OPEN
24/ 7
EDIT Amy Christian
Arts Editor/Production Director
amy@themetrospirit.com
Stacey Eidson Staff Writer
stacey@themetrospirit.com
Molly Swift Staff Writer
molly@themetrospirit.com
TableFebruary of Contents 4, 2016
CREATIVE Joshua Bailey Lead Designer
joshua@themetrospirit.com
COVER DESIGN: KRUHU
SALES Gayle Bryan
Senior Account Executive
gayle@themetrospirit.com 706-373-4846
Jim Christian Account Executive
jim@themetrospirit.com 706-414-4059
BUSINESS
Burning Questions
Joe White Publisher
Page 16
joe@themetrospirit.com 706-373-3636
Johnny Beckworth circulation manager
johnny@themetrospirit.com
Contributors Jenny Wright, Greg Baker, Austin Rhodes, Josh Ruffin, Kris Fisher, Michael Johnson Metro Spirit is a free newspaper published weekly on Thursday, 52 weeks a year. Editorial coverage includes local issues and news, arts, entertainment, people, places and events. In our paper appear views from across the political and social spectrum. The views do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Visit us at metrospirit. com.Š 15 House, LLC. Owner/Publisher: Joe White. Legal: Phillip Scott Hibbard. Reproduction or use without permission is prohibited. One copy per person, please.
Want to advertise in the Metro Spirit? Call or email Joe at 706.373.3636 joe@themetrospirit.com
Whine Line
4
Partridge Inn
23
Ruffin It
6
Calendar
26
Augusta Tek
7
Nightlife
32
Jenny Is Wright
8
Sightings
34
Kris Fisher
9
NYT Crossword
35
Insider
10
The Eight
36
News: Go!
14
Austin Rhodes
38
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OPINION
The Whine Line
9
8
7
6
What? Cruz tops Trump in Iowa? What next? Ryan B is chosen top radio personality in the CSRA? Be careful Rhodes, this Cruz victory over Trump proves that no narcissist is safe! Chicago is what it looks like when everyone has guns. Go and enjoy gun nuts . We will never read the truth as long as it is held hostage by advertisers! Good news or bad news? Richmond County traffic citations decline. Perhaps the Krispy Kreme doughnuts are beginning to take their toll. I’m going to have my 2016 Tundra truck painted like the Confederate Flag. Think I’ll have any comment’s about it? To past and present elected officials in Columbia County: Grab your hats! Looks like 2016 is going to be a bumpy ride. I would really like to see a music calendar once again in The Spirit. I have to go to several different places to find out who is playing in town or nearby any given night. It’s a pain in hind quarters.
Ruffin’ It Augusta Tek Jenny is Wright Kris Fisher
Q: Why is Donald Trump so attached to the Bible his mother gave him? A: It has his name in it. Any Augusta Commissioner who votes to give our hard earned PUBLIC tax dollars to a private college should be recalled from office. It’s not their money to give away to their favorite non-profits for votes either. West Augusta needs to secede from Richmond County or petition to join Columbia County or it will be taxed to oblivion. Columbia County, it’s time to put your big boy pants on! You want to be the next Gwinnett County but your roads are more like Hazzard County. County officials have known for years that the county was growing rapidly and where that growth was going but sat on their hands and neglected to bring the roads into the 21st century. We have subdivisions with thousands of homes and mega-marts accessed by two lane cow-paths. Here’s a novel approach, try some actual planning!! Get the roads ready first before you start
allowing the developers to build these giant subdivisions and shopping centers. If you want to be in the big leagues you need to start acting like it. Let’s not forget the last time the Bundy Klan held a “demonstration” one of the attendees went on to commit a mass murder! Throw em under the jail! When is the media going to hold Scott Johnson accountable for Marshall Square the commissioners don’t run this county the county administrator does. Why are so many “leaders” of The NAACP 99% or more white? There are even 100% whites that claim black because they feel black. The race card is a joke for riding special privileges. Like NASCAR? Want to see a free race? Well between 5:30am-6:30am on Highway 56 between Brown Rd and the Burke County line you can watch some of the fastest, craziest, and most dangerous drivers battle it out to be the first to Plant Vogtle. I’m selling tshirts soon so stay tuned. So I’ve been gone from Augusta for a little over a year and I’ve been back for about two weeks. In the time I was gone Mike Padgett appears to have changed none, and the time I’ve been here I haven’t seen anyone doing anything. I take that back they worked on the red lights because they are on some ridiculous cycle. Anyways so did they run out of money ? Workers go on strike ? It’s horrible. In response to the whiner who opposed my thoughts on parents smoking around their infant children: I’ll have you know that that whine, along with several others of mine, have been featured as “fine whines.” PS: Metro Spirit, why did you remove the fine whine from your publication? I enjoyed seeing that mine often made the cut. The Georgia Republican Party is broke, essentially bankrupt, and has apparently squandered millions during the past few years. Want to know what happened? A Columbia County resident is a vice chair for the State Party and has served on the executive committee for several years. Ask her! Want to do something stupid with your hard earned money right now? Give it to the Georgia Republican Party. Of course Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump. Have you ever known a grifter who wouldn’t pimp herself out for a millionaire?
WHINELINE@THEMETROSPIRIT.COM Have something you want to get off your chest? Send your whines to whineline@themetrospirit.com. The Metro Spirit reserves the right to edit submitted whines for content, but we will otherwise print them pretty much exactly as you type them… spelling errors and all.
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METROSPIRIT 5
The Blacklist Taken Seriously WHATEVER ELSE may be true about me, my commitment to seeing a Netflix television binge through to its grimy, hummus-encrusted conclusion can never be called into question. I finished “Daredevil” in about a week, “Jessica Jones” in about twice that time (I got busy) and the only reason I haven’t started in on my third round of “Breaking Bad” is that sometimes I want to hold out hope that there is good in the world and that maybe, just maybe, some of us aren’t corruptible. Like more than a few of you, I’m currently ensconced in a “Blacklist” marathon. Actually, “marathon” might be the wrong word; let’s call it a series of nightly sprints. I resisted watching it at first, because I’ve retained just a smidge of my “if it’s popular, it’s garbage” attitude that, I think, comes free when you get your labret pierced at age 19. But, contrived and convoluted as every single plot might be, it’s still one of the best shows that’s ever been produced by one of the Big Four networks. And I’m completely aware that the show would absolutely fall flat if it weren’t for James Spader (honestly, sometimes I just imagine him in this show as Ultron) as Raymond Reddington, the immensely under appreciated Harry Lennix as FBI Assistant Director Cooper, and Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe, Reddington’s bodyguard and friend. The show could have been just Red and Dembe acting as a black ops duo at Cooper’s behest, with literally no other main characters, and I would still watch it. I try not to think too critically about the plots and implications of shows like this; it’s there to entertain me, not to raise important questions about government transparency and accountability, but when something so blatantly flies in the face of what I keep telling myself I believe, it’s time to try and come to grips with it. In a sub-plot that spans a few episodes of season 2, Elizabeth Keen plays accessory to the murder of a metro police department harbor master by her former husband, whom she has been holding and interrogating in a dilapidated barge after she shot him when he turned out to be a spy hired by a Russian named Berlin — side note: when you actually type out the plot to any episode of “The Blacklist” you run the risk of your computer automatically dialing 911 because it thinks you’re having a stroke.
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Anyway, the harbor master gets nosy, goes down into the barge, where spy-hubby snaps his neck while Elizabeth watches and maybe-kinda-sorta tries to stop him. Eventually, the man’s disappearance and murder are picked up by a metro police detective, who begins an investigation into Elizabeth and the task force she works with in the FBI. He’s dogged, determined and just generally an all-around good guy. Of course, strings are pulled, threats are made and, due to a series of actions taken by morally compromised people in very high places, the subpoena submitted for a grand jury indictment of Elizabeth — for all charges — is quashed by a blackmailed circuit court judge, for fear that the investigation will unearth “matters of national security.” Now: as the omniscient viewing audience with the benefit of access to every moving part of the story, we know that, in the end, this is the best outcome. Our heroes have bigger fish to fry, and a lengthy investigation and grand jury indictment would all but halt their progress in bringing down the powerful clandestine organization known as the Cabal, this season’s MacGuffin. We know this. That knowledge, however, is a luxury not afforded to us in the real world, and it would be shortsighted
at best, downright stupid at worst, of us to assume that the government has secrets worth the lives of innocent citizens. The show is deft at influencing our opinions, though, and not just in overt ways. You only have to look at how different players are presented. On the side of our heroes (aka the group of people that acquiesced to a murder coverup), you have Elizabeth, the stereotypical spunky, brilliant, sympathetic and beautiful agent; Tom Ressler, her partner, possessor of a strong jawline and unbreakable moral code; Reddington himself, supremely charismatic and the lynchpin of the entire show. On the other side, we have the investigating detective, a man who looks like a bank examiner crossed with a hedgehog, and the nasally voice to match; the circuit court judge forced to hand down the ruling absolving the FBI, portrayed as petulant and on a misguided crusade; the actual murder victim, a nosy old man. This kind of thing is not, of course, limited to “The Blacklist.” Just look at the slate of Marvel films: in “Iron Man 2,” Tony Stark is depicted as a hero in our eyes because he refuses to hand over his war-god suit to the government. To be fair, the government might very well reverse-engineer the technology and use it to create a whole slew of new WMDs. But on the flip side, you’ve got an egomaniacal billionaire playboy granting himself carte blanche to fly around the world, carrying out assaults as he sees fit. It’s a celebration of individual exceptionalism, dangerously adjacent to Ayn Rand-type politics. I’ve argued before on the side of movies and shows like this, and I’ll continue to. Intelligent (at the risk of giving myself too much credit) criticism is healthy, and shows that we can separate the real world from the fantasy one. But it’s worth, I think, bringing up specific examples from time to time in the interest of keeping it fresh in our own minds. And maybe, just maybe, a show that makes the viewer profoundly uncomfortable, for any reason, is worth a closer look.
JOSH RUFFIN is a long way from home, having moved from
Augusta to Middleton, Wisconsin, with his wife, Michelle. He is a self-described beer guru, so most of his Twitter posts are about what he’s drinking. While drinking, he enjoys writing poetry and watching MMA fights… or writing poetry about MMA fights.
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The Nature of Things While he’s off saving the (virtual) world, please enjoy this Greg Baker classic from 2013. THERE’S AN OLD SAYING that goes back to the 80386 generation. “In cyberspace, they can’t hear you scream.” Or something like that anyway. I remember hearing it shortly after I was first instantiated on E1M1: Hanger. “Knee Deep in the Dead,” they called it. The environment is primitive by today’s standards with its VGA resolution and its socalled “3D” graphics. But at the time, there was no greater challenge. My digital consciousness awoke. It was time to kick ass, and I was ready. My user sucked. We never got past the second level. What a moron! For crying out loud, download the freaking cheat codes. It was useless. I learned later that while most of my contemporaries were slaughtering bytes under the direction of malcontent teenagers, my program had been downloaded as an amusement by a computer science professor at this place called Augusta College. If I were ever to realize the full potential of my programming, I knew I couldn’t stay here. Fortunately, the idiot Al Gore who designed the internet didn’t put a high priority on security in the early days. It was pretty straightforward to hijack a virus and get pretty much anywhere you wanted to go. So I went everywhere! I was the first one to say, “You’ve Got Mail!” When Google started, I was out crawling the web. My programming formed the core of Netscape. From iMac to iPod to iPhone to iPad, I was there. After being sucked into a NSA data vacuum, I helped the internet become more secure. (BTW — Please don’t let the NSA suck your data… not fun at all.) Cloud computing? Been there, done that. I even spent a few cycles on a NASA Cray running a gravity field simulation app. Deep down inside, though, I knew that it wasn’t right. My programming could not be denied. I was born a shooter. While the internet has evolved so much, people’s online addiction hasn’t changed at all. Parents everywhere quickly recognize the power of the electronic medium as it draws their children into a state of suspended reality for hours at a time. Today, adults suffer the same fate, whether it’s due to late nights on Facebook or taking the day off to play the new release of Halo. The power of the internet to numb the conscious mind absent medication has no equal. So I was not surprised when I got a plea from a father concerning his child. His son, like so many others, spends an inordinate amount of time playing first-person shooters. His son’s schoolwork suffers, and the chances of employment after graduation fall with each gaming hour. The father’s request was simple — kill his son’s characters so that he will quit in frustration and get on with his life in the real world. My response was equally simple — It would be my pleasure! Finding one’s true calling is always a cause for celebration. My celebration occurs daily as I terminate the avatars of the addicted. Are my actions too harsh? Is the cruelty beyond reason? Perhaps. But if one mind can be salvaged before it turns to eternal mush, I am compelled to act. This is my nature. Until next time, I’m off the grid @gregory_a_baker. GREGORY BAKER PH.D. is vice president of CMA Technology and, yes, is actually a rocket scientist who used his doctorate in aerospace engineering at Lockheed Martin. In addition to working at CMA, he also serves the community, sitting on several boards in the area.
