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FEBRUARY 9, 2022 · VOL. 36 · NO. 5 · FREE

Convict Julie A Journey of Self Through Exquisite Pain p. 14

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SHOP IN-STORE OR ORDER ONLINE BY 4PM FOR SAME DAY PICKUP. Join Cindy Wilson, Nolan Bennett, Bo Bedingfield and Lydian Brambila for a night of stories and songs at the Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year kick-off event at Hendershot’s on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. Songwriter nominations are open now at vicchesnuttaward.com/nominations.

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This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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NEWS: City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Elementary Art Controversy Escalates

Cheese/Charcuterie plates and trays.

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Live Music Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

30x30 Project Tackles Conservation

Threats & Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Hey, Bonita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

MUSIC: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Convict Julie’s Visual Album

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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Does CCSD Think ‘Gay Is OK’?

OGLETHORPE ELEMENTARY CONTROVERSY ESCALATES AND MORE NEWS

By Blake Aued, Chris Dowd and Jessica Luton news@flagpole.com The Clarke County School District released • Recognizing the challenges of navigata more strongly worded statement last week ing age-appropriate conversations in an condemning the removal of a fifth-grader’s elementary classroom, district administrapro-LGBTQ artwork from a classroom and tors advised the school to have the teacher subsequent comparison to a Nazi symrelocate the artwork in the classroom. bol, but acting superintendent Brannon • While discussing the situation with Gaskins said he will not publicly discipline the teacher and explaining the rationale for Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School moving the artwork, a school staff member administrators. made a reference to Nazi symbolism.

Meanwhile, a lawyer representing the “We wholeheartedly condemn this student’s parents and teacher delivered reference and apologize for the harm a letter to the district office with a list these events have caused the student, the of demands, including the termination Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary commuof principal Bipul nity, CCSD, and the Singh and vice entire Athens comprincipal Sandra munity, specifically Scott. The lawyer, members and allies Jeffrey Jackson, also of our LGBTQIA+ released an audio community. recording of the “We provided the anonymous teacher’s staff member with conversation with the opportunity to Singh regarding the explain the situation artwork and a video and context and of Singh popping encouraged reflecballoons delivered to tion on their choice the school in support of words and the of LGBTQ rights. subsequent impact Jackson said he on members of our and his clients are community. not planning on “Unfortunately, filing a free-speech this situation has lawsuit because it led some to conclude could take 15 years that our district does to go all the way to not value inclusivthe Supreme Court, ity and diversity. and by that time the We absolutely and student will have unequivocally supgraduated from colport our LGBTQIA+ lege. “We want to community and prowork with the school Acting School Superintendent Brannon Gaskins hibit discrimination board to find a soluor harassment on the tion where we can solve this in a positive basis of sexual orientation. We recognize way, a peaceful way,” Jackson said. and embrace the diverse identities of our As the controversy continued to draw staff and students. We remain committed national media attention, Jackson spent to providing a welcoming environment and about an hour at CCSD’s Prince Avenue positive school culture for students, famiheadquarters on Feb. 1 trying to get in to lies, and employees. see Gaskins or another top administrator, “We disagree with the suggestion that but was told Gaskins was not in the buildthe staff member should be subject to a ing. Eventually, he was able to make an visible disciplinary action. We acknowledge appointment for Feb. 2 with Gaskins and this situation could have been handled with CCSD’s attorney, Michael Pruett. (Gaskins, more care, thought, and attention. While CCSD’s chief academic officer, is serving CCSD welcomes constructive criticism and as acting superintendent while Xernona will always strive to improve, we respectThomas is on medical leave.) fully request our community refrain from Jackson dismissed CCSD’s latest statemaking personal attacks on individuals. ment as “a bureaucratic response” that “This week, I will meet with the faculty “doesn’t really say anything.” He also of Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary and comdescribed the meeting with administrators munity partners to acknowledge the pain as unproductive. this has caused our district and the AthensGaskins’ full letter from Feb. 1 is below: Clarke County community. Our goal is to “I want to provide an update regarding help us better understand our mistakes and an incident involving a student’s artwork ultimately grow from the experience. Our and the subsequent reaction from our comcommitment is to do better.” munity. The following is a synopsis of the Meanwhile, the National Coalition series of events: Against Censorship, which consists of more • A parent raised a concern regarding a than 50 education, artistic, labor, civil libstudent’s artwork displayed in a classroom. erties and religious groups, also released a This concern was not based on a lack of sup- statement objecting to CCSD’s actions. port for the subject matter but rather on its “Whether administrators removed the potential to become a source of bullying of artwork because they disagreed with the her child. particular social views expressed or because

they disapprove of any student expression The 1% sales tax is projected to raise $130 of political or social views, this silencing million over five years. [Blake Aued] of student expression is inconsistent with freedom of expression principles and violates the public school’s First Amendment obligations,” it said. “NCAC has written to the Board of Education to urge the district Athens-Clarke County planning comto return the artwork to public display, missioners panned a proposed Georgia apologize to the student and take steps to ensure that similar acts of art censorship do Square Mall redevelopment as unattractive, unimaginative and too car-oriented. not occur in the future.”

The project would involve tearing down On his Facebook page, Jackson posted much of the mall, leaving three big boxes a recording and transcript of the teacher’s intact, and adding more than 1,000 apartmeeting with Singh. The principal said his ments in numerous buildings scattered concern with the artwork was that “we are across the property, as well as new commerkind of OK-ing one sexual preference and cial space, within a sea of parking with very then causing others to have this dialogue little greenspace, bike amenities or access right now.” He told the teacher to move the to transit. Overall, the development would artwork to her desk area or give it back to have about 400,000 square feet of commerthe student. Singh also defended the swascial space, about half as much as the current tika comparison by urging the teacher to mall. With 1,743 bedrooms, it would be the research the symbol’s history. largest multifamily development in Athens.

A surveillance video Jackson obtained ACC planning staff raised concerns through an open records request and also about the apartment overdevelopment, posted online shows balloons being delivwith 14,000 bedrooms recently built, under ered to the Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary construction or in the approval process lobby and Singh using scissors to pop the already. They also criticized the limited balloons. An invoice and photo of the attached card show that the balloons, deliv- mix of commercial uses—mainly retail and restaurants—lack of trees and biking and ered on Jan. 28, were in support of the stuwalking amenities, and the poor quality of dents’ “Gay is OK” artwork. roads within the development. The develMeanwhile, the Clarke County Board oper is requesting seven waivers to the ACC of Education held a called meeting on zoning code, such as asking for shared parkFeb. 2 to discuss diversity and equity poling and a 15% tree icies, apparently canopy instead of the in response to the Unfortunately, this situation required 40%. incident, although “The overall it was never directly has led some to conclude impression is that addressed. Gaskins the development will said that Local School that our district does not value significantly decrease Government Teams inclusivity and diversity. commercial space, receive diversity significantly increase training before intermultifamily development in the area, while viewing principal candidates. The district adding little benefit to the general public in also uses an “equitable hiring tool… to the way of public infrastructure, greenspace make sure we’re being equitable and recognize bias in our hiring,” he said. In addition, and tree canopy,” according to a staff report on the development.

CCSD is revamping its student code of conWatkinsville land planning consultant duct, Gaskins said.

At the school board’s regularly scheduled Abe Abouhamdan pitched the $426 million project as “live, work and play,” although work session Feb. 3, Gaskins did briefly planners pointed out that, with mainly address “what has happened at Oglethorpe low-paying service jobs on site, most of the Elementary over the past two weeks.” He people who work there couldn’t afford to said he met with staff at a faculty meeting live there. and “sincerely apologized for the pain this Abouhamdan agreed with some of the has caused our school community, and the criticism, such as lack of trees and bike facilstudent and the family that was impacted ities, saying that he heard as much during by this.” He also said that administrators a meeting with neighbors at the mall last had one-on-one interviews with the staff month. “We do have some room to improve to “discuss the climate and the culture at on landscaping and whatnot,” he said. “We the school.” A meeting will be set up with want to address that prior to submitting the Athens Pride to “partner with them on master plan for consideration.” As for the some training for our staff,” he added. narrow range of uses, he said one of the big In addition, Director of Planning and Construction John Gilbreath gave an update boxes could become a corporate office.

Along with some nostalgia for the on ESPLOST 6, the sales tax-funded school 40-year-old mall, which is now less than construction program voters reauthorized half full, the main concern raised by nearby last November. The final ESPLOST 5 projresidents was increased traffic on already ects—early learning classrooms at the old congested Atlanta Highway. The developGaines Elementary, a fieldhouse at Cedar Shoals High School and a culinary kitchen at ment would generate an estimated 7,000 car trips per day. the Career Academy—will wrap up this fall, Planning commissioners, though, sugnext spring and next fall, respectively. The gested that future Georgia Department of first ESPLOST 6 project will be a new $35 Transportation improvements along the million-plus Clarke Middle School, which corridor, like a new Loop flyover, could is expected to go out for bid this year and alleviate the problem. So, too, could adding be completed in fall of 2024. It will be folan Athens Transit transfer station and bike lowed by renovations to Cedar Shoals, then infrastructure. “A lot of people who live projects at Gaines, Alps Road and Cleveland around there might want to bike in, go to Road elementary school in the first tier of dinner, and bike home,” planning commisprojects. The second tier will include new sioner Matthew Hall said. school buses and upgrades to technology, ➤ continued on p. 6 kitchen, custodial and security equipment.

ACC Officials Say Mall Plans Need Work

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continued from p. 5

Most of the advisory board’s members said the plans need a lot of work. “It strikes me that this is a start, but it’s not imaginative enough, and it skimps on some amenities that could be crucial to making it successful,” like shade trees and public plazas, planning commissioner Jim Anderson said.

A dog park was another suggestion, or an IMAX theater that could make the development a destination like the still-thriving Mall of Georgia in Buford. With a tax allocation district in place to plow new tax revenue from the development back onto the property, ACC has some leverage to gain concessions.

Lucy Rowland went even further, calling out a lack of forethought by the ACC government. It should be acquiring more property to the west of the mall, she said, turning a 70-acre megaproject into a mega-mega project. Rowland said the redevelopment should include a street grid, essentially making the property a second downtown—poetic justice for a mall that nearly killed the real downtown in the early 1980s.

“This is a perfect opportunity to recreate a downtown, not a commercial development like the mall was,” Rowland said.

“Jerry and I talked about that for years,” she added, referring to the late planning commissioner and Westside county commissioner Jerry NeSmith, who spearheaded efforts to revitalize Atlanta Highway.

Not all the feedback was negative, though. “I really like the proposal. I think

it’s a fresh presentation for Athens,” said planning commissioner Monique Sanders, who compared it to Ponce City Market in Atlanta.

The Feb. 3 presentation was for feedback only, and Abouhamdan will formally submit plans at a later date. After a planning commission recommendation, the county commission will make the final decision.

If approved, the development would be built in eight phases over a 5–6 year period. One of those phases would include a grocery store, and another would include “active living” units for seniors where the old dollar theater is Georgia Square Mall is half vacant, but county planners are not fans of a plan to redevelop it. now. In addition, 10% of the units would be set fund them. If voters support the measure of the county and in neighborhoods that aside as affordable “workforce housing” for on May 24, Clarke County sales taxes will traditionally have been underserved, such those whose income is 60-80% of the local remain at 8%, providing an estimated $150 as in east and north Athens. median, or about the $30,000-$40,000 million for transportation over the next five Lauren Blais, chair of the advisory comrange. [BA] years. mittee, said the committee thought a lot The approved project list differs someabout how to “remove barriers and gaps for what from the one created by the TSPLOST Athenians who have been long waiting for 2023 advisory committee, which endorsed the infrastructure they deserve.” Despite 38 projects covering a wide range of transheading in the right direction, she admitted The Athens-Clarke County Commission portation modes in different parts of the that this TSPLOST doesn’t fully solve equity approved a new list of TSPLOST transporta- county. The advisory committee’s list issues across Athens. “It’s going to take a tion projects and is calling for a referendum focused heavily on bicycle and pedestrian long time to make up for [past inequities],” on continuing the 1% sales tax that would infrastructure for people living on the edges she said.

Transportation Projects Set for May Vote

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The advisory committee favored resibehind it, our dollars will go further than dent-submitted projects over ACC staff-sub- ever.” mitted ones, and declined to put any Further tweaks were planned for a called TSPLOST 2023 money towards maintaining meeting on Monday, Feb. 7, with the comor repaving roads throughout Athens. This mission set to trim a number of projects to caused the mayor and commission some free up $991,000 for pedestrian improvedifficulty, because they were planning to ments in East Athens. use TSPLOST money to fund Athens’ road The commission also approved the first repaving deficit. To solve this problem, com- cohort of Athens residents to serve on missioners crafted an alternate list based on the Public Safety Oversight Board, a body the one recommended by the advisory com- intended to provide accountability for local mittee. Commissioner Carol Myers, joined law enforcement and improve community by commissioners Jesse Houle, Melissa trust.

Link, Tim Denson and Mariah Parker, proThere were 45 applicants for the board, posed the new list, which puts $22 million requiring a long interview process in which towards pavement and bridge maintenance. all commissioners were able to give their After deciding to fund pavement mainperspectives. As such, Mayor Kelly Girtz tenance, Myers was faced with the task of apparently thought the vote to approve cutting over $22 the group would million worth of be unanimous. projects from the As he was calling list. Fortunately, for a voice vote, the TSPLOST the process used revenue estimate for non-controfrom ACC financial versial items, staff was revised Commissioner upwards by $6 milAllison Wright spoke lion, making her up to object, saying task a bit easier. there were inconsisThe remainder of tencies in the interthe budget defiview process. cit was made up “The interviews, by reducing the as well as the proamount earmarked cess to select the for the Athens in board, were not Motion bicycle and standard. They pedestrian plan and changed. They were shrinking the budever evolving. Due gets of other bicycle to the inconsistency and pedestrian of how it was carried projects. out, I will not supCommissioner Carol Myers Myers said that port the vote,” she her plan “made a said. strong attempt… to honor the work of the Thornton agreed, saying she was “totally advisory committee.” The final list is still confused” by the process. Commissioner heavily weighted towards alternative transMike Hamby also objected, implying that he portation, with almost half of the funding thought the process was unfairly weighted ($73 million) going towards projects like towards commissioners who did not intermulti-use paths, bike lanes, sidewalks and view every candidate. crosswalk safety improvements. Another Other commissioners were enthusias$29 million is going to Athens Transit, tic about the group that was ultimately enough to improve bus stops in East selected. “We had a fantastic pool of Athens, buy electric buses and fully fund Athenians who really give a damn about fare-free transit operations for the next five their community and wanted to step up in years. a big way,” Denson exclaimed. “I think this Myers’ plan also retains the advisory board has some challenging work ahead of committee’s focus on traditionally underthem, but I feel a lot of confidence because served areas. East of how strong this Athens, Westchester, is.”

