Metro Spirit - 10.13.16 by Metro Spirit

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR OCTOBER 12 - 23

RIDES ARE PAY-ONE-PRICE EVERY DAY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR

ARTS & DRAUGHTS

COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART NOVEMBER 11 MOUNTAIN GOATS

GERVAIS STREET BRIDGE DINNER OCTOBER 23

JAM ROOM MUSIC FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 12

THE ROOT DOCTORS AT DOWNTOWN JAMS

LEXINGTON ICEHOUSE AMPHITHEATER - OCTOBER 27

VISTA LIGHTS NOVEMBER 17

Table of Contents October 13, 2016 Whine Line 4 Kris Fisher 6 Insider 8 Feature 10 Music 18

BLUES TRAVELER WILL “BLOW UP” EVANS

What’s Up Metroweek Calendar Nightlife Sightings NYT Crossword The Eight Austin Rhodes

20 23 24 30 32 34 36 38

EDIT

CREATIVE

Amy Christian

Joshua Bailey

Joe White

amy@themetrospirit.com

joshua@themetrospirit.com

joe@themetrospirit.com 706-373-3636

Stacey Eidson

COVER DESIGN: Kruhu

Arts Editor/Production Director

Lead Designer

Staff Writer

stacey@themetrospirit.com

Molly Swift Staff Writer

molly@themetrospirit.com

Contributors Jenny Wright, Greg Baker, Austin Rhodes, Josh Ruffin, Kris Fisher, Michael Johnson, Tyler Strong

SALES Jim Christian Account Executive

jim@themetrospirit.com 706-414-4059

Paige Wilhelm Account Executive

paige@themetrospirit.com 706-833-1904

BUSINESS Publisher

Johnny Beckworth circulation manager

johnny@themetrospirit.com

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.© 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

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OPINION

Kris Fisher: 6

The Whine Line Please be advised the Metro Spirit did not include the New York Times Crossword Puzzle in Vol. 27, No. 40. The lack of same greatly diminishes the value of your publication. Why would you omit something which at least stimulates some brain cells but include Austin Rhodes, a column that kills brain cells by the thousands. Why am I receiving a jury summons 5 days prior to a trial date? My boss will never go for this short notice...

of the same, then you vote for Hillary. However, if you are dissatisfied with the direction the government is going, then you vote for real change and vote for Trump. It’s really that simple. Every wife has suspected that their husband one time or another has said improper things (locker room or bachelor party talk) about women. Why did you still marry him? Because you knew that was not the way he was. Every guy has heard such talk or worse in locker rooms, and we didn’t believe them then, nor do we believe them now.

Hello Drunks!!

Completing the New York Times crossword puzzle was the only thing helping me ﬁght off Alzheimer’s. Next stop dementia. How is it permissible in America to treat people differently? Economical, physical and varying forms of psychological abuse imposed by pompous, arrogant, greedy, ignorant people who set themselves above decency. They are vicious and evil blots on the purity of their own race, for the concept and word ‘America’ should be synonymous with freedom and in reality it never was. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah!!!! Rave to postal workers across the country! My grandfather proudly served the U.S. Postal Service for 42 years in Pennsylvania beginning on horseback and buggy and eventually to automobiles. Imagine the snow, and inclement weather in the mountains. Do you leave your family to face dangerous and hazardous conditions when inclement weather occurs to do your job? Few of you do unless you are necessary personnel, and others do not seem to realize that these folks leave their families even on Christmas to make sure you get that letter or package that you have been waiting for. Selfishness and complaints are not what make our country great -- consideration, tolerance, and thoughtfulness are what make our country great. God bless you. Lyin’ Lee Anderson has voted for enough tax increases, on the School Board, County Commission and in the State House. I’m voting for the Democrat and I can’t even renenber her name; at least she is educated and has command of the English language. Another plus is she will be easy to replace in two years. Lee is such a political lackey that the same people will fund his campaigns for the next thirty years. Is there a worst writer in the Metrospirit than Josh Ruffin? Oh, I forgot, Austin Rhodes also writes for the Spirit. This presidential election has finally reduced itself down to the answer to one simple question. Are you happy with the direction the government is going? If you are happy with the direction the powers that be in Washington have been taking us, and want more

In 1998, the rancid right wing in this country viciously used, and destroyed the reputation of, Monica Lewinsky in order to trash President Bill Clinton. In 2016, the same right wing, including good ‘ol boys Harley Drew and Austin Rhodes, are using Monica Lewinsky once again. Only this time, in order to trash Hillary Clinton and defend the vile candidacy of Donald Trump! These insufferable cockroaches are completely blind to their own astounding hypocrisy! They cannot even begin to see that they are mounting a phony, hollow, defense of the person, Monica Lewinsky, whose life they once helped to ruin! In their words, “What Donald Trump says on that tape is as nothing compared to what Bill and Hillary Clinton did to poor Monica Lewinsky”. Right. Where was all your altruism and deep sympathy back in 1998? Nowhere! But it’s all about spin, and getting the most unqualified, ignorant, thuggish con man ever to run for the presidency, into the White House. Ain’t that right, boys? In response to the servers’ comments about the Traveller’s not tipping when they go out to eat... I was a server in this area and the men would tip me $100+. Maybe you are just a bad server??

To be clear if you vote for [Donald Trump], you are voting for a racist, sexist, serial sexual predator. Think about that the next few Sundays in church. Local talk show host Austin Rhodes defended (on his show and his FB page) Trump’s sexual predator comments from the Access Hollywood video. Just remember - when someone shows you who they really are, believe them. Well it’s not debatable, Sunday’s debate was a kindergartener’s example of how NOT to behave. No clear winners in my book but I have to hand it to Hillary! What strength! I’m sure not many people could handle such barbaric behavior with a smile and grace. Trump behaved like a rude spoiled childish bully. He had no ideas, had no facts, and was thankful when Hillary went 1st because he could get a clue from her. When he didn’t have an answer he just dismissed the questions altogether and went Hillary/Obama bashing again and again.

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. 4 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

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A Chip Off the Old Block One Of my kids is currently grOunded. I won’t say which one. Because, although I talk about some very personal things in this column, I’m not really into publicly shaming my kids. Well, if there’s no comedic value in it, anyway. Maybe I should reconsider the public shaming. Some people have used this as a form of punishment. We’ve all seen the pictures: Some kid standing on a corner with some big sign saying how they screwed up. I haven’t heard any follow-up on these kids to find out if it worked. “When did you turn your life around, Billy?” “…that time when Amanda from chemistry honked, pointed and laughed as she drove by when I was holding the sign that said ‘I like to watch dirty movies when I should be babysitting my baby sister.’” It’s also too early to know if this has caused any permanent damage with the kid. Maybe that’s when little Billy turned to a life of crime. Or, who knows, maybe Billy and Amanda end up getting married because they love watching movies together. I digress. It’s a constant struggle, as a parent. Teaching our kids the lessons they need to grow up to be responsible adults. It’s tough. Not the teaching of the lessons, but the pretending to be a responsible adult. I hate punishing my kids. It is by far one of the things I dislike most about being a parent. No matter which kid it is, I loathe it. But it’s a necessary evil. You know what they say, “spare the rod, spoil the child.” Wait…” Spare the rod?” What the hell were they doing to these kids? Part of the reason I hate it would have to be that I never know if what I’m doing is going to be effective. I mean, we like to think it is. But how do we know, really? One would think I that I should be an expert. As a kid, I got punished constantly. And it wasn’t this nice and easy “take your cell phone away” business. No, I got the good, old-fashioned tanning of the hide. Whether it be a paddle, a belt, switch, open hand or whatever, it’s a wonder I was ever able to sit down. I’ll be he first to tell you that I deserved it. I wasn’t a terrible kid. I just did a lot of stupid stuff, and I mean a lot! My parents must have been going through the same doubts as I am: “Is this even working? This kid keeps doing the same dumb stuff over and over!” At the time, of course, I didn’t see it as necessary. No, my parents were being unfair, mean, cruel, evil and they just liked to torture me. It must be some of the same things my kid is thinking today. But punishing is part of the gig. You sign up when your first kid arrives, just like clothing and feeding. It’s our job to pass on what we have learned to them. Being sneaky was never my strong point. I got busted pretty much all the time. So, I can’t pass that on. Sorry, kids. But, I have a childhood full of hard-headedness that they seem to be adopting quite willingly. I’m sure most people’s parents said the same thing that mine said to me: “I hope that one day you have a child that acts just like you!” Congratulations, Mom and Dad. Your dreams have finally come true.

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.

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NEWS

All Eyes on Murphy Village: 10 | Music: 18

Meteorologist Kevin Niewood Accused of the Unthinkable FOR YEARS, the public has become increasingly desensitized to obscene behavior by public ﬁgures. Even putting some of the scandals of this year’s presidential race aside, it has been common news for well-known ﬁgures such as former Congressman Anthony Weiner to get caught, well, let’s just say it, with his pants down. Ever since 2011, Weiner has been accused of exchanging lewd messages with women on social media, including photos of his penis. His reckless actions have destroyed, not only his congressional career, but his campaign for mayor of New York in 2013. It had gotten to a point that comments about Weiner’s crotch were a running joke on late night television for months. “Thanks to you, Congressman Weiner, there is now a new low in what passes for a sex scandal,” comedian Bill Maher said. “JFK got Marilyn Monroe. John Edwards got a love child. You got mail.” “With all this new media, is that considered junk e-mail? Or is it e-mail of your junk?” comedian Jay Leno asked. The jokes went on and on. “Anthony Weiner admitted to sending inappropriate messages to several women via Twitter, text, email, and Facebook,” comedian Jimmy Kimmel said. “I think the lesson here is that if you’re going to send explicit pictures of yourself, send them through MySpace, where no one will notice.” “Tough to know what Weiner was really thinking during his press conference

because he was standing behind a podium,” announced comedian and writer Andy Borowitz. “In real life, in my memory, this guy had a lot more ‘Anthony’ and a lot less ‘Weiner,’” comedian Jon Stewart joked. “The only thing they have in common is that they both lean to the extreme left!” It was all fun and games for the American public until this year, when things turned even uglier. A few months ago, Weiner was again caught sending a photo of his crotch to another woman. While this photo was a closeup of him wearing tight-ﬁtting underwear, it also included an image of his 4-year-old son laying next to him in bed. It made most people’s stomachs turn. Not long after this most recent revelation, Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, who also happens to be the closest aide to Hillary Clinton, announced she was seeking a separation. “After long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband,” Abedin said in a statement in August. “Anthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life. During this difficult time, I ask for respect for our privacy.” Many Americans found Weiner’s actions disgusting and repulsive, but at least these acts of “sexting” were done between consenting adults. This past weekend, Augustans were shocked to learn that WJBF Meteorologist

Kevin Niewood was recently arrested on charges relating to the sexual exploitation of children. This is no laughing matter. Kevin Andrew Niewood, 27, has been accused of allegedly providing a sexually explicit photo to a 13-year-old girl. “Kevin Andrew Niewood did unlawfully and knowingly distribute a picture of his penis which depicts sexually explicit nudity and which is harmful to a minor, she being 13 years old with the intent to create sexual excitement of said minor,” the Richmond County warrant states. “This offense occurred via the internet from a computer in the accused home, located, in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia.” The 13-year-old victim was allegedly coerced into providing photos of her breasts and vagina to Niewood. Niewood, a graduate of Florida State University, joined WJBF in late 2014. He is currently suspended from his position at the news station. There comes a time when the jokes must stop and such illegal actions against minors must be taken very seriously. Parents should heed these allegations against Niewood and others like him as a warning. It is extremely important to monitor your children’s actions on the internet and via their cell phones because you never know who is trying to contact your child.

