that counts Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg among its influences. Sonic Youth’s hybrid and multimedia approach to music – no doubt one of the factors contributing to their status as innovative indie-rock gods – is especially evident on their Web site, www.sonicyouth.com. The rather extensive site sucks you in and plays with your senses, showcasing two decades of archived Sonic Youth oddities: everything from sounds to photos and ‘zines. That’s right – ‘zines. Possibly one of the most interesting portions of the site, there are downloadable files of seven “Sonic Death” fanzines in all their handwritten and photocopied glory. You can

almost smell the toner. There are also some do-it-yourself sticker and iron-on transfer downloads and extensive descriptions of their heavily cus-

tomized – and subsequently, stolen – instruments, proving that Sonic Youth just may be the ultimate DIY band. After making a brief pit stop there, your

interest in seeing them live might be piqued, which should make you glad to hear that Sonic Youth will be making a stop in Atlanta Aug. 5, taking the stage at the Variety Playhouse. The Atlanta date is sandwiched between shows in New Orleans and Athens. But if you’re thinking about waiting a day to check them out on the Athens stop, don’t bother; it’s already sold out. Maybe it’s some of the fans following them around the country a la Grateful Dead who swiped tickets from TicketMaster first. Opening up at the Atlanta show are Erase Errata and Mary Timony. Timony, a veteran of bands Helium and Autoclave, is touring in support of her new CD, “The Golden Dove.” It happens to sound a lot like the love child that would have been produced from the union between a sitar and, well – a guitar. Very cool. But if you prefer stretched-out instrumentals, lyrics snapping with discontent and the backing of 20 years at the forefront of cutting-edge independent music, Sonic Youth’s your band. Tickets are $18 and available by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 828-7700.

Avril Lavigne, Better Than Ezra, and Cracker in Atlanta – Free!

he music’s young – but then so is she. But Avril Lavigne just so happens to be the one with the No. 2 song in the country on Billboard’s Hot 100. “Complicated,” a youthful identitycrisis song, is in a lot of people’s heads. The album is called “Let Go” and it’s got quite a few get-stuck-in-your-head tunes. “Sk8er Boi” is one of those. “He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy...” Boy meets girl who thinks she’s too good for him, then realizes what she missed out on when he hits the big time and someone else gets him. Her lyrics are worth listening to. She’s hit on the fact that telling a story is one good way to write a song. She’s been on the cover of Rolling Stone. Hey – she’s Canadian. She writes her own stuff, and always has insisted on doing just that. This is no lead-vocalist little girl here. Avril Lavigne is a skaterpunk wild child wielding a guitar and an

attitude. It’s the stark emotional honesty that really hits home. Check her out at www.avrillavigne.com. You can hear “Sk8er Boi” and see some cool pics. There’s even an online journal. It’s supposed to be hers. Well, who knows, right? New band from New Jersey, Rana, will also be there. And so will Better Than Ezra and Cracker. The “where” is downtown Atlanta, in Centennial Olympic Park. The “when” – Friday, Aug. 2. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Be prepared to rock until 11:00 that night. It’s a free, all-ages show. Promoters ask that you leave home all the pets, coolers, recording devices, roller skates, roller blades, bikes and other wheeled conveyances. They also want you to lose the professional camera equipment and alcoholic beverages. Don’t bring ponies, marauding bulls, poisonous snakes or other wildlife either. You can, however, bring folding chairs,

blankets, disposable cameras and one unopened bottle of water. You can bring your honey and your best friends. You can bring your worst friends and your best enemies. A portion of net proceeds (from the food and beverages you’re going to want to buy) will be donated to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. No, Dr. Evil has not made off with the mojo of the music world, although we hear he’s thought about it. According to CBSnews.com, Save the Music is an initiative started in 1996 to help keep school music programs afloat in the wake of government cutbacks. (In tough times, it seems, it’s big business, not the children, that we look after.) It’s an effort that has put tens of millions of dollars worth of instruments into classrooms. So, when you go to On the Bricks, eat, drink and be merry – and tomorrow there will still be music. Just don’t get really merry before you crawl behind the wheel. For info about the concerts, check out

BY RHONDA JONES

www.onthebricks.com or www.madbooking.com. For info about Save the Music, go to www.cbsnews.com or to www.vh1.com.

a story titled “Two Big Local Music Events This Weekend,” published in the July 25-31 edition of The Metropolitan Spirit, we published an erroneous telephone Uh oh! We goofed! Innumber. If you and your band are interested in participating in the Saturday Night Live concert series, give Bryan Mitchell a call at (706) 823-3714.

Music By Turner

lop plop, fizz fizz! Television commercials sure have come a long way since the early days of Madison Avenue madness. Companies aware of the purchasing power of boomers to preteens pay out enormous sums to songwriters and performers for television ads. This arrangement can be beneficial for both parties. Recently, Sheryl Crow received a huge hunk o’ change from American Express for their use of “Soak up the Sun,” and no doubt this exposure helped make the tune a top 10 hit. So just who is doing what song for what company? A terrific new Web site has made identifying these songs easy. The folks at songtitle.com have complete lists of the names of songs and artists and the spots in which they are used. The cool new Volkswagen commercial? That’s Son Volt’s “Chanty.” The Bank of America ads? Erik Satie’s famous “Gymnopedies No. 1,” which has also been used by the Bayer Aspirin people. This site has them all, including older commercials no longer being aired. Win bets and surprise your friends. Check it out. “Daveville” Rules Dept. The Dave Matthews Band’s “Busted Stuff” debuted at the no. 1 spot in Billboard last week. The disc is the third album from the band to enter the top spot in its first week on the charts. Selling an impressive 622,000 units, the album knocked Nelly’s “Nellyville” out of the no. 1 position. Not bad for an album originally rejected and scuttled just a couple of years ago.

M E T R O

BY ED TURNER

How Can We Miss Them if They Won’t Go Away? Dept. Kiss might not retire after all. Although the band has been on their “Farewell Tour” since early 2000, it seems as though the flame-licking and bloodspewing isn’t over yet. Guitarist Paul Stanley has hinted in an interview on the official Kiss Web site that he wants to continue touring with Gene for a bit longer. A new hits compilation, “The Very Best of Kiss” (not to be confused with “The Best of Kiss,” “Kiss’ Greatest,” or “No Kidding, We Really Mean it This Time, These are Really our Best”), will be unleashed Aug. 27. Ace must have a mortgage payment due.

S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising” is new and in stores this week. It’s a smart move for him and his label (Columbia), as its a slow week for new releases, which will help considerably in firstweek sales. It’s Mad Music Asylum Sunday, Aug. 4. Join yours truly for the best “lost classics” that corporate suits won’t allow their stations to play anymore. Test your musical IQ with rock and roll jeopardies and our always boffo and madcap mystery tour mystery tunes. We’ll even poke fun at everyone who has to go back to school. The fun begins at 7 p.m. on Eagle 102.3. Be there ‘cos we know where you live. Turner’s Rock and Roll Jeopardy: A. This song was featured prominently in the film “Back to the Future.”

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Cafe du Teau - Buzz Clifford Coconuts - DJ Coliseum - Karaoke, High-Energy Dance Continuum - Playa*Listic Thursday Cotton Patch - Dennis Hall Coyote’s - Rhes Reeves, Shelley Watkins and the Coyote Ugly Band D. Timm’s - Joe Patchen and the Blue Diamond Express Eagle’s Nest - Richardean Norwood, Michael Johnson, Karaoke Finish Line Cafe - Blind-Draw Fishbowl Lounge - Blind-Draw Dar ts Fraternal Order of Eagles - Bingo Greene Street’s - Men’s National Karaoke Contest Honk y Tonk - The Duke Boys Joe’s Underground - Jason Sabo The Lair - Wayne Capps Last Call - Ma x from 95 Rock hosts Barroom Olympics, DJ Richie Rich Logan’s Roadhouse - Karaoke with Bill Tolber t Luck y Ladies Bar and Grill - Pool League Marlboro Station - Talent Night Michael’s - Marilyn Adcock Modjeska - House Music Mulligan’s Nitelife - DJ Playground - Open Mic Night Red Lion - DJ JC Rhythm and Blues Exchange - Elliot Holden Group Richard’s Place - DJ Mike the Outlaw, Pool League Robbie’s Sports Bar - Pool and Dar t Leagues Safari Lounge Aiken - Karaoke Salsa’s Bar and Grill - Karaoke with Linda Eubanks Shannon’s - Glenn Beasley Silver Bullet Lounge - The Big Dogs Snook’s - Open Acoustic Jam Soul Bar - DJ The Ear thling Sports Pub and Grill - Spor ts Trivia The Spot - Feature DJ Squeak y’s Tip-Top - Live Music Surrey Tavern - Dar t Tournament Wheeler Tavern - Flashback and Company

Last Call - Dakota West, Tony Howard, DJ Richie Rich Luck y Ladies Bar and Grill - The Niche, Blind Draw Marlboro Station - Show Night with Special Guest Michael’s - Marilyn Adcock Modjeska - The Brit Mulligan’s Nitelife - DJ Partridge Inn - The C. Anthony Carpenter Project Patti’s - Free Pool Playground - El Dorado Deluxe Private I - Disco Red Lion - Needless, Billarabi Rhythm and Blues Exchange - Tony Williams and Blues Express Richard’s Place - Midnight Magic Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Mykie G Safari Lounge Aiken - Shag Night with DJ Shannon’s - Bar t Bell Silver Bullet Lounge - The Big Dogs Soul Bar - Tropico Salsa Band The Spot - Ms. Behavin’ Competition Surrey Tavern - Soul Dimension Veracruz - Live Music Wheeler Tavern - Flashback and Company

