Wander over to Washington-Wilkes Less than an hour's drive from Augusta and Evans, Historic Washington-Wilkes is a small town with a big history, southern charm, and elegance. With nearly 240 years of stories, a bustling downtown, and some great restaurants and bars, there's lots to discover any day you wander our way. From Early Federal to Greek Revival and Victorian, Historic Washington boasts more antebellum homes per capita than any city in Georgia. Get started with our three house museums open throughout the year. Museum Hours: 10am - 4pm Tuesday-Saturday.
Washington-Wilkes Museum c. 1835
The Robert Toombs House C. 1797
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Callaway Plantation c. 1869
Watch a mural artist bring Washington's history to life on the walls of one of our historic downtown buildings. *Daily History Lectures at 3pm *Mural Dedication Thursday at 3pm Facebook.com/HistoricWashingtonWilkes
*PAINT & POUR. 6pm Friday, April 1. Connely Gallery. RSVP 706-678-5638 *VENDOR MKT PLACE & SPRING TOUR. 9am - 5pm Saturday. Art & Craft Vendors *VENDOR MARKET PLACE. 11am - 5pm Sunday. Art & Craft Vendors *PRIVATE STUDIO TOUR. 1PM - 5PM . *ADULT COLORING. 10am. Mary Willis Library. RSVP 706-67 8-7736
2016 Spring Tour of Homes
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Saturday, April 2 WWTourOfHomes.com Facebook.com/WWTourofHomes
Take a trip through time on the 62nd Annual Spring Tour. Tickets are $30 and include: 7 Historic & Unique Homes Free Shuttle Service Admission to 2 Museums Private collection of 1940s-70s classic American automobiles and memorabilia
*KIDS DAY. Wednesday All Day Activities. SINCE
Washington-Wilkes Visitor Information Center 22 B. West Square Washington, Georgia 30673 706-678-5111
WashingtonWilkes.org Facebook.com/HistoricWashingtonWilkes WashingtonWilkesEvents@gmail.com
2009 WE HUSTLE
Table of Contents
EDIT
March 24, 2016
Amy Christian
Arts Editor/Production Director
amy@themetrospirit.com
Whine Line 4 Ruffin It 6 Augusta Tek 8
Stacey Eidson Staff Writer
stacey@themetrospirit.com
Molly Swift Staff Writer
Insider 10
molly@themetrospirit.com
CREATIVE Joshua Bailey Lead Designer
joshua@themetrospirit.com
COVER DESIGN: KRUHU
SALES Gayle Bryan
Senior Account Executive
gayle@themetrospirit.com 706-373-4846
Jim Christian Account Executive
jim@themetrospirit.com 706-414-4059
IS MARSHALL SQUARE CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT?
What’s Up Condoleezza Rice Umphrey’s McGee Calendar Nightlife Sightings NYT Crossword The Eight Austin Rhodes
20 22 24 26 30 32 34 36 38
Pg. 14
Bonnie Sloane Account Executive
bonnie@themetrospirit.com 770-401-9357
BUSINESS Joe White Publisher
joe@themetrospirit.com 706-373-3636
THIS WEEK
Johnny Beckworth circulation manager
johnny@themetrospirit.com Contributors Jenny Wright, Greg Baker, Austin Rhodes, Josh Ruffin, Kris Fisher, Michael Johnson Metro Spirit is a free newspaper published weekly on Thursday, 52 weeks a year. Editorial coverage includes local issues and news, arts, entertainment, people, places and events. In our paper appear views from across the political and social spectrum. The views do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Visit us at metrospirit. com.© 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
Who would have ever thought that the battle over WAGT NBC 26 would end up before the Georgia Supreme Court? Not us, but that’s exactly what has happened. Not only that, the case is making headlines across the country. Pg. 10
During last month’s deposition, Steve Mueller admitted to local attorney Sam Nicholson that his company, Resort Lifestyle Communities, had no fire safety plan or evacuation plan in place prior to the June 2 fire at Marshall Square.
Dr. Condoleezza Rice has an impressive resume. The former Secretary of State and one of the first female members of Augusta National also has a history of public service. She’ll visit Augusta for a fireside chat to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of the CSRA this week. Pg. 14 Pg. 22
Major Rager headliners Umphrey’s McGee believe a live show should involve sight as well as sound. They’ve been committed to giving fans a total sensory experience since the band first formed on the Notre Dame campus in 1997. Pg. 24
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OPINION
The Whine Line Saint Patrick’s Day ought to be celebrated by performing charitable deeds, not becoming drunk and disorderly. Living in Augusta isn’t what it used to be. Most of the good leaders have escaped to other counties; leaving us with six commissioners who want to take us back to the dark ages; four who don’t have a clue; and, a mayor who can’t decide if he’s Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde. Major Kudos to the DMV on Mike Padgett Hwy. I was in and out within 15 minutes. Contrast that to my Columbia County DMV visit where there was a 1 hour+ wait.
It’s 2016 and people still think: O.J. Simpson didn’t do it... man never landed on the moon... evolution is just a theory... the Earth is flat... and “9-11 was an inside job.” Hot on the heels of death and taxes comes the third guarantee in life: STUPIDITY.
Ruffin’ It Augusta Tek
I wish people would stop worrying about whether or not The Metro Spirit is conservative enough and start appreciating that you’re the only people doing real journalism in this town. Morris is scaffolds by government contracts, WGAC is mostly-syndicated lying, and the TV folks are all just passing through on the way to bigger markets. Everyone stop worrying about left vs. right and start worrying about corruption vs. democracy. So, the Augusta commission that does so many things in secret and behind closed doors approve the use of solar panels on government properties. They wouldn’t know sunshine if it hit them on the head with a two by four.
No matter how Election 2016 plays out, this much is apparent. Trump has put a burr in the saddle of all the right people. No matter what the courts or the polls say, God does not approve of sin. Elevating sin to normalcy only validates the words of German philosopher Arthur Schopenhaur. He said, “For the world is hell, and men are on the one hand the tormented souls, and on the other hand the devils in it.” Has Richmond county gone to the dogs? we have lost our ball team to North Augusta, the Boshears fly in has been canceled, the Day in the Country may be in trouble, it was postponed they say for a better time in year, we had a chance for a white water project that was lost . the people that run Richmond county are unfit, “to much of what are they doing and what are we doing about it?”, no one can agree, i think all should be fired and new ones with enough sense to run a county be elected or appointed, also lost a Race track, not the first time to loose a ball team , just keeps on getting worse and worse I watched JAWS (1975) on television the other day. In scenes at the beach where everyone was wearing beach attire, I noticed not one single person, young or old, with a tattoo. If they filmed JAWS today, those scenes would look like the beachgoers survived an explosion at an ink factory! Abraham Lincoln said that the war was not over slavery, but about the South paying a 40% shipping tarriff funding the Northern controlled government. The North needed the South’s raw materials to supply the Northern factories. The South was financing the North’s infrastructure. Slavery was already on its way out. Stop the hate! Northern shipping brought the slaves, took the raw materials up North, and shipped finished goods out, bringing back more slaves! Slavery was not right, but the South was not the only one at fault.
Dear fellow drivers, especially those of you on Washington Road (mostly men and mostly young, in expensive vehicles) Yes, I’m a little old lady driving an 18-year old car who obeys the speed limit. I will NOT speed up to accommodate you! I will NOT run a red light so you may also follow. You may tailgate, swear, dart in and out of traffic and do any other stupid tricks....but I intend to obey the law and the speed limits. Let’s compare our driving records!!
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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METROSPIRIT 5
Greatest Walkoff KOs THIS PAST SATURDAY NIGHT at a UFC event in Brisbane, Australia, viewers were treated — appropriately enough, in the main and co-main events of the evening — to the extreme ends of compassion and sadism inherent in the sport of mixed martial arts. In the co-main, rising welterweight Neil Magny survived a first-round beatdown at the hands of power-punching judoka Hector Lombard to rally in the second and third rounds, eventually stopping him with ground strikes. And if that were all there was to the story, we’d be focusing on Magny’s unbreakable will and resolve. Instead, we’re focusing on the fact that the referee allowed the fight to go on after Lombard clearly ceased to intelligently defend himself midway through the second round. Magny landed a UFC record number of strikes to a grounded opponent — over 100 — in the second round alone, bouncing Lombard’s head between his fists like a cat with a glitter ball. On the other end of the spectrum, the main event saw the inexplicably resurgent Mark Hunt knock out the equally, bafflingly still-relevant Frank Mir in less than 90 seconds. The finishes of both fights were violent in their own ways, but Hunt, after flooring Mir with a right cross, looked down, saw Mir conscious but clearly not all there and simply walked away. The referee waved it off, and Mir offered no protest. And while it would be fun to write about untoward beatings — I’ve got so many violence-related adjectives stored up — I’d rather throw a spotlight on the few occasions when fighters actually displayed the wherewithal and compassion to realize a fight was over, even before the referee. 1. MARK HUNT KOS CHRIS TUSCHERER (UFC 127) Chris Tuscherer is such a footnote in UFC history that I’m not even going to bother checking to see if I spelled his name right. His call-up was almost entirely due to the fact that he was Brock Lesnar’s training partner, and not due to any sort of special talent. He was big, even for heavyweight, and strong as a bull, sure, but was unfailingly dull in the ring. He defeated fellow also-ran Tim Hague by majority decision in a “fight” that resembled two elephant seals drunkenly playing Dungeons and Dragons, but that victory was sandwiched between two quick KO losses to Gabriel Gonzaga and Brendan Schaub. Interestingly, at this point in his career, Hunt was the underdog. He was on a six-fight losing streak, and had
6 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
contemplated calling it a career. But he found some renewed focus, pushed himself in training, and came into the fight in the best shape of his life. He shrugged off Tuschererrrrrr’s takedown attempts, then uncorked a nuke of a right uppercut that caught Trrshchrrrse on the point of the jaw and slept him instantly. Hunt, less than two seconds after landing the punch, casually strolled away from the damage like he was walking out of a Starbucks. 2. JOSH BURKMAN SUBMITS JON FITCH (WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING 3) Josh Burkman has had quite a journeyman’s career. After coming up through the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” he made his bones as a tough-as-nails, just-shortof-elite opponent, and a tough out for any fighter. After a lengthy UFC run, he was released and eventually landed in the upstart World Series of Fighting. Jon Fitch was making his WSOF debut after dropping two straight fights — the first time in his career — to Demian Maia and Johny Hendricks, the latter by 11-second KO, in the UFC. Despite being released by the UFC, he was still thought of by many as an elite fighter, and Burkman was widely regarded as a formality on the way to a Fitch title reign in WSOF. Barely 30 seconds into the fight, Fitch dove for a takedown. Burkman sprawled, then locked in a standing guillotine choke on the former title challenger. Fitch had been in these spots before and was notorious for fighting his way out of seemingly inescapable submissions, so most in attendance waited patiently for him to pop his head out. Instead, he went limp and, before the referee could even notice, Burkman released his grip, dropping an unconscious Fitch face-down to the mat, then walked away with his arms spread in a pose that combined “I Believe I Can Fly,” “With Arms Wide Open” and “I’m the king of the world!”
natural fighting weight. Oh yeah, Silva took this fight at a higher weight, while he was still middleweight champion — for funsies. The prevailing notion was that Griffin might be able to use his size and strength advantage to muscle Silva around against the cage. It never got that far. The fight resembled what might happen if a real-life Jedi fought a blind white belt. Silva effortlessly slipped Griffin’s attacks, countering with sharp punches, dropping the former LHW champion. Eventually, Griffin because desperate enough to bum-rush Silva, sloppily winging punches, each one a Christmas gift to the all-time great. Silva calmly slipped the punches and — while moving backward — flicked out a right jab that caught Griffin flush and sent him to the mat, where he immediately began to make misshapen snow angels. Silva stood over him for a second, admiring the brain leakage he wrought, then danced merrily away.