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All Eyes on Murphy Village

For years, Murphy Village has drawn national attention as the largest collective village of Irish Travellers in the country By Metro Spirit Staff

Editor’s Note: The Metro Spirit uses the historic spelling from Ireland, “Traveller,” to refer to the residents of North Augusta’s Murphy Village, while Crystan Dowds of Duke University, quoted in this story, uses the more common “Traveler.” When quoting from Dowds’ thesis, we use her spelling. When the Aiken County Sheriff’S offiCe requested the public’s assistance this past week in locating two missing juveniles from Murphy Village in North Augusta, it got a lot of attention. The two missing girls are both underage. One girl is 15-year-old Josie Mulholland, who may also go by Josie O’Hara. The other missing girl is Josie’s infant daughter, 11-month-old Saylor Mulholland. Authorities believe the Irish Travellers living in Murphy Village could possibly be hiding the juvenile girls due to recent actions by the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Just last month, the South Carolina Department of Social Services removed six young girls, ages ranging from 6 to 13, from their parents’ custody. One of the girls has been returned to her parents, but the other five remain in state custody. The children were allegedly removed during the middle of the school day from Our Lady of Peace Catholic School by DSS. While DSS says it cannot publicly comment on the case involving the children, many local residents believe that the agency is looking into allegations that these young girls were already being groomed for the Irish Travellers’ custom of arranged marriages. Some have gone further to suggest that the state is looking into allegations of sexual abuse. The Irish Travellers themselves insist such allegations are completely false and they have posted dozens of yard signs along Highway 25 demanding that their children be returned. The red and white yard signs read “Free Our Kids,” and “Legal Kidnapping.” Other signs read “D.S.S. Stole Our Daughters” and “D.S.S. Out of Control.”

“We’d rather not be called gypsies, but it’s lost its sting, its meaning. It’s not particularly offensive anymore.” — Julie, an Irish Traveller 10 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

“When we have our little girls all dressed up for a party, and we go out in public, to a restaurant or something, I’m embarrassed.” — Susan, an Irish Traveller Murphy Village’s accusations against DSS, along with the recent indictment of about 20 Irish Travellers in North Augusta regarding a federal fraud case, has once again turned the spotlight on Murphy Village. While some residents may point to a 2012 episode of TLC’s “My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding” that was filmed in North Augusta as an example of life in Murphy Village, like most reality shows on television, it was a bit misleading. The show involved Tamara and Bill McKown, a couple who was married in 2011 in North Augusta. But Tamara McKown was a non-Traveller from Tennessee, so it really wasn’t your typical Irish Traveller wedding. However, there have been several individuals over the years who have studied the secluded Murphy Village community in in an attempt to learn more about its secretive culture. One such person is Crystan LaTorah Dowds of Duke University’s Department of Cultural Anthropology, who also happens to be a native Augustan. In 2013, Dowds wrote a fascinating thesis while studying at Duke called, “Denouncing White Privilege and Re-examining Marginality: Productions and Consequences of Difference between Travelers and non-Travelers in North Augusta, S.C.” In the thesis, Dowds wrote that she took a medical leave of absence from Duke several years ago and spent time with relatives who lived off Highway 25 in North Augusta. Her relatives are not Irish Travellers, but she had an opportunity to closely observe the relationship between those living in Murphy Village and North Augusta residents that she described as “non-Travellers.” Dowds’ thesis is particularly interesting because it is written from a local person’s point of view after spending a significant amount of time in North Augusta near Murphy Village. She was also able to convince two Irish Travellers to participate in candid interviews about Murphy Village. Dowds began her thesis explaining that she took a job in 2011 near Highway 25 and was surprised about how quickly the topic of Irish Traveller came up in conversation 13OCTOBER2016

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“I had one clear memory from childhood, of noticing a family at the county fair. In this particular family, the women’s hair was sprayed and stacked to the sky, make-up was bright and thick, sparkly jewelry was abundant, and brands like Tommy Hilfiger were etched across red long-sleeved shirts.” — Crystan Dowds of Duke University among her fellow employees. “So, Crystan, where you from?” she wrote that her co-workers asked. “Augusta, but I moved over here not too long ago.” “Where you stay at now?” “Right here off of (Highway) 25.” “Oh, over there by the gypsy camp?” Dowds admitted that she wasn’t overly familiar with

Irish Travellers prior to moving to North Augusta. “I wasn’t really sure what my co-worker meant by ‘gypsy camp,’ and at that point, I didn’t know that the neighborhood to which they were referring was literally adjacent to my own,” she wrote. “I had heard of the ‘gypsies’ before, but since I grew up 40 minutes away in southern

parts of Augusta, Georgia, I couldn’t say much about them or pick one out from a crowd. I had one clear memory from childhood, of noticing a family at the county fair. In this particular family, the women’s hair was sprayed and stacked to the sky, make-up was bright and thick, sparkly jewelry was abundant, and brands like Tommy Hilfiger were etched across red long-sleeved shirts.” Dowds explained that such a look wasn’t unheard of in the South. “Nothing about that description is particularly unusual for the women of Georgia-lina (another way to refer to the area), but if you glanced down to the stroller each woman was pushing, you saw a 2-year-old girl dressed in an identical fashion—hair-sprayed curly up-do, colorful eye shadow and lipstick, jewelry and all,” she wrote. “I recall thinking it was strange. I recall someone around me declaring confidently, ‘Must be one of them gypsies, got them little girls all done up like that. Shame.’” All of her experiences as a teen involving the Irish Travellers were extremely casual, she said. “My uncle (by marriage) and his family were from Jackson, South Carolina, and other towns nearby (Beech Island, New Ellington) and always seemed to have more authority on Traveler issues than my aunt or me, who both grew up in Augusta,” she wrote. “Foggy recollections of their comments throughout the years comprise the remainder of my initial memories of the Traveler population in North Augusta. Primarily, I remember the comments being firmly and confidently asserted by the adults around me. ‘Them Travelers are some thieves.’ The sureness of this fact was not to be doubted. The accompanying anecdotes were never greatly detailed, just broad, passing strokes in an unfavorable portrait.” But when she started living in North Augusta, she began to pay much closer attention to Murphy Village and

its residents. “The Travelers experience important aspects of marginality in the American South, but their exact position is unique,” she wrote. “Particularly contextualized by the history of race relations in the American South, their physical presentation as ‘white people,’ and their relative affluence places Travelers differently along the spectrum of marginality.” Dowds wrote that her goal in her thesis was to seek a better understanding of what she called, “Traveler-ness” in North Augusta. She began interviewing several North Augusta residents from September 2012 to January 2013 about their interactions between Travellers and non-Travellers. All of the participants had lived in North Augusta for at least 10 to 15 years. Dowds said she also had “two Traveler informants” that she identified as “Julie” and “Susan,” participate in her research. “Time spent with Julie and Susan was powerful and informative,” she wrote. She began her thesis with a section entitled, “How to spot a Traveler.” “My next-door neighbor Carol is a local banker who has 15-year-long positive relationships with many members of the Traveler community,” she wrote. “Carol grew up 15 minutes away in Beech Island, S.C. She did not begin to have regular interaction with Travelers until she began working at a bank.” Through that working relationship, Dowds wrote that Carol developed friendships with some of the Irish Travellers. “Once they’re comfortable around you and know you’re going to respect them and not treat them like an outcast... one person tells another person and the relationship grows,” Carol told Dowds. “And that’s how I’ve become friends with a lot of them. I treat them like anybody else and they like that.”

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“They think we’re abusing our kids, but it’s just like ‘Toddlers and Tiaras,’ except we’re not on TV.” — Julie, an Irish Traveller “The Look” of a Traveller Due to her long-standing relationships with members of the Traveller group, Dowds wrote that Carol and her daughter seemed to best describe the look of the Irish Travellers in Murphy Village. “They just have that look on their face. Something about their eyes, and their nose, and their mouth, they just all look the same,” said Carol’s daughter, Carrie. “If you put 10 of them up like this [places hands out by her face], and you only showed from their forehead to their chin, they all resemble a lot. That’s ‘cause they marry their cousins and stuff.” Of course, Dowds pauses to explain that local assumption. “Here, Carrie connects one of the assumptions about Travelers (marriage among first-cousins) to an important visual signifier (‘the look’),” Dowds wrote. “She implies that because of a pattern of shared genetic material between parents in a small population of 1,500, a certain resemblance has become noticeable to non-Travelers and used as a means to identify Travelers.” Two other North Augustans and “non-Travellers” who were interviewed were identified as “Heather” and “Joe.” They described to Dowds “the look” of an Irish Traveller in the following passage: Heather: “They have very distinct features.” Joe: “You can pick a gypsy out the crowd from anybody else...They wear all that make- up at such a young age, do their hair to where it hits the ceiling...” Heather: “...all poofy, with them skanky outfits they swear cost all that money...” Joe: “...but you see ‘em [the outfits] in Wal-Mart...” Heather: “They glamorize it up, put sequins and sparkles on it themselves.” Dowds wrote that “Heather” and “Joe” both formed friendships with Travellers during their childhood and teen years. “Heather had become close with two girls during elementary school, and Joe developed his friendships in later teenage years,” Dowds wrote. “So, an interesting layered perspective comes out from their joint interview, as the couple share experiences with two different genders at two different developmental stages and across different decades (not to mention the enjoyable rhythm of their exchanges, talking to each other, back to me, then back to each other again). Both individuals are native to North Augusta, growing up on opposite ends of Highway 25—the same highway shared by Murphy Village, the shopping center where Heather and I worked and where I conducted observations, and my neighborhood.” During an interview, Joe also talked about “Cant,” the language sometimes spoken by elders in Murphy Village. Joe: “They got their own language, too...” Heather: “Yeah, my ex used to be able to speak their language...” Joe: “They talk Cant...They have their own dictionary and everything.” Heather: “I thought it was ridiculous, but they understand each other. I guess that’s what it’s meant, for only them to understand.” Joe: “Munya means good. I used to know a few words.” Irish Travellers themselves use the same visual cues as non-Travellers to identify other Travellers who are not in their immediate social circle, Dowds wrote. Julie, a Traveller who agreed to speak to Dowds, described the similarities. “‘Big hair,’ Julie, a Traveler woman in her early 40s (and one of Ms. Carol’s friends), says assuredly of Traveler girls, when I ask how she is able to tell another person is a Traveler even if she doesn’t know them,” Dowds wrote. “‘And our boys dress nice. No grunge looks, we believe in dressing up. They will have tucked in shirts and belts,

short hair, no tattoos, no ear-piercings. Clean cut. You want to look presentable and decent in case you run into another Traveler. It’s what we were taught. It reflects how well you take care of yourself and your children.’” Julie told Dowds that she can spot another Traveller in a crowd. ‘In Tennessee or New York City, I can tell,” Julie stated. “They’ll have a general appearance about them. I can’t describe it. You pretty much know it when you see it. You just do, I can’t be specific. It’s like how all the Japanese people look alike to us, but not to them. If you put 10 of them in a row, they all got black hair, yellow or olive skin, and slanted eyes. We can’t tell, but they can. It’s like that.” In addition to talking about “Japanese people” and that country’s “look,” Julie also used the offensive description of “colored people,” in her interview. “Nobody ever says anything about colored people, when they have their beehives and nails and earrings and jewels,” Julie told Dowds. “Nobody ever gives them a second look. What’s the difference between that and the stereotype about us?” Dowds acknowledged in her thesis that the description of “colored people” made her uncomfortable. “The implication here seems to be that women of color similarly dressed to Traveler women are not subjected to the same negative connotations,” Dowds wrote. “Julie’s use of ‘colored’ was a complex moment for this ethnographer. I find the term outdated and somewhat offensive (interesting in the context of my later asking her about ‘gypsy’ as an offensive term to describe her group). It isn’t clear whether Julie meant to use ‘colored’ in any knowingly pejorative fashion. It is noteworthy that in