Saturday, 3rd Back yard Tavern - Karaoke Bhoomer’s Lounge - Broken Arrow Band Big Iron Saloon - Russell Bonham Borders - Josh Pierce Cafe Du Teau - Buzz Clifford, Carl Brown Capri Cinema - Absint, Solemn Charlie O’s - Live Music, Military Night Coconuts - DJ Doug Coliseum - Mallory Cotton Patch - Cool Cats Country Ranch - Karaoke Coyote’s - Rhes Reeves, Shelley Watkins and the Coyote Ugly Band Crossroads - Voodoo Tuna D. Timm’s - Joe Patchen and the Blue Diamond Express

Finish Line Cafe - DJ, Dar t Tournament, Karaoke Fishbowl Lounge - Karaoke with Linda Eubanks, Blind-Draw Dar ts Gordon Club - Salsa Night Greene Street’s - Karaoke with DJ Penny Honk y Tonk - The Duke Boys Joe’s Underground - Joe and Friends Kokopelli’s - Twist Like 8, 420 Outback Last Call - Tony Howard, DJ Luck y Ladies Bar and Grill - The Niche Marlboro Station - Show Night with Special Guest Michael’s - Marilyn Adcock Modjeska - Miami Night with DJ Boriqua Mulligan’s Nitelife - DJ Playground - Barroom Olympics Private I - Disco, Live Jazz and R&B Rae’s Coastal Cafe - Live Music Red Lion - The Happening Rhythm and Blues Exchange - Tony Williams and Blues Express Richard’s Place - DJ Mike the Outlaw Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Mykie G Safari Lounge Aiken - Karaoke Shannon’s - Glenn Beasley Silver Bullet Lounge - The Big Dogs Snook’s - Horseshoe Tournament Soul Bar - Livingroom Legends The Spot - Live DJ Squeak y’s Tip-Top - Live Music Surrey Tavern - Soul Dimension Time Piecez - ‘80s Night Veracruz - Live Music VFW Post No. 3200 - Karaoke with Chuck and Francis Wheeler Tavern - Flashback and Company

Sunday, 4th Adams Nightclub - Dance Par ty with DJ Tim Back yard Tavern - Karaoke Bhoomer’s Lounge - Carribbean Night, Live Band, DJ Boriqua

Friday, 2nd American Legion Post No. 63 - Crossroads Band Back yard Tavern - Karaoke, Horseshoes Bhoomer’s Lounge - Broken Arrow Band Big Iron Saloon - Russell Bonham Borders - Ryan Atkinson Cafe Du Teau - Buzz Clifford, Carl Brown Charlie O’s - Live Music Coconuts - Miss Hawaiian Tropic with DJ Doug Coliseum - Sasha Continuum - First Friday Par ty with Mr. Flip Cotton Patch - E & L Productions Coyote’s - Rhes Reeves, Shelley Watkins and the Coyote Ugly Band Crossroads - Jemani, Drop Level, Simple Possession D. Timm’s - Joe Patchen and the Blue Diamond Express Euchee Creek Sports Bar - Karaoke Finish Line Cafe - DJ Fishbowl Lounge - Karaoke with Linda Eubanks Gordon Club - Flavor Fridays Greene Street’s - Karaoke with DJ Penny Highlander - Live Music Honk y Tonk - The Duke Boys The Infield Sports Bar & Grill - Karaoke Joe’s Underground - Blues Express Kokopelli’s - 13 Stories

Don’t forget the Athens Music Showcase at the 2002 Atlantis Music Conference. The time is Saturday, Aug. 3 from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. at the Cotton Club at 152 Luckie Street. Woman (pictured) starts the fun at 8:00, and the rest of the evening goes like this: 9:00 S.M.O., 10:00 Soundtrack Mind, 11:00 Left Front Tire, 12:00 Stewart & Winfield. There is a $10 cover for this event, which is free with an Atlantis wristband. For information visit www.atlantismusic.com.

Cafe Du Teau - Buzz Clifford and The Last Bohemian Quar tet Capri Cinema - Abandoned Hear ts Club, The End Cotton Patch - Keith “Fossill” Gregory Country Ranch - Pool Tournament Finish Line Cafe - Blind-Draw Fraternal Order of Eagles - Bingo Logan’s Roadhouse - Trivia Marlboro Station - Starlight Cabaret with Claire Storm and Lauren Alexander Mulligan’s Nitelife - DJ Rhythm and Blues Exchange - Karaoke with Bill Tolber t Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Mykie G Shannon’s - Tony Howard The Spot - Live DJ

Monday, 5th Big Iron Saloon - Russell Bonham Capri Cinema - Absint, Cycle, Syndakit Coliseum - Q.A.F. Continuum - Monday Madness with DJ Freeman Crossroads - Club Sin Dance Par ty Elks Lodge - Line Dancing Finish Line Cafe - Open Pool Tournament Fraternal Order of Eagles - Bingo Highlander - Dar t League Honk y Tonk - Blues Monday featuring Robbie Ducey Band and Special Guest Joe’s Underground - Adam Hat field Kokopelli’s - Dar t Teams Luck y Ladies Bar and Grill - Dar ts Michael’s - Karaoke with Hugh Barrow Mulligan’s Nitelife - DJ Playground - Trivia Night with Skin Tight Red Lion - Karaoke Richard’s Place - Dar ts Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Mykie G Safari Lounge Aiken - Shag Lessons Snook’s - Free Pool Surrey Tavern - John Kolbeck

Tuesday, 6th Adams Nightclub - Karaoke with Bill Tolber t American Legion Post No. 63 - Bingo Bhoomer’s Lounge - House Music Big Iron Saloon - Russell Bonham Club Incognito - DJ Richie Rich Coliseum - Tournament Tuesday Crossroads - Club Sin Dance Par ty Docker’s - Pool Tournament D. Timm’s - Joe Patchen and the Blue Diamond Express Elks Lodge - Line Dancing Fraternal Order of Eagles - Bingo French Market Grille West - Wayne Capps Greene Street’s - National Karaoke Contest Highlander - Open Mic Acoustic Jam Session Joe’s Underground - Adam Hat field Luck y Ladies Bar and Grill - Karaoke Metro Coffeehouse - Irish Music Michael’s - Marilyn Adcock Mulligan’s Nitelife - DJ Patti’s - Pool Tournament Playground - Golf Tournament Red Lion - Dancing Under the Influence Snook’s - Open Acoustic Jam Somewhere in Augusta - Trivia Sports Pub and Grill - Trivia Surrey Tavern - Pat Blanchard

Wednesday, 7th Big Iron Saloon - Russell Bonham Coconuts - DJ Coliseum - Talent Search Cotton Patch - Trivia with Mat t Stovall Coyote’s - Rhes Reeves, Shelley Watkins and the Coyote Ugly Band Docker’s - Free Pool D. Timm’s - Joe Patchen and the Blue Diamond Express Finish Line Cafe - Blind-Draw Greene Street’s - National Karaoke Contest

Honk y Tonk - The Duke Boys Hooters - Karaoke with Bill Tolber t Joe’s Underground - Brandon Bower Last Call - Liquid Pleasure Logan’s Roadhouse - Trivia Luck y Ladies Bar and Grill - Pool League Michael’s - Marilyn Adcock Modjeska - House Music Mulligan’s Nitelife - DJ Playground - Golf Tournament Rhythm and Blues Exchange - The Family Trucksters Richard’s Place - Pool League Robbie’s Sports Bar - DJ Mykie G, Free Pool Silver Bullet Lounge - The Big Dogs Snook’s - Open Acoustic Jam Soul Bar - Live Jazz The Spot - Live DJ Surrey Tavern - Pat Blanchard TGI Friday’s - Trivia Wheeler Tavern - Flashback and Company

Upcoming Charlie Daniels - Aiken Jaycees Fairgrounds October 17

Elsewhere Jeff Johanasen - Group Therapy, Columbia, S.C. August 1 Bow Wow - Bi-Lo Center, Greenville, S.C. - August 1 Vans Warped Tour - Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta - August 1 David Allen Coe - House of Blues, Myr tle Beach, S.C. - August 1; Senate Park, Columbia, S.C. August 22 Loretta Lynn - Alabama Theatre, Myr tle Beach, S.C. - August 2 Peter, Paul & Mary - Chastain Park, Atlanta August 2 Darius Rucker - Music Farm, Charleston, S.C. August 2 Gin Blossoms, Sponge, 7 Mary 3, Spin Doctors -

House of Blues, Myr tle Beach, S.C. - August 3 Sonic Youth, Mary Timony - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta - August 5 2 Skinnee J’s - The Windjammer, Charleston, S.C. August 5 MTV2 Smokin’ Grooves Tour - Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta - August 7 Tool - Bi-Lo Center, Greenville, S.C. - August 7 Blondie - House of Blues, Myr tle Beach, S.C. August 7 Default, Trik Turner - Roxy, Atlanta - August 7 LL Cool J - The Plex, Charleston, S.C. - August 7; House of Blues, Myr tle Beach, S.C. - August 8 Lenny Kravitz - Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta August 8 The Breeders - Ear thlink Live, Atlanta - August 9 Jackson Browne, Tom Petty - Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta - August 9 Cowboy Mouth - The Windjammer, Charleston, S.C. - August 12; House of Blues, Myr tle Beach, S.C. August 24 Poison, Cinderella, Faster Pussycat - House of Blues, Myr tle Beach, S.C. - August 16 King Hippo - Music Farm, Charleson, S.C. - August 16 Aaron Tippin - Alabama Theatre, Myr tle Beach, S.C. - August 17 Peter Frampton - House of Blues, Myr tle Beach, S.C. - August 17 Dishwalla – Civic Center, Savannah, Ga. – August 23 Dream Theater - The Tabernacle, Atlanta - August 24 Bill Cosby - Fox Theatre, Atlanta - October 12 Rolling Stones - Turner Field, Atlanta - October 26 Many tickets are available through TicketMaster outlets, by calling 828-7700, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets may also be available through Tix Online by calling 278-4TIX or online at www.tixonline.com. Night Life listings are subject to change without notice. Deadline for inclusion in Night Life calendar is Tuesday at 4 p.m. Contact Rhonda Jones by calling 738-1142, fa xing 7360443 or e-mailing to rhonda_jones@metspirit.com.