JOSH RUFFIN is a long way from home, having moved from
Augusta to Middleton, Wisconsin, with his wife, Michelle. He is a self-described beer guru, so most of his Twitter posts are about what he’s drinking. While drinking, he enjoys writing poetry and watching MMA fights… or writing poetry about MMA fights.
3. ANDERSON SILVA KOS FORREST GRIFFIN (UFC 101) Though the current state of his career is a series of increasingly depressing punch-lines and exasperated guffaws, Anderson Silva will go down as one of the greatest fighters of all time, and probably the greatest middleweight of all time. This fight encapsulates every reason why. Griffin, for his part, was coming off of a title loss to Rashad Evans, but was still regarded as a top-flight opponent in the light-heavyweight division, and a stern test for Silva a full 20 pounds north of the middleweight champion’s
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Fundamentals EARLIER THIS WEEK, I watched one of the most disappointing performances that I can remember. This performance occurred during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. For those of you who didn’t see the game, the Northern Iowa Panthers lead by 12 points over the Texas A&M Aggies with 35 seconds left in the game. In basketball, this is about as close as you can get to a sure victory. However, Texas A&M outscored Northern Iowa by 14-2 over the last few seconds of the game, sending the game to overtime. Two overtime periods later, Texas A&M claimed the right to advance in the tournament while Northern Iowa’s season came to an end. These type of performance breakdowns beg the question, “How could this happen?” A number of items worked against the Panthers. Northern Iowa is a small school from a second-tier conference; Texas A&M is an SEC powerhouse. Texas A&M was a 3-seed; Northern Iowa, and 11-seed. By all measures, Texas A&M was supposed to easily win this game. But against the odds, the Panthers performed at a high level and, for 39 minutes and 25 seconds, Northern Iowa was the better team. At the point where they could claim a great accomplishment, their effort fell apart. In the end, it came down to a failure to execute the fundamentals. Texas A&M successfully prevented Northern Iowa from executing one of the most fundamental plays in basketball — throwing the ball inbounds. Texas A&M’s press defense forced four turnovers and created the momentum shift that lead to the Aggie’s victory. Just moments from a great upset victory, the failure of Northern Iowa to inbound against the press turned a sure victory into the greatest collapse in NCAA tournament history. While disappointing, this occasion provides a lesson for the aspiring technician or engineering student. No matter the technical discipline, technology professionals must master a number of fundamental tasks in order to succeed in their profession. Networking professionals must be proficient in core switching and routing. Microsoft professionals must understand Active Directory and Group Policy. Security professionals must demonstrate competency with access control and encryption. Failure to master any of these fundamentals will limit the career path of the engineer. If you are looking toward a successful career in technology, spend time on the fundamentals. If certifications are appropriate for your field, invest the effort necessary to complete the exams. Most importantly, keep practicing every chance you can. The last thing you want to happen is to have an opportunity to show your stuff front of an executive and fall short because you forget how to configure a DNS entry. 3D PRINTING CLUB — The last Saturday of every month, theClubhou.se hosts a meet-up for those interested in 3D printing. Bill Gray of Augusta University will be on site to facilitate discussions and demonstrations of 3D printing. All levels of interest are encouraged to attend. Meet-up attendees will have access to the 3D printer in the Prototyping Lab and CAD programs in the Computer Lab. Attendees should bring their on-going projects, including files, parts and even their printer. The agenda for the day is an open format — the interests of attendees will determine the topics for the day. Attendees may drop by for a minute or stay for all four hours. theClubhou.se members may attend for free. Visitors will need to pay $10 the day of the event. For more information and registration, please see the event page at http://theclubhou.se/ events/3d-printing-club-2016-03-26. @gregory_a_baker
GREGORY BAKER PH.D.
is vice president of CMA Technology and, yes, is actually a rocket scientist who used his doctorate in aerospace engineering at Lockheed Martin. In addition to working at CMA, he also serves the community, sitting on several boards in the area.
24MARCH2016
Your Hometown Lender BRANDON MEARS Mortgage Loan Originator 706.739.0123 ext. 3230 706.691.2300 (c)
bmears@georgiabankandtrust.com
NMLS# 473675
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Insider Is Marshall Square Criminally Negligent?
10
NEWS
Fate of WAGT Decided by the Georgia Supreme Court?
10 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
WHO WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT that the battle over WAGT NBC 26 would end up before the Georgia Supreme Court? But that’s exactly what has happened. Gray Television, which also owns the local CBS affiliate, WRDW Channel 12, is taking their case for control over WAGT to the Georgia Supreme Court. And the case is making headlines across the country. Not only because the Georgia Supreme Court is now involved, but the FCC has also decided to throw its weight around. Earlier this month, the FCC announced it was launching an investigation of Media General, the company that has operated WAGT for the past six years. Media General also happens to be the parent company of WJBF News Channel 6. WAGT and WJBF have lived fairly harmoniously for the last several years in its super station along Augusta West Parkway. More than six years ago, Media General decided to pump some serious cash into the new facility and heavily promote the joint building known here locally as Television Park. Now there are a bunch of hard feelings and everyone, especially employees of WAGT, is caught in limbo. And national news organizations are noticing. Just a few weeks ago, the website TVNewsCheck posted an article called “What to make of the strange case of WAGT?” “Did Media General steal WAGT Augusta, Ga., from Gray Television?” the story by editor Harry Jessell asked. “The FCC apparently thinks so. The agency threatened to launch a license revocation proceeding against Media General for allegedly taking control of the NBC affiliate and refusing to give it up.” Even Jessell admitted he was a bit baffled by the entire case. “Of course, Media General doesn’t believe it is stealing the station, far from it,” he wrote on March 11. “It believes its actions are fully in accord with the joint sales and shared services agreements under which it has more or less operated WAGT since 2009, and the laws of the state of Georgia.”
However, the challenge is a risky one for Media General, Jessell stated. “It’s one the wackier cases I’ve seen in a long time, made more so by the absence of the motive behind Media General’s actions,” he wrote. “And even more so in that Media General, rather than antagonizing the FCC, should be doing all it can to build some goodwill there.” Otherwise the consequences could be very harsh for Media General, Jessell warned. “Pending before the agency now is its $4.6 billion merger with Nexstar Broadcasting,” he wrote. “In addition to needing approval of the entire deal, the parties need the FCC to rule favorably on several waiver requests. That approval process is on a slow track because of the incentive auction so maybe Media General believes it can settle the WAGT matter before the agency gets down to the nitty-gritty of the merger.” A court battle could hurt Media General in the end. “It’s quite a mess, and difficult to handicap. Media General is clearly winning in the courts, but Gray has the FCC on its side,” Jessell wrote. “Without making judgment on the facts of the case, which are hotly disputed, I have to think Gray prevails. Media General made a strong argument for why the FCC should butt out, but... it failed to persuade. Given the stakes involved in the Nexstar merger, Media General simply cannot hold out against the FCC.” Of course, for most Augustans, who don’t really care about the politics behind the case, they are just over the moon that their broadcasters such as Barclay Bishop, Jay Jefferies and Paige Tucker are back on the air. Once again, Augustans can laugh, smile, hear the local news and pretend all is right in the world.
24MARCH2016
4/23/16 NOON to 5:00 PM
AugustaCraftBeerFest.com Thirty Plus Breweries, Music, & More
Lake Olmstead Stadium
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District Attorney Needs to Investigate Marshall Square Does everyone agree that the ruling by Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens this week that last year’s deadly fire at the Marshall Square retirement community was “accidental” is pretty much meaningless? Obviously, no one intentionally set fire to the billiard room on the third floor of the retirement community in the early morning hours of June 2. Everyone in the Augusta area already knew that was the case on June 2. But, for some reason, it took the state’s insurance and safety fire commissioner almost 10 months to figure that out. What can we say? That’s Georgia politics for you. But someone still needs to answer and take responsibility for the fact that 91-year-old Dorothy Carpenter tragically lost her life in the fire and 82-year-old Rhetta Cadle miraculously
12 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
survived after being trapped in her third-floor apartment for almost seven hours. Enter Augusta attorneys Jack Long, Sam Nicholson and Harry Revell, who are determined to hold someone accountable. These attorneys, who are representing former residents of Marshall Square, are calling for District Attorney Ashley Wright to open a criminal investigation for negligence regarding this fatal fire. “After reviewing the circumstances surrounding this case, we believe it’s just grossly negligent,” Nicholson said. Over the past several months, Nicholson, Long and Revell have thoroughly reviewed the sequence of events that occurred in the early morning hours of June 2. As the fire began to intensify and rapidly spread behind the walls of the third-floor billiard room in the Marshall
Square retirement community around 3 a.m., a “deadly sequence of events” occurred, according to Nicholson, a senior partner in the law firm of Nicholson Revell LLP. First, the fire alarm was manually silenced multiple times during the first 30 minutes of the fire that began just minutes after 3 a.m. Next, residents who were concerned about a potential danger in the building were instructed by the property manager, Chris Bryde, to remain in their rooms because Marshall Square had a “state-of-the-art” fire and monitoring system. Then, the staff waited more than 15 minutes after the initial fire alarm sounded to call 9-1-1. Once Columbia County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene around 3:30 a.m., the sprinklers inside Marshall Square were also manually shut off by Bryde inside the building. It was a perfect storm, Nicholson said. “The staff waited all that time, like 17 minutes, before they even called the fire department,” said Nicholson, whose law firm is representing both Cadle and the Carpenter family. “I think the fire safety standards say you are supposed to call within the first three minutes. But they just thought there wasn’t anything happening, so somebody kept turning off the fire alarm. It’s just terrible.” Nicholson has also conducted an inspection of the packaged terminal air conditioner, often referred to as PTAC, that was located in Marshall Square’s billiard room. PTAC is a self-contained heating and air conditioning system commonly found in hotels, motels, senior housing facilities, hospitals, condominiums and apartment buildings. In August 2014, a number of PTAC units by Goodman were recalled. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the power cords on some of the company’s air conditioning and heating units have the “potential to overheat, posing burn and fire hazards.” Then, to add more fuel to the fire, Nicholson said the Nebraska-based company, Resort Lifestyle Communities, which owned Marshall Square, failed to follow state and national code guidelines for fire and evacuation safety plans.