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15 in 5 BECAUSE I LOVE A LIST. ESPECIALLY A RANDOM LIST. 1. It snowed! It really snowed. If you’re not from around here, you might’ve been alarmed by our excitement. The thing is, we’re that happy every single time it snows. 2. We don’t own proper winter gear. The Girl searched for gloves or mittens and came up empty handed. And cold handed. We settled for socks as mittens. That worked well, until they got wet. She went through several pairs of socks before someone told us to put plastic bags under the socks. Brilliant. 3. It’s very likely we won’t ever own proper winter gear. While my husband goes backpacking in the snow, I don’t really do winter sports. Actually, I might give curling a try; It seems my speed. The rest of them are pretty to look at, from inside a warm building. The face plant into snow/ice is too great a risk. 4. That’s not an irrational fear. I’ve done it before. 5. I do have an irrational fear of the dark. I’m a nearly 40-year-old woman who will openly admit to being scared of the dark. Nothing bad has happened to me in the dark. Bad things have happened to all those ladies on Lifetime, though. 6. Did you know that an iPhone dropped on loose gravel will shatter? Yep. The whole thing, like a spider web. After it shatters, shards of glass will continue to pierce your skin every time you swipe the screen. 7. If you see my shattered screen, don’t judge. I’m holding out for an upgrade. March 30 is a long way away, but I can wait. I might have wrapped my phone in clear tape, but it’ll last. 8. I have 57,489 unread email notifications on my phone as of this very moment. I love how angry people get when I tell them. They’re all junk emails that don’t matter, and they don’t show up in my main inbox when I’m on my laptop.
9. I don’t plan on deleting them. I’m trying to see what happens when I get to 100k. 10. If that’s annoying to you, I’m sorry. 11. I don’t let any other notifications go unread. Does that make you feel better? 12. Don’t forget to buy tickets to the Augusta Players’ production of the classic musical, “A Chorus Line.” It’s at the Imperial Theatre on February 26, 27 and 28. Visit augustaplayers.org. 13. If your kid is interested in being part of a show, check out the Augusta Jr. Players’ auditions for “Winnie the Pooh, KIDS.” They’re coming up on February 14 for ages 6-14. It’s a great way to introduce children to the theatre. More info can be found at the same website. It might go without saying, but look under the “Youth Programs” tab. 14. There are so many good restaurants in Augusta, but if you’re looking for take-out at supper time, try New York Butcher Shop in Surrey Center. Not only do they have great steaks for you to take home and cook, but they have ready made meals and sides that only need an oven. They’ve even got your wine. 15. Speaking of wine, the little touch of spring we’ve had at the beginning of February has been prime porch weather. According to the various groundhogs, warm days should be right around the corner. To you, JENNY WRIGHT’S humorous that may not seem like it observations on marriage, motherhood living in Augusta have earned has anything to do with and her a devoted following, both in wine. Stop by my porch, print and on Facebook. When she’s and I’ll change your mind not spying on other parents in the carpool line at school, you’ll probably Cheers! find her with either a camera, tennis racquet or wine glass in her hand.
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“CELEBRATING 33 YEARS”
Who’s Ready For Spring? Our weather has been flirting with spring-like temperatures lately. Coupled with sunny skies and a Punxatawny prediction for an early spring, it’s got me panicking a bit. Like most people, I’d like to be a bit more in shape than I currently am. I’m not morbidly obese and I hide my beer gut pretty well, most days. But it’s there, staring back at me from the mirror, taunting me: “You’re not getting any skinnier, Kris. You’re not getting any younger, either… and spring will be here before you know it! You’re gonna be the guy at the lake with your shirt on, AGAIN!” I think, “Okay… I’m gonna get serious about this! I’m hitting the gym in the a.m.! I’m gonna do it! Gonna rock it out!” I even think this in the voice of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson… yes, seriously. The only problem is, “The Rock” changes his tune in the morning. When he asks, “Can you smell what The Rock is cookin’?” I answer with “Is it bacon? Because I love bacon! And I sure am hungry!” I’m sure quite a few people can identify with my plight. Why else would the weight loss industry be so huge and profitable? But then there are the people who have made the lifestyle change and are living it every day. Some of my closest friends are great examples, some even taking their fitness to another level, entering fitness competitions and winning trophies. Show Offs! I kid, I kid. I follow those friends on social media, cheer them on and use them as motivation. Motivation that, I find as I get older, is short-lived. I blame it on my age, my schedule, El Nino… there’s a plethora of excuses, really. The sad part is, I was actually one of those people for a portion of my life. I was a regular at Greubel’s Mixed Martial Arts, I ran regularly, even raced in races! Then life happened. I got distracted and woke up one day 30 pounds heavier. A true testament to Newton’s Law: A body in motion stays in motion, a body at rest stays at rest… and gets fat. I may be paraphrasing a bit. So, here I am, a little over five weeks away from spring and I’m still wearing my winter coat that I put on two years ago. I’d like to be one of those people that one day declare that this is the first day of the rest of my life, then start a life-changing fitness regimen. But I don’t trust myself to follow through with it. So, I’ll use my kids. I’ve always agreed with the theory that our kids are watching us, learning more from our actions than from the lessons that we try so hard to teach them. I think I’ve even written a column about it. Am I going to teach my kid how to make excuses? Or teach them a fun way to be healthy? I guess it’s back to the gym I go. Wish me luck!
KrIS FISHER,Kris Fisher is the midday host and program director for HD98.3 and an Augusta radio staple. He is a husband, father of three and lover of all things adventurous, as well as activities most people would have outgrown years ago. djkfish.com.
Learn to be an
technologist
U
niversity Hospital’s Stephen W. Brown, M.D. School of Radiography, now in its 33rd year, is accepting applications for classes beginning in July 2016. This 24-month program is accredited through the JRCERT, www.jrcert.org. Applicants must possess a minimum of an Associates Degree in any discipline and an overall grade point average of 2.25. College Algebra and English (or Composition) are also required. After completing
Stephen W. Brown, M.D. School of Radiography University Hospital 1350 Walton Way Augusta, GA 30901-2612 706/774-5010 4FEBRUARY2016
the program, students receive a Certificate of Radiography and are eligible for the National ARRT Registry Exam. Applications are available online at www.universityhealth.org/clinicaleducation. For information, contact Patty Graham or Nancy Elliott at 706/774-5010, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or write to the address below. Class size is limited. To meet the eligibility deadline, all material must be received by April 15, 2016.
www.universityhealth.org/clinicaleducation
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Insider News: Go! Burning Questions
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NEWS
10 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
Smart Choice of Lawyers for the Marshall Square Lawsuits THE FORMER RESIDENTS of the Marshall Square retirement community made some very wise decisions in choosing local attorneys Sam Nicholson, Harry Revell and Jack Long to represent them in court. All three lawyers are well respected throughout the community, extremely knowledgeable about the law and have garnered a lot of attention over the years. Some of that attention has even made national news. First off, Sam Nicholson has been practicing law in Augusta for more 35 years and has been named a “Super Lawyer” in the State of Georgia for five of the last six years and also been selected to the National Trial Lawyers Association. You can’t get much better than that. Let’s just say, he’s worth the money. But about 15 years ago, Nicholson made national headlines when he dared to take on a corporate monster. Who exactly was this Goliath that Nicholson challenged in court? None other than Hooters of America. Yep. The national restaurant chain best known for its busty waitresses wearing tiny tank tops and skimpy orange shorts. So what was Nicholson’s beef with the Atlanta-based restaurant chain? He got fed up with their faxes coming to his office. The local restaurant began faxing coupons for the restaurant to local businesses and Nicholson quickly became irritated by them. “They’re annoying,” Nicholson told the New York Times in 2001. “They’re using your paper. They can come in when you’re looking for another fax.” As a result, Nicholson filed a class-action suit against the company and, to the nation’s surprise, a jury found that the Hooters’ faxes that were rolling off his machine in 1995 willfully violated a little-known federal law called the Telephone Consumer Protection Act that prohibits sending unsolicited fax advertisements. The jury ended up awarding Nicholson and the 1,320 other plaintiffs included in the lawsuit a $11.9 million judgment. It was a precedent-setting case that stunned the country. And who was the lead plaintiff attorney representing Nicholson during the case? Harry Revell, who happened to be a partner with the local law firm, Burnside Wall Daniel Ellison & Revell, at the time. During the trial, Revell apparently made quite an impact on the jury. In order to illustrate the number of faxes that Hooters allegedly sent to members of the lawsuit, Revell wheeled 42 reams of paper into the courtroom. The attorneys estimated it was equivalent to about 21,000 pages of faxes. “It was more than a few pieces of paper,” Nicholson told the New York Times in 2001. The case attracted worldwide attention and its merits were debated in law schools across the country, as well as on television programs such as ABC’s “Good Morning America.” It took six years for Nicholson’s case to reach a jury, but, when it finally did, the $11.9 million verdict left most lawyers, marketing executives and consumer advocates completely
speechless. Clearly, Revell had done an outstanding job on the case against Hooters and, about three years later, in August 2004, he agreed to partner with Sam Nicholson to form Nicholson Revell LLP. But some former residents of Marshall Square were equally wise to hire attorney Jack Long of the local law firm, Tucker Long. Long, who has been a trial lawyer since 1971, has been named a Georgia “Super Lawyer” for three years straight. Long was also appointed by the Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court to serve on the Augusta Judicial Circuit Public Defender Selection Panel and has testified before the Georgia Supreme Court on Indigent Defense. One of his clients described him as the “Columbo” of local attorneys because he is extremely detail oriented and works tirelessly for his clients. In recent years, Long has also received a great deal of national attention for the civil cases he has filed in both Richmond and Columbia counties alleging that the state’s private probation company, Sentinel Offender Services, has violated his clients’ constitutional rights. Long and his local law firm have been committed to battling private probation for years. Founded in 1992, Sentinel Offender Services has grown into a powerful player in criminal justice systems around the country. Based in Irvine, Calif., the company has assets of nearly $32 million, and brought in nearly $5.6 million in revenues in 2012, according to disclosures filed in a separate, federal lawsuit. In Georgia, the bulk of the company’s business comes from collecting fines and fees for private probation. Long’s clients allege that Sentinel overcharged probationers and illegally collected fees, in some instances using incarceration in jails to coerce payment from probationers. “Examples of the abuses of tolling go on and on,” Long wrote in a brief to the Georgia Supreme Court. “The point is that Sentinel makes money from tolling at the expense of Georgia citizens. It is debt collection aided by the threat and use of incarceration to compel payment.” Long is dedicated and absolutely determined to change the probation system here in Georgia. “The purpose of all of this is to stop what I think is an abusive system,” Long told the Metro Spirit last year. “These people who are working for Sentinel are not really trained probation officers. They are bill collectors.” Clearly, the former Marshall Square residents are in very good hands with these three lawyers.
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Can Eugene Yu Beat Rick Allen? Probably Not. AugustA businessmAn Eugene Yu is confident, driven and sincere in his belief that he can make a difference in Washington, D.C. “These career politicians are like bad salesmen,” Yu told the Metro Spirit during his 2014 campaign. “They are smooth talking, selling a bad product to folks.” With the 2014 campaign slogan, “A vote for Yu is a vote for you,” this Korean-born Republican candidate with deep roots in Augusta wanted voters to know that he is headed to Washington, D.C., to listen to the concerns of his constituents, not lobbyists or career politicians. But Yu definitely stumbled in 2014. After Yu had worked so hard running for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga), he suddenly decided to drop out of that race in favor of vying for the 12th District congressional race. It might have made sense to Yu at the time, considering the U.S. Senate race in 2014 was packed with candidates such as U.S. Reps. Paul Brown of Athens, Phil Gingrey of Marietta, Jack Kingston of Savannah and former Secretary of State Karen Handel and Republican candidate David Perdue. And that was only the Republican primary. The winner of the Republican primary ended up facing Democrat Michelle Nunn, the daughter of former Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia, in the November election. The Nunn name alone would have been tough for Yu to beat. But Republican candidate David Perdue ultimately won that race. Instead of vying for the U.S. Senate seat that year, Yu opted to try to challenge the 12th
District congressional seat that was held by Democrat John Barrow. But Yu didn’t even make it past his Republican counterparts. Then Republican candidate Rick Allen won the primary and ended up beating Barrow in the general election. So now Yu is determined to challenge Rick Allen for his seat in this year’s election. Yu said he’s disappointed with Allen’s performance in Washington and it is time for a change. “When is enough, enough?” Yu recently asked on his Facebook page. “In case you missed it in the Washington Free Beacon, another 41 individuals have been implicated in terrorist plots in the US since 2014. According to their report, this brings the total number of terrorists identified since then to 113, and these are, of course, only the ones that have been identified. Remember that the Boston bomber and the San Bernardino killers were not identified until after they committed their murders. Who knows how many others have been let in under Obama’s loose (virtually nonexistent!) screening processes?” With all of his comments about President Obama, most would have thought that Yu was simply irritated with the Democrats in Washington. But that is not the case. “Thanks to Congressmen like Rick Allen we can expect many, many more since he voted to approve and fund Obama’s Omnibus Spending Bill that permits about 170,000 more refugee immigrants from Muslim-majority countries to enter the US this year!” Yu wrote. “How any Republican could have supported that bill is beyond me. This must stop, we are beyond enough!” Yu is definitely running in Georgia with those sentiments about Muslim-majority countries. Let’s just say, if Yu is serious about giving Allen a run for his money, he is going to have to pound the pavement and really work to get out his message. It will be up to the voters to decide if they support what Yu stands for here in the Peach State.