Club Directory Adams Nightclub - 738-8811 Aiken Brewing Co. - (803) 502-0707 American Legion Post 63 - 733-9387 The Backyard Tavern - 869-8695 Big Iron Saloon - 774-9020 Bhoomer’s Lounge - 364-3854 Borders - 737-6962 Cafe Du Teau - 733-3505 Capri Cinema - Eighth and Ellis Street Charlie O’s - 737-0905 Club Incognito - 836-2469 Coconuts - 738-8133 Coliseum - 733-2603 Continuum - 722-2582 Cot ton Patch - 724-4511 Country Ranch - (803) 867-2388 Coyote’s - 560-9245 Crossroads - 724-1177 Docker’s - (803) 302-1102 D. Timm’s - 774-9500 Eagle’s Nest - 722-5541 Elks Lodge - 855-7162 Euchee Creek Spor ts Bar - 556-9010 Finish Line Cafe - 855-5999 Fishbowl Lounge - 790-6810 Fraternal Order of Eagles - 790-8040 French Market Grille West - 855-5111 Gordon Club - 791-6780 Greene Street’s Lounge - 823-2002 Hangnail Gallery - 722-9899 Highlander - 278-2796 Honky Tonk - 560-0551 Hooters - 736-8454 The Infield - 652-1142 Jerri’s Place - 722-0088 Joe’s Underground - 724-9457 Kokopelli’s - 738-1881

The Lair - 828-5600 Last Call - 738-8730 Logan’s Roadhouse - 738-8088 Lucky Ladies Bar and Grill - 651-0110 Marlboro Station - (803) 644-6485 Metro Coffeehouse - 722-6468 Michael's- 733-2860 Modjeska - 303-9700 Mulligan’s Nitelife - 738-1079 Par tridge Inn - 737-8888 Pat ti’s - 793-9303 Pizza Joint - 774-0037 The Playground - 724-5399 Private I - 793-9944 Rae’s Coastal Cafe - 738-1313 Red Lion Pub - 736-7707 Rhythm and Blues Exchange - 774-9292 Richard’s Place - 793-6330 Robbie’s Spor ts Bar - 738-0866 Safari Lounge Aiken - (803) 641-1100 Salsa’s Bar & Grill - 855-6868 Shannon's - 860-0698 Silver Bullet Lounge - 737-6134 Snook’s - (803) 278-2936 Somewhere In Augusta - 739-0002 The Soul Bar - 724-8880 The Spot - (803) 819-0095 Spor ts Pub and Grill - 432-0448 Squeaky’s Tip-Top - 738-8886 Surrey Tavern - 736-1221 TGI Friday’s - 736-8888 Time Piecez - 828-5888 Treybon - 724-0632 Veracruz - 736-4200 VFW Post No. 3200 - 736-9046 Wheeler Tavern - 868-5220 Whiskey Junction - (803) 649-0794

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News of the

Weird D

espite a warning label reading “Do not use indoors because of flammability” on its carpet adhesive, the Para-Chem company was ordered by a jury in Akron, Ohio, in July to pay $8 million to two professional installers who were severely burned in an explosion when they tried to use the product indoors. One juror told the Akron Beacon Journal that he and his colleagues felt the warning did not go far enough in convincing the installers not to use the product indoors. • A whole class of New Bedford, Mass., middle-school students was recommended for blood tests in July after officials learned that, in May 2001, a now-retired seventhgrade science teacher had pricked the fingers of about two dozen of the students to make sample blood slides, using the same needle (though he wiped it with alcohol between uses). Officials thought the risk of infection was low but had no explanation how a veteran science teacher could stray so far from contemporary blood-safety procedures. Latest Astonishing Research • A paper by psychologist Michel Lariviere for Correctional Services of Canada concluded that most guards don’t respect inmates, which inhibits rehabilitation efforts (May). A $4 million study by University of Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions revealed that employees are much more likely to call in sick if they have drunk alcohol the night before (May). A Harvard School of Public Health survey found that people report more noise and other disruptions in binge-drinking college neighborhoods than in other neighborhoods (July). An Iowa State University study found that TV viewers had a harder time noticing the commercials on shows containing explicit sex than on other types of shows (June). Trouble Up Ahead • The owners of Los Angeles’ Westwood Village Memorial Park (resting place of Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Frank Zappa) have asked the county to allow them to build a 463-casket mausoleum on formerly open space in the park that is very close to residential property, thus potentially disturbing both neighbors worried about spirits in their back yards and solemn park visitors, who may be exposed to screaming children and barbecue smoke. (And in June, bowing to strong opposition, the operators of Dublin, Ireland’s most famous cemetery (Glasnevin) withdrew a proposal to add income by building 11 luxury townhouses on its grounds.) • Former Broward County (Fla.) librarian William Coday’s online personal ad touts his multilingualism, world travels, compassion, and love of Keats and baroque music. The ad does not mention that he was convicted of murdering his 1978 and 1997 girlfriends, both with hammers, and that he is in jail awaiting a jury’s decision whether he gets death for the latter crime.

Family Values • Leslie Collard, 42, arrested in May in Providence, R.I., for offering an undercover officer a tandem prostitution deal that included her 19-year-old daughter, was asked before the arrest if that meant the mother and daughter would serve him at the same time. “No,” she said (according to the officer), “I have morals, because she is my daughter. My daughter will do you first.” • Pull their parenting licenses: David and Guadalupe Mata were arrested for allegedly chaining their 21-year-old daughter face up on her bed, to keep her away from the married man she had been seeing (Fullerton, Calif., July). A mother and stepfather were charged with duct-taping her 12-year-old son to a lawn chair so he would get sunburned as punishment for sassing her (Hamilton, Ohio, May). Gary and Kathleen Rabatin and their teen-age kids were charged with possession of marijuana, with the parents admitting pride that the kids smoke at home rather than on the street (and dope was found in every room in their house) (Levittown, Pa., June). Sedrick Lamont Curtis, 28, and Shakima Lewis, 25, were charged with forcing their adolescent kids into sex shows in their home, at which they charged clients $10 to watch (Gary, Ind., May). Clichés Come to Life • According to an Agence France-Presse report of a United Nations officials’ meeting with Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe in April (concerning how undemocratic the country’s last election was), Mugabe allegedly exploded when scolded by a U.S. representative: “Well,” said Mugabe, “I don’t think George Bush won the U.S. election, but I accept (it).” And in Lumberton, N.J., in July, Michael J. Devine, 36, captured in a stolen truck after a police chase, denied he was trying to escape; he said that he couldn’t stop because the truck contained a bomb that would explode if his speed dropped below 55 mph. People Different From Us • Shemuel Nahum Ben Yisrael (formerly James Christopher) filed a $10 million lawsuit in June against the city of Beaufort, S.C., and its mayor, police and sheriff’s department, for an unlawful arrest in 2000 and for generally harassing him. According to the police chief in Yisrael’s hometown of nearby Yemassee, Yisrael keeps buckets of paint and urine handy at his home so that, when law enforcement officers come for one of their frequent arrests of him (mostly for trespassing), he can douse himself so as to make the officers’ jobs harder. Least Competent Criminals • Latest bright ideas: According to an indictment obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice in May, Christopher Lee Jones of Pembroke, N.C., recently publicly attempted to sell 100 stolen Social Security numbers by eBay online auction and tried to enhance their value by specifically suggesting that bidders use them to obtain credit cards. And Tony Alston, 26, and April Lynett Smith, 20, were arrested after a brief police chase following their alleged robbery of a Compass Bank in San Antonio, Texas; police caught them easily because their getaway vehicle was a rental U-Haul truck with a speed governor that the company routinely equips the truck with to slow it down. — Chuck Shepherd © United Press Syndicate

Brezsny's

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Free Will Astrology thoughts that I can’t get rid of unless I act them out.” So says my Cancerian friend Andrew, a conceptual artist. “Luckily for me,” he continues, “in recent years I’ve retrained myself to feed on creative obsessions that inspire my art rather than on worried, petty obsessions that disrupt my life. I’d be an obnoxious lunatic if I didn’t have my work to serve as an outlet for my relentless fantasy life.” This is an excellent approach for most Cancerians to emulate all the time, but it’s especially apropos these days. Your imagination is even more fertile and active than usual; it’ll drive you crazy unless you channel it towards a noble goal.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Studies show that if you’re normal, you’re in a weird mood 10 percent of the time, you have a bad hair day five times a month and you say something you shouldn’t at least once a week. But all this could change, Aries. If you align yourself with the exuberant cosmic mojo that’s currently accumulating in your vicinity, your bouts with off-kilter emotions may shrink dramatically. Your coiffure problems and your tendency to misspeak would also diminish. Ahhh, but could you bear that much happiness and well-being? Would you feel at a loss without the higher levels of discomfort that normally keep you motivated? Would you dare to explore the mysteries of cheery sweetness? The answers to these questions will soon be revealed. You are about to be tested.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

Is there a school where you can go to learn how to create fireworks displays? If so, the astrological omens suggest this is a good time to think about attending. How about a course that teaches the art of building fountains? Is there such a thing? If you’ve ever had an inkling of a desire to become a master in the field, now is a favorable moment to begin. Other pursuits likely to be blessed with divine favor: flower-arranging, spitting champagne off a bridge, throwing bread and fishes into a hungry crowd, leaping up into the air and clicking your heels together, and spouting mischievous prayers in the direction of heaven.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

I have several friends who are massage therapists, and they have each offered a similar testimony: They know their work is having the desired effect when drool spills from a client’s mouth and drips on the floor. That is the exact level of serenity you need in abundance this week, Taurus. You may well be able to pull off high-intensity, white-hot, life-changing feats, but only if you also carve out luxurious dips into rhapsodic peace.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

If I ever get around to gathering the birth dates of history’s greatest jugglers, I’m sure I’ll find that a disproportionately high percentage of them have been Geminis. Members of your tribe are famously adept at keeping things up in the air. Down through the centuries, your sign has probably also dominated the professions of tightrope walking, sleight of hand, and ventriloquism. Let’s hope you have your fair share of all four of these talents (or their metaphorical equivalents), because they’ll come in especially handy in the coming weeks.