Georgia regulations clearly state that structures with three or more stories and that occupy three or more families are required by law to have an evacuation plan posted, similar to the signs posted on the doors of hotels and dormitories. However, Marshall Square did not follow those state regulations. Now, everyone knows that Nicholson, Long, Revell and several other local and regional attorneys will address the civil matters in this case, but it is time to talk criminal negligence. Columbia County and the district attorney need to take a hard stand against local companies who don’t take state and national safety regulations seriously. So, Ashley Wright, it’s your turn. Don’t do another “Kay Allen” or a “Richmond County steroid” investigation to this community. Take this case seriously. Prosecute those who need to be prosecuted in the Marshall Square case. It is literally a case of life or death.
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Representatives of Resort Lifestyle Communities answer questions surrounding the tragic fire at Marshall Square 14 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
By Stacey Eidson 24MARCH2016
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“In case of a fire, please stay in your apartment.” — Marshall Square’s resident handbook Shortly after the devastating fire at the Marshall Square retirement community that killed 91-year-old resident Dorothy Carpenter and displaced more than 80 senior residents, the owners of the property proudly proclaimed that they planned to rebuild. “Not only is it our hope and intent to rebuild, we’re preparing to rebuild,” Steve Mueller, chief operating officer for the Nebraska-based company Resort Lifestyle Communities cheerfully told The Augusta Chronicle last July. “We’re very happy with our decision to come to Evans, and it was very much playing out exactly as we had anticipated. We have no second thoughts about rebuilding.” For months, representatives of Resort Lifestyle Communities wanted to simply focus on the future and try to avoid questions about the past. But following the recent depositions taken in the civil cases against the owners and some of the employees of the former $27 million Marshall Square retirement community in Evans, the testimonies are beginning to shed light
on what went wrong in the early morning hours of June 2, 2015. During last month’s deposition of the chief operating officer of Resort Lifestyle Communities, Mueller admitted to local attorney Sam Nicholson that the company had no fire safety plan or evacuation plan in place prior to the June 2 fire. In fact, Resort Lifestyle Communities had not implemented a fire safety plan at any of the company’s facilities across the country. Resort Lifestyle Communities owns more than a dozen other senior living communities in states such as Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio and Nebraska. “When you said you did not have a fire safety plan nor an evacuation plan for any of those facilities prior to the fire, why was that?” Nicholson asked Mueller. “We simply hadn’t paid the right amount of attention to the detail of that form,” Mueller replied. “Well, whose responsibility was that?” asked Nicholson, a senior partner in the
law firm of Nicholson Revell LLP, which is representing Dorothy Carpenter’s family and several other former Marshall Square residents. “Mine,” Mueller bluntly said. However, Mueller disputed the claim that Marshall Square had a “shelter-inplace” policy for residents in the case of a fire alarm going off in the building. In fact, Mueller continued to deny such a policy existed even after he was given a December 2014 memo written by Marshall Square’s property manager, Chris Bryde, that clearly stated, “When the alarm goes off, please do not panic. We have a state-of-the art monitoring system. Please stay in your apartment and wait for the announcement over the intercom.” “No. It’s never been our policy to tell someone stay in your apartment and wait for an announcement,” Mueller testified. But then Nicholson asked Mueller to read a paragraph from the resident handbook given to every person living at Marshall Square.
“In case of a fire, please stay in your apartment, unless that is where the fire is located,” Mueller said, reading from the handbook. “Be aware of the exits closest to your apartment and do not use the elevators. If you see smoke coming in under your door, stay in your apartment. Emergency response personnel will arrive and evacuate the building, if necessary.” Even after reading the paragraph himself, Mueller denied that was Marshall Square’s policy. “Well, isn’t that the shelter-in-place policy?” Nicholson asked. “It’s not labeled as such, it was never referred to as such,” Mueller said. “I would refer to it as a defend-in-place.” Nicholson specifically asked Mueller to describe the meaning of a “defend-inplace policy.” “If they see smoke coming in under their door, stay in their apartment? Why would you call it ‘defend-in-place’?” Nicholson asked. Mueller simply replied, “I would say that it’s a reference to allowing the construction of the building to do its job.” As a result of such statements, several local attorneys involved in the civil cases against Residential Lifestyle Communities believe some of the staff and owners of the facility should be found criminally negligent. “After reviewing the circumstances surrounding this case, we believe it’s just grossly negligent,” Nicholson said. “We are asking District Attorney Ashley Wright to do a criminal investigation into this fatal fire.” While Insurance and Safety Fire
“The property manager, Chris Bryde, testified that he had no training in fire evacuation, no fire drills, nothing.” — Sam Nicholson 24MARCH2016
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“Now, (Chris) Bryde said the fire department told him to turn the sprinkler system off. Of course, the fire department denies that.” — Sam Nicholson
Commissioner Ralph Hudgens ruled last week that the deadly fire at the Marshall Square retirement community was “accidental,” local attorney Jack Long said all that means is it wasn’t arson. “It was an accident. Sure. Nobody intended to start the fire,” said Long, who is representing several former Marshall Square residents, including Charles and Margaret Moye. “We think
it started with the air conditioner unit. We think they are going to find that it was a bad electrical connection on that particular unit and that caused the fire.” Attorneys representing the former residents of Marshall Square have conducted an inspection of the packaged terminal air conditioner, often referred to as PTAC, that was located in Marshall Square’s billiard room.
“I was directed by the fire department to turn it off.” — Chris Bryde 16 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
PTAC is a self-contained heating and air conditioning system commonly found in hotels, motels, senior housing facilities, hospitals, condominiums and apartment buildings. In August 2014, a number of PTAC units by Goodman were recalled. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the power cords on some of the company’s air conditioning and heating units have the “potential to overheat, posing burn and fire hazards.” But the cause of the fire is only one aspect of the investigation, Long said. “There was a combination of errors here,” he said. “First of all, the fire department should have been dispatched immediately as opposed to having a delay of 17 minutes. Second of all, they should have never cut the fire alarms off. They should have let the alarm to continue to ring. And they should have had an evacuation plan that said when the fire alarm comes on, drop what you’re doing, get up and get out of the building. None of that happened.” Long said it is clear that Resort Lifestyle Communities failed to follow state and national code guidelines for fire safety and evacuation plans. Georgia regulations clearly state that structures with three or more stories and that occupy three or more families are required by law to have an evacuation plan posted, similar to the signs posted on the doors of hotels and dormitories. As a result of such measures not being taken, Carpenter lost her life in the fire and 82-year-old Rhetta Cadle miraculously survived after being trapped in her third-floor apartment for almost seven hours. Any individual, firm or corporation that violates the state’s fire safety laws can be found guilty of a misdemeanor, Long said. “They had no evacuation plan here at Marshall Square or elsewhere,” Long said. “This company builds these apartments all over the country and
they use the same plans and the same marketing and everything is identical. It is just like a cookie-cutter operation and apparently they have no safety evacuation plans anywhere.” For residents who are paying approximately $4,000 a month to live in these luxury apartments, Long said Resort Lifestyle Communities should have made certain that these senior citizens were safe in their homes. “I don’t think they gave a damn. This is all about money for them,” Long said of Resort Lifestyle Communities. “The day of the fire, the head honcho of the company flew in and flew out that same day on a private jet. Personally, I’m confident the district attorney and, I believe, the state fire marshal are going to look into what happened here.” After spending days deposing several staff members of Resort Lifestyle Communities, Nicholson said it is clear a criminal investigation is needed. “The property manager, Chris Bryde, testified that he had no training in fire evacuation, no fire drills, nothing,” Nicholson said. “When the Marshall Square residents were calling down to the front desk after the fire alarm went off, the night concierge, Zack Freehof, testified that Bryde told him to tell everyone to stay in their rooms.” Bryde stated that he did not recall giving Freeof such instructions. Also, the fire alarm was manually silenced multiple times during the first 30 minutes of the fire that began just minutes after 3 a.m. The staff waited 17 minutes after the initial fire alarm sounded to call 911 and alert the fire department. Once Columbia County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene around 3:30 a.m., the sprinklers inside Marshall Square were also manually shut off by Bryde inside the building. “Now, Bryde said the fire department told him to turn the sprinkler system off. Of course, the fire department denies that,” Nicholson said. “But three minutes 24MARCH2016
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after the fire department got there, it is turned off. And not only did Bryde admit to turning off the alarm multiple times, but he also directed one of the residents to turn off the alarm. So, the monitoring company doesn’t get the signal at 3:03 a.m. or, if they did, they didn’t do anything about it. Because from 3:03 to 3:20, nobody has called the fire department. The fire department gets there at 3:27 and the sprinklers are turned off at 3:30.” Bryde testified that he went up to the billiard room twice that morning after the fire alarm sounded. “There was so much smoke, they couldn’t even see in the room,” Nicholson said of Bryde and Freehof. “But they never went to everybody’s room and knocked on the doors to tell them to get out of there. Mrs. Carpenter’s room is right next door to the billiard room and Mrs. Cadle is right across from the billiard room. Mrs. Cadle didn’t wake up until 4 a.m. and when she woke up and opened the door, the fire was just billowing out. She couldn’t even see.” For seven hours, Cadle was trapped in her bathroom because she followed the Marshall Square employees’ instructions to “shelter in place” and not evacuate the building, according to her lawsuit filed by Nicholson. “As the fire continued to rage, and circumstances became more dire, (Cadle) attempted to escape,” the lawsuit states. “When she opened the door, she found blistering flames that prevented her safe passage and escape.” Cadle felt she had no other choice but to lock herself in the bathroom as the building burned around her. “Over that period, she covered herself in wet towels to counter the effects of the extreme heat and smoke caused by the fire,” the lawsuit states. “As she lay helpless in the bathroom, water began gushing into the bathroom through a hole in the ceiling caused by the fire. The gushing water would rise, recede, and then pour in again.” Cadle’s life was being threatened by both fire and water. Then, the fire caused the ceiling to collapse and the HVAC units came crashing down around her. It wasn’t until firefighters heard Cadle’s cries for help that she was finally rescued. Nicholson said it is baffling that no one chose to knock on the apartment doors of Cadle or Carpenter as soon as they saw smoke. During his deposition of Bryde, Nicholson asked the property manager to describe the events of that morning. On the morning of June 2, Bryde said he didn’t hear the fire alarm go off until 3:15 a.m., even though data from the system states the initial alarm sounded at 3:03 a.m. Bryde said he quickly got dressed and raced to check out the fire alarm panel. It indicated there was smoke in the billiard room. That’s when he ran into the night concierge, Zack Freehof, who stated that he had walked up to the third floor and discovered actual smoke in the billiard room. Bryde said he went up to the third floor with Freehof and he, too, saw smoke. “It was pretty thick. I could not see any flames,” Bryde said. “That’s when I told Zack to call 911. I went and got a fire extinguisher.”