We have a once-in-a-lifetime board Stonehenge and The nine citizens Smokey Road will all appointed to the investment through the receive pedestrian board are: Jocelyn safety improvements, federal infrastructure bill.

Crumpton, Timothy and a multi-use path Pierce-Tomlin, Lane will connect J.J. Harris Elementary School Pratt, Omar Reid, Felix Bell, Sarah Halstead, to U.S. Highway 29.

Devante Jones, Edward Robinson (not the Speaking to these investments in historformer county commissioner) and Kiante ically underserved areas, Parker said that Sims. this “is the most equitable TSPLOST list The vote on approving the board passed that has been brought forward.”

8-1, with Wright voting no and Thornton The commission vote on approving abstaining.

Myers’ revised TSPLOST project list was Later in the meeting, Houle made a unanimous. motion to notify the public that commisLooking forward to the referendum’s sioners are considering raising their salaries approval in May, Blais said that TSPLOST by an as-of-yet unspecified amount. This funds could be leveraged to bring in even is the first time commission salaries have more federal dollars from the congressional been re-evaluated since 2001, although infrastructure deal. “We have a once-in-athey’ve gone up from $15,000 to more than lifetime investment through the federal $18,000 due to cost-of-living increases. infrastructure bill,” she said. “Because In support of the motion, Houle menwe have spent so much time looking at tioned the increased cost of living and the [transportation] plans, and because [with increased workload the commission has TSPLOST] we’ll have local dollars to put taken on since that time.

“It seems fairly clear to most of us that 20 years since the last time [our salaries have] gone up is well out of accordance with the increased cost of living, the increased workload and the commitment to a living wage that we’ve made as a county government,” Houle said. Parker seconded the motion, saying that they welcomed the public conversation that their notice would generate.

The commission is required by the ACC Charter to give a month’s notice before they raise their salaries. They’ll discuss this question at next month’s voting meeting on Mar. 1. If approved, the salary hike won’t go into effect until a new commission is seated next year. [Chris Dowd]

COVID Cases Decline Again New COVID-19 cases in Clarke County decreased significantly last week, with the rate of new cases nearly cut in half. The seven-day running average dropped to 71 new cases per day on Feb. 4, down from a high of 257 on Jan. 11, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Clarke County added 501 confirmed cases and an additional 42 positive antigen tests last week. The positive test rate decreased slightly to 26%, a sign that cases are still being undercounted. According to public health experts, the positivity rate should be at or below 5% if ample testing is occurring.

New cases of COVID-19 among children in Clarke County decreased slightly last week, but the School Aged Survey from DPH still shows very high rates of transmission among children locally. New cases among children 0-4 years old are holding steady, with 134 new cases in the last two weeks.

New cases for children 5-17 decreased slightly to 352 cases in the last two weeks.

Data from Erin Lipp’s wastewater lab at UGA continued to show signs that the Omicron wave is receding rapidly for Athens. According to last week’s report, viral levels “remain high in wastewater” but “loads for the week showed a consistent decline.” The report noted that viral loads declined to the 50th percentile for samples collected to date when averaged for the

week and across all plants, and reached levels not observed since last December.

While new cases are down significantly, the Omicron variant is still impacting the local health-care system. Hospitalizations and deaths lag behind new cases in pandemic data. Last week, three Clarke County residents died of COVID-19, and 25 residents were hospitalized with the virus. To date, at least 191 Clarke County residents have died from COVID-19, and 1,069 residents have been hospitalized.

According to the Georgia hospital medical census dashboard, COVID hospitalization rates for Region E, which serves Clarke and the surrounding counties, were down from 230 patients, or 34% of all patients, on Jan. 28 to 213 patients, or 30% of all patients, on Feb. 4. For the third week in a row, ICU space is still at a premium. As of Feb. 4, there were 72 patients occupying ICU beds; the normal capacity is 70.

Vaccination rates for Clarke County are nearly stagnant at this point in the pandemic, with just 125 residents receiving a first dose last week and an additional 188 residents receiving a second dose. To date, 65,616 Clarke County residents, or 52%, have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 60,858 residents, or 48% have been fully vaccinated. An additional 28,729 booster shots have been administered to Clarke County residents, with 47% of fully vaccinated residents receiving an additional dose.

Rates of child vaccinations continue to slow down for the county, with just 13 children ages 5-9 and 19 children ages 10-14 receiving at least one dose last week.

To date, 1,495 children, or 26% percent of children ages 5-9, in Clarke County have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

For children ages 10-14, 2,713, or 45% of that age group have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

At UGA, reported cases decreased from 919 the previous week to 363 positive cases for the week of Jan. 24–30. The number of surveillance tests administered decreased to 1,245 tests for the week from 1,830 tests the previous week. The University Health Center administered 152 vaccine doses.

[Jessica Luton] f

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F E B R U A R Y 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

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Dear members of the Georgia Senate Committee on State and Local Governmental Operations: Hello from an Athens-Clarke County voter. Local control of my county commission is being snatched away before my eyes.

Today.

County commissioners work for our public safety, our public health, our streets and paving, our clean water and sewer, our local parks, our local elections.

Today my county’s two state senators, Bill Cowsert and Frank Ginn, are pushing through a bill to remove local control of our county commission districts from me, from all residents of Athens-Clarke, and from my elected county commissioners.

I ask you to support the “Compromise Map,’’ passed by the Athens-Clarke County Commission with eight yes and two no votes on Jan. 20. Our Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections and Voter Registration passed a resolution in support of this compromise map on Jan. 26.

Used to be, Republicans valued and loudly proclaimed loyalty to local control by majority vote. Not anymore. Remember, Republican members of this committee, you sleep with local control under your pillows—until you don’t like what the locals want.

Jacqueline Elsner Athens

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State Reps Wage War on Athens For two years, a deadly foe has waged war on Athens, threatening our lives and our ability to earn a living, feed our families and keep a roof over our heads. Hundreds have been hospitalized. Thousands sought help to feed their families. Many have died.

Fortunately, the mayor and commissioners, dedicating themselves to our welfare, took steps to help keep us safe and working and our children learning despite the extreme dangers. The mayor and commissioners—young, not so young, Black, white, as diverse as Athens—have earned our eternal gratitude for their extraordinary service.

We look to the state legislators who represent us to assist our mayor and commissioners in their single-minded focus on our health and well-being. Have our representatives, Houston Gaines and Marcus Wiedower, and our senators, Frank Ginn and Bill Cowsert, shown that indispensable spirit of support for, and collaboration with, our mayor and commissioners?

Recently, Reps. Wiedower and Gaines and Sens. Ginn and Cowsert announced a plan to dramatically alter the commission districts in Athens in a manner that is a direct attack on our right to choose our commissioners and on the commissioners who so faithfully serve us. These four men propose to move two-thirds of the voters among our more than 129,000 residents

CCSD Should Celebrate Differences

We are the Executive Board of the Interfaith Clergy Partnership of Greater Athens (ICPGA). We are concerned with an incident that occurred recently at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School.

According to parents and teachers, leadership of the school took down a piece of artwork that included the Pride flag and the words, “Gay is OK.” Apparently, the piece of art was also compared to the Nazi symbol of the swastika.

When we formed the ICPGA four years ago, more than 40 local clergy members committed to four core values. Three of The wise and collective voice of over those are relevant to this incident: 80 million voters spoke loud and clear in • Demonstrating sensitivity and openNovember 2020. That voice reminded us ness to difference. that most of the populace yearns for a • Fostering partnerships with local return to decency in public discourse, communities and organizations.

Georgians should use the ballot box to dignity of public office itself, and to • Pursuing initiatives that help honest and open deliberation by holdstrengthen our community. reject those who have such disdain for ers of public office. No more jeering, The ICPGA is not unlike our public our democracy. leering, sneering, nose thumbing or schools in that we come together from name calling by occupants of public various backgrounds, faith traditions, office. gender identities and sexual orientations. into other districts. Their plan will prevent That voice demands an end to intransiWe are different, and we gather strength three sitting commissioners from running gence, a stop to stonewalling, a goodbye to from learning about and celebrating those for office in their own districts. The result broad-brush, slapdash mudslinging memes differences, even those (perhaps especially will reduce the Black vote in 70% of the and denigrating made-up misinformation. those) that may make us uncomfortable. districts.

That voice says we can all get along, without Unfortunately, these priorities seem Incredibly, it is not only COVID-19 that walls and guarded gates, without chain-link neglected in this recent incident. is waging war on Athens. and concertina wire, without cages for chilWe are dismayed at the comparison Bruce Menke dren. We can let people in instead of shutAthens between the Pride flag, a symbol of incluting them out. sion, and the Nazi swastika, which symThat voice confirms my belief in a ratiobolizes the methodical and systematic nal, secular and scientific approach to proberadication of six million Jews, as well as lem solving in the face of common threats other non-Aryan minorities. Comparisons to public health. It reflects my confidence such as this point to a need for education In a democracy, the voters choose their in public institutions that guide leadership and understanding; not only for our stuelected officials. In Georgia, however, the toward effective public policy decisions. dents, but for our leadership as well. We politicians choose their voters.

That voice affirms the idea that the would be delighted to meet with CCSD offiThe Republicans in the General more voters we include the closer we move cials, teachers and parents as we continue Assembly, together with Gov. Brian Kemp, toward the common goal of a democratic our partnerships. just completed a redistricting process that society. I hear that voice echoed in all the Chair Bronte Colbert, senior minister, was secretive, rushed, unfair and pre-demessages coming from the Biden White Unity Athens and president of Interfaith Clergy termined. To add insult to injury, they did House.

Partnership of Greater Athens; Vice Chair this after months of solemnly promising Some dismiss that voice as just another Dexter Joyner, president, Athens Georgia again and again to be fair and transparent. clamor from the crowded dank hold of a Stake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Lattercertain kind of ship, just another wilderness They ignored the pleas of the public to day Saints; Treasurer Sohayl Moshtael; provide the proposed maps in advance of wail from some Hansel or Gretel, abanSecretary the Rev. Kathleen Deegan-Neal, the special session, instead releasing the doned in the deep woods of the day to day.

M.A.Ed, MDiv; Past Chair Rabbi Eric Linder, maps just hours before the session began.

Most, however, hear that voice as a clarion Congregation Children of Israel

Biden Brings Back Dignity

Dog Spa

call, as a shout from the rooftops, as a yodel across the vale, or as the ringing peal of the big brass bell of liberty.

Jim Baird Comer

They ignored the pleas of the public to provide ample opportunity for a meaningful review of the maps, instead steamrolling through the process and conducting several critical votes within two to three days after disclosure.

The results are as appalling as the process. The new maps substantially dilute the voting power of Democrats and minorities.

In our roughly 50/50 state, the new district boundaries will likely result in Republicans winning almost twice as many seats as Democrats in Congress.

And who were their primary targets?

Women of color. The new congressional map was intentionally drawn to shift many Democratic constituents out of Lucy McBath’s 6th District and replace them with heavily conservative voters. At the state level, Michelle Au, the first Asian American in the Senate and a rising star in the Democratic Party, was targeted for replacement.

Next fall, Georgians should use the ballot box to reject those who have such disdain for our democracy.

Suzanne Sperling Athens

F L A GP OL E .C OM · F E B R U A R Y 9, 2022

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Remember Redistricting in November

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Black History 24/7 IT’S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN ATHENS

By Barbara McCaskill news@flagpole.com It’s that time of year again—the time to achievement and genius that flourished in savor and stand in awe of Black people’s the Diasporic African world and influenced achievements in this country against global cultures before and during transimpossible odds, to assess the work that atlantic slavery, through Emancipation, remains undone. How far have we come?

Reconstruction and the 20th Century.

What challenges and dangers still loom?

The humanities and arts framed and foreIt’s also that time for grumblings of grounded the week. Dramatic productions, annoyance and discontent. Why dedicate art exhibitions, musical recitals, dance permerely one month—the shortest one to formances, films about Black cowboys and boot!—to explore the scope of centuries? anti-lynching crusaders, and literary recDo we overemphasize African Americans itations entertained audiences of all ages, descended from enslaved persons, to the even as they educated them about such detriment of African, innovators as the poet Paul Caribbean, Afro-Latinx and Laurence Dunbar (1872Black Pacific Islander immi1906), whose “Sympathy” grants who entered the U.S. inspired the title of Maya as free people and of their Angelou’s famous memown volition? oir I Know Why the Caged It’s been easy to lose Bird Sings (1969); and the track of what Black HisAfrican American and tory Month meant to the Native American sculptor historian and scholar who Mary Edmonia Lewis (1844launched it, Carter Godwin 1907), who was recently Woodson (1875-1950). commemorated on a U.S. Born to formerly enslaved postage stamp. parents in Virginia, WoodBlack History Month, as son was only the second it is now called, celebrated African American to earn a since 1970, expresses the Barbara McCaskill doctorate at Harvard Uniurgency of making visible versity, after the sociologist how African American and NAACP co-founder Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois voices and perspectives too often have been (1868-1963). Black historians in Woodsilenced, downplayed, stereotyped or erased son’s day were excluded from joining white by national narratives of identity, profaculty in conferences of the American ductivity and citizenship. Woodson chose Historical Society, so in 1915 he established February to honor the births and friendthe Association for the Study of Negro ship of Frederick Douglass and Abraham (now African American) Life and History. In Lincoln, a Black man and a white man, one 1926, he originated Black History Week. born enslaved and one born free. Their The week was pitched foremost to Black opinions about African Americans at times children and teachers in the racially segrediverged and conflicted. Woodson thus gated, under-resourced schools that Jim invited all Americans to ponder the costs of Crow policies mandated. The lessons they such distortion and exclusion to all of us, learned would examine, yes, a U.S. history and the benefits we gain by thinking capaof slavery and immiseration, but also the ciously about what America is and has been:

multi-voiced and messy.

