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APR 22-28, 2020 NEWS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM

QUARANTINE CHRONICLES:

Talking with Dr. Kamran Mohammad PHOTO BY EMAD KHAN

Thank you to all of the frontline workers for risking their lives to protect ours.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

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Bluegrass by the Pint from Service Brewing — Join Service Brewing for live streaming Bluegrass from one of our favorite local bands, City Hotel! Fridays, 6 p.m. facebook.com/servicebrewing/

Quarantine Concert: Sean Kelly of A Fragile Tomorrow — Local ensemble performs a live set in a pro studio setting. Sat. April 29, 7:30 p.m. quarantineconcerts.org Sarah Poole — Local musician Sarah Poole performs. Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 6:30 p.m. facebook.com/sarah.poole.505

Cooking Between the Lines — Hands-on livestreamed cooking lessons from Chef Darin Sehnert. Mondays, 6 p.m., Wednesdays, 6 p.m. and Fridays, 6 p.m. facebook.com/chefdarinskitchentable/

Sean Moloney — Local musician performs. Daily 5 p.m. facebook.com/sean.moloney.5

Eric Britt — Local singer/songwriter Eric Britt plays solo sets, alternating with releases from his new album ‘Full Circle.’ Wed., April 8, 6 p.m. facebook.com/eric.britt1 Flashback: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Bar with a Sports Attitude — Livestreams with area artists each Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m. 1-3pm facebook.com/KeystonePostcard/ Forsyth Farmers Market 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Laney Contemporary — Join Laney Enhanced social distancing between Contemporary Art Gallery on Instavendors. gram Live each day for a PRESENT TENSE #ArtBreak 5 p.m. Friday Night Live with the Mayor — Savannah Mayor Van Johnson gives Lyn Avenue - “Six String Sippin” his version of a Fireside Chat every every Friday at 8pm Friday night at 8 p.m. facebook.com/LynAvenue facebook.com/MayorJohnsonSAV Neighborhood Comics Facebook Front Porch Improv: Storytime — Live Check-In - Every Wednesday at What’s the story, morning glory? You 2PM to discuss the latest in comics, have to check in to find out! updates from staff and customers and Mondays-Fridays, 1 p.m. general goofiness. facebook.com/frontporchimprov/ facebook.com/nbrhdcomics Front Porch Improv: Classics — Enjoy archives of past Front Porch Improv performances. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/frontporchimprov/

NSFW DJ Collective — Livestreams from your favorite NSFW DJs plus special guest mixes. 5 p.m.-midnight. Fridays-Sundays. facebook.com/NSFWDJ/

Jason Bible — Jason Bible of local favorites The Train Wrecks performs solo sets. Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/thetrainwrecksband/

Psychotronic Film Society Viewing Parties — PFS streams unusual feature-length movies with live, locally produced introductions. After the films viewers can discuss the films in Real-Time via the comments section of our page. In order to receive the secret link to these hidden streaming playlists, people MUST join the

Keystone Postcard - “Neighborhood Concerts from our Driveway” every Wednesdays 4-6pm and Sundays

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PFS of SAV’s Private Facebook Group, at the link below. Each week, anyone who chooses to donate at least $5 to the organization via PayPal or Venmo receives a free high quality digital download of a movie from the archive, and is entered into a drawing to win a free limited edition T-shirt. Links remain active for 48 hours. Wednesdays, Sundays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/ groups/2519522234807695/ Otium Savannah yoga studio and wellness space — 20 minute guided meditation overlooking the city from Perry Lane Hotel rooftop. 9am on Thursdays. @otiumsavannah and @ThePerryLaneHotel Instagram channels Quarantine Concert: Andrae Murchison, Marc Chesanow, Eric Jones & Robert Saunders— Local ensemble performs live set in a pro studio setting. Fri. April 25, 7:30 p.m. quarantineconcerts.org Quarantine Concert: Isaac Smith with Andrew Sovine-Wolf— Local musicians perform live set in a pro studio setting. Sun. April 26, 3 p.m. quarantineconcerts.org

Irish Music with Seldom Sober — Savannah’s only Irish music ensemble, Seldom Sober (Michael Corbett and Colleen Settle) perform a set spanning Trad Irish to American folk. Tuesdays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/seldomsober/ Shed Show Live - Local musician Matt Eckstine presents a weekly livestream from his cozy shed. A mix of original songs, music from his time with The Accomplices, and covers. Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. facebook.com/matteckstinemusic Streaming Odd! — Odd Lot Improv is streaming some favorite games live! Watch live and interact! You can also post your favorite quotes, lyrics, weird words to this event and we will try to incorporate as many as we can! Fridays, 7:30 p.m. facebook.com/OddLot/ Sunday Service with Epiphany — A “different kind of church,” Epiphany livestreams their Sunday morning service. Sundays, 11 a.m. facebook.com/EpiphanySavannah/ Virtual Group Bike Ride — Every Friday, Bike Walk Savannah will be releasing a new virtual bike ride route for you to check out, ranging from 3-20 miles. We’ll be doing the ride on Friday morning (weather permitting). Fridays, 10 a.m. facebook.com/bikewalksavannah/

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

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When public health becomes a culture war BY JIM MOREKIS

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IT WAS TOO GOOD to be true. It seems so long ago now. But a little over a month ago — when the pandemic got real and the shutdowns started in earnest — there was a sense, however brief, of mutual shared sacrifice. We mourned economic loss, in the vain hope that our government would come through with adequate relief. We mourned the loss of personal freedom, knowing it was for the greater good of a quicker, less painful recovery. We shared Quarantine House memes, joked about how long our hair was getting. And of course, we mourned actual loss of life, actual pain and sacrifice. For a brief, shining moment amid the fear, there seemed to be a sense of community that we haven’t felt in this country for a long, long time.

tyrannical overreach, or even a hoax. I don’t usually like to write about tweets, because that’s lazy journalism. But one tweet made the rounds a while back, and it stuck in my head: “Slowly coming to the conclusion that we are going to end up in a world where one group firmly believes the shutdowns were an overreaction & the other group firmly believes that the shutdown heroically saved the lives of all those jerks.” This past week, that prediction came true somewhat, as small but well-publicized protests – many involving opencarry of firearms for reasons I’m not entirely clear about – took place around the nation, demanding an end to enforced shutdowns and often directly confronting healthcare workers. In the light of a series of tweets from the president encouraging citizens to “Liberate” several states from lockdown, the firearms seemed to take on added menace. It’s possible to make too much of these protests, which were comparatively small.

own, making recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that much more painful and difficult, and much more divisive and chaotic than it needs to be. To be clear, I’m not saying it’s wrong to protest peacefully. But if you’re of a mind to protest peacefully, here are a few targets which make a lot more sense than medical science and public health measures: • A Congress which passed a “relief” bill that was just another blatant corporate bailout — a bill which gave at most six percent of the promised funds to small businesses — and who then went into recess and disappeared for two months in the middle of a national emergency. • A President who falsely claims “absolute authority” but won’t do anything with it; who squandered the weeks of time the public bought him through our sacrifice; and who demands that governors do more, and when they do, urges their citizens to “liberate” the state from them. • State unemployment offices and websites which are woefully, criminally

For a brief, shining moment amid the fear, there seemed to be a sense of community that we haven’t felt in this country for a long, long time. We were “all in this together.” Until we weren’t. Now, we most definitely are not “all in this together.” Politics has reared its ugly, familiar head. The culture war has claimed another victim. This time, not even the response to a global pandemic is free from the partisan divide. Not even close. To be clear: We are all very upset that so many businesses have had to shut down, some of which will inevitably and unfortunately not be able to reopen. We are all very upset that so many people have lost their jobs, whether permanently or temporarily. We are all very upset that so many familiar rhythms of life have been disrupted. No one actually wanted these things to happen. The whole point is that it was a shared sacrifice, in order to get through this thing quicker. But some of us have taken it on ourselves to not only be frustrated and annoyed by the new normal – which is understandable – but to aggressively push back against widely accepted public safety measures as some kind of assault on freedom, a

Then again, we’ve seen how quickly movements can take steam, whether through genuine grassroots support, or behind-the-scenes corporate/think-tank astroturfing, or a combination of both. The shutdown protests this past week reminded me of similar protests against the Affordable Care Act a decade ago, which culminated in the “Tea Party” wave of conservative victories in Congress and in many state legislatures. The 2010 Tea Party, while eventually paying large dividends for Republicans at the ballot box, had its origins in a single 2009 rant by a cable TV news personality, CNBC’s Rick Santelli. Look it up! I’m not kidding. (Future sociologists might find it an interesting coincidence that both the 2010 Tea Party and today’s version protesting shutdowns were dedicated to fighting enhanced healthcare outcomes.) Like their progenitors, today’s protests are just another part of the culture war. They’re also being used as pawns and proxies, like most cultural issues that become fodder for political campaigns. As in 2010, it’s entirely possible that, as seems the president’s intention, the current protests could take on a life of their

inadequate for the crushing demand of unemployment applications, whether by neglect or deliberate design. • A Republican Party willing not only to mortgage its own future, but the entire country’s, to reelect someone who wasn’t even a Republican until a few years ago. • A Democratic Party which fought harder against the left wing of its own party than it will ever fight against Donald Trump. To name a few. Again, I’m as upset as anyone by the widespread loss of employment, business success, and personal freedom. Nobody who works at a newspaper could ever be happy seeing so many local advertisers in financial distress. But if you are upset and outraged by the way things are, I’d suggest you take a deep breath and think long and hard about how best to register your protests. If you decide to take up arms, perhaps literally, and fight another battle in America’s decades-long culture war, remember that you’ll likely be a casualty rather than a conqueror. By definition, victory in this struggle can never be claimed. In a culture war, we all end up losers. CS

NEWS & OPINION COMMUNITY

These anxious times: working parents reflect on life during pandemic

Several local parents open up about what it’s been like in the most uncertain days

AS A PARENT, you want nothing more than to spend quality time with your child. As it is, quality moments are hard to come by—going to work every day to meet your family’s financial needs takes up enough of the day, so it’s hard to squeeze much of anything else in. But what happens when a pandemic forces you to stay home with your kids? There’s a terrifying reality for many right now, as companies worldwide are being forced to furlough or lay off employees; many of whom are working parents. For those who are lucky enough to remain employed, though, the day-today rituals of life have been completely dismantled in favor of something much more...unpredictable. Companies are constantly changing the way they do business to compensate for either a remote structure or—if you’re an essential business—the lack of face-to-face interaction. Whether you’re having to set up shop at home or readjust your daily work schedule, parents are having to navigate a challenging situation in which they need to care for their kids and also do their job. Being the (remotely) working parent of an 8-month-old, I’d been thinking a lot about how other parents must be feeling right now. My wife is the manager of a clothing store downtown, and has had to adjust to a completely different schedule that finds her overseeing hundreds of online orders as opposed to the normal public operations. We’re certainly not in the worst of predicaments in this regard, though. Kids who would normally be in school are at home, and many require their parents’ assistance with assignments since everything is being done virtually. Keeping up with that demand is a hurdle like no other. Angel Ratcliffe, a supervisor at Anthropologie, says she thought it’d be easier than it has been to adjust to the routine changes of her unpredictable new schedule and that of her daughter Gabby, a senior in high school.