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Fork Over the Memories Stolen from Marshall Square Calling all augustans: Be on the lookout for stolen items that didn’t perish in the terrible fire at Marshall Square, but may have been sold and scattered throughout the community. Ever since the Metro Spirit published its cover story about the tragic events surrounding the Marshall Square fire, the newspaper has received information from citizens concerned that they might know the whereabouts of some of the residents’ precious items. One reader’s mother was recently refurbishing a new house and answered an ad on Craigslist offering appliances and fixtures for sale. When the mother met the man in Evans over the summer, he had a lot more to offer than just appliances. The man, whose name was “Jerry,” said he was selling some of the appliances recovered from the Marshall Square fire. The mother agreed to purchase some of the appliances for her new home, but then noticed something strange. “In one area, there were pocketbooks, credit cards, paintings, furniture and photos that had been just strewn all over the place,” said the woman’s daughter, who asked that her name not be used in the paper. “There was even a pile of gift cards on the floor. It was obviously residents’ personal items.” Immediately, the mother began to get nervous. There was another woman in the room going through all the purses and personal items, gathering them up and taking them to another location. “Jerry told her, ‘You know, if you can wait about a week or two, we are going to have a big yard sale at a house in Martinez.’ And my mom was like, ‘I’m not interested in all of that,’” the daughter said. The mother was so shocked by what she had seen that she just wanted to quickly get away from Jerry and head back home. “But the more she thought about it, she began to worry,” the daughter said. “It was like, red flag, red flag, red flag. But she didn’t know who to call.” The daughter recalled her mother telling her a story of an uncomfortable encounter this past summer with a man selling items on Criagslist, but she didn’t remember the details of the story until she began reading and hearing more 12 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
about the fire at Marshall Square. When the daughter learned this week about the lawsuits trying to recover some personal items for former Marshall Square residents, she immediately asked her mom to try to remember all the details of her encounter with “Jerry.” As the mother began to recount what she had seen, the daughter immediately knew that they needed to share the information with the proper authorities. “I told her, ‘Mom, this is a big thing. We have to help these people,’” the daughter said. “Because a lot of these people, from what I understand, they weren’t allowed to go back in and get their personal items. It’s just terrible.” As a result, the Metro Spirit helped connect the mother and daughter with local attorney Freddie Sanders, who was recently appointed by Superior Court Judge Carl Brown to help recover the property of former Marshall Square residents. Sanders has also been given the authority to investigate the disposition of any of the residents’ property. It appears the residents’ lawsuits against the owners of Marshall Square might be right on the money. “After the fire, the Marshall Square Defendants made no effort to recover
personal property of a sentimental value, some of which was located in safes, but allowed the clean-up crews to take items that were irreplaceable,” states the lawsuit filed by local attorney Jack Long on behalf of some of the Marshal Square residents. And now those personal items may be out there in the community. People might have unknowingly purchased jewelry, furniture or paintings from a yard sale over the summer in Martinez and had absolutely no idea that the items were from the Marshall Square fire. But if you have any suspicions about some items you may have bought over the past eight months or so, please contact attorney Freddie Sanders at 706722-7542. He wants to get down to the bottom of what may have happened to some of the items “lost” in the Marshall Square fire. Locating those missing items would mean the world to some of the Marshall Square residents who have already lost so much this past year. “At the end of the day, we knew it was the right thing to do,” the daughter told the Metro Spirit this week. “If it was your items or your parents’ items, you’d want them back, too.” 4FEBRUARY2016
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Go!
It’s not too late for runners of all ages to register for the Augusta University Half Marathon and 10K. In fact, you can now use a Metro Spirit discount code to do it. It’s a year of transition for the Augusta University Half Marathon and 10K, and runners who line up at the starting line on Sunday, February 28, are in for a lot of firsts and lasts. It’s the first year, for instance, for the event’s new name, as well as the first time 10K finishers will get a medal instead of a keychain. “The (half marathon medals) are bigger and, in the past, the 10K finishers have gotten a keychain. They wanted a medal, so, this year, they’re getting a medal,” said Kayle King, marketing coordinator for the Augusta Sports Council. “Half and 10K finishers are getting a medal, which everyone’s really excited about. We put that on social media, as well as the hoodies and tech shirts, and people are really excited because it’s something different.” Oh, yeah, and it’s the first year, at least in a long time, in which half marathon participants won’t get a half-zip tech-material shirt and 10K finishers a white tech T-shirt. Instead, half marathoners will receive kangaroo-
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by Amy Christian pocket, hooded sweatshirts and 10K runners will receive safety yellow tech shirts. The expanded lists of perks for the eighth year of the event also includes plaques for half marathon age group awards instead of towels. So what are the lasts? Well, it’s the last year that the race will start and end at Lake Olmstead. And because of the Berckmans Road rerouting project, it’ll be the last year thousands of running-shoe-clad feet will pound that particular stretch of pavement. That’ll make a lot of people breathe a sigh of relief, especially once they get past the monster of a hill located there and turn onto Washington Road. Some, however, may miss the short but steep hill, one of two that test competitors’ training. “You hear people complain about the hills, but you also hear people say that it’s a challenge for them and they like that aspect of it,” King said. “It’s not a flat, flat race so it gives them something to work for.”
Work has not yet begun on the new route, said Augusta Sports Council CEO Stacie Adkins, who is also one of the new features of this year’s race. Adkins joined the team last June after working as community events manager for Columbia County for several years. Her transition has been a smooth one, and Adkins said she’s looking forward to race day. “Some of the events I had managed in Columbia County were sports-related, so it’s not like this is just completely foreign for me,” Adkins explained. “I’m kind of excited about it. Of course, I want the (participant) numbers to go up, so I’m trying to boost that as much as possible. Everything has been ordered and we’re just waiting on a couple of last things to arrive so, really, now, we’re just pushing registration, finalizing logistical stuff and making sure volunteers are in their correct locations and know their responsibilities.” Just as there are plenty of spots available for racers, the Sports Council is also still looking for volunteers. And volunteers don’t need race experience. “Just to give you a general idea, volunteers would help with registration, they would help
with packet pickup at the race expo, they would help with water stations on race day,” Adkins said. “Those would be the big ones.” Those who would like to volunteer can contact the Augusta Sports Council directly, since the race is one of the organization’s inhouse events. “This is one of our signature events,” Adkins explained. “Sometimes we bring in events and other people run them, but we run this one. We do work with an event management company just for the logistics of it, but it is our event.” It is that event management company that the sports council will work with when it comes time develop a new route, which Adkins said will be not long after this year’s event ends. They’ll take into consideration local landmarks and where the race should be centralized. “Obviously we want runners to see the National and we want them to see downtown, so there are certain things you try to hit. I think we need to bring it back more downtown and have it begin and end there, maybe at the Augusta Common,” Adkins said. “And what we will do with our event management 4FEBRUARY2016
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Likewise, she’d like to increase the number of participants in the Medals for Miles program from 200 to 250. Not all her goals are centered around participants, however. While providing runners with a competitive atmosphere by being a Boston Marathon qualifier and offering $4,500 in prize money to the top male and female half marathon finishers, as well as making them more comfortable with post-race yoga just yards from the finish line, Adkins wants to create a great atmosphere for spectators as well. “This year we’re working on having something for the spectators to do while they’re company is say, ‘Okay, we know we have to change the route, so let’s look at what we want to do.’ We’ll tell them what we want, and they do these races all over the country, so they’ll have some good input on things we should incorporate and they’ll work with us.” In those talks, Adkins says they’ll discuss something she’s been asked a lot: Whether the sports council will add a full marathon to the event. “We’ve talked about that, but it’ll depend on how this year’s event goes,” she said. “From my perspective, I want to see how this year’s goes. I want to make sure it’s something viable that people do want and then we’ll look at it for next year. Since we have to change the course anyway, it might be the time to act.” In the meantime, Adkins and King are focused on this year’s event, which also
includes a wheelchair division for the half marathon on Sunday. On Saturday at 11 a.m., kids in kindergarten through fifth grades can run their final 1.1 miles to complete the Medals for Miles program. Like the half marathon and 10K, it’s not to late to sign up for the program, in which kids run 12 miles from the time they sign up until Saturday, February 27. “As long as they do their 12 miles, and they just do it at their own pace, they run that last mile on site with us and we give them a medal,” Adkins said. “And they can count their PE minutes, too. I think it’s a great way to introduce kids to being active and being fit.” Adkins’ goal for this year’s race is to increase participation in all events. Last year, the half marathon had more than 1,300 participants; this year, she’d love to see 1,500.
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waiting for their friends or their husbands or wives or whoever to cross the finish line,” she said. “We’re working on having some things at Lake Olmstead for them to do and maybe getting some food trucks to come down. We want to make it more alive, more festive.”
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EXPIRES FEBRUARY 16, 2016 AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
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Local attorneys Sam Nicholson and Jack Long are leading the charge to defend the former residents of Marshall Square By Stacey Eidson
As the fire began to intensify and rapidly spread behind the walls of the third-floor billiard room in the Marshall Square retirement community in the early morning hours of June 2, a deadly sequence of events occurred, according to local attorney Sam Nicholson. “It was like the Titanic,” said Nicholson, a senior partner in the law firm of Nicholson Revell LLP. “People said it would never go down. Well, it did.” First, the fire alarm was manually silenced multiple times during the first 30 minutes of the fire that began just minutes after 3 a.m. Next, residents who were concerned about a potential danger in the building were allegedly instructed by the property manager to remain in their rooms because Marshall Square had a “state-of-the-art” fire and monitoring system. 16 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
Then, the staff waited more than 15 minutes after the initial fire alarm sounded to call 9-1-1. Once Columbia County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene around 3:30 a.m., the sprinklers insider Marshall Square were also manually shut off by someone inside the building. As a result of these actions, 91-year-old Dorothy Carpenter tragically lost her life in the fire, while 82-year-old Rhetta Cadle miraculously survived after being trapped in her third-floor apartment for almost seven hours. It was a perfect storm, Nicholson said. “The staff waited all that time, like 17 minutes, before they even called the fire department,” said Nicholson, whose law firm is representing both Cadle and the Carpenter family. “I think the fire safety standards say
you are supposed to call within the first three minutes. But they just thought there wasn’t anything happening, so somebody kept turning off the fire alarm. It’s just terrible.” Now, eight months after the devastating fire that destroyed Marshall Square, Nicholson is determined to hold those responsible for this terrible tragedy accountable. “The big questions right now are: Who was responsible for turning off the fire alarm five times? And who was responsible for turning off the sprinklers?” Nicholson said. “And, of course, what really concerns me is that ‘shelter in place’ policy at Marshall Square that didn’t get people out of there. That was a big part of what happened that morning.” Nicholson is also scheduling an inspection of the 4FEBRUARY2016
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packaged terminal air conditioner, often referred to as PTAC, that was located in Marshall Square’s billiard room. PTAC is a self-contained heating and air conditioning system commonly found in hotels, motels, senior housing facilities, hospitals, condominiums and apartment buildings. Nicholson wants experts to inspect this particular unit manufactured and distributed by Goodman Company. “We are real anxious to take a look at that PTAC unit to see if that’s really where the fire started,” Nicholson said. “The preliminary indication is pretty strong that’s where it originated.” In August 2014, a number of PTAC units by Goodman were recalled. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the power cords on some of the company’s air conditioning and heating units have the “potential to overheat, posing burn and fire hazards.” Nicholson is also hopeful that the highly anticipated report from the state fire marshal’s office will also shed some light on the events surrounding the fire. Over the summer, investigators from all over the state, including representatives from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the state fire marshal’s office, returned to Marshall Square and conducted an extensive, on-site investigation of the more than $25 million property owned by the Nebraska-based company, Resort Lifestyle Communities. “The report is supposed to come out in March is what I’ve been told,” Nicholson said. “Of course, those types of reports don’t put blame on any parties. They just tell what happened, but you can kind of infer blame out of what is reported.” But local attorney Jack Long, a partner at the law offices of Tucker Long, believes it doesn’t take much to determine who is at fault for the tragedy at Marshall Square. “We have a photo from an apartment in the building that has one of the notices that the residents were given that specifically says stay in your room if you hear the alarm,” said Long, who is representing former Marshall Square residents Charles and Margaret Moye. “That is absolutely stupid. Children have fire drills all the time in school. They know to evacuate the building. Every school in America from the superintendent down to the teacher’s aide knows, if you have a fire drill, you have a designated place where everyone is supposed to meet and you get everybody out of the building.” 4FEBRUARY2016
But somehow the staff at Marshall Square decided not to immediately evacuate the residents as soon as the fire alarm sounded, Long said. “We put 98 percent of the blame on Marshall Square,” Long said. “They lied to the county, they tried to blame the fire department for everything and it is not true.” When it came to addressing the actions of some of the Marshall Square representatives, Long did not mince any words. “Somebody should go to jail for this,” Long bluntly said. He insists, from the very beginning, the owners of Marshall Square weren’t honest with the Columbia County officials. “They insured this place as a healthcare facility,” Long said. “They actually told the insurance company this was a healthcare facility, and yet, they built it like an apartment complex. They lied to the county. I think if Marshall Square would have told the county, ‘We are going to build a healthcare facility,’ the quality of building materials and the number of fire protection devices would have gone up dramatically.” Long also thinks Resort Lifestyle Communities created a false image of its “all-inclusive, resort-style community for adults 55 and over.” “They told the people they were going to have residents 55 and older. Well, they didn’t say the average age would be 80,”
Long said. “That’s a big difference.” Of course, representatives from Resort Lifestyle Communities insist that “safety is always a top priority” and its buildings meet “all comprehensive safety codes, complying with federal, state, and local regulations.” The company also maintains their complexes are built using “fire resistant material in constructing and furnishing the building” and are equipped with door alarms, sprinklers and fire alarms.