It’s enough for a lifetime of lessons.

Why not begin where you are, constructing your own examination of African American history, life and culture? Where were such vanished Black Athens communities as Linnentown, the Bottom and Lickskillet?

How do their stories endure in books by Black Athenians such as Hattie Thomas Whitehead’s Giving Voice to Linnentown: A Memoir (2021) and Michael L. Thurmond’s A Story Untold: Black Men & Women in Athens History (2001; 2019)? What people and places are painted on the Hot Corner mural on 133 E. Washington St. installed by Elio Mercado and Broderick Flanigan? Select a book to read about “Historical Perspectives” or “Black Lives” from the award-winning University of Georgia Press’ curated list on Racism and Anti-Blackness. Study in one

of the Main Library’s rooms named for the fugitives from slavery and married couple, William and Ellen Craft (1824-1900; c.

1826-c. 1891). Ponder that we have no photographs of them together—Ellen looked like a white woman and William was much darker in complexion—possibly because of taboos and laws against interracial marriage. Attend a virtual or in-person humanities, arts or cultural event from the list below. It includes Athens’ own ASALH, one of three Georgia branches (with Atlanta and Savannah) of the history organization that Woodson founded back in 1926.

It happens at this school and in this city—Black history—all year long. f McCaskill is a professor of English at UGA and associate academic director of the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts.

Black History Month Events • “Introduction to the Freedmen’s Bureau” presentation. (ACC Library) Feb. 15, 3:30 p.m. athenslibrary.org • “Reconsidering Reparations,” Willson Center Global Georgia Lecture featuring Olúfẹmi O. Táíwò. (Online) Feb. 16, 4 p.m. Registration required at uga.edu • “Made Visible: Collecting and Curating Black Artists at the Georgia Museum of Art” lecture with Shawnya Harris. (101 LeConte Hall, UGA) Feb. 17, 12:45 p.m.

• From the Desk of Zoe Washington, Athens-Clarke County Library Book Club.

(ACC Library storyroom) Feb. 17, 4 p.m.

• Willson Center-Penn Center Conversation on heirs’ property. Will be recorded and made available online. (Penn Center, St. Helena, SC) Feb. 19, 3 p.m.

• Branford Marsalis Quartet. (Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, UGA) Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m.

• 22nd Annual Mary Frances Early Lecture with Chancellor Robert J. Jones, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (Mahler Hall, Georgia Center for Continuing Education) Feb. 22, 3 p.m.

• Open house for present and prospective students in Institute for African American Studies. (314 Park Hall, UGA) Feb. 23, 2 p.m. Contact Chera Jo Watts at cheraw@uga.edu • “African American Visual Artists in Athens” panel discussion. (ACC Library, Appleton Auditorium) Feb. 23, 7 p.m.

• “A Georgian in Greece: Exploring the Life of John Wesley Gilbert (1863– 1923)” talk with John W. I. Lee. (Online) Feb. 24, 3 p.m.

• Athens-ASALH Black Health and Wellness Virtual Panel. (Online) Feb. 24, 7 p.m. Check ASALH Facebook page or contact Emerita Freda Giles at fsgiles@ uga.edu • Dance Concert to Celebrate History of Africa and the Diaspora. (New Dance Theatre, UGA Dance Department) Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 26, 2:30 p.m.

Contact Jason Aryeh at Jason.Aryeh@uga.edu

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Think Globally, Act Locally PLAN FOR WORLDWIDE CONSERVATION COULD START IN ATHENS

By Violet Calkin news@flagpole.com

T

the 24,000 acres required to implement 30x30 in Athens-Clarke County.

30x30’s purpose, Pickering said, is not to freeze industrialization. Instead, the project would use privately owned land to connect already conserved spaces, such as Sandy Creek Park and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.

SARAH ANN WHITE

he state of the natural world can seem bleak. Glaciers are melting twice as fast as they were 20 years ago. Almost all of the world’s population is at increased risk of disease from the hazardous impacts of air pollution. Every hour, approximately three species become extinct, and 240 acres of habitat are destroyed.

Amid this degradation, one environmentalist has a plan for Athens-Clarke County: 30x30.

Athens-Clarke County already has 15,988 acres of protected greenspace, or 20% of the county’s total area, according to the Oconee River Land Trust. John Pickering, a retired University of Georgia professor of ecology, hopes to convert an additional 10% of ACC land into conservation, amounting to a total of 30% of the county. Outlined by the U.S. departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Commerce and the Council on Environmental Quality in the report “Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful,” 30x30 aims to tackle environmental restoration by preserving land using local policy.

“There’s benefits of having more land for the ecosystem functions we need,” Pickering said. “The predators, insects, spiders, the bees and more need a safe place that they can thrive, and in return the ecosystem has these functions like carbon capture, cleansing water, pollination and recreation that we all benefit from.”

Pickering’s efforts began with naturally restoring and maintaining his own land, Shoal Creek Sanctuary, with the help of community partners. The sanctuary is 257 acres of greenspace in rural southeastern Clarke County. Since establishing the sanctuary, Pickering has teamed up with his organizer and outreach coordinator, Clarke Middle School science teacher Audrey Hughes, to begin forging conservation of

discussion of 30x30 at his sanctuary, with three county commissioners, representatives from the land trusts, ACC landowners and other interested parties in attendance.

Discussion centered around the basics of 30x30’s core elements—benefits for Athens, how conservation easements work, the importance of 30x30 being a citizen-driven rather than government-directed project and reducing financial burden on taxpayers.

Next steps include creating an ACC board to decide what land to pursue for conservation, making a budget and holding public hearings. Should that all happen, voters would decide 30x30’s fate.

30x30 would cost an estimated $250 million over 100 years—a price tag that’s a

Retired UGA ecology professor John Pickering (right) speaks at a meeting about land conservation in Athens-Clarke County.

Land owners would receive financial incentives to put their land into conservation easements run by the Athens Land Trust and Oconee River Land Trust. Land under a conservation easement is not a public park—owners maintain oversight of their property. They are, however, required to maintain it in accordance with values of environmental friendliness to achieve conservation goals.

On Jan. 12, Pickering hosted an initial

challenge. Should the county commission take 30x30 into consideration, a means to fund the project would have to be found. Pickering pointed to a conservation SPLOST as a potential avenue, with outside investors supplementing the taxpayers’ contribution. However, under state law Athens-Clarke County is capped out at an 8% sales tax, and the next opportunity to vote on SPLOST won’t come for nearly a decade.

“I was on the citizen committee for the SPLOST 2005 program, and we worked hard even getting $1 million” for conservation, Commissioner Carol Myers said at the meeting. “The kind of money that we’re sitting here talking about now—I just looked through our projections of all these things we have to pay for, and if $250 million is going to come out of that budget, it’s going to need to be creatively worked out.”

If all goes according to plan, Pickering is optimistic that 30x30 could be achieved by 2024 or 2025. “There’s no reason we want to wait,” he said. “You can see what’s happening globally. People say, ‘We’ll stop using carbon by 2050,’ or, ‘Maybe next century we won’t do it,’ and in the meantime, it’s just a general slide, and everybody’s promising to do something two or three or four decades down the line. We should do it [30x30] this decade.”

Though climate change, loss of biodiversity and increased pollution are of the utmost concern for environmentalists, simple access to greenspaces is also a major issue. “Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful” reports that half of the U.S. population is not within walking distance of a park. Under 30x30, private landowners hold discretion over the public’s recreation rights on their land, but Pickering plans to encourage them to allow at least some access. Additionally, conserving tracts all throughout the county is a priority, Pickering said, so “we have inclusion, equality of use and everybody gains the benefits of having conservation land.”

Athens-Clarke County is gaining about 1,500 new residents each year, along with subsequent economic and industrial growth. 30x30 aims to sustain these elements of a healthful community while caring for our Earth—and could extend well beyond Athens-Clarke County.

“People don’t want to say let’s stop jobs and stop building and stop infrastructure development, so the idea is, how do we work with developers in the county, with the school board and everybody else to make sure that we can have our cake and eat it,” Pickering said. “The goal, ultimately, is for Athens-Clarke County to be the start of a movement which will raise $50 trillion to put 30% of the world into conservation.” f

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Celebrate The Joy of Loving—Yourself ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN

By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com I am writing this on the first day of February, but I started seeing marketing for Valentine’s Day as early as New Year’s Eve. I think we’ve all learned to become more judicious in exposing ourselves to the known stressors in our lives, and for a long time, I hated Valentine’s Day. I used to dress in black every year on Feb. 14, without fail.

And not just a black T-shirt—I would pull off legit funeral realness, complete with silk stockings and a bad attitude. I didn’t want to even appear to be down with what I thought was a superficial, capitalist and entirely too modern greeting-card holiday.

Plus, I was always single on Feb. 14.

I now know that life is what we make it, that I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do, and it’s not always about raging against the dying of the light. I can just go on my merry way and keep living instead of trying to be a wet blanket every year on a day that I resent. I also resented the idea that love was an emotion exclusive to romantic couples, that I couldn’t participate in Valentine’s Day because I was single.

And I didn’t want any of that “Lonely Hearts Club”type shit, either. I didn’t want to be sad on Valentine’s Day, even if I was spending it with other singles. I now celebrate love on Valentine’s Day however I want, and I get to choose what type of love I want to celebrate. No one gets to tell any of us what to do, and that includes a mainstream media that shoves couples and lifelong monogamy down our throats. I can do whatever I want, and I want to celebrate myself and celebrate the joy of loving.

For the past few years I’ve made Valentine’s Day all about me, and it’s much more fun than believing it’s a day about couples. Adjusting my mindset around the day has allowed me to really understand that being in a relationship does not make us more whole than others, nor more worthy to be joyful on any random day of the year. I’m still annoyed by the commercialization of love and validation, and I refuse to participate in that. We can take this

day and make it our own, and that can be powerful and empowering for any singles out there who, like me in the past, cringe at seeing heart-shaped boxes in January. You don’t even have to be single. Maybe your partner is a long distance away, or maybe you’re polyamorous and choose not to play favorites on V-Day. I love myself, and I hope you love yourself, too. When was the last time you told yourself so? You can do so by treating yourself to something luxurious simply because you deserve to experience luxury. I usually get takeout from my favorite local spots, most often Maepole or The World Famous.

Maybe even step it up a notch and go out for a fancy meal—I do miss consuming gorgeous cocktails and hummus plates at The National. New dining experiences can be exciting no matter the cuisine or service style, and I intend to check out Rashe’s Cuisine now that it has reopened.

When people think of self-care, they most often go straight to the image of a bubble bath or a sheet mask, but self-care is also nurturing your body in ways that don’t involve skincare. There are lots of health benefits to orgasms besides the most obvious one, and that amazingly happy post-coital feeling is because of the release of oxytocin, dopamine and endorphins. You don’t need me to tell you that figuring out your own body is key to confidently sharing it with others, and you also absolutely deserve to be having amazing sex even when you’re alone. There are great toys available locally that are affordably priced, or you can have them discreetly shipped for basically every body type out there.

No matter what you’re doing on the 14th, you deserve to be enjoying it. You deserve to be happy, full stop. You are allowed to work towards your happiness and to love yourself in every healthy way imaginable. Maybe that looks like a wine dinner for one at Heirloom, or maybe it’s going to Ciné for cocktails and a movie. You are worth the money that you would spend on taking yourself on a Valentine’s date. I’m thinking that I’ll renew my Shudder subscription and find a good sushi platter to inhale. I hope you’ll eat what you want and do something that brings you joy, bodily or otherwise. We both deserve it. f

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go to favorites.f lagpole.com and VOTE for your favorite in each of the categories. Then we will let everyone know what Athens locals like most about our great town.

LAST CHANCE TO VOTE! DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 14 TH and the Favorites will be announced in the March 16th issue of flagpole.

• Only one vote per person • Please vote in at least 5 categories to have your ballot counted Due to COVID, some categories are on hold for the 2022 Favorites Awards

Restaurants: New (opened after March 2021) Italian American Asian Sushi Mexican/Latin American International BBQ Bakery Downhome/Southern Local Coffee House Local Pizza Local Burger Fries Burrito Taco Steak Seafood Wings Vegetarian Options Sandwich Dessert Frozen Treat Breakfast Lunch Brunch Meal for a Deal (name of restaurant) Kid-friendly Local Restaurant Outdoor dining Take Out Delivery Service Chef Uniquely Athens Restaurant

Bars: Bartender Speciality Drinks Margarita Bloody Mary

Beer Selection Wine Selection Local Brewery Outdoor Bar Space Place to Play Games Uniquely Athens Bar

Music Recording Studio Performance Venue

Retail: Naughty Business Place to Buy CBD/Hemp Products Smoke/Vape Shop Place to Buy Gifts Pace to Buy Homegoods Local Clothing Boutique Place to Buy Local Art & Handmade Goods Thrift /Vintage Store Place to Buy Wine Place to Buy Beer Uniquely Athens Store

Pets and Kids: Vet Clinic Pet Groomer Pet Boarding/Sitting Service Place to Shop for Kids Kids’ Classes: Movement Kids’ Classes: Creative

Services: Eco Friendly Services Eco Friendly Practices Hotel Photography Studio Florist Hair Salon Stylist

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Alternative Health Treatment (Chiropractic, Herbal, Acupuncture, Rolfing,etc)

Massage Therapist Tattoo Studio Spa Fitness Instructor Place to Get Fit Adult Classes: Movement Adult Classes: Creative Car Repair Shop Car Dealership Plumber Electrician HVAC Lawyer to Get You Out of a Jam (Criminal)

Lawyer to Sort Out Your Affairs (Civil) Bank Realtor

Stuff Around Town: Place to See Local Art Non-profit/Charity 2021 Event Local Business

• ONLY ONE VOTE PER PERSON • PLEASE VOTE IN AT LEAST 5 CATEGORIES TO HAVE YOUR BALLOT COUNTED

VOTING DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 14 TH and the Favorites will be announced in the March 16th issue of flagpole.

live music calendar Tuesday 8

Ramsey Hall Faculty Artist Series. 7:30 p.m. $3 (w/ student ID), $12. pac.uga.edu D. RAY MCCLELLAN McClellan holds three degrees from The Juilliard School and is Professor of Clarinet at UGA and a member of the Georgia Woodwind Quintet.