“I was kind of like, ‘Okay cool, we’ll just get a routine going.’ But I cannot get a routine going,” she tells Connect. “I don’t know if it’s my natural human nature to resist change and be stubborn a little bit. And the milestones are so shortlived. You make these milestones at home, and then each time you start over with a brand new game plan.” The challenge of creating a new routine, especially with kids in the mix, is trying to sync up with the people in your life and figuring out how to solidify a plan. George Seaborough, executive director of Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy, says that he’d begun to plan out his work schedule weekly before he realized that his wife, youth pastor Tyneise, made a similar schedule that was hour by hour. “She was able to sit down and craft out how she was planning her day. She laid her day out hour by hour. My weeks were not matching up with her hours. How could we make sense of that?” Seaborough says. “So I adapted to her hourly schedule.” That schedule, which Seaborough says is always fluctuating, revolves around the couple’s 4-year-old daughter and her needs. “It wasn’t until I saw the wisdom of my wife—where I noticed that she was breaking her days down hourly—that I was able to see what wasn’t working for me. What I do now is I go to sleep a bit later, and I wake up earlier. Because I know that in this block of time in the morning, I have the opportunity to read, write, or whatever I need to do,” he says. “If I know that my wife has a Zoom meeting for two hours in the afternoon, that I have to be responsible for my daughter. So, we worked it out.” Hannah Byrne, who works for a global technology company, is navigating much different circumstances. She’s been working remotely for years, aside from regular work travel. Her husband is still going to work full time, and their 12-year-old son is doing his schooling from home. Seventh

Tyneise and George Seaborough and their daughter (left). Jen Jenkins, Markus Kuhlmann, and their son Ison (above). PHOTOS PROVIDED

grade, Byrne says, is relatively self-sufficient. For them, not much has changed. “I’m actually working more hours than normal, because now everybody wants to video chat constantly. So we’re, like, living for the weekends,” she says. Perhaps the biggest adjustment for Byrne and her family was getting school situated for their son. “In his grade, they all have Chrome books, so they set up the computers. They’ve opened the cameras up now so they can do video chats, and they’ve had to open up some sites that were blocked. So the school had to adjust to that for the first week or two, but it’s been relatively smooth since then,” she says. Ratcliffe says that her daughter is facing the most uncertainty when it comes to her graduation, which remains up in the air as schools are no longer allowed to have large gatherings for the foreseeable future. Senior prom was cancelled as well. “These big, monumental senior events

have been cancelled,” she says. “Our whole family has been looking forward to her commencement. She’s the only grandchild on both sides. We’ve been waiting for these moments, and then they just vanish in thin air.” Helping your child with school can be a challenge under normal circumstances, but with everything so fluid it can be extra difficult to keep up. Jen Jenkins and Markus Kuhlmann have been navigating that and so much more over the past month. Jenkins is the owner of Foxy Loxy Cafe, Coffee Fox, Henny Penny, and Fox & Fig, which are staples in the local community and have been for years. Her partner, Kuhlmann, works at the stores and is best known as a prominent local musician in groups like Clouds & Satellites and Waits & Co. On March 17, Kuhlmann and the couple’s son Ison made a trip up to Sumter for spring break. They planned to spend a few days with Kuhlmann’s 82-year-old mother. Things changed quickly, though, and both parents decided their best course of action was to “divide and conquer,” as they both say. Kuhlmann remains in Sumter with Ison and his mother, and Jenkins is in Savannah navigating the very challenging landscape that her businesses are in at the moment. “From the get go, I said, ‘I’ll take Ison and we’ll play it by ear.’ We knew that Jen had to have full attention on the

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

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COMMUNITY

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businesses, because at the beginning everything was so fluid. We didn’t know if we were going to be closed down. It took a couple of weeks for the last shoes to drop on all of that,” Kuhlmann says. “We knew that this would be a better situation for Ison, and that I’d have to be homeschooling. Which I’m doing right now. Jen doesn’t feel the pressure of the family stuff, and she can focus on the businesses.” Jenkins says she’s taking it week by week in terms of navigating things at home with her dedicated staff and the several Foxy locations. “Each week has been kind of a different phase of this whole thing, you know? All of it never knowing when it’s going to end or what it looks like,” she says. “When things started escalating, Markus and I were both sort of paralyzed in trying to make a decision. We had no idea if it was going to be two weeks or two months of them being up there. No idea. And if they stayed much longer and Markus was working in the cafe, there’s the concern about his 82-year-old mother. What if they didn’t use that window of time where they both felt confident that they didn’t have the virus and that it was okay to go up there?”

NEWS & OPINION CITY NOTEBOOK

Deserted spaces Savannah in shutdown

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

PHOTOS BY JIM BYOUS

FOR NEARLY a month, downtown Savannah has been likened to a ghost town. With the state and city-mandated shutdown of virtually any business that can serve the public, the streets —and parking spaces —are mostly empty. While Gov. Kemp recently announced that some businesses may reopen with various distancing requirements, it might be awhile before life as we know it — or knew it —returns to the Historic District. Photographer Jim Byous here depicts a view looking down a deserted Broughton Street, and a sign of the times on the statue of Johnny Mercer in Ellis Square. CS

Jenkins is one of many small business owners who’ve had difficulty navigating the curbside and delivery world we’re living in, as well as trying to get loans to keep things moving. She says it wouldn’t have been as easy to focus her attention on that if Kuhlmann had stayed in Savannah with their son. Now, the two are able to take on their respective tasks and try to keep the boat afloat, as it were. “I know people that are in much more challenging situations, so I feel grateful that he’s able to focus on Ison and his mom. And that completely frees me up to troubleshoot what needs to happen with these businesses.” No matter your situation, these stressful times may feel insurmountable as a parent. They’re certainly unprecedented. Kuhlmann and Jenkins both feel they did what was best for their family, despite struggling with being apart. “I feel an existensial stress for Jen and what she’s going through,” Kuhlmann says. “It could have been stressful for us as a family if we were still all together in the pressure cooker. And what if one of us got sick?” “I feel relieved that I’m able to do what is appropriate to support my team, but of course I miss my baby boy,” Jenkins adds. For parents working remotely who’ve

have never had to do it before, Byrne says it’s all about creating a discipline and making yourself feel like you’re actually going to work. “Get up, take a shower, and get dressed. Even if you’re just going to your kitchen table, you have to do all of that stuff. I’ve been working from home on and off for probably 20 years—you have to stay on that schedule or you’ll get nothing done,” she says. “Also, to be able to walk away from the work and close the door is key. Even if you can just pick it up and put it in another room, to make a mental transition, that’s very important. You don’t have that drive home from work anymore. You have to be able to stop.” Being a working parent means you’re constantly going and going, which can be mentally challenging in times like this. When you do need to turn it off, as Byrne wisely advises, it’s important to find ways to decompress and take your mind off of the world around you. Seaborough and his family are taking more walks these days, and are trying to stay as active as possible. He even got his daughter a kite so she can learn how to fly one. “We also have two blueberry bushes in the backyard, so we’ve been tending to

that,” he says, adding that walking the neighborhood even gave him the chance to plan on a bike ride with a neighbor. Jenkins says that work tends to take her mind off of what’s happening, and helps her stay productive at a time when that’s more important than ever. Kuhlmann adds that he listens to podcasts at night to decompress. Things like this might have been taken for granted before, but they matter signifcantly now when it comes to staying grounded and sane in these anxious times. “I also try not to watch the news. I find that when I do for more than 30 minutes, I get really stressed and anxious,” Byrne adds. “I try to really limit my news intake.” Situations like this ultimately give us the chance to appreciate the things we took for granted as parents and as people. “In comparison to the way things used to be, this has allowed me a lot more quality time with my family. Being able to sink my teeth in deeper. I’m actually available during the day to be there in the moment while things are happening, like with school or things like that. I don’t have to wait to hear about it when I come home from work,” Ratcliffe adds. “That has been the bright side of all of this.” CS

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

NEWS & OPINION QUARANTINE CHRONICLES

QUARANTINE CHRONICLES:

KAMRAN MOHAMMAD IS a secondyear resident physician at Memorial Hospital. While this hospital hasn’t seen COVID-positive patients en masse like in other places, Kamran and his colleagues feel prepared for what may come their way. He also hopes this moment in our history moves people beyond calling healthcare workers heroic and encourages them to enact change in our system themselves. This is Kamran’s Quarantine Chronicle.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

How have things been at the hospital? Have you had an influx of patients? I think it might be a little early to tell still in this particular area, from numbers I have seen personally. Savannah, I think by the time the virus was reaching here, did a decent job of trying to prevent huge events and businesses being open to the point that it seems like the curve is relatively flat here. We are expecting that we will probably get an influx of patients in the next couple weeks, but we have yet to see a very large and overwhelming number of people. Though we do have patients that are positive for COVID that are coming in, but it’s at a steady rate. We feel like right now, we’re dealing with it in a way that we’re able to meet the demand of it. But the reason I’m saying it’s too early to tell is because there were still public gatherings here over Easter. People still got together, even in my neighborhood. I do fear that maybe over the next couple weeks we’ll still see an increasing number of cases here that are local. And then, of course, because Savannah has a bigger medical center, other hospitals that are more overwhelmed in other cities have been transferring patients to us who are COVID positive because they don’t have the resources to care for them right now. There’s also probably some degree of underreporting, given the fact that not many have been tested. I also read an article that they released 400 prisoners out of the county prison here locally, and one of them was positive, so I’m assuming that other people have been exposed within that prison system and they are now in the community. We don’t really know yet how bad it’ll get here. Right now, we do have a sizable number of patients who are positive. Some are critically ill, some are in the ICU, it’s still kind of early to tell.