I was simmering in a heated mud bath at an outdoor spa in Southern California. The gooey blend of clay, peat moss, and water from a local hot spring surrounded me up to my neck. A tangy, earthy fragrance provided the perfect aromatherapy, while warm winds swooned rhythmically through the pine trees above me. “This is exactly what every Virgo needs right now,” I thought to myself, “to be held in the erotic, comforting embrace of the Mother Earth; gently cooked in an alchemical stew of earth, fire, water, and air; suspended outside of time in a place that’s a cross between being in the grave and being in the womb.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

“I have always been possessed by obsessive

The ancestors of my niece Gabrielle lived in Slovakia, Poland, the Cherokee nation, and the American South. Her new husband, Arturo, is of Filipino and Mayan descent. Their recent wedding was a feast of multi-cultural influences. Toasts were delivered in three languages, their vows drew from several religious traditions, and the music ranged from a mariachi band’s folk tunes to a DJ spinning old disco songs and sacred Hindu chants set to hip hop rhythms. I bring this up in hopes of inspiring you to seek similar rituals of cross-fertilization and rich integration, Libra. It’s a favorable time, astrologically speaking, to weave together the diverse threads of your life — including some whose greatest contributions to your life’s beauty still lie in the future.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Here’s Stephen Berg’s translation of a verse by Japanese poet Ikkyu Sojun (1394-1481): “nobody knows I’m a storm/ I’m dawn on the mountain/ twilight on the town.” Those words would fit well in your mouth in the coming weeks, Scorpio. According to my interpretation of the astrological omens, you will be quietly casting a profound influence over everything you touch. Now here’s a more direct, less subtle way to describe your mandate, courtesy of exPresident of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt: “Speak softly but carry a big stick.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

It’s the flying and soaring season for you Sagittarians. There are many ways to celebrate. If you’ve ever fantasized about becoming a pilot, this is prime time to launch the process. Hang gliding, parasailing, and skydiving are also appropriate. Less literal approaches are just as good, too. Close your eyes and visualize yourself hovering and swooping above the treetops. Learn how to induce flying dreams with the help of Stephen Laberge’s book “Lucid Dreams.” Or picture what the story of your life looks like when seen from on high. To get in the properly playful mood for this transcendent time, figure out your wingspan. Lie on your back with your arms outstretched and have a friend measure the distance from the tip of one middle finger to the other. Do you have the same wingspan as a hawk? Eagle? Osprey?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

It’s the perfect astrological moment to upgrade your approach to kissing. Cosmic forces will benevolent-

ly conspire on your behalf if you experiment profusely. Want some suggestions to get you started? Butterfly your lips over every square inch of your lover’s body with the same attention and tenderness that you usually apply to the primary erogenous zones. Make out with each other while eating ice cream and cake. Blow collaborative kisses to the sky and rivers and fields of corn. Meditate on how opening your heart wider and deeper might inspire you to develop an instinctive flair for expressing innovative soul kisses.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Whether you’re male or female or transgendered, straight or gay or both, the next seven days will be “Learn To Be Your Own Wife Week.” And what’s the best way to celebrate this turning point in your relationship with yourself? Renounce all your yearnings to be waited on and cleaned up after. Divest yourself of every last deluded wish that one day some special person will come along to magically understand and attend to your every need. Pledge that from now on you will be a connoisseur of taking care of yourself. (P.S. If you earnestly undertake this heroic transformation, you just may stir up a fresh delivery of love from a non-wifely type of person.)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

“Nothing’s going right in my life. I feel anxious and paranoid all the time. My relationships are a mess.” In my line of work, people make confessions like that to me frequently. My first response to them is usually something like this: “Do you habitually gobble junk food near bedtime, steal a paltry five hours of sleep per night, gulp two cups of coffee and no breakfast in the morning, then bolt to a workplace where you get no sunlight or exercise and sit in an uncomfortable chair?” More than 80 percent of the time, they reply, “How did you know?!” My point is that many psychological troubles stem from our chronic failure to take good care of our physical needs. This is especially important for you to keep in mind during the coming weeks, dear Pisces. — © Rob Brezsny You Can Call Rob Brezsny, day or night, for your Expanded Weekly Horoscope

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New York Times Crossword Puzzle

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ACROSS Tempted a trooper Doff duds Harpoon, e.g. Baylor’s home Dawned Legal scholar Guinier Prefix with biology Book, to Nero Neural transmitter Incredulous response Boxer’s reach, e.g. Hula accompaniment Some queens One may be on the phone Down-and-out time? Shingle material Circular announcement

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“The King and I” co-star Incredulous response Smack target Zoo sights Goods Cockpit abbr. “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men” writer Some rifle stands Cone dropper Wings Incredulous response Struck out Capital of East Pakistan Acceptance on the street, slangily It’s good for the long haul Composition of outer space, in old belief

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Hume influenced him Secretary of state who initiated dollar diplomacy Farm cry Croat, e.g. DOWN Influence When doubled, a Pacific capital Like raw silk Times to be judged Dances vigorously Country singer Travis Son-in-law of Johnson Chin-stroking phrase Like some trial testimony Satisfy Member of a fleet, perhaps Soon enough Rudolf who once headed the Met In ___ (unborn) Gave the thumbs up Milan’s La ___ Danger Very good Queeg’s ship Ninety Eight maker The “N” of U.N.C.F.

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Puzzle by Steve Jones

31 32 34 35 37 38

Holding one’s piece Newspapers ___-Ball Campers’ burdens Newer software, perhaps Response to “Who can help?”

43 44 45 46 47 48 49

Sight-see? Dull, as vision Army post SE of Trenton Host Education station Farm team Captain of literature

SAMPLE MENU 10 fresh seafoods daily Fresh garden salad 22 fresh vegetables daily Smoked turkey & dressing BBQ chicken & ribs Meatloaf NY strip steaks Philly Beef & Chicken Breakfast served daily! Dine In • Take Out Catering • Delivery 8am-11pm Daily

45 48

Southern Cuisine At Its Best!

Hot Foods By Calvin 30

23 25

50 51 52

53 54

Sidekick of the Green Hornet Say again Range separating two continents ___ Lee Nolin of “Baywatch” Sharp image producer, briefly

Answers to clues in this puzzle are available by touch-tone phone: 1-900-285-5656. $1.20 per minute. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. Online subscriptions: Today's puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/diversions ($19.95 a year). Crosswords for young solvers: The Learning Network, nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

39 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

40 M E T R O S P I R I T A U G 1 2 0 0 2

y girlfriend and I have been together for two years, and we’re very much in love. I have to get dressed up for work, but she works in a more relaxed environment and prefers to dress casually. She dresses very casually at home, too. The problem is, I really like it when she dresses up — especially in high heels. I’ve bought her sexy shoes and lingerie, but in the entire time we’ve been together, she’s dressed up for me maybe eight times. I’ve told her repeatedly that all she has to do to put a smile on my face is strap on a pair of high heels and strut past me. She says she loves my reaction when she wears them, but she considers herself “sexy enough,”

and wonders whether maybe something is wrong with me. Well, if she wanted me to wear a leather loincloth or satin boxers, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Anything to make her happy. I’m starting to feel sexually frustrated and more than a little worried about our long-term potential. How can I help her see my side? —Over The Pump Women in manhunt mode generally favor itsybitsy dresses and stilet tos that should come with airsickness bags over ensembles that scream, “I could be called out to plow the fields at any moment.” It’s landing a man that causes all the trouble. Not for all women. The smar t ones stick relative-

ly close to their original, man-grabbing fashion statements. The not-so-smar t ones edit theirs from “sexpot” to “stock pot” the moment they catch a whif f of commitment in the air. They dive into farmer overalls and sweatsuits so baggy they make The Big Top seem like a tube top — anything they can do to help their man forget they ever had a waist. Naturally, such slinky at tire calls for equally alluring footgear, like Birkenstocks (which must be shor t for “Bir thcontrolstocks,” since they look like the shoe to wear when you’re lusting for a long night of really great ... posture). Your girlfriend, like too many women, seems to have a rather tenuous grasp on the dif ference between “comfor tably dressed” and “too comfor tably dressed.” Do point out that you’re not asking her to jog, garden, and scale sheer rock face in four-inch, jeweled, feathered Manolo’s. You’d be elated if she simply took occasional steps (strappy ones; preferably while wearing some lit tle lace nothing-or-other) to keep you hot for her; in turn, helping you keep your relationship from failing the test of time. (Perver ted freak that you are, you find sex with her more exciting when she looks more like a stripper than a Teamster. Shocking ... simply shocking.) Assuming that you aren’t breaking into shoe stores af ter hours to watch the high-heeled pumps gathering dust on the shelves, your girlfriend should shelve her notion that your lit tle shoe thing is an indication that you don’t find her “sexy enough.” Reassure her that the shoes aren’t the entrée; just a fashion condiment — one you’re campaigning to see on her, not on her best friend or the girl nex t door. If she continues to put her (sensibly shod) foot down, consider it your cue to point your feet toward the door ... leaving her free to find somebody she’s more sexually compatible with; say, a

guy whose secret fantasies involve women shuffling around his living room in shoes appropriate for picking let tuce.