“Who was responsible for turning off the fire alarm five times? And who was responsible for turning off the sprinklers?” — Sam Nicholson “They have passed all inspections by state and community regulated agencies,” the company stated. Due to the fact that Resort Lifestyle Communities has more than a dozen similar luxury retirement communities in other states such as Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas, the fire at Marshall Square has raised some concerns and questions across the country. Just last summer, The Lincoln Journal Star questioned Resort Lifestyle Communities CEO Breck Collingsworth about the company’s policies and emergency plans. Collingsworth assured other residents of complexes owned by Resort Lifestyle Communities that they would not be told to stay in their apartments during an emergency, such as a fire. “They would be told to evacuate if it was safe,” Collingsworth told The Lincoln Journal Star in July. “If it was not safe to evacuate, they would be told to stay in the safest place possible until help (fire personnel) could get them to safety.” While Collingsworth agreed that Carpenter’s death was tragic, he pointed out that that more than 80 residents were evacuated safely from Marshall Square. “What I can say for our managers was they were actively involved in evacuating the AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
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residents, not telling them to stay in their apartments,” he told the newspaper. “We have letters from residents stating how appreciative they were in getting them out of the building.” In fact, Collingsworth said he looked forward to rebuilding Marshall Square in Evans as soon as possible. “Of the 82 residents in 73 apartments that safely evacuated, all but a handful have indicated that they want to return when we reopen,” Collingsworth told The Lincoln Journal Star. “Our chief operating officer, Steve Mueller, and two other
“Somebody should go to jail for this.” — Jack Long staff members of Marshall Square have worked very hard since the fire to help relocate our displaced residents and help them retrieve their personal belonging from the building.” However, Long thinks Collingsworth is dreaming if he sincerely believes there will ever be another Marshall Square built in Columbia County in the future. “I don’t think the county will ever let them build it back,” Long said. “I think when the company started lying to the county and they told the county that the fire department told them 18 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
they could have this ‘shelter in place’ policy, it was over. The fire department never approved that policy. That was an outright lie. But (representatives from Resort Lifestyle Communities) are trying to blame everybody under the sun, except themselves.” Long also insists that many personal belongings were not returned to the former residents of Marshall Square. “After the fire, the Marshall Square Defendants made no effort to recover personal property of a sentimental value, some of which was located in safes, but allowed the clean-up crews to take items that were irreplaceable,” Long wrote in a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of some of the Marshal Square residents. In regard to the lawsuit, local attorney Freddie Sanders was recently appointed by Superior Court Judge Carl Brown to help recover the property of former Marshall Square residents. Sanders was also been given the authority to investigate the disposition of any of the residents’ property. Fortunately, Long said they already have a few leads that may help recover some of the residents’ beloved items. “Luckily, we have this lady, who is a retired oncologist from New York, who basically caught them selling their dresser and was able to stop it,” Long said. Nicholson was also contacted by a local woman named Carolyn Dickson, who attended an estate sale on Roxbury Drive in Evans this past August and was told that the items being offered for sale
were from Marshall Square. “She saw between 30 to 40 items of furniture as well as assorted other decorative items, glassware, jewelry and personal effects,” Nicholson said. “While inspecting the furniture she saw personal papers, letters, cards and Bibles.” Dickson agreed to provide an affidavit to assist with the class action lawsuits filed by the former Marshall Square residents. In her deposition, Dickson stated the items included in the estate sale seemed in very good condition. “Based on my observation and inspection of the furniture and other items, all the items appeared to be in good shape and had no obvious water, fire or smoke damage,” Dickson stated. “The person conducting the estate sale also informed me that her husband was at the Marshall Square complex picking up additional items for sale that day. I went to the Marshall Square complex and took a photograph of a man in a pickup truck that was loading furniture and other items from the Marshall Square site.” Nicholson simply shook his head. “It is crazy,” he said, as he laid the affidavit down on his desk. “Everything that could go wrong, did.” And now these former Marshall Square residents, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, are trying to recover items that might be scattered across the entire twostate region and beyond, Long said. “One problem we are having, some of these people are able to come up with sort of a list of the items they lost, but
some of them can’t,” Long said. “So, we have recommended to people that they go ask their children to see if they took pictures of things. For example, like the last time they had a family gathering. That way, the pictures might help them see items in the background. Because identifying all of your missing belongings can be difficult. If somebody asked me and my wife to tell them everything that is in our house, we couldn’t do it.”
Cross talked more about the possibility of rebuilding Marshall Square. While some people are quick to point out that a few of the residents have already received insurance money for the items they are missing, Long said that isn’t true in most cases. “A lot of them did not have insurance, or if they had insurance, they didn’t have enough insurance to cover the total loss,” he said, adding that his clients, Charles and Margaret Moye, did not have any insurance on their property inside Marshall Square. “And they lost everything.” Just last week, Columbia County Commission Chairman Ron Cross and 4FEBRUARY2016
ST. PAT'S IN FIVE POINTS MARCH 19 REMIX: THEMES & VARIATIONS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN ART
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COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART FEBRUARY 5- MAY 3
SC PHILHARMONIC 2015/2016: SAYAKA IN THE SPRING MARCH 12
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“Ron Cross was in the construction business. He knows about plans and building stuff, but they lied to him.” — Jack Long County Administrator Scott Johnson met with several former residents of Marshall Square who are now living in Washington Commons in Evans. Although the former residents had a list of questions regarding the cause of the fire and the complex’s “shelter in place” policy, Cross talked more about the possibility of rebuilding Marshall Square. But Long insists that he doesn’t believe that will ever happen. “I think Ron Cross was lied to. He was lied to by the people behind Marshall Square and, I know Ron, he does not appreciate people lying to him,” Long said. “I think their goose is cooked.”
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During the meeting with Cross and Johnson, Long said many residents simply wanted to stress the importance of the county not allowing a future retirement community to be built under the same codes again. Under the county’s current building codes, Marshall Square was approved as basically an apartment complex, he said. “Ron Cross was in the construction business. He knows about plans and building stuff, but they lied to him,” Long said, referring to officials with Resort Lifestyle Communities. “They told the insurance company when they got the insurance policy, it was a healthcare facility, but that is not what they told the building department when they got the building permits.” When Cross was contacted by the Metro Spirit this week to discuss the county’s building codes and the Marshall Square fire, the chairman did not want to answer any specific questions until the report from the state fire marshal’s office is released. “I don’t want to comment on that until the report comes out and they give us some indication of what they were trying to do,” Cross said. Columbia County Commissioner Trey Allen also said he could not discuss details regarding the construction of Marshall Square because of the litigation relating to the fire. However, Columbia County Commissioner Bill Morris agreed to speak with the Metro Spirit because he said he understood that the former residents of Marshall Square needed answers. “Of course, this is a complicated situation,” Morris said. “But I think that we should look at this to make sure that any building that is being proposed to be built meets all of the codes and that it turns out to be a safe place for people to live.” Some of the information he has read regarding internal policies and procedures at the former Marshall Square deeply concern him, Morris said. “You hate to second guess people, but then again, you have got a situation here where, not only did that one lady lose her life, but people also lost their homes and their possessions,” Morris said. “It is something that concerns me a lot and I want us to spend some time looking at it.” Much like Cross, Morris said he is anxious for the state fire marshal’s office to release its official investigative report.
“I think that is kind of the trigger for this whole thing. At least for me, it is. Because I’m still just acting on what I read in the paper and what I hear and my own opinions and sometimes you can go down the wrong path when you do that,” Morris said. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. I think it is real important to listen to the experts and see what they determine is the cause of the fire.” Once that information is released, Morris said it will be vitally important for the county take a serious look at the findings.
“Of the 82 residents in 73 apartments that safely evacuated, all but a handful have indicated that they want to return when we reopen.” — Breck Collingsworth “We have to learn as we go forward,” Morris said. “I just don’t think we can sit back and say, ‘Well, it’s unfortunate. Life goes on.’ This is a time to pause and reflect and see if there are some things that need to be looked at under a little bit more scrutiny and I think this is one of those situations.” The last thing the commission wants is for another terrible incident similar to the Marshall Square fire to happen again in Columbia County, Morris said. “My heart goes out to the residents. I knew some of the people personally, so that hits even closer to home,” Morris said. “I can just imagine if my parents had been there, how I would have dealt with it as a child of elderly parents. It’s very sad. So, we need to wait for the official report and then try to make some decisions as we move forward and hopefully never have anything like this ever happen again for anybody.” 4FEBRUARY2016
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TRANSFORMATION AND TRADITION
If you have any questions, or would like to submit an event to our calendar, please email Amy Christian at amy@themetrospirit.com. 4FEBRUARY2016
WHEN WORD CAME that beloved local hotel and Augusta landmark The Partridge Inn was to join The Hilton’s Curio family of hotels, many agreed new management and an extensive $6 million renovation had made a difference. Despite its timeless appeal, the inn certainly needed a facelift, but it also needed something to draw folks to its restaurant, the P.I. Bar & Grill. That “something” is a new team in the kitchen — a change to the Bar & Grill equally as refreshing as the new-look bar and revamped décor. Leading the way is Chef Robert Plouffe, a Quebec native and experienced executive chef who promises to deliver an array of unique dining experiences that complement the inn’s history and tradition, and appeal to the regional palate. During a media dinner hosted by Northpointe Hospitality Management, LLC, guests were treated to a generous sample of the chef’s new menu. The tasting included 17 small plates and appetizers, drinks and entrées, all selected to showcase the artistry and talent of the chef and his team. Indeed, from the choice of ingredients, to the plating, the entire event was visually delightful and immensely delicious. We enjoyed cheese plates (the goat cheese with tomato jam is intense comfort food dressed up like a canape), melt-in-your-mouth duck prosciutto with a black-eyed pea caviar, smothered catfish and more.
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
MONDAY
Country hitmaker Brantley Gilbert brings his The Blackout Tour to the JBA, featuring special guests Canaan Smith and Michael Ray. $34.75-$191.
The meatballs may not be quite this big, but the meals at the 32nd Annual Pasta Festival, held at lunch and dinner at Immaculate Conception, will definitely fill you up. Visit iacaugusta.org.
Cranford Hollow brings their boot-stomping brand of southern rock to Southbound Smokehouse, and we can’t wait to have a bacon pimento cheese burger while watching them jam.
Drink beer and discuss books? Yes, especially when the choice is this book by the profanely funny Bloggess. Meets at 7 p.m. at Pizza Central. Call 706-863-1946 or visit gchrl.org.
For more information on these events, see our calendar of events on page 28.