Southern Brewing Co., Monroe 7 p.m. www.sobrewco.com FUNKY BLUESTER Blues outfit inspired by traditional Chicago and Texas styles.

Wednesday 9

Thursday 10 Athentic Brewing Co. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing. com WADE NEWBURY Singer, guitarist and drummer who performs both as a solo acoustic act and with several bands (Tangents, Norma Rae, The Rebecca Sunshine Band).

Georgia Theatre 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $25–30. www.georgiatheatre.com TAB BENOIT Touring guitarist combining a variety of styles, including Delta, swamp and

RAIN HANSEN

40 Watt Club 8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show). $18-20. www.40watt.com WILD RIVERS Canadian folk-pop group with gorgeous harmonies.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatre andbar.com DR. FRED’S KARAOKE Featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more.

International Grill & Bar 6:30 p.m. www.facebook.com/ IGBAthensGA ASHLEY & JUDAH TATARSKY Acoustic singer-songwriters.

Porterhouse Grill 6–9 p.m. www.porterhouseathens. com/jazz JAZZ NIGHT Enjoy standards, improv and originals by a live jazz trio every Wednesday night over dinner.

The World Famous 9 p.m. www.facebook.com/theworld famousathens THE KERNAL Jackson, TN native best known for his subversive, intellectual songwriting and signature red polyester suit.

TYLER KEY & THE STRANGERS Local folk-rock artist and songwriter.

Hendershot’s Coffee Chicago blues.

7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.

ALBERT CASTIGLIA Blues singer, com songwriter and guitarist with notes SPONDEE Improvising duo working of soul, rock and country. in a medium that exists somewhere Hendershot’s Coffee between sound collage and sound Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year painting, jazz and thru composition.

Award Kick-Off Event. 7 p.m. FREE! SHANE PARISH Solo guitarist and www.vicchesnuttaward.com recent transplant from Asheville, NC CINDY WILSON AND NOLAN known as a member of avant-garde BENNETT Wilson is a founding rock band Ahleuchatistas. member of the B-52s whose current Hugh Hodgson Concert work displays psychedelic and Hall electronic influences. Bennett is 7:30 p.m. $29–99. www.pac.uga. a rising act making indie pop with edu psychedelic flourishes.

JOSHUA BELL AND PETER BO BEDINGFIELD Local alt-counDUGAN Grammy-award winning try singer-songwriter. violinist and accomplished multiLYDIAN BRAMBILA Local singergenre pianist perform classic songwriter plays haunting folk pieces. songs. 2019 award winner!

International Grill & Bar The Lewis Room at 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ Tweed Recording IGBAthensGA 7 p.m. $12 (adv.), $14. www.lewis DIXIELAND FIVE Local jazz band room.com playing styles of the early 20th cenOH JEREMIAH Local singer-songtury that came from New Orleans. writer duo made up of Jeremiah Stricklin and his wife Erin.

Nowhere Bar 10:30 p.m. www. nowherebarlive. com BLACKDOG Playing a mix of rock and roll, blues, funk and jazz.

TORI PATER Funky, bluesy jams from Colorado.

Ramsey Hall 7:30 p.m. pac. uga.edu FABLES: A RECITAL OF MUSICAL STORIES Tonight’s program includes “Aesop’s Fables for Horn, Piano and Narrator,” “Polaris” and other works about fables.

Southern The Kernal will perform at The World Famous on Brewing Co., Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Monroe Southern Brewing Co. 7 p.m. www.sobrewco.com RPM Series. 7 p.m. (doors), 8 JIM COOK Local solo performer p.m. (show). $7 (adv.), $10. www. playing acoustic blues, classic rock sobrewco.com and Americana.

RAPID CHANNEL Local rock band blending elements of metal, punk and grunge into catchy original tunes featuring members of Mother Georgia Theatre Fore, Guillotine and Kadillak.

7:30 p.m. (doors), 8:30 p.m.

MURDER THE MOOD Alt rock (show). $20–22. www.georgia trio with edgy riffs and punchy theatre.com rock vocals similar to My ChemRIPE Boston-based seven-piece ical Romance and Red Jumpsuit band channeling the spirits of rock, Apparatus. funk, R&B, jazz and pop.

CYDIAN Mosh pit friendly alterTHE COLLECTION Indie pop from native rock band not afraid to push Saxapahaw, NC. boundaries.

Friday 11

Southern Brewing Co., Monroe 7 p.m. www.sobrewco.com FUNKY BLUESTER Blues outfit inspired by traditional Chicago and Texas styles.

VFW (Post 2872) 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $10. www.facebook.com/vfwpost2872 HANK BIRD & THE BORDERLINE TRIO Band playing a blend of rock and country music.

Saturday 12 40 Watt Club Broken Hearts Dance Party. 8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show). $10 (adv.). www.40watt.com VISION VIDEO Local goth-pop post-punk band with danceable tunes.

ENTERTAINMENT Dark, post-punk deathrock band from Atlanta.

TEARS FOR THE DYING Local death-rock group fronted by songwriter Adria Stembridge.

DJS TWIN POWERS, WARDADDY AND HORROR DISCO Celebrate the dark side of Valentine’s with a night of dancing to goth, new wave and post-punk music.

Ciné 9 p.m. $10. www.athenscine.com THE CRYPTICS New Hampshire-based punk rock band that has toured internationally and supported the Dead Kennedys.

A.D. BLANCO Young alternative rock band with an ambitious sound.

THE GRAWKS Local garage punk band.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 3 p.m. $7. flickertheatreandbar.com LIKE TOTALLY Local theatrical “kindie” rock band for all ages.

Hendershot’s Coffee 7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com THE DRIFTER KINGS Contemporary blues/roots band who perform original and creatively arranged blues classics in a wide range of styles from Piedmont to Delta to Chicago.

International Grill & Bar 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/ IGBAthens HENDERSON/WILLIAMS Don Henderson and Henry Williams play hits from across different generations and genres.

The Root 8 p.m. FREE! www.therootathens. com DIABLO SANDWICH & THE DR. PEPPERS Local all-star Southern rock band blending country, gypsy, jazz and more.

Southern Brewing Co. 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $7. bit.ly/SoBrewCoFeb12

DINNER TIME Five-piece Atlanta band fusing genres of indie pop, nu-funk, slacker garage rock and psychedelic music.

THE MOVERS Modern progressive rock band from Grayson,GA. MOTHER FORE Local progressive rock band.

State Botanical Garden of Georgia 6 p.m. $20. botgarden.uga.edu ORCHID MADNESS: BOTANIC MUSICALE Pianist Liza Stepanova will perform at the 15th annual Botanic Musicale, a concert series funded in honor of former Miss America, Neva Fickling.

Sunday 13 Cali N Tito’s Eastside 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.facebook. com/theluckyjones THE LUCKY JONES Old school rockin’ rhythm and blues. Every second Sunday of the month.

Graduate Athens Yappy Hour Benefit for Athens Area Humane Society. 1–4 p.m. $20. bit. ly/YappyHourFeb13 CLASSIC CITY JUKEBOX It is what it says. Playing songs from the ‘60s to now. You never know what’s next on the jukebox. Today’s event includes food by Agua Linda and Alumni Cookie Dough and beverages from Wicked Weed Brewing.

Dogs welcome!

Monday 14

Boutier Winery & Inn Valentine’s Day Dinner. 7 p.m. $40. www.boutierwinery.com CHRIS HAMPTON BAND Athens-based three-piece band performing classic and modern hits.

Tuesday 15 Southern Brewing Co., Monroe 7 p.m. www.sobrewco.com FUNKY BLUESTER Blues outfit inspired by traditional Chicago and Texas styles.

Wednesday 16 Flicker Theatre & Bar 8 p.m. $10. www.flickertheatreand bar.com THE CURLS Chicago-based art rock band.

DOTS Atlanta-based electropop five-piece (formerly Dot.s).

DOLPHIN GROUP Aquatic synthpop band from Chattanooga, TN. JOSEY Local artist who plays keyboard-based pop.

Porterhouse Grill 6–9 p.m. www.porterhouseathens. com/jazz JAZZ NIGHT Enjoy a live jazz trio every Wednesday night over dinner.

pandemic protocols Athentic Brewing Co.: masks indoors Boutier Winery & Inn: masks encouraged Cali N Tito’s Eastside: no protocols Ciné: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours; masks indoors 40 Watt Club: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours; masks indoors Flicker Theatre & Bar: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 48 hours; masks indoors Georgia Theatre/Rooftop: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours; masks indoors Graduate Athens: masks encouraged Hendershot’s Coffee: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 48 hours Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall: masks encouraged International Grill and Bar: masks encouraged The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test; masks indoors Nowhere Bar: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 48 hours Porterhouse Grill: masks encouraged Ramsey Hall: masks encouraged The Root: no protocols Southern Brewing Co.: masks indoors State Botanical Garden of Georgia: masks indoors VFW: masks indoors The World Famous: masks indoors

www.flagpole.com

F E B R U A R Y 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

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feature

NORAA JAMES

music

Convict Julie

A JOURNEY OF SELF THROUGH EXQUISITE PAIN

By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com

H

earing personal anecdotes unfold through song and seeing someone’s story come to life on a screen are both powerful mediums for sparking empathetic connection. In our increasingly digital world, sometimes that is the closest we get to relating with others. Alternative R&B artist Camilla Sims, who performs under the stage name Convict Julie, sits right in the middle of it all to compel everyone to feel her experience of self-rediscovery through the cinematic visual album Exquisite Pain, to be released Feb. 18.

In the Athens community, Sims is known for her activism work advocating for racial equity and justice equally as much as for her soulful performances on stages big and small. This new album has been in the works for a while, as Sims carefully crafted a vulnerable message about how activism led to the loss, and eventual regaining, of her personal identity. As a fan of Beyoncé, the visuals behind Queen B’s 2016 album Lemonade inspired Sims to intimately show rather than simply tell what her breakdown in identity was like. Ultimately, the goal of Exquisite Pain is to deliver a very raw version of the artist to old fans, new fans and strangers alike.

“The story I’m telling is the story of me, Convict Julie, choosing to stand for what I believe in and going through the natural process of the aftermath of what that looks like, which is death of the old self, rebirth of the new self,” says Sims. “Sometimes when you give all of yourself, naturally you lose all of yourself. The album progresses with me coping with the old me that I knew was dying and becoming the person that I’m supposed to become.”

The visual is a beautifully tragic journey the viewer can’t look away from, even if uncomfortable at times. After a deep dive into the gritty scenes, there’s a feeling of

resurfacing by the end.

Whether listening to the music or watching the visual album, themes of coping, strife and redemption remain consistent. Sims explains that the idea of surrendering and not fighting the transformation is critical to the evolution outlined from beginning to end.

While there’s enough context to follow the artist’s personal journey, there’s enough freedom in the imagery for the listener/viewer to interpret the events in their own way and connect to the elements that speak to them.

The visual album was all shot in one day on what Sims described as a “shoestring” budget, but the quality does not reflect those details. Sims’ previous artist manager, XiaoYu Zhu, introduced her to the team that would go on to produce the visuals, including director Tim Hardiman of Black 22 Creative. Hardiman listened to Sims’ vision and worked off treatments she wrote to create the dark yet stunningly bold project that is Exquisite Pain. Although the full visual album is not available for viewing until Feb. 18, the music video for “Battle Cry” was released in January, and “X” was released Friday, Feb. 4. These puzzle pieces provide a glimpse into the full production, which will create a clearer picture of what Sims has described when put in context.

“I think ‘Battle Cry’ is my favorite song, and that’s because it really tells a story about trying to not only survive but make it through what I’m going through in a way that’s very eloquent. For the first time, it felt like my songwriting was incredibly true to what I was trying to portray,” says Sims.

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F L A GP OL E .C OM · F E B R U A R Y 9, 2022

“When your community sees you as a very accomplished person or as someone who is doing really well, I think people forget there’s also a very human struggle about self-identity and self-love. That’s what I wanted to share—that struggle is present and valid, and music is what gets me through it.”

The first lyrics of “Battle Cry” ring out “I’m not looking at the past I’m looking at the future/But sitting in the present am I gonna make it through it,” portraying the rally of fighting spirit the song title suggests. As further evidence that this album could not exist without Sims’ activism, humanitarian efforts are an integral part of the artist’s identity on and off the stage.

Sims had never organized an event before activism, and those experiences provided the confidence and courage to call on the community and bring people together for different causes in different capacities, including music and the arts. Regardless of the cause, highlighting community is always at the forefront of Sims’ motivation.

Following the audio and visual album release, an album release show is scheduled at Creature Comforts Brewery on Saturday,

Feb. 19 from 8–10 p.m. Special guest performances are still to be announced. The event will be free, which was a non-negotiable aspect of the event planning from the start. Accessibility is an important factor in how Sims goes about sharing this project with the public. The main reason, Sims says, is to give back to the community that has so strongly supported her through all of her endeavors.

“People say you go faster alone but farther together. I’ve really appreciated taking my time going farther with the community that supports me, and I’m very fortunate to say that because I know not everyone feels like they get the proper support. I’ve been blessed to be supported by many different communities,” says Sims. “I’m so not a self-made person—I’m a community-made person.” f

WHO: Convict Julie with special guests WHERE: Creature Comforts Brewery WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m.

HOW MUCH: FREE!

music

threats & promises

‘Kindie’ Rock Band Like Totally! Returns PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com THE KING IS DEAD; LONG LIVE THE KING: Tom Smith, a man without peer in the history book of Athens music, died Jan. 20 in Hannover, Germany, where he had lived for several years. Known best for his three-decade long project To Live and Shave In L.A. (TLASILA) formed in Miami, FL, circa 1991, Smith was, for all practical purposes, the godfather of the Athens noise and experimental scene. Locally, he was responsible for the spectacularly divisive group Boat Of (which, through a few names and MIKE WHITE · DEADLYDESIGNS.COM

home in search of her husband, a union leader, during the devastating coal miner strikes in Harlan County, KY. Further, toward the end of the song, the refrain “El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido” (“The people united will never be defeated”) is heard over and over. While the phrase is a common one of popular protest, it was captured in song most famously by Chilean folk group Quilapayún in 1970. Stylistically, the track is reliably Linqua Franqa material, with Parker’s unwavering vocals swimming atop a steady but unobtrusive beat. To listen and pre-order, please see linqua franqa.bandcamp.com, and be a fan at facebook.com/ linquafranqa.

