V3 May 2013 by V3 Magazine

Northwest Georgia's Premier Feature Reader / May 2013

M AG A Z I N E

Raptor Regalia

An ancient sport of life, death, and interspecies survival rears its feathered head in present-day Rome

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Darlington School Early lEarning acaDEmy

A more customized educational experience for your child Darlington School is offering an innovative and more customized approach to early childhood education, beginning in 2013-14. Students who would traditionally enroll in pre-k, kindergarten or pre-first will instead be part of Darlington’s Early Learning Academy, a progressive program in which instruction is based on the students’ individual needs.

Our goal is to build more creative, collaborative learners by meeting the children where they are and pushing them as far as they can go. David Powell, Academic Dean

Students in the Early Learning Academy will work collaboratively on big ideas and break out into small, ability-based groups for the core areas of reading, writing and arithmetic. This will allow Academy teachers to build a directed, customized curriculum that takes into account the students’ strengths and levels of ability.

Program Highlights Customized curriculum that accounts for various levels of ability Small group, ability-based instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic Allows students to progress at their own pace Curriculum serves as the foundation for Darlington’s entire academic program Exposes all students to three highly qualified teachers, and to teaching and learning styles that are best suited for the students’ needs Provides structured classroom time with peers of the same age Integrates life skills and character education Promotes independence and self-control Builds creative, collaborative learners

The Early Learning Academy has a limited enrollment of 42 students. For more information or to enroll your child, please contact Lea Duncan in the Admission Office at LDuncan@darlingtonschool.org or 706-802-4378.

Catalyzing Extraordinary Lives. www.darlingtonschool.org/i_will | Rome, Georgia | 706-235-6051

P aris M ountain Ph o t ograp h y

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VM3ayMag 2013

14.Earth, Wind&FireFly Charitable minds alight the night sky at RACA’s Fire Fly Fling 2013

20.Patterson’s Perfect Storm Thunderbolt Patterson beer-batters the

Rome music scene with gale-force swagg

26.Li’lStory ’Bouta ManNamedJeb A whimsical traipse through owner/co-

Opinions 18.FromOur Cold,DeadHands J. Bryant Steele unloads a 30-round magazine on self-sabotaging America

designer Jeb Arp’s Cotton Block home

34.Hawk ofAges Prodigy falconer Theresa Stevens and her

impressive red-tailed hawk, Nova, soar high above novice expectations in an ages-old sport

Features

32.Hot Mess V. Honored Guest:A Public Indictment Planner/taskmaster-in-chief, Holly Lynch, tells

us how to get our heads out of our butts and back to what’s really at stake: potentially costing our loved ones their chance at a perfect day

39.Honestly Abe First-year columnist Robb Raymond III learns

a lot about living and a little ’bout love from an overwhelming, yet inspirationally intrepid, source

43.Payne in theEar Dr. James Payne of the Harbin Clinic explains why, in order to hear, you first have to listen

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Although I’m glad most of Northwest Georgia’s spring pollen has been washed away by frequent rain, it does feel that 2013 is racing by much too quickly. Still, being able to breathe again helps. If those of us tortured annually by spring allergies can get back to breathing normally, it would be plenty OK with me if things slowed down a bit. I may just get my wish, too, once the school year has wrapped and the kids are off to summer camp, but May is a super-busy month nevertheless, with graduations, awards ceremonies galore, and Mothers Day all packed into the same calendar month. Perhaps this is why we come down with vacation fever, a yearning that is much more powerful than the lure of the bright sun and gorgeous blue skies beckoning just outside your office window. It could be a byproduct of stress, but as I grow older, I’m leaning more heavily toward campaigning to make shorts and flip-flops the new business-casual. Granted, most of us have hideous feet, but the personal benefit is well worth the price you’ll pay seeing other Managing Partner/ people’s roughed-up toes. On the bright side, Chief of Advertising

Ian Griffin

Publisher's Note

maybe through this new style consensus we can all agree to focus on one another’s smiles, as opposed to our bunions and plantar warts. On a more charming note, this month’s V3 Magazine is here to provide a brief but enjoyable respite—at least until you finally set off on that long overdue vacation— with help from stories like that of teenaged falconer Theresa Stevens, local band Thunderbolt Patterson, the Rome Area Council for the Arts’ latest intallment of Fire Fly Fling, and, of course, the alwaysCreative Design Partner/ reliable wit and in-depth analysis provided Editor-in-Chief by our monthly columnists. We at V3 also wish all the best to our class of 2013 high-school graduates, as well as those couples who will tying the knot this wedding season. To help the latter on their road to matrimonial fulfillment, our fifth-annual special edition V3 Wedding Compendium will be hitting the streets later this month. May your vacation days arrive swiftly, fellow Georgians. Viva la flip-flops.

Neal Howard

Ian Griffin, Managing Partner

M AG A Z I N E EDITOR-IN-CHIEF + PRODUCTION MANAGER + ART&DESIGN Neal Howard

WRITERS

J. Bryant Steele, Luke Chaffin, Holly Lynch, Lillian Shaw, Ray Marvin, Robb Raymond III, Ian Griffin, Neal Howard

PHOTOGRAPHY

Derek Bell, MFA 706.936.0407

CHIEF OF ADVERTISING + OFFICE MANAGER/ SALES DIRECTOR Ian Griffin

AD SALES + CLIENT RELATIONS

Shadae Yancey-Warren, Chris Forino

AD DESIGN + CREATIVE ENGINEERING Ellie Borromeo

PUBLISHER

V3 Publications, LLC

CONTACT

One West Fourth Avenue Rome, Ga. 30161 Office phone_706.235.0748 Email_v3publicatons@ gmail.com

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Leigh and Piero Barba

Local arts supporters descended once again on beautiful North River Farm for the annual Fire Fly Fling, which graced Rome Fri., April 26. The spring event has become the largest fundraiser of the year for the Rome Area Council for the Arts (RACA), and as the nonprofit commenced celebrating its 36th anniversary, this year’s installment proved no different. According to the RACA board of directors, in fact, once the last guest had departed the party and all proceeds had been tallied, the nonprofit had surpassed its goal by collecting approximately $15,000. Last year’s Fire Fly Fling soiree featured beautiful lanterns that, as the party neared its conclusion, were set aloft into the night sky. This time around, the sight to see was the many guests who became more interactively engaged with the help of Bioluminescence. The projectionbased platform wowed partygoers, whose silhouettes were surrounded by playful fireflies as they came within range of special camera equipment. Tracking individuals as they moved in and out of frame, the playfully animated lightning bugs would appear in their shadows. “A lot of my work tries to combine the human element with technology,” says

THISLITTLE

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OF MINE

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Issuing a quick nod to the organization’s 36th anniversary before resuming its stated mission, a late-April evening at FIRE FLY FLING 2013 sees sitting ROME AREA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS president, Wright Ledbetter, and fellow fundraisers celebrating with an eye to the future

local artist and Bioluminescence creator, Zane Cochran. “I’m always trying to figure out creative and innovative ways in which people can engage with something artistic through technology.” Cochran began working with RACA via his artist relationship with Tricia Steele of 7Hills Makerspace. Steele, a founding fellow of the Makerspace and member of the RACA board of directors, recruited Cochran’s talents in a bid to spice up this year’s Fire Fly festivities. Steele says she had envisioned an interactive modality that would strive to more directly engage guests with the firefly theme, and Cochran knew just what to do. “Art is fundamental to who we are as human beings,” she adds. “We make, we create. [It] is an expression of what it means to be human. Making something out of circuits and code can be seen as another expression of art.” Just last year, the fastblooming young artist debuted a similar concept for guests of a Georgia Tech symposium , and was equally pleased to bring his fusion of the “human element” and technology to Fire Fly. “[Cochran has shown us how an innate, artistic sensibility] can take advantage of advances in technology, but still create the interactive and emotional connection to art,” explains Wright Ledbetter, president of RACA. Cochran says he has developed a deep appreciation for the Rome aesthetic while

paying his dues as an artist, citing how conducive the city has been to his creativity . “Rome has these enabling bodies that allow an artist like myself to both create these technologies and have places to display them,” Cochran says. As guests arrived at North River Farm the evening of April 26, they were first escorted down a beautiful, torch-lined path in weather that Mother Nature herself must’ve appointed specifically for this night. Surrounded by posh tents and a courtyard aglow in soft light, patrons were foot-swept into an elegant, ethereal celebration.

Beneath one of the tents lay a sumptuous buffet, catered by La Scala Ristorante Italiano. The selection included prosciutto-wrapped melon, crostini and lamb chops. Guests also helped themselves to tiramisu and the nowsignature “Fire Fly Cocktail”, a tasty whitepeach Bellini. The coral-draped tables were accented with spring arrangements from Bussey’s Florist. Live music from Pollard Greens Jazz Quartet provided the soundtrack to an enchanting night on the meadow, as an open-air, riverside lounge became a favorite gathering place for ladies in beautiful sundresses. Men in linen blazers mingled alongside them, all

TEXT BY LUKE CHAFFIN PHOTOS BY DEREK BELL

(Left to right): Fran Bagley, Wright Ledbetter, Emily Hjort and Laura Davis vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

Nancy Smith and Shelly Peller

"ESPECIALLY WITH THE TIMING OF CUTBACKS TO THE ARTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,

2013 R.A.C.A. Award recipient, Tesa DuPre

smiles as the sun set in spectracolor below the tree line. “This year there was an exotic, Mediterranean feel,” says RACA board member and event co-host, Laurie Hubbard. “We used palettes of turquoise, coral and brown.” Fire Fly Fling 2012 saw the debut of the Rome Arts Champion Award (better known by its clever acronym, the “R.A.C.A.” Award), and this year the honor went to Tesa DuPre. The talented potter and arts advocate is credited with starting Empty Bowls of Rome. Thanks to DuPre, Empty Bowls has pumped nearly $100,000 of

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additional funding into organizations like the Hospitality House for Women, Rome Action [RACA IS] Ministries, and the VERY EXCITED TO MAKE ONE OF THE William Davies Shelter. Moving words filled LARGEST GRANTS WE'VE EVER MADE." the introduction made by Ledbetter. As he stood Fire Fly wasn’t the only RACA event to before a reverent audience, he spoke of DuPre’s put its stamp on Rome’s social calendar in selfless work for the betterment of the April, either. The Second Annual AllRoads NWGA community. “RACA Music Festival, held just six days prior is extremely honored to at Heritage Park, was a pretty big hit as recognize Mrs. DuPre for well. The all-day concert showcased 26 this incredible initiative local bands in a span of 12 hours, and the she helped spearhead musicians who participated never seemed in Greater Rome,” to miss a beat. As one band was performing, Ledbetter said. the next would be tuning up their gear on a Accepting the secondnearby stage. year R.A.C.A. Award, “Arts need to be a priority in [Greater DuPre gave a heartfelt, Rome],” says Ledbetter. RACA’s president humble speech that was sees a thriving arts community as small-scale, followed by great applause. yet nonetheless critical, economic stimulus This year also saw an for Rome. He also notes that a vibrant arts encore of the silent auction at Fire culture serves as serious incentive for visitors Fly. The impressive bounty featured on and taxpayers who are thinking of making a the night’s auction block included paintings by move to the area. well-known locals Siri Selle and Ken Gentle, Founded in 1976, RACA continues to a painted bowl by Cabell Sweeney, Cuban enhance creative access and opportunity for cigars with premium wine pairings, a Greater Romans. It’s members are guided by weeklong vacation to Sea Island, a trip to the “unifying and compelling power of the Las Vegas, and more. Every dollar raised arts,” according to their published mission from the silent auction, as well as the rest of statement, and in practice, these words take Fire Fly’s 2013 proceeds, will go to funding shape in the form of advocacy support in the RACA’s vast array of arts initiatives. name of local artists and RACA-affiliated

arts groups. They also place a share of their focus on the increased incorporation of art into the lives of young people (the Art Walk on Broad and Rome Beer Festival, for instance); education (summer arts camps and the Writer’s Academy); artist promotion (AllRoads Music Festival), and public outreach (Rome International Film Festival, Rome Symphony Orchestra). RACA is also the grateful collector of donations from corporate sponsors, and they take great, collective, personal satisfaction in distributing these funds to smaller charities. Members cherish a rich history of grant-giving to worthy individuals and humanitarian outreach groups. They have been known to purchase tickets to cultural events for individuals on fixed incomes. RACA will soon be sponsoring a portion of the annual Battle of the Bands, benefitting Cancer Navigators. The competition takes place Sat., June 15 at the DeSoto Theatre, and will donate its proceeds to a sister organization that has worked tirelessly to help families touched by the disease. The council also has several projects developing just over the horizon, including a partnership with Model High School to help build a music technology lab. Come this fall, says Ledbetter, students will use both hardware and software to write and record their own music. “Especially with the timing of cutbacks to the arts in public schools, we are very excited to make one of the largest grants we’ve ever made,” he adds. The hope is that Model students will learn transferrable skills, which they can later take with them into college and the workforce. RACA has also been a proponent of and a major contributor to the upcoming “Dancing Flower” art project, soon to be planted at the corner of Broad Street and Fifth Avenue in downtown Rome. With the continued support of generous local donors, RACA has elevated its capacity to spread awareness on arts education, celebrate the vibrance of its creative community, and help to promote the far-ranging impacts that a more finelytuned appreciation for art can have on our lives. Fueled by this notion, Ledbetter issues a humble reminder: “The more the Rome community can invest in RACA, the more RACA can invest back in the Rome community through the arts.” VVV

To see more FFF 2013 guest pics, visit us online at V3Magazine.com. To learn more about RACA’s local arts initiatives, become a member by calling 706.250.1ART, or visit Wright Ledbetter and friends online at RomeArts.org vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

The recently adjourned Georgia General Assembly passed a unanimous, though intrinsically flawed, ethics reform bill. Scratch below the surface on this one and you’ll find an embarrassing historic marker, seeing as how Georgia was one of only four states that had yet to limit, or outright ban, gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers. Intense media scrutiny, primarily from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, had shone the spotlight on outrageous gifts between the two in recent years, including lavish dinners, suites at football games, and even family trips to Europe. The public outcry in wake of this reporting had simply become too great to absorb, even for the greedy ones under the Gold Dome. (More on that later.) Essentially, House Bill 142 institutes a $75 “per occurrence” cap on lobbyist gifts. Predictably, however, the legislation leaves in too many loopholes with regard to gifts from lobbyists. It doesn’t at all prevent a group of lobbyists from collectively spending what amounts to an unlimited amount of money on a particular legislator. The law also provides an out for lawmakers, as well as their families and staff, when pertinent to “official duties,” and just wait until the day some legislator is made to wrestle with the ethical snafu of accepting Super Bowl tickets as an official duty. A constituent can come to the state Capitol to talk to his or her legislator, but he/ she is not required to register as a lobbyist unless he/she has $1,000 in expenditures each calendar year, or is paid more than $250 per calendar year. That makes sense at first glance, but could prove murky later.

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HB 142 leaves in a couple of lobbyist-sized loopholes; gun control advocacy suffers a double-tap to the sternum; Georgia's fight for increased water share hops a time machine to the 19th century. If you're going down anyhow, why not do it in a hail of bullets?

Common Sense: Dead. On. Arrival.

Several state education measures, most originating in the House, were passed as well. And education is, of course, an area in which Georgia must improve its image if it wants to attract new business. (Former Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, Beverly Hall, is among 25 educators now under indictment for school test tampering, and Gov. Nathan Deal has already removed six DeKalb County School Board members in the aftermath of the high-publicity scandal. These firings are still being contested, and the drama will likely drag on through the courts and the media for years to come. The bad press reflects poorly on the entire state, even if your kids are the products of a quality school system. Also worthy of note, the General Assembly increased the cap on income tax credit for student scholarship programs from $51.5 million to $58 million. Another bill reinstated the 2.0 GPA for technical college students to receive a HOPE grant, but while attending college, students must still maintain the required 3.0 GPA. Another bill transfers control of video poker

machines to the Georgia Lottery, with a portion of profits being used to fund HOPE, and teacher and principal evaluations developed by the State Board of Education will be administered by local school boards beginning in the 2014-15 school year. Georgia’s $19.9 billion budget for fiscal year 2014 contains roughly $147 million for public school enrollment growth, $72 million in higher education growth in the state university system, and $850 million in

Cents&

Sensibility . with J Bryant Steele

bond funding for public works. The budget also includes $224 million to cover the state’s Medicaid shortfall. In a final note from the Gold Dome, lawmakers were unable to agree on competing measures in the House and Senate on gun control. This remains a raging issue on the national stage, with poll after poll showing overwhelming support for some increased measure of gun control. Of course, the gun lobby made cowards of our elected officials with relative ease. Georgia lawmakers generally take the stand that the solution to gun violence is more guns in more hands in more places, but in Washington, the U.S. Senate can’t even pass a tamped-down bill calling for more extensive background checks. Patricia Maisch, a survivor of the Tuscon, Az. mass shooting during which Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was disabled, said as she was escorted from the Capitol, “They need to be ashamed of themselves. They have no souls. They have no compassion.” Maisch has taken heat for the “harshness” of these remarks, but it’s going to take this kind of outcry to make elected officials stand up to the gun lobby.

Steele's Biz Bits

Back to the matter of attracting business to Georgia: It would appear that we are determined to petition the highest judicial levels in our effort to secure access to hundreds of billions of gallons of water from the Tennessee River. This latest angle is conjured from a 19th-century survey that drew―incorrectly, by a smidgen―the boundary between the Peach State and the Volunteer State. To call this ridiculous and futile would be a magnanimous gesture, and in a battle of political buzz phrases, Tennessee wins this skirmish before it even begins.

The boundary, incorrectly drawn or not, has been in place for well over a century. It is called the Tennessee River, after all. Georgia, in turn, comes across as trying to take water; Tennessee comes across as trying to protect its rightfully held resource. How does this judicial tug-o-war hurt our effort to attract business, you ask? Well, Georgia is also locked into similar water wars with Alabama, South Carolina and Florida. We come off as looking like we don’t play well with others, which also makes businesses question whether there’ll be enough water to run their plants when the dust settles. There will be, of course, and Georgia hasn’t a chance to win this. But that sort of thing, rather than working in service to the greater good, won’t stop the show—or the flushing of your tax dollars. In financial news, while gold futures plummeted to their lowest level in two years this April, the “gold for geeks” form of virtual currency known as Bitcoins have also been called the “next thing in money.” It will be interesting to see where Bitcoin. com goes, considering that mainstream merchants have yet to accept the new cyber-tender. But one thing that has attracted portfolio-minded poindexters is that Bitcoin is still free from government regulation (as if that’s going to last). In the business of college sports, the Southeastern Conference has, at long last, completed the buy-back of its TV, digital and sponsorship rights from third parties. This clears the SEC to launch its TV channel under the ESPN network umbrella next year. Like the Big Ten Network and Pac-12 Network, the SEC version will be a nationally televised channel with broad distribution inside the SEC’s home range and premium sports-package availability everywhere else. And on a final, final note, it was reported last month that Woodstock, Ga.’s own Welcome All Baptist Church hung a “no trespassing” sign on its doors to keep approximately two dozen members from attending worship. Sources cite a rift between congregants and the pastor. The particular Sunday in question, pray tell? None other than Easter. Somewhere, Jesus has to be covering his eyes. VVV

J. Bryant Steele is an awardwinning business reporter and feature writer based in Rome. vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

exT by T RAy MARViN pHotos by

DeReK Bell

THe

THU N deR Rolls

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When THuNderbolt PAtterson duo Tim Bowen and David Bell combine 60-plus years experience on the NWGA music circuit, the result is a perfect storm

“

“It’s always good getting a dollar for what you do,” says guitarist/vocalist David Bell, who comprises one half of the Rome-based musical duo, Thunderbolt Patterson. The other half is multiinstrumentalist Tim Bowen, who first met Bell while the two were playing in a former band known as the Dirt Dobbers. The Dobbers played gigs carpeting Rome from the mid ’80s through 2007. Illustrating the differences between playing live in decades past versus gigging on today’s local music scene, Bell says, “It’s like writing: Just because you can write, does not mean you should. And just

because you can sing and play doesn’t mean you should … The digital doors opened up and everybody ran through it … There is so much out there, it’s hard to find what you want, what you need.” Thunderbolt Patterson (named after Bell’s all-time favorite pro wrestler, Claude “Thunderbolt” Patterson) separates the myth of the artist from the artists that populate commercial music in the 21st century. For this band, music is life, unrehearsed and forever rolling. There is no place for forced musicianship, either. Bell wields this philosophy proudly. It is perhaps what distances Thunderbolt Patterson from fellow NWGA bands. The bluesy, rock-n-folk pairing squares all of its attention on the craft itself, not the mindnumbing business of social networking or gauging their potential to stand out from the crowd. In person, Bell is cool as a Cheshire cat. “The convenience of [Thunderbolt Patterson] is that someone would call and ask us to play, and because we have been doing this for so long and because I knew the simple form of a lot of blues standards and old country songs, Tim Bowen would just dress them up in a mandolin, banjo, guitar, lap steel, and then we’d rehearse in the parking lot before the show.” To paraphrase, greased lightning is Thunderbolt Patterson’s modus operandi. Slip yourself in, and a few moments later, you can help but sink into the Thunderbolt vibe. Same goes for how the band came together in the first place. As Bell explains it, “I spent my youth playing in the Dirt Dobbers and I loved doing that, but being a musician is such an uphill thing. You can easily get burned out trying to get things to happen,

and it feels like you’re running uphill all the time. “When I was younger, Rome had one of the few bars close to home where we could play. We used to slip in a gig at a great little bar called Shannon’s (which later became the Irish Cellar) in the ’80s on East First Street. We played a lot of great music there. Thunderbolt Patterson came about from hanging out and playing with a bunch of other musicians... “It became pretty popular. I mean, we all have been doing it for so long that we knew lots of material. They weren’t overly complicated songs, but they were good songs. I was a big Bob Dylan fan and Neil Young fan, so we’d play for other musicians, and, at one point, we were asked to play at a party by someone who had seen us. It was

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a musician’s party, and [it took on] a life of its own. Suddenly, we’d be going out playing as Thunderbolt Patterson, and it kind of overshadowed what the Dirt Dobbers were doing, simply because we could do it in a duo format. We’d set up in a corner and play as a mostly original band, and, at that point, finding a [larger] venue was difficult to do without going on a two-hour drive. So, the Thunderbolt Patterson thing started to take off.” Blessed are those artists both great and humble. “We are the laziest bunch of lazy businessmen that ever lived,” Bell laughs in self-deprecation before making a halfserious, softballed sales pitch. “I’ve got an acoustic solo record on iTunes and Spotify called Raw Nerves under the name D. Bell. A real depressing pile of ****, but that is

the extent of our online presence. “My technological understanding stopped in 1971. Thunderbolt Patterson is so low maintenance. We have no demo; haven’t needed one in years.” Thunderbolt’s thoroughly booked show calendar also makes them extremely grateful for what the two see as an energized—and growing—live music scene in downtown Rome. There are several good musicians/ bands, and a growing number of good places to play, Bell emphasizes. In his Calhoun, Ga. youth, he had a flair for Van Morrison while his peers were poring over subpar ’80s pop and lame, late-generation Southern rock. “Being able to go to Rome and find a place with taste is something that is kind of sparse in this part of Georgia. It’s something that doesn’t happen all the time.” Taste is also something Thunderbolt Patterson now provides its audiences on the regular, currently rotating weekly shows at Johnny’s New York Style Pizza and 400 Block Bar, among other Rome nightspots. VVV

For more on upcoming Thunderbolt Patterson show dates and locations, visit MullinsMania.com

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ontime &under >budget

text by lillian shaw photos by derek bell

Shooting against the sort of tempered, softglow natural light that only windows of this measure can allow, the second-story

cotton block home of jeb arp

reveals itself to be more than a mere entertainerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream. Instead, thanks in part to the design influence of its hands-on owner, the space has come to set a new standard for downtown luxury living in the 21st century vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

hen Jeb Arp looks at something, he sees more than what it is; he sees what it can be. That’s true in his career role as a fourthgrade teacher at Cave Spring Elementary, as well as in the renovation of his 115-yearold apartment overlooking Rome’s historic Cotton Block. The 3,600-square-foot building currently houses a Broad Street financial advisors office, a barber shop, and the upstairs apartment of residents Jeb Arp and Luke Chaffin. Decades ago, the building was home to Taylor & Norton Druggist. Their logo is still emblazoned on an arched window pane rumored to sit somewhere inside the Rome Area History Museum. Most recently, however, the second floor was used for office space by McIntosh Commercial Bank. But walking into Arp’s entirely new rendering of the space, you wouldn’t know it. The first thing you see is Jeb and Luke’s charmingly curated art collection. It’s individual pieces adorn nearly every inch of wall space. “I love our local art scene in Rome,” Arp says. He’s not kidding. In the living room alone, you’ll find robot-pop art by James Schroeder; a painting of the Clock Tower by Jennifer Moore; fine art from J. Bradley Adams; a large triptych by Mike Lester; photography by Joe Cook; and a polished wood planter by local craftsman Steve Carruth, made in part from a fallen cedar tree on the Berry College campus (Arp’s alma mater). Even the TV sits on an artist’s easel. The interior is styled with a blend of modern furnishing, mid-century family heirloom, and thrift-store miracle. There are several ironically rustic accents, to

> boot, such as the kitchen light fixture repurposed and refashioned from an antique wine barrel. “Nothing matches, but I kind of like that,” says Arp. “If you have a cool space and interesting furniture, it doesn’t really matter.” Jeb’s love of all things local, he says, also extends to the apartment’s renovation. Pinson’s Construction & Flooring began knocking down walls in January 2012, and soon commenced reconstruction using as many local materials as possible. Just three-and-a-half months later, the job was complete. Looking back, Arp marvels, “[The renovation] was on time and under budget. No one ever gets to say that.” Despite the quick turnaround, converting the space at large into Jeb’s interior vision would require more than a fresh paint job. Before all was

+ 28

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# > foyer. Ghost chairs by Phillipe Starck.

+ reading room. The rope ladder (at

left) leads to a hidden bunk bed, where Arp says he often decompresses with his laptop and Netflix account. # dining room. The dining room table, China cabinet and buffet were inherited from Arp's beloved grandmother, who originally purchased them in Chattanooga in the 1950s; features exquisite tile work by Adairsville Tile; an antique coffee table salvaged from an unknown auto factory; "He's fantastic," Jeb says of master cabinet builder, Rodney Chastain. "He built exactly what I drew." To see more Arp pics, visit us

v 3 m a g a z i n e . c o m

by Rodney Chastain of Cave Spring, but drawn and designed by Arp. Peppering the apartment are small but delightful, architecturally alluring surprises. The rope ladder in the reading room/study, which leads to a tucked-away bunk bed, is a particular favorite. Arp says he often retreats to this cozy nook with his laptop and Netflix account. The kitchen island is also of Jeb’s own concept and design, with a builtin knife slot and inset containers designed to hold drink glasses for entertaining, which Arp and Chaffin do rather frequently. The home has played host to so many impromptu visits and organized parade parties that they can no longer put a figure on it. (All we know for certain is Jeb once took a leaf-blower to the tree outside his window trying to improve the view.) From their downtown home, Arp and Chaffin enjoy walking to First United Methodist Church where they are active members. After service, they often stop for Sunday lunch on Broad. This intersection of home and community, Arp says, is the best part. VVV

Arp and Chaffin at home with Arp's trusted realtor, Debra McDaniel

said and done, the Pinson crew had constructed a new roof, replaced Sheetrock, overhauled the plumbing and, thanks to a highly persuasive fire marshal, had installed an emergency sprinkler system throughout. Renovating historic homes comes with a very distinct set of hassles, as Jeb discovered. But wisely, he used each of them as an opportunity to recreate the space in an even more personal way. For instance, the cabinetry in the kitchen and office were custom made

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For a professional events planner, weddings are truly amazing events. And after six-plus years in this business with more than 140 weddings under my belt, Lord knows I’ve seen my share of anomalies, challenging circumstances, moments of utter joy, and flashes of sheer brilliance. Someday, I will definitely write a book. Consider this an introduction. As I write to you all, I’m watching a group of men install a giant tent in the backyard of a bride’s home. It is an intricate process of straps and poles, lights and dollies. Today, there’s singing among the workers. Flowers are blooming and birds are chirping. The view from the back porch of the home is stunning, too. I offer a prayer for sunshine on my client’s wedding day. When I watch the erecting of large-scale setups like this―even smaller, indoor affairs, for that matter―I often wonder if the guests have a true appreciation for what the bride, her family, the groom, and the planner(s) have all gone through leading up to the big day. More specifically, I wonder if the guests realize how many details have 32

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Trends&

Traditions been thought through during the hours and hours of preplanning that go into it. When we plan events, we―at least from my side of the desk―walk through the event from three perspectives: the guests’, the bride’s, and the vendors’. More often than not, each of these three parties has a different set of priorities for the event (note that individual vendor businesses hired for a wedding can number as many as 30). We plan for ideal circumstances, such as sunny skies, on-time guests, and sober groomsmen. Ideal circumstances are rarely a reality. As a guest, I hope you wonder to yourself, What can I do to help make this day perfect for the bride and groom I have come to see

with HollyLynch and support? For those who do, I hope to shed greater light on some wedding-guest behaviors that can help make the day a dream come true for the happy couple at the center of attention. Then, and only then, will you have done your part to bring their vision to life. First things first, when you receive the invitation, note to whom it is addressed. If there is an inner envelope, this is where you’ll discover whether you’re allowed to bring a guest or your children. Make note: If you do not have an ‘and guest’ added after your name, or your children’s names are not

you should plan to arrive at 5:30. Unlike your job or a hair appointment, weddings start on time. To arrive after the designated start time is unacceptable, plain and simple. Those of you who have done this know who you are, flashing that sheepish look at the woman with the clipboard outside the chapel doors. Meanwhile, you’ve already passed the bridesmaids, who are all lined up and ready to commence their walk down the aisle. You’ve also probably attempted to engage in a quick conversation with the bride, who you’ve found tucked around the corner with her dad on her arm. In this moment, she is concentrating on calming her nerves she can make that walk Assuming the mantle of considerate, accommodating to the man so of her dreams—and that is guest is critical to ensuring a fabulous wedding day the only thing she should be thinking about; not making small talk with you, for the bride and groom who've chosen to honor you the late-comer. to the church on time, meaning with an invitation. Just ask a wedding planner who's 30Get minutes prior to the printed start seen the worst of the worst trickle in mid ceremony time. The invitation will also tell you how to dress. The time-honored rule ‘don’t wear Under no circumstances should you call thing: If you are allowed to bring a guest, the white’ still holds true, but also take care the bride or her parents to ask if you can intention is that you bring a date (someone that you’re wearing something appropriate bring a guest or your children. Believe me, you are seeing in some sort of relationship). for the hour of the day, the location and the they have thought long and hard about the This is not meant as an opportunity to show weather. If the event is outside on a farm, guest list, and your children are not on it. your random, uninvited aunt a good time. note whether or not it rains the day before The second thing you should do upon Nor is it to bring your BFF (also uninvited) the ceremony. It’s likely that you will be receiving the invitation is to immediately along for drinks and dancing. walking on muddy ground. If the ceremony check your calendar and determine if The invitation is key to learning so many takes place at a church that starts with “Our you will be free to attend. No matter the pieces of info you will need to be a great Lady of,” you might need something a bit verdict, you must send back that selfguest. You should also note the location of more formal. addressed, stamped envelope with the the ceremony, as well as the start time, then little card saying Yes, I am coming, or No, calculate backward the time you should be continued on pg. 45 >>>> I will not be able to make it. As for the arriving. If the ceremony starts at 6 p.m., listed, then the invitation is for you and you only. Yep, that’s right. Even if you are single, you are not—I repeat, not—guaranteed a plus-one. Be polite and attend anyway. You’ll know folks at the wedding and have a good time. If you have children, think of this invitation as a night out for you and the husband/wife. Hire a sitter.

underscore next to the yes/no line, that’s to mark how many from your invitation are coming if additional guests are allowed. If your envelope says ‘and guest,’ then your RSVP card should confirm either 1 or 2 (i.e., flying solo or bringing a date). If there’s no card, a phone call or email to the host will be sufficient. Oh, and a side note about the ‘and guest’

R.S.V.P.—Find Out

What it Means to Me

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Eat Prey Love Text by Lillian Shaw Photos by Derek Bell

For teenaged falconer Theresa Stevens and her squirrel-skewering red-tailed hawk, Nova, becoming one of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top hunting duos in only a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time has made falling in love all the easier vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

If you were to tell Theresa Stevens that it’s unladylike to be a falconer (one who hunts using birds of prey), she’d probably agree with you. She also wouldn’t care in the slightest. Being ladylike is low on the priority list for Stevens. At just 18, the Rome High senior already has her hands plenty full with homework, soccer games, planning for college, and the all-important task of training and caring for Nova, her red-tailed hawk and hunting partner. Quite the atypical teenage girl, Theresa is a licensed apprentice in the elite and enigmatic sport of falconry, which is believed to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia around 2000 B.C. Stevens’ interest in falconry came about entirely by chance, while attending her younger brother Mark’s soccer game at Grizzard Park. And while she may not be a typical teenage girl, she nevertheless describes her experience in prototypical teenage fashion: “I was like, ‘This is really cool.’ And he was like, ‘Well, would you like to hold it?’ And I was like, ‘Yes, I would love to hold it.’ And then, after that, I was like, ‘Nah, I gotta have me one of these.”

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Above: Stevens’ sponsor, Richard Eberhart, summons his prized Harris hawk, Jazz. Bottom left: Stevens and Nova assess the field as a unit, hot on the trail of their next kill. Right: Local OBGYN and avid falconer , Dr. James Vick, shows off his red-tailed sidekick, Chief. Before Theresa could even think of trapping her own wild bird, though, she would first have to obtain a falconry license. The process takes months to complete, and requires extensive training and study. Stevens had to pass a 105-question, federally-instituted exam; purchase the necessary equipment; build housing for her hawk; pass a state equipment inspection; and, most difficult of all, somehow convince her reluctant parents to let her go through with it all. Of the handful of falconers living in Northwest Georgia, Theresa now stands proudly as not only the youngest, but the only woman. But make note: In the world of falcons, eagles and hawks, it is the female bird that is typically bigger, stronger, and more efficient at catching its prey. Unladylike, indeed. With license in hand, the next thing Stevens would need was a “sponsor” in the form of a licensed, general or master) falconer whose job is to guide a new licensee through his or her two-year ap-

prenticeship. Luckily for Theresa, she found Richard Eberhart, an ER nurse at Cartersville Medical Center and a falconer of eight years. “He’s a great mentor,” Stevens says. “A lot of people just call the state and say, ‘I need a sponsor,’ so they give you a list of sponsors [who] might live two hours away and might never see you. The fact that he was so involved is the reason why my season was so successful, because he walked me through it step by step. He was here every other day in training, and he didn’t do everything for me, but he was there to show me what to do. And he gave me a lot of books. I have about 50,000 books on falconry now.” But nothing in those books can prepare a newly licensed falconer for the adrenaline-pumping thrill of finally trapping her own bird. To capture a raptor, falconers use a device known as a Bal-Chatri—essentially a wire dome with live bait inside that uses small nooses to ensnare a bird’s feet. Then, you more or less look to the sky and hope to get lucky. “I think we put 300 miles on Richard’s truck driving around Floyd County in one day,” Theresa remembers. Their first catch was a young male hawk, but Theresa decided he was too small and released him soon after. The team would finally get the stroke of luck they had been waiting for in Cave Spring, where Stevens and Eberhart spotted Nova in mid flight, on the hunt. They weren’t able to trap her until the following day. “We threw the trap over the ditch into a field. Be-

“Richard [Eberhart] said to me, ‘Theresa, the worst thing that could happen ended up happening:

You got a great first bird.’ ” fore we turned the truck around, she was on the trap,” Eberhart explains. “When Theresa ran up to cover her, she was still footing the trap. She wanted those gerbils.” After so much study, work and preparation, Theresa says it’s almost unreal to finally hold the bird that will soon become such a huge part of your life. She remembers the first time she cradled Nova after releasing her from the Bal-Chatri. “She’s completely wild, and you’re just standing there holding

this bird and you’re like, ‘Now what?’ ” Well, now it’s time for training―for both the hawk and the hunter. “In the beginning,” Stevens explains, “it was a lot of work because I was learning as much as she was.” Over the course of about a month, Theresa, with Eberhart close at her side, trained Nova to catch squirrel meat attached to a lure, then to fly to her glove when summoned, then to catch live prey at the sound of the game call. “We yell, ‘ho-ho-ho!’ Which sounds dumb,

but it works.” Theresa’s first hunting season with Nova has been an incredibly successful one, particularly for a first-year apprentice. She even managed to one-up her veteran sponsor. “I’ve been doing this for eight years, and the best season I ever had was 56 squirrels in one season—and Theresa broke my record,” Eberhart says. He attributes Stevens’ success to her remarkable partnership with Nova. On the hunt, teamwork is essential. Theresa will shake trees and yank on vines to flush a squirrel out of hiding, and Nova commences the hunt at her call. They both love every minute. “There’s just no better feeling than you and your bird in the woods doing something that you both love,” says Stevens. At press time, Nova was approaching her first birthday. And with hunting season now over, Theresa is busy fattening up her little buddy for the molt (the maturation process through which juvenile feathers are replaced by adult ones, including the red tail feathers that give the red-tail hawk its breed name). Stevens herself is headed for a pretty big change, as well. After high school, she will leave Rome to play soccer and study graphic design at the Savannah College of Art & Design, and there aren’t many places to keep a bird with a 5-foot wingspan in downtown Savannah. In turn, she faces the difficult choice of whether to unman Nova and release her back into the wild. But even if Nova is unmanned, her owner’s impact on this extraordinary bird won’t disappear entirely. Through every adventure in the woods with Theresa, Nova became a more finely tuned hunter, and unlike most red-tail hawks born in Floyd County, Nova has upped her chances of surviving, finding a mate, and breeding the next generation of hunters. “I am confident in the fact that she will be fine. As much as I’m going to miss her, that’s what’s important,” Stevens says. Theresa plans to continue learning about falconry, even if she has to wait a few years to get back in the game physically. That won’t make separating from Nova any easier, of course. Few beginner falconers are lucky enough to find such a perfectly matched partner the first time around. “Richard said to me, ‘Theresa, the worst thing that could happen ended up happening: You got a great first bird.’ ” VVV

To connect with other area falconers or discover how you can get involved, visit Richard Eberhart and the North American Falconers Exchange at nafex.net vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

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Robb&

Report2.0

A be: I

with Robb Raymond III

rresistible Paradox

HOLD’ MO FOLD’M R ???

Illustrated by way of a timeless, rhetorical paradox, it seems that old dogs can, in fact, learn new tricks. It is we, the masters, who must become better students.

ny self-respecting, skinned-kneed rascal needs a partner in crime if he expects to fully enjoy the benefits of being a troublemaker. And so, a few months prior to the birth of my oldest son, I decided to recruit and purchase our family’s first dog. Little did I know that this decision, so arbitrary and uninformed at the time, would influence the past 14 years of my life in ways I would never have imagined. At 8 weeks old, Abe was the cutest puppy I’d ever laid eyes on. His coarse white fur harbored dark brown and black patches, and hanging from his tiny muzzle was a miniature puppy goatee. He could comfortably fit in the palm of my hand. His stubby little tail wagged so hard and fast that I thought he might snap it off. As I lifted him to my face for the first time, the scent of his puppy breath filled my nose and melted my heart. I quickly shelled out the dough to make him a Raymond, and headed home the proud new owner of a Jack Russell Terrier. As my newborn son grew into a toddler,

he and Abe became the best of friends, just as I had hoped. They followed one another everywhere in search of new adventure. Not a meal passed without Abe posting up beside the high-chair, catching every stray morsel that fell to the floor (some accidentally, even more on purpose). At home with no one but family, a man couldn’t ask for a better dog. But as soon as company arrived, Abe would explode with such persistent, unrequited excitement that many people in our lives began to reconsider ever returning to our home. A few years after adding him to the Raymond family roster, the American Kennel Club changed Abe’s breed name to the Parson Russell Terrier. And while I don’t necessarily mind the official changing of Jack to Parson, within a year of bringing Abe home, I would have loved to have

been given the opportunity to petition the AKC that a more suitable change would have been modifying Terrier to Terror. According to AKC.org, the breed standard temperament for a Parson Russell Terrier reads as follows: “Bold and friendly. Athletic and clever. At work he is a game hunter, tenacious, courageous, and single minded. At home he is playful, exuberant and overwhelmingly affectionate. He is an independent and energetic terrier and requires his due portion of attention.” I have little doubt that anyone who dared grace our living room during the first five-or-so years of Abe’s life would verify this description, though it is likely they would have made an addendum of “overwhelming to the brink of insanity.” Visitors in the line of fire typically took one of two approaches when attempting to deflect Abe’s affections. The least effective strategy was to treat him as if he were carrying bubonic plague. Insistent on maintaining their personal space, the foolhardy who employed this strategy only

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served to fuel the fire. Reconstituted, Abe would begin each new campaign with a ground assault, tirelessly springing his wiry little frame into the air as if footstrapped to a doggie pogo stick. He would bounce at their feet for hours on end—no kidding, hours—even if they were to ignore him altogether and never take a seat. If they were brave enough to sit, he would acknowledge the scolding we gave him by sneaking around the perimeter and launching unexpected air raids from neighboring furniture. Pushing him away, over and over again, only served to make the his temptation all the more irresistible. Conversely, the most effective method was to regard Abe as if he were a deceptively swift rip tide. Anyone who has lived on the coast knows well that if a rip tide sweeps you too far from shore, swimming against it will almost certainly lead to exhaustion and, in a worst-case scenario, drowning. If you stay afloat, though, and allow yourself to move with the current, a swimmer has the hope of eventually being pushed back ashore. Similarly, if a guest were to willingly accept Abe’s adoration, he or she would enter into a lifelong bond and, soon after, a far more serene environment. But even swimming with the current wasn’t 100-percent foolproof.

Hosing the Gambler ( Jr.) It was a Friday night, early in the evening, when two unexpected visitors knocked on the front door. I answered to find an old friend accompanied by a stranger. My friend lived as a dorm student here in Rome, and his companion was visiting from their mutual hometown. After shaking hands, I learned that this new friend-of-afriend was the son of country music legend Kenny Rogers. Of course, as they came in and sat down, I was very concerned as to how this guy would react to Abe. But I was greatly relieved when the young man immediately fell in love with him, scooping Abe into his lap and returning his affections. The two sat face to face, with Abe laid flat against his torso, calmly soaking up the

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Hearing this, I calmly grabbed the leash and took Abe for a ride. Arriving at my mom’s, I opened her front door and, albeit unsuccessfully, made my best effort to evict the party animals. But they refused to go. What they needed, it seemed, was an attitude adjustment, and Abe was more than happy to service them. In seconds flat, one squirrel lay dead and the second narrowly escaped out the front door, taking refuge high in a nearby pine. Parson Russell “Terror” has its perks, I came to learn that afternoon.

The Great Abe Paradox

full-length, double-handed back scratch he was receiving. But just as began to feel at ease with the situation, Abe’s newfound comrade felt something that compelled him to abruptly send Abe crashing to the floor. He stood in shocked disbelief at the enormous, wet stain of betrayal covering his entire chest. I was so embarrassed, but none of us could hold back our laughter. It was winter, so I suppose that the expensive sweater he wore kept him from feeling what had, obviously, been occurring for a relaxed period of time. I offered him his choice of shirt from my closet, but he declined. They left soon after. I guess even the son of “the Gambler” sometimes has difficulty knowing when to hold’m, when to fold’m. Friend or foe, Abe never missed an opportunity to take advantage of a stranger when it came to answering a knock at the front door. In a flash, he would tear out on a 100 miles-per-hour search for neighborhood cats. And despite what the crazy cat lady (who lived alone with 17 of them, directly next door) would tell you, Abe’s ability to hunt without fear came in rather handy at times. It was a lazy Sunday evening when my mom called my cell in state of panicked hysteria. While out of town, two squirrels had somehow found their way into her home. They had already knocked picture frames off the walls, toppled over knickknacks, and even covered her bed in droppings.

Abe is much older and a little pudgier now. He spends most of his time lazing in my recliner, greeting company with a subtle bark, but rarely bothering to greet them at the door. His eyes have clouded, he is nearly deaf. And from time to time, as he snoozes in my lap, I even catch myself worriedly awaiting his next breath. Science has given us several theories as to why dogs have assumed the title of man’s best friend, and as to why we have, over the course of thousands and thousands of years, sought to interweave them into so very many facets of our lives. But, for me, I think the greatest gift Abe has given us has been his devotion to living life to its fullest, one day at a time. He has never failed to learn from yesterday, yet no matter how many days he has left, he will never spend a single one of them worrying about tomorrow. I think about the time he broke his leg jumping into an abandoned, 20-foot-deep reservoir, or the last day he visited the lake and swam without a life jacket, nearly drowning himself in futile pursuit of a gaggle of geese, and I realize that the secret to life is to never give up, never make excuses, and to treat every day as though it were your last. If I were to ever work for the AKC, and they were to ask me to describe the temperament of a Parson Russell Terrier, I would simply pose to them the famously rhetorical “irresistible force paradox”: What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? The answer is Abe. Abe is what happens. VVV

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>>> from 37, “R.S.V.P. ...” Now you’ll need to get the happy couple a gift. Many 21st-century brides and grooms maintain a wedding website, through which they post registry information. (A tactful couple will not include registry information in their wedding invitation). If the couple does not have a website, ask their parents or friends where they’re registered. I encourage shopping for a gift off the registry because you know the gift is needed and wanted. Additionally, don’t be afraid to purchase something more nontraditional, as long as it is featured on the couple’s list. For instance, a client couple of mine recently registered for activities to enjoy on their honeymoon, such as fishing expeditions and/or dinner at a romantic restaurant. If possible, have the gift mailed to the bride or her parents ahead of the wedding. Bringing a gift to the reception isn’t wrong, per se, but it creates a bit of a challenge for the bride’s family at the end of the night when they need to take the gifts home. The bride and groom don’t often get to open these presents for over a week, since they generally depart the wedding and head off directly to their honeymoon destination. Send the gift ahead of time. Now that you are at the actual wedding— on time and in the right clothes—be sure to act graciously. Some weddings last a long, long time. Plan on staying for a while. Enjoy the event. Note the details. Sign the guest book. Every inch of that event has been thought out with you in mind. I’m certain there’s something at each wedding that brings you joy. Try the signature cocktail, but don’t sample too many. Taste the hors d’ouevres. Wait for the bride and groom to cut the cake. (I kid you not, I have had guests ask if they could cut the cake themselves because they needed to leave early). Dance. Then, when you are ready to leave, make sure you say goodbye to the bride and groom and to the hosts. Thank them for including you. In this era of reality-TV gowns and Pinterest-driven décor, being a good guest is a tried-and-true way to earn a special place in the hearts of the happy couple, both of whom have worked extremely hard to host a fun and meaningful event. They chose you to celebrate with them, to help manifest these special memories. Be honored. Behave respectfully. VVV

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Holly Lynch is owner of/ head planner for The Season Special Events Planning at 250 Broad Street in Rome. vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

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