“That part’s hard, to know that you’re married to your... first cousin? I wouldn’t want to be married to my first cousin! You know, that part... ugh.” — Carol, a non-Traveller living in North Augusta 13OCTOBER2016

LI V E M U SI C | F R I DAY NI GHTS

2 651 Pe rimet er Parkway Augusta | 706 . 8 5 5 . 8 100

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Ireland, ‘colored’ is considered a more polite term than ‘black’ to describe members of the African diaspora, whereas the reverse is true in the United States.” Dowds also asked Julie about the Irish Travellers connection to Ireland. “I asked Julie if they maintained any connection to Traveler groups in Ireland but she shared that they did not; nonetheless, the meaning of ‘colored’ in her community is unclear,” Dowds wrote. “The context of the comment and her tone did not indicate such harshness; it was more a statement of fact.” Travellers Seen as “Thieves” and “Gypsies” During her interview with Julie, Dowds was introduced to another member of the Traveller community, Susan. Both women were born and raised in North Augusta’s Murphy Village, so Dowds was interested in how the Irish Travellers viewed the town. “How do you view the North Augusta community and your position in it?” Dowds asked. “You mean about living here and being the Travelers?” asked Julie. “Well, I’ll tell you one thing,” Susan said. “I’m embarrassed.” Dowds was surprised by Susan’s response. “When we have our little girls all dressed up for a party, and we go out in public, to a restaurant or something, I’m embarrassed,” Susan told Dowds. “They think we’re abusing our kids, but it’s just like ‘Toddlers and Tiaras,’ except we’re not on TV,” Julie stated. “And we don’t make the shoes,” Susan stated. “Some company makes those high heels for little girls to wear.” It was an unusually candid conversation with Irish Travellers. “Susan and Julie were describing another visual method by which Travelers are identified in North Augusta, one I encountered in my childhood at the county fair: elementary school-age young girls wearing make-up, volumes of curls on 14 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

their head, sparkly dresses, and high heel shoes,” Dowds wrote. “Many non-Travelers do react to this visual with some disgust, as did the adult next to me at the fair (‘Must be one of them gypsies, got them little girls all done up like that. Shame’). Julie and Susan are aware of this disgust; it appears to be the source of Susan’s embarrassment.” Dowds also discussed many locals’ belief that Travellers are “thieves.” She specifically asked non-Travellers identified as “Joe” and “Heather.” Joe: “You don’t want them [gypsies/Travelers] to see what you got in your yard, you don’t want ‘em to be able to see what you got in your house, they might come in and try to break into it and stuff like that.” Throughout her thesis, Dowds explored whether such negative opinions are generated through fact or fiction. She also questioned whether it had anything to do with Irish Travellers being an “ethnic group.” “Wondering how the Travelers might frame their own identity in these terms of race and ethnicity, I asked Julie, one of the two Traveler women I interviewed,” Dowds wrote. “She was comfortably decked out that day in sweatpants and shirt, rummaging around stacks of papers as I lobbed the question, ‘Do you consider Travelers an ethnic group?’” “Some people might like to say that, me personally, I don’t think we are,” Julie responded. However, Dowds wrote that she did believe the categories of “Traveler” or “gypsy” in North Augusta do function as racial classification. “Here’s why: Racial classification is one of the basic methods used to order concrete assumptions about an individual’s expected inhabitance in the world,” Dowds wrote. “Such ordering is not a singular determination limited to inconsequential opinions about another’s identity.” Those assumptions have an impact on residents living in

Murphy Village, she wrote. “In North Augusta, the compass points to ‘gypsy’ instead of ‘regular white person’ using the visual and aural clues outlined earlier (‘big hair’, Irish gilt in speech),” Dowds wrote. “Once the determination is made, the relationship to the individual is navigated much the same way as race relations... As we have seen, the beliefs about North Augusta Travelers include lack of education, inbreeding, criminality, dishonest business practices and materialism.” Such assumptions are based on a racial classification, Dowds wrote. Only when North Augustans get to know the Irish Travellers personally does that opinion sometimes change, she stated. “For example, Carol, my kind neighbor who shares close friendships with members of the Traveler community, points out differences between Travelers and herself with affectionate glee,” Dowds wrote. “In recounting recent baby-naming traditions in the Traveler community (‘It’s a big thing to reveal the name, they have a party and everything and they want it to be different and unique. And for a while there they were namin ‘em kinda like after cars, or places. One of ‘em, name is Lexus, Royalty, Vegas’), Ms. Carol went into a discussion of the trips some Travelers take to Atlanta for fertility treatments, which then brought her to a realization of the first-cousin intramarriage in the community.” Dowds specifically asked Carol what she thought about the Travellers’ firstcousin marriages. “That gets a lil’ hard to swallow, when I find that out sometimes,” Carol admitted. “I’m like, ‘Why did I have to know that part?’ You know?...It’s kinda weird...I figured out, omigosh, sister’s children [are married] to each other, first cousins. And I’m like, ‘Oh, I just rather not know that part, that part’s weird to me.’ I guess ‘cause we didn’t grow up like that, so that part’s hard to me, to understand with them. That’s their lifestyle though, that’s their thing. [pause] That part’s hard, to know that you’re married to your [pause] first cousin? I wouldn’t want to be married to my first cousin! [laughs] You know, that part... ugh.” As for the Travellers that Dowds interviewed, they had a different perspective on the lifestyles in Murphy Village. “I just want us to be taken on an individual basis,” Julie, the Irish Traveller, told Dowds. “Don’t lump us all together. 13OCTOBER2016

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Try to understand, everybody is different, not everybody is the same.” During her time spent interviewing the Irish Travellers, Dowds said that sentiment was repeated several times. One topic that Julie frequently brought up was the Irish Travellers’ close bond to their children. “We keep very close watch over our children,” Julie told Dowds. “If my child wants to go to his aunt’s house next door, I watch from the window to make sure he gets inside okay. If another Traveler [parent] isn’t going on a field trip, I do not let my child go. I’m sure the country people do a fine job with their kids, but I’m more comfortable if a member of my community is there.” Dowds also explored the topic of education in Murphy Village. “This level of protection over the children is also connected to the Traveler tradition of ending formal schooling (with non-Travelers) at 6th grade,” she wrote. “It seems like that point of adolescence is a crucial turning point for everyone. Travelers safeguard their children from adopting non-Traveler practices (i.e. adhering to a different code of conduct) by minimizing interaction with country people. No longer sharing eight-hour school days in ‘mixed company,’ the adolescents are perceived as more likely to uphold Traveler tradition with the decreased outside influence. Typically, the girls begin learning how to run the home, and the boys learn the trades of their fathers.” But, on occasion, some Irish Travellers take a different approach, Dowds wrote. Carol and her daughter, Carrie, “ping-ponged such a conversation about Travelers and formal education,” Dowds wrote. Carol: “I heard that one of ‘em out there’s an attorney” Carrie: “Wasn’t there a boy a couple years ago that went on a baseball scholarship to some school? Good for him.” Carol: [brightly] “It’s okay to break the cycle!” Outsiders’ View of Irish Travellers While Dowds discovered that many non-Travellers were fascinated with the culture in Murphy Village, she pointed out that it also contributes to a great deal of “storytelling” about the Irish Travellers. “These stories are powerful, moralizing, and in high circulation, as demonstrated in Joe’s similar account of Traveler reproductive patterns,” Dowds wrote, referring to Joe, the non-Traveller, who participated in her research “They [North Augusta Travelers] have to bring in outsiders, just to make sure they don’t get so inbred, to where like the kids are retarded and stuff like that,” Joe told Dowds. “I’ve had offers myself, I’ve had friends offered, to have sex with the females. As long as the boy has blonde hair, blue eyes, they’ll choose ‘em, and that’ll be it. They’ll pay you for it and that’s it... They want a certain...like Hitler, whenever he wanted Germany to be nothing but blonde hair blue eyes, the gypsies are the same way...[It’s] the only reason they go to the outside. Just like mutts are smarter than fullbred dogs, ‘cause full-blooded dogs are inbred and mutts go to the outside, as far as different breed...it’s the same way when it comes to humans, pretty much...If they’d have paid me a little more, I might have done it, I ain’t gone lie.” 16 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

Dowds acknowledged that she was surprised by Joe’s description of the Irish Travellers. “Likening a Traveler activity to the goals of Hitler is almost unmistakably an effort in producing knowledge about them as ‘mal-humanized,’” Dowds wrote. “There are a variety of negative perceptions permeating the North Augusta community about Travelers, but for our purposes we will look closely at notions of inbreeding, criminality (through dishonest business practices in particular), and materialism (attachment to things you can buy) for their specific cogence in constructing a moral barometer of the quality of Travelers as people.” However, Julie told Dowds that there is a complete misunderstanding of the Irish Travellers by many local residents. She added that media, through shows such as TLC’s “My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding,” has provided outsiders with a total misrepresentation of Murphy Village. “They weren’t us,” Julie said, referring to the people featured on the show, including a “village disc jockey.” “We’ve never seen them before. She [Tamara] thought she was gone fit in [by participating in the show] but what she didn’t realize is that we do not want that public attention. We know about selective editing, what they want to show about is and what they don’t. She would have been accepted a lot easier without filming that show.” Most long-time residents of the Augusta area will also remember the much-talked-about investigation by NBC’s “Dateline” in the mid-1990s about Murphy Village and the Irish Travellers. The news broadcast focused on the fact that children as young as 10 were getting married in Murphy Village.

“I just want us to be taken on an individual basis. Don’t lump us all together. Try to understand, everybody is different, not everybody is the same.” — Julie, an Irish Traveller The public was outraged that such behavior was occurring in Augusta’s own backyard and, not long after the “Dateline” story aired, then-S.C. Attorney General Charlie Condon authorized a task force to raid Murphy Village and arrest several Travellers. In addition, Condon demanded that the South Carolina Legislature pass a law establishing a minimum age for marriage. In 1997, the minimum age was set at 14 for girls and in 2000 it was updated to 16, according to The State newspaper. Dowds also explored the public’s reaction of the “Dateline NBC” story. “Unfortunately, I was 8 years old when the show aired, 13OCTOBER2016

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likely frolicking in Aunt Crystal and Uncle Kevin’s swimming pool not 3 miles from the incident,” Dowds wrote. “Luckily, the show did come up during my interview with Ms. Carol and her daughter Carrie.” Carol was honest about her observations of the news broadcast. “I don’t think people judge them as much anymore. It was kinda new, and then nobody cared anymore,” she said. “It was probably a bigger deal in 2000 when that 20/20 show was aired (notice how Dateline becomes 20/20 and 1996 becomes 2000; small details but malleable nonetheless).” However, Dowds points out that many North Augustans still feel comfortable calling the Travellers “gypsies.” “Many non-Traveler informants were completely aware of the offensive nature of the term but persisted in using it,” she wrote. The following is a discussion she had with non-Travellers, Heather and Joe: Heather: “Oh and they get mad if you call ‘em a gypsy. They say, ‘I’m a Traveler.’” Joe: “[It’s] like disrespectful to ‘em. But that’s all I’ve known ‘em by my whole life, is the gypsies, so...” Heather: “I call ‘em gypsies.” When Dowds asked Julie about being described as a “gypsy,” the Irish Traveller agreed it was offensive to the residents of Murphy Village.