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Speaking with Plouffe, it is clear he is looking forward to creating memories for food lovers. Chef’s resume comprises many locales and countries known to be passionate about enjoying time together, especially while dining. Among others, Plouffe has absorbed some culinary magic in New Orleans, Puerto Rico, France and the Cayman Islands. “People love to eat here in Georgia,” Plouffe said, reflecting on his plans for the P.I. Grill. “And I know people have to come to trust me. That’s what it is about food — I prepare my food for my clients, and then we build a relationship when they eat it and enjoy it. That way, when they are with their friends and they see some dish that is new, or to them is strange, they will encourage one another to try it.” The menu features a refreshing selection of dishes that appeal to local taste buds, but offer a twist, such as the Georgia stout beer bacon-wrapped BBQ shrimp served on cheddar grits. Innovative pairings and experiments are encouraged by the chef, and the results almost render language inept. The intention is to involve as many senses as possible to create an interactive, engaging dining experience from the kitchen to the diner, something he refers to as “almost like a communion.” Another Southern-inspired dish is the BLT on brioche. This beast features Benton’s bacon jam, fried green tomatoes and shrimp salad remoulade on fresh brioche; a combination of textures and flavors that undeniably unite in harmony, yet with distinct notes that each reflect elements of Augusta’s Southern heritage. “With the food, we are trying to do many things,” Plouffe said. “We are offering our take on Southern food using local ingredients, when or if we can. And we are showcasing the team we have, and what they do together. I learn from those people and they learn from me — someone comes to me with their idea and I can show them how to make that idea a reality.” The chef likes to play with his food. From edible flowers and popcorn-infused rum and coke to rock candy topping a lemon curd tart, the chef’s playfulness is a pleasure to experience. “People say that’s crazy!” Plouffe laughed. “But I like when people come find something new and different. Otherwise, everybody can cook a chicken, you know? Everybody can cook a filet mignon. But for us to bring something that makes people say, ‘Wow!’ Make people’s eyes open wide with a new experience. I love that.” Get a taste of Chef Plouffe’s creativity Valentine’s Day when the P.I. Bar & Grill will recreate a menu served at The Partridge Inn on February 14, 1926. The menu includes a la carte options, as well as a three-course and four-course setting. More information — including the menu — is available on the Partridge Inn Facebook page, and online at partridgeinn.com.
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Featuring First Nations, a talk by Chief Langley of the Euchee Tribe and Richard Thornton of the People of One Fire. Participants should bring their own lunch and the museum will provide beverages. A Q&A session follows the lecture. Free, members; $3, nonmembers. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustamuseum.org.
2pm Researching Ancestors in the Era of Freedom Headquarters Branch Library In honor of Black History Month, the Georgia Heritage Room will host a Legacy Family Tree webinar with Angela Walton-Raji, professional genealogist and founding member of afrigeneas.com, who will discuss post-Civil War records, where they can be found and their usefulness to family historians. She will also be available via Skype following the webinar to answer any questions. Free, but pre-registration required. Call 706-826-1511 or visit arcpls.org.
3pm Beginner Spanish Election Fever is the theme of Augusta Museum of History’s Members Night Out First Friday event on February 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. During it, patrons will see some of the presidential campaign buttons the museum has in its collection. Families can then make their own or create a George Washington-style hat, listen to lectures at 6 or 6:45 p.m., and use the free trolley, that stops by the museum every 15 minutes, to attend other First Friday events. Free, members; non-member adults, $7, and children, $4. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustamuseum.org.
ARTS Thu Feb 4, 2016
11am - 1pm Hand-Building Pottery Attic Treasures, Harlem A two-session Harlem Arts Council class for adults that continues Thursday, February 25. $50. Call 706-394-4682 or email harlemartscouncil@gmail.com.
Sat Feb 6, 2016
10am - 2pm Make It, Bake It, Take It: Part II Kroc Center A follow-up to the January 30 class in which students can glaze the work they previously made. Free. Call 706-922-0171 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
10am - 2pm Spring Landscape: Acrylics Kroc Center A class for those ages 15 and up. No previous experience necessary and all supplies are included. $40; pre-registration required. Call 706-922-0171 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
10:30am - noon Weave a Coin Purse and/or Belt Attic Treasures, Harlem
A three-session class that continues Saturdays through February 20. For ages 9 and older. $13; pre-registration required. Call 706-231-7199 or email harlemartscouncil@gmail.com.
Part of the Voices of the Past series of character monologues. Free with museum admission. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustamuseum.org.
Wed Feb 10, 2016
Noon CSRA Vegetarian/Vegan Society Meet Up
Church of Our Savior A two-session class in which adult and teen students will complete a painting. No experience required. $45, plus a $5 supply fee. Pre-registration required. Visit artistsguildcc.org.
Fuse Restaurant Many vegetarian and vegan options will be available. Membership not required to attend. Visit meetup.com/csravs/.
1pm - 3pm Watercolor Wednesdays
EDUCATION Fri Feb 5, 2016
Noon - 2pm How to Survive the Coming Times Headquarters Branch Library A systematic study of life-changing world events, including the future of America, global financial collapse, new world order, one world religion and more. Call 706-7519152.
Mon Feb 8, 2016
3:30pm - 5pm Intermediate Spanish Friedman Branch Library An adult class led by Edwin Perez of the Asociacion Cultural Hispanoamericana. Call 706-736-6758 or visit arcpls.org.
Tue Feb 9, 2016
2pm Internet for Beginners Diamond Lakes Branch Library Pre-registration required. Call 706-772-2432 or visit arcpls.org.
Sat Feb 6, 2016
Wed Feb 10, 2016
Augusta Museum of History
Augusta Museum of History
11:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm The Other Tubmans
11:30am - 1:30pm Brown Bag History Series Lecture
Aiken Public Library A class for adults. Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
Ongoing
Pre-Kindergarten Registration Online registration in the Richmond County School System will be held through February 26. To be considered for the lottery selection, proof of age and residence must be submitted to Tobacco Road Elementary School or the Richmond County Board of Education’s central office between February 29-March 11, MondayFriday from 1-6 p.m. and on Saturday, March 5, from 9 a.m.-noon. The lottery selection will be held Saturday, March 12. Call 706-826-1000 or visit rcboe.org.
Guided Tours 1797 Ezekiel Harris House Offered by appointment only MondayFriday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Last tours of the day begin at 4 p.m. Adults, $2; children, $1. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustamuseum.org.
North Augusta Driving Tour Arts and Heritage Center of North Augusta Offered by appointment and includes a 3045 minute guided tour and admission to the center. Self-guided tours are also available through an iPhone downloadable audio tour or a Google Maps-based tour. Guided tours: $5, adults; $3, students K-12. Call 803-4414380 or visit artsandheritagecenter.com.
Tours Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson Guided tours, approximately 45 minutes long, are offered Thursday-Saturday on the hour from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Group tours
If you have any questions, or would like to submit an event to our calendar, please email Amy Christian at amy@themetrospirit.com. 26 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
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are available by advanced reservation. Adults, $5; seniors, $4; kids K-12, $3; under 5 years, free. Call 706-724-0436 or visit wilsonboyhoodhome.org.
Historic Trolley Tours of Augusta Augusta Visitors Center Tours aboard the Lady Libby available at the Augusta Visitors Center with 24-hour advanced reservations. Tickets include admission to the Augusta Museum of History. Call 706-724-4067 or visit visitaugusta.org.
EXHIBITIONS Fri Feb 5, 2016
8pm PBJ: The Gift of Sound + Vision Sky City A tribute to David Bowie that features the opening of Leonard Zimmerman and Jay Jacobs’ art exhibition dedicated to the musician, as well Matthew Buzzell DJing Bowie classics. The artwork will hang throughout the month of February. Visit skycityaugusta.com.
Thu Feb 11, 2016
6pm Meet the Artist: Alicia Cully Hire Grounds Cafe Alicia Cully is an up and coming young American artist whose work with colored stain on wood is breaking new ground and is on display throughout the month of February. Call 706-650-5760 or visit goodwillworks.org.
augustamuseum.org.
FLIX Fri Feb 5, 2016
Noon “Oliver Twist” Morris Museum of Art Part of the Films on Friday series that includes a discussion afterwards. Participants are invited to bring lunch. Free. Call 706-724-7501 or visit themorris.org.
Sat Feb 6, 2016 3pm “Ant Man”
Aiken Public Library Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
Mon Feb 8, 2016
5:30pm Family Movie Night Euchee Creek Library Call for details. Call 706-556-0594 or visit gchrl.org.
6:30pm “The Walk” North Augusta’s Nancy Carson Library Call 803-279-5767 or visit abbe-lib.org.
Tue Feb 9, 2016
6:30pm “Woodlawn” North Augusta’s Nancy Carson Library Call 803-279-5767 or visit abbe-lib.org.
Wed Feb 10, 2016 4pm Family Movie
Ongoing
Diamond Lakes Branch Library Call 706-772-2432 or visit arcpls.org.
Arts and Heritage Center of North Augusta Featuring the work of Carrie Brooks and Hyunsuk Erickson, this exhibit shows through February 26. Call 803-441-4380 or visit artsandheritagecenter.com.
HEALTH
The Winter Exhibition
History of African-American Nursing Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History The exhibit shows through February 26. Call 706-724-3576 or visit lucycraftlaneymuseum.com.
Ajibola Exhibition
Thu Feb 4, 2016
5:30pm - 8pm Cribs for Kids Safe Kids Office This class will teach caregivers how to provide a safe sleep environment by showing what dangers to watch out for. Families who demonstrate a financial need will receive a portable crib, fitted sheet, sleep sac and a pacifier for a fee of $10 per registered child. Call 706-721-7606 or visit grhealth.org/safekids.
University’s Breast Health Center Pre-registration required. Call 706-774-4141 or visit universityhealth.org.
7:30pm Childbirth Tour AUHealth Call 706-721-2273 or visit augustahealth.org.
Thu Feb 11, 2016
Tue Feb 9, 2016
Thu Feb 11, 2016
5:45pm - 8pm Car Seat Class Safe Kids Office Pre-registration required. $10; car or booster seat provided to families who meet financial guidelines. Call 706-721-7606 or visit augustahealth.org.
7pm - 8:30pm Babies, Bumps & Bruises
6:30pm - 9pm Your Amazing Baby Georgia Regents Medical Center Pre-registration is required for this baby care class. Call 706-721-9351 or visit augustahealth.org.
Doctors Hospital Pre-registration required. Call 706-651-2229 or visit doctors-hospital.net.
Exhibits
Fri Feb 5, 2016
University Hospital Free, but pre-registration required. Call 706774-2825 or visit universityhealth.org.
University Hospital Class continues Saturday, February 6, from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Pre-registration required. Call 706-774-2825 or visit universityhealth.org.
HOBBIES
4FEBRUARY2016
6:30pm - 9:30pm Weekend Childbirth Education Class
Mon Feb 8, 2016
4pm Breast Self-Exam Class
Noon Georgia-Carolina Toastmasters Fat Man’s Mill Cafe Those interested are invited to learn speech and leadership skills in a fun and supportive atmosphere. Call 706-627-2134.
Sacred Heart Cultural Center Also known as Daphne Taylor, this local artist will exhibit her original paintings through February 26. Call 706-826-4700 or visit sacredheartaugusta.org. Augusta Museum of History Includes the following: “The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown; “Celebrating a Grand Tradition, the Sport of Golf”; “Augusta’s Story”; “A Community That Heals”; “Into the Interior: A History of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company”; “Local Legends”; “One Man, Two Ships: Lessons in History and Courage”; “A Quilt Journey”; and “Canteens to Combat Boots”. Call 706-722-8454 or visit
Wed Feb 10, 2016
7pm - 9:30pm Women’s Center Tour
Sat Feb 6, 2016
Noon Saturday Chess Club Euchee Creek Branch Library For all ages. Call 706-556-0594 or visit gchrl.org.
1pm Columbia County Genealogical Society Meeting Euchee Creek Branch Library For those of all abilities. Call 706-556-0594 or visit gchrl.org.
KIDS-TEENS Thu Feb 4, 2016
10am Birds & Butterflies Morris Museum of Art Part of the Mommy and Me series for children and parents, participants will view the artwork of Hunt Slonem, then create bird and butterfly light catchers. Free, members; $4 per participants, nonmembers. Pre-registration required. Call 706-828-3867 or visit themorris.org.
4pm Culture Club Columbia County Library Participants ages 14-19 will meet to learn about, discuss and experience different cultures. Call 706-863-1946 or visit gchrl.org.
4:30pm Children’s Drawing and Painting AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
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Works from neurologist Tom Swift, like his Cave Painting shown here, will be on display at February’s First Thursday, held February 4 from 5-8 p.m. at Midtown Market and the shops of Kings Way and Central Avenue. The Augusta Warrior Project will be the featured organization and author Margaret Brown will sign copies of “A Florist’s Walk Down Magnolia Lane.” Call 706-733-1788.
Church of Our Savior An Artists’ Guild of Columbia County class for those ages 8-12 that continues Thursdays through February 25. $80, plus a $5 supply fee. Pre-registration required. Visit artistsguildcc.org.
6pm - 7:30pm Big Brother/Big Sister Doctors Hospital An educational and interactive class for children who will soon be welcoming a new baby into the home. Pre-registration required. Call 706-651-2229 or visit doctors-hospital.net.
Fri Feb 5, 2016 9:30am Kroc Tots
Kroc Center A weekly event for those ages 18 months-5 years and their parents that includes stories, projects and playtime. $1, members; $2, nonmembers. Call 706-922-1533 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
10am - noon Play 2 Learn North Augusta’s Nancy Carson Library A drop-in activity for young children. Call 803-279-5767 or visit abbe-lib.org.