“They never went to everybody’s room and knocked on the doors to tell them to get out of there. Mrs. (Dorothy) Carpenter’s room is right next door to the billiard room and Mrs. (Rhetta) Cadle is right across from the billiard room.” — Sam Nicholson 24MARCH2016
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“Another hindsight, I would have been screaming in their face, telling them to get Dot and Rhetta out in (rooms) 328 and 329.” — Chris Bryde He grabbed a fire extinguisher by the elevator, but when he returned to the billiard room it was so dark and filled with smoke that he couldn’t locate the origin of the fire. As a result, he rushed downstairs to grab a flashlight from his apartment, but he couldn’t find one. Bryde then said he instructed Freehof to start evacuating the building. “What did you expect Zack to do in the evacuation?” Nicholson asked. “Knock on doors and tell residents to go downstairs. I didn’t tell him anything specifically,” Bryde testified. Nicholson said Freeoff helped a few people out of the building, but then evacuated himself. However, Bryde said he helped evacuate a number of residents on the second floor. Then, “nature called” and he went to his apartment for a bathroom break. “As I was going out the front door, I saw my computer bag, my wife’s purse and my wallet, so I grabbed those, and my keys, and I took those outside, put them in my car, and I looked up at the fire, and the fire people were there,” Bryde said. “I don’t know if they had the hoses up or not. I don’t remember.” Bryde said he saw flames coming from what he believed was the PTAC unit in the billiard room. His wife, Suzanne, was given a list of all the residents at the facility and she was assigned to check off those residents who had made it out of the building safely. “Were all the residents outside at the time you went outside?” Nicholson asked. “Not all of them,” Bryde replied. “So who was in charge of getting them out at that point?” Nicholson asked. “The fire department,” Bryde stated. When his wife told him that Carpenter and Cadle hadn’t made it out of the building, Bryde said he immediately notified the fire department. “I went up to one of the firemen who 18 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
I thought was in charge, after I got with Suzanne, and Dot and Rhetta were still missing in 328 and 329,” Bryde said. “I went up to him, he had a white shirt on, and I said, Dot and Rhetta, and I pointed up there to the core, in 329 and 328, are not out. You need to go up there and get them.” Nicholson asked how the fire department responded to his concerns. “Almost ignored me,” Bryde said. “I don’t remember their response. I was just — you know, I told them and I, in my mind, they’ve got ownership of that. I felt that they would take care of that. He acknowledged what I said.” But Bryde said the firefighter didn’t really respond. “That was the first time I told them,” Bryde said. “I told them two other times.” In regards to the sprinkler system being turned off, Bryde insisted that was at the fire department’s request. “A fireman told me to,” Bryde told Nicholson during his deposition. However, Bryde said he didn’t recall which firefighter told him to do so. “He told me he wanted to see the sprinkler system. And that was after I heard one of the fireman say, ‘We have it under control,’” Bryde said. “I went to show him the fire alarm system and the sprinkler system, he said that we need to shut it off. And I asked him, ‘You want me to turn off the sprinkler system?’ And he said, ‘Yes.’ That’s why I turned it off. I was directed by the fire department to turn it off.” Bryde said the firefighter gave no reason for shutting off the sprinkler system. “Did you wonder why he wanted you to turn it off?” Nicholson asked. “I heard them say, ‘We have it under control.’ In my mind flashed they have the fire put out,” Bryde said. “I don’t know. That’s why I asked the second time. I said, ‘Are you sure?’” When asked who turned off the actual fire alarm that was alerting the
residents, Bryde said he may have shut it off, “two or three times” because it is difficult to think clearly with the blaring alarm going off. “It’s so loud,” Bryde said. “I think it, just for me, helps me think clearer.” He also admitted telling one the Marshall Square residents to silence the alarm. “So, you silenced it two or three (times)?” Nicholson asked. “And then (resident) Mickey Head silenced it one or two, maybe?” “Yes, sir,” Bryde said. He also testified that he continued to help evacuate about 15 people from the wings of the building, but he never returned to the core area where the fire had originated. Once outside, Bryde said that he couldn’t believe how quickly the fire was spreading. “It took them about six hours to get the fire out. So that’s a long period of time,” Bryde said. “There were a lot of firemen outside standing around. They had two cranes watering the fire and some hoses.” Nicholson asked Bryde if he recalled when Cadle was finally rescued from the building. “You bet I do,” Bryde said. “We saw the stretcher, one of the hospital — not stretcher, one of the carts coming out and it was upright, which if it was down, it would have been a body, possibly, but it was upright and we saw a person and we thought that was Rhetta.” Bryde said everyone was in complete disbelief. “I (already) told Rhetta’s son she didn’t make it. She didn’t make it out,” Bryde said, adding that he was relieved to be able to share with her son that she had actually survived. Bryde said his response was, “Thank God. It’s a miracle.” However, in Carpenter’s case, the news was heartbreaking that she had died in the fire. “I actually told her children she didn’t make it,” Bryde said. “And what was their response to you?” Nicholson asked. “Hugs and cries,” Bryde said.
In his testimony, Bryde said he was confused as to why it took so long for the fire department to attempt to rescue Cadle and Carpenter. “We felt that the fire department should put out the fire and should have rescued Dot and Rhetta,” Bryde said. “That’s their job. They’re professionals. They were there in time. You know, it started out small. You know, with the amount of people there, you know, it took them six hours to go into Rhetta’s apartment.” When asked what he would have done differently, Bryde said he would have acted more aggressively. “I think I would have gone in with that fire extinguisher and been blasting away, number one; I would never have turned off the sprinklers,” Bryde said. “I would have had the fire department do that.” He also said, if he had a second chance, he would have gone back into the building and gotten Carpenter. “You think you should have done that or you think the fire department should have done it?” Nicholson asked. “I think the fire department should have done that,” Bryde said. “Another hindsight, I would have been screaming in their face, telling them to get Dot and Rhetta out in 328 and 329.” Nicholson then asked the question that has been on many people’s minds after learning that both Freehof and Bryde raced past the apartments of Cadle and Carpenter several times that morning. “Why didn’t you or Zack Freehof rescue Rhetta or Dot?” Nicholson said. “I don’t know about Zack. Myself, I was — my first instinct was to put the fire out,” Bryde said. “And when I went back up it was thick enough and the department was in control that I didn’t — I went to places where I could be effective and help people.” “So did you ever go to Rhetta’s door?” Nicholson asked. “No, sir,” Bryde replied. “Did you ever go to Dot Carpenter’s door?” Nicholson asked. “No, sir,” Bryde said. “And why not?” Nicholson asked.
“I don’t think they gave a damn. This is all about money for them.” — Jack Long 24MARCH2016
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“Too much smoke,” Bryde said. “And I do believe the fire department was up — was there in control.” In the end, Nicholson asked Bryde what kind of impact the fire has had on him, personally. “A lot of grief, sleepless nights,” Bryde said. “For me, every once in awhile I’ll wake up. It’s still going on. It was worse on Suzanne.” Bryde said his wife was traumatized over that terrible night. “I don’t believe Suzanne will be able to run or manage a property again,” Bryde said. But local attorney Jack Long doesn’t accept the fact that some of the Marshall Square employees are trying to blame the Columbia County Fire Rescue for what happened that night. “The fact that they are trying to blame the fire department is bullshit,” Long plainly said. “The Columbia County Fire Department told them they weren’t in compliance and that they needed a fire safety and evacuation plan. The folks at Marshall Square said, ‘We are going to get it worked out.’ That was back in January and they still didn’t have a plan in place on June 2. So, instead of fighting the fire, the fire department had to rescue people.” Ironically, several employees of Marshall Square, including Bryde, testified that Kevin Tallman, the director of safety and maintenance at Resort Lifestyle Communities, was flying down to Augusta on the very day of the fire to implement a new fire safety and evacuation plan at Marshall Square. Apparently, Tallman had been working with the Columbia County Fire Rescue for several months to develop a new, more appropriate plan. “Kevin Tallman was — on June 2 — going to implement (an evacuation plan) at Marshall Square,” Bryde told Nicholson. “He was flying in to implement that.” Shocked, Nicholson asks, “On the day of the fire?” “On the day of the fire,” Bryde said. “When was that decision made?” Nicholson asked. “Before the fire,” Bryde said. Nicholson then asked, “How do you know that?” “Because when I called him, he said he was on his way and he had already told us that he was coming to train us on the new fire alarm system, evacuation system,” Bryde said. “So you never did learn what the plan was supposed to be?” Nicholson asked. “No,” Bryde responded. Sitting in his office, Nicholson said 24MARCH2016
that is either a terrible twist of fate or too big of a coincidence. “They didn’t have anything in place in writing the day of the fire,” Nicholson said, shaking his head. “But they claim they were coming down to implement a plan on the day of the fire.” Whichever is the case, Nicholson said Tallman’s testimony still showed major gaps in Resort Lifestyle Communities’ fire safety plans. Last month, local attorney Adam King of Nicholson Revell, LLP questioned Tallman about the training that each of the managers receive at the company’s various locations regarding fire emergency. “(The training) outlines our fire safety plan, and it talks about fire drills and what to do in the event of an emergency,” Tallman replied. “Does it talk about evacuation strategy?” King asked. “No, it does not,” Tallman said. Surprised, King continues. “So, even still, employees don’t receive training on evacuation strategies?” King asked. “I was not, until very recently in this discovery process, made aware that we even needed to have an evacuation policy,” Tallman said. “In my process of developing this plan with (Columbia County Fire Marshal) Brian Clark and his review of this plan, never did he mention the requirement to have an evacuation policy, so we weren’t aware of that.” King pauses again. “It’s my understanding, based on your testimony, that you did not know than an evacuation policy was necessary until recently to this date?” King asked. “Correct,” Tallman stated. “Do you know when you learned that information?” King asked. “Yesterday,” Tallman responded. As Nicholson reviewed Tallman’s testimony in his office, he couldn’t help but shake his head. “That deposition was taken on Feb. 29, just a few weeks ago,” Nicholson said, throwing up his hands. “And that’s their director of safety.” For those reasons, both Nicholson and Long feel there needs to be a criminal investigation into the events surrounding the Marshall Square fire. “This kind of behavior didn’t just happen at Marshall Square. It is company-wide disease,” Long said. “It needs to be investigated.”
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Aren’t You Eggcited Calendar Music Listings
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WHAT’S UP
AREN’T YOU EGGCITED? UNLESS YOU’VE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK, you’ve probably figured out that this is Easter weekend. Yes, it’s a little earlier than usual this year. And while church personnel around the area are thrilled that they don’t have to plan a high holy day service when the majority of their members are out of town for the Masters, it leaves the rest of us scrambling to find outfits appropriate for the unpredictable weather and plan family get-togethers while still maintaining a spotless household.
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY If you have any questions, or would like to submit an event to our calendar, please email Amy Christian at amy@themetrospirit.com. 20 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
You probably won’t encounter Ben Stiller or get chased by dinosaurs, but history will definitely come alive for those who attend Augusta Museum of History’s Night at the Museum, which includes a cabaret nightclub, live music, character vignettes and more at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. VIPs get a backstage pass.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
TUESDAY
The Euchee Creek Library in Grovetown is committed to teaching kids ages 9-14 about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects. What does STEM have to do with the National Security Agency? We’d tell you, but then we’d have to kill you. Just kidding: there are plenty of NSA careers that require STEM backgrounds.