What is the attitude with people in the hospital? Do you feel like you’re ready 8 for this?

Yes. If you’re asking about preparedness as far as PPE availability, yeah, we do have it. As a doctor who’s working in the hospital, I do feel supported. I’ve heard reports in other places where people don’t feel comfortable asking administration for protective gear or things like that. I’m very fortunate that I feel like I’m at a place where I can speak comfortably to authority figures and get what I need from them. They’re very supportive and they try their very best to limit our exposure. Yes, I do spend time in the patients’ room from time to time who are COVID positive, or potentially COVID positive, but I do have protective gear on, and I’m usually not in there for extended periods of time to limit my exposure to them. So we are a good team at Memorial. People are supportive. How has this changed your life personally? Obviously, this has changed all of our lives. I don’t know about non-medical people as much, but I keep myself completely isolated when I come home now. I shower twice a day, which I didn’t usually always need to do that. There are a lot of added steps to my routine now, and this is probably going to be the case for the foreseeable future, at least for the next six to 12 months. I don’t really feel comfortable going out in the public because I have been exposed to confirmed cases in the hospital, and I don’t want to expose other people in the community to it. Socializing is a minimum, which of course it is for everyone at this point, but much more so for me and other people in healthcare. I can’t see my family for probably at least several months. I have parents who are older, and my dad’s chronically ill as well. It’s a few added layers of isolation. The positive thing is people who are in healthcare are still working, and I think that’s a nice thing right now, because a lot of people who are isolating and practicing social distancing are not able to leave the house or be out at all. Sometimes just leaving the house and going to work for a week is a reprieve for me, so that’s nice. Of course, it’s really rewarding. I don’t think I’ve felt as passionate about what I’m doing as I do now. I always did, but it feels even more so right now because of how our entire world is dealing with it. It feels like you’re part of something greater. How does that feel to have people behind you like that and singing your praises?

PHOTO BY EMRAD KAHN

It feels good, but this is something I’ve been thinking about. I’m very appreciative of people’s expressiveness about what people in healthcare are doing for hem and the community at large. It’s incredibly humbling to hear about. But I also really think it’s necessary for our society in general to try to initiate legislative change and actual societal changes in how we deal with healthcare access in this country. These are things that—it’s not to demean anyone, but it is very easy to clap and be like, “Oh, you’re a hero,” but what are we doing as a society to actually effect change instead of just say thank you? The real thank you would be if we could learn something from this and grow from it.

really nice that people care that much. But at the same time, we’re suffering the way we are because there were a lot of things along the way that were preventable in this situation. If we had better access to healthcare … The fact that, in a place like Savannah and the southeast in general, there’s a lot of poverty, and people who are of racial minorities are going to be the ones who deal with this the worst. Those are all things that need to be brought to the forefront, as opposed to just cheering on healthcare workers. Politicians ned to be a pat of that change. People ned to call their senators and do all that stuff that will really spur change, because this should serve as an impetus for change. Who would have ever thought in our lifetimes we would witness something like this? Are people clapping here in Savannah? It has changed me and other people in healthcare, and I think it’s made us feel No, but I feel like Savannah doesn’t even more of a sense of empowerment and motivation to advocate for ourselves. We at least have enough people to do that! But they feel like the future is going to be different did write a lot of positive messages on the for us, because we’re going to take things sidewalk while we were walking in, which is nice and humbling. When I see those vid- into our own hands. CS eos in New York, I want to cry because it’s

NEWS & OPINION QUARANTINE CHRONICLES

PHOTO BY GEOFF L. JOHNSON

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

LAURA SHADLEY IS an enrolled citizen of the Klamath Tribes and a descendant of Wasco, Shasta, Pit River, Kalapuya, and Quinault tribes. She speaks out for other indigenous people, as well as marginalized people in our own community. Laura also works at Brighter Day Natural Foods and is the host of Indigenous Voices on WRUU 107.5 FM, which airs Thursdays at 4 p.m. This is her Quarantine Chronicle. How are you doing? What’s life like for you right now? Right now, I’m working part-time. My hours got cut, and we’re struggling, but Brighter Day is doing a really good job working out for us, so that keeps me a little less stressed. I’m home with my son, I have adult kids that are spread all around Savannah, so I’m not with all my kids, which makes me emotional. I think what’s most stressful for me personally is just that worry in the back of my mind of getting sick or coming into contact with people and not being able to stay home with my kids. As someone who’s supposed to be an essential worker, it makes me a little angry sometimes because I don’t want to be an essential worker, I want to be home with my kids and be safe. But it also makes me feel like it’s

important, and it’s giving me a perspective of how important people in low-paying jobs are to the community. We don’t get paid as much, we don’t have healthcare, we struggle on any given day with just trying to make our bills in a regular situation. So this kind of situation totally exasperates our stress. People in oppressed and marginalized communities here in Savannah, I’m sure, are really feeling the struggle. But I think the community has done well with stepping up; the schools have been really great and stepping up with lunches. I’m grateful, I’m really blessed right now as an indigenous person to be in the place that I am because I don’t have to worry about not receiving any benefits. I don’t have healthcare, I have tribal healthcare that’s only accessible at a tribal health clinic and there’s not one here in Georgia. That makes it kind of stressful—am I going to receive quality care if something happens if I do get coronavirus? Otherwise, I’m trying to make the time with my son in our house meaningful and doing a lot more things I didn’t have the time to do. I want people to see that this is something that didn’t have to happen. These communities have been marginalized for this whole time—it’s not anything new. I hope this is showing people, it’s put people this much closer to what we experience on an everyday basis, because now they’re not able to go and do all the things they want to do, they can’t necessarily get all the things they want when they go grocery shopping.

It’s been a struggle, but I hope people are seeing what we’re facing. This is stuff we face everyday. What’s the one thing you want people to know about your situation? I understand, even myself as an indigenous person, how blessed I am. I have a lot of family who are struggling, a lot of relatives who are going through so much more. I’m pretty much a mouthpiece—I speak for what’s going on around in indigenous communities. I A lot of people are on their lands, protecting what’s left of our lands, our territories, and that’s an important purpose. That’s protecting so much of the biodiversity on the planet. When people say it’s so easy to leave the reservation and just assimilate and live better, they’re not understanding why indigenous people choose to stay on their own lands, and it’s ignorant for people to even have that kind of thinking. People don’t take the time to understand indigenous culture. They have a romanticized idealism about natives from movies and from what history has been shared, and not a real idea of who we were in history and definitely not who we are today. They don’t understand that we’re human beings, too, living our lives the best way we can. The difference is we hold on to our teachings and we’re protecting the land, not just for us but for all of

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

QUARANTINE CHRONICLES:

humanity. People don’t realize that what’s going on right now is in direct relation to how we’re treating the Earth. I just want people to understand that this is indigenous land we live on. Anyone who wasn’t here for the last 2000 years are guests on this land. People like the Navajo are being hit really hard because they don’t have access to water. They’ve been trucking in their water this whole time, and they’re also exposed to uranium, which is affecting the DNA of their children. My Wasco Warm Springs people live in the mountains up in Oregon and they don’t have infrastructure, and they needed to raise $15 million to match the $15 million grant to build the infrastructure they need for the water to flow back to their homes. Tribes are struggling all over the world. People don’t understand that everything we’re going through now is just the tip of the iceberg of what indigenous people have been struggling with since colonization. That’s the work I focus on, mostly. It’s not about me, and I’m here only because these things need to be heard in the South. I think a lot of people don’t speak up for indigenous people here; I think a lot of people just go on about their business and think that there’s no indigenous people around to speak up for this land. We have to be more mindful of how we’re living on this land, because this land never suffered like this before colonization. Indigenous people have prophecies— they’ve known this was going to happen. The way they live their lives every single day and wake up in prayer, wake up with gratitude in their heart, they smudge and use their medicine in a good way, they walk on the Earth in a good way and have a good relationship with the Earth and with the water. This is how we’ve gotten ourselves into this position with this pandemic, with capitalism. They’re driving us off a cliff right now. They’re so scared they’re going to lose their money and their way of life, but all we want is a life. Not just indigenous people, but people who are struggling to make ends meet every day. A lot of us work low wages, and we work hard, but the perception is that we don’t work hard and therefore we can’t pull ourselves up out of the poverty. I understand it’s a generational thing; I also come from generational trauma because of our indigenous history and through my family, but I don’t let that set me back. We have to start standing up. We have to start acknowledging what’s going on and standing up for that, because I think right now we’re at a pivotal moment where we can go back towards the way we were going, or we can turn into a whole new direction. That’s what we need to be focusing on. For me, indigenous wisdom is how I guide myself. I’m on the side of Mother Earth and I stay that way. CS 9

NEWS & OPINION QUARANTINE CHRONICLES

Alaina Ford and her mom, Kathleen, own scDataCom. PHOTO BY SAVANNAH MCGRAW.