A female coworker likes to push my buttons with her occasional flirtations. I know I’m not special, because I’ve seen her make the same moves on other men in the organization. She also has a boyfriend she indicates is an important part of her life. She seems to pay attention to me or back off depending on how well her relationship’s going. This is a woman I’m very attracted to, but I wonder whether making a play for her will put my job on the line. —Flirty-Something Don’t count on get ting your doctorate in nonverbal communication any time soon. If this woman ran you over in her car, you’d see it as a sign that she wants to take you home with her — that is, whatever lit tle bits of you stick between the treads af ter she makes it through the speed bumps. In flir ting, contex t is every thing. If a woman smiles in your direction, it could be a sign that she wants you. If the woman is 90, it’s probably a sign that she wants you to carry her groceries. (Then again, it could be a sign that her suppor t hose are riding up something fierce.) The contex t, in your but ton-pusher’s case, points to her rabid disinterest in any thing beyond toying with you and the rest of the corporate herd. Will making a play for her put your job on the line? I have no idea. It sure won’t do your ego any favors. — © 2002, Amy Alkon

Got A Problem? Write Amy Alkon 171 Pier Ave., Box 280 • Santa Monica, CA 90405 or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com

FREE AUTO CLASSIFIEDS

* Automobiles for sale by an individual may be placed in our FREE Auto Classifieds. The same ad will run continuously for six weeks or until the vehicle sells, whichever comes first. After two weeks, if you want to keep running the same ad, you must call The Metropolitan Spirit by 5 p.m. on Friday or we will assume you sold the vehicle and will delete the ad. All vehicles must indicate price. FREE Auto Classified ads are offered to individuals only and are not offered to commercial companies or dealers. TO PLACE YOUR AD: Mail: P.O. Box 3809, Augusta, GA 30914-3809 Email: classified@metspirit.com Fax: 706-733-6663 Website: www.metspirit.com Visit Us At: 825 Russell Street, Augusta, GA MUST BE MAILED, FAXED OR EMAILED ON SPECIFIED FORM. ADS ARE NOT TAKEN BY PHONE.

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* Items for sale by an individual may be placed in our Guaranteed Classifieds. The same ad will run continuously for ten weeks or until the item sells, whichever comes first. You must call by 5PM on Friday every two weeks to renew the ad or The Metropolitan Spirit will assume the item has been sold and will delete the ad. There is a $5 reinstatement fee if you forget to renew your ad. All items must indicate price. Guaranteed classified ads are offered to individuals only and are not offered to commercial companies. Guaranteed Classified ads do not include any automotive vehicles, real estate or pets. RATES: FREE ADS Merchandise Under $250 $8 ADS Merchandise $251 to $500 $15 ADS Merchandise $501 to $1000 $20 ADS Merchandise over $1000 20 Words or Less - No Exceptions. ADS MUST BE PREPAID DEADLINES: In person - Monday at 3PM By mail, fax or email - Friday at 4PM

TO PLACE YOUR AD: Mail: P.O. Box 3809, Augusta, GA 30914-3809 Email: classified@metspirit.com Fax: 706-733-6663 ADS ARE NOT TAKEN BY PHONE Website: www.metspirit.com Visit Us At: 825 Russell Street, Augusta, GA MUST BE MAILED, FAXED OR EMAILED ON SPECIFIED FORM. PAYMENT OPTIONS: (ADS MUST BE PREPAID) Cash-Money Order-Check

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Classifieds

41 M E T R O

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S P I R I T A U G 1

Mind, Body & Spirit

Art Instruction MOSAIC CLASSES Join the fun, learn the ar t of mosaic! Two-day Workshops. $125.00 Schedule: 8/17 & 8/18; 9/14 & 9/15. Call Heather 481-0789. Sign up early, small classes. (08/01#7744)

Employment Ingram Barge Company will be accepting applications for Deckhands at the Augusta Dept. for Employment Security, 601 Greene Street 30901, Augusta, Georgia, 30903-0000 on 8/5/2002 through 8/7/2002 from 8:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. Heavy labor background is preferred (i.e. farming, logging, construction, etc.) You must have a Social Security card to apply. EOE, M/F/V. (08/01#7761) Experienced climbers needed We are a fast growing full service tree company that needs climbers experienced in cabling, pruning, take downs, and lightning protection installation. Good salary plus benefits package that include sick days, vacation, paid holidays, Christmas bonus, etc. Call for an interview (706) 854-0926 or email resume to empiretree@hotmail.com (07/25#7759)

Business Opportunities SILVER@HOME Sterling silver jewelry company needs reps. for catalog sales Work from home!! 25% Commissions!! 706.738.7387 (7/25#7727)

Become A Massage Therapist “Augusta School Of Massage Inc. is now accepting applications for day & evening classes. Ask how to receive a free massage table!”

Augusta S c h o o l of

MASSAGE, I . NC

3512 1/2 Wheeler Road, Augusta • Near the Family Y

733-2040

Advertise your Yard Sale in The Metro Spirit Classifieds!

Mrs. Graham Psychic TELLS ALL Advises on Past, Present & Future

www.metspirit.com Equipment High Quality • Low Prices WOLFF TANNING BEDS Payments From $25/month Home Delivery FREE Color Catalog Call Today 1-888-839-5160 www.np.etstan.com (06/20#7606)

Call today for details!

Professional Massage Friendly experienced male. Stress relief for healthy men 18 - 45. All hotel clients $40/hr. Out or hotel calls only. 706-739-9139 (08/01#7763) Full Body Massage! Therapeutic tension relief, intense or tender touch, rela xing music, aromatherapy, by appointment only - $49.00/hr. Call Joy - 771-9470 or John - 474-1314 (10/10#7750)

Metropolitan Community Church of Our Redeemer A Christian Church reaching to all: including Gay, Lesbian, and Transgendered Christians. Meeting at 311 Seventh Street, 11 am and 7 pm each Sunday. 722-6454 MCCAugusta@aol.com

Marlboro Station Where the Party Never Stops!

Stop

EVERY THURSDAY Talent Night $1.00 Beer

www.mccaugustaga.homestead.com/home.html

FRIDAY & SATURDAY Show Night w/ Special Guests

Sports

SUNDAY NIGHT Starlight Cabaret w/ Claire Storm & Lauren Alexander

MASTERS Cash Paid for Old Masters Badges & Masters Memoriabilia Paying Top Dollar 706-724-5648 or 706-399-5208 or 399-1208 (08/01#7736)

Talk Line VEGAS XXX TALK! Luscious Sin City Girls! ** Live One on One ** CHEAP 66¢ to $1 per minute Choose the Model you want Unrestricted 24 hrs. 18+ 1-702-216-3500 CC/Checks accepted A-10 (11/14#7721)

Travel

Wed-Fri 8pm-5am Sat 8pm-3am; Sun 8pm-5am 141 Marlboro Street, Aiken • 803-644-6485 w w w.marlboro.4mg.net 18 to Party • 21 to Drink

THE COLISEUM Hot High Energy Dance Music And Laser Light Show

Fri. 8/2 Sasha Sat. 8/3 Mallory

Drink Specials: Wed - $6 Wet N' Wild Fri & Sat - $9 All You Can Drink Draft Sat - $2 Bud/Bud Light Hot Dog Buffet $2.99

Fri & Sat. No Cover Before 10 p.m.

Open Mon-Fri 7pm-3am Sat 7pm-2:30am

1632 Walton Way • Augusta, GA

706-733-2603

www.ColiseumAugusta.com

CSRA Swingers Saturday August 10th Couples - $65.00 Single Ladies - $25.00 Single Men - $75.00 Call, e-mail or write P.O. Box 540, Augusta, GA 30903 for event details 706-394-7256 or CSRAswingers@aol.com (08/01#7760)

HYPNOSIS WORKS! Smoking Lose Weight

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Betty L❤ ve, CHT Initiative Counselor

341 South Belair Rd Off I-20 Next to the New Food Lion

Alt. Lifestyles

L❤ve & Light HEALING CENTER

Specializing in Love Affairs

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2 0 0 2

42 M E T R O S P I R I T

To become a member, call 1-888-223-7044 To listen and respond to ads, call 1-900-226-8908

A U G

Calls cost $1.99 per min., Must be 18+.