LATE NIGHT DREAMING: In similar news to that above, pre-orders are also open for the debut LP from Night Palace, Diving Rings. The album is scheduled to come out Apr. 1 on New Orleans-based label Park The Van. Currently, Jenny Woodward aka Lady Scientist of Like Totally curious folks can check out four pre-release singles permutations, also featured the late David before they make the jump to purchase.

Gamble, the late Carol Levy and occasionEach is wonderfully representative of the ally organist Michael Stipe) that ran from band’s lush pop that makes its mark with a roughly 1977 to 1983. Before founding slightly dark edge. Check them out at night TLASILA with Frank “Rat Bastard” Falestra, palace.bandcamp.com, and keep up with Smith was in Washington, D.C., busy with things over at nightpalacemusic.com. his group Peach of Immortality, which SING OUT!: The 2022 Vic Chesnutt Songcoined the still-hilarious phrase “R.E.M. is Air Supply!” During this time in D.C., Smith writer Award kickoff show, hosted by the Rotary Club of The Classic City of Athbriefly played with Pussy Galore and had ens (what a mouthful!) and presented in artistic associations with both Malcolm association with Aubrey Entertainment, Riviera and Don Fleming, whom he had will ring the opening bell for its award moved to D.C. to play with, but his stint in nomination season, which runs until Mar. Fleming’s Velvet Monkeys was short-lived.

On a personal note, I remember being quite 20. The show happens Thursday, Feb. 10 at Hendershot’s Coffee and is free. Featured intimidated to meet Smith many years ago, owing to his often abrasive public persona. I acts are the stellar Cindy Wilson (The B-52s) with Nolan Bennett, Bo Bedingwas pleased to find him engaging, eloquent and gentlemanly, and this is the impression field and Lydian Brambila, who won the award in 2019. For more information and I’ve kept with me ever since. Smith died of to nominate your favorite artist, please see colon cancer and was 65 years old. He was vicchesnuttaward.com. an ardent archivist of his own work, and a huge amount of it, along with Smith’s BUZZ HUNGRY: After a six-year hiatus “kindie notes, can be found via tomsmithksv. rock” band Like Totally (generally stylized bandcamp.com and soundcloud.com/ as Like Totally!) is back working again with tom-smith-tlasila-ksv. a new lineup. The Jenny Woodward-led SÍ, SE PUEDE: Pre-orders are now open for band now includes Nate Lee (bass), Dave Linqua Franqa’s new full-length album Martin (lead guitar), Natalie Smith Bellringer, which is scheduled for release (vocals, ukulele, flute) and Justin Ladonisi Apr. 22 courtesy of the Ernest Jenning (drums, glockenspiel). The band will re-enRecord Co. The artist, Mariah Parker, ter the live scene with an all-ages show on released lead single “Wurk” a couple of Saturday, Feb. 12 at Flicker Theatre & Bar at weeks back. On its surface it’s a call for col3 p.m. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at lective bargaining and workers’ rights that the door. Each member of the band inhabits makes note of specific huge corporations a different character, and the group wears known for either explicit labor violations costumes while singing about unicorns, dolor for having such an onerous work culture phins, etc. which might just be enough disthey deserved a call-out. But it’s also a track traction to keep you from focusing on the well-steeped in its own history. To wit, the fact that you took your kids to a bar on a refrain (“Which side are you on?”) is from Saturday afternoon. For more information, the 1931 song written by Florence Reece in please see facebook.com/PartyTimeLike response to anti-union forces raiding her Totally. f

Spondee

SPONDEE will play atmospheric, thoughtprovoking, entertaining, creative music at

Hendershot’s on Feb. 11th at 8pm

Follow the QR code to sample some music

Feat. Louis Romanos, drums and Marc Gilley, saxophone https://linktr.ee/marcgilley

What's the worst first date you've ever been on?

Tell your story (anonymously) in 150 words or less!

Bonita's favorite picks will be featured in the Mar. 2 issue and online. Deadline Feb. 18th.

Send submissions to advice@flagpole.com or visit flagpole.com/get-advice.

F E B R U A R Y 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

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bulletin board Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board is every THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Email calendar@flagpole.com.

Art CALL FOR ART (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation: OCAF) “Reinvented & Reclaimed: A Recycled Art Exhibition” seeks wearable art made from “trash” and recycled materials such as plastic bags, newspaper, soda cans, bottle tops and foil. Deadline Feb. 28. Fashion showcase held on Global Recycling Day, Mar. 18. www.ocaf.com/call-for-art CALL FOR ARTISTS AND CURATORS (Lyndon House Arts Center) LHAC invites area artists, artist groups and curators to submit original exhibition proposals. Artists are also invited to submit images of their work for consideration for larger group or themed shows.

Exhibitions may be scheduled as far out as three years. Submit an online proposal form. Deadline Apr. 20. beth.sale@accgov.com, accgov. com/lyndonhouse CALL FOR ENTRIES (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) New and existing 2022 members of ATHICA are invited to submit a work of their choosing in any media for the annual “Members’ Showcase.” Deadline and drop off held Feb. 21. www.athica.org/updates/ call_2022_showcase COMMERCE FOLK TO FINE ARTS FESTIVAL (Commerce Civic Center) Seeking regional artists for the 10th annual festival. Deadline to apply is Feb. 15. 706-335-6417, folktofinearts@commercega.org, www.folk-finearts.com

JOKERJOKERTV CALL FOR ARTISTS (Online) JOKERJOKERtv is open to ideas and actively accepting proposals for collaboration from visual/musical/video artists and curators living in Athens. Artists worldwide can also submit music videos, short films, skits and ideas to share with a livestream audience. www.jokerjokertv.com/submit OPEN STUDIOS (Lyndon House Arts Center) Studio members have access to spaces for painting, printmaking, photography, ceramics, jewelry, fiber and woodworking.

Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $65/month. www. accgov.com/7350/Open-StudioMembership QUARTERLY ARTIST GRANTS (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council offers quarterly grants of $500 to local organizations, artists and events that connect the arts to the community in meaningful and sustainable ways. Deadline Mar. 15. www.athensarts.org/grants

Auditions ATHENS TAKES ON AUDITIONS (Athens Community Theater) Town & Gown Players seeks vocal performances, comedy sketches, poetry readings, dance and other acts for the upcoming Second Stage variety show. Auditions will be in person and via Zoom by appointment.

Performances held Mar. 4–5. yes thatchristine@gmail.com, www. townandgownplayers.org

art around town ACC LIBRARY (2025 Baxter St.) On view in the Quiet Gallery, Elinor Saragoussi’s “Moments of Reprieve” includes large-scale felt works and watercolor illustrations. Through Mar. 6.

ARTWALL@HOTEL INDIGO ATHENS (500 College Ave.) Curated by Lilly McEachern, “Crooked” features work by Andrae Green, Craig Coleman and Jess Machacek. Through Apr. 11.

THE ATHENAEUM (287 W. Broad St.) Stockholm-based artist Lisa Tan’s video work, “Dodge and Burn 2017–2020 July 4,” documents three consecutive failed attempts at filming fireworks on the 4th of July from the vantage point of a passenger on a commercial airliner destined for Los Angeles.

Through Apr. 2.

ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART: ATHICA (675 Pulaski St.) “Duo: Kelly Boehmer and Mark McLeod” combines the soft sculptures of Savannah-based artist Boehmer with the layered wood pieces of Murfreesboro-based artist McLeod. Closing reception Feb. 17 from 6–8 p.m.

ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) Elizabeth Withstandley’s installation “A Brief History of Happiness” is a 25 channel video composite of various musicians covering the song “Happiness” by Elliot Smith combined with audio excerpts from motivational speeches and conversations about happiness. Through Feb. 25.

AURUM STUDIOS (125 E. Clayton St.) The Athens Plein Air Painters present a collection of framed pastels inspired by nature.

CLASSIC CENTER (300 N. Thomas St.) “Hello, Welcome!” presents abstract worlds by Maggie Davis, Jonah Cordy, Carol MacAllister and Jason Matherly. • “Classic City” interprets the city of Athens, GA through the works of James Burns, Sydney Shores, Thompson Sewell and Allison Ward.

CREATURE COMFORTS BREWING CO. (271 W. Hancock Ave.) René Shoemaker presents “The Doors of Athens,” a series of paintings on silk identifying local businesses by their main entrances. The exhibition is accompanied by a silk screened poster featuring 16 unique Athens businesses. Through Feb. 28.

DODD GALLERIES (270 River Rd.) Lisa ​​ Tan’s “My Pictures of You,” compares the terrain of the American Southwest to that of Mars, raising questions about climate and extinction. • “Play Along” presents works by Dodd

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F L A GP OL E .C OM · F E B R U A R Y 9, 2022

INTO THE WOODS (Athens Community Theatre) The Town & Gown Players host auditions for this popular musical. Bring a short song to sing. Proof of vaccination required.

Auditions held Feb. 13, 7 p.m. and Feb. 15, 6 p.m. 706-247-9554, brynadamson@gmail.com THE ODD COUPLE (OnStage Playhouse, Monroe) Seeking actors ages 16 and up. Auditions will be held Feb. 23, 6–8 p.m. and Feb. 26, 12–1:30 p.m. onstagewalton board@gmail.com, www.onstage walton.org

Classes ACTING FOR CAMERA AND STAGE (work.shop) Learn how to act with professional actor and coach Jayson Warner Smith (“The Walking Dead,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Outer Banks”). Mondays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. $400/12 sessions. jwsclassinquiry@jaysonsmith.com, www.jaysonsmith.com/teacher ART CLASSES (K.A. Artist Shop) “Painting Animals from Photographs Class” is taught Wednesdays, Feb. 9–Mar. 2, 6:30–8 p.m. $125. “Intro to Acrylic Painting Class” is taught Thursdays, Feb. 10-Mar. 3, 10 a.m.–11:30 a.m. $125. “Handmade Books: LongStitch Workshop” is held Feb. 20, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $95. “Handmade Books: Coptic Binding Workshop” is held Feb. 27, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $95. “Intro to Linocut: Printmaking Workshop” is held Mar. 6, 10

a.m.–3 p.m. $105. “Color Mixing: Acrylic Painting Class” meets Tuesdays, Mar. 15–29, 6:30–8 p.m. or Wednesdays, Mar. 16–30, 4:30–6 p.m. $105. “Abstract Exploration: Acrylic Painting Class” meets Wednesdays, Mar. 16–30, 6:30–8 p.m. or Thursdays, Mar. 17–31, 10–11:30 a.m. $105. “Printing on Fabric: Printmaking Workshop” is held Mar. 20, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $105. www.kaartist.com BOTANICAL SKETCHBOOK WITH NICOLE BECHILL (Winterville Center for Community and Culture) Tap into the local environment through drawing regional plant life using colored pencils, markers, water colors and mixed media.

Mondays, Mar. 28–May 9, 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. $80. www.winterville center.com/classes CHAIR YOGA (Sangha Yoga Studio) This class is helpful for flexibility, strength, balance and increasing circulation and energy. All levels welcome. Every Thursday, 12–1 p.m. $16 (drop-in), $72 (six weeks). 706-613-1143 CHAIR YOGA AND MINDFULNESS (Winterville Center for Community and Culture) Nicole Bechill teaches a well-rounded, gentle and accessible chair yoga class to promote breathing, mindfulness and inward listening. Every Monday, 9 a.m. $10. www.wintervillecenter.com CLAY CLASSES (Good Dirt) Registration opens on the 15th of every month for the following month’s classes and workshop. Classes range from wheel, unique handles, hand building sculpture and more.

Studio membership is included in class price. www.gooddirt.net COMMUNITY MEDITATION (Rabbit Hole Studios) Jasey Jones leads a guided meditation suitable for all

MFA candidates Shaunia Grant, Huey Hyuk Lee, Jason Rafferty and Ethan Snow that explore trauma, mortality and climate change through a tonguein-cheek approach. • Ethan Snow presents “New Terrain,” a photolithography installation interpreting how the natural world has been impacted by mass production and digitalization. • Showcasing student works, the “Undergraduate Juried Exhibition” was juried by Claire Dempster, interim director of arts publication Burnaway. All shows run through Feb. 24.

FLICKER THEATRE & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) Artwork by Kelly McGlaun Fields. Through February.

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “In Dialogue: Views of Empire: Grand and Humble” displays two print collections that create a conversation about what it meant to be a working-class citizen in mid-19th-century Russia. Through Aug. 21. • “Jennifer Steinkamp: The Technologies of Nature.” Through Aug. 21. • “Wealth and Beauty: Pier Francesco Foschi and Painting in Renaissance Florence.” Through Apr. 24.

GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) Zane Cochran presents “Aurora,” a sculptural interpretation of the aurora borealis using 3D geometric figures and lights.

HEIRLOOM CAFE (815 N. Chase St.) Susan Pelham’s collages are influenced by magic realism, nursery rhymes, haiku, limericks and children’s camp songs. Artist reception Feb. 15, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Currently on view through February.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) AJ Aremu presents a largescale installation for “Window Works,” a site-specific series that utilizes the building’s front entrance windows for outdoor art viewing. • Curated

by Maria Elias as part of the Guest BIPOC Curator program, “Dignos y sin Barreras” (“Dignified and without Barriers”) explores identity, body issues and mental health through the works of Alondra Arévalo, Bianca Becerra, Jorge Rocha and Elias. An artist talk will be held in Spanish on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. Through Mar. 12. • “Be Careful What You Get Good At: Collages

by Tommy Kay” shares works from an obituary collage project the artist began in the mid-‘90s. Through Mar. 12. • In 1972, Gwendolyn Payton was denied a studio art degree from Mercer University after her works were deemed too controversial. “Excerpts from Faith of a Dreamer: Artworks

by Gwendolyn Payton” shares some of those paintings as well as recent works. Through Mar. 12. • Collections from our Community presents Oliver Domingo’s vinyl collection of instrumental library music from the ‘60s–’80s. Through Mar. 12.

levels that incorporates music, gentle movement and silence. Wednesdays, 6–7 p.m. jaseyjones@gmail. com CPR CLASSES (Athens CPR & Safety) The Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED course teaches students how to recognize and care for a variety of first aid, breathing and cardiac emergencies to help victims of any age. Certificate of completion is valid for two years.