QUARANTINE

We’re really lucky we have an incredible group of people that we’ve been staying in very close contact with in different areas. There was a memorandum from the Department of Homeland Security that said if you’re in critical infrastructure, they request—and it’s really your duty—to stay on the front lines and perform the work that you’re doing as long as you can, because it’s needed. What situation could you imagine that being more applicable than in a hospital during a national health crisis? Our guys took that really seriously and instead of just giving in to fear, they all responded with level heads and exercised good judgment and took the PPE protocols and social distancing very seriously, but also put their heads down and were there to do the job. And then from an employer’s perspective, I’ve been having a moral complex. Am I doing the right thing by keeping our business open and by keeping our trucks rolling? I have come to the conclusion that yes, because we’re providing an essential serCHRONICLES: vice, and we are doing everything we can with all the resources at our disposal. I’ve told them very plainly, this is what we’re doing. This is the company’s mission to complete the work and try and keep jobs rolling so we can have a healthy company just looking out for themselves. at the end of all this for everyone to come So with that kind of attitude, people back to. But if you’re not comfortable with want or need increased security of their the assignment, or you don’t feel it’s in your facilities, especially when they’re shut best interest or your family’s best interest, down, or when you operate a medical or that’s your call. And at any point if anybody government facility that needs extra eyes wants to take leave, I am not in a position and protection on their people and patients to offer paid leave, but there is absolutely in order to keep them safe while they’re no penalty at all. treating them, or on their supplies that are People have to do what they need to, and at an all-time risk factor right now. I’ve had people do that—have to quarantine themselves while they waited for a test What sort of differences are you seeing result, had people with different levels of in your clients in the hospital? How is immunocompromised loved ones at home that changing on a daily basis? and have elected to take a week or two weeks off. And we just tried to be supportThere’s definitely an emphasis on PPE. ive and make things work. When things got really dicey in Georgia, it happened fast—we were not concerned and I can’t imagine that was an easy decithen all of a sudden it’s an emergency. sion for you or your mom. We have an obligation, as the employer, to provide our people with the best protec- It definitely was and continues to be diftion available and the most robust inforficult, but my mom and I—what better mation we have. But also, as a business, business partner could you have than in order to continue to provide for these your mom? If you need to have a moment people and their families, that depends on of weakness and just anxiety sob on the their employment. We need to keep busiphone, she’s not going to judge you. She ness healthy and we need to finish jobs as also was in the Army nurse corps for long as it’s safe to do so. almost 30 years, so she’s got a very firstThat was just kind of a day-to-day touch- hand, robust knowledge of healthcare and in about where things were in that parhow hospitals work. ticular area, and talking to our teams that We have 15 people on staff and that’s a were not all in the same time zone, trying size that’s not tenable to, as I have done to change work schedules to limit their in the past, make yourself feel emotioncontact and to overnight them gloves and ally or morally responsible for the entire masks and wipes so they could disinfect lives of the people that work for you. I have their work areas and vehicles and tools an amazing team, I hire intentionally multiple times throughout the day. very smart people, and they come to work

Alaina Ford BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

ALAINA FORD and her mother run scDataCom, a security system company that primarily services healthcare facilities, as well as the commercial sector and the government. When COVID-19 hit Savannah, Alaina had some tough choices to make to keep her business afloat and her team in work. This is her Quarantine Chronicle. How has COVID-19 affected your business?

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

Oddly, when all of this hit, I had guys in four different hospitals in four different states. That was alarming. On one hand, we were happy to have work because we are critical infrastructure, and in a time like this where so many people that depend on those businesses are completely at a stoppage or are negatively impacted, like St. Patrick’s Day effectively getting canceled. We’re not in a fun, sexy industry like that, so there is not a lot of glamour in security, but there is security in security. People need it, especially right now as things are changing and people get a little stir-crazy. We’ve seen some instances where people are really going out of their way to help their neighbor, but there’s also some instances where that’s not the case. 10 Why is all the TP gone? Because people are

expecting to have a workplace that where they’ll be given the tools and knowledge to be successful in their job, and to be compensated for doing their job. In this case, it’s part of that agreement, I believe, for me to give them supplies and information and let them make the decision because it is not my place to ask what everyone’s particular situation is. They may have an immunocompromised person at home that I don’t know about because they choose to keep their private life private. And so I just have to very clearly and kindly and repeatedly make it known that this is what we’re doing. Where I personally get wrapped up is wanting to make those decisions for people. You feel responsible for them, and you just have to remember that we hired really smart, capable people. I’m here everyday. The work I do could definitely be done from home, but if I have guys and girls on the front lines, I’m here everyday. There’s enough room in our office for us to socially distance from each other, and we have office workers doing their work from home and that’s fine. But from a leadership level, I think it’s important that there is an executive level person here. I’m not asking them to do anything I’m not willing to do. I don’t have the skills they do, so I’n not going to do the technical installations they do, but I can sure as hell sit in my seat in the office and wave goodbye in the morning and wait for them to come back. What else should people know about scDataCom? One of the things we’re doing in addition to serving our regular customers, our commercial work has for obvious reasons pretty much completely dropped off, outside of critical industries. We had intended on launching a new program called SafeCity, which was going to be our way to reach the Savannah small businesses and make our technology solutions available to that consumer. We intended on rolling out a pilot program for a couple businesses, and then corona hit and everything closed their doors. We were like, okay, great! But as we were talking about earlier, people see the value in security now more than ever, especially if they’re forced to close their doors. We decided to move forward with that. We have a certain amount of equipment we’ve already purchased, so we have some totally free security systems that we’re looking to put up for local businesses. The value for us is that it provides us with the data we need to roll this out in the future when people are in the position they’re able to think about another bill. But in the short term, it keeps our trucks rolling and it keeps my guys in work for another day. CS

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BY JOHN BENNETT

john@georgiabikes.org

WHILE DISTILLERIES were retooling their production lines to produce hand sanitizer, Mark Sussman and his colleagues in Washington D.C. were repurposing their smartphone app to help people find stores that had it in stock. Launched in January, OurStreets was originally designed to serve as a “community-driven data platform through which users can report dangerous driving and shared mobility issues,” such as cars parked on sidewalks or in bike lanes. Now the app has been augmented with “Supplies” an interface for shoppers and The app OurStreets is a community-driven data platform. retailers to update stock levels, and a search feature to better understand the efforts are really digging the street safety who needed bicycles refurbished by its supply level of essential goods in their work, so when we ‘re-launch’ OurStreets New Standard Cycles program. communities. street safety functionality post-COVID-19, “We were prepared for more requests “I got a call from the DC Department we’re going to have a much larger user for bikes coming in from our existing partof Public Works in mid-March asking if base.” ners, but quickly realized that they were we could repurpose OurStreets to crowdSussman said the pandemic is also mak- getting overwhelmed with requests related source the availability of essential supplies ing people more aware of how much pubto housing, employment and food needs. during the COVID-19 crisis. We of course lic space has been surrendered to motor We decided it was the perfect time to temsaid yes and realized quickly that this porarily open our program to working needed to be a nationwide effort,” Sussman vehicles now that “walkers, runners and cyclists fighting over the scraps and trying directly with individuals,” she said. said. to safety social distance at the same time.” Inspired by an initiative launched in “A few hours after that call, I huddled Caila Brown, executive director of Bike New York City by the group Transportathe OurStreets team that was already Walk Savannah, has observed the same tion Alternatives, other organizations in working from home at that point, and we trend locally. Georgia have initiated “Bike Match” progot to work that day. We went from that “As spatial distancing requirements grams to pair those in need of bikes with meeting to launch in 11 days, doing about people who have bikes they are not using. two months of product development in less continue, more and more people are recognizing how hard it is to do properly in So far Brown said she’s received nearly than two weeks.” the space currently allocated for people 150 requests for bikes and hears similar In addition to hand sanitizer, the app walking, biking or rolling. But they’re also stories from those who need them. allows shoppers to report stock levels of “Many of them are people who rely on toilet paper, dairy products, and fresh pro- recognizing the importance of the physical and mental benefits brought by that exerChatham Area Transit to get around, but duce, among other items. Users can also cise, and are asking why so much space is with the reduction of bus services they report whether or not social distancing is dedicated to vehicles that aren’t going any- have found themselves walking hours to being practiced inside stores. get to work, or their shift has changed and While the Supplies function is currently where,” she said. Brown hopes this will lead to more their carpool is no longer available, or they driving downloads of the app, Sussman empathy for those who faced signifinow have to get groceries for multiple vulsaid he anticipates this will bolster intercant mobility challenges even before the nerable neighbors,” she said. est in the original intent of OurStreets as Brown needs more ready-to-ride or those who downloaded the app specifically pandemic hit. She said she senses that Savannahians are “acknowledging the dif- nearly ready bikes in good condition. for the Supplies function are becoming ficulties faced by people getting around for “These are bikes that, with some air in aware of the app’s core mission. transportation, and not just recreation.” the tires or a quick dusting, you would feel “Additionally, we’ve been able to actiLike Sussman, Brown had to adapt comfortable giving to a family member or vate our existing municipal and advocacy quickly in response to changing condifriend to immediately ride,” she said. CS organization relationships to promote tions. Bike Walk Savannah previously OurStreets Supplies, this in turn is bringDonations can be arranged by emailing photos worked with nonprofit organizations and ing more users to the platform. A portion of new users brought in through these social service agencies to identify people of bikes to info@bikewalksavannah.org

NEWS & OPINION BLOTTER

HOMICIDES Homicide on Avery Street

Savannah Police Violent Crimes detectives are investigating an early morning double shooting resulting in one fatality. “Around 1:20 a.m., officers heard gunfire in the area of Avery Street and Oglethorpe Avenue and quickly responded to the scene finding Charles Daniels, 40, with gunshot wounds. Daniels was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” police report. While responding to the scene, officers located a second victim, Warnie Bonaparte, 31, in a vehicle with non-life threatening injuries. He was transported to a local hospital for further treatment. Detectives do not believe this is a random shooting and are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to contact detectives at (912) 525-3124 or CrimeStoppers at (912) 234-2020.

Homicide on Pate Street

Savannah Police Violent Crimes detectives are investigating the homicide of an unidentified male, found Thursday evening. “At around 8:15 p.m., officers responded to the 2600 block of Pate Street and located the deceased white male. An initial investigation revealed that the male had sustained injuries from gunfire,” police report. Detectives are continuing to investigate this homicide. Anyone with information on the victim’s identity or this case is encouraged to contact detectives at (912) 525-3124 or CrimeStoppers at (912) 234-2020.

Chatham County police warn about stimulus check mail theft

The Chatham County Police Department is reminding citizens to be on the lookout for mail theft as the federal government prepares to send citizens stimulus checks in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fatal crash on I-516 While many people will receive the Savannah Police’s Traffic Investigation stimulus money by direct deposit, a large Unit (TIU) is investigating an April 13 number of people will receive paper checks crash on Interstate 516 that resulted in two in the mail in the coming weeks and fatalities. months. A preliminary investigation revealed The Chatham County Police Departthat at around 8:25 p.m., Tiffany Adkins, ment says if you are expecting a paper 33, driving a Chevrolet Trailblazer, was check, you need to pay special attention to traveling north bound on Interstate 516 in your mail delivery. the south bound lane. Here are some ways to protect yourself At the same time, Shanetta Fails, 41, against thieves targeting your mailbox: driving a Toyota RAV 4, was traveling 1. Know when your mail arrives each south bound when she saw Adkin’s vehicle day, and go to the mailbox right away to approaching but was unable to avoid a head retrieve it.