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“We don’t roam. We own land. We’re not homeless. I have a home,” Julie stated. But Julie admitted that she has gotten used to the derogatory term. “We’d rather not be called gypsies, but it’s lost its sting, its meaning,” Julie told Dowds. “It’s not particularly offensive anymore. If a stranger asks me for directions, I’ll say, ‘You know where the gypsy camp is?’ to help ‘em out. Now, if someone is trying to be nasty and they attach it to other bad words, that’s different. But overall, it’s not even in the scope of things anymore.” “It’s done got old,” Julie added. “Don’t call me that instead of my name, but yes, I am a gypsy.” To read Crystan LaTorah Dowds’ full thesis on the Irish Travellers of Murphy Village, visit http://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10161/6768/ Denouncing%20White%20Privilege_Dowds.pdf?sequence=1

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Blues Traveler will “Blow Up” Evans MorE Than Two dEcadEs after producing hits like “Run-Around” and “Hook” in the 1990s, Blues Traveler is still known for playing marathon live sets and having a distinctive sound featuring the band’s harmonica-wielding frontman John Popper. Much like other jam bands of the early 1990s such as Phish and Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler’s vibe on stage reflects some of the same traditional sounds of legendary bands such as the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead. When George Claussen IV, founder of Friends With Benefits — the production company that has brought shows such as The Major Rager to downtown Augusta during Masters Week, and the Riverwalk Revival Series to the Jessye Norman Amphitheater — heard Blues Traveler was touring, he immediately jumped at the chance to bring the band to the Columbia County Amphitheater in Evans this Friday. “Over the past several years, we’ve seen all of these ‘80s bands coming back and everybody wants to go see them, but now, all of a sudden, we’re seeing this transition into the ‘90s,” Claussen said. “Now, you see these shows like the I Love the ‘90s Tour that are just becoming kind of like the Legends were for the 1980s.” Suddenly, people are anxious to see bands from the 1990s once again hit the road and play live on stage, Claussen said. “People are listening to who I was listening to in high school like the Gin Blossoms and Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer,” Claussen said. “You are seeing those kinds of tours popping up everywhere. So I feel like the next movement in the music scene is now the 1990s and not so much the 1980s anymore.” As soon as he learned that a show with Blues Traveler along with opening bands The Marcus 18 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

King Band and Cranford Hollow was possible for the Columbia County Amphitheater, Claussen said he didn’t have to think twice. “When we heard this was an option, we said, ‘God, I didn’t know Blues Traveler was even touring,’” Claussen said, chuckling. “So we decided, ‘Let’s do it at a venue we have not worked with yet.’ The Columbia County Amphitheater is the last venue in Augusta that we have not done a show in, so I’m very, very excited to check this off my bucket list. It is such an intimate, unique space at the Columbia County Amphitheater that I immediately knew this was something we wanted to do.” For Blues Traveler and John Popper to take the stage at the Columbia County Amphitheater, it is guaranteed to be terrific show because the band delivers such a powerful performance, Claussen said. “Blues Traveler and John Popper had some of the biggest hits of the 1990s and he is still putting out current stuff. The new album that just came out last year was just insane,” Claussen said, referring to the album, “Blow Up the Moon,” in which Blues Traveler collaborated with various artists including Thompson Square, Plain White T’s, Dirty Heads and Rome Ramirez (Sublime), Hanson and Jewel. “And John Popper is still playing festivals and he is very involved in the jam world.” Blues Traveler represents the type of band that Friends With Benefits wants to support and bring to the Augusta area, Claussen said. “There aren’t too many bands that still hit on what we want to do, which is sticking somewhat in the jam genre and staying current at the same time,” Claussen said. “But being able to bring someone from the 1990s like Blues Traveler, who definitely really dominated that decade with hits, is really cool. And it is such a familyfriendly show at a great venue.”

By Stacey Eidson

Claussen said it was also a great opportunity for his company to bring another show to Columbia County. The last show that Friends with Benefits brought to Evans was Kid Rock for MASH Augusta at the Evans Towne Center Park last October. “This was a good way to get right back in the thick of Columbia County,” he said. “Kid Rock was the last show that we had out there and it has almost been a year to date, so it was time to return to Columbia County.” Claussen is also thrilled that Blues Traveler’s show will feature both The Marcus King Band and Cranford Hollow. At only 20 years of age, Marcus King has astonished the music industry with a fiery brand of American roots music that King himself calls “soul-influenced psychedelic southern rock.” King, who was raised in Greenville, S.C., and his band are quickly becoming one of the country’s most sought after live acts. “The Marcus King Band is just blowing up everywhere. He is incredible,” Claussen said. “It is almost like he was born 30 or 40 years ago, but he is only a 20-year-old kid. But he has this very Allman Brothers’ sound. It’s like old school, original jam rock. This kid is everywhere in the jam world, so to have him playing with John Popper and Blues Traveler is just going to be insane. It will probably be one of my favorite shows of the year.” BlUEs TravElEr wiTh ThE MarcUs King Band and cranford hollow Columbia County Amphitheater, Evans Friday, October 14 5 p.m. $25 fwbpro.com 13OCTOBER2016

OCTOBER 13TH - 16TH @ HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

FREE ADMISSION!

Greek Food & Pastries Thursday 4pm - 9pm

Greek Bazaar

Fri & Sat 11am - 10pm

Corner of 10th & Greene Street

Music & Dancing

Sunday 11am - 6pm

Downtown Augusta www.holytrinityaugusta.org

whaT’s up

Metro Week: 23 | Calendar: 24 | Music Listings: 30 If you have any questions, or would like to submit an event to our calendar, please email Amy Christian at amy@themetrospirit.com.

keep on Truckin’

By Molly Swift

The weaTher was just awful last weekend, right? So what kind of bright sparks would go out in search of a food truck in that mess? Yep. We would. I love the food truck concept — portable, affordable, comforting hot lunches on the fly are so awesome. We could really do with many, many more in the Augusta area. Of course, we catching up thanks to the new Truck Stop at Jackson Square, which was our intended destination when we set off into North Augusta last Friday. Alas, Hurricane Matthew had other plans, and Jackson Square was empty when we got there. Luckily, there is another food truck in the area. Los Tres Potrillos is at 628 East Buena Vista Avenue in the parking lot of a convenience store. And don’t worry, the store doesn’t seem to mind if you park in the lot to visit Los Tres Potrillos instead of them. In fact, parking is the most difficult part of a visit to this humble food truck; after that, you just walk up to the window, order your food, eat and then pay. And it is cash only. Out of all the many options — tacos, tortas (sandwiches), quesadillas, mega quesadillas, burritos, sincronizadas and enchiladas — we both went for the tacos — one ground beef and one carne asada for me and one chorizo and one pastor for Amy Christian, my co-worker and dining companion. The choice of fillings for all dishes include steak, ground beef, chorizo, pastor (Mexican pork that borrows from shawarma for its flavoring), carnitas and chicken, as well as the more traditional lengua (beef tongue), nopales (cactus), cabeza (head) and chicharron (pork rinds). If you aren’t sure of something, just ask. The guys in the truck are really helpful.

This week

Friday

You might not want to wear your Sunday Best to Augusta University’s Douglas Barnard Amphitheatre today at 5:30 p.m. because, at the Augusta U Brew-N-Que, you’ll just get sauce all over everything. This event features barbecue, a KidZone, live music, fireworks and more. $10, students and children; $12.50, I GIVE donor; $15, adults; $20, day of event.

saTurday

Betcha didn’t know that the Augusta area is home to a thriving comic and zine community, did you? If you want to find out more about these creative people and the products they offer, join the folks at Creases zine for NoCon today at Mod Ink downtown. And bring the entire family.

sunday

If you’ve been itching to see “The Girl on the Train” or take the kids to see “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” but just haven’t quite gotten around to it yet, today’s the day. Why? Because those who go see a movie today at Riverwatch, Masters or Evans Cinemas will have 100 percent of their ticket sales donated to local charities, including the Police Benevolent Foundation, CSRA Humane Society, and Variety of Georgia. It’s a win-win!

wednesday

Did you know there are new pet ordinances in Augusta that go into effect at the beginning of 2017? If you’re confused about the new rules about noise, tethering and registration, head to the Headquarters Branch Library today at 5:30 p.m., where a representative of Augusta Animal Services will explain everything to you. A representative of Augusta Housing and Community Development will also be there to talk about small business loans and nonprofit capital.

For more information on these events, see our calendar of events on page 24.

It took very little time for the tacos to arrive, hot, in a basket and beautiful. Accompanied by fresh onion, cilantro, and lime, I didn’t feel that I needed to add to them, but I’m a sucker for salsa verde and threw some roja on there too just for the extra kick. The sauces, as well as napkins and drinks, are available near the ordering window of the truck and it’s serve yourself. We both loved our lunches. The flavors were spot on — bright notes of tomatillos and cilantro over perfectly seasoned beef in a delicious handmade taco. The chorizo was spicy but not too greasy and the pastor was a little sweet with a lot of flavoring. And my bottle of mango Jarritos soda made for a wonderful lunch for only about $5. Beautiful. Los Tres PoTriLLos 628 East Buena Vista Ave., North Augusta 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday

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Loyal Order of the Sword — it sounds like something out of “Game of Thrones,” doesn’t it? Well, Brad Pemberton, lead instructor of the Augusta chapter of Loyal Order of the Sword, would like you to know that they are actually a Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) group, which has its roots in practices dating back to the 1400s to the 1700s. “In a phrase, we are the ‘Italian street fighting of the 16th century’ and try to remain as practical to that as possible,” Pemberton said. HEMA is not modern fencing, although they currently meet each Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the Augusta Fencer’s Club. Rather, their current classes include training in the Italian rapier and the German longsword techniques. It’s a martial art whose popularity is increasing. For proof of that, just look to ESPN, which is starting to broadcast tournaments. Those who want to find out more about HEMA and Loyal Order of the Sword are invited to attend. All ages are welcome, although minors must attend the first meeting with a parent. LoyaL order of the Sword MeetingS

Augusta Fencer’s Club Saturdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. $25, monthly dues; first visit is free 602-432-7211 brad@loyalorderofthesword.com

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character monologues. Free with museum admission. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustamuseum.org.

1pm Separation of Church and State Maxwell Branch Library Led by Frank Carl with Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Preregistration required. Call 706-793-2020 or visit arcpls.org.

Mon Oct 17

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 Oct 18

10am - noon Foster Parent Orientation Necco Augusta A free weekly session. Pre-registration suggested. Call 706-210-3435 or visit necco.org.

10am - 11:30am See WSA Day Westminster Schools of Augusta A drop-in at Westminster’s Lower School (PK3 through ﬁfth grade) that will include tours, classroom visits and more. Visit wsa.net.

Greek Festival Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Thursday, October 13, 4-9 p.m.; FridaySaturday, October 14-15, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, October 16, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. A celebration that includes traditional foods, drinks and entertainment, as well as shopping in the marketplace and church tours. holytrinityaugusta.org

ARTS Fri Oct 14

6:30pm - 9pm Acrylic Painting Tippy Cakes Bakery and Gift Shop, Harlem A Harlem Arts Council class. $30. Call 706556-6656, 706-513-2634 or email blalocka@ hotmail.com.

Sat Oct 15

8am - noon Wire Wrap Jewelry Class Church of Our Savior An Artists’ Guild of Columbia County Class for adults in which participants will make two pendants. $50; materials and tools provided. Visit artistsguildcc.org.

Mon Oct 17

Augusta Technical College Participants should bring their resumes and dress in business attire. Visit augustatech.edu.

7pm - 8:30pm Digital Branch Help Aiken Public Library Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.