Mar. 16, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The American Heart Association BLS/ First Aid/CPR instructors course will be held Feb. 26, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. $360. www.athenscpr.com DEDICATED MINDFULNESS PRACTITIONERS (Online) Weekly Zoom meditations are offered every Saturday at 8:30–9:30 a.m. Email for details. richardshoe@gmail.com EX UMBRIS (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) Ex Umbris is an eight-month immersive course in Integral Transformative Bodywork. The course focuses on breathwork, ending dehumanizing relationships, trauma literacy, understanding recovery and more. Begins Mar. 19. Sliding scale. embodyingitb@gmail.com LINE DANCE (Multiple Locations) Lessons for beginners and beyond are held every first, third and fifth Tuesday, 6:30–8:30 p.m. The second and fourth Tuesdays offer evenings of line dancing, two-step and waltz. Third Tuesdays are hosted at the Bogart Community Center.

Other nights are held at Athens VFW. $10. ljoyner1722@att.net MINDFULNESS PRACTICE EVENINGS (Online) Discuss and practice how to change your relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions. Email for the Zoom link.

Second Friday of the month, 6–7 p.m. FREE! mfhealy@bellsouth.net SIP-N-PAINT CLASSES (Blanc Canvas, 138 Park Ave., Winder) Sip-n-paint classes are held every Thursday and Sunday evenings.

RSVP to pre-register. $40. A special Valentine’s Day event will be held Feb. 13, 5 p.m. $40. 1210@ blanccanvas.boutique, blanc-canvas.square.site

SPANISH CLASSES (Athens, GA) For adults, couples and children.

Learn from experts with years of professional experience. Contact for details. 706-372-4349, marina bilbao75@gmail.com, www.marina-spain-2020.squarespace.com YOGA CLASSES AND EVENTS (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) “Yoga Flow and Restore with Nicole Bechill” is held Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Online classes include “Trauma Conscious Yoga with Crystal” Thursdays at 6 p.m. and “Yoga for Wellbeing with Nicole Bechill” on Saturdays at 10:45 a.m. “Sexuality Book Club” will discuss Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski. First meeting Feb. 20, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. ($20–25 per meeting). “Bhakti Yoga and Mantra with Kelsey Wishik” features mantra music, sound meditation and gentle asana. Feb. 27, 2 p.m. $5–20 suggested donation. www.revolutiontherapyandyoga.com ZOOM YOGA (Online) Rev. Elizabeth Alder offers “Off the Floor Yoga” (chair and standing) on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. and “Easy on the Mat” yoga classes on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Ongoing classes are $5/class or $18/month. 706-612-8077, ommmever@yahoo.com

Events ACC LIBRARY EVENTS (ACC Library) “Vivian Harsh: Librarian of the Past with Lessons for Today” celebrates Black History Month with a virtual program about Chicago’s first black professional librarian.

Feb. 22, 2 p.m. “African American Visual Artists in Athens” is a panel discussion featuring Broderick Flanigan, Kidd and Tabitha Fielteau and Par Ramey. Feb. 23, 7 p.m. www.athenslibrary.org/athens ART EVENTS (Georgia Museum of Art) “Curator Talk: Wealth and Beauty: Pier Francesco Foschi and Painting in Renaissance Florence” is held Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. “Aralee Strange Lecture: Dare Dukes” speaks on “Banging against the Barrel: How Cultural Production

MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison) “Collector’s Cabinet: Children’s Tea Sets and Miniatures” displays pieces from around the world. Through Feb. 26.

OCONEE COUNTY LIBRARY (1080 Experiment Station Rd.) Sam Watson explores the boundaries between organic and geometric shapes through her stylized landscapes and illustrations. Through February.

OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville) Juried by Atlanta gallery owner Marcia Wood, the 27th annual “SouthWorks Exhibition” is a nationally juried show featuring approximately 150 works ranging from sculpture, painting, photography, ceramics and more. • “Bright City: Textiles by Wini McQueen” includes artist books, photo fabric art collages and layered mixed media paintings. • “Women of Watercolor” features watercolor paintings by Pat Adams, Lori Hammer, Gail Karwoski, Diane Norman Powelson, Janet Rodekohr, Barbara Schell, and Mia York.

STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead) “A Feminine View of Brotherhood” features the works of InKyoung Choi Chun, Hannah Israel, Jennifer Mack-Watkins and Dayna Thacker. This show touches on Steffen Thomas’ philosophy of inclusion, harmony and hopes for a better future. Through Apr. 2.

TIF SIGFRIDS (393 N. Finley St.) Tif Sigfrids reopens in its new location with a solo show of works by Thomas Dozol.

UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) The new Ted Turner Exhibition Hall and Gallery showcases CNN founder and environmentalist Ted Turner’s life and legacy through memorabilia, photographs and other items. • “Not Only for Ourselves: The Integration of UGA Athletics” celebrates the 50th anniversary of integration of the Georgia Bulldogs football team. Through Spring 2022. • “At War With Nature: The Battle to Control Pests in Georgia’s Fields, Forests and Front Yards” includes 3D models of insects alongside newspaper articles, government documents and photos to take viewers through the entomological and horticultural wars that Georgians have waged in their own yards, as well as the environmental, ecological and public health concerns related to pests and eradication efforts. Through May 27. • “Frankie Welch’s Americana: Fashion, Scarves and Politics” explores the life of the designer and entrepreneur who, in addition to producing thousands of custom scarves, had many connections to presidential politics, Georgia and UGA. Gallery tours held Mar. 1 & Apr. 5, 2 p.m.

Lecture on “Camelot to Counterculture: Clothing & Society in the 1960s” on Mar. 3, 6 p.m. Family Day held Mar. 26, 1–4 p.m. Through July 8.

Nurtures Healing and Power at the Intersection of Personal and Community Narratives.” Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m. “Drawing in the Galleries” is held Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. “Artful Conversation: Ellis Wilson” is held Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. “Yoga in the Galleries” is held Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. “Morning Mindfulness” is held Feb. 18 at 9:30 a.m. “Sunday Spotlight Tour” is held Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. “Toddler Tuesday: All That Glitters” is held Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. “Curator Talk: Lou Stovall: Of Land and Origins” is held Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. A film screening of Black Is the Color: A History of African American Art” is held Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. “Family Day: American Artist Lou Stovall” is held Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. www.georgia museum.org ATHENS ROCK, GEM, MINERAL, FOSSIL AND JEWELRY SHOW (Classic Center, Grand Hall 8) The sixth annual show will feature over two dozen professional dealers selling geological objects from around the world. FREE! (ages 15 and under), $6. Mar. 4–5, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mar. 6, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. mep woods@bellsouth.net ATHENS SHOWGIRL CABARET (Sound Track Bar) Fabulous Friday will double as a birthday bash for Lori Divine on Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. www.athensshowgirlcabaret.com ATHENS SWING NIGHT (The Studio Athens) Social dancing for fully vaccinated dancers. Feb. 10 & Feb. 17, 8–9 p.m. (beginner lessons), 9–11 p.m. (social dancing). $5. www.facebook.com/groups/athens swingnight BALLROOM MAGIC (UGA New Dance Theater) The UGA Ballroom Performance Group presents the 30th anniversary of this production featuring tango, samba, swing dancing and more. Feb. 17–19, 8 p.m. $16. pac.uga.edu BEST OF ATLANTA COMEDY (Rialto Club) Laughing Skull Lounge presents Ali Hadar, Tevin, Katherine Blanford, Greg Behrens and David Perdue. Feb. 10, 7 p.m. $15–75.

706-546-0430 DIGNOS Y SIN BARRERAS (Online) The Lyndon House Arts Center presents virtual artist and curator talks for the current exhibition “Dignos y Sin Barreras,” which was curated by Maria Elias and features works by Alondra Arévalo, Blanca Becerra and Jorge Rocha. Event in Spanish on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. www. accgov.com/exhibits THE DROWSY CHAPERONE (OnStage Playhouse, Monroe) In this parody of the American musical comedy of the 1920s, we meet a die-hard theater fan who plays his favorite cast album. As he plays the record, a fictional 1928 hit called The Drowsy Chaperone, the show comes to life onstage as he wryly comments on the music, story and actors. Feb. 18–19, Feb. 25–26, Mar. 1 & Mar. 4–5, 8 p.m. Feb. 27 & Mar. 6, 2 p.m. www.onstage walton.org EAT THE RUNT (UGA Fine Arts Theater) Avery Crozier’s whip smart satire of cutthroat office politics follows a young job applicant as they vie for a position at an art museum, facing a gauntlet of eccentric, potential coworkers along the way. Each actor knows every role, and the audience casts the production every night. Feb. 24–27 & Mar. 1–3 8 p.m. Feb. 27, 4 p.m. $12–16. www.ugatheatre.com FROG HOP 5K ROAD RACE (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Run, walk, hop or leap through a 5K and onemile Tadpole Fun Run. Proceeds benefit SCNC. Feb. 13, 2 p.m.

(Tadpole Fun Run), 2:30 p.m. (5K Frog Hop). $18–27. www.sandy

creeknaturecenterinc.org, www. active.com GEM OF THE OCEAN (UGA Fine Arts Theater) This play is set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, 1904: 285-year-old former slave Aunt Esther witnesses developing civil unrest after a senseless tragedy at a local steel mill. When a young man seeks asylum in her home, they embark on a harrowing spiritual journey to a “City of Bones” in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Apr. 14–16 & Apr. 20–23, 8 p.m. Apr. 24, 2:30 p.m. $12–16. www.uga theatre.com GORGEOUS GEORGE’S IMPROV LEAGUE (Buvez) Come out for some home-grown townie improv.

Bring some interesting suggestions and a loose funny bone to help create some improv magic on the spot. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com THE HUMAN ANIMAL EARTHLING IDENTITY (UGA Miller Learning Center, Room 250) Carrie Freeman will speak about her book The Human Animal Earthling Identity: Sharing Values Unifying Human Rights, Animal Rights & Environmentalism. Feb. 10, 7 p.m. sos@ uga.edu LEADING LADIES (Athens Community Theater) When two English Shakespearean actors within this play hear that an old lady in York, PA is about to die and leave her fortune to her two long lost English nephews, they resolve to pass themselves off as her beloved relatives and get the cash. The trouble is, when they get to York, they find out that the relatives aren’t nephews, but nieces. Feb. 11–12, 17–19, 8 p.m. Feb. 13 & 20, 2 p.m. $12–20. www.townandgown players.org MARGO METAPHYSICAL EVENTS (Margo Metaphysical) Monday Tarot Readings offered 1–5 p.m. ($6 per card). Tuesday Tarot with Davita offered 4–6 p.m. ($5 per card). Wednesday Night Sound Healing with Joey held 6–7:30 p.m. ($35). Thursday Tarot with Courtney is offered 12–5 p.m. ($10–45).

Friday Henna Party with Aiyanna ($10–75). 706-372-1462, jfurman 65@gmail.com MOVING MOUNTAINS (Morton Theatre) The East Athens Educational Dance Center presents its annual production highlighting advanced level students of all ages.

Special guest performances include members of the Ballethnic Dance Company and Ballethnic Youth Ensemble. This event is dedicated to the memory of Ronnie Anderson.

Feb. 26, 7 p.m. Feb. 27, 3 p.m. $12-15. www.mortontheatre.com OCONEE CO. LIBRARY EVENTS (Oconee Co. Library) Third Monday Book Club will discuss Donna Tartt’s The Secret History on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Participate in “Blind Date with a Book” anytime in February by selecting a wrapped book, rating your date and entering a chance to win a gift certificate to Mama Ning’s Thai or Chops & Hops. www. athenslibrary.org/oconee OWL PROWL (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Explore the woods at night in search of owls. Feb. 11, 7 p.m. $2–3. 706-613-3615 POLICING LECTURE (Online) Join Athens Chautauqua Society for “Policing: What Should We Do to Ensure Fair Treatment and Keep Neighborhoods Safe for Everyone?”

This conversation on the state of the policing system in America will be moderated by Margaret Holt and Madeline Van Dyck. Registration required. Feb. 15, 2 p.m. www. athenschq.org

RABBIT BOX (VFW Post 2872) Adults share true stories on a different theme each month. This month’s theme is “Places of the Heart.” Featured presenters will be Russell Edwards, Valdon Daniel, Beatrice Brown, Michael Pierce, Linda Davis, Kenoa Johnson and Hattie Whitehead with emcee Terry Kaley. Feb. 15, 7 p.m. $8–10. www.rabbitbox.org RABBIT HOLE EVENTS (Rabbit Hole Studios) Acoustic Fire Pit Jams are held every Monday, 7–11 p.m. Athens Crypto Society meets Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Flow Jam Night for flow artists and LED/ fire spinners is held Thursdays from 7–11 p.m. Free music theory group lessons for guitarists are held Thursdays from 7–10 p.m.

White Rabbit Collective hosts a drum circle every Sunday from 5–7 p.m., followed by an afterparty with painting, singing, games, yoga and more from 7:30–11 p.m. www. rabbitholestudios.org REALLY, REALLY FREE MARKET (Reese & Pope Park) Just like a yard sale, but everything is free.

Bring what you can, take what you need. Second Saturday of every month, 12–2 p.m. reallyreallyfreemarketathens@gmail.com REGULAR ASS TRIVIA (Hendershot’s Coffee) Hosted by Oliver.

Feb. 9, 7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com SISTER ACT: A DIVINE MUSICAL COMEDY (Morton Theatre) UGA Baptist Collegiate Ministries presents a feel-good comedy about a woman hiding in a convent who helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she rediscovers her own.

Feb. 20, 2 p.m. $20–25. www. mortontheatre.com SOUTHERN STAR STUDIO OPEN GALLERY (Southern Star Studio) Southern Star Studio is a working, collective ceramics studio, established by Maria Dondero in 2016.

The gallery contains members’ work, primarily pottery. Every Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. www.southernstarstudioathens.com SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE (Community) Learn about the sustainable practices of Community, a boutique for sustainable fashion and locally made products.