The Augusta Market at the River just started up last Saturday at its home on Eighth Street Plaza. Enjoying this weekly festival doesn’t necessarily require you to buy anything, however. Each week from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., the market will feature local musicians and performing arts groups during Saturday Morning Swing. Don’t miss it!
Mike Sleeper hosts trivia at a number of places around town, but we’ll visit him at Twisted Burrito on Tuesdays. That way we can indulge in one of the restaurant’s unique burritos (maybe the Raging Bull with blackened steak, bleu cheese and onion straws?) and an order of their addictive fries while we’re slaughtering the competition.
For more information on these events, see our calendar of events on page 30.
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If you find yourself at wit’s end while the kids are still clamoring for a full-blown Easter egg hunt, check out these event going on in the area beginning on Good Friday. From downtown Augusta to Aiken, S.C., there’s something for everyone. Top it all off with the non-denominational Easter Sunrise Service at the Jessye Norman Amphitheatre downtown. This yearly event always delivers a beautiful backdrop and an emotional service.
FRIDAY, MARCH 25 11am - 1pm Easter Egg Drop Augusta Common A free event for families that also includes inflatables, video game truck, face painting, live entertainment, kids karaoke and more. Visit augustaga.gov. Noon, 3pm and 6pm Easter Egg Hunt Monkey Joe’s An event that also includes pictures with the Easter Bunny and Monkey Joe. $7. Visit monkeyjoes.com. 7pm - 8:30pm Teen Flashlight Egg Hunt Aiken Public Library Participants in grades 6-12 should bring a flashlight for this event, which will also include games, food and prizes. Call 803642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
SATURDAY, MARCH 26 10am - noon Children’s Egg Hunt and Library Fundraiser Rose Hill Estate A fundraiser for the Aiken Public Library that also includes games, face painting, a visit from the Easter Bunny and more. Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
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10am Easter Egg Scramble Evans Towne Center Park $2. Visit evanstownecenterpark.com. 11am - 1pm Community Easter Egg Hunt Smith-Hazel Recreation Center, Aiken An event that includes an egg hunt, games and more. Pre-registration required. Call 803-642-7634. 4pm - 6pm Adult Egg Hunt and Library Fundraiser Rose Hill Estate A fundraiser for the Aiken Public Library that also includes games, hors d’oeuvres, live music and a cash bar. $20, advance; $25, day of. Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
SUNDAY, MARCH 27 7am - 10am Easter Sunrise Service Jessye Norman Amphitheatre Call 706-821-1754 or visit augustaga.gov.
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Dr. Condoleezza Rice has an impressive resume. She came to prominence when President George W. Bush appointed her his National Security Advisor, and she was the first woman to hold the position. After winning reelection, Bush then appointed her Secretary of State, making her the first African American woman to hold that position. Rice had a history of excellence and public service long before she became a household name, however. She holds multiple degrees and started her own after-school program for at-risk children in California. When her professional duties began to take her away from California, Rice turned over her after-school program to the Boys & Girls Club of America. Rice now serves on the national organization’s board of directors, so it made sense for her to help the Augusta chapter celebrate its anniversary. “The timing was perfect for us,” said Julie Kennedy of the Boys & Girls Club of the CSRA. “She’s coming to town for the Masters and we are celebrating our 65th anniversary. Not only that, we have one of the strongest Boys & Girls Clubs in America.” Oh, and Rice is one of the first female members of the Augusta National Golf Club. In this “fireside chat,” Rice will share the stage with Richard Rogers, Brad Means, Al Dallas and Dr. Angela Pringle, who will ask her questions about America’s youth and what they need to survive and thrive in an ever-changing professional world. The event is open to the public, and tickets, not surprisingly, are going quickly. A Conversation with Dr. Condoleezza Rice The Bell Auditorium Thursday, March 31 7 p.m. $75, general admission; $100, reserved 877-4AUGTIX georgialinatix.com To purchase table seating, call 803-292-8829 or visit bgccsra.org
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Full Spectrum
Major Rager headliners Umphrey’s McGee give fans a total sensory experience the memberS of jam band Umphrey’s McGee believe a live show should involve sight as well as sound. They’ve been committed to giving fans a total sensory experience since the band first formed on the Notre Dame campus in 1997. “We purchased our own intelligent light package and board. It was probably one of the first big purchases we every made,” said Umphrey’s manager Vince Iwinski, who has also been with the band since the beginning. “We did that so we could start incorporating visual elements into the shows and, over the years, it’s just gotten bigger and bigger. We went from pulling a trailer behind a Suburban to a van to a bus pulling a trailer to a box truck to a semi, which is packed top to bottom, front to back with our production. “It’s a big part of what we do and we’ve invested in it from a very early point in our careers. We want it to be as good as possible and that’s part of the lasting impression that Umphrey’s has been able to make.” Those who’ve been to an Umphrey’s McGee show will definitely remember it for a long time. The last time they came to Augusta for the first Major Rager, the concert had to be relocated to the Augusta Convention Center because of rain. It sold out, not too shabby for the event’s inaugural year. This year, Friends With Benefits organizers are keeping their fingers crossed for sun, because the lineup at the Augusta Common show offers a lot of entertainment packed into one evening. Umphrey’s McGee will play two sets, including an “All Night Wrong” set of cover songs. Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman of the Trey Anastasio Band, as well as members of James Brown’s band, are 24 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
scheduled to sit in with the headliners. The Revivalists and Earphunk will open. A Sky City after party will feature TAUK and “TAUKing McGee,” a combination of that band and Umphrey’s McGee. While the band’s profile has been steadily rising — they now regularly play two or more nights in one place in front of anywhere from 2,500-4,000 people — Iwinski says Umphrey’s McGee is more than happy to return to Augusta because of Friends With Benefits’ commitment to raising money for local charities. “The Friends With Benefits scenario is great for us because we feel like it is a responsible thing for us to do. We’re selling tickets for a great thing,” he explained. “And they are good at what they do. We started as a very DIY, grassroots organization and those guys are a very DIY, grassroots effort. They really believe in what they’re doing and you can tell. It’s nice to have that kind of energy and spirit behind the Major Rager.” Umphrey’s McGee has made a lot of changes lately: they no longer buy their lightings systems, for instance, because the technology changes so quickly and they like to keep the visual part of their stage show fresh. They also had the honor of recording 2015’s “The London Session” at famed Abbey Road studios, most famously associated with the Beatles. “It was something that none of us are ever going to forget,” Iwinski said. “I was able to be out there for a portion of that studio day and to see the guys in that special place… it was like they were at church. They were in the middle of a holy moment and you can hear it in the recording and you can kind of
feel the reverence. We didn’t expect to go in and record an album in 12 hours, but it just kind of clicked.” For those not very familiar with the band, “The London Session” is one he would recommend they listen to to get a feel for the band. “I would say the recordings from Abbey Road give the most current personality of Umphrey’s McGee because it is comprised of songs that have been played live previously but not recorded. So I think it’s a good snapshot of Umphrey’s McGee right now,” he said. “‘Anchor Drops’ (from 2004) would be my second choice. It is, in my opinion, the album that put Umphrey’s on the map and
the two are a good juxtaposition from where they were to where they are now.” The Major rager w/ UMphrey’s Mcgee (Two seTs), The revivalisTs, earphunk The Augusta Common Thursday, April 7 5 p.m. $35, general admission; $100, VIP Major rager afTer parTy Sky City $20 themajorrager.com
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NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR GenCyber Summer Camp! For the 2nd year in a row, Augusta University has been awarded a grant from GenCyber to host GenCyber 2016 Camps. Please visit augusta.edu/academy/cyberacademy/
GenCyber Residential Camp 30 high school students (rising juniors and seniors)
June 26 – July 1st GenCyber Day Camp 30 high school students (rising juniors and seniors)
July 10th – 15th
The almost $110,000 grant will allow 60 rising junior & senior high school students to attend the camp for free. Registration is open, and students can submit their application until March 27.
For those students that are interested in the Health Sciences Summer Academy, Augusta University is offering this option but the program will function separately from the GenCyber Camp and is tuition-based. Please visit augusta.edu/academy/healthsciences/
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Morris Museum of Art A lecture by Fran Kaufman, co-owner of Kaufman Vardy Projects, a strategic arts marketing firm. Free. Call 706-724-7501 or visit themorris.org.
Wed Mar 30
7pm Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School Le Chat Noir An burlesque live drawing event featuring contests, performances, prizes and more. $10, advance; $12 at the door. Call 706-722-3322 or visit lcnaugusta.com.
EDUCATION Sat Mar 26
10:30am Black History Bowl 2016 Headquarters Branch Library Presented by the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History. Call 706-724-3576 or visit lucycraftlaneymuseum.com.
Mon Mar 28
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.
ELSEWHERE Fri Mar 25
7pm An Evening with Saxophonist Nelson Rangell
Food & Wine Pairing Edgar’s Grille Saturday, March 26 1-3 p.m. $95; pre-registration required 706-651-9707
ARTS Thu Mar 24
11am - 1pm Hand-Building Pottery Attic Treasures, Harlem A two-session Harlem Arts Council class for adults that continues Thursday, March 31. $50. Call 706-394-4682 or email harlemartscouncil@gmail.com.
1pm - 3pm Cool Coloring for Grownups Aiken Public Library Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
Fri Mar 25
Noon Art at Lunch: A Certain Slant of Light: Southern Impressionists Morris Museum of Art Erin R. Corrales-Diaz, curator at the Johnson Collection in Spartanburg, S.C., explores French impressionism and its influence on artists
Columbia Museum of Art Part of the museum’s Jazz on Main concert series. $35; $28, members or $5 for students. Call 803-799-2810 or visit columbiamuseum.org.
Ongoing working in the American South. $10, members; $15, non-members. Catered lunch included. Preregistration required. Call 706-724-7501 or visit themorris.org.
Sat Mar 26
10am - 2pm Acrylics Harrison Hall, Church of Our Savior An Artists Guild of Columbia County workshop for teens and adults of all skill levels in which participants will explore texture and technique to create a Georgia landscape. Led by Cyndy Epps. $50; all supplies provided. Participants should bring their own lunches. Register by calling 706294-2188 or visiting artistguildcc.org.
Tue Mar 29
6pm Navigating the Brave New Art World
Call 706-722-3322 or visit lcnaugusta.com.
Tue Mar 29
6pm The Caravan Film Aiken Center for the Arts $15. Call 803-641-9094 or visit aikencenterforthearts.org.
HEALTH Thu Mar 24
7pm - 8:30pm Infant CPR University Hospital Pre-registration required. Call 706-774-2825 or visit universityhealth.org.
Tue Mar 29
7pm - 9pm Breastfeeding Augusta University Health Free, but pre-registration required. Call 706721-2273 or visit augustahealth.org.
HOBBIES Thu Mar 24
11am Thursday Game Mania Diamond Lakes Branch Library An event for adults that includes classic games such as bingo, checkers, chess and more. Pre-registration required. Call 706-7722432 or visit arcpls.org.