Wed Oct 19

5:30pm - 7pm Community Forum

Tippy Cakes Bakery and Gift Shop, Harlem A class for those in grades K-6, who will work in a variety of media. $15 per student per class. Call 706-556-6656, 706-513-2634 or email blalocka@hotmail.com.

Headquarters Branch Library Hosted by Augusta Animal Services, who will discuss ordinance changes taking effect January 1, 2017, and other programs, and Augusta Housing and Community Development, who will talk about, among other things, small business loans and nonproﬁt capital. Visit augustaga.gov.

EDUCATION

Ongoing

Wed Oct 19

10am Homeschool Art Classes

Thu Oct 13

10am - noon and 4pm - 6pm Adult Education Open House Augusta Technical College Participants can register for classes and get information from vendors. Free. Visit augustatech.edu.

10am - noon Oil Painting

Sat Oct 15

Tippy Cakes Bakery and Gift Shop, Harlem A three-session Harlem Arts Council class. $20 per class. Call 706-556-6656, 706-5132634 or email blalocka@hotmail.com.

Augusta Museum of History Part of the Voices of the Past series of

24 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

11am - 1pm Career Fair

11:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm The Other Tubmans

James Brown Family Historical Tour Augusta Museum of History Available each Saturday at 11 a.m. and lasting approximately two hours, this bus tour includes Brown’s elementary school, his childhood home, his statue and more. $15 fee, includes admission to the museum, which houses the largest collection of James Brown memorabilia. Reservations 24 hours in advance required. Call 803-6402090 or visit jamesbrownfamilyfdn.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 30-45-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 803-441-4380 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 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.

ELSEWHERE Ongoing

“Toulouse-Lautrec Works on Paper Featuring the Robbie Barnett and Kathy Olson Collection” Columbia Museum of Art An exhibition of eight works on paper from 19th-century artist Henri de ToulouseLautrec, as well as lithographs from lender Dr. Anna Griswold and the CMA collection. On display through December 4. Call 803799-2810 or visit columbiamuseum.org.

EXHIBITIONS Thu Oct 13

6pm - 8pm Gallery Opening Reception Aiken Center for the Arts Featuring the following exhibits: Watercolors by Wendy Cunico, Jill Gunn, Beth Jones and Kaye Ward; Pottery by Madeline Fox; Paintings by Leigh Hyman Ryan; Photography by Shirley Radabaugh; and Paintings by Ellene Southerland in the Aiken Artist Guild Gallery. Works will show through November 5. Call 803-641-9094 or visit aikencenterforthearts.org.

Ongoing

Unseen Patterns: Jowita Wyszomirska 13OCTOBER2016

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Westobou Gallery A large-scale, site-specific installation stretching throughout the Westobou Gallery that reflects the effects of climate change and is based on aerial maps of the Savannah River and satellite imagery of weather patterns of the Chesapeake Bay. It will be on display through November 18. Call 706-7552878 or visit westoboufestival.com.

HEALTH

Transformative Processes: The Sculptural Work of Matt Tool

7pm - 9:30pm Women’s Center Tour

AU’s Mary S. Byrd Gallery A Westobou Festival exhibition that shows through November 4. Visit westoboufestival.com.

Sum Exhibition Jessye Norman School of the Arts An exhibition of works by local artists Baruti Tucker, Jay Jacobs, Jason Lutz, Jacki Mayo Van Dyke and Joey Hart in which each added elements to six large, 40’ x 40” paintings. Each painting begins and ends with a different artist. The exhibit will be on display throughout October and gallery hours are noon-3 p.m. each Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the month. Call 706828-7768 or visit jessyenormanschool.org.

Augusta Photo Festival and Gail Wheeler/Mike Adams Exhibits Arts & Heritage Center, North Augusta Both exhibitions show through November 4. Call 803-441-4380 or visit artsandheritagecenter.com.

Nature Essence 600 Broad Building An exhibition of nature photographs by David Foster that will be on display through October 30. Visit augustaphotofestival.org.

Images of Historic Trinity CME Church Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History An exhibit that features photographs taken by the Chicks that Click Photography Club. The exhibition will show throughout the month of October Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 706-724-3576 or visit lucycraftlaneymuseum.com.

Exhibits 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 706-7228454 or visit augustamuseum.org.

13OCTOBER2016

Thu Oct 13

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. University Hospital Free, but pre-registration required. Call 706774-2825 or visit universityhealth.org.

Fri Oct 14

6:30pm - 9:30pm Weekend Childbirth Education Class University Hospital Class continues Saturday, October 15, from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Pre-registration required. Call 706-774-2825 or visit universityhealth.org.

Sat Oct 15

9am - 4:30pm Short and Sweet Doctors Hospital A weekend childbirth education class that continues Sunday, October 16, from 1-5 p.m. Pre-registration required. Call 706-651-2229 or visit doctors-hospital.net.

Mon Oct 17

1pm - 3pm Look Good Feel Better University’s Breast Health Center An American Cancer Society program that aims to help female cancer patients combat the appearance-related side-effects of chemo and radiation. Pre-registration required. Call 706-774-4141 or visit universityhealth.org.

Thu Oct 20

Mon Oct 17

6pm - 8pm Civil War Roundtable Meeting Goodwill’s The Snelling Center James “Bud” Robertson, author of “Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, The Legend,” will be the guest speaker. Meetings are $12, including dinner. Membership is $25 per year, individual; $40, couple. Call 706-736-2909 or visit civilwarroundtableaugustaga.com.

6pm Breastfeeding Class Babies R Us Free, but pre-registration required. Call 706774-2825 or visit universityhealth.org.

HOBBIES Sat Oct 15

11am, 1pm and 3pm Museum Escape Augusta Museum of History Coinciding with the museum’s new exhibit, Augusta 1875-1900, this murder-mystery game in an escape room will be available for up to 8 people per session. Sessions last about one hour. For ages 18 and up, or 12 and up with parental supervision. $15, members; $20, non-members; $25, at the door. Call 706-722-8454 or visit augustamuseum.org.

7pm Tabletop Gaming Meetup Barnes & Noble Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.

Tue Oct 18

10am Genealogy 101 Headquarters Branch Library’s Georgia Heritage Room Participants will learn how to start a family history project, as well as discuss resources and strategies. Call 706-826-1511 or visit arcpls.org.

7pm Augusta Rose Society Meeting First Baptist Church’s Adult Building Free. Call 803-215-0157 or visit theaugustarosesociety.org.

Wed Oct 19

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.

KIDS-TEENS Thu Oct 13

4pm Lego Club Aiken Public Library For those ages 5-11. Legos provided. Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.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.

Sat Oct 15

10am Pumpkin Decorating Workshop Hire Grounds Cafe For kids of all ages and their parents. Free, but pre-registration required. Call 706-6505760 or visit hferrante@goodwillworks.org.

11am Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes Story Time Barnes & Noble Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.

Mon Oct 17

6:30pm - 8pm Star Wars Reads Day North Augusta’s Nancy Carson Library Those in elementary school and up are invited to wear costumes for snacks, light saber battles, games and more. Call 803AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

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Georgia-Carolina State Fair Exchange Club Fairgrounds October 14-23 706-722-0202 georgiacarolinastatefair.com The Western Carolina State Fair in Aiken is October 20-29 and the Columbia County Fair is November 3-13. 279-5767 or visit abbe-lib.org.

Tue Oct 18

4pm Storytime in the Gardens Hopelands Gardens, Aiken Local senior adults will read to participants and each family in attendance will receive a free book. Blankets, chairs, drinks and snacks are welcome. Call 803-642-7631.

Wed Oct 19

10am Wacky Wednesday Story Time Barnes & Noble Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.

10:30am - noon Super Awesome Story Time The Book Tavern Featuring artist Jacki Mayo Van Dyke, who will read “They All Saw a Cat” by Brendan Wenzel and then lead a craft time. Cookies and juice provided. Call 706-826-1940 or email superawesomestorytime@booktavern. com.

4:30pm - 6pm Alley Cats Strikehouse Bowl, Aiken Part of the Aiken Recreation Department’s Buddy Sports program for those with physical and/or intellectual disabilities, this class is for those of all bowling abilities. $12 a month; pre-registration required. Call 803426-1284 or visit therecingcrew.com.

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5pm Teens @ Your Library

Symphony Youth Competition

Diamond Lakes Branch Library An event for those ages 12-17 that will include movies, crafts and/or board games. Pre-registration required. Call 706-772-2432 or visit arcpls.org.

Open to CSRA students ages 10-18 who play strings, woodwinds, brass and piano, applications, $50 application fee, short bio, photo and audio submissions are due Friday, December 2. Winners receive cash prizes and have an opportunity to perform with Symphony Orchestra Augusta at the Pops! Under the Stars concert on May 13, 2017. For more information, email Katherine@soaugusta.org.

Ongoing

14th Annual Teen Ghost Story Contest North Augusta’s Nancy Carson Library Those in grades 6-12 are invited to submit ghost stories of 1,000 words or less (typed, double-spaced with name, age, grade and telephone number included) to the library. Winners in middle and high school will will Amazon gift cards and be invited to read their submissions in an event on Thursday, October 27, at 7 p.m. Call 803-279-5767, ext. 1541, or email nancycarsonlibrary@gmail.com.

Junior Model UN Registration Augusta University Middle school students who are interested in assuming the perspective of a diplomat from a United Nations Member State and representing their position can register for the day-long simulation at Augusta University. Early registration ends October 15; January 16 is registration deadline; February 15 is the late registration deadline. Email Dr. Craig Albert at calbert@augusta. edu or visit augusta.edu/pamplin/pols/ juniormodelun.php.

LITERARY

Tue Oct 18

2pm Friends of the Aiken County Public Library Meeting Aiken Public Library Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.

7:30pm Oswald Writers Series Etherredge Center, Aiken Featuring author Rick Bragg. Call 803-6413305 or visit etherredge.usca.edu.

Sat Oct 15

Thu Oct 20

Barnes & Noble Featuring Rasheen Davis, author of “The Chemo Room.” Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.

Columbia County Library Part of the All About Author Series, this one featuring Garth Stein, best-selling author of “Raven Stole the Moon.” Reservations can be made at garthstein.eventbrite.com. Call 706-863-1946 or visit gchrl.org.

3pm Author Signing

Sun Oct 16

1pm Author Signing Barnes & Noble Featuring Rasheen Davis, author of “The Chemo Room.” Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.

1:30pm Meet the Author The Book Tavern Featuring local artist Staci Swider, author of “Acrylic Expressions: Painting Authentic Themes and Creating Your Visual Vocabulary.” Swider will talk about her book and art, sign copies of her book and show some of her art. Call 706-826-1940 or visit booktavern.com.

7pm Author Talk-Autograph Signing

MUSIC Thu Oct 13

7:30pm Matthew Morrison Bell Auditorium The “Glee” star appears as part of Symphony Orchestra Augusta’s Pops! at the Bell series. $10.19-$40.74. Call 706-826-4705 or visit soaugusta.org.

Fri Oct 14

6pm Moonlight Music Cruise Augusta Canal Discovery Center Featuring Gwen Hughes, this event features 13OCTOBER2016

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live music aboard a 1 1/2-hour Petersburg boat tour. Participants are invited to bring aboard snacks and beverages. $25; preregistration required. Call 706-823-0440, ext. 4, or visit augustacanal.com.

Click Photography Club, who will discuss their exhibition on Trinity CME Church on display now at the museum. $11; preregistration required. Call 706-724-3576 or visit lucycraftlaneymuseum.com.

Sat Oct 15

Thu Oct 20

Eighth Street Plaza Live music from local jazz artists and performing arts groups during the Augusta Market. Call 706-627-0128 or visit theaugustamarket.com.