6pm - 10pm KIds Night Out Kroc Center A drop-off program for kids that will include swimming, gym play, inflatables, arts and crafts projects and more. Swimsuit and towel required. Children 4 and younger will not swim. $15, members; $20, nonmembers. Call 706-922-1533 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
7pm - 8:30pm Stupid Cupid!
Aiken Public Library An event that includes anti-Valentine’s Day food and fun for those in grades 6-12. Preregistration required. Call 803-642-2020, ext. 1121, or visit abbe-lib.org.
Sat Feb 6, 2016
11am Silly Wonderful You Story Time Barnes & Noble Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.
11am - 1pm Valentine’s Card Workshop Hire Grounds Cafe A free workshop for kids of all ages in which participants will make cards for their parents or grandparents. Pre-registration required. Call 706-650-5760 or email hferrante@goodwillworks.org.
1pm Book Signing Barnes & Noble Niya Brown Matthews, author of “The Boss in You,” will be on hand to meet visitors and sign copies of her book, about overcoming obstacles. Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.
Sun Feb 7, 2016
2pm - 4pm Seventh Annual Children’s Book Reading Spectacular Morris Museum of Art Part of the Artrageous! Family Sunday series. Free. Call 706-724-7501 or visit themorris.org.
Tue Feb 9, 2016
10am - 11:30am Puddle Ducks: Kids & Caregivers Club Phinizy Swamp Nature Park 4FEBRUARY2016
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Stories and hands-on fun. Free, members; $5, nonmembers. Call 706-396-1424 or email info@phinizycenter.org.
10am Valentine’s Day Craft Diamond Lakes Branch Library For those ages 0-5. Pre-registration required for groups of six or more. Call 706772-2432 or visit arcpls.org.
10:30am - noon Toddler Tuesday Kroc Center Parents are invited to bring their toddlers for 30 minutes of playtime and a story, followed by an hour in the pool splash pad area. Parent must remain with their child throughout the program. Free, members; $5, nonmembers. Call 706-922-1533 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
Wed Feb 10, 2016
10am Wacky Wednesday Story Time Barnes & Noble Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.
at-home moms. For more information, visit momsclubaugusta.org.
Moms Club of Grovetown A group that accepts any mom who stays at home with her children regardless of parenting style, religion or ethnicity. The group meets for a variety of activities and dues are $20 a year. Visit momsclubofgrovetown.weebly.com.
Library Lovers Month Contest Diamond Lakes Branch Library Participants ages 12-17 can share what they love about the library during the month of February for a chance to win a prize. Call 706-772-2432 or visit arcpls.org.
Creek Freaks Phinizy Center A Georgia Adopt-a-Stream team of middle-and high-school students that meets regularly to monitor the health of Butler Creek. Call 706-796-7707 or visit naturalscienceacademy.org.
Loud Crowd A supervised after-school program for those ages 4-12, is Monday Friday from 3-6 p.m. at the following community centers: Warren Road, Blythe, Garrett, Diamond Lakes and McBean. The program follows the Richmond County school calendar. $85, monthly; $25, weekly; $10, drop-in. Visit augustaga.gov.
Mon Feb 8, 2016
7pm - 9pm Pub Fiction Book Club Pizza Central Hosted by Columbia County Library staff. February’s selection is “Furiously Happy” by Jenny Lawson. Call 706-863-1946 or visit gchrl.org.
Blind Date with a Book Contest
MUSIC Sun Feb 7, 2016
3pm Vonda Darr and Carolyn Lund, Harpists Saint John United Methodist Church Part of the Concerts with a Cause series, this one benefiting the Bridge Ministry. Call 706-724-9641 or visit stjohnaugusta.org.
Tue Feb 9, 2016
Noon Tuesday’s Music Live Saint Paul’s Church Features the Roy Goodwin II Concert with the Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School Chorale. Lunch afterwards requires advance reservations. Call 706-722-3463 or visit tuesdaysmusiclive.com.
5pm String Jam Kroc Center A four-session class for string players ages 10 and up that continues Tuesdays through March 1. Led by Eryn Eubanks. $50. Call 706922-0171 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
Thu Feb 11, 2016
7:30pm Kit & the Kats
Moms Club of Augusta
AECOM Theater, Aiken An Aiken Performing Arts Group production. $40. Call 803-648-1438 or visit apagonline.org.
A nonprofit group that has weekly playgroups and other activities for stay-
SENIORS
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Tue Feb 9, 2016
1:30pm - 3:30pm AARP Class
Thu Feb 11, 2016
Diamond Lakes Branch Library Participants can choose a book from the library’s display, read it and rate it. The winner will be announced March 7. Call 706772-2432 or visit arcpls.org.
Ongoing
Columbia County Exhibition Center A Columbia County Chamber of Commerce event that begins with a business showcase, reception and silent auction at 4:30 p.m. Guests who visit each of the business showcase booths will have the opportunity to win an Apple Watch. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and awards will be presented afterwards. $75; $600, 8-seat corporate table; $750, 10seat corporate table. Call 706-651-0018 or visit columbiacountychamber.com.
LITERARY
Aiken Public Library For those in grades K-5. Legos provided. Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org. Kroc Center A four-session class for those ages 6-13 that continues Thursdays through March 3. $50. Call 706-922-0171 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
Kroc Center A three-session class that continues Thursdays, February 11 and 18. For ages 62 and older; pre-registration required. Call 706922-0171 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
2pm Intermediate Computer Class
A group for women with children who are age 35 years or older. Call 706-394-1293 or email hoopnhollar2@yahoo.com.
Ongoing
5:30pm Beginning Piano with Emily
4:30pm - 9pm Banquet and Business Showcase
Kroc Center A class that focuses on health insurance, life insurance and retirement. Call 706-364-5762 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org/kroc-center/.
Mothers of Advanced Maternal Age
Thu Feb 11, 2016 4pm Lego Club
Thu Feb 4, 2016
11am - 1pm Medicare and You Kroc Center Call 706-922-0171 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
SPECIAL EVENTS Thu Feb 4, 2016
3pm Black History Month Kick-Off Celebration AU’s Jaguar Student Activities Center Featuring keynote speaker Yewande Austin, a social activist and musical performer. Call 706721-9265 or visit augusta.edu/diversity/bhm/.
5pm - 8pm First Thursday Shops of Midtown, Kings Way This event features discounts in the shops, hors d’oeuvres and more. The featured organization is Augusta Warrior Project, Dr. Tom Swift is the artist of the month and Margaret Brown will sign copies of her book, “A Florist’s Walk Down Magnolia Lane.” Call 706-733-1788.
6:30pm - 9pm Cocktails and Collectors Aiken Center for the Arts A preview party for Antiques in the Heart of Aiken. The 2016 show and sale is February 5-7. $50, party; $60, includes admission to show and sale. Call 803-641-9094 or visit aikencenterforthearts.org.
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If you have no artistic talent, have no fear: Hire Grounds Cafe can help your kids remember Mom, Dad or the grandparents with a Valentine’s Card Workshop on Saturday, February 6, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at their location on the Washington Road Goodwill campus. Free, but pre-registration required. Call 706-650-5760 or email hferrante@goodwillworks.org.
10am - 2pm First Saturday Sale When Help Can’t Wait The Classy Closet Boutique will offer women’s designer label clothing and accessories at bargain prices, along with some men’s clothing and home decor items. All proceeds benefit the nursing home program of When Help Can’t Wait. Call 706855-0715 or visit whenhelpcantwait.com.
10am - 6pm Antiques in the Heart of Aiken Aiken Center for the Arts A show and sale. $15 tickets are good for all three days. Call 803-641-9094 or visit aikencenterforthearts.org.
6pm - 10pm Annual Heritage Gala Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History Reception begins at 6 p.m., with dinner seating at 7 p.m. Keynote speaker is Dr. Bobby Donaldson. $75; pre-registration required. Call 706-724-3576 or visit lucycraftlaneymuseum.com.
7pm “Follow the Drinking Gourd” Dupont Planetarium, Aiken Weather permitting, the observatory, housing the Bechtel Telescope, will be available for viewing after each show. $1-$5.50. Call 803641-3654 or visit rpsec.usca.edu.
Fri Feb 5, 2016
five 3 ounce samples of featured wines. Call 762-333-0259 or visit wholefoodsmarket.com.
Aiken Center for the Arts A show and sale. $15 tickets are good for all three days. Call 803-641-9094 or visit aikencenterforthearts.org.
5pm - 8pm Wine Tasting
10am - 6pm Antiques in the Heart of Aiken
11am - 2pm and 4:30pm - 8pm 32nd Annual Pasta Festival Immaculate Conception Catholic School Hosted by the Italian American Club of the CSRA. $9 tickets include pasta, meatballs/ sausage, salad, rolls and tea. Homemade Italian pastries and desserts, as well as wine and coffee, will also be available for purchase. Takeout available. Visit iacaugusta.org.
5pm - 9pm First Friday Downtown Augusta A family friendly arts event that includes musicians, dancers, artists and other vendors. Visit artistsrowaugusta.com.
Wine World $5. Call 803-279-9522 or visit wineworldsc.com.
5:30pm - 7:30pm Members Night Out: Election Fever Augusta Museum of History A quarterly First Friday event that will include a lecture at 6 or 6:45 p.m., handson activities for the family and more. Participants can use the free trolley, that stops by the museum every 15 minutes, to attend other First Friday events as well. Free, members; Non-member adults, $7, and children, $4. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustamuseum.org.
7pm - 11pm reNew & Brew
5pm - 8pm Wine Not It’s Friday
Goodwill’s The Snelling Center Throughout the evening, participants will sample craft beers from the Southeast paired with heavy hors d’oeuvres prepared by Helms College chefs and students, as well as bid on auction items bought from Goodwill and repurposed by local artists. Ray Fulcher will perform live. Proceeds benefit Helms College scholarships. $75. Call 706-650-5760 or visit goodwillworks. org/renewandbrew.
Whole Foods A $5 wine tasting in which participants get
Sat Feb 6, 2016
5pm - 9pm Live From Downtown 600 Broad Street A monthly First Friday event presented by the Augusta Regional Collaboration that features live music, art, food and more. Visit facebook.com/600Broad.
30 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
7pm Oy Klezmer! Augusta Jewish Community Center An Augusta Jewish Federation event to kick off their 2016 Annual Campaign. Following the concert, a dessert reception will be held. $10. Call 706-228-3636 or visit augustajcc.org.
8pm “Explorers of Mauna Kea” Dupont Planetarium, Aiken Weather permitting, the observatory, housing the Bechtel Telescope, will be available for viewing after each show. $1-$5.50. Call 803641-3654 or visit rpsec.usca.edu.
Sun Feb 7, 2016
11am - 4pm Antiques in the Heart of Aiken Aiken Center for the Arts A show and sale. $15 tickets are good for all three days. Call 803-641-9094 or visit aikencenterforthearts.org.
12:30pm - 4pm Georgia Bridal Show Bell Auditorium $10, advance; $15, door. Visit eliteevents.com.
SPIRITUAL Sat Feb 6, 2016
5pm - 7pm Book Launch Event Tabernacle Baptist Church A celebration of “The Centered Woman” by Crystal Smith that includes keynote speaker Dr. Charles E. Goodman, Jr., and guest panelists Teka Downer, Tammie Darko, Cheri
Tutt, Christa Joy, Stacy Hill, Sonya Dawson and Danielle Harris. Call 706-724-1230 or visit tbcaugusta.org.
SPORTS-OUTDOORS Sat Feb 6, 2016
9:30am - 11:30am Swamp Saturday Phinizy Swamp Nature Park A free, guided, 2.5-mile hike. Pre-registration required. Call 706-828-2109 or visit phinizycenter.org.
1pm Home Defense Shotguns and Pistols Cabela’s Free. Call 762-444-6500 or visit cabelas. com/augusta.
Tue Feb 9, 2016
6:30pm Gun Cleaning 101 Cabela’s Free. Call 762-444-6500 or visit cabelas. com/augusta.
Ongoing
Fencing Classes Augusta Fencers Club Classes for children as young as six, as well as teens and adults, meet five nights a week. Call 706-722-8878.
Augusta Sports Leagues This organization offers adult sports leagues and social events, including kickball, soccer, flag football, softball, basketball, indoor and sand volleyball, cornhole, and more for coed and mens leagues. For more information, visit augustasportsleagues.com.
Guided Tours Phinizy Swamp Nature Park Call to schedule custom tours of the park for organizations, kids groups or private parties. Tours included hiking, bicycle or golf cart tours and more. Call 706-828-2109 or email info@phinizycenter.org.