Sat Mar 26
1pm - 3pm Food & Wine Pairing Edgar’s Grille The restaurant’s executive chef will lead this class for those ages 21 and older, an introduction to wine selection, storing, pairing and serving. $95; pre-registration required. Call 706-651-9707.
Clara et Obscura: Dramatic Effects Photography
Wed Mar 30
LithaMoonGallery, Greensboro This juried photography competition, which shows May 6-June 3, is seeking submissions from those 18 and older by April 16. All techniques, including digital, are permitted, and a grand prize of $500 will be awarded. Entry fee is $35 for six images. Email submission@lithamoon.com.
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.
FLIX
Noon Georgia-Carolina Toastmasters
KIDS-TEENS Thu Mar 24
4pm Lego Club
Thu Mar 24
North Augusta’s Nancy Carson Library For those in grades K-5. Call 803-279-5767 or visit abbe-lib.org.
Harlem Branch Library Free. Call 706-556-9795 or visit gchrl.org.
Fri Mar 25
5pm Family Movie Night
Sat Mar 26
7:30pm Cheap Date Free Movie Series Le Chat Noir A free movie screening with free popcorn. Cash bar available. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
9:30am Kroc Tots Kroc Center A weekly event for those ages 18 months-5 years and their parents that includes stories, projects and playtime. $1, members; $2, nonmembers. Call 706-922-1533 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
If you have any questions, or would like to submit an event to our calendar, please email Amy Christian at amy@themetrospirit.com. 26 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
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11am STEM Class: NSA Careers Euchee Creek Branch Library A science, technology, engineering and math program for children ages 9-14. Call 706-5560594 or visit gchrl.org.
Noon, 3pm and 6pm Easter Egg Hunt Monkey Joe’s An event that also includes pictures with the Easter Bunny and Monkey Joe. $7. Visit monkeyjoes.com.
7pm - 8:30pm Teen Flashlight Egg Hunt Aiken Public Library Participants in grades 6-12 should bring a flashlight for this event, which will also include games, food and prizes. Call 803-6422023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
Sat Mar 26
10am - noon Anime and Graphic Novels Kroc Center A class for those ages 9-14. No previous experience necessary and all supplies are included. $40; pre-registration required. Call 706-922-0171 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
11am What to Do with a Box Story Time Barnes & Noble Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.
2pm Whole Kids Club Whole Foods Visit wholefoodsmarket.com.
7:30pm All About Frogs Reed Creek Park An indoor/outdoor program for those ages 5 and up, along with their parents. Free, members; $2 per child, nonmembers. Preregistration required. Call 706-210-4027 or email kbyne@columbiacountyga.gov.
Tue Mar 29
10:30am Toddler Tuesday Kroc Center Parents are invited to bring their toddlers for 30 minutes of playtime and a story, followed by an hour in the pool splash pad area. Parent must remain with their child throughout the program. Free, members; $5, nonmembers. Call 706-922-1533 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org.
4pm Storytime in the Gardens Hopelands Gardens 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.
6pm - 9pm On Being a Girl Trinity Hospital A class for girls ages 9-12, along with their mothers, female friends or relatives, focused on the physical and emotional changes of puberty. 24MARCH2016
Free, but pre-registration required. Call 706-4817604 or visit trinityofaugusta.com.
Wed Mar 30
10am Wacky Wednesday Story Time Barnes & Noble Call 706-737-0012 or visit bn.com.
Ongoing
Asthma Day Camps Camp Tanglewood, Columbia County Augusta University is sponsoring this camp, for children ages 6-13 with asthma July 1116. Activities include asthma management sessions, swimming and hiking. Lifeguards, physicians and respiratory experts will be on hand to ensure illness or injury does not hinder the fun. However, a parent or guardian must attend a brief orientation and education session. Free, but pre-registration required. For more information, contact Kitty Hernlen: 706721-3554 or khernlen@augusta.edu.
2016 GenCyber Camp Augusta University This free camp for rising juniors and seniors in high school is accepting applications through March 27 for the 60 spots they have available. The camp starts in June, and campers will participate in hands-on activities building, using code to defend and attack programmable robots and more. For more information or an application, visit augusta.edu/academy/cyberacademy/.
2016 Health Sciences Summer Academy Augusta University A camp for rising high school juniors and seniors in which participants experience what it’s like to work in the healthcare field. A residential program, including a dorm stay, is June 19-24 and a day program is July 10-15. Application deadline is March 27. Visit augusta.edu/academy/healthsciences/ programoverview.php.
Youth Leadership Columbia County Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Applications for Youth Leadership Columbia County’s class of 2017 are being accepted through March 31. The program is designed to educate through experience and motivate young leaders and enable them to take an active role in their community. Participants must be sophomores or juniors in Columbia County high schools or residents of Columbia County. For more information, call 706-6510018 or visit columbiacountychamber.com.
LITERARY Thu Mar 24
10:30am On the Same Page Book Club Euchee Creek Branch Library Featuring a discussion of “White Fire” by Preston & Child. Call 706-556-0594 or visit gchrl.org.
Tue Mar 29
Sat Mar 26
Aiken Public Library A discussion of “The End of the Affair.” Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
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.
7pm Tragic Affairs Abroad Book Talk
Thu Mar 31
10am - noon Morning Book Club Maxwell Branch Library Discussion will be on “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel. Call 706-793-2020 or visit ecgrl.org.
7pm Author Visit: Cynthia Hill Aiken Public Library Hill is the author of “Care for the Caregiver,” a book that provides practical tips and inspirational ideas for those caring for the ill, disabled or elderly. Copies of the book will be for sale. Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
MUSIC Fri Mar 25
7pm Acoustic Cafe Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta A collaboration between the UU churches in Augusta and Aiken that will kick off with music from Will McCranie and Jacob Beltz. After an intermission Utah bluegrass/folk duo Otter Creek will take the stage. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; concessions will be available. $15, general; $12, seniors; $10, students and military. Call 706-733-7939 or visit uuaugusta.org.
11am - 2pm Saturday Morning Swing
7:30pm - 9:30pm Soiree: Jazz + Wine Jessye Norman School of the Arts Featuring classic live jazz and wines selected by the host. $7. Call 762-233-5299 or visit jazzsoiree.com.
Thu Mar 31
7pm A High and Lonesome Bluegrass Mass and Other Works Sacred Heart Cultural Center A send-off concert for the Davidson Chorale and Orchestra, who are going on a tour to Ireland during spring break. $10. Visit rcboe. org/davidson.
SENIORS Ongoing
AARP Tax Aide Kroc Center Helping for seniors in filing out tax returns will be available Tuesdays and Saturdays through April 12, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., as well as Thursday, April 14, and Friday, April 15, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 706-364-5762 or visit salvationarmyaugusta.org/kroc-center/. AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
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AARP Tax Help Columbia County Library Help provided on a first-come, first served basis Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 706-863-1946 or visit gchrl.org.
AARP Tax Help Euchee Creek Branch Library Help offered on a first come, first served basis every Monday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 706-556-0594 or visit gchrl.org.
SPECIAL EVENTS Thu Mar 24
6pm and 7:30 pm Night at the Museum Augusta Museum of History History will come to life for participants in this event, in which the rotunda will be turned into a cabaret nightclub with music, character vignettes and more. $30, classic cabaret ticket; $100, VIP and backstage pass. Call 706-7228454 or visit augustamuseum.org.
Fri Mar 25
11am - 1pm Easter Egg Drop Augusta Common A free event for families that also includes inflatables, video game truck, face painting, live entertainment, kids karaoke and more. Visit augustaga.gov.
5pm - 8pm Wine Not It’s Friday 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.
Sat Mar 26
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.
10am - noon Children’s Egg Hunt and Library Fundraiser Rose Hill Estate A fundraiser for the Aiken Public Library that also includes games, face painting, a visit from the Easter Bunny and more. Call 803642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
10am Easter Egg Scramble Evans Towne Center Park $2. Visit evanstownecenterpark.com.
10am - 4pm Last Saturday in the Park North Augusta’s Living History Park Featuring living history demonstrations. Call 803-279-7560 or visit colonialtimes.us.
11am - 1pm Community Easter Egg Hunt Smith-Hazel Recreation Center, Aiken An event that includes an egg hunt, games 28 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
“Hairspray” Augusta Prep Friday-Saturday, March 25-26 7 p.m. $17; $15 for students and seniors grayt.org
and more. Pre-registration required. Call 803-642-7634.
Thu Mar 31
11am - 1pm Giving Grill
Bell Auditorium Dr. Rice will discuss America’s graduation crisis, workforce development needs and more during the Boys & Girls Clubs of the CSRA’s 65th anniversary celebration. Tables for the event can be purchased by calling 803-292-8829 or visiting bgccsra.org.
Whole Foods A Whole Planet Foundation event in which sales from $5 burger plates will go to alleviate poverty worldwide. Call 762-3330259 or visit wholefoodsmarket.com.
4pm - 6pm Adult Egg Hunt and Library Fundraiser Rose Hill Estate A fundraiser for the Aiken Public Library that also includes games, hors d’oeuvres, live music and a cash bar. $20, advance; $25, day of. Call 803-642-2023 or visit abbe-lib.org.
7pm “Engineering the International Space Station” Dupont Planetarium, Aiken Weather permitting, the observatory, housing the Bechtel Telescope, will be available for viewing after each show. $1-$5.50. Call 803641-3654 or visit rpsec.usca.edu.
8pm “Blown Away: Wild World of Weather” Dupont Planetarium, Aiken Weather permitting, the observatory, housing the Bechtel Telescope, will be available for viewing after each show. $1-$5.50. Call 803641-3654 or visit rpsec.usca.edu.
7pm A Conversation with Dr. Condoleezza Rice
SPIRITUAL Thu Mar 24
7pm Spring Revival Greater Young Zion Baptist Church Featuring guest speaker Rev. Q.E. Hammonds, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Street witnessing begins at 5:30 p.m. each day. Call 706-7241720 or visit greateryoungzion.org.
Sun Mar 27
7am - 10am Easter Sunrise Service Jessye Norman Amphitheatre Call 706-821-1754 or visit augustaga.gov.
SPORTS-OUTDOORS Sat Mar 26
9am - 1pm Dare to Tri Sprint Triathlon Fort Gordon’s Indoor Pool Pre-registration by March 25 required. Visit fortgordonrunseries.com.
1pm - 3pm Canoe Paddle Mistletoe State Park Participants can either bring their own equipment or rent a park canoe for $10. $10 plus $5 parking; pre-registration required. Call 706541-0321 or visit gastateparks.org/mistletoe.
Ongoing
Fencing Classes Augusta Fencers Club Classes for children as young as six, as well as teens and adults, meet five nights a week. Call 706-722-8878.
Augusta Sports Leagues This organization offers adult sports leagues and social events, including kickball, soccer, flag football, softball, basketball, indoor and sand volleyball, cornhole, and more for coed and men’s leagues. For more information, visit augustasportsleagues.com.
Guided Tours Phinizy Swamp Nature Park Call to schedule custom tours of the park for organizations, kids groups or private parties. Tours included hiking, bicycle or golf cart tours and more. Call 706-828-2109 or email info@phinizycenter.org.