Summerville Professional Office Building Graduates of this program, for those ages 50 and older, can apply for a discount on insurance. $14. Call 800-414-7441 or visit trinityofaugusta.com.

2:30pm Guitar Lessons

10:30am Seniors Golden Games

Tippy Cakes Bakery and Gift Shop A Harlem Arts Council class for those with beginner to intermediate guitar experience. $30. Call 706-556-6656, 706-513-2634 or email blalocka@hotmail.com.

Appleby Branch Library Call 706-736-6244 or visit ecgrl.org.

11am - 2pm Saturday Morning Swing

3pm The Sweet Sound of Music St. Bartholomew’s, North Augusta A musical theater and dessert cafe event featuring performances by the Harmony River Chorus of Sweet Adeline’s International, with special guests the Garden City Chorus. $15. Call 706-877-2715.

Sun Oct 16

9am - 1pm AARP Driver Safety

SPECIAL EVENTS Thu Oct 13

4pm - 9pm Greek Festival Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church A four-day celebration that includes traditional foods, drinks and entertainment, as well as shopping in the marketplace and church tours. Visit holytrinityaugusta.org.

Fri Oct 14

10am - 2pm Fall Fresh Produce Market

Morris Museum of Art Part of the Music at the Morris series. Free. Call 706-724-7501 or visit themorris.org.

Medical Associates Plus Held the second Friday of the month, this market sells fresh, locally grown and organic fruits and vegetables and doubles EBT beneﬁts. Call 877-205-5006 or email info@mapbt.com.

Thu Oct 20

11am - 10pm Greek Festival

Etherredge Center, Aiken Featuring 12 Nashville musicians, singers and dancers. $40. Call 803-641-3305 or visit etherredge.usca.edu.

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church A four-day celebration that includes traditional foods, drinks and entertainment, as well as shopping in the marketplace and church tours. Visit holytrinityaugusta.org.

7:30pm Mozart, Murder, Mikado

5pm - 8pm Wine Not It’s Friday

2pm Brian Smith

7:30pm Live From Nashville

AU’s Maxwell Theatre A presentation of the Augusta University Opera Institute and Ensemble. $10, general; $8, AU alum, seniors, military; $5, children, AU faculty and staff; free, AU students. Call 706-667-4100 or visit augusta.edu.

SENIORS Wed Oct 19

11:30am - 2pm Pottery Making Class Harlem Senior Center A four-session Harlem Arts Council class for adults ages 55 and older of all skill levels that continues each Thursday through May 26. No experience necessary. $80. Call 706-394-4682 or email harlemartscouncil@ gmail.com.

11:30am - 1pm Senior Luncheon Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History Guest speakers will be Pamela Cook and Judy Holmes, co-founders of Chicks That 13OCTOBER2016

Whole Foods A $5 wine tasting in which participants get ﬁve 3-ounce samples of featured wines. Call 762-333-0259 or visit wholefoodsmarket.com.

5:30pm - 8:30pm Augusta U Brew-N-Que Douglas Barnard Amphitheatre An event featuring barbecue, a KidZone, live music, ﬁreworks and more. $10, students and children; $12.50, I GIVE donor; $15, adults; $20, day of event. Call 706-729-2390 or visit augusta.edu.

6pm - 8:30pm A Toast to Fall Pilgrimage Fundraiser Church of the Good Shepherd Featuring beverages, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. $25 per person, $40, couples. Visit goodshepherd-augusta.org.

7pm - 11pm The Art of Chocolate The Legends Club

Walk with the Spirits Summerville Cemetery Saturday-Sunday, October 15-16 2-5 p.m. An Historic Augusta event in which participants will be led on guided tours by some of the cemetery’s most notable inhabitants, including Maisie Chrystie Chafee, an avid golfer. Tours begin each 20 minutes. Not recommended for children under 5. $15, adults; $10, children and groups of 10 or more. Pre-registration encouraged. 706-724-0436 historicaugusta.org A black-tie optional fundraiser for Child Enrichment that includes food, cocktails, silent auctions, music by the Gray Mayﬁeld Trio, chocolate, desserts and more. $75. Call 706-737-4631 or visit childenrichment.org.

Sat Oct 15 NoCon

Mod Ink, 754 Broad Street Downtown An all-day Augusta comic and zine fest for the entire family presented by Creases zine. Visit creasesaugusta.weebly.com.

8am - 2pm Augusta Market at the River 8th Street Plaza, Reynolds Street The event features vendors of all kinds, activities, live entertainment and more. Visit theaugustamarket.com.

9am - 11am James Brown Turkey Giveaway Registration Dyess Park Those interested should bring a stateissued ID and a current utility bill or a current signed lease for proof of residence. The giveaway will take place Monday, November 21, at Dyess Park at 8 a.m. Call 803-640-2090 or email info@ gamesbrownfamilyfdn.org.

10am - 5pm Colonial Times: A Day to Remember North Augusta’s Living History Park A two-day, free event that includes demonstrations and living exhibits of Colonial life, a Colonial dance and more. Call 803-279-7560 or visit colonialtimes.us.

10am - 5pm Fall Festival Martinez United Methodist Church Featuring a pumpkin and mum sale, trick or treating, inﬂatables, a silent auction, bake sale, vendors, food and more. Call 706-2319819 or visit martinezgaumc.org.

11am - 10pm Greek Festival Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church A four-day celebration that includes traditional foods, drinks and entertainment, as well as shopping in the marketplace and church tours. Visit holytrinityaugusta.org.

1pm Grave Marking Ceremony Damascus Baptist Cemetery, Appling Three Revolutionary patriots’ graves, Pvt. Reuben Blanchard, Pvt. Samuel Cartledge and Capt. Samuel Cartledge, will be marked by the William Few Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution in a ceremony AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

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in which the public and descendants are invited to attend. A reception hosted by the College Hill Daughters of the American Revolution will follow the ceremony. Email wjtank@comcast.net.

2pm - 5pm Walk with the Spirits Summerville Cemetery An Historic Augusta event in which participants will be led on guided tours by some of the cemetery’s most notable inhabitants. Tours begin each 20 minutes. Not recommended for children under 5. $15, adults; $10, children and groups of 10 or more. Pre-registration encouraged. Call 706724-0436 or visit historicaugusta.org.

Star Wars Reads Day North Augusta’s Nancy Carson Library Monday, October 17 6:30-8 p.m. Those in elementary school and up are invited to wear costumes for snacks, light saber battles, games and more. 803-279-5767 abbe-lib.org

Sun Oct 16

Cinema for a Cause Those who go see a movie today at Riverwatch, Masters or Evans Cinemas will have 100 percent of their ticket sales donated to local charities, including the Police Benevolent Foundation, CSRA Humane Society, and Variety of Georgia. Visit georgiatheatrecompany.com.

11am - 6pm Greek Festival Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church A four-day celebration that includes traditional foods, drinks and entertainment, as well as shopping in the marketplace and church tours. Visit holytrinityaugusta.org.

Tue Oct 18

4:30pm - 7pm Veggie Truck Farmers Market AL Williams Park This weekly event, held through the end of October in the park across from the Kroc Center, features all local farmers and doubles EBT. Visit growharrisburg.org.

Thu Oct 20

5pm - 8pm Third Thursday Tasting Wine World A drop-in event that features a wine or beer 28 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

tasting. $5; $3 rebate upon purchase of a featured bottle. Call 803-279-9522 or visit wineworldsc.com.

7pm - 9:30pm A Taste of Wine and Art Aiken Center for the Arts A fundraiser featuring local cuisine, wine tastings, silent auctions and more. $50, members; $55, non-members. Call 803-6419094 or visit aikencenterforthearts.org.

Ongoing

Spooky to Be Hungry Pet Food Drive Vineyard Community Church and Brass Knuckles Pin Ups Rescue have begun a pet food pantry and are accepting donations of wet and dry pet food at Graced Kennel and Allegiance Ink Tattoo. For more information, visit brassknucklepinupsrescue.com.

The Maize at Steed’s Dairy Steed’s Dairy, Grovetown A real working dairy farm that has activities that include a corn maize, a petting zoo, a jumping pillow and giant tube slide, rubber duckie races, a preschool play area, hayrides, a pumpkin patch, cow milking demonstrations and more. Open through November 13. Hours are Fridays in October from 5-10 p. m., Saturdays from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sundays from 1-7 p.m. The Haunted Maize is available Fridays and Saturdays in October from dark-10 p.m. $11; $8, seniors, military and groups; $5 for Haunted Maize; free, ages 2 and under. Visit steedsdairy.com.

Marvin Corner Pumpkin Patch

Marvin United Methodist Church The church will have pumpkins, gourds, mums and straw for sale to support missions and community outreach. Families are invited to bring their cameras and take pictures. Open each day in October. Hours are 2-7 p.m. MondaysFridays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and noon-7 p.m. Sundays. Call 706-863-0510 or visit eddboothe@yahoo.com.

8am - 11am Fall Migration Bird Walk

Georgia-Carolina State Fair

8:45am - 11:15am Backstretch Tour

Exchange Club Fairgrounds An annual Exchange Club event that includes carnival rides, shows, exhibits, food and more. Open October 14-23. Hours are Monday-Friday from 5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from noon. Advance tickets available. Call 706-722-0202 or visit georgiacarolinastatefair.com.

Aiken Training Track A behind-the-scenes tour of the Aiken Training Track for those ages 16 and older. Participants should meet at the Rye Patch parking lot to catch a bus to the track. $25; pre-registration required. Call 803-643-2121 or 803-642-7631, email halloffame@cityofaikensc.gov or visit aikenracinghalloffame.com.

Western Carolina State Fair Aiken Fairgrounds An annual event that includes carnival rides and games, exhibits, shows, food and more. Open October 20-29. Visit westerncarolinastatefair.com.

SPORTS-OUTDOORS Sat Oct 15

7:30am Miracle Mile Breast Cancer Walk Augusta Common Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with a pre-walk program starting at 8:30 a.m. and the walk beginning at 9:15 a.m. Visit 2015miraclemilewalk.kintera.org.

Phinizy Swamp Nature Park Free, members; $5, non-members. Call 706828-2109 or visit phinizycenter.org.

9am 4-H Family Yoga in the Park Phinizy Swamp Nature Park For all levels of kids and adults. Participants should bring yoga mat and water. Call 706828-2109 or visit phinizycenter.org.

9am Waterside Yoga Augusta Canal’s Lake Olmstead Trailhead A class open to those of all ages and abilities. Participants should bring a mat or towel. Free, but donations to the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area accepted. Call 706-823- 0440, ext. 2, or visit augustacanal.com.

9:30am - noon Swamp Bike Saturday Phinizy Swamp Nature Park A guided bike ride through approximately seven miles of wetland trials. Helmets and pre-registration required. Free, members; $2, nonmembers. Call 706-396-1426 or visit phinizycenter.org. 13OCTOBER2016

7pm - 9pm Full Moon Paddle Betty’s Branch boat ramp A Sierra Club event in which participants will paddle six or so miles. Life jackets and whistles are required. Email sonnyandcathyblack@gmail.com.

experiences and learn more about strategies for preserving the independence and quality of life for ALS patients and their loved ones. Lunch is provided. Free, but preregistration required. Call 706-721-2681 or visit augusta.org/classes.

Sun Oct 16

Mon Oct 17

Harlem High School Presented by the Rotary Club of Columbia County West, this metric century bike ride begins and ends at Harlem High. Registration includes rest stops with food and energy drinks, sagg wagons, an after-ride lunch and a T-shirt. $30, adults, $10, children 14 and under; $35 and $15 after October 15. Call 706833-8291 or visit active.com.

Daksha Chudgar Lydia House Call 706-721-5557 or visit grhealth.org.