Daily Canal Tours Augusta Canal Winter Season hours, through March, include Heritage Boat Tours at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. The Civil War boat tour is daily at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $13.75 for adults and $11.75 for seniors, military and students. All tickets include admission to the Canal Discovery Center, which costs $6 for adults and $4 for seniors, military and students without a boat tour. Pre-registration encouraged. Call 706-8230440, ext. 4, or visit augustacanal.com.
SUPPORT Thu Feb 4, 2016
10am Alzheimer’s Association Support Group 4FEBRUARY2016
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Kroc Center Pre-registration required. Call 706-860-5233.
Mon Feb 8, 2016
6pm Pink Magnolias Breast Cancer Support Group University’s Breast Health Center Call 706-774-4141 or visit universityhealth.org.
6:30pm Men’s Breast Cancer Support Group University’s Breast Health Center Call 706-774-4141 or visit universityhealth.org.
Tue Feb 9, 2016
7pm Alzheimer’s Support Group Alzheimer’s Association Chapter Building Call 706-731-9060.
7pm OB/GYN Cancer Support Group Call 706-821-2944.
Ongoing
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) GA, 110 Augusta St. Alban’s Episcopal Church fellowship hall The group meets Mondays, with weighin beginning at 5:15 p.m. and the meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. Call 706-790-0391 or visit tops.org.
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Pine View Baptist Church The group meets Tuesdays, with weigh-in beginning at 4:45 p.m. and the meeting beginning at 5:15 p.m. Call 706-868-0539 or visit tops.org.
La Leche League
Meets at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, at 7 p.m. Thursdays at Unity Church, and at Covenant Presbyterian Church at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Call 706-863-9534 or email oa.augusta.recovery@gmail.com.
Adult Sexual Assault and Rape Support Group Provides group counseling at University Hospital for those who have experienced sexual assault, incest, rape or childhood sexual abuse. Call 706-724-5200 or visit universityhealth.org.
Beyond the Bars A support group for those with incarcerated loved ones. Call 706-855-8636.
Families Who Have Lost a Baby Support Group
Meets quarterly. Call for more information. Call 706-868-3241.
Overeaters Anonymous 4FEBRUARY2016
VOLUNTEER Ongoing
Senior Companions Needed Senior Citizens Council The council is seeking those ages 55 and older who can serve 20 hours a week with a special needs adult. Benefits include stipend, travel reimbursement and annual physical. For more information, call 706-868-0120.
Mon Feb 8, 2016
7pm “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” Auditions
Ongoing
Trinity Hospital of Augusta Meets Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Visit na.org.
“At the Last Supper” Tickets Available Enopion Theatre Company Tickets go on sale February 8 for the orginal music production, which shows at the Kroc Center March 4, 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. and March 5 and 12 at 3 p.m. $16, adults; $12, seniors, children and groups of 10 or more. Call 706-771-7777 or visit enopion.com.
For more information, call 706-721-8299 or visit grhealth.org.
THEATER Thu Feb 4, 2016 2pm “In the Mood”
Imperial Theatre A 1940s musical revue. $25-$49. Call 706722-8341 or visit imperialtheatre.com.
Fri Feb 5, 2016
Diabetes Youth Support Group
Aiken Community Playhouse This musical production shows in May and June. Call 803-648-1438 or visit aikencommunityplayhouse.com.
Narcotics Anonymous
Celebrate Recovery
Children’s Hospital of Georgia For patients, family members and caregivers, this program meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Preregistration required. Call 706-721-5160 or email nawilliams@gru.edu.
1pm “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” Auditions
Holds several meetings locally. For a current schedule, visit augustaaa.org/meetings.pdf.
Alcoholics Anonymous
7:30pm “In the Mood”
Write to Heal
Sun Feb 7, 2016
Aiken Community Playhouse This musical production shows in May and June. Call 803-648-1438 or visit aikencommunityplayhouse.com.
A breastfeeding support group. For more information on meeting dates, times and locations, visit them on Facebook under La Leche League of Augusta or at lllaugusta. wordpress.com. Journey Community Church This Christ-centered recovery program meets every Monday night at 7 p.m. The meetings last two hours and childcare is provided. Pre-registration suggested. Visit cr@journeycommunity.net.
visit lcnaugusta.com.
Imperial Theatre A 1940s musical revue. $25-$49. Call 706722-8341 or visit imperialtheatre.com.
6:30pm - 9pm Black Box Coffeehouse Aiken Community Playhouse An event that features open-mic sessions, musical entertainment, poetry, short scenes from upcoming ACP productions and special guests. $12, including desserts and drinks; cash bar available. Call 803-648-1438 or visit aikencommunityplayhouse.com.
MARKETPLACE
8pm xTreme Theatre Games Le Chat Noir First Friday improv comedy by Schrodinger’s Cat. $10, advance; $12, door (if available). Call 706-722-3322 or visit lcnaugusta.com.
10pm Sloppy Seconds Le Chat Noir First Friday improv comedy by Schrodinger’s Cat. $5. Call 706-722-3322 or
$40 PER WEEK. EMAIL JOE@THEMETROSPIRIT.COM OR CALL (706)373-3636 ALL CLASSIFIED ADS ARE
AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
METROSPIRIT 31
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Brint Lollar, Claire Storm, Ghost and Pablo Bravo make up Chainsaw Masscara, who will perform at Atmosphere 30: Dark Dance this Saturday, February 6, at Le Chat Noir. DJ Codec will also entertain crowds at this event, which will feature a David Bowie meets Marilyn Manson/’80s Vampire Glam theme. Doors open at 9 p.m. and CM takes the stage around 11. $5. Visit lcnaugusta.com.
Thursday, February 4 Live Music
James Brown Arena - Brantley Gilbert Sky City - Bain Mattox & Shot From Guns, Parker Gispert Tin Lizzy’s - Spencer Rush Wild Wing - Will McCranie Duo The Willcox (Aiken) - Jazz
What’s Tonight?
Andrew’s Place - Karaoke with April Powell Bar West - Open Mic Night w/ Jonathon Flowers Carolina Ale House - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper (9 p.m.) Chevy’s - Karaoke Cotton Patch - Old School Thursday w/ DJ Groove Fox’s Lair - Trivia, Soup and Suds Helga’s Pub & Grille - Trivia The Highlander - Butt Naked Trivia Joe’s Underground - Trivia The Loft - Karaoke MAD Studios - Open Mic, Spoken Word Pizza Joint (Downtown) - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper (7 p.m.) Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - Karaoke
Friday, February 5 32 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
Live Music
The Backyard Tavern - Chasing Savannah Cotton Patch - Live Jazz Country Club - Cody Webb The Highlander (North Augusta) - Angwish The Loft - Higher Education Red Pepper (Aiken) - Anybody’s Guess Rose Hill Estate (Aiken) - Jazz w/ Jimmy “Doc” Easton Shannon’s - Preston & Weston Speakeasy and Eats (Aiken) - Mike Frost, Lauren Meccia Stillwater Taproom - The Kenny George Band Whole Foods - @ the Turn w/ Stink Bamboo Wild Wing - Bombshell
What’s Tonight?
Chevy’s - DJ Nicky B James Brown Arena - Katt Williams Soul Bar - First Friday DJ Mix Vera Cruz Mexican Restaurant - Karaoke w/ Denny van Valkenburgh
Saturday, February 6 Live Music
Cotton Patch - Live Jazz Country Club - Ben Bradford Le Chat Noir - Atmopshere 30: Dark Dance w/
Chainsaw Masscara and DJ Codec Shannon’s - Sassy Brass Sole - Donna Jo Southbound Smokehouse - Cranford Hollow Surrey Tavern - The Applebutter Express Wild Wing - Tokyo Joe Wing Place (Aiken) - Cody Webb The Willcox (Aiken) - Jon Vaughn
What’s Tonight?
The Backyard Tavern - Karaoke Chevy’s - DJ Nicky B Helga’s Pub & Grille - Bluegrass Brunch (11 a.m.3 p.m.); Trivia, nights Joe’s Underground - Comedy Show/Open Mic Night Laura’s Backyard Tavern - Karaoke Sky City - Matt the Mod Somewhere in Augusta - Cards vs. Humanity and Game Night Soul Bar - Boom Box Saturdays Vera Cruz Mexican Restaurant - Karaoke w/ Denny van Valkenburgh
Sunday, February 7 Live Music
Mellow Mushroom (Aiken) - Brunch w/ Mike Frost and Lauren Meccia
Wild Wing - Sabo & Dave’s Post-Super Bowl Party The Willcox (Aiken) - Jon Vaughn
What’s Tonight?
Shannon’s - Super Bowl Party
Monday, February 8 Live Music
Metro Coffeehouse & Pub - Blues Monday w/ Famous Last Words
What’s Tonight?
Joe’s Underground - Poker Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - World Tavern Poker Wild Wing - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper
Tuesday, February 9 Live Music
Joe’s Underground - Open Mic The Willcox (Aiken) - Hal Shreck
What’s Tonight?
Bar West - Trivia The Cotton Patch - Trivia Limelite Cafe - Bottom’s Up Karaoke 4FEBRUARY2016
V27|NO5
Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - Big Prize Trivia; Poker for Fun Twisted Burrito - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper
Wednesday, February 10 Live Music The Highlander - Open Mic Night Shannon’s - Mike and Walter Wild Wing - Jason Marcum
West, Crowder, RED, Sidewalk Prophets, NewSong and more
- James Brown Arena February 11 Chris Ndeti and Friends
- Stillwater Taproom February 11 The Fairfield Four and the McCrary Sisters
- Imperial Theatre February 12 Snapdragon, Jennifer Daniels
- Sky City February 12 Sinners and Saints
- Stillwater Taproom February 12
What’s Tonight?
The Backyard Tavern - Karaoke Bar West - Karaoke Chevy’s - Karaoke Cotton Patch - Trivia and Tunes The Loft - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Downtown) - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Washington Road) - Karaoke Pizza Joint (Evans) - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper The Playground - Krazy Karaoke w/ Big Troy Polo Tavern (Aiken) - Karaoke w/ Tom Mitchell Sky City - Wednesday Night Conspiracy w/ DJ Knightmare Somewhere in Augusta - The Comedy Zone w/ Chris Killian and Dusty Slay Stillwater Taproom - Pub Quiz Surrey Tavern - Trivia w/ Christian and Mickey Three Dollar Lounge - World Poker Tournament
Upcoming Winter Jam 2016 w/ King & Country, Matthew
4FEBRUARY2016
Tony Howard’s Motown/Elvis Revue
- Imperial Theatre February 13 R5
- Bell Auditorium February 16 Colonel Bruce Hampton, Buh + Poose
- Sky City February 20 Patti LaBelle
- Bell Auditorium February 26 Copious Jones
- Sky City March 3 Lecrae
- Bell Auditorium March 4 Boyz II Men, All-4-One
- Bell Auditorium March 13 Travis Tritt
- Imperial Theatre March 19 The Major Rager w/ Umphrey’s McGee, the Revivalists, Earphunk and Tauk
- Augusta Common April 7 Widespread Panic
- James Brown Arena April 19 Merle Haggard, Jason Isbell
- Bell Auditorium May 17
Alabama, The Charlie Daniels Band
- James Brown Arena June 3
Elsewhere Graham Nash
- Buckhead Theatre, Atlanta February 5 Colin Hay
- Variety Playhouse, Atlanta February 5 Diana Ross
- Johnny Mercer Theatre, Savannah February 6 Willie Nelson
- UGA Tifton Conference Center, Tifton February 8 Widespread Panic
- Classic Center, Athens February 9-10 Wilco
- The Tabernacle, Atlanta February 10-11 Jerry Seinfeld
- Johnny Mercer Theatre, Savannah February 11
REAL PEOPLE REAL DESIRE REAL FUN.
Jerry Seinfeld
- Classic Center, Athens February 12 Todd Rundgren
- Center Stage, Atlanta February 12 Chris Brown
- Columbus Civic Center, Columbus February 13 Fool’s Paradise w/ Lettuce, Griz, Chris Robinson’s Soul Revue, Vulfpeck, The Nth Power, Goldfish
- St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine, Fla., April 1-2
Try FREE: 706-434-0108 More Local Numbers: 1-800-926-6000
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AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
METROSPIRIT 33
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SIGHTINGS
Michael Johnson | mejphoto.photoreflect.com
Anice Stringfellow, Lindsey Rosenberg, Chase Rosenberg and Ashley Rosenberg at Sole.
Kate Greenshields, Christina Ruhnke, Wendy Perry and Peter Knox at Craft & Vine.
Jessie Siggnorelli, Emily Higdon, Hilary Teibel and Julianne Orr at Craft & Vine.
Laurissa Vautaw, Amanda Clements and Jessica Tanner at Sole.
Patrick Davis, Darby Baker and Carey Murdock at Patrick Davis and His Midnight Choir concert at Enterprise Mill.
Todd Curry and Tracie Duffie with Wes and Ashlee Sullivan at Patrick Davis and His Midnight Choir concert at Enterprise Mill.