Its clothing label Community Service is created by redesigning vintage clothing into contemporary fashion, thereby extending the lifespan of quality garments and keeping them out of the landfill.

Feb. 17, 8–9:30 a.m. FREE! www. shopcommunityathens.com VALENTINE’S DAY PARTNER YOGA (1001 Winterville Rd.) All levels welcome. Half of proceeds will benefit The Cottage. Register online. Feb. 13, 7 p.m. $20/pair. www.phasesofalexandria.com VIC CHESNUTT SONGWRITER AWARD KICK-OFF EVENT (Hendershot’s Coffee) Learn more about this award program. Cindy Wilson and Nolan Bennett, Bo Bedingfield, Lydian Brambila and more artists will perform. Nominations are currently open. Feb. 10, 7 p.m. FREE! www.vicchesnuttaward.com WELCOME TO THE GRIEF CLUB (Zoom) Avid Bookshop hosts Janine Kwoh, in conversation with Julia Roessing, in celebration of Welcome to the Grief Club: Because You Don’t Have to Go Through It Alone. Feb. 15, 7 p.m. www.avidbookshop.com WINTER BOOK SALE (Oconee County Civic Center) The Oconee County Library Friends hosts an annual book sale. Feb. 10, 4–8 p.m. (OCLF only, $10), Feb. 11, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Feb. 12, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (half off). Feb. 13, 1–5 p.m.

($10/bag). www.oconeelibrary friends.org YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN (Elberton Theatre) Encore Productions presents Charles Shulz’s beloved comic on stage.

Performances feature a live orchestra. Mar. 4–5, 7 p.m. Mar. 6, 2 p.m. $9–16. tking@cityofelberton.net

Help Out CASA TRAINING (Online) The next training class runs Thursdays from Mar. 17–Apr. 14, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 5:30–9 p.m. www.athens oconeecasa.org DIAPER DRIVE (Bogart Library) Drop off diaper donations in the library’s foyer for the Athens Area Diaper Bank. www.athensareadiaperbank. com

Kidstuff ART CARD CLUB (K.A. Artist Shop) Katy Lipscomb and Tyler Fisher lead weekly gatherings to create, trade and exhibit miniature masterpieces the size of playing cards. Some materials provided, but participants can bring their own as well. The club meets on Fridays, 4:30–6 p.m. (ages 10–12) and 6:30–8 p.m. (ages 13–17). www.kaartist.com BLING YOUR PROM (ACC Library) Teens in grades 9–12 can take home a free dress or suit plus accessories including shoes, ties and jewelry. Feb. 18, 3–6 p.m. Feb. 19, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 706-613-3650 BOGART LIBRARY EVENTS (Bogart Library) “Discover My World: My Heart” is a STEAM program for ages 5–10 on Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. “Monday Funday: I Love Valentines” is held Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. “Writeen” for grades 6–12 is held Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. www.athenslibrary.org/bogart MAKING DANCES (work.shop) This alternative dance class teaches improvisation and choreography techniques. For ages 10–14. Taught

by Lisa Yaconelli. Tuesdays, 6:15– 7:30 p.m. $60/month, $210/14 weeks. lisayaconelli@gmail.com, www.lisayaconelli.com OCONEE CO. LIBRARY EVENTS (Oconee Co. Library) “Prism” for grades 6–12 is held Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. Make your own pamphlet journal using introductory book binding skills in “DIY Night” on Feb. 8 at 4:30 p.m. “Dungeons & Dragons” is held Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. “Let’s Play: Minecraft” for grades 6–12 is held Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. “Anime Club” is held Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.

“Speed Dating: Book Edition” is similar to the game “Guess Who?” on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. www.athens library.org/oconee SATURDAY CRAFT (Treehouse Kid and Craft) Each week’s craft is announced on Instagram. Saturdays, 10–10:45 a.m. (ages 3–6) or 11 a.m.–12 p.m. (ages 6–10). www.treehousekidandcraft.com SHARK KISSES AND LLAMA WISHES (Memorial Park) Make lovely shark- and llama-themed cards and crafts. Feb. 10, 10:30 a.m. Ages 6 & under. $3–4.50.

706-613-3580 TUTORING (Online) The Athens Regional Library System is now offering free, live online tutoring via tutor.com for students K-12, plus college students and adult learners.

Daily, 2–9 p.m. www.athenslibrary. org MIDDLE CHILDHOOD ART WORKSHOPS (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) Make your own pop-up Valentine’s Day cards on Feb. 12.

Make mosaic tiles out of plaster of paris and mosaic glass on Mar. 12.

Make a mosaic collage of a tree on Apr. 23. Decorate a piñata on May 14. Make a beachy snow globe out of a mason jar on June 11. Classes are for ages 6–12 and held 9 a.m.– 12 p.m. $30–35. www.ocaf.com

Support Groups AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple Locations) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Visit the website for a calendar of electronic meetings held throughout the week. www.ga-al-anon.org ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) If you think you have a problem with alcohol, call the AA hotline or visit the website for a schedule of meetings in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee Counties. 706-389-4164, www.athens aa.org FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP (ACC Library, Classroom A) Alzheimer’s Association Georgia presents a support group conducted by trained facilitators that is a safe place for those living with dementia and their caregiver to develop a support system. First Wednesday of every month, 6–7:30 p.m. 706206-6163, www.alz.org/georgia LGBTQIA+ VIRTUAL ALPHABET FAMILY GATHERING (Online) This is a safe space for anyone on the LGBTQIA+/TGQNB spectrum.

Fourth Sunday of every month, 6–8 p.m. uuathensga.org/justice/ welcoming-congregation PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP (First Baptist Church) This group is to encourage, support and share information with fellow sojourners who manage the challenges of Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders. Second Friday of every month, 1 p.m. gpnoblet@ bellsouth.net RECOVERY DHARMA (Recovery Dharma) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction.

Visit the website for details. Thursdays, 7 p.m. FREE! www.athens recoverydharma.org RESTORING RESILIENCE & MINDFUL LIVING (Heart Stone) “Restoring Resilience” is a five-week resource building psychotherapy group held for trauma survivors.

Held in person Thursdays, Feb. 17–Mar. 17, 10:30 a.m. (RSVP by Feb. 10). $35 per group session.

Brianna@HeartStoneTH.com SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) Athens Downtown SAA offers a message of hope to anyone who suffers from a compulsive sexual behavior. Contact for location. www.athensdowntownsaa.com

Word on the Street CORNHOLEATL SPRING LEAGUE (Southern Brewing Co. and Terrapin Beer Co.) Georgia’s largest cornhole league offers four different divisions of play to accommodate all levels. Now registering through Mar. 14. Season runs for seven weeks beginning in March. www. cornholeatl.com FREE COVID-19 VACCINES (Clarke County Health Department) Vaccines are available by appointment or walk-in. No insurance or ID required. www.publichealthisfor everyone.com FREE MEDICAL CLINICS (Nuçi’s Space) Nuçi’s Space, in collaboration with Medical Partnership of Georgia, hosts free health clinics for uninsured or low income individuals. Participants do not have to be musicians. Second-year medical students can write prescriptions or

make referrals. Referrals will be to specials who can treat participants on a cost-reduced basis. Call to make an appointment. Feb. 14, Feb. 21, Mar. 21, Mar. 28, Apr. 4 and Apr. 18, 1–4 p.m. 706-227-1515, www.nuci.org LOVE YOUR BATHROOM (Athens, GA) Pick up a free WaterSense labeled showerhead and swap out old fixtures. Participating locations include Athens Hardware, Normal Hardware and the Water Conservation Office. Through February. www. accgov.com NATIONAL POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT DAY (155 E. Washington St.) ACC Board of Elections and Voter Registration seeks county residents to help work at polling locations for early voting and election days during 2022.

Workers are paid $15/hour. Apply online. Interviews begin Feb. 9. Go to PT/Temporary Poll Coordinator listing on www.accgov.com/jobs OLLI MEMBERSHIP (Athens, GA) Join OLLI@UGA, a dynamic learning and social community for adults 50 and up that offers classes, shared interest groups, social activities and events. www.olli.uga.edu POP-UP PARK (Athens, GA) ACC Leisure Services has a new bus, decorated by Eli Saragoussi, that serves as a mobile recreation unit to take free activities and equipment to public community events, festivals and school programs. Request the bus using an online form. www. accgov.com/9961/Athens-PopUp-Park SPARTA (UGA Center for Vaccines and Immunology) Researchers at UGA are conducting a research study to learn more about COVID19 infection and immunity as well as influenza vaccination and immunity in children 8-17 years old and adults 18-90 years old. Check the website for eligibility requirements.

Must be able to provide saliva/ blood samples every 2–4 weeks for up to two years. $30/visit. spartastudy@uga.edu, projectsparta. org/uga SPAY AND NEUTER AWARENESS MONTH (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Humane Society is offering discounts on veterinary services including spay and neuter procedures for dogs and cats. Through Mar. 31. www.athenshumanesociety.org SPRING LEISURE ACTIVITIES (Athens, GA) ACC Leisure Services will offer a diverse selection of activities highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports and holiday events for adults and children.

Programs include tai chi, baton, youth cooking classes, gymnastics, nature programs, theater and more.

Now registering. www.accgov.com/ myrec SUPPORT FOR SENIORS WITH PETS (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Humane Society and Athens Community Council on Aging have partnered to offer support services to seniors enrolled in ACCA programs. This includes emergency pet fostering, affordable wellness care, pet health workshops and pet training. www.accaging.org VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (Georgia United Credit Union) Georgia United Foundation offers VITA to low to moderate income taxpayers without depreciable assets, business losses or extensive stock transactions. UGA students majoring in financial planning and accounting are certified by the IRS as tax preparers. Appointments are required and can be held in person or online. Currently available through Apr. 13. www. gucufoundation.org/vita f

F E B R U A R Y 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

17

classifieds Buy It, Sell It, Rent It, Use It! Place an ad anytime, email class@flagpole.com

 Indicates images available at classifieds.flagpole.com

REAL ESTATE

MUSIC

SERVICES

HOUSES FOR RENT

INSTRUCTION

CLEANING

House in Normaltown, 3BR/2BA. HWflrs., CHAC, quiet street. Grad students preferred, couples, or couples plus one. Rent negotiable. Available now. 706372-1505.

Athens School of Music.

Now offering in-person and online instruction in guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, strings, banjo, mandolin and more.

From beginner to expert, all styles. Visit www.athensschoolofmusic.com, 706543-5800.

Peachy Green Clean Cooperative, your local friendly green cleaners! Free estimates. Call us today: 706248-4601

FOR SALE BUSINESSES

VOICE LESSONS: Experienced teacher (25+ years) retired from day job, ready to expand studio. Ages 12–90+, all genres. Contact stacie.court@gmail.com or 706-424-9516.

Business Water Solutions offers the cleanest drinking water available through innovative bottleless water coolers and ice machines.

Call 706-248-6761 or visit businesswatersolutions.com to set up a consultation.

MUSIC SERVICES Instant cash is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records, at corner of Clayton & College Dwntn. 706-369-9428.

Get Flagpole delivered to your mailbox! $50 for six months or $90 for one year. Call 706-549-0301 or email frontdesk@flagpole. com.

flagpole classifieds REACH OVER 30,000 READERS EVERY WEEK! Business Services Real Estate Music For Sale BASIC

Employment Vehicles Messages Personals RATES *

Individual Real Estate Business (RTS) Run-‘Til-Sold** Online Only***

HOME AND GARDEN Plumber Pro Service & Drain. Upfront pricing. Free estimates. $30 Flagpole discount. Call 706-769-7761.

Same-day service available. www.plumberproservice. com

JOBS FULL-TIME Office assistant position available for a holistic medical and acupuncture clinic in Watkinsville. Thirty hours per week on average with somewhat flexible hours.

The person who fills this position will wear many hats and office experience is a big plus. Please send resumes by email to info@ oconeenaturalhealthcare. com or by fax to 706-3100077

Apparel and poster screen printing company RubySue Graphics is looking for a fulltime printing press assistant. Located just 2.5 miles from downtown Athens.

Must be able to multitask, have a good eye for detail and be able to lift 40 lbs.

Work hours are Mon–Fri., 9 a.m.–6 p.m. w/ hour lunch break. Contact jobs@ruby suegraphics.com to set up an on-site interview and for more information.

Come join our team! Ruppert Landscaping is now hiring enthusiastic and dependable crew for our Athens Landscape maintenance team. We offer competitive pay, benefits and ample opportunity for growth within our company.

Full-time and part-time opportunities available, and we welcome varying levels of experience. Please fill out an application at www. ruppertlandscape.com and specify that you are applying at the Athens location.

Find employees by advertising job openings in the Flagpole Classifieds! Call 706-549-0301 or email class@flagpole.com today to place your ad.

Junk South is hiring local drivers (non-CDL) for our roll-off division. Pay starting at $18–$20+ based upon experience and clean driving record. Call 706340-7694 or email info@ junksouth.com Join our growing team of well-paid, motivated, hardworking individuals. Junk South offers starting pay w/ tips ~ $18–$25/hr. Learn more about Junk South @ www.junksouth.com; email us at info@junksouth.com or call 706-340-7694.

Taste of India is now hiring!

(Busser, host, floater team member.) Competitive pay, paid weekly, employee meals, flexible schedules, full-time or part-time, no experience needed. $12– 15. APPLY IN PERSON. UberPrints is now hiring for multiple positions! Both full and part-time positions available. For more information and applications, go to uberprints.com/company/ jobs White Tiger is now hiring! No experience necessary, proof of vaccination required. Email resume to catering@whitetiger gourmet.com

ADOPT ME!

Visit athenspets.net to view all the cats and dogs available at the shelter

$10 per week $14 per week $16 per week $40 per 12 weeks $5 per week

• Call our Classifieds Dept. 706-549-0301 • Email us at class@flagpole.com

18

F L A GP OL E .C OM · F E B R U A R Y 9, 2022

PART-TIME Helper needed for rental properties. Pay negotiable depending on experience.

Painting, clean-up, maintenance and basic carpentry skills needed. Part-time and/or second job. Flexible days/hours. 706-247-1259 or nosnewsnna@yahoo. com Learn to be a transcriptionist at our South Milledge location! No customer interaction. Work independently, set your own schedule (16–40 hours, M–F weekly).

Relaxed, casual, safe space office environment.

Extremely flexible time-off arrangements with advance notice. New increased compensation plan. Start at $13 hourly. Make up to $20 or more with automatic performance-based compensation increases. Show proof of vaccination at hire. Selfguided interview process.

Hours: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. www. ctscribes.com Viva Argentine is looking for a few nice hardworking folks to be part of the team!

Competitive hourly wages for all positions. $10/hr. training, $12/hr. hosting and kitchen, $5/hr. + tips servers (must be 18+). Please email resumes to vivaargentine cuisine@gmail.com

MESSAGES Pearl (56950)

Pearl will be stuck to you like glue! This girl loves all forms of affection from hugs and kisses to getting in your lap for a cuddle session. Call today for more on sweet Pearl!

Precious (56955)

Precious is another lovebug in need of a furever home. She sits for treats, loves people and a good game of fetch (that might turn into a round of tug-o-war!)

Rosie (56733)

If you’re looking to be a one-dog household, let Rosie fill that spot for you! She may not be the best with young children or other pups, but this girl is nothing short of a sweetheart.

These pets and many others are available for adoption at: • Deadline to place ads is 11:00 a.m. every Monday for the following Wednesday issue • All ads must be prepaid

Models/photographers needed. Tifosi Optics, Inc. – Local sunglasses brand hiring models and photographers. Please send references of work to marketing@tifosioptics.com

NOTICES

*Ad enhancement prices are viewable at flagpole.com **Run-‘Til-Sold rates are for MERCHANDISE ONLY ***Available for individual rate categories only

PLACE AN AD

OPPORTUNITIES

Athens-Clarke County Animal Services 125 Buddy Christian Way · 706-613-3540 Call for appointment

All Georgians over the age of five are eligible to be vaccinated! Call 888-457-0186 or go to www. publichealthathens.com.

COVID testing in Athens available at 3500 Atlanta Hwy. Mon–Fri. 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. To register, call 844625-6522 or go to www. publichealthathens.com

SUDOKU

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Difficulty: Easy

1 4 8 7 5 3

2 6

2

8 2

6 4 3 5 9 5 6 2 6 4 7

3 1 7 3 8

Copyright 2022 by The Puzzle Syndicate

HOW TO SOLVE:

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Week of 2/7/22 - 2/13/22

The Weekly Crossword 1

2

3

4

5

13

6

7

9

20 Solution to Sudoku:

1 26 7 2 9 4 8 5 43 6 3

22 7 5 3 4 8 2 6 44 9 1

4 1 9 6 3 741 2 5 8

11

12

28

29

30

50

51

52

18

19

3 25 8 4 7 6 5 1 2 47 9

10

15

17

53

8

14

16

6 9 31 5 2 34 1 37 3 40 8 7 46 4

by Margie E. Burke

823 2 6 135 538 9 3 4 7

9 3 732 8 2 6 4 1 5 54

21

2 524 427 6 8 1 5 3 7 9 1 4 9 745 348 8 6 2

ARE YOU

FULLY VACCINATED?

33 36 39 42

49 55

56

57

58

59

60

61

Copyright 2022 by The Puzzle Syndicate

ACROSS 1 Exotic vacation 45 Marble feature spot 46 Gloomy 5 Bath powder 49 Mystic's deck 9 Garland 53 San Antonio 13 Midterm, e.g. landmark 14 October stone 54 Written account 15 Theater platform 56 Begin, as winter 16 Let go 57 Acronym for 18 Roadside stop bad PC data 19 Additional 58 Word before 20 Never-ending "break" or "keel" 22 Excellent, slangily 59 Bird feeder tidbit 24 School tool 60 Husky's tow 25 Interrogate 61 Fender blemish 27 Quitter's word 28 Scottish cap DOWN 31 Garage gadgets 1 Kind of blocker 33 Opera house box 2 Canned 34 Straight, at the 3 Frying medium bar 4 Without delay 35 Canoe material 5 Boatload 36 Missing from the 6 Quickly Marines, say 7 Overdue 37 Anagram for 8 Department "bale" store event 38 "Terms of 9 Lifted, so to _______" speak 40 Like Willie Winkie 10 Tall town land41 Serpent's sound mark, often 42 Vegan no-no 11 Forever and a 43 Pick pockets day

12 15 17 21 23 25 26 27 29 30 31 32 33 39 41 44 45 46 47 48 50 51 52 55

Hair goops Refine, as metal False gods Awning, e.g.

Commoner, in ancient Rome Cousin of a loon Zillow industry Half of Miss Muffet's meal Great distress Cheesy sandwich Vex, with "at" Lemony cocktails Coated with plastic Indian yogurt dip Marsh wader Swollen On the __ of (close to) Impudent talk Sheltered, nautically Catch in the act Tear apart Chef's need Revival setting Stewart of song

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arts & culture

theater notes

Spring Into Theater HAIRSPRAY, GEM OF THE OCEAN AND MORE

By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com commentary on the music, play and actors of 1920s-era musical comedy. Performances run Feb. 18–19, 25–26 and Mar. 1, 4–5 at 8 p.m., then Feb. 27 and Mar. 6 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $20, available for purchase at onstagewalton.org.

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Punxsutawney Phil made his official appearance and declared six more weeks of winter last week, but, thankfully, our local theater stages stay warm either way with productions from near and far. The spring calendar is beginning to fill up with classic musicals and compelling plays. There’s a sprinkle of magic for the family, profound social commentary to share with friends, and a lot of laughs for everyone. Here are a few highlights to keep on your radar.

Theatre (Fine Arts Building) Feb. 24–27 and Mar. 1–3 at 8 p.m., then Feb. 27 at 4 p.m.

Tickets are $16 or $12 for students, available for purchase at ugatheatre.com.

THE BIGGER THE HAIR: As part of the Broadway Entertainment Series presented by Classic Entertainment, the Tony Award-winning musical comedy Hairspray is back on tour.

Bringing the classic production to a new generation of theater audiences, Broadway’s award-winning creative team led by director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell has reunited. Set in 1960s Baltimore, 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. One performance will be held in The Classic Center Theatre Mar. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Attendees must present one of the

WHO IS SHE?: Town & Gown Players presents Leading Ladies for seven performances full of laughs and assumed identities. In this comedy, two down-and-out English Shakespearean actors hear about a dying old lady leaving her fortune to her two long-lost English nephews. Setting out to pretend they are the nephews and grab the cash, the actors soon discover that the real-life relatives are actually nieces. Romantic entanglements and other hijinks ensue as the strangers attempt to pass themselves off as “Maxine and Stephanie.” Performances run Feb. 11–12 and 17–19 at 8 p.m., then Feb. 13 and Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. Proof of vaccination will be required for The cast of Leading Ladies rehearses ahead of the opening performance at 115 Grady Ave. on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. entry. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for members, seniors will be presented by the UGA Theatre later following for entry: proof of vaccination, and students, available for purchase at this month. Follow a young job applicant signed health and safety affidavit with townandgownplayers.org. as they compete for an art museum positemperature check or negative COVID test TALKING TO YOURSELF: On Stage, Monroe’s tion that includes a gauntlet of eccentric, within 72 hours of the event. Tickets are community theater, presents the musical potential coworkers along the way. Each $25–$80, available for purchase at classic parody The Drowsy Chaperone. In this proactor knows every role—the audience will center.com. duction, a theater fan plays a fictional cast cast the production every night, guaranteeTHE TRUTH IS OUT THERE: Bringing Southern album that comes to life on stage around ing a new show every performance. There Gothic comedy to the stage, Athens Creative them. Directed by Athens resident Rebekah are over 40,000 potential combinations.

Theatre presents The Sugar Bean Sisters.

Wesley, the events of the show provide Performances will be held in the Cellar

Weaving together romance, murder and alien abduction, this tale centers on the Nettle sisters, who are determined to escape spinsterhood—one by searching for a good Mormon husband in Salt Lake City and the other by preparing to board a spaceship when the “space people” return. See what unfolds as sister Faye awaits an alien landing on the anniversary of having witnessed an alien space craft 25 years ago in her father’s sugarcane field. Performances will be held at Quinn Hall (Memorial Park) Mar. 24–26. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit accgov.com/ACT. CLEANSING THE SOUL: Written as the first installment of a 10-play chronicle dramatizing the African-American experience in the 20th century, Gem of the Ocean will be presented by the UGA Theatre.

Set in 1904, 285-year-old former slave and “soul-cleanser” Aunt Esther witnesses developing civil unrest after a senseless tragedy at a local steel mill. Seeking asylum, a young man approaches her home, resulting in a harrowing spiritual journey to a “City of Bones” in the middle of the Atlantic ocean.

Performances will be held in the Fine Arts Theatre Apr. 14–16 and 20–23 at 8 p.m. and Apr. 24 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 or $12 for students, available for purchase at ugatheatre.com.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER?: Watch classic storybook characters come together in the modern classic Into the Woods presented by Town & Gown Players. Breaking a witch’s curse to make wishes come true has disastrous results as a haunting lesson in consequences for one’s actions comes to fruition. Follow the Baker and his wife on a musical journey as they encounter several familiar characters from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales.

Performances run Apr. 22–23 and 28–30 at 8 p.m., then Apr. 24 and May 1 at 2 p.m.

Proof of vaccination will be required for entry. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for members, seniors and students, available for purchase at townandgownplayers.org. f

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21

arts & culture

art notes

OCAF Presents 27th Annual “SouthWorks” PLUS, “BRIGHT CITY” AND “WOMEN OF WATERCOLOR”

By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com SOUTHWORKS: From now until the end of February, three Self-taught from an early age, McQueen redefines the new exhibitions on view at the Oconee Cultural Arts traditional art of quiltmaking by incorporating both conFoundation offer something for every taste. Anchoring temporary techniques and those observed from African the gallery’s current programming is the 27th annual communities. Influenced by Korhogo cloth of the Senufo “SouthWorks” juried exhibition, a longstanding tradition that brings together two- and three-dimensional works from across the country. This year’s guest juror, Marcia Wood, owner of Marcia Wood Gallery in Atlanta, whittled down the submission pool to approximately 150 works in a variety of media not limited to painting, drawing, textile, metalwork, sculpture and photography.

A good number of pieces stand out for their distinctive textural elements. “Peels” by Amberly Hood of Mableton is a large-scale, candy-colored tapestry of silicone rubber stitched together to resemble a patchwork of melted taffy. Another sizable wall-bound work, “Just Beyond,” by local powerhouse Elinor Saragoussi, is an embroidered felt scene depicting a pair of big-eyed, buck-toothed characters surrounded by lush plants that hide yellow pairs of eyes in the background. Bogart artist Megan Weatherford’s unusual landscape, “Golden Wheat,” carves a dizzying field into 30 layers of house paint on a board of reclaimed cedar. Dried ginkgo leaves peak out from beneath the winding translucent pathways crossing Atlanta artist Whitney Panetta’s encaustic work, “Wandering.”

“SouthWorks” also features a strong representation of mixed-media and collage work this year.

Suwanee-based artist Karen Campbell contributes “Play Me your Favorite Song (Before Another Season Passes By You),” a neon-colored menagerie of nostalgic images such as balloon animals, popsicles, a cassette tape, Peeps Easter bunnies and fawn figurines.

Mark Moore of Charleston, WV, Diane Speight of Winder and Reid McCallister of Athens each contrib“The Music Box” by Wini McQueen in the exhibition “Bright City: Textiles” ute hangable works collaging all sorts of repurposed at OCAF materials.

BRIGHT CITY: Ranging from hand-dyed accessories, narrative quilts and layered mixed-media paintings, “Bright City: Textiles” spotlights the unique talents of Wini McQueen, a 79-year-old artist, educator and curator from Macon.

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people, “Korhogo Morning” reveals human forms painted in earthy tones. With a nod to the geometric kente fabric made by the Akan tribe in Ghana, the quilt “Cave Kente” incorporates cyanotypes of Adinkra symbols.

Informed by her own experiences as an African American woman living in the South, McQueen is a storyteller at heart who seeks to document oral histories and explore issues of race, class, society and gender roles throughout her art. Cotton, a common material with a particularly dark history, resurfaces as both a medium and subject within her body of work. Her most narrative pieces feature photographic transfers such as “Bassam Sunset,” a mixed-media work in which silhouettes of people can be made out against an orange sky reflecting across the shoreline.

McQueen creates all sorts of functional, wearable forms of art like purses, trinket bags, scarves and shawls in jewel tone colors. On the other end of the spectrum are textile works that appear more as paintings on fabric. Heavily layered to create a densely textured effect, these paintings are delightfully chaotic and occasionally hide seashells, mirrors, buttons and feathers among scraps of fabric in every color and texture possible. Altogether, her body of work pushes the boundaries of textile art and reaffirms its place in carrying a legacy of tradition.

WOMEN OF WATERCOLOR: Enrolling in classes can help aspiring artists maintain momentum by ensuring they consistently set aside time to develop new skills and hone their craft.

There’s a certain vulnerability that comes with sharing in-progress work, and with any luck these interactions can lead to meaningful friendships between kindred spirits. One such social circle is spotlighted in “Women of Watercolor,” a group of artists who organically coalesced roughly seven years ago after meeting through various workshops at OCAF. Since then, these artists have continued gathering weekly to paint together, exchange critiques and learn from each other. Participants include Pat Adams, Lori Hammer, Gail Karwoski, Diane Norman Powelson, Janet Rodekohr, Barbara Schell and Mia York. Each artist has her own style, and the exhibition features equal portions of portraits, landscapes and animals.

DOWN THE LINE: OCAF has two upcoming exhibitions that are currently accepting submissions from the public.

“Reinvented & Reclaimed” will showcase wearable, sustainable designs made from “trash” and recycled materials such as plastic bags, newspaper, aluminum cans and bottle caps.

In lieu of a traditional runway show, these designs will be displayed in a fashion showcase on Global Recycling Day, Mar. 18, 6–8 p.m. Submissions are due Feb. 28.

“Rhythm & Movement: The Art of Music” prompts participants to create a new work of art visually responding to a sound recording. Musical selections include songs by Marty Winkler, Joe Leone, The Lonesome Dawn, Lorena Limongi, Ivan Strunin and Susan Staley. Submissions are due Mar. 11, and the exhibition will run Apr. 15–June 3.

Visit ocaf.com for entry forms. f

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