8:30am Rotary Hardy 100K

Mon Oct 17

9am Adaptive Golf Challenge Forest Hills Golf Club A benefit for the Walton Foundation’s adaptive golf program, which holds monthly clinics in both Augusta and Aiken, this tournament begins with registration at 9 a.m. and a shotgun start at 11 a.m. $60 player fee includes lunch and a cookout dinner. Call 706-826-5809 or email haleyh@ waltonfoundation.net.

Tue Oct 18

6:30pm Sierra Club Monthly Meeting Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta A Savannah River Group Sierra Club event that will include a program on snakes and their habitats by Whit Gibbons. Free and open to the public. Email msmcb@outlook.com.

Ongoing

6:15pm CSRA GYN Cancer Support

Tue Oct 18

10:20am Moms Connection Augusta University Medical Center This free weekly support group for new mothers meets in the Terrace Dining Dogwood Room on the second floor. All new moms and their babies are welcome and an international board certified lactation consultant/educator/perinatal nurse will answer questions and offer resources. Call 706-721-8283 or visit augustahealth.org.

6pm Mental Health Support Group Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta A group for teens and up that follows the methods of Recovery International. Call 630605-6913 or visit recoveryinternational.org.

Thu Oct 20

6pm Bariatric Surgery Support Group University Hospital Call 706-774-8931 or visit universityhealth.org.

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.

11am ALS Support Lunch and Learn Augusta University Medical Office Building room 4306 This support group gives individuals an opportunity to share their personal

Diabetes Youth Support Group Meets quarterly. Call for more information. Call 706-868-3241.

Overeaters Anonymous 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.

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.

SUPPORT

Fri Oct 14

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.

AU Cancer Center For patients, family, friends and caregivers. Call 706-721-1634 or visit auhealth.org.

Ongoing

AU Cancer Center Call 706-721-1560 or visit augusta.edu.

Celebrate Recovery

Adult Sexual Assault and Rape Support Group

11:30am Blood Cancer/BMT Support

Augusta Fencers Club The group, an Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) group, meets each Saturday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Current classes offer training on Italian rapier and German longsword techniques and are open to all ages, although minors need to be accompanied by a parent to their first meeting. $25, monthly dues, with the first visit free. Call 602-432-7211 or email brad@loyalorderofthesword.com.

12:30pm Breast Cancer Support

GRU Cancer Center Meets the third Wednesday of each month. Call 706-721-1634 or visit grhealth.org

Wed Oct 19

Loyal Order of the Sword Meetings

Thu Oct 13

Blood Cancer/BMT Support Group

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)

La Leche League 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.

Alcoholics Anonymous Holds several meetings locally. For a current schedule, visit augustaaa.org/meetings.pdf.

Narcotics Anonymous Trinity Hospital of Augusta Meets Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Visit na.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

For more information, call 706-721-8299 or visit grhealth.org.

THEATER Fri Oct 14

7:30pm “Steel Magnolias” Aiken Community Playhouse $20, adults; $17, seniors and active military; $12, students; $7, children. Call 803-648-1438 or visit aikencommunityplayhouse.com.

Sat Oct 15

7:30pm “Steel Magnolias” Aiken Community Playhouse $20, adults; $17, seniors and active military; $12, students; $7, children. Call 803-648-1438 or visit aikencommunityplayhouse.com.

Sun Oct 16

7pm “Amahl and the Night Visitors” Auditions Aiken Community Playhouse The opera will show in December. For more information, call 803-648-1438 or visit aikencommunityplayhouse.com.

Mon Oct 17

7pm “Amahl and the Night Visitors” Auditions Aiken Community Playhouse The opera will show in December. For more information, call 803-648-1438 or visit aikencommunityplayhouse.com.

Ongoing

Take the Stage The 52nd annual convention of the Georgia Theatre Conference, which will include workshops, seminars, sessions, performances and keynote speaker Matthew Morrison, will continue October 13-16 at venues across Augusta, including Davidson Fine Arts School and AU’s Maxwell Theatre. For more information and to register, email exdir4gtc@gmail.com or lewisro@boe.richmond.k12. ga.us.

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World of Beer - Justin Petrey

What’s Tonight?

The Backyard Tavern - Karaoke Bar West - DJ Fugi Chevy’s - DJ Nicky B Fox’s Lair - Karaoke Helga’s Pub & Grille - Bluegrass Brunch (11 a.m.-3 p.m.); Trivia, nights The Highlander - Karaoke Joe’s Underground - Ladies Night, Singles Night Fox’s Lair - Karaoke Somewhere in Augusta - NCAA Football Vera Cruz Mexican Restaurant - Karaoke

What’s Tonight?

Sunday, October 16 Live Music

Fox’s Lair - Beats Downunder Open Mic Hosted by Happy Bones The Highlander - Open Mic Night Shannon’s - Shameless Dave Wild Wing - Robbie & Rushton

Aiken Speakeasy and Eats (Aiken) - Live Jazz Bell Auditorium - Anthony Hamilton, Lalah Hathaway, Eric Benet Mellow Mushroom (Aiken) - Brunch w/ Mike Frost and Lauren Meccia Wild Wing - AcostA The Willcox (Aiken) - John Vaughn

What’s Tonight? You probably can’t tell by the way it’s spelled, but former Augusta resident Greg Boerner’s last name is pronounced “burner,” a pronunciation this singer/songwriter/guitarist says is pretty accurate. See him burn up the Sky City stage when he returns to town Thursday, October 13. Doors open at 8 p.m., music begins at 9 and admission is $5. Visit skycityaugusta.com. Thursday, October 13 Live Music

Bell Auditorium - Matthew Morrison Fox’s Lair - Authentic Blues w/ Billy McKnight Mellow Mushroom (Aiken) - Live Music on the Patio Sky City - Greg Boerner Stillwater Taproom - Matt Acosta Tin Lizzy’s - Kelly Cheats Wild Wing - Kenny George Band The Willcox (Aiken) - Thursday Night Jazz w/ 4 Cats in the Dog House

What’s Tonight?

Andrew’s - Karaoke w/ April 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 Coyotes - Karaoke with Bam 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 - Poker for Fun; Thursday Night Football; Paint Nite Soul Bar - DJ Drec J

Friday, October 14 Live Music

Andrew’s - Ace of Clubs Augusta Canal - Moonlight Music Cruise w/ Gwen Hughes

30 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

Bar West - Live Music Bell Auditorium - Newsboys Bird Dog Grille - Donna Jo Cotton Patch - Live Jazz & Blues Eli’s American - Friday Night Live Evans Towne Center Park - Blues Traveler, the Marcus King Band, Cranford Hollow Fox’s Lair - Carey Murdock Imperial Theatre - Mountain Faith Shannon’s - Anybody’s Guess Somewhere in Augusta - Jason White The Stables at Rose Hill Estate (Aiken) - Keith Gregory Stillwater Taproom - Will Erickson and the Wreckage Whole Foods - Music @ the Turn Wild Wing - Center Lane The Willcox (Aiken) - John Vaughn

Joe’s Underground - Open Mic The Willcox (Aiken) - Hal Shreck

Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - F&B Industry Day; NFL Football; Paint Nite

Monday, October 17 Live Music

Metro Coffeehouse & Pub - Blues Monday w/ Famous Last Words

What’s Tonight?

The Backyard Tavern - Karaoke Joe’s Underground - Poker Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - World Tavern Poker; Monday Night Football Wild Wing - Trivia Wing Place (Aiken) - Trivia

Tuesday, October 18 Live Music

Fox’s Lair - Irish Music with Dr. Fisher and the Undefeated Army

Bar West - Trivia The Cotton Patch - Trivia Limelite Cafe - Bottom’s Up Trivia Mellow Mushroom (Aiken) - Trivia Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - Big Prize Trivia Soul Bar - Soul Night w/ DJ Matto Twisted Burrito - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper

Wednesday, October 19 Live Music

What’s Tonight?

The Backyard Tavern - Karaoke Bar West - Karaoke Chevy’s - Karaoke Cotton Patch - Trivia and Tunes Knight’s Lounge - Game Night 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/ The Step Brothers Tour Southbound Smokehouse - Trivia Stillwater Taproom - Pub Quiz Surrey Tavern - Trivia w/ Christian and Mickey

Upcoming Flow Tribe, The Hip Abduction

- Sky City October 20 Vilai Harrington

- Stillwater Taproom October 20 Martin Lawrence

- James Brown Arena October 22

What’s Tonight?

Country Club - All Night Dance Party Sky City - Zombie Prom Soul Bar - Soul Bar Sound Lab Vera Cruz Mexican Restaurant - Karaoke

Saturday, October 15 Live Music

Andrew’s - Wits End Cotton Patch - Live Jazz & Blues Country Club - Ben Bradford Eighth Street Plaza - Saturday Morning Swing at the Augusta Market on the River Shannon’s - Pitt Boss Stillwater Taproom - Michael Baideme and Phillip Lee Jr. Wild Wing - Matt Brantley Band The Willcox (Aiken) - John Vaughn

Boy George, one of the most recognizable faces from 1980s popular music, bring the Culture Club to the Bell Auditorium Wednesday, November 23, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the show, $39-$127, go on sale Friday morning, October 14, at 10 a.m. Call 877-4AUGTIX or visit georgialinatix.com. 13OCTOBER2016

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Zac Brown Band

- Sky City October 25

- Southern Ground Amphitheater, Fayetteville October 15

ZZ Top

- Bell Auditorium October 26 Moon Taxi, Big Something

- Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee, North Augusta October 28

Rock Chastain 2016 w/ Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, Ed Roland and Sweet Tea Project, John Driskell Hopkins, Brian Collins

- Chastain Park, Atlanta October 15

Gin Blossoms, Tonic

Lynyrd Skynyrd

- Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee, North Augusta October 29

- Reaves Arena, Perry October 15 Lewis Black

Big & Rich w/ Cowboy Troy and DJ Sinister

- The Tabernacle, Atlanta October 15

- Evans Towne Center Park November 4

Amy Schumer

I Love the ‘90s Tour w/ Salt N Pepa, Vanilla Ice, Coolio, Kid N Play, Rob Base, Tone Loc, Color Me Badd

- Philips Arena, Atlanta October 15 John Hiatt

- Bell Auditorium November 10

- City Winery, Atlanta October 16

Surfer Blood, Koko Beware

The Mavericks

- Sky City November 10

- Variety Playhouse, Atlanta October 16

The Travelin’ McCourys

Elvis Costello

- Imperial Theatre November 11

- Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Atlanta October 18

Guitar Pull w/ Cole Swindell, The Band Perry, Kelsea Ballerini, Trace Adkins, Kane Brown, Chris Janson

REAL PEOPLE REAL DESIRE REAL FUN.

Richard Thompson

- James Brown Arena November 15

- City Winery, Atlanta October 18-20

Culture Club

Echo and the Bunnymen

- Bell Auditorium November 23

- Variety Playhouse, Atlanta October 18

Vince Gill

The Revivalists

- Bell Auditorium February 17

- Georgia Theatre, Athens October 19

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Phish

Elsewhere Korn, Breaking Benjamin

- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alpharetta October 13

- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alpharetta October 21-22 Bill O’Reilly, Dennis Miller

- Fox Theatre, Atlanta October 21

Amy Schumer

Tinsley Ellis

- Martin Luther King Jr. Arena, Savannah October 13

- Newberry Opera House, Newberry S.C. October 21

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SIGHTINGS

Michael Johnson | mejphoto.photoreflect.com

Sean and Amiee Lynch with Cindy and Matt Pantsari at Craft & Vine.

Edwin Crawford and Julie Dennard with Crystal and Brian Owen at Mellow Mushroom.