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on collision. The passenger in the Toyota RAV 4, Quenton Carter, 41, of Savannah, and Tiffany Adkins, of Savannah, both succumbed to their injuries due to the crash. The passenger of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Jalisa Hamilton, 30, and Shanetta Fails were both transported to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

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2. If you know you will not be home when your mail arrives, ask a trusted friend, neighbor, or relative to pick it up for you. 3. If you are going to be out of town, contact the U.S. Postal Service to put a hold on your mail. That way, your mail won’t be delivered until you return home. 4. Make sure the door to your mailbox closes all the way. An open mailbox with mail inside is an invitation to thieves. The $1200 per adult payment, with $500 per dependent child, is administered by the IRS. Some will get the money by direct deposit if that information was given to the IRS in either the 2018 return, or the 2019 return if you’ve filed that. Others will receive paper checks, and that is where the scammers are putting their efforts.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

2020 Sav/Chatham County Crime Stats through Sunday April 19

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As leaders worldwide search for ways to encourage people to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic, officials in Indonesia are taking advantage of its citizens’ superstitions, Reuters reported on April 13. Kepuh, a village on Java island, is employing village residents to dress as “pocong,” or the trapped souls of the dead, in Indonesian folklore. The ghostly figures, wrapped in white shrouds with their heads covered and dark-rimmed eyes peering out, surprise unsuspecting pedestrians, then disappear into the night. The strategy appears to be working: Villagers have been seen running off in fright when the pocong appear. “People will not gather or stay on the streets after evening prayers,” resident Karno Supadmo said.

Desperate Measures

Olive Veronesi, 93, of Seminole, Pennsylvania, wasn’t shy about letting loved ones know what she needed during the lockdown. “I need more beer!” read a sign she held up, along with a can of Coors Light. A relative posted Veronesi’s photo to social media, KDKA reported, and her predicament went viral. “I have a beer every night. ... I was on my last 12 cans. You know what, beer has vitamins in it. It’s good for you, only don’t overdo it,” Veronesi said. On April 13, she got her wish: Molson Coors delivered 10 cases of her favorite brew to her front door. Her new sign reads, “Got more beer!”

Names in the News

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

• A baby born on April 6 in Sheopur, Bhopal, India, will carry a special name with him through his life: Lockdown. Manju Mail, his mother, confirmed to hospital staff: “Yes, he is Lockdown, as he was born during the lockdown period.” Her husband, Raghunath, told The Times of India: “It is a significant name. The whole world using lockdown as a means to stem this pandemic. We should not take Lockdown lightly.” • Similarly, in Chhattisgarh, India,

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another couple blessed their twins, born March 27, with timely names: Corona and Covid. Preeti Verma, 27, told the Press Trust of India her children’s names symbolize triumph over hardships. “Indeed the virus is dangerous and life-threatening, but its outbreak made people focus on sanitation, hygiene and inculcate other good habits,” she said.

“He motioned no and shut the door.” The family ran back to their car and looked for shelter elsewhere. Crossville Mayor Tera Fortenberry had posted the face coverings requirement on Facebook, but the family didn’t see the message. After the story became public, masks were donated to the town anonymously.

The Continuing Crisis

A man in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, England, set out to build a deck in his back garden in early April and uncovered a mystery. As John Brayshaw, 40, began digging post holes, he unearthed an automobile buried on its side, Yahoo News UK reported. “I thought it was an old air raid shelter at first, then I saw the roof,” Brayshaw said. “Then I kept digging and saw the door, the steering wheel and realized it was a full car, complete with the registration plate. The only thing that was missing was the wheels.” Brayshaw, who has owned the home for about six months, believes the 1955/56 Ford predates the previous owners, who resided in the home 50 years.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a home in Saugus, California, on April 7 after a dispute over toilet paper turned violent, CNN reported. A 26-yearold man was arrested and charged with battery after his mother told deputies he had punched her. Sheriff’s department spokesperson Shirley Miller said the man had accused his mother of hiding toilet paper, which she admitted to deputies, saying her son was using too much. “This is the first arrest I’ve heard of that started out over an argument over toilet paper,” remarked Miller.

Getting the Message Out

Civic-minded car designer Kanyaboyina Sudhakar of the Sudha Cars Museum in Bahadurpura, India, has built a one-seat vehicle in the shape of the coronavirus “so that awareness can be spread on social distancing,” he told The Times of India on April 8. The six-wheeled Corona Car can go about 25 mph and took Sudhakar 10 days to build. “I have always made cars to give back to the society in my own way,” Sudhakar said. “(I)t is important to tell people to stay home and stay safe, and the coronavirus car is meant to convey the message.”

Priorities

As tornadoes bore down on the Southeast on April 12, an unnamed family sought safety in a storm shelter in Crossville, Alabama, but said they were turned away when they had only one face mask. The woman told WHNT a man who opened the door asked if they had masks. “I said I have one mask,” the woman said.

Buried Treasure

Inexplicable

• Davis, California, resident Shaun Lamar Moore, 40, was arrested on April 12 and charged with burglary after allegedly stealing a specimen that was waiting to be tested for COVID-19 from the Sutter Davis Hospital. Authorities said hospital employees reported a person had entered the facility April 11 and removed the specimen, Fox News reported. That evening, police were alerted that a sealed COVID-19 specimen was found in a shopping cart at a nearby CVS store. Police Deputy Chief Paul Doroshov said the specimen “hadn’t been opened or tampered with based on the security seals. ... Although the incident is very serious, detectives do not believe (Moore) intended to harm himself or others,” he added. • Kevin Fallon, 30, of New York City reportedly sent warnings to friends and family on April 9 that he intended to blow up a bronze statue in Central Park depicting characters from “Alice in Wonderland,” according to court documents. On April 11, he allegedly followed up with photos of a pipe bomb and ammunition, along with threats: “This is going to hurt. None of you are safe. I am lethal.” At his mother’s request, NYPD conducted a wellness check at his apartment that day and found three bombs, ammunition and knives that had been taped together, authorities said. The New York Post reported the bombs were found to be nonfunctional, and later that day, Fallon was found at a hotel in the city, where he was taken into custody and charged with making a terroristic threat.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

MUSIC FEATURE

Dustin Price explores dichotomy on new album

Price and co-producer/guitarist Blake Tallent chat about masterful collection of songs

Dustin Price’s new album, Dichotomy, is out now.

BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

DUSTIN PRICE IS one of those uberlyrical, emotive crafters of song that really don’t come around too often. He’s honest, raw, dark, and careful in the way he paints his sonic pictures. “Something’s gotta give, before I do.” Talk about a powerful line—especially given the times in which we’re living. That song, the opening song and title track “Dichotomy,” is a perfect display of what you get from note one. The songs are real, organic, powerful, electric, and palpable. That comes from Price, undoubtedly, but he’s also got a team that includes the great Jalen Reyes on drums and percussion, as well as the album’s equally brilliant producer Blake Tallent. Tallent, whose main gig is as songwriter, guitarist, and singer in God Bless Relative (of which Price is also a member), has been friends with Price for a long time. This collaboration is one of many they’ve done together, but it just might be their most musically effective yet. “With my first EP, I set out to make that a full record. But this is kind of a completion of that thought,” Price tells Connect of the album, which includes several songs from his initial EP release.

Price and Tallent have been friends for a long time, and for Price this was a chance to continue making music with a close collaborator and confidant. “We met at a church camp—we did music for that. And we hit it off, and realized we were going down a similar path. So we kind of stuck together through all of that shit,” he says. The album has a very specific sonic presentation—it’s not a pastiche in any way, but it feels familiar. The drums are perhaps the biggest, loudest, and widest instrument, while the vocals are generally up front and incredibly vulnerable. “Blake is my go-to producer, so I literally just brought the songs as they were to him. I was like, ‘You know what you can accomplish with this. I trust you with all of the production stuff.’ Everything on that end can be attributed to him,” he says. “For me personally, the biggest thing is lyricism. For so long I ignored the production side of things, but teaming up with Blake and Jalen kind of freed me up in that way. It was very collaborative.” For those who might be diving into Price’s music for the first time, both he and Tallant say that the flagship song in the collection—which is maybe the best encapsulation of everything they were going for—is “Hard Time Coming Down.”

“It’s kind of a step in a different direction for me creatively, so that’s the marker moving forward. What I’m going to do beyond is very rooted in that song,” Price says. “I feel like with that song, we took on a lot of new territory. Specifically working with things like sub bass, and just heavier instrumental approaches,,” Tallent adds. From Tallent’s perspective, as a producer and guitarist, he had a very simple goal in mind for what needed to be accomplished. “One of my main goals was that I really wanted to convey how Dustin sounded live,” he explains. “If you’ve ever seen him, he’s amazing. His band is amazing. And I feel weird saying that, because I do play for him sometimes, but I also say that because I’ve been in the lucky position of getting to see him from a crowd perspective. I’ve gotten to see how honest his lyrics are, and how rock and roll it is.” Tallent says he and Price often reference a live concert recording of Oasis from 2005, which he calls “badass,” and would often assert that Price is “like that concert, but Southern.” “I really wanted to try and capture that, to give the listeners the idea that, while the lyrics are incredibly deep, this is a rock and roll man you’re dealing with,” he says. CS

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

PHOTO BY ADRIANA IRIS BOATWRIGHT

MUSIC THE VINYL SAY I pretty much am working almost a normal schedule. We did close on Saturdays, but I’m working four days a week. But instead of just operating normally where clients come in, we’re doing curbside service.

Cara Ann Hammons hard at work for Central Animal Hospital. PHOTO PROVIDED

Wow. How does that work? It’s very different. Pretty much, people call and when they get there the technicians come out in PPE and bring the animals inside. We do everything we can, but it’s all minimal contact to protect the staff and the clients. It’s very weird when we have to discuss more serious things like cancer or euthanasia. How do you navigate that kind of thing?

Essential and musical: a special edition of The Vinyl Say

A conversation with veterinarian and vinyl collector Cara Ann Hammons BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

OUR SERIES, The Vinyl Say, typically centers around meeting in person with a local musician at Graveface Records & Curiosities, talking about influences and favorite albums. With the stay-at-home orders over the last month, however, it’s obviously been impossible to make that happen—especially since Graveface has been forced to shut its doors until things are back to normal (support Graveface if you can!). Breaking with tradition, we decided to catch up via phone with Cara Ann Hammons, a local musician and vinyl collector who’s also an essential worker. Dr. Hammons, D.M.V., is a vet with Central Animal Hospital, which is currently operating with certain restrictions in place. She’s one of many who put their health on the line to provide essential services for families and community members during this time. Hammons and her husband, drummer Jeremy Hammons, are music lovers in the strongest sense of the phrase. They estimate owning over 1,000 records, and Hammons says she’s a member of the Graveface record club. Hammons took us through a typical work day and gave some insight into the music that she’s listening to during this 16 very trying time, in this special telephone

version of The Vinyl Say.

for a particular artist?