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2 0 0 2

OPEN-MINDED Fun-loving, humorous SF, 18, 5’4”, blond/blue, likes shopping, clubbing, sports. Seeking SM for friendship and casual dating. ☎589903 PECAN TAN SF, 34, 5’3’’, 145lbs, looking for a kind, caring, and sweet man, 25-45, who can be my friend first. ☎581256 GOOD GIRL HUNTING SWF, looks 35, 5’4”, 145lbs, blonde/hazel, seeks tall WM, 32-45, with good morals, that likes to have fun. ☎527072 START AS FRIENDS SF, 33, likes reading, writing poetry, fishing, travel. Looking for a man who needs a nice woman in his life. ☎579852 SENSE OF HUMOR REQUIRED SF, 33, 5’, full-figured, cocoa complexion, looking for friendship leading to relationship with SM, 25-40, who doesn’t play games. ☎579505 CHRISTIAN MAN WANTED SBF, 39, great sense of humor, great listener, desires a mate who possesses similar skills to enjoy various interests such as conversation, walks and Christian activities. Friendship first. ☎564814 INTERRACIAL SBF, 23, 5’8”, 140lbs, one daughter. Seeking honest and trustworthy SWM, 23-37, great body, great eyes, good personality. ☎566526 LOVE AND SHARE SWF, 45, N/S, mother of two, dog lover, seeks monogamous WM, 35-60, N/S, for friendship first, possible LTR. ☎566590 SEEKING FRIENDSHIP SBM, mother of two, self-sufficient, 5’1”, 128lbs, seeks trustworthy, romantic SM for casual friendship, dating, possibly more. ☎574955 CHRISTIAN WOMAN Intelligent, sexy SBF, 28, 5’6”, 135lbs, entrepreneur, educated, enjoys fishing, Jesus, dancing, working out, poetry, theater. Seeking SW/BCM, 26-38, for possible LTR. ☎570636 SWEET STRAWBERRY-BLONDE Kind, loving SWF, 28, strawberry-blonde, 5’7”, 196lbs, enjoys dining, movies, traveling, music. Seeking honest, responsible, kind, loving SWM, 28-35. Must like kids. ☎564951 SIMILAR INTERESTS? SWF, 50, enjoys the outdoors. Seeking WM, 51-61, 5’8”+, friendship first, possible LTR. ☎567446 LETS TALK SWF, 58, dark/blue, 135, seeks WM, 55-62, for LTR. ☎552267 MAKE MY HEART LAUGH SBF, 22, 5’8”, 155lbs, part-time student, seeks sensual, kind man with a great heart, for movies, dining out, and open-minded conversation. ☎565120 TIME TO HAVE A BLAST Honest SWF, 43, enjoys spending time with my daughter, bowling, dining out, Nascar, movies, baseball games, camping. Seeking honest, genuine SWM, 43-50, for fun and friendship. ☎554752 SEEKS GENTLEMAN SWF, 29, 5’11”, 145lbs, enjoys outdoors, dining, movies, bowling and quiet evenings at home. Seeking honest SM, 29-39, for LTR. ☎550425 FULL FIGURED SWF, 25, enjoys animals, bowling, dining-out, movies. Seeking WM, 20-39, for LTR. No games. ☎559564 MATURE MAN DBF, very spiritual, caring, honest, friendly, intelligent, romantic, physically fit, stable. Seeking BM, 37-45, spiritual, stable, and honest, for LTR. ☎965912 ARE YOU THE ONE? College educated SWF, early 40s, 5’6”, 136lbs, extroverted, enjoys camping, country living, animals, movies, traveling. Seeking same in SWM, 40-50, similar interests. ☎965910

WAITING TO HAPPEN DWF, 45, 5’4”, brown/green, likes sports, music, dining out. Seeking serious, honest, hardworking SWM, 40-55. ☎965902 BE HONEST SF, 60, enjoys good conversations, going to Church, yard sales, music. Seeking SM, 50-70, N/S, likes to go to Church. ☎965856 READY FOR LOVE AGAIN Widowed WF, 45, 5’5”, blonde, 130, marriage minded, no rocking chair for me, let’s go! Seeking SWM, 45-65, that is ready for LTR. ☎569448 THAT GIRL DWF, 39, brown/brown, attractive, financially secure, enjoys travel, loves to be spoiled. Seeking WM, 36-50. ☎965911 WE SHOULD MEET SWF, 30, 5’5”, full-figured, shy, into movies, reading, intelligent conversation, basketball. Seeking SM, 28-39, confident, for friendship. ☎965909 LET’S GET TOGETHER SWF, 45, 5’5”, blonde/green, smoker, enjoys dancing, movies, dining out, reading, beach, mountains, up for anything. Seeking SWM, 4049, similar interests. ☎965901 NO GAMES!! SBF, 33, N/S, full-figured, enjoys reading, long drives, the outdoors. Seeking caring, understanding SBM, 25-38. ☎965855 GIVE ME A CALL SWF, 50, looking for friendship, possible LTR with SWM, 48-53. ☎965917 BEING YOURSELF SBF, 27, N/S, 5’6”, 180lbs, brown/brown, openminded, fun-loving, enjoys bowling, poetry, movies, quiet evenings. Seeking strong-minded SBM, 26-39. ☎965916 MUCH MORE!! SWF, 32, 5’3”, full-figured, reddish/brown hair, brown eyes, enjoys swimming, poetry, horseback riding, shooting pool. Seeking secure, respectful SWM, 29-49. ☎965914 SOMEONE JUST FOR ME DWPF, 44, 5’5”, 135lbs, very pretty, ethereal, enjoys gardening, reading, working, animals. Seeking SCM, 40-50, with similar interests. ☎965913 THE TWO OF US Beautiful, romantic SBF, 39, 5’6”, long black hair, enjoys swimming, ballgames, dancing, singing, movies. Seeking outgoing, clever SBM, 40-60. ☎965908 UNDER THE STARS SWF, 52, enjoys fishing, dancing, spending time with grand children. Seeking SWM, 50-58, to spend quality time with. ☎965906 SLIM GUYS ONLY Reserved, shy DWF, 54, 5’, 154lbs, enjoys travel, Murphy, NC area, country music. Seeking tall, slim white country boy, 50+. Call! ☎965905 TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Hard-working WF, 38, 5’4”, 100lbs, brown/brown, enjoys biking, watersports, cooking, and travel. Seeking WM, 35-50, for possible LTR. ☎965904 WORTH YOUR WHILE Friendly, easygoing, laid-back SWF, 20, 5’5”, 150lbs, brown/blue, loves music, dancing, horseback riding. Seeking SWM, 22-26. ☎965903 @I’M IN CALIFORNIA Caribbean beauty, black, 40, college educated, designer, enjoys fine dining, theatre, classical music. Seeking up-scale WM, 45+, long-distance relationship/maybe more. ☎965900 SEEKING MILITARY MAN Down-to-earth SF, 39, drug-free, seeks military SM, 28-42, in good shape, knows what he wants in life, for fun and LTR. ☎965899 ALL THIS AND MORE SWF, 33, 5’3”, 125lbs, green-eyed redhead, affectionate, ambitious, student, enjoys travel, sporting events. Seeking SM, 30-43, honest, friendly, intelligent, family-oriented. ☎965897 BE REAL Friendly SHF, 43, N/S, 5’6”, 160lbs, enjoys walks, gardening and more. Seeking sincere SWM, 40-51. No games please. ☎965896 LET’S BE FRIENDS SBF, 21, new in town, 5’8”, 195lbs, enjoys movies, music, long walks and more. Seeking SBM, 20-30, for friendship first. ☎965895

ARE YOU THE ONE? SWF, early 40s, college-educated, 5’6”, 136lbs, extrovert, enjoys camping, country living, animals, movies, traveling. Seeking same in SWM, 40-50, similar interests. ☎965894 STRONG WILL SBF, 45, outgoing, attractive, youthful, enjoys writing, music, traveling. Seeking mature, strongwilled SBM, 35-48, for friendship. ☎965893 CAREER-MINDED SWF, 30, 5’6”, blonde/blue, 135lbs, enjoys golf, tennis, music, outdoors, traveling, dining. Seeking SWPM, 27-36, for friendship. ☎965892 NO GAMES PLEASE Hazel-eyed brunette DWCF, 47, 5’7”, enjoys nature, cooking, movies, reading. Seeking SCM, 47-55, honest, financially secure, friends first, possible LTR. ☎965891 LOVING YOU BF, 25, 5’10”, 170lbs, seeks BM, 25-35, who is honest and trustworthy, for quality time and romance. ☎965890 NEEDING YOU Outgoing, friendly BF, 5’8”, likes dining out, movies, basketball and long walks. Looking for male, 21-31, with similar interests. ☎965889 SHARE WITH ME Brown-eyed SBF, 26, 5’, 100lbs, humorous, likes good conversations, 3-D puzzles, movies, reading. Seeking SWM, 21-28, for quality time. ☎965888 GOOD-HEARTED SWF, 44, 5’2”, 145lbs, redhead, green-eyed, humorous, enjoys reading, the outdoors. Seeking SM, 35-52, with similar interests. ☎965887 LET’S CUDDLE WF, 41, 5’6”, 138lbs, brown/hazel, outgoing, likes cooking, fishing, hunting, NASCAR. Seeking SWM, 37-48, for friendship. ☎965886 GIVE ME A CHANCE BF, 55, 5’1”, 145lbs, brown-eyed, friendly, outgoing, enjoys dancing, movies, walks. Seeking SBM, 55-60, who’s easygoing, understanding, friendship first. ☎965885

THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER SM, 46, 5’10”, 200lbs, likes sports, chess, movies, quiet walks and evenings, socializing. Seeking mature, full-figured SWF with inner and outer beauty. ☎590295 IN SEARCH OF TRUE LOVE WM, 40, 5’7’’, 140lbs, very loving, affectionate, passionate, caring, honest, sincere, with great personality, seeks open-minded female, 20-40, who knows the meaning of true love and commitment. ☎579693

We Purchase Fine Swiss Watches, Estate Jewelry and Diamonds.

Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm 2635 Washington Road | Augusta, Georgia 30904 | 706.738.7777 www.windsorjewelers.net SEEKING SF, 21-46 SBM, 35, looking for casual relationship first, possible LTR. I enjoy malls, movies, rivers, quiet times at home. ☎579190 THE FUTURE IS WIDE OPEN SWM, 38, works in construction, enjoys movies, sports, hiking, mountains, camping. Looking for serious relationship with SF, 30-60. ☎578727 VERY ROMANTIC SWM, 53, loves beaches, outdoors, sports, flea markets. Seeking a woman who can be honest and would appreciate a one-woman man. ☎576845 NOT A JOCK 5’11”, 40, brown/blue, 200lbs, handsome, intelligent, business owner, part-time chef, some real estate, enjoys making money, traveling, jazz, rock. Seeking beautiful, broad minded, peace-loving woman, 25-35, no Nascar please. ☎570889 REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA Brown/green, 6’2”, 160lbs, former police officer. I like everybody. Hard-working, nice guy, lots of time off and money to spend. Seeking compatible female, please call me! ☎574304 AUTHOR SWM, 29, 5’11”, 198lbs, published writer, cook, enjoys reading, writing, movies, intelligent conversation. Seeking slender, intelligent, loving WF, 25-33, who likes kids. ☎565627 LAID-BACK SBM, 22, seeks cool, laid-back, open-minded SBF, 20-25, N/S, for friendship and possibly more. ☎571587 A GOOD MAN. SWM, 31, 5’10”, 165lbs, brown/brown, good shape, good job, variety of interests. Seeking down-to-earth SWF, 20-35, friendship first, possible LTR. ☎567940 LIFE IS FUN Sensitive SBM, 44, enjoys bowling and sports. Seeking woman, 25-50, for LTR. ☎553053

HARD WORKING SWM, 51, 5’10”, 198lbs, retired from the military, enjoys travel, tv, movies. Seeking woman, 35-56, for LTR. ☎552587 LET’S MEET Shy SWM, 32, 5’9”, 221lbs, brown hair, enjoys bowling, ballgames. Seeking honest, friendly, caring SWF, 22-40. ☎966028 SWEET REWARDS Nubian King, 5’9”, 39, muscular build, loves home, rollercoasters, laughter, fun-loving activities shared with SF, 27-48, substance free, open relationship. ☎965949 FIRST TIME AD Attractive, DWM, 6’, 200lbs, 50’s, kind, affectionate, passionate, giver, educated, financially secure. Seeking slim, attractive S/DWF, 35-50, with same qualities. ☎965947 R WE A MATCH? SWM, 40, 6’1”, 160lbs, brown/blue, enjoys classic rock, movies, dining, more. Seeking nice, friendly SF, 25-45. ☎965931 LISTEN UP! WM, 45, 6’, 220lbs, dark blonde hair, outgoing, loves music, animals, outdoors, pleasing person. ☎966005 INTERRACIAL SBM, employed, enjoys chess, basketball, auto mechanics. Seeking WF, 33-55 for possible LTR. ☎965999 GIVE ME A CALL! SBM, 6’1”, 270lbs, seeking SBPF, 35-50, for friendship, movies, walks in the park, and dining out. ☎965993 GREAT SCOTT Retired DWM, 52, 6’4”, 155lbs, reddish/blonde hair, enjoys dancing, seeks similar female. ☎965991 COMPASSION SM, 53, 6’, 180lbs, musician, loving, communicative, loves bowling, dancing, walks, car racing. Seeking attractive, compassionate SWF, 21-60, for a LTR. ☎965990

Babe Magnet YOU HAVE 6 NEW MATCHES

Mobile Dating. The easiest way to meet great people.

GUIDELINES: DATE MAKER ads are for adults 18 or over seeking monogamous relationships. To ensure your safety, carefully screen all responses. First meetings should occur in a public place. Abbreviations are permitted only to indicate gender preference, race, and religion. We suggest your ad contain a self-description, age range, lifestyle and avocations. Ads and voice messages containing explicit sexual language will not be accepted. This publication reserves the right to revise copy containing objectionable phrases; to reject in its sole discretion, any advertisement on account of its text. This publication assumes no responsibility for the content or reply to any DATE MAKER ad. The advertiser assumes complete liability for the content and all replies to any advertisement or recorded message and for any claims made against this publication and its agents as a result thereof. The advertiser agrees to indemnify and hold this publication, its employees and its agents harmless from all costs, expenses (including reasonable attorney fees), liabilities and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement. By using DATE MAKER, the advertiser agrees not to leave his/her phone number, last name or address in his/her voice greeting. Not all boxes contain a voice greeting.

ABBREVIATIONS

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M B D F H C LTR

Male Black Divorced Female Hispanic Christian Long-term Relationship

G W A S J P N/D N/S

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

Become a member of Augusta’s hottest new way to meet singles! Call today!

To become a member, call 1-888-223-7044 To listen and respond to ads, call 1-900-226-8908 Calls cost $1.99 per min., Must be 18+.

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YOUNG MAN WANTED GWM, 22, brown/brown, pretty good-looking, in search of cute, down-to-earth GWM for movies, dinners, shopping, roller blading. ☎576230 BEYOND SWM, 32, 5’11”, 155lbs, light hair, looking for good time with GM, 18-45, ☎966003

GIVE LOVE; GET LOVE BACK SM, 35, 6’2’’, 190lbs, black hair, medium build, seeks understanding, achieved man who is escalating himself in life. ☎576303 ARE YOU MR. RIGHT? SWM, 51, 5’8’’, 150lbs, likes dining out, quiet evenings, walks and hugs. Seeking SWM, 2035, slim build, with similar interests. ☎584644 DOCTOR FIX IT GBM, enjoys chess, racquetball, auto mechanic. Seeking WM with similar interests. ☎566315 LONELY HEART Hard-working, DWF, 41, 5’5”, 234lbs, brown/blue, enjoys conversation, music, poetry, cuddling. Seeking DWM 38-42, who still dreams of that one true love. ☎563879 OUT SPOKEN SWM, 32, 5’11”, 145lbs, enjoys camping, fishing, Nascar. Seeking laid-back WM, 23-35, for LTR. ☎560095 SEEKING MAN OF COLOR GWM, 31, 5’8”, 164lbs, brown/gray, moustache, goatee, down-to-earth, very open-minded, seeks SB/HM, 23+, for friendship, maybe more. ☎575272 GUY SWEET TALK SWM, 6’2”, 240lbs, brown/blue, 52, dating first, possible relationship, enjoys walking, hand holding and talks. Seeking SWM, 30-40, with feelings. ☎966007 YOU NEVER KNOW Fun-loving, easygoing GWM, 51, 5’11”, 200lbs, enjoys cooking, movies, fishing, walking. Seeking interesting GWM, 18-33, who’s full of life. ☎966036 NICE Outgoing, nice SBM, 31, 5’8”, 153lbs, seeks sexy SBM, 25-39, ☎966022 NEED SOMEONE SPECIAL In your life? SBM, 46 young, 5’5”, 125lbs, oldfashioned, seeks sincere SM, 23-35, special friend and conversation. Let’s talk. ☎965995 SOULMATE SEARCHING In shape, physically fit, into fitness; running, SBM, 31, open-minded, attractive, smoker, outgoing. Seeking SM, 21-40, attractive in mind, body and soul. ☎966006 WAITING FOR THE ONE GWM, 18, 6’, 130lbs, blond hair, likes long walks, horseback riding. Seeking GWM, 18-20, with similar interest. ☎966002 BE MY TEDDYBEAR Athletic SBM, 23, college student, enjoys basketball. Seeking heavyset SWM, 35-48. ☎966035 WARM AND LOVING GWM, 18, 5’8”, 145lbs, blue eyes, outgoing, friendly, loves shopping, arts & crafts, photography. Seeking GM, 18-45, for a committed relationship. ☎966034 AWAITING YOUR CALL Outgoing SWM, 38, likes drinking, playing pool. Seeking fun-loving SWM, 25-45, for good times, future commitment. ☎966032 MAKE IT HAPPEN SBM, 32, 5’11”, adventurous, likable, likes drawing, more. Seeking SAM, 18-35, respectful, fun-loving, for LTR. ☎966031 QUIET TIMES Well-built SWM, 48, enjoys hiking, movies, dining out, beach walks. Seeking SWM, 35-40, for intimate relationship. ☎966030 SPECIAL SOMEONE Open-minded GWM, 38, seeks GWM, 30-50, for LTR. ☎966021 WHAT DO YOU WANT? SWM, 31, 5’8”, 175lbs, masculine, muscular, passionate, dedicated, open, enjoys simple things, time with friends. Seeking SWM, 30-45, for LTR. ☎966019 GET TO KNOW ME SBM, 30, N/S, enjoys having a good time. Seeking SBM, 20-40. ☎966018 TRY NEW THINGS SWM, 45, outgoing, sociable, open-minded, enjoys fishing, golfing, reading, quiet times. Seeking SM, 25-45, for friendship, possibly more. ☎966017 GET TOGETHER GHM, 30, 5’6”, 165lbs, extroverted, enjoys sports, movies, walks, cuddling. Seeking outgoing GWM, 25-35, for friendship. ☎966016 MELODY OF LOVE WM, 40, 6’, 185lbs, enjoys sports, swimming, cycling and movies. Seeking WM, 25-50, to spend time with. ☎966015 FRIENDSHIP Or companionship. BM, 26, 5’8”, father, not into playing games, enjoys quiet walks. Seeking male, 21-35. ☎966014