Daily Canal Tours Augusta Canal Winter Season hours, through March, include 24MARCH2016
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Augusta Prep A Greater Augusta Youth Theatre production. $17; $15 for students and seniors. visit grayt.org.
8pm Tales from the Box Le Chat Noir Comedy and improv by Schodinger’s Cat. $10, advance; $12, door. Call 706-722-3322 or visit lcnaugusta.com.
Sat Mar 26
1pm and 5pm “The Roar of Love” Bell Auditorium A production of the Columbia County Ballet. $25. Call 706-860-1852 or visit columbiacountyballet.com.
2pm “One Man, Two Guvnors” Auditions Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre This production will show in June and parts are available for men and women of all ages. Call 706-793-8552 or email steven.r.walpert. naf@mail.mil.
@the Turn w/ The Band Kelley Whole Foods Friday, March 25 6-8 p.m. 762-333-0259 wholefoodsmarket.com
7pm “Hairspray” Augusta Prep A Greater Augusta Youth Theatre production. $17; $15 for students and seniors. visit grayt.org.
Tue Mar 29
7:30pm “Menopause The Musical” Heritage Boat Tours at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. The Civil War boat tour is daily at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $13.75 for adults and $11.75 for seniors, military and students. All tickets include admission to the Canal Discovery Center, which costs $6 for adults and $4 for seniors, military and students without a boat tour. Pre-registration encouraged. Call 706-823-0440, ext. 4, or visit augustacanal.com.
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.
Unity Church, and at Covenant Presbyterian Church at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Call 706-8639534 or email oa.augusta.recovery@gmail.com.
Bell Auditorium $46-$57. Call 877-4AUGTIX or visit georgialinatix.com.
VOLUNTEER
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly)
Adult Sexual Assault and Rape Support Group
Ongoing
SUPPORT
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.
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.
Mon Mar 28
La Leche League
Alcoholics Anonymous
Senior Citizens Council The council is seeking those ages 55 and older who can serve 20 hours a week with a special needs adult. Benefits include stipend, travel reimbursement and annual physical. For more information, call 706-868-0120.
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.
Holds several meetings locally. For a current schedule, visit augustaaa.org/meetings.pdf.
6pm Cancer Share University Hospital For those with any type of cancer. Call 706774-5946 or visit universityhealth.org.
Tue Mar 29
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.
Ongoing
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) GA, 110 Augusta St. Alban’s Episcopal Church fellowship hall 24MARCH2016
Celebrate Recovery 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.
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
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 Mar 25
7pm “Hairspray”
Senior Companions Needed
ANNUAL CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE Unitarian Universalist Church 3501 Walton Way Extension (Next door to Fire Station)
Saturday, April 2 8 am - 12 Noon (Items priced to sell) -Rain or ShineAUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
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Acoustic Cafe w/ Otter Creek, Will McCranie and Jacob Beltz Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta Friday, March 25 7 p.m. $10-$15 706-733-7939 uuaugusta.org
Thursday, March 24 Live Music
Red Pepper (Aiken) - Mike Frost and Lauren Meccia Sky City - Rebel Bass, Logam, Suuperpro, Drusher, DJ Jr, Sycnasty Southbound Smokehouse - Kenny George Band Stillwater Taproom - Silvertown Wild Wing - The Fustics The Willcox (Aiken) - Jazz
What’s Tonight?
Andrew’s Place - Karaoke with April Powell Bar West - Open Mic Night w/ Jonathon Flowers Carolina Ale House - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper (9 p.m.) Chevy’s - Karaoke Cotton Patch - Old School Thursday w/ DJ Groove Fox’s Lair - Trivia, Soup and Suds Helga’s Pub & Grille - Trivia The Highlander - Butt Naked Trivia Joe’s Underground - Trivia The Loft - Karaoke MAD Studios - Open Mic, Spoken Word Pizza Joint (Downtown) - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper (7 p.m.) Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - Poker for Fun That Place - Open Mic Spoken Word, Poetry, Prose and Singer/Songwriters
Friday, March 25 Live Music
The Backyard Tavern - Vicky Grady Band
30 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
Bar West - Live Music Cotton Patch - Live Jazz & Blues Country Club - Holman Autry Band Coyotes - Chad Mac and Bubba Sparxxx Partridge Inn - A Step Up Playoffs (Aiken) - Donna Jo Rose Hill Estate (Aiken) - Jazz w/ Jimmy Easton Shannon’s - The Unmentionables Somewhere in Augusta - Brandon Reeves Sky City - Scarface, DJ Fugi, CJ Lee, The Art Dealer, Jay Bussie YS, OG Grip, FDAMusic Stillwater Taproom - Will McCranie Tin Lizzy’s - Lundy Unitarian Universalist Church - Acoustic Cafe w/ Otter Creek, Will McCranie, Jacob Beltz Whole Foods - @ the Turn w/ The Band Kelley Wild Wing - Interstate Exiles
What’s Tonight?
Chevy’s - DJ Nicky B Soul Bar - (r)Evolution DJ Mix Vera Cruz Mexican Restaurant - Karaoke w/ Denny van Valkenburgh
Saturday, March 26 Live Music
Cotton Patch - Live Jazz & Blues Country Club - Larry Frick Coyotes - Robin Dixon and the Midnight Moon Iron Heights - Perisistent Shadow Shannon’s - Perfect Picture Sky City - Silvertown, Livingroom Legends Somewhere in Augusta - The Unmentionables
Stillwater Taproom - Dire Wolf That Place - Cusions and Caffeine w/ Live Music (2-4 p.m.) Tin Lizzy’s - Mary Kate Farmer Wild Wing - Clay Page Band The Willcox (Aiken) - Jon Vaughn
What’s Tonight?
The Backyard Tavern - Karaoke Bar West - DJ Fugi Chevy’s - DJ Nicky B Helga’s Pub & Grille - Bluegrass Brunch (11 a.m.3 p.m.); Trivia, nights Joe’s Underground - Ladies Night, Singles Night Soul Bar - DJ Solo Vera Cruz Mexican Restaurant - Karaoke w/ Denny van Valkenburgh
Sunday, March 27 Live Music
Mellow Mushroom (Aiken) - Brunch w/ Mike Frost and Lauren Meccia Wild Wing - Prettier Than Matt The Willcox (Aiken) - Jon Vaughn
What’s Tonight?
Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane
Monday, March 28 Live Music
Metro Coffeehouse & Pub - Blues Monday w/ Famous Last Words
What’s Tonight?
Joe’s Underground - Poker Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - World Tavern Poker Wild Wing - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper
Tuesday, March 29 Live Music
Joe’s Underground - Open Mic The Willcox (Aiken) - Hal Shreck
What’s Tonight?
Bar West - Trivia The Cotton Patch - Trivia Limelite Cafe - Bottom’s Up Karaoke Shannon’s - Karaoke w/ David Doane Somewhere in Augusta - Big Prize Trivia; Poker for Fun Twisted Burrito - Trivia w/ Mike Sleeper
Wednesday, March 30 Live Music
The Highlander - Open Mic Night Shannon’s - Shameless Dave Wild Wing - Lundy
What’s Tonight?
The Backyard Tavern - Karaoke Bar West - Karaoke Chevy’s - Karaoke Cotton Patch - Trivia and Tunes The Loft - Karaoke Mi Rancho (Downtown) - Karaoke 24MARCH2016
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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/ Michael Mack and Rayn Van Genderen Stillwater Taproom - Pub Quiz Surrey Tavern - Trivia w/ Christian and Mickey Three Dollar Lounge - World Poker Tournament
10-Year Anniversary Party w/ Locash
G Love & Special Sauce
- The Country Club April 29
- Variety Plahouse, Atlanta April 1
Amy Grant, Nicole Nordeman, Ellie Holcomb
Paula Poundstone
- USCA Convocation Center April 30
- Variety Playhouse, Atlanta April 2
Roadkill Ghost Choir, Deept State, Thayer Sarrano
Mike Epps
- Sky City April 30
- Philips Arena, Atlanta April 2
ZZ Top
Belinda Carlisle, Gabe Lopez
- Bell Auditorium May 4
- Center Stage, Atlanta April 2
Kenny Babyface Edmonds, Tank
Ry Cooder, Sharon White, Ricky Skaggs
- Bell Auditorium May 8
- Center Stage, Atlanta April 3
Merle Haggard, Jason Isbell
Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings
- Bell Auditorium May 17
Upcoming
Papa Joe’s Banjo B Que w/ Willie Nelson and Family, Old Crow Medicine Show, Steep Canyon Rangers, Blitzen Trapper, Mountain Faith, Sarah Jaroz, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Susto, Ben Miller, Have Gun Will Travel, Guthrie Brown & the Family Tree, Little Roy & Lizzie Show, Great Peacock, Josh Roberts & the Hinges, Motel Radio, Packway Handle Band, Laney Jones & the Spirits, BooHoo Ramblers, Georgia-Lina Boys, the Mason Jars, Muddy Johnson, Delta Cane
- Lucas Theatre for the Arts, Savannah April 4
Megan Jean and the Klay Family Band, The Shadow Pines
- Sky City March 31 The Sweet Lilies
- Stillwater Taproom March 31 New Madrid
- Sky City April 1 The Major Rager w/ Umphrey’s McGee, the Revivalists, Earphunk
- Augusta Common April 7 The Major Rager After Party w/ Tauk
- Sky City April 7 Runaway Gin, BYOG
- James Brown Arena April 19 The Werks, CBDB
- James Brown Arena June 3
- Variety Playhouse, Atlanta March 25
The Oh Hellos, The Collection
- Sky City April 22 Rascal Flatts, Jana Kramer
- James Brown Arena April 23
Try FREE: 706-434-0108 More Local Numbers: 1-800-926-6000
Third Eye Blind
- Georgia Theatre, Athens March 25-26
- Sky City April 19
REAL PEOPLE REAL DESIRE REAL FUN.
Alabama, The Charlie Daniels Band
Yacht Rock Revue
Widespread Panic
- St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine, Fla., April 1-2
- Evans Towne Center Park May 27-28
Elsewhere
- Sky City April 8
Fool’s Paradise w/ Lettuce, Griz, Chris Robinson’s Soul Revue, Vulfpeck, The Nth Power, Goldfish
Dwight Yoakam
- Johnny Mercer Theatre, Savannah March 31 America
- Symphony Hall, Atlanta April 1
Ahora español Livelinks.com 18+
Meet sexy new friends
FREE TRIAL
706-434-0112
Pride in Your Health. Pride in Yourself. Want to quit smoking? Call 1-800 QUIT NOW for free help and a customized Quit Kit. www.scdhec.gov/quitforkeeps 24MARCH2016
AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
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SIGHTINGS
Michael Johnson | mejphoto.photoreflect.com
Clair Reed, Meredith Thomason, Aryel Fahrney and Tom Reed at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Augusta.
Kennedy Powell, JJ Morrison, Ellie Symon and Skyler Martin at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Augusta.
Donna Zapata, Linda Gebhard, Bill Hood and Janet Vaughan at Whiskey Bar (Kitchen).
