FP200930

LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1987

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 · VOL. 34 · NO. 39 · FREE

COLORBEARER OF ATHENS DIGGING UP DIRT

THE FALL GARDEN ISSUE

• Wear a face cover in Athens-Clarke County whenever you are going to be around other people.

• Face covers help slow the spread of COVID-19 by protecting you and other people around you.

• Face covers may be made from household items such as scarves, bandanas, or other suitable fabrics.

• Face covers should cover your mouth and nose.

• Follow CDC guidelines for putting on, removing, and washing cloth face covers.

Free Testing Options for COVID-19 Anyone can be tested for COVID-19, whether or not you have symptoms. Residents without a doctor or primary care provider can visit an urgent care center or federally qualified health center, use the Augusta University ExpressCare app, or contact the following to make a testing appointment. Hours and days may change.

Athens Neighborhood Health Center 706-546-5526 - 675 College Ave. 706-543-1145 - 402 McKinley Dr. • Call to schedule a test • Health Center hours: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday: 8:00 a.m. - Noon & 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. - Noon & 1:00-7:00 p.m.

Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Saturday (McKinley Dr. only): 8:00 a.m. - Noon

We’re all in this together.

2

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

GA DPH Northeast Health District publichealthathens.com 706-340-0996 • Schedule a test online or by phone for Athens (Mon.-Fri.) & Winterville (Sat.) sites • Phone hotline hours: Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Athens Free Clinic Mobile Unit 706-308-4092 • For residents without transportation or who have barriers to care.

this week’s issue

contents

David Hale’s “Birdsong” mural has been taken down to make way for his new mural celebrating 25 years of AthFest. The panels will be available to bid on during an online auction that runs Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. until Oct. 10 at midnight. Visit biddingowl.com/DavidHaleMural.

This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 NEWS: City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Street Scribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

COVID Updates, Candidate Events

Pub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 District 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

ARTS & CULTURE: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Fall is Gardening Time

Flag Football . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Curb Your Appetite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

ARTS & CULTURE: Grub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Landscaping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Autumn at the Farmers Markets

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ARTS & CULTURE: Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Adopt Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Cindy Jerell Celebrates the Season

Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons

Hey, Bonita! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey, Jessica Pritchard Mangum

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

CITY EDITOR Blake Aued ARTS & MUSIC EDITOR Jessica Smith

Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

OFFICE MANAGER AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Zaria Gholston CLASSIFIEDS Zaria Gholston

Threats & Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, David Mack

Record Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

PHOTOGRAPHER Whitley Carpenter

Residential • Office • Construction • Move In • Move Out

We are here for you!

Taking precautions to ensure everyone stays healthy and disinfecting high touch surfaces.

Adilene Valencia 706-424-9810 aecleanathens@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTORS Bonita Applebum, Cy Brown, Hillary Brown, Gordon Lamb, Dan Perkins, UGA GREEK LIFE

Chad Radford, Ed Tant CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Christopher Linter, Mike Merva EDITORIAL INTERN Tyler Wilkins

Lambda Chi Alpha house

COVER ART by Cindy Jerrell (see Art Notes on p. 20)

STREET ADDRESS: 220 Prince Ave., Athens, GA 30601 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603 EDITORIAL: 706-549-9523 · ADVERTISING: 706-549-0301 · FAX: 706-548-8981 CLASSIFIED ADS: class@flagpole.com ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com EDITORIAL: editorial@flagpole.com

LETTERS: letters@flagpole.com MUSIC: music@flagpole.com NEWS: news@flagpole.com ADVICE: advice@flagpole.com

Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 7,000 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $80 a year, $45 for six months. © 2020 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOLUME 34 ISSUE NUMBER 39

RESPECT OTHERS WEAR A MASK

Association of Alternative Newsmedia

KEEP YOUR COOL

comments section “You have the right to speak freely. But that doesn’t prevent others from calling out your racism.”

— Erik Zerebelem.

From “UGA Fraternity Suspends Operations After Racist Texts Revealed” at flagpole.com

Monday–Saturday Noon–7:00p.m.

Sunday Noon–5:00 p.m.

2361 WEST BROAD STREET facebook.com/frannyfarmacyathens 706-224-9505

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

3

news

city dope

Say Her Name BREONNA TAYLOR, POLICE REFORM, A COVID-19 UPDATE AND MORE NEWS

By Blake Aued and Tyler Wilkins news@flagpole.com

cerned with the criminal justice system and racism at UGA. “I think it was able to bring more attention to the people at the top of the system, so that they can maybe try to work on reforming our school, because we do have a very racist environment,” Keys said. “It’s important for us to keep fighting for this, because if we don’t, nothing will change.” [Tyler Wilkins]

Candidates Call for Police Reform

TYLER WILKINS

Hundreds of University of Georgia students The protesters also marched to North and Athens residents marched through Campus, where, at the UGA Chapel, they Given calls from the left to “defund the downtown streets on Friday, Sept. 25, in voiced their anger over racial and social police,” progressive politicians across the response to the recent grand jury decision injustice in both Athens and abroad. nation are voicing their policy positions on to charge just one of three Louisville, KY, In addressing the crowd, Stinson said cutting funding to law enforcement agenpolice officers involved in the killing of they must “be the change we want to see cies and redistributing the funds to other Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman. in the world,” calling for people to vote and community resources. And with prominent On Mar. 13, police used a battering ram educate their friends about the Black Lives Democratic candidates running for sheriff, to enter Taylor’s apartment to conduct a Matter movement while protesting “nicely, search warrant after midnight, based on inaccurate information that an ex-boyfriend was shipping drugs there. Her current boyfriend, not knowing the men breaking in were police, fired a gun.