How do you

NEW TO TOWN GWM, 31, 5’8”, 175lbs, brown/brown, masculine, country boy, passionate, dedicated, HIV positive. Seeking GWM, 30-45, for LTR. ☎966013 ARE YOU READY? SWM, 42, 5’7”, 160lbs, blue-eyed, athletic, outgoing, enjoys quiet evenings. Seeking SWM, 2155, adventurous, for casual times. ☎966012 LIVES THE MOMENT GWM, 51, romantic, adventurous, young-looking, 5’10”, 165lbs, likes quiet evenings, movies. Seeking SWM, 35-50, sincere, blond preferably, fit. ☎966011 SIMILAR COMPLEX BPM, 37, enjoys going out, movies, shopping, quiet evenings. Seeking GBM, 35-40, who’s real, down-to-earth, knows what they want. ☎966010

IT COULD BE SWEET Laid-back SBF, 25, 5’4”, medium-built, into chats, pool, various films, music, books. Seeking caring, understanding SF, N/S. ☎965833 NO ORDINARY LOVE SBF, 27, seeks feminine SF for companionship, dining out, someone who wants something real. No games. ☎965832 BEST IS YET TO COME! GWF, 40, seeks GF, 30+, for casual friendship. No stress needed, but willing and ready for what comes my way. ☎965830 FRIENDSHIP FIRST! Funny, smart, down-to-earth GBF, 5’6”, 125lbs, loves long walks, hand holding. Seeking GF, 21-30, who likes kids and doesn’t play games. ☎965829 LET’S GET TOGETHER SF, 24, 5’4”, 185lbs, dark brown hair, likes singing and family-oriented activities. Seeking SBF, 22-33, for friendship, possibly more. ☎965828

For customer service, call SECURITY GUARD Laid-back female, 41, likes movies, dining out, cooking, quiet evenings. Seeking similar-minded male for companionship. ☎589877 SEEKING FRIENDSHIP Tall, slim, attractive SWF, 34, single mom, enjoys travel. Seeking athletic, easygoing, humorous, fun SWF, 26-45, to go out and have good times. ☎572618 ARE WE POSSIBLE? GBF, 24, seeks GW/HF, 25-35. I’m outgoing, beautiful, intelligent, with a great mind. Hoping to meet a woman with a willingness to enjoy life. ☎566252 ZEST FOR LIFE Articulate, adventurous WF, 32, 5’8”, brown/ brown, enjoys animals, running, movies and dining. Looking for WF, 25-40, for friendship. ☎965827 YOUNG AT HEART Active GWF, 60, 5’5”, 122lbs, brown hair, enjoys meeting new people, dining out, short trips. Seeking plus-sized GWF, 45-60. ☎965820 GIVE ME A CALL GBF, 20, down-to-earth, likes dancing, movies, walks in the park. Seeking GF, 21-35, for friendship and conversation. ☎965826 KIND AND CARING GBF, 24, 5’2”, 170lbs, blond hair, energetic, loving, enjoys movies, shopping, cooking. Seeking romantic, outgoing GBF, 21-27. ☎965819 SEEKING SOMEONE SPECIAL Fun-loving, romantic, sincere SBPF, 25, 5’1”, 170lbs, enjoys shopping, cooking, dining out. Seeking open-minded, romantic, fun-loving SBF, 21-28. ☎965842 SOMETHING SPECIAL Bi-SWF, 41, attractive, kind of shy, smoker. Wants to meet a SWF, 30-45, for special times together. ☎965841 YOU DECIDE GBF, 21, 5’7”, 140lbs, enjoys quiet times at home. Seeking fun GBF, 19-28, for conversation and possibly more. ☎965840 WOULDN’T IT BE NICE? Shy, honest GWF, 40, 5’1”, 128lbs, salt & pepper hair, brown eyes, loves outdoor activities, traveling. Seeking GWF, 30-45. ☎965839 UP FOR GOOD TIMES GBF, 20, 5’3”, 130lbs, friendly, outgoing, loves meeting new people, reading, writing. Seeking outgoing, friendly GBF, 19-25. ☎965838 SEARCHING FOR U! SBF, 18, 5’4”, 132lbs, attractive, reserved, likes reading, music, family times. Seeking outgoing, down-to-earth, funny SBF, 18-45, for friendship. ☎965837 SEEKING YOU SBF, 25, mother, adventurous, N/S, loves art, poetry, animals. Seeking SBF, 25-35, goal-oriented, for a casual relationship. ☎965836 I’M LOOKING 4 U SBF, 31, 5’3”, fun-loving, nice, caring, honest, enjoys basketball, movies, cuddling and shopping. Seeking trustworthy SBF, 26-35, for friendship. ☎965835 FRIENDS FIRST SBF, 40, 5’3”, 160lbs, laid-back, outgoing, enjoys reading movies, cuddling and dining out. Seeking SBF, 30-55, for friendship first. ☎965834

GIVE ME A RING Cute SBF, 30-something, seeks attractive SF, 25-45, for friendship, maybe more. No games. ☎965825 WHY NOT? GBF, 24, 5’4”, 145lbs, dark-skinned, short hair, has a wide variety of interests. Seeking GF, 2130, for friendship and conversation. ☎965824 WASTE NO TIME GBF, 36, enjoys dining out, cooking, dining out. Seeking attractive, open-minded, fun, nice GF, 25-45, for friendship and possibly more. ☎965823 LOOKING FOR A QUEEN SBF, 30, one child, articulate, athletic, sense of humor, enjoys dancing. Seeking SF, 24-35, for conversation, friendship. No head games. ☎965822 SOMETHING DIFFERENT SWF, 41, 5’3”, 115lbs, blue-eyed blond, enjoys casual drinking, movies, dining. Seeking WF, 35-45, with similar interests, for fun, exciting times. ☎965821

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LOOKING FOR MY LADY SWM, 35, 6’1”, 195lbs, blond/blue, enjoys cooking, dining, dancing, quiet evenings. Seeking SWF, 2540, for friendship, possible LTR. ☎965988 WATCH THE SUNRISE SBM, 25, 6’9”, 225lbs, has a wide variety of interests. Seeking outgoing, sweet, caring SF, 20-39, for friendship and possibly more. ☎965987 ROMANCE IS ALIVE DWPM, 56, educated, cultured, seeks WF for LTR and romantic adventure. I’m very athletic, musical, 5’10”, muscular build, good, patient listener. ☎965984 GOING TO THE RACES! SWM, 23, 5’10”, 150lbs, adventurous, smoker, likes the outdoors, sports, racing, dining, wrestling, movies. Seeking outgoing SF, 18-35, for friendship. ☎965977 NEW COMER TO AREA SBM, 42, 5’8”, 160lbs, shy, likes baseball, cooking, country music, kids. Seeking SF, 2450, full-figured, for LTR. ☎965976 LET’S TALK SWM, 46, N/S, 5’10”, 200lbs, enjoys outdoors, hunting, country music, bowling and flea markets. Seeking SWF, 35-50, hardworking, honest. ☎965975 ENJOY LIFE SWM, 33, 5’11”, 215lbs, brown/green, creative, passionate, enjoys painting, poetry, hiking, traveling, sports. Seeking SWF, 23-45, for casual times. ☎965974 JUST FUN Shy WM, 55, N/S, no kids, enjoys going for coffee, ice cream or a movie. Seeking WF, 45-65, for friendship first. ☎965973 RUN WITH ME SHM, 50, 5’8”, N/S, likes outdoors, having fun, running. Seeking SF, 36-45, for friendship. ☎965972 EVERYTHING’S ALRIGHT Shy SWM, 46, homebody, seeks SWF, 35-42, no kids, easygoing, wants a relationship. ☎965971 CELESTIAL SAILOR Mystical romanticist, rider, believer, gardener, chef, biker, crafts, camper. SWM, 43, very clean, financially secure, seeks SF, 29-50, loves jazz. ☎965970 MR. RIGHT SBM, 41, 5’11”, down-to-earth, enjoys quiet evenings. Seeking slender SBF, 30-45, brown skin, black hair, for friendship, possibly more. ☎965969 MAKE YOUR MOVE Laid-back SBM, 41, 6’1”, clean cut, medium build, enjoys church, dining, beaches, shopping, reading, sports. Seeking soulmate. ☎965968 THAT SPECIAL LADY SWM, 60, easygoing, 5’8”, 160lbs, hardworking, secure. Seeking SCF, 35-55, N/S, for LTR. ☎965967 A LITTLE TLC DWM, 47, hardworking, secure, seeks SWF, 35-46, who wants a LTR. ☎965966 TO THE POINT SWM, 47, 5’10”, 190lbs, outgoing. Seeking attractive SWF, 30-47, for LTR. ☎965965 THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE SBM, 30, 5’11”, medium-built, clean-cut, no children, N/S, N/D, seeks SF, good-hearted, good-natured, down-to-earth, looking for relationship, maybe more. ☎965964 SENSE OF HUMOR SWM, 44, 5’7”, 190lbs, auburn/green, enjoys traveling, scuba diving, water sports, motorcycles. Seeking SWF, 30-45, outgoing redhead. ☎965959 SPECIAL SOMEONE Laid-back, relaxed, easygoing, smiles easily, 6’1”, 175lbs, dark brown hair (highlights), tall, tanned SWM seeks SWF, 18-27, for romantic relationship. ☎965955

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