Philomena Mooney and Irish Lady of the Year Annie Emmett at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Augusta.
Mike Bauer, Allison Kelly, Ellen Kelly and Grand Marshall Philip Kelly at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Augusta.
The Irish Family: Joe Byrd, Mary Anne Ribock, Ellen Leonard Ribock and Adam Ribock at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Augusta.
Jim and Alice Frye with Barbara and Sam Frantom at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Augusta.
Sarah Wilby with Ryan and Hannah O’Hagan at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Augusta.
Candice Jeffcoat, Easter Augustine, Rebecca Jeffcoat and Victoria Glass at the Travis Tritt concert at the Imperial Theatre.
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DON’T SUE US! By Tom McCoy / Edited by Will Shortz ACROSS 1 It returns just before spring: Abbr. 4 Univ. parts 9 Black-and-white treat 13 Sends an invitation for 19 Cell material 20 Independently 21 Fur fighters? 22 Combs 23 Wooden arts-and-crafts piece 26 Fantasy land 27 “Fingers crossed!” 28 “Sprechen ____ Deutsch?” 29 Great American Ball Park team 31 Collector’s ____ 32 Quaint social occasion 38 Kind of poem 40 ____ Bo 41 “I almost forgot …” 42 Positive response 43 Work 45 “Hands off!” 46 Pre-euro coin 49 Shoelace alternative 55 Get the message, say 56 With equal frequency 57 Streak 58 Cigar type 60 “Borrowed” 61 Titter 62 Modern “Carpe diem” 63 Locale for phalanges 65 Cry that’s a homophone of 81-Across 66 Tool for reproduction 71 “Heaven and earth in miniature,” per a Chinese proverb 73 Expressions of disgust 75 Sole 76 Marco ____ (shirt sold on Rubio’s website) 77 Come to an end 79 Shenanigans 81 Barely make, with “out” 82 Appetizer 84 Section of a foreign travel guide, maybe 85 Hybrid outdoor game 87 Prepared 88 Fatty cut of fish at a sushi bar 90 Named, informally 91 Where, to Cato 92 Burrowing insect 93 ____ glance
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94 Convulsion 99 Reagan, with “the” 105 Prefix with cumulus 106 Identifying lines at the bottoms of pages 107 Certain hosp. exam 108 Caught sight of 110 Ungraceful 111 Fixture in many a basement 116 Emulated one of Old MacDonald’s animals 117 One that’s out of one’s head? 118 Response to “Who goes there?” 119 Poorly 120 Brotherhood and sisterhood 121 Neophyte, in modern slang 122 Cartridge filler 123 Convened
47 Prefix with tourism 48 Fossil-fuel residue 49 Still-life object 50 First name in cosmetics 51 Discoverer’s cry 52 Org. of the Argonauts and the Alouettes 53 Some natural-history-museum displays, for short 54 Tributary of the Rhine 55 Substation? 58 The four seasons and others 59 Brown-and-white treat 61 Start of many a bumper sticker 64 Backing at a business meeting? 67 “Four Quartets” poet 68 Two 1980s White House personages 69 Isao of the P.G.A. 70 Online greetings 72 Toy brand with soft sales? DOWN 74 Genealogical grouping, informally 1 Self-help guru who wrote “Life Code” 78 Bit of a joule 2 Hoity-toity 80 Average guy 3 Jake of CNN 82 French city said to have given its 4 Place for a throne name to a car 5 World Showcase site 83 Bit of gymwear 6 Hang (around) 84 Start of a concession 7 Take unwanted steps? 85 Unoccupied 8 Line at the zoo 86 Start eating 9 Elect 87 Inner feeling 10 King, in Portugal 88 Court technique 11 Series finale? 89 Bobby in skates 12 Image on the Connecticut state 92 “It’s f-f-freezing!” quarter 93 Artful 13 Grant portrayer on TV 95 Daddy 14 Line of cliffs 96 Crime stories? 15 Land in two pieces? 97 “Streetcar” call 16 Ingredient that’s been left out? 98 You could have it in any color you 17 Pertaining to Pennsylvania, Ohio and wanted, as long as it was black West Virginia, e.g. 100 “Two Treatises of Government” 18 Spanish she-bear philosopher 24 One for two of four 101 Smallest slice of a pie chart, maybe 25 Show (out) 102 Must have 30 “____ a real nowhere man …” 103 Scapegrace 33 Complete reversal 104 Facetious response to “Describe 34 Source of the names of two months yourself in three adjectives” 35 Trounce 109 Recipe instruction 36 “Atlas Shrugged” author Rand 110 Sticky stuff 37 Soprano Sumac 112 Line at a wedding 39 Think piece? 113 Role for Keanu Reeves 44 Writer of the line “Ah, distinctly 114 Chatter I remember it was in the bleak 115 Ingredient in a white lady December” 46 Leader elected in 1946
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23
8
9
10
11
24
25
31
32 39 43 50
51
34
40
41
44 53
35
66 74 79
67
80
70
82
89
83
90 93
102
106
104
107
108
96
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
B L E D
L E A V E
M U S S
I N C A
115
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWERS O R R I N H A T C H
O N L I N E C H A T
Q U I C H E V E A L M E A L Y
I M A G F O D O C O M R R I O U E T G S S U D S E A T S E A R M E R A A L O N E I N T E G O W A N T A C O I F O T E R I D A P P Y M E E E R S S
E R A D I H O E L D M A D G A E E R E A L G O S M A A L L E T S
T E N S E L O I E V A N A B C D
97
109
111
M F A A R S C
114
95 105
116
L A U R A
113
94
103
110
F B O M B
112
72
78
86
92 101
64 71
77
81
91 100
63
69
85
99
59
76
88
48
55 58
68
87
47
62
84
18
37
54
75
17
36
46
61
73
16
42
57
60
15
30
45
52
14
26 29
33
56
65
13 22
28
38
12
21
27
49
7
20
F O T O A R A I N B O F M E R C N O R E T T O T A S H O R N R L Y M O N A Y I I A I R N S T C A E A H E M S S T O F O L E S O N M O G E A I S T S P S I B A C A B R E T E E E R O N T E N T R A D I I A N S E L
G R U E L
A D O S I M R I C H
A U T O S T R A D A
V O I C E A C T O R
I T I N
N E O S
O C H E R
W H O S
I A O N N G E N E R D Y
E L U D E
98
V27|NO12
THE EIGHT
BOX TOPS “Allegient”’s disappointing opening can’t top “Zootopia.” RANK TITLES
WEEKEND GROSS TOTAL GROSS WEEK # LAST WEEK
1
ZOOTOPIA
$37,164,158
$200,929,655
3
1
2
ALLEGIENT
$29,027,348
$29,027,348
1
-
3
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN
$14,812,393
$18,369,446
1
-
4
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
$12,506,539
$45,183,178
2
2
5
DEADPOOL
$8,011,984
$340,953,367
6
3
In Theaters March 25
COMEDY
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,” rated PG-13, starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett. Believe it or not, it’s been 14 years since “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” made Nia Vardalos and her crazy onscreen family stars. Now the writer/actress brings the whole gang back for a reunion, but don’t worry: The wedding the trailers keep hinting at isn’t for Toula and Ian’s teenage daughter Paris. Although, if truth be told, her family is probably already sizing up suitable husbands for her.
36 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
ACTION
“Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” rated PG-13, starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter. Who you root for in this one, in which the people of Metropolis, led by Bruce Wayne, have turned against Superman and see him as a threat to humanity, pretty much comes down to how you feel about Affleck as Batman. The bet seems to be whether he’ll be better or worse than George Clooney. It’s not a very high bar to cross, however. We’ll be watching purely for Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). 24MARCH2016
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V27|NO12
Months-Long Feud Led to Deadly Riot The conflicTs that led to last Friday’s deadly riot in South Augusta had been brewing for months, and were centered around the amorous activities of one particularly defiant teenage girl. Investigators and officials close to the case tell me the Glenn Hills High School student apparently generated a massive amount of ill will and conflict by sharing a number of risqué and some “outright pornographic” digital pictures of herself and a number of different young men. Many of those young men had other girlfriends, and some family members, who did not appreciate the gratuitous publicity. The resulting fallout has been a nightmare for school officials and public safety officers alike. I am told there have been a number of meetings and discussions involving this student and the disruption her activities had been bringing to the school atmosphere. But the decision was made that since none of the activity in question, or the pictures taken of it, appeared to involve school property or class time, the girl was not going to be moved to the Richmond County Alternative School. Her removal was still considered, under what is called “Rule 32.” Under that rule, any student deemed to be engaged in activity that is detrimental to school morale or the peaceful operation of the school in question is subject to at least a temporary reassignment. in retrospect, it is clear the administration at Glenn Hills dropped the ball. Somehow word got out that day that the young lady in question (and I use that term ironically) was finally going to get “what she had coming to her” in the way of community retribution. And she was home from school that day, imagine that. Initial estimates of the group that met up in her neighborhood were said to be as large as three dozen, but the available evidence doesn’t prove that. To be honest, we have no way of knowing who all showed up or why they showed up. As we go to press, over a dozen individuals have been charged in connection with the brawl, which among other things resulted in the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Demajhay Bell, who is the cousin of the girl in question. Bell was apparently attempting to protect his cousin from the approaching threat, which eventually manifested as an angry crowd, documented in excess of 20 people, arriving armed with bats, pipes and other weapons. At least one of the participants in the 2 p.m. “Friday throw-down” was kind enough to video about three minutes of the violent clash, which played out in a usually quiet cul-desac known as the end of Chaps Lane in South Augusta. Watching the clip, I counted a dozen felonies committed in about 45 seconds by about a half dozen different people. That video made its way into the hands of WRDW News12 and, of course, the Richmond County lawmen tasked to investigate the hideous mess. One particularly disturbing image that was making its way around Facebook this weekend accompanies this column, and investigators tell me they believe it clearly shows the knife they believe was used to inflict Bell’s fatal wound. I am still trying to understand how this many people, who apparently are capable of feeding and dressing themselves, come to the conclusion that it is either appropriate or wise to engage in such a hideous display of dumbassery in broad daylight. Losing your temper in a bar, or even in the middle of a school lunchroom, can be explained and expected of young people and adults on occasion. But the display we witnessed come together on Chaps Lane last week brings to mind what would happen if the next Quentin Tarantino western were made with the Three Stooges playing all the major roles. Lots of silly, meaningless dialogue and tons of slapstick and physical comedy, punctuated with several five gallon buckets of stage blood and a clown car that can double as a coroner’s wagon. No, it is not funny, not one damn bit. Demajhay Bell’s life came to an end last Friday and, before all is said and done, there will be other lives ruined and ended from the fallout of this inexcusable murder. And over what? An idiotic girl posting nookie pictures. Oh, and according to one witness at the scene, “Disrespect.” There is not a human being associated with any of this insane behavior that deserves one ounce of respect from anyone.
38 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989
One of many images shared with law officers, reported to depict last Friday’s fight. Is this the “large kitchen knife” that was described in official reports as the murder weapon? (Image shared briefly on Facebook.)
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.
24MARCH2016
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