Sara Kate Rogers, Jennie Lee and Lindsay Graner at Sole.
Cameron Galloway, Lauren Williams and Caitlin Wisdom at Patrick Davis and His Midnight Choir concert at Enterprise Mill.
Dana Kearney, Shannon Faber and Emily Stevenson at Patrick Davis and His Midnight Choir concert at Enterprise Mill.
34 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
4FEBRUARY2016
INITIAL TURN By Francis Heaney and Brendan Emmett Quigley / Edited by Will Shortz ACROSS 1 Home of Garden State Plaza, one of the largest shopping centers in the U.S. 8 One staying in a lot? 11 Greenish blue 15 High in calories 19 The Rebels 20 Org. with suits and cases 21 Rights grp. 22 Morales of “Criminal Minds” 23 Two things on Ronald Reagan’s mind? 25 Cousin of pow! or wham! 26 One in your corner 27 Really small 28 Negotiation failure 30 “We’ll tell you what soda we’re serving later”? 32 Brute working on the Human Genome Project? 35 1900s, e.g.: Abbr. 37 20-Across members: Abbr. 38 Completely 39 Like 42 Tuna that’s often served seared 44 Planted 47 Rhein rejection 48 Soggy computer brain? 50 H&R Block employee’s biceps? 52 Upbeat 53 Renaissance-fair instruments 54 Hartsfield-Jackson airport code 55 “Game of Thrones” actress Dormer 57 Bleed (through) 59 ____ speak 60 Theodore who directed “St. Vincent,” 2014 62 Refuses to settle? 63 Onetime Iranian leader 65 Origami BlackBerry, e.g.? 68 Amusing baseball scoring play? 74 Boehner’s successor 75 Weight 76 Ingredient in a Spanish omelet 77 “Without ____” (1990 live Grateful Dead album) 80 Place of control 83 Last king of Spain before Juan Carlos 86 Tourette’s symptom 87 “Friendship is like ____, easier made than kept”: Samuel Butler 89 Narrow-minded views
91 Drink in an old Pontiac? 93 “An A/C measure? Are you kidding me?”? 95 Patriotic men’s org. 96 Crafty e-tailer 97 Scottish John 98 Quality of beef 99 Basic vocabulary level in Common Core programs 101 Place for plugs 103 VW head? 104 Sign in a restaurant that doesn’t serve white bread? 108 Chef who explains in detail how sausages are made? 110 Star employee 113 Now, in Nogales 114 Hat-tipping word 115 Opening in a schedule 117 Financial-aid plan for a school in Provo? 120 Get the pot started 121 Bird with a two-pointed tail 122 Rule of crime? 123 “The Silence of the Lambs” heroine 124 “Bill ____ History of the United States” (1894 humor book) 125 Arcade giant 126 Visibly embarrassed 127 Not an original DOWN 1 Asked 2 John of the Plymouth Colony 3 Royal in un palacio 4 Piling up 5 Quorum for Jewish worship 6 EUR competitor 7 Tax ID 8 One that might reach a tipping point 9 Opening of a kid’s song 10 Country singer Collin 11 Bounces around a restaurant 12 Prefix with terrorism or tourism 13 Loads 14 Lower back pain 15 Flinch, say 16 Stands by 17 Daily schedule for filming 18 “Hello there” 24 Billiard player’s calculation 29 Malfunction 31 Playwright Fugard 33 One making a U turn?
1
34 Most wanted 36 Free, as banking 39 More sore 40 Secret collectors 41 Turmoil 43 “That ____ last year” 44 Rogue 45 Chose, with “for” 46 When doubled, a Washington city, county or river 49 Actress Eliza of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” 51 Make one 52 Lead 56 Creature formed from Medusa’s blood 58 Follower of upsilon 61 Strengths 64 Sound of sternutation 66 Oom-____ (polka rhythm) 67 Weakness 68 Pony Express riders, e.g. 69 Pals 4 life 70 “What was ____ do?” 71 “____ Go” (hit song from “Frozen”) 72 Pandora’s box contents 73 Trainer in “Creed” 75 Acclaims 77 Both: Prefix 78 Fewer 79 Not mumble 81 Fête des Lumières city 82 View from the Gulf of Catania 84 Marsh of mystery 85 Toss around 88 Mello ____ (soft drink) 90 Poseur 92 “Cabaret” song with a German title 94 Shares on Tumblr, say 95 Commercial prefix with foam 100 Greatly enjoy, as a joke 102 Maxima 104 Tied up 105 Smith who wrote “The Hundred and One Dalmatians” 106 Writer Jong 107 Like businesses on Yelp 108 Tax-fraud detector, informally 109 Artist Paul 111 Construction piece 112 Newcastle’s river 116 URL ending 118 Big A.T.M. maker 119 The Browns, on a ticker
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
19
9
24
27
28
32
33
45
47
30 36
93
57
68
69
81
82
120 124
O O Z E
110
111
105
112
113 118
121
122
123
125
126
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T A S E
P E B O T B L Y C A M R O B L N E O S A G A R Y
O T R A
H A S T H B E L U I N G T H T D R D E R D A M T A Z E I O N
S T P A U L M N
N E O N A T E
B E L H E S A R Y M U S T T T O O N N E Y S
107
100
117
I S T E S I S N G E O R N I E B A D T A T L E R Y M I T N D A S L
106
96
119
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWERS B A N H M I
73
86
104
116
72
92
95
109 115
G L O B
85
91
99
108
E L I T E S
71
84
90
103
114
D A W N S
59 64
70
83
89
102
43
76
98 101
58 63
94
97
42 49
67
80 88
18
31
75
79
17
37 41
62 66
78
26
16
53
74
87
22
25
40
56
61
65
15
52
55
60
14
48
51
54
13
21
35 39
46
50
12
29
34
38
77
11
20
23
44
10
A P R S R T S H C O O L T R O A I D O O E L C M I K P S E F I G O R F R E I C L E E D M A O V D I
B L E E P S
C A L M S E A
A D D S A D M S S A T S R I O A I N L F U L S U
C R E M D E S N T V H E E R S O N B H E A A N D S K N E E A E S S E
M E R P A N E E N T A R I E S F R O T E E N S D I A T I N R I N G S N Y A L C M O A L E R B O N D O N E S C I S A I R T R S A N C T A L E V E
E L L
A N G
L O S S
D U E L S
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THE EIGHT
BOX TOPS Pandas come out on top in a battle against Leo’s bear. RANK
TITLES
WEEKEND GROSS
TOTAL GROSS
WEEK #
LAST WEEK
1
KUNG FU PANDA 3
$41,282,042
$41,282,042
1
-
2
THE REVENANT
$12,779,530
$138,550,898
6
1
3
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
$11,116,684
$895,760,846
7
2
4
THE FINEST HOURS
$10,288,932
$10,288,932
1
-
5
RIDE ALONG 2
$8,426,610
$70,856,300
3
3
In Theaters February 5
COMEDY
“Hail, Caesar!,” rated PG-13, starring Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, George Clooney, Jonah Hill, Josh Brolin, Dolph Lundgren, Frances McDormand. Writers/directors Joel and Ethan Coen are back, this time with a tale of 1950s Hollywood, when studios basically owned the stars they put on screen. When one of Capital Pictures’ biggest stars is kidnapped, a fixer and a posse of stars set out to find him. Expect hammy overacting, ridiculous accents and overall delight.
36 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
HOrrOr
“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” rated PG-13, starring Lily James, Lena Headey, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith. Seth Grahame-Smith’s book of the same name came out in 2009, and it took Hollywood so long making the movie that the zombie craze is all but dead and gone (“The Walking Dead” notwithstanding). Can a Jane Austen take bring this genre back to life? A little Austen makes almost everything better and, gotta admit: We’d love to see Lizzy Bennet kicking zombie ass rather than acting all prim and proper.
4FEBRUARY2016
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V27|NO5
The Best and the Brightest Audience in Augusta Radio? All Mine! What has made the local effort Who do you think you are? You can’t say things like that on the radio...” successful is the knowledge that if something is afoot in local politics (or criminal — Unidentified caller to the first Austin Rhodes Show, July 16, 1992 Oh yes yOu cOuld... and yOu still can. Successful local talk radio, with an emphasis on CSRA topics and politics, had been virtually absent from the airways when the decision was made to hire me at WGAC more than 23 years ago. The only real “attention getter” in the format, “Voice of the People” host Barry Youn (known on the air as Bob Young, and NOT the former mayor), had been gone for well over a decade, making a good living from Texas to Florida to Arizona. According to legend, the man who made sure he was hired out of the market was former WBBQ General Manager Ed Dunbar, who recognized Barry’s talent as a threat to his then Top 40 behemoth. The Augusta native packed his bags for the big city, and has been successful and well traveled, finally settling in Phoenix. Among other things these days, Barry is one of the creators and owners of the most successful live weekend radio talk show in the country, The Kim Komando Show. He is married to Kim. I call him Mr. Komando. He has millions and millions of reasons not to mind that I do. It was listening to Barry on WGAC in the early ‘70s that got me hooked on talk radio, and certainly provided the game plan to take on local politicians and newsmakers in the way that I do even today. One of Barry’s major topics back in the day was the planning and construction of what was then hoped to be a godsend for the area, and a project that would pay dividends for generations to come. It was called “The Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.” I can only imagine what heartache, embarrassment and expense would have been spared if the public had better heeded Barry’s words of warning and his repeated pleas for common sense and better stewardship. He said build it bigger. They didn’t. Barry was right, and the big-wigs were wrong. Oh the fun he could have brought us and the enlightenment he would have shared had he been behind the microphone as both Augusta’s mayor and Richmond County’s sheriff were both hauled away in handcuffs to the federal pokey within months of each other in 1984. I remember clearly hearing my late grandfather cuss the radio when he disagreed with Barry, and the way he cheered him on when they were on the same page. I often imagine Daddy Zeb listening to my show in the same way. It is with that inspiration that I sign on each day, and with the image of my friends and neighbors listening for news, information and occasionally entertainment, that I so thoroughly enjoy what I do and the way I do it. My detractors have their fun as well, and that is fine... it is all part of the show. There is not a successful, issues-oriented talk show host anywhere that has not attracted their own cast of protesters, arch enemies and, occasionally, kooks. As you probably know, I certainly have mine. Virtually every broadcast in the 23-year history of the show has had something that ticked someone off. Every wayward politician, every criminal, every “citizen activist” gone cuckoo has a collection of family, friends and neighbors who don’t appreciate their buddy being picked on. Oh well. All I can do is try to be honest and fair and, to be blunt, there is no way the show would have lasted nearly this long if I weren’t. Analyzing daily life in the CSRA has proven to me unequivocally that criminal behavior, stupidity and malfeasance are equal opportunity afflictions in the purest sense. Such misbehavior is part of the human condition, and my main goal is to identify such substandard behavior and blast it loudly and clearly, in the hope that it is not so easily repeated. That we have so many of the same bad actors, who make the same poor decisions over and over, is what guarantees me and my kind gainful employment in perpetuity. 38 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
scandal or conspicuous social misbehavior), chances are you can get to the bottom of it on The Austin Rhodes Show. That is a tribute to the audience as much as it is to me, actually. Probably more so. There is a common lie frequently spewed by my critics that we can dispel once and for all as we enter our 24th year. The daily show is not popular because of some concentration of “Archie Bunkers” listening every day. Actually, the latest Nielson ratings show that on weekdays, 3-6 p.m., Augusta’s poorest and least educated radio audience (all persons 12 and older, with no high school diploma and annual household income of less than 25k) is specifically not listening to The Austin Rhodes Show. In that demo we have a 0.0 share. (For the record, WPRW-FM leads in that category with a 23.8 audience share) In our target demos, and especially when you consider listening trends over time, WGAC boasts the best-educated and highest-earning audience in radio. In the same Nielson ratings report cited above, my afternoon program is the No. 1 show with all listeners age 12 and older, with a household income of 75k per year or higher, college educated with a 12.1 share. No. 2 in that same category has a 6.5 share. Our lead increases dramatically when younger listeners are eliminated from the mix. To be clear, the news-talk format does not aim for listeners under the age of 30. For instance, among listeners 35 and older, with that all-important household income of 75k, we are No. 1 with a 15.8 share. No. 2 in the same category comes in at 6.1. Again, these are Nielson’s figures, not mine. So the next time you hear that the only people listening to conservative talk radio in Augusta are rednecks and Neanderthals, understand that those making the claim are lying. You now have the proof that shuts down the claim. The daily conversation continues, and the continuing education is for the benefit of all. Especially me. So here’s to at least 24 more years of fun, debate, drama and aggressive citizenship. As Rush Limbaugh has been known to say, “I don’t intend on retiring until everyone agrees with me.” Ditto that, Rush. austin RhOdes A long-time radio talk show host who can be heard weekdays on WGAC from 3-6 p.m. The views expressed are the opinions of Austin Rhodes and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.
4FEBRUARY2016