Daniel Thomas, Laney Blackstone, Jaclyn Burge and Mike O’Neal at Mellow Mushroom.

Scott Lewis, Christy Beckman and Kim Lewis at the Border Bash at Augusta University’s Golf and Gardens.

Joey Carroll, James Heath, singer/songwriter Donna Jo and Mark Janousek at Border Bash at Augusta University’s Golf and Gardens.

Stephen Crawford, Courtney Jackson and Ben Miller at Metro Coffeehouse & Pub.

Brett and Lauren George with Shelley and Jeff Young at the Pizza Joint downtown.

Porssche Burnett, Jefferson Herrington, Jaci Taggart and Joshua Hemma at the Firehouse.

David and Nicole Falbe with Rian and Jeremy Jockisch at Wild Wing.

32 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

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PAPER JAM By Zhouqin Burnikel/Edited by Will Shortz ACROSS 1 Waste generator? 6 Bookkeeper’s stamp 10 Talks a big game 16 Time-capsule ceremony 17 Lawn game that’s in the Special Olympics 18 Director of the “Hostel” films 20 First Amendment guarantee 22 Digital technology that provides higher-quality sound 23 Big name in chips 24 Like most 23-Across chips 25 Bad-mouth 26 In need of an ice bath, say 27 Dropbox competitor 30 Not just imply 31 Send into space 34 It’s not used in miniature golf 35 French topper 37 Miss in court? 38 Pulls a yard prank on, briefly 41 Duluth-to-St. Paul dir. 42 “Vous ____ ici” 43 Last shot, often 44 Give it a go 45 “Yee-____!” 46 How Chinese brides are often dressed 48 Hodgepodge 50 It may be full of bugs 51 Business reply encl. 53 “Gigi” author, 1944 55 D.D.E.’s two-time presidential rival 56 App image 57 Biblical landing site 59 “Yeah, right!” 60 Now and then 61 Alternatives to Twinkies 62 Give for a bit 63 Pinch-hit (for) 65 Totaled 66 Beatles girl who “made a fool of everyone” 67 International commerce assn. 68 Fontana di Trevi locale 69 Aleve shelfmate 70 Entr’____ 71 Tuna variety 72 Attach, as a seat belt 74 Surfboard stabilizer 75 Physicist who said, “Anyone who is

34 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it” 76 What may go to your head around Christmas? 78 Tribe under attack in “Hotel Rwanda” 80 Fruity drink 81 Islet in the Thames 82 Tip of Cambodia? 83 West Coast gas brand 84 Line part: Abbr. 87 Extends, in a way 88 Black mark uncovered in a background check 90 Trees used for making furniture 91 Agreement preceding a kiss 92 Flat need? 93 Little batteries 94 Rhimes who created “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal” 96 Hit 1990s computer game 100 U.P.S. delivery: Abbr. 101 “Sure thing!” 104 Elec., e.g. 105 She betrayed Samson 107 Like a simple-majority voting system 110 Con 111 Two-time N.L. batting champ Willie 112 Banks that are too important to fail? 113 “What are the chances of seeing you here?!” 114 “The ____ the limit!” 15 It’ll never reach its destination

19 Plot turner 20 Darts about 21 Rest spots for camels 25 Amount ____ 28 It’ll give you a lift 29 Big name in medical scales 32 Con 33 “Hold on there!” 36 Start over 37 “To be clear …” 38 Classic lie 39 Rear end 40 Final performance 43 Grilling site 47 Like Comic-Con attendees vis-à-vis the general public 48 Bow-tie topper 49 Short rest 50 Much organic matter 51 Topping station at a Mexican restaurant 52 Three before seven? 54 Part of LIFO, to an accountant 58 Took courses 60 Target 61 Solo in space 64 Golf resort known for its Blue Monster course 65 Canadian hockey team 67 Shocked cry 71 “If memory serves …” 72 Dancer’s boss 73 Another, in Aragón DOWN 77 Ending with Jumbo 1 Hit band heard on the soundtrack of 79 Comedy Central host Daniel “Back to the Future” 81 Suitable 2 “Am not!” rebuttal 83 One writing about “hare loss”? 3 PBS’s “____ the Science Kid” 85 Water whirls 4 The so-called “path of virtue” 86 Upright 5 Trees associated with the underworld 89 ____ Diego in Celtic myth 90 French pastry 6 ____-mouthed 93 Basilica recesses 7 Throb 95 No longer in the closet 8 Summertime coffee order 96 OB/GYNs, e.g. 9 Weigh down 97 Trees used for making wands 10 Like flip phones, now 98 Like some chances 11 Things to settle 99 Weymouth of Talking Heads 12 Word before strike or ball 102 Rowdy revelry 13 Mmes., to Don Juan 103 Like Sir Ben Kingsley 14 Commotion 106 “Bad” cholesterol, for short 15 Commotion 107 Most music radio stations 16 Orthodontist’s recommendation 108 “Understand?” 17 Key next to A 109 Rural power org

66 71

76 81

106

113

103

107

110

69 73

102

101

100

105

92 98

48 53

25 30

42 46

104 108

111

112

114

115

109

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWERS T H E W B

P U S H U Y P E B P R A

S T E E L G R A Y S

M E W A R I G I T C H

F L A P

C L O S E

H A H A

R I L E Y

T H E S I S

C R O A T

D E N S E R

W I S E D

H E I R

T I M E L I O M C K E K O A A S I N B T C A L H W E A W E T

S A L A M I

S A T Y C H O E D R P A I O G - R I P U D O N W I C A T O Y S M S O I N C O S O G M U T E R O S E L T E D

S C R A P E N O B B O Y

P O S T E S C H P H O E A U F K R E I M N T E D C R U E S I N S A N S G O T H U A A V A N R I N G O P S L O X V I N G I N A S E E M A S S E P S

E D E W N I X I D F I O R H E E E V W I L I N I - C F F E T I S T T O O R A - S N D O T O S S Y

S W A T S

U H O H

B O Z O

S A V E

E D E E S N S

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AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

METROSPIRIT 35

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THE EIGHT

BOX TOPS “The Girl on the Train” is the only new movie to break into the Top 5 this week. RANK TITLES

WEEKEND GROSS TOTAL GROSS WEEK # LAST WEEK

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

$24,536,265

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME...

$15,141,789

$51,195,272

DEEPWATER HORIZON

$11,527,027

$38,293,415

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

$9,011,682

$75,777,908

STORKS

$8,294,309

$49,962,803

In Theaters October 14

ACTION ACTION COMEDY “Max Steel,” rated PG-13, starring Ben Winchell, “The Accountant,” rated R, starring Ben Affleck, “Kevin Hart: What Now?” rated R, starring Kevin Hart, Josh Brener, Maria Bello, Andy Garcia. A mysteriously absent father. A teenage son who discovers he has strange powers. A “technoorganic extraterrestrial” named Steel. Aliens set to take over the world (we’re assuming because aren’t they always?). Based on a television show, this one… looks like every other superhero movie we’ve seen. Except for the whole techno-organic extraterrestrial thing.

36 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow. Everyone knows that the job of a movie trailer is to get you to the theater, even if you have your doubts. A lot of people have doubts about Ben Affleck after his turn as Batman, but the trailer for this one might get them to the theater anyway. Is his Christian Wolff autistic? Is he an assassin as well as an accountant? Is he going to kill Anna Kendrick or get together with her? He’d better not kill her but, still, she’s kind of young for him, right? Anyway, guess we’ll have to pony up at the box office to find out the answer to all these questions. Except the last one: women are never too young for older men in Hollywood.

Halle Berry, Don Cheadle. The trailer for this one, however, is just plain confusing. It’s a performance, filmed at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, but it also has a cast and looks to be, in part, a James Bond riff. Whatever.

13OCTOBER2016

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If You Dump Trump, You Gotta Crush Clinton The RoCk anD Roll hall of fame would be a lonely place if they excluded the artists who had taken advantage of the free and easy sex thrown their way by female groupies. I was going to say Joan Jett may be the only recent inductee left in place, but I just looked it up and damn, it seems the easy nookie was enjoyed much and often by the diminutive lady rocker. Eleven years ago Donald Trump told Access Hollywood reporter Billy Bush about groupies and the easy sexual access that women impressed by celebrity granted to him and others who are rich and famous. The now infamous tape recording of that conversation, that may very well help keep Trump from the White House, is something that needs to be heard in its entirety to completely understand. Even reading a transcript of the conversation does not reveal the prop-er context; it was a conversation punctuated by laughter and silly inflection. I was shocked myself to hear the end of the 2005 conversation included a woman, “Days of Our Lives” star Arianne Zucker, who when asked, in a completely lighthearted tone, who she would pick for a date if she had to chose between Trump and Bush, well, read for yourself: Bush: Now, if you had to choose honestly between one of us. Me or the Donald? Trump: I don’t know, that’s tough competition. Zucker: That’s some pressure right there. Bush: Seriously, if you had — if you had to take one of us as a date. Zucker: I have to take the Fifth on that one. Bush: Really? Zucker: Yup — I’ll take both. So, do you take that to mean Zucker is joking about a three way with the two men, or could it be that she was joking in much the same tone that I believe Trump and Bush conveyed? For those of you convinced that Trump was somehow detailing an ongoing campaign of “sexual assault” against women I would urge you to listen to the tape, unedited, and for the purposes of this column, read the specific words very carefully: Trump: You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do any-thing. Bush: Whatever you want. Trump: Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything. Clearly Trump’s quote reflects his personal experience with groupies, or at least that seems to be the observation he wishes to convey to Bush. Now that is not a good thing, particularly in a religious sense, or in a sense that would value love and commitment between human individu-als before sexual intimacy takes place. But there it is. Back to the future, where in 2016 the Trump/Bush conversation is now being used

38 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989

as a nuclear weapon to help derail the man’s election, but more importantly, it is being used to identify any males who engage in similar conversations as some type of “predatory animals.” All of these far-reaching accusations and the bigoted conclusions that have now been hung around the necks of Trump, Bush and any who empathize with the characterization of their chat as a bunch of silly “locker room” talk might be fair and justified, if, and only if, it was equal opportunity condemnation. But no. The Hillary Clinton fans in the mainstream media, and virtually the entire leadership of the Democrat Party, in their “post recording” euphoria have forgotten that if one is to pronounce the political career of a man like Donald Trump to be DOA over the existence of such a tape “talking trash,” what must be the legacy of the Bill Clintons and Ted Kennedys of the world? Left wing icons who did not leave “comments” behind, but left semen stains, busted lips, huge lawsuit settlements and, yes, even a dead body to show for their exploits into the world of illic-it and predatory sexual behavior. Two men whose sins were well known, well documented and who remain to this day huge heroes in the world of Democrat Party politics. If you don’t want to elect Trump to office because he has bad manners, fine by me. But if you take that stand, and do anything other than curse the very existence of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Political Careers, you are a raging hypocrite, and you have no credible outrage to vent. You just hate Trump. If I have been asked once this week, I have been asked 100 times, “What if Trump were talking about your daughter?” If my daughter allowed herself to be pawed by any man without objection or resistance be-cause he was a celebrity, she would deserve whatever loose talk the guy flung her way. However, if the relationship were completely consensual and based on what she thought was honest affection, and then the man later tried to defame or defile her reputation by dishonestly claiming she was lying or throwing herself at him, I would hunt the bastard down and beat him bloody. That was what Monica Lewinsky’s dad should have done when Bill and Hillary attempted to discredit his daughter in such a way. And they did, until a stained blue dress put an end to their campaign of lies and slander. I still hope Mr. Lewinsky gets a hold of Bill. God knows he deserves it! 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.

13OCTOBER2016