Two of the officers responded by shooting and killing Taylor.

No drugs were found.

One officer was indicted on charges of wanton endangerment on Sept. 23, but the two officers who fired shots were not charged.

“I didn’t believe it,” said Josh Stinson, one of the protest’s student organizers.

“They got charged for the shots they missed, not for the shots they hit. We have to try to band together and show something because Protesters marched downtown on Sept. 25 to call for criminal justice reform in the wake of Breonna Taylor’s death at the hands of police. what else are we supposed to do? We’re not trying to be violent; we’re trying to be not violently.” He said he hopes for a higher district attorney and two Georgia House of Representatives seats in Athens, there’s peaceful.” turnout at forthcoming protests.

Stinson was one of several University “The system that we currently have could the potential for a “progressive wave” both locally and statewide, local candidates told of Georgia students in a group chat who never bring justice for Breonna Taylor,” the University of Georgia Young Democrats organized the protest. The students created said ACC Commissioner Mariah Parker, last week. a list of demands for Athens-Clarke County who led many of the chants on the median Former Georgia House District 119 Rep. and UGA, which include giving scholarships and the streets. “Even if they were to send Jonathan Wallace, who’s trying to reclaim to Black descendants of slaves, renaming those men to jail for the rest of their lives, his seat from state Rep. Marcus Wiedower, UGA buildings with racist histories, formit would not stop this from happening ever and former Georgia House District 117 ing a more “robust and representative” again. And so we must demand not just Rep. Deborah Gonzalez, who’s running for Equal Opportunity Office, implementing reform but replacement of the system we district attorney of the Western Judicial more extensive and continuous diversity have today.”

Circuit, explained how, if elected, they could training for UGA and ACC police departCailean Shelley, an anthropology and work with one another to reform the crimiments, effecting the resignation of UGA sociology student at UGA, spoke about the nal justice system.

President Jere Morehead and shifting oppression people of color face in the U.S. “I’m running to bring change from the resources away from the ACCPD toward He called for unity to “overthrow the sysstatus quo, bring what this community community resources. tems that uphold institutionalized oppresneeds now,” Gonzalez said. “[The commuMuch of the evening consisted of prosion, not only to establish equality but nity] understands that when we talk about testers marching in downtown streets while equity as well.” He said that although he’s safety, we’re also talking that it has to be interrupting traffic and standing in the gay, he benefits from the privilege of being sustainable and include everyone, victims median and on both sides of Broad Street a white man. and defendants.” by the UGA Arch, chanting phrases for “Recognize your privilege in the system In light of the recent decision by a grand racial justice, like “Say her name, Breonna every day, and use your privilege to speak jury not to charge three Louisville, KY Taylor,” “No cops, no KKK, no fascist USA,” out against injustice every chance you get,” police officers for causing Breonna Taylor’s and “No justice, no peace.” During the proShelley said. “Dismantle the system from death, Gonzalez and Wallace shared how test, many downtown drivers raised their within. Don’t do it for clout or for being a district attorneys and state legislatures fists outside of their windows and honked white savior; do it because it is right.” could work together to ensure “fair and just in solidarity with the protesters’ message, Ny’Asia Keys, a marketing student at prosecution” against anyone accused of a while a few drivers hastily sped off after UGA, went to the protest with a group navigating around protesters in the street. after seeing a flyer for it. She said she’s con- crime, including police officers. While legis-

4

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

lators enact laws, district attorneys decide whom to prosecute, Gonzalez said.

District attorneys set the policy, procedure and culture in judicial circuits, and Gonzalez hopes to “create a culture” that acknowledges systemic racism and commits to ending it, she said. She also hopes to stop the “school-to-prison pipeline,” reform cash bail and enact restorative justice. She’s in support of reinvesting law enforcement funding to other entities, including mental health specialists.

Likewise, Wallace said he hopes to reform criminal justice, both statewide and in his district, which covers parts of Clarke and Oconee counties. He said it’s “incumbent” that voters elect representatives who will take a look at the excessive use of force and racial profiling in police departments.

“It infuriates me that we’re still fighting these battles and there are still folks who don’t recognize the racism that exists, especially in this community,” Wallace said.

Wallace told the students “fighting for freedom” is his top priority, as well as bolstering education, tackling gerrymandering and upholding election integrity. Only 16 Democrats need to win in this year’s election cycle to flip the Georgia House of Representatives in their favor, and the next class of the Georgia General Assembly will redraw congressional and state legislative districts.

Gonzalez, along with four other plaintiffs, filed a lawsuit to ensure the district attorney election occurs this year, as a state law initially pushed it to 2022 after Gov. Brian Kemp failed to appoint an interim district attorney in February. Gonzalez won the original lawsuit and two appeals, but she’s awaiting a decision on a third appeal. Voters will choose among Gonzalez, Brian Patterson and James Chafin, assuming Gonzalez wins her appeal on Nov. 3. [TW]

Johnson Calls for Stricter Gun Laws Mokah Johnson, this year’s Democratic candidate for the House District 117 seat, held a virtual town hall meeting on gun violence last week in which she and other speakers criticized Georgia’s “campus carry” and called for more restrictions on who can buy guns.

“Our society believes in increasing weaponry as a form of solving our problems,” said Johnson, noting that guns have been left out in the open and one student accidentally shot himself since the campus carry law passed in 2017; “It’s not working.”

Delaney Tarr—a survivor of the 2018 Parkland, FL school shooting who now attends UGA—called the law “asinine.”

Teachers at Stoneman Douglas High School didn’t even have time to shut the door

before being shot and killed, let alone pull out a gun and fire back, she said. “Weapons don’t belong in a place of education,” Tarr said. “They never have.”

Johnson and Jeff Binkley—a Dunwoody resident who founded the gun safety foundation Maura’s Voice after losing his daughter in a mass shooting—pushed for a law preventing domestic abusers from acquiring guns. “The goal of gun legislation is to keep guns out of the hands of demonstrably dangerous people,” Binkley said. “The idea that this is about taking guns away from people is the biggest lie.” It’s “absurd” to call such laws an infringement on Second Amendment rights, Tarr added. “It’s just common sense to be responsible,” she said.

In unrelated news, Mokah Johnson also recently won the endorsement of President Barack Obama in her race against state Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens). [Blake Aued]

COVID-19 Cases Continue to Fall After a frightening spike when UGA students came back to town in mid-August, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be improving in Athens.

UGA reported a sharp decline in positive COVID-19 tests on Sept. 23 for the second week in a row—163 positive tests for the week of Sept. 14, down from a revised total of 446 the week of Sept. 7 and 1,500 the week of Aug. 31. Of the 163, 70 were surveillance tests, 34 were from the University Health Center, and the rest were from other local clinics or self-reported through the DawgCheck app. Seven of the positive tests were employees, and the rest were students.

“Obviously, this downward trend is what you want to see,” Garth Russo, executive director of the University Health Center and chair of UGA’s Medical Oversight Task Force, said in a news release. “It demonstrates that the decrease we saw last week was not an anomaly: Quite the contrary, even more individuals were tested, yet our numbers continued to decline. We must continue to work together to maintain this momentum and flatten the curve. Now is not the time to relax on best practices.”

UGA did not say how many symptomatic individuals sought tests at the UHC.

The surveillance-testing-positive rate for asymptomatic individuals fell to 3.5% last week, down from 7.6% the previous week and 9.1% the week before that. Almost 2,000 asymptomatic people were tested last week. UGA now has the capacity to test 500 people a day, but that is not nearly as many as other universities, such as Georgia Tech, where the positive rate is less than 1%.

The number of new cases for Clarke County as a whole is dropping sharply as well, according to Georgia Department of Health statistics. Levels of new cases have dropped to where they were before UGA reopened. The seven-day rolling average of new cases, which peaked at 140 on Sept. 9, fell to 22 on Sept. 25.

Data from wastewater analysis was encouraging, as well. Unlike two weeks ago—when the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases found that viral loads remained high, contradicting the drop in reported cases—last week there were fewer viruses in wastewater collected from local treatment plants. “This decline is consistent with declines in reported cases in AthensClarke County,” researchers said. [BA]

Experienced advocate for individuals in criminal, juvenile, and probate matters

Tomlinson-lawfirm.com

706-200-1777 Protecting your home or business from germs, infectious disease and harmful viruses

Commissioner Is Sorry for Slamming Morehead Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Russell Edwards released a statement last week apologizing for calling UGA President Jere Morehead a “punk” in a speech at a Sept. 19 protest of UGA’s coronavirus response.

“As reported in the Flagpole, I lost my temper at the Arch the other day. While I disagree with aspects of President Morehead’s handling of the Coronavirus, it was wrong for me to attack him personally. I apologize to my constituents and President Morehead for my insults. All of us are struggling in some way through this pandemic. As I thought of my son forced to learn on an iPad with public schools closed, I simply reached a breaking point and spoke wrongly. We can disagree over policy, but hurling insults like I did is counterproductive to cooperation. I’m sorry for letting my temper get the best of me.” [BA] f

WWW.EICGA.COM

706 - 461 - 6199

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

5

A destination that is worth the trip!

Goodness Grows 332 Elberton Road • Lexington GA 706-743-5055

www.GoodnessGrows.com

Covid Safe

3 PORCH FARM STORE *open by appt only*

FRESH CUT FLOWERS & MORE AVAILABLE NOW!

Fall Plant Sale Online orders begin Oct. 31st Visit www.3porchfarm.com for more info

Please help Win Naing, a critically injured burn victim of the California wildfires.

DONATE ON GOFUNDME AT... https://gf.me/u/yyu3s3

or call 706-424-1214 for more information Organized by Win’s Athens family and friends.

6

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

news

street scribe

news

Will RBG Galvanize Voters?

pub notes

Pete’s Cheat Sheet

JUSTICE’S DEATH IS THE LATEST REMINDER OF OUR FRAGILE DEMOCRACY HERE IT IS AGAIN: GUIDANCE FOR PUZZLED DEMOCRATS

By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death on Sept. 18 set off political and legal warfare in Washington that will resonate from the court to Capitol Hill to the White House. With yet another battle looming in the nation’s capital, with a persistent pandemic stalking the land, and with the Nov. 3 general election little more than a month away, citizens should use the power of their votes to steer this nation’s ship of state away from the its current course of darkness and demagoguery.

Ginsburg’s official portrait from 2016.

Ginsburg’s death came just two months after the passing of John Lewis, the civil rights workhorse and Georgia congressman who was called the “conscience of the Congress.” Lewis was beaten nearly to death in 1965 by Alabama state troopers during voting rights protests in the state, and for all his life he stressed the importance of voting by all citizens. Lewis bled and went to jail for the right to vote. “Your vote is precious, almost sacred, “ he said. “It is the most important nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.”

Both Ginsburg and Lewis worked to forge that more perfect union. “One lives not just for oneself, but for one’s community,” said Ginsburg. Like Lewis, she supported voting rights for all, and, like Lewis, she supported American women’s right to individual choice on the abortion issue, saying, “When government controls that decision for her, she’s being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.” With their lives and legacies, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Lewis showed the sacredness and significance of the American right to vote, a hard-won right gained through a history of courage on battlefields, in courthouses and in countless protests crying for this nation to live up to its ideals.

By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com Georgia is shaping up to be a coveted state during this year’s general election slugfest between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. The Peach State has been reliably Republican in most presidential elections over the last four decades, and that record will probably continue this year, but a larger turnout

by Democrats this year could change the state’s political map from Republican red to Democratic blue in an election year that already has been filled with surprises.

Young people are the least dependable of potential voters in this nation, where the voting age has been 18 since 1971.

Such slackness by voting-age young people is particularly disheartening here in Georgia, since it was this state that was the first to grant the vote to 18-year-old citizens back in 1943.

Back then, Georgia had a progressive governor named Ellis Arnall who called himself “a practical idealist.” During his single term in office, the Democrat’s administration paid off state debts, started the Teachers Retirement System that still benefits Georgians today, backed the accreditation of Georgia’s university system, instituted prison reforms and repealed a poll tax long used in the state to keep African Americans away from the ballot box. As World War II raged in 1943, Gov. Arnall led the campaign to lower the voting age to 18 with the slogan “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote.”

In his 1946 book, The Shore Dimly Seen, Ellis Arnall gave prescient warnings for the people of his state and nation in the perilous postwar years. The young politician decried racism in his home state and across America, issued early warnings about environmental issues decades before Earth Day events of 1970, and reminded his readers that even after the defeat of fascism in the war, this nation was still haunted by the specter of home-grown Hitlerism in the form of white supremacist policies and right-wing organizations that he called “the ingredients of fascism.”

In America today, the ingredients of fascism are again being stirred into this nation’s already boiling political cauldron. It is up to the voters to turn down that political heat in the spirit of Arnall, who said, “Politics is the science of bringing people together on a common concept… There is nothing wrong with government that democracy won’t cure.” f

My father-in-law used to say, “I’m not trying to tell you how to run your life,” and then he would—and his was always good advice.

There are a few Flagpole readers who over the years have become dependent on guidance from this column on how to vote.

They assumed that, since I was covering the news, I’d have inside knowledge about how to vote. I’m not really covering the news anymore and have lately shied away from offering my opinion on voting. This election, though, is pretty much straightforward, so I hazard here a few suggestions, the main one being to vote Democratic.

That is always my bent, though I did, under the influence of our friend Bucky Redwine, recommend a Republican candidate for governor years ago, back when such creatures could actually entertain a progressive thought or two.

Taking it from the top, no need to suggest a presidential candidate to you, other than the customary caution: Don’t waste it on the Libertarians.

Georgia is in play this year, and Democrats need every vote possible to counteract the endemic voter suppression that will be a thumb on the scale for the other side.

We get to vote for two—count ‘em, two—U.S. senators. Jon Ossoff, for sure, against David Perdue, and Raphael Warnock looks like the best choice in the special election, where the Democratic vote will be so split up because of all the Ralph Nader wannabes that Republican Doug Collins and Kelly Loeffler might both make it into a runoff. Warnock is pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, and you may have seen him so graciously officiating at the funeral of Congressman John Lewis. It would be one of the greatest political upsets in Georgia history if this fine man could win the Senate seat away from the stonecold Trump enabler Loeffler and her rival Trumpster Collins.

For public service commissioner, vote for the Democrats. The incumbent Republicans are owned lock, stock and barrel by Georgia Power, and they approve whatever rate hike and cost overrun that utility or any other demands.

In the 9th Congressional District, it’s retired soldier and Democrat Devin Pandy against local gun purveyor and radical-right Republican Andrew Clyde, who is a sure shot to win. Waste your vote for Pandy, just because he’s not Clyde.

For the 10th Congressional District, Democrat Tabitha Johnson-Green doesn’t have much chance against Jody Hice, the congressman from the gated Lake Oconee community who loves Trump much more than he loves Jesus, but vote for her anyway.

State Senate District 46: Democrat Zachary Perry, of course. Bill Cowsert represents the Republicans under the dome, rather than Athens.

State Senate District 47: Democrat Dawn Johnson. Republican Frank Ginn doesn’t even remember how to drive into Athens.

This year, if you find yourself in their legislative districts, it is important to vote for Democrats Mokah Jasmine Johnson (District 117) and Jonathan Wallace (District 119). Statewide, Democrats have the longshot possibility of electing a majority in the Georgia House of Representatives, and it would be a real boost if we could send two Democrats from our area. Wallace has been there before and knows his way around. Johnson has a long record of community activism here and would be a breath of fresh air in Atlanta, especially compared to the Kemp/ Trump-loving Republican incumbents.

The district attorney race is a little harder choice. Of the two Democrats— Deborah Gonzalez and Brian Patterson— Patterson has long experience under former DA Ken Mauldin.

Gonzalez has no prosecuting experience, but she is running as sort of a people’s DA and could bring a whole new perspective to law enforcement here. Vote Gonzalez.

For sheriff, John Q. Williams, the Democrat, is experienced and ready to modernize the sheriff’s department. He gets my vote.

And here’s the good news: For once, the two proposed constitutional amendments and the statewide referendum are all worth a “Yes” vote. No. 1 requires that state fees earmarked for specific purposes, such as car tags supporting wildlife, actually be spent as intended instead of being siphoned off for other uses. No. 2 allows citizens to get some relief from the courts when the state government acts wrongly against them. The statewide referendum grants property tax relief to organizations like the Athens Land Trust that are building or repairing affordable single-family housing.

We all know this election is above all a referendum on Trumpism and all it means to our nation, our state and our community. Democrats are by no means perfect, but whatever else they are, they are not Republicans, and Republicans at all levels of government have bought into the cult of Donald Trump that has undermined every institution of our government. It’s make or break for America, and that’s why I’m voting Democratic. I hope you are, too. If you’re not, maybe you’d better just stay away from the polls for the sake of your health, and you certainly know better than to vote absentee, because HE says it’s crooked.

Make America Great! f

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

7

news

feature

Pick Six SPECIAL ELECTION WILL WARM SEAT ON THE ACC COMMISSION

By Tyler Wilkins news@flagpole.com

O

ne thing is for sure: Jesse Houle will take a seat on the Athens-Clarke County Commission in January, but by winning the Nov. 3 special election on the general election ballot, Houle could be seated two months early. If Chad Lowery wins the special election, he will only keep the seat warm for Houle for a couple of months.

Houle, an activist and organizer, ran against incumbent Jerry NeSmith for the District 6 seat in the June 9 election. But three days before the election, NeSmith died in an accidental fall at his home.

Although NeSmith posthumously received 57% of the vote, Georgia law voids votes for candidates who die before an election, which led to the ACC Board of Elections declaring Houle the winner. A group of District 6 residents later challenged the board’s decision, but their lawsuit failed to change the election’s outcome in court, so Houle will take office Chad Lowery in January.

But first, on the Nov. 3 general election ballot is a special election to fill the last two months of Nesmith’s term on the commission, pitting Houle against Lowery, a longtime Athens resident and real estate investor. District 6 residents tapped Lowery to run when he attended a rally in support of law enforcement at Athens City Hall in June, sharing with him that they feel underrepresented by the commission

“When I win, it’s going to be proof that the majority of the people in District 6 want someone else to be their commissioner rather than who is going in for the next term,” said Lowery, who believes Houle may not represent the interests of the majority of the district’s residents.

For a long time, Lowery said, he didn’t know in which district he lives, nor did he keep up with local politics. But he believes his lack of political experience may be his “best quality,” and he hopes to bring his business knowledge to the commission.

“I would be there to make sure our taxpayer dollars are used as wisely as possible, because they are our dollars,” said Lowery, who owned the sports bar Lowery’s Tavern on Clayton Street in the 1990s. “I think I would bring a lot of experience, maturity and common sense to the table.”

However, Houle questions if Lowery has articulated “a clear vision of what he thinks needs to happen” in Athens.

While it’s impossible to represent every resident in a district, Houle indicated a willingness to listen to residents and work with them toward finding solutions for their concerns.

“I would hesitate to think that someone who’s that disconnected from local government can really have an accurate read on what it means to be connected

and who needs to be involved,” said Houle, who recently stepped down from a job at Nuci’s Space to devote more time to the commission.

Lowery and Houle hold opposing views on key issues in Athens, most notably on whether to shift funding away from law enforcement toward other community resources. Houle hopes to transform the criminal justice system by rethinking policing as social work, training first responders to handle crisis situations and creating community advisory boards to oversee public safety departments. Lowery opposes the 50/10 plan proposed by commissioners Mariah Parker and Tim Denson, which would replace half of Athens police officers with social workers, restorative justice mediators and mental health specialists over 10 years.

If elected, Lowery said, he would look into lowering the level of homelessness in Athens.

While he said it’s a complex issue to tackle, he’d support the police officers whom the homeless trust and develop both short- and long-term Jesse Houle solutions with fellow commissioners.

“The homeless are not afraid of the police; they know the police are there to help them,” Lowery said. “It’s complex because you’re dealing with addictions, mental illness [and] down-on-your-luck situations where you’re trying but you’re not able to make ends-meet.”

Houle offers a more progressive platform including working toward ensuring fair wages, recognizing and redressing the legacy of slavery and racism in Athens, enacting a tenants’ bill of rights, expand-

ing public transportation, extending trash pickup to all residents and building a “more inclusive community that works for everyone.”

“I saw a need for people who wanted to push for broader transformation on some key issues, which we can broadly define as

economic and racial justice,” said Houle, who believes a working-class background and relatively young age will add further diversity to the commission. “I think it’s important to hone our focus on the folks who most need help, and I saw a need for the government to do more of that.”

Regardless of who wins in the special election, Houle will take office once NeSmith’s term ends, but Houle is “taking this election just as seriously as the last one.” f

Daniel Peiken

daniel@athenshome.com 241 Field Avenue 3 br / 1.5 bath • $154,900

SALON, INC.

198 Lillian Drive 3 br / 2 bath • $185,000

706-296-2941 706-296-2941

Check out his listings at

www.AthensHome.com

8

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

2440 West Broad St., Suite 2 706-548-2188 www.alaferasalon.com

arts & culture

flag football

The War in Fayette-Nam UGA’S SEASON STARTS WITH AN INFURIATING WIN

By Cy Brown news@flagpole.com

the first half came from a last-second field goal and a safety on an ill-advised double-reverse from Arkansas deep in their own territory. Folks, it was bad.

There are plenty of reasons the offense was so dreadful in the first half. The simplest reason is that it’s breaking in a new offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, as well as new starters across the offensive line, at running back, tight end and, most importantly, quarterback.

Redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis got the start under center. Aside from a few promising runs early in the first quarter, he was, uh, not good, to be diplomatic about it. He looked easily rattled in the pocket, threw an interception straight to a defender in the red zone, ran out of bounds a yard shy of a Stetson Bennett saves the day. first down on an important third down and botched a snap that put us completions for 57 yards to set up the field outside field goal range. That final mistake goal. It’s clear he’s not as talented as Mathis was the last straw, and Smart yanked him or any other QB on the roster, but he has and put in Stetson Bennett IV. (USC transa poise that comes only with experience, WALT BEAZLEY / UGA ATHLETICS

It’s been a bad year. I think we can all agree on that. Between a world-shaking pandemic, an entire coast being subsumed in flame and a never-ending presidential campaign that will probably end with a fascist coup, 2020 has sucked.

So if you were hankering for an escape from the End Times and a brief return to the halcyon days of 2019—by which I mean a rickety, ineffective offense propped up by one of the best defenses ever to wear the red and black—Georgia football has you covered. We’re back, baby!

The Bulldogs traveled to Fayette-nam to take on former Dawgs offensive line coach Sam Pittman and his Arkansas Razorbacks.

Kirby Smart and the Dawgs returned to Athens triumphant with a 37-10 victory in tow, but the final scoreline does not do Georgia justice in the worst possible sense.

The first half of the showdown with the Hogs featured one of Georgia’s worst offensive performances in recent memory. That’s saying a lot, considering what we saw from that unit both last season and in 2016.

Despite a starting field position that averaged their own 48-yard line, the Dawgs ended the first half with just three offensive points scored and trailed Arkansas 5-7. No, that is not a typo. Georgia’s only points in

fer JT Daniels still hadn’t been medically cleared to play.)

But it’s unfair to lump all the blame for the offense’s first-half performance on Mathis. Sucking that bad is usually a group effort. The team committed 11 penalties for 98 yards in the first half, which was a big reason we trailed after 30 minutes.

Credit does have to go to Bennett, however, because the offense almost immediately calmed down and started performing with his veteran presence on the field. Bennett ended the first half with five

which Mathis sorely lacks at the moment.

In the second half, the offense actually started producing some gains with Bennett in charge, and the junior led it to two third-quarter touchdowns, including a two-point conversion, that finally swung the momentum in Georgia’s favor and dashed Arkansas’ hopes of pulling off a program-defining upset.

As has become a tradition since last season, here is the paragraph where I take a break from crapping on the offense to remind everyone how crazy good the defense is. Y’all, it’s real good! Like, “historically great” good. Poor coverage from Richard LeCounte led to Arkansas’s only touchdown in the first quarter, but he made up for that mistake with two interceptions. Eric Stokes also had a third-quarter pick-six to put the game on ice. As was the case last season, any success the Dawgs have this season will be on the backs of this tremendous defense.

The offense still has a lot to work out but little time to do it. Because of the weirdness of the 10-game COVID schedule, Arkansas was our cupcake game this season.

We welcome Auburn to Athens next, the first time we’ve played All Barn outside November since the 1930s. Then comes Tennessee.

Then a trip to Alabama. Business is about to pick up—and in a hurry. f

Located just 10 min from sanford stadium excellent selection & service Your one stop shop for liquor, beer, wine, & cigars

shop curbside or in-store Bottleshopathens.com @bottleshopathens

950 US 29 N • 706.395.7110 SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

9

gardening

feature

flagpole’s Fall for Gardening Fall Garden Issue COOLER WEATHER REMOVES A MAJOR OBSTACLE Advertisers

By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com

p. 6

3 Porch Farm

ACC Water Conservation Office p. 11 p. 14 Athens Land Trust p. 11 Beech Hollow Farms p. 18 East County Oak Goodness Grows

p. 6

Keep Athens Beautiful

p. 19 p. 9

Oconee River Land Trust

Royal Landscape and Gardens p. 3

NOW OPEN AND SERVING ATHENS CRAFTING GOOD TIMES

Wed–Fri: 4–9pm Sat: 2–9pm Sun: 2–7pm 108 park avenue 706–850–6252 check our website for events athenticbrewing.com

flagpole needs your support! flagpole is fighting to continue bringing you the most up-to-date news, but the financial ripple effect of this pandemic is unprecedented and we can’t continue without your support.

DONATE It’s as easy as your Netflix subscription!

Just set up a recurring donation through PayPal (https://flagpole.com/home/donations https://flagpole.com/home/donations)) or mail in a check.

F lagpole, P O Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603

10

S

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

PETE MCCOMMONS

Look to these businesses for all your lawn & garden needs:

ummer’s over and you’re tired of tomatoes, but that They can be dug up and replanted in spring, but don’t let doesn’t mean you have to stop gardening. It’s finally them dry out. “Store them in a cool, dry place. Then you’ll fall! “Then, if ever, come perfect days.” (Apologies to have them for planting in spring. I call ‘em ‘free flowers’,” James Russell Lowell) The temperatures are lower, and so is he says. the humidity, while your energy level is up.

Our moderate climate makes fall gardening inviting.

For vegetables, you know the drill: broccoli, cauliflower, Berry says, “We’re fortunate: We’ve got an extremely long cabbage, collards, onions, spinach and some lettuces to sup- growing season. In Highlands, say, there’s just one bloomplement your groceries until nearly Christmas. ing period.”

For your flowers, trees and shrubs, Rick Berry, owner of Berry extolls the virtues of native species: oakleaf Goodness Grows in historic Lexington, says fall is a good hydrangea, American beautyberry, fothergilla and itea, for time to plant trees and shrubs because they’re going dorinstance. And if you want to add fruit trees, he recommends mant, and they can put all their energy into growing the blueberries and figs. “Apples, pears and peaches require a root system instead of the foliage. The killing heat of sumlot of effort,” he says. mer is over, but the ground is still warm and welcoming, giving the plant more time to get established before winter’s cold.

“Starting in October in Georgia,” Berry says, “any time between now and February is a good time to plant any tree or shrub.”

Dean Nelson, general manager of Cofer’s Home and Garden Showplace, agrees. “Fall is a great time to plant,” he says. “Roots that form in the ground way before it freezes have a much better chance of survival. It’s a great time for perennials and trees—maples, serviceberry, black gums and sourwood. Shrubs are great—there’s a whole host of native shrubs. And in the fall, if you miss a watering, you don’t have to panic.”

Both stress the need for water, even after the heat of summer.

Berry says it’s important to keep the root ball watered. “It behooves you to keep it from drying out,” he says, and he uses the analogy of a sponge: “Think about that sponge sitting on the kitchen sink. If it dries out, it takes a lot more water to get it wet again.”

You’ve got to water it yourself. “You can’t depend on an irrigation system, and you can’t depend on rain,” Berry says.

“Irrigation might hit just the front side of the root ball, and in a rain shower, the Kaydee accompanies Rick Berry on his rounds at Goodness Grows. leaves are deflecting the water from the roots. People will tell me, ‘I planted this thing, and it dried up on the back side.’ The irrigation sysNelson and Berry recommend flowers that attract poltem was just hitting it from the front.” linators—butterflies and bees: asters, iteas, Joe-Pye weed, Hand-watering assures that the water soaks the root cardinal flower, abelia, creeping thyme. ball. The lower temperatures help, but water is still the key.

“Any daisy-shaped flower is good for pollinators,” Berry “It takes a month or two for new roots to leave the root says. “They get on that center and walk around, but they ball,” Berry says. stay on one little daisy. Get some purple coneflower, and let So, you have to do pretty much what you would do in it go to seed. Goldfinches absolutely love them.” summer when you’re planting new trees and shrubs— He adds another word of caution about water in the fall water, water, water—but the weather is inviting, and it’s garden, especially with newly planted trees and shrubs: easier on you and on your plants.

“Be sure to water your new plants when there’s a cold front Nelson and Berry agree that fall is also a good time for coming, he says. You don’t want them to be dry when those digging up, dividing and re-setting perennials—daylilies, low temperatures hit.” daisies, blackeyed Susans, etc.—that can multiply your To sum up, fall in Athens is a great time to be outside, plantings. and that happens to be where most gardening is done.

“We’re blessed with a great ecology here,” Berry says.

So fall gardening is a natural because it is so much more “We’ve got four seasons, so a good rule of thumb for dividcomfortable outside, but the basics still apply, and there is ing perennials is if they’re spring-blooming, it’s good to nothing more basic to a garden than water. divide them in the fall. Summer bloomers: divide any time Even if summer gardening is enough for you, there are a they’re not in bloom—cut back, split up, irrigate. Fall plant- lot of things you can do in fall, like amending your soil with ing allows the plant more time to get established—leaves, organic matter and increasing your mulch layers to keep new growth, flowers. And almost any perennial and bienthat moisture in the ground. (That makes it easier to jumpnial— foxglove, poppies, snapdragons, pansies, English start your garden in spring, too.) Clean up, fix stuff that’s daisies—all are good for putting out in fall.” broken, collect flower seeds and enjoy your garden. Sit in Nelson cautions that some bulbs don’t do well in the the sun. Read a book. Make plans for next year, and don’t cold ground during winter, such as cannas and gladiolus. forget to weed and water. f

How does your garden

grow?

When landscaping your yard, choose

native & drought-tolerant plants that require little water beyond normal rainfall.

Save Water, Save Money track your water use: www.accgov.com/WaterSmart

UOUS T R I V BE

w w w. b e e ch h o l l ow f a r m s . c o m

RUN VIRT UALLY

ATHHALF HALF MARATHON & 5K RUN TO SUPPORT MUSIC AND ARTS EDUCATION FOR ATHENS YOUTH

REGISTER AT ATHHALF.COM

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

11

CURB YOUR APPETITE

Here are restaurants that are open and waiting for your order!

take-out delivery through bulldawg delivery and uber eats

Call ahead for pick-up

3 locations • open 7 days till 10pm

OYSTER TUESDAY $9.95 DOZENS

blindpigtavern.com

Delivery through Cosmic Delivery

DINE-IN, CURBSIDE, OR DELIVERY at all three locations - downtown -

401 e. broad st • 706-354-6966

OUTDOOR SEATING curbside pickup • delivery*

- eastside -

1965 barnett shoals • 706-369-0085

- timothy road -

(*via bulldAWg delivery - 706-850-7999)

10:30 A.M. – 10:00 P.M. 7 DAYS A WEEK

(cedar shoals location closed mondays)

706-227-9979 lumpkin st.

706-355-7087 cedar shoals dr.

PATIO OPEN!

12

2080 timothy rd • 706-552-1237

delivery through bulldawg foods & cosmic delivery

– depalmasitaliancafe.com –

- CARRYOUT - DELIVERY (BULLDAWG FOODS) - CURBSIDE PICKUP (BY REQUEST) -

PATIO OPEN (weather permitting) LIMITED INDOOR SEATING AVAILABLE

NEW LOCATION

OPENING

NOVEMBER 2020 420 MACON HWY OPEN IN CURRENT LOCATION THROUGH

OCTOBER 2020

4pm-9pm M–F • 2pm–9pm Sat 11am-3pm Sunday Brunch 3pm-9pm Sunday

706-548-3359

ONLINE ORDERING NOW AVAILABLE AT

706-543-6592 • 11 A.M.– 8 P.M. EVERY DAY

HALFSHEPHERD.COM

WHOLE CAKES AND BULK ITEMS WITH 48 HOURS NOTICE

Hours Tues –Sat 12pm-6pm

- BEER AND WINE TO GO -

706-850-2955 • 1238 Prince Ave

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

Lunch, Dinner & Weekend Brunch

Offering Outdoor Dining and Contact free Pick-up for Lunch Tues-Fri 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Dinner Wed-Sat 