Your husband referred to you as a “vinyl nerd.” Would you say that’s accurate?

I typically just go through the new releases when I go into Graveface. I’ve been kind of searching more for newer stuff—I’m usually buying the newer bands to have them on vinyl. I just like to have a physical copy. Jeremy is more of the one to dig into the older stuff, and he’ll call me if he sees something he thinks I’ll like.

[laughs] I’d say it is, yeah! We have a pretty good, well-rounded collection. But we’ve also got a ton of toys, taxidermy, and just weird shit in general [laughs]. Is collecting vinyl something that you’ve both been interested in for a long time? Definitely since we moved to Savannah, yeah. We’ve collected a lot more since then. We didn’t really get into vinyl much until we got here in 2009, but once Graveface opened and I actually started working in the building we got way more into it. Easy access! [laughs]

So it’s like a husband and wife vinyl hunting team! Yeah! [laughs] I imagine right now, if you’re not working you’re listening to music? Oh, sure. There’s always something on in our house.

What’s in your collection right now?

What was the last thing you guys had on?

Oh, man. We’ve got all kinds. We have a lot of classic country, and we’ve got some old Motown records. And we’ve also got a lot of new stuff.

I believe one of the last records we had on was Willie Nelson and Friends. That’s always a go-to. And we had some Ben Folds on the other day

All of that old classic country stuff, and You’re an essential worker—what does the Motown records, sound so amazing a typical day look like for you right now? on vinyl. Do you hunt for things that are more rare? Or do you go in looking

It’s hard. Unfortunately, it seems like lately we’ve had a lot of euthanasia. And we do allow one person to come in and be with the animal. Usually there’s comforting— hugs and touches. Because it’s a horrible thing. But you can’t do that now, so it’s weird. It’s kind of surreal. I can’t imagine having to do work like that at a time like this, when everything is so surreal. The risk is exponential, which is particularly scary given the nature of this virus. Is there a level of anxiety there when you’re working? Oh, definitely. I have an immunosuppressive disease, so I have anxiety. But honestly, I feel more anxiety for my staff because they’re the ones going out to the people. Really though, we have less interaction than the people working in stores, etc. You’re also a musician—do you find yourself playing more at a time like this? Probably not as much as I should! And oddly enough, Jeremy and I haven’t really played together. We’ve talked about that, too. We should probably be jamming together [laughs]. You’ve been working with animals for a long time, and now is a moment in time that definitely puts a spotlight on why you do it and what it means to you. What’s been the most fulfilling part of the work that you do? Of course, we love that we help animals and make them feel better. But I think what’s more important is that we’re treating and helping people’s best friends. Their kids, basically. Some people say it’s not important, but for some people these pets are all they have. And we’ve got to take care of them. So it’s really important to keep that connection for people and take care of these animals. That’s what’s most fulfilling. CS

MUSIC LOCAL RELEASES

Album Reviews

BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

BACK BY POPULAR demand, it’s another round of music reviews! There’s a lot of great music in Savannah, and there’s no better time than now to check out what the city has to offer. Here are some of the most standout releases from local artists over the last several months.

Rev Bro Diddley and the Hips - Rev Bro Diddley and the Hips

Formed from the remains of The Hypnotics and led by Ty Thompson, Rev Bro Diddley and the Hips has recently transformed from what is effectively a solo project of Thompson’s into a full-blown band. This album, released late last year, is the first release under the Hips banner and was recorded largely by Thompson. If there’s any doubt that Thompson is one of the most creative and inventive songwriters and artists in the modern garagerock landscape, this album should put that to rest. “Snoopin’ Around” is so innately enjoyable that you actually find yourself wanting to listen to it on repeat—which may actually do a disservice to the rest of the record if it wasn’t all just as good. Thompson’s penchant for left-of-center lyricism, jangly and spanky guitars, and edgy production are the centerpiece of this record, undoubtedly. “Ruby Rue” and “Make Me Your Dog” are probably the best examples of that fact. There’s something about the combination of those things that feels unique to his particular brand of rock and roll. Sure, there are underlying influences present in what he does (and the album wouldn’t feel out of place in regular rotation on Little Steven’s Underground Garage). It’s hard not to think of The Cramps from time to time. But it doesn’t

explicitly scream, “THIS IS A GARAGE ROCK BAND.” Rev Bro Diddley is its own thing; garage-influenced, sarcastic, fun, challenging analog rock and roll for the modern era.

Cory Chambers - Cory Chambers

It’s a shame that the debut album from City Hotel mandolin extraordinaire Cory Chambers is only eight songs, because it’s definitely not long enough. Lucky for us, though, we have plenty of time to listen to it over and over again. Part Cab Calloway, part Django Reinhardt, and totally dressed in a rootsy outfit, the album boasts a connectedness among the players that can truly be felt and heard. That’s no small feat, and that’s thanks in part to the team at Elevated Basement whose engineering and production make this a truly engaging work on a sonic level. Chambers is also an incredibly underrated lyricist. There’s humor and poetry to what he does that is wonderfully unique and imaginative. There aren’t any bells and whistles here—just an insanely good band and insanely good songs. Sometimes records call for more than that, but this isn’t one of those records. Songs like “The Neighbor’s Dog” and “Rex Mill Bridge” are among the most jazzleaning selections on the album, while others like “Weather Simulation” are a lot grooveoriented and in a pop/ rock direction than you’d expect. That’s the brilliance of this album, though— these folks are playing jazz-influenced music on jazz instruments, but even when Chambers and company veer into different territory it just doesn’t distract from what this project is. There’s actually a very attractive sense of not really caring about what this music should be defined as, which makes it sound all the more bold by the time you finish listening and get ready to start all over again. CS

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

Some of the best local music released in recent months

CULTURE FASHION

Far Left: Lane Huerta with Clementine Center: Brenda Scarpati and Winston at work Right: Daniette’ Thomas’s masks

Local artists combine form and function with beautiful masks her congregation mentioned that he, and his fellow EMTs, were experiencing a shortage. Other members of her congregation also BRENDA SCARPATI AND her husband, became interested in her masks. Mike, live on Tybee Island and own an “I started making masks first for them, artisan hand-poured soy candle business and quickly realized that people all over called Scent From Savannah. the country wanted them. I had supplies Brenda says that she saw articles, with left over from my bow-ties, so I used them patterns and instructions, explaining that to make masks,” says Hardnett. there was a need for people to make masks. “Making masks definitely fuels my art“I thought, ‘I can do that’.” istry. I love to create. That’s why woodTo date, Brenda has made over 1,100 turning is so satisfying. This allows me to masks, and when he is not cutting fabric, be creative while helping during this time.” Mike can be found making local deliverMaya, Candice’s three year-old daughies of masks, and going to the post office ter, insists that the whole family wear to mail their creations across the United masks when they go outside of their home. States—all at the couple’s own expense. Since Hardnett hasn’t sold a pen or Brenda says making masks “helped me bottle stop in over a month, making masks feel not so helpless. I had no idea the need has helped to augment the family’s income would be so great. We’ve gotten requests during this difficult time. from all over the country.” Lane Huerta, owner of Lovelane Some customers say “how perfect the Designs, normally designs superhero capes print was and how it made them smile. and dragon wings. But when everything They have no idea how much that means seemed in chaos, Huerta used mask makto us.” ing to keep her hands busy. Some of the stories Brenda and Mike Huerta and her eight year-old daughter, hear are heartbreaking, such as a woman Clementine, started thinking that kids from New York, who can see bodies loaded would need masks too, so together they onto a mobile morgue from her window. developed a line of kids masks that they You can find Candace Hardnett’s hope will bring color and joy to children. wood art pens and bottle stoppers on “The little ones might not understand Etsy under Hardnett Creations. But she what’s really happening around us, and we 18 turned to making masks when a man in hope these silly masks can feel more like

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

BY KRISTY EDENFIELD

dress up and not so imposing,” says Huerta. When the line was launched on their website, 200 sold out in two minutes, and an additional 1,000 pre-orders will keep her staff employed for at least a month. “Our staff are my family. They have worked with me for four years,” explains Huerta. “We all have bills to pay and I feel responsible for making sure that my printer and seamstresses have an income.” There have been some adjustments at the rainbow house where Lovelane Designs staff produce whimsical creations. Seamstresses are working at home, while Huerta and her full-time screen-printer, Andrew, alternate days in the shop as to be careful to maintain social distancing. Danietté Thomas recently added a line of fashionable masks, including sequined designs, to her already prestigious DANIETTÉ line of custom couture fashion wedding and prom designs. With prom events canceled and weddings rescheduled, her business model changed a bit. “I thought the mask would be an excellent marketing tactic.” Thomas designed a line of masks and had a photo shoot. “I thought the photo shoot would help bring attention to my brand, but I had no idea that so many people would be interested in actually purchasing them.” Thomas uses nontraditional fabrics for

her masks, but to make sure that they are not only fashionable, but also effective, she consulted her twin sister and mother, who are both in the medical field. You can usually find Julie Sukman on stage with Collective Face Theater Ensemble, but recently she, and her 88 year-old mother, Hilda Sukman, have been making masks for people who request them. “We don’t really charge people for them, I feel like if people need them they should be able to get one for free,” explains Julie. But many people have been making donations toward fabric and other supplies. “I asked my mom if she would help me cut the fabric, and we got into a groove. I can make six or seven in an evening now. But what it’s really done for us, is give us a chance to do something together,” says Julie. “It’s a huge sense of purpose.” Julie adds, “I like to make sure that the masks are very soft so the person wearing them feels comforted by them. Since I’m an actor, I care very much about the tactile aspect of it, how it feels to have it on. It’s a strange sensory experience to be in public with a mask on one’s face.” CS To purchase masks made by some of the artists featured in this article: Candace Hardnett - www.etsy.com/shop/ HardnettCreations Danietté Thomas - www.daniette.com Lane Huerta - www.lovelanedesigns.com

CULTURE THE ART•BEAT OF SAVANNAH

Laura Barton, artist and gallery owner.

Love, light and art sales

After Party at the Perry Lane featuring Calvin Woodum.

Savannah Art Walk moves online to keep artists in work, good spirits

EVERY SECOND Saturday, the Savannah Art Walk brings art lovers together for a leisurely day downtown. The participating galleries open their doors to allow the public to engage with their artists, and they even offer special deals on artwork. But how does one continue an event like this through the age of social distancing? For founder and producer Tiffani Taylor, it’s simple: with a little creativity, positivity, and hope. “Savannah Art Walk was created so we could all shine brighter together, and my goal as founder is that we all survive this together,” says Taylor, artist, gallerist and source of unending positivity. “First and foremost is to be well, because health is the most important thing; health is wealth. But when all of this is over, I want our community and the nation to be able to enjoy our art scene. In the interim as we navigate this new landscape, for us to support the galleries and the artists so that when we surface, we have magic.” Taylor is moving the Savannah Art Walk forward by focusing on each participating gallery’s online presence. This is nothing new for the Savannah Art Walk; for the past six seasons, Taylor says, the gallery page has included clickable links to each gallery’s website and social media. “I want us, as a community and as a nation, to look at the Savannah Art Walk as being an online venue,” says Taylor. “Our patrons are national and international, and they can all access and support our individual galleries by looking at the online presence of each gallery, including their social media.”

Tiffani Taylor, founder of Savannah Art Walk, at the after party at Perry Lane Hotel during the raffle prize portion of SAW. Photos courtesy of Tiffani Taylor.

says Barton. “My biggest opportunity is to now tap into the online market by linking social media posts to my website where my prints are available for direct purchase with free shipping. I am also offering a 10% discount on all original pieces at this time as well as accepting new commissions.” Fellow City Market artist Brian MacGregor has taken a similar tack. “While my City Market gallery is closed, I am currently working on oil painting commissions from home and taking orders from my website,” says MacGregor. “A popular item for those who wish to support my gallery during this time is an Art Deck of Playing Cards I brought out in November called Spirit Animal Playing Cards, also found on my website.” Bohemian Relics and Body Works’ owner Judith James is currently working on her website and is offering shipping and delivery of all products in stock. Capital Bee has worked on adding their artwork online and offers curbside pick-up, local delivery, and shipping to anywhere in the United States. 13 Secrets is doing video calls for private

walk-throughs of the store for occasion shopping, like birthdays or anniversaries. They’re available online at 13secret.com and offer free shipping within the U.S. Cork House Gallery will be hosting a livestream of Monica Cioppettini’s thesis show, “Semi-Precious,” in early May. Cup to Cup Café is still open six days a week and have expanded their products to offer shelf-stable pantry items from local food producers. “We want all of our artists to feel supported. When you act as a patron to an artist, you never know when that is the omen they’re going to receive to keep going and to persevere,” says Taylor. “We do see on a nationwide and global level how important small businesses are to the local economy. With all of our small businesses in Savannah—and galleries are small businesses—the artists are entrepreneurs, and we do create jobs. It is so important when you support local business and the more of us that can survive, the greater good will occur for all of our community.” CS For more, visit savannahartwalk.com.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

Now more than ever, it’s important for us to support local businesses and show them that we’re here for them through the crisis. “Our artists are already vulnerable. We already share our soul with the world, and to be an artist is already the greatest act of faith,” says Taylor. “We want to shine a light on our galleries and what their online specials are, what their social media platforms are, so we’re engaging wit hem and interacting with them and acting as patrons. We’re calling upon our benefactors and patrons of the Savannah Art Walk to support all the galleries during this time.” Taylor herself has created a puzzle line specifically for this time, and other artists and galleries included in the Savannah Art Walk have also dreamed up creative solutions to keep themselves afloat during this time. “We all know how trying this time is emotionally and financially,” says Leslie Lovell, owner of Roots Up Gallery. “I’m staying as positive as I can and am throwing myself into everything I can do for our artists and Roots Up Gallery. Working so diligently on the website gives me hope for everyone we work with and others who are also in need of help.” Lovell’s newest initiative is Creatives In Need, a service that’s free to artists who are unrepresented by a gallery. For every work of art sold on Roots Up’s website, 80% of the sale goes to the artist, and 20% goes to WRUU 107.5 FM. The program is set to run pas the quarantine. Roots Up’s online shoppers will also receive 10% off their entire purchase with coupon code HOPE2020. City Market artist Laura Barton is also feeling the pandemic blues. “These are certainly tough times, as my primary clients are tourists who come upon my City Market studio by chance,”

CULTURE VISUAL ART to keep it as close to natural as possible. I don’t have a pattern or anything like that in mind, just what comes organically. I place the plant matter on the material and roll it up super tight, and then it gets bundled. The other thing, too, is you have to know the science in order to make the art. It’s a dual thing. I think you have to be pretty smart to know that you’re a naturalist, you’re not picking poison ivy, and when this vat is done, how do you dispose of it properly? How much do I use? What is the least damaging to the environment or the fabric?

QUESTIONS

4. Why is it so important to know the science?

WITH

Stella Ranae Von Schmid BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

ORIGINALLY FROM a farming family in Pennsylvania, Stella Ranae Von Schmid has been in our city three years and fits in nicely. Von Schmid has been passionate about collecting vintage for years and made an artistic jump to eco dyeing, which uses natural materials to dye fabrics and create one of a kind work. She’s also the newest co-owner of Gallery 209, the oldest co-op on River Street. We caught up with Von Schmid last week.

1. What brought you to Savannah? CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

We’ve been in Savannah three years, and the story is we were tired of shoveling all that white stuff. He has cold weather asthma, and I have some underlying conditions that the cold is just not good for either of us. I was asking all my friends, “Hey, where can we go where it’s going to be warm?” People said, “You sound like a total Savannah couple, you need to come to Savannah.” And I knew people who were down here; my dear friend Samson Smithsonian was practically raised at my house in Pennsylvania. We listed the house, and it sold in nine 20 days. We sold everything; I was a vintage

clothing dealer up there, I did vintage clothing and upcycling and then I started transitioning towards what I was doing. I sold the majority of our stuff and just came down here. He took me to the airport and just said, “Go find us a place to live.” I come from a farming family; it was in my blood. My father will be 88 in May and he still farms chestnuts.

2. What was the transition from buying vintage to eco dyeing?

Vintage and hand-me-downs come from that type of family—we were poor, we weren’t that well to do, and I got hand-medowns all the time. I was a Catholic schoolgirl, so i had my uniform and my play clothes and I didn’t really have much else. But I had an old auntie that loved all the wild stuff and would send me boxes and boxes of this freaky stuff. I got my mom to help me cut it and alter it, and that started the progression of staying in that vein. I had other jobs, but I always did this. I was making sure this stuff didn’t end up in the garbage, mostly. I was preparing it for myself, wearing it myself, giving it to my friends, making other things with it. But then someone up in Pennsylvania asked me to restore an old wedding gown. I’d get pieces just to challenge me. The whole thing is, the older the clothing is, things are made differently. It’s not like you could take nylon thread and start working on a turn-of-the-century garment.

Photos courtesy of the artist.

I was trying to dye things with Rit dye and it wasn’t working. That was the big question: why can’t I replicate that to fix things with color and thread? That’s how I found out about natural dyes. I went in the yard and started throwing things in a pot, seeing what kind of colors they would make. I don’t even know what possessed me to start adding things to it, like flowers and other things in bundles and boiling them off. I had no idea this was called eco dying and eco printing—I thought I discovered this all by myself. Now I reach out to people all over the world that are doing this. Maybe I’ll never meet these people, but we each share this wonderful commonality of being eco-conscious.

I guess the best way you can say that is best practices, to make sure you’re leaving the least amount of carbon footprint. And since you’re not using all these crazy chemicals, the plant matter can go in my compost. My whole thing is basically zero waste, and I think I’m pretty much there at this point. Everything is usually reused or recycled or composted. I always find way to re-up all these things. Also, things that are stains versus dyes. You can dye up with avocado skins and plant matter, but that’s not a dye, that’s a stain. That’s awesome to do, but don’t go do this and try and sell this stuff. That makes people like me look bad. It’s slow art, because of that whole meditative multistep process. It’s definitely not done in a day. You have to get things ready. People ask all the time for custom orders and I cannot control nature, I can’t get you that color. It may not work. For me, that’s too much pressure.

3. What’s your process?

You’re also the new co-owner of Gallery 209. How did that come about?

I like to forage, and I only take what’s in season—it’s very rare for me to carry anything over. The dye pots are usually done first. Sometimes I let them sit, or I do solar dying in the summer—it heats it up and I don’t have to do anything. Then I get the ingredients. It’s mostly flowers and leaves. Hardwood trees produce the best dye, they have the most tannins. You have to know what are good printers on the fabric. Protein fabrics versus anything else gets completely different treatments. I try to use the least amount of chemicals. I don’t even like that word, because I use household alum, and to me that’s not considered a chemical in that respect. I try

I had applied, and they reached out to me and said, “Would you come for an interview?” They had all the board members there, and this was all new to me to be a board member. Not that it was intimidating, I can talk in front of anybody, but it was just so surreal and exciting. It’s hard for all of us now, with how things are, and now they have to really ramp things up and switch to online, but that’s okay. I think it’s going to be a very exciting time for me. I was selling to family and friends up until last year, and last year was my year. I would do some juried shows and I’d also like outside of Savannah for some other opportunities.They’re coming. CS

JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

FOOD & DRINK FEEDING THE COMMUNITY

“COOL, COOL” --ANOTHER DOOR OPENS.

Salvation Army served family meals at their Community Center on Bee Road last week as part of their feeding program to help during the pandemic. While open to the public, cars were asked to pull up to the curb for families to receive their meals through car windows. “The Salvation Army will feed minds as well as bodies,” they say, by including a free children’s book with these meals to families who would like something to read with their children.

Georgia Southern aquaponics farm on Armstrong Campus donates produce during COVID-19 pandemic

The folks at FORAM Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center (SARC) on Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus want you to know that sustainability is at the forefront -- even during a pandemic. SARC recently donated produce grown at the aquaponics farm on campus to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia. Donations like this, as well as other community service projects, are a large part of SARC’s mission. CONTINUES ON P. 22

ACROSS

1 Completely chill 5 Cat’s resting spot 8 “Sweat smile” or “moneymouth face,” e.g. 13 Et ___ (Latin for “and others”) 14 Golden ___ O’s (cereal variety that somehow exists) 16 Fix with a needle 17 ITEMS IN THE FREEZER 20 ITEMS IN THE FREEZER 21 Affectionate greeting (that I’m guessing there will be a lot of when this is done) 22 Raphael’s weapon, in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” 23 Gallery offering 24 Raíz cúbica de ocho 27 Long sandwich 29 Makeshift car cleaners 32 Exclamations that have their moments? 34 Ewe’s mate 36 Answer a stimulus 40 ITEMS IN THE REFRIGERATOR 44 Phone maker from Finland 45 “Born in the ___” 46 New employee 47 Degs. for many professors 50 Alternatives to Macs 52 It’s usually due April 15 53 Breakfast hrs. 56 Android program 58 Carp in some ponds

60 ITEMS IN THE VEGETABLE CRISPER 67 ITEMS IN THE VEGETABLE CRISPER 68 Words before ante 69 It ended on April 9 this year 70 Musk of Tesla Motors 71 Bedding item 72 Get the idea 73 Some TV rooms

DOWN

1 Golden State, informally 2 “30 Rock” star Baldwin 3 Longest possible sentence 4 Go together perfectly 5 With “The,” 2008 Mike Myers flop 6 Carpet calculation 7 Stereotypical ‘80s hairdos 8 Words in the middle of everyone’s favorite Napoleon-based palindrome 9 Alternate nickname for Sporty Spice (as opposed to Scary) 10 Home of Suntory’s headquarters 11 2000 World Series MVP Derek 12 “___ let you down!” 15 Green “Sesame Street” character 18 “It’s either them ___” 19 Karmann ___ (classic VW model) 24 Rhett Butler’s last word 25 The ___ State University

26 Jonas who developed a polio vaccine 28 Actress ___ Ling of “The Crow” 30 “Despicable Me” supervillain 31 “Late Night” host Meyers who’s currently broadcasting from home 33 Omit 35 Initialism for the series of “Avengers” movies 37 “Keep ___!” (“Don’t give up!”) 38 “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” star Michael 39 “Jurassic Park” beast 41 God, to a Rastafarian 42 Preternatural power 43 Make retroactive, like a payment 48 “Hawaii Five-O” detective, to McGarrett 49 Go letter by letter 51 “Bon ___” (good evening, in France) 53 Photographer Diane 54 Transform bit by bit 55 Dealt a sharp blow, in the Bible 57 Asks intrusive questions 59 “The Sky ___” (1950 Italian drama) 61 Hurt all over 62 Rapper in “Law & Order: SVU” 63 Dermatologist’s case 64 Miniature golf goal 65 English school founded by Henry VI 66 1040 IDs

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

Salvation Army provides curbside family meals

FEEDING THE COMMUNITY

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“SARC’s mission has always included community outreach and education, which means knowing how we can support the community when it’s in need,” SARC curator Brigette Brinton said. “Right now we’re just supplying food instead of information.” Brinton said it’s also important to make sure the food grown at the aquaponics

farm isn’t wasted in order to be as sustainable as possible. “We are donating produce that would otherwise be in excess or go bad before being consumed,” she said. “We had a lot of lettuce ready to plant just after spring break that would normally have gone to the Southern Cafe, but they don’t need it, and the heat is causing it to bolt and wilt

quickly. So far, we’ve donated lettuce and kale, and soon it will be lettuce and chard.” Brinton, two student workers and SARC senior scientist Heather Joesting, Ph.D., have been working at the aquaponics farm during the period of social distancing to make sure the produce growing in the greenhouse remains usable. In addition to donating produce to

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19)

In the future, when the coronavirus crisis has a diminished power to disrupt our lives, I would love for you to have more of the money you need to finance interesting new experiences that help you learn and thrive. Now is a good time to brainstorm about how you might arrange for that to happen. For best results, begin your meditations with vivid fantasies in which you envision yourself doing those interesting new experiences that will help you learn and thrive

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

Renowned Taurus composer Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) completed his first symphony when he was 43 years old— even though he’d started work on it at age 22. Why did it take him so long? One factor was his reverence for Ludwig van Beethoven, the composer who had such a huge impact on the development of classical music. In light of Beethoven’s mastery, Brahms felt unworthy. How could any composer add new musical ideas that Beethoven hadn’t already created? But after more than two decades, Brahms finally managed to overcome his inhibition. He eventually produced four symphonies and scores of other pieces, and left a major mark on musical history. For you, Taurus, I see the coming months as a phase comparable to the time when Brahms finally built the strength necessary to emerge from the shadow that had inhibited him.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | APR 22 - 28, 2020

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

A Gemini friend sent me and three of her other allies a poignant email. “This note is a tender apology to those of you whom I’ve hurt in the process of hurting myself,” she began. “I want you to know that I have been working hard and with great success to eliminate my unconscious tendency to hurt myself. And I am confident this means I will also treat you very well in the future.” I received her message with joy and appreciation. Her action was brave and wise. I invite you to consider making a comparable adjustment in the weeks ahead.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

The Ojibwe are indigenous people of North America. Professor of Ojibwe studies Anton Treuer writes that in their traditional culture, there have been men who act and dress like women and women who act and dress like men. The former are called *ikwekaazo* and the latter *ikwekaazowag*. Both have been “always honored” and “considered to be strong spiritually.” Many other Native American groups have had similar arrangements. Transcending traditional gender behavior is not unique to modern Western civilization. With that as inspiration, and in accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to explore any inclinations you might have to be your own unique gender. The time is ripe for experimenting with and deepening your relationship with the constructs of “masculine” and “feminine.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

“The history of my stupidity would fill many volumes,” wrote Nobel Prize-winning poet Czesław Miłosz. Wow! If a highly respected genius like him has spawned so much nonsense and ignorance, what about the rest of us? Here’s what I have to say about the subject: Each of us should strive to be at peace with the fact that we are a blend of wisdom and folly. We should be tenderly compassionate toward our failures and weaknesses, and not allow them to overshadow our brilliance and beauty. Now would be a good time for you Leos to cultivate this acceptance and perform this blessing for yourself.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Helen Traubel (1899–1972) was bestknown for her opera career, although she also sang in concerts, nightclubs, and musical theater. But in her autobiography, she confessed, “Opera bored me.” She reminds me of Georgia O’Keeffe, famous painter of flowers. “I hate flowers,” O’Keeffe said. “I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move.” Now of course most of us have to do some things that we don’t enjoy; that seems to be a routine part of being human. And since the coronavirus

Second Harvest, the research center partners with the Nine Line Foundation to help show homeless veterans how to grow their own food. Also, they partner with Savannah State University to help integrate aquaponics into K-12 curriculum. CS

BY ROB BREZSNY

beautyandtruth@freewillastrology.com

arrived in our midst, you may have been saddled with even more of this burden. But I’m happy to inform you that the coming weeks will be a favorable time to brainstorm about how you could do more of what you love to do once the crisis has abated.

strenuous exertion, and creative struggle. I encourage you to meditate on these thoughts during the coming weeks. Identify what jobs you want to get better at and are willing to work hard on and would like to enjoy even more than you already do.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

At its best and brightest, Capricornian love isn’t frivolous or flighty. It’s not shallow or sloppy. When Capricornian love is at its highest potency, it’s rigorous, thoughtful, and full-bodied. It benefits anyone who’s involved with it. I bring this up because I expect the coming weeks to be a Golden Age of Capricornian Love—a time when you will have the inspiration and intelligence necessary to lift your own experience of love to a higher octave.

What’s the current state of the relationship between your ego and your soul? Is there an uneasy truce between the ambitious part of you that craves success and recognition and the lyrical part of you that yearns for rich experiences and deep meaning? Or do those two aspects of you get along pretty well—maybe even love and respect each other? Now is a favorable time to honor your ego and soul equally, Libra—to delight in the activities of both, to give them plenty of room to play and improvise, and to encourage them to collaborate in ways that will further your well-rounded happiness and health.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Scorpio author Voltaire (1694–1778) was a crusader for freedom of thought and civil liberties, as well as a key player in the Enlightenment. He was very prolific. In addition to producing 2,000 books and pamphlets, his carried on such voluminous written correspondences with so many interesting people that his collected letters fill 98 volumes. Would you consider getting inspired by Voltaire’s approach to cross-pollination? According to my calculations, the next phase of the coronavirus crisis will be a favorable time for you to intensify your communication via the written word.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

I like musician David Byrne’s views on what constitutes meaningful work. It’s not just the tasks you do to earn money. “Sex is a job,” he says. “Growing up is a job. School is a job. Going to parties is a job. Religion is a job. Being creative is a job.” In other words, all the activities he names, to be done well, require a commitment to excellence and an attention to detail. They are worthy of your diligent efforts,

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

I hope you’re not one of those Aquarians who regards stability and security as boring. I hope you don’t have an unconscious predilection for keeping yourself in a permanent state of nervous uncertainty. If you do suffer from those bad habits, you’ll be hard-pressed to stick to them in the coming weeks. That’s because the cosmic energies will be working to settle you down into a steady groove. If you cooperate, you will naturally enhance your ability to be well-anchored, calmly steadfast, and at home in your life. Please don’t resist this opportunity.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

I foresee the likelihood that you’ll be having brilliant and evocative conversations with yourself in the coming weeks. Your heart and your head may become almost blissful as they discuss how best to create a dynamic new kind of harmony. Your left side and right side will declare a truce, no longer wrestling each other for supremacy, and they may even join forces to conjure up unprecedented collaborations. The little voices in your head that speak for the past will find common ground with the little voices in your head that speak for the future—and as a result you may be inspired to formulate a fresh master plan that appeals both.

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Stands in solidarity with all of Georgia. We want to celebrate our amazing people. Georgians are hard working, innovative, and courageous. We are resilient. Our resolve is steadfast. And our cooperation and ingenuity will get us through this challenging time. As we stay home, keep our children safe and help them grow, we draw inspiration from our many diverse, extraordinary schools and teachers. Our medical community is among the best in the country. Your dedication and courage is second to none. We thank you , along with our ďŹ re and police personnel, for keeping our health and safety close to your hearts. And a special thanks to those working on the front lines, at grocery stores, in the pharmacies, and people who are making deliveries to those who can't make it out. Your help is immeasurable. Everyone please be well, stay strong, and know we are standing with you in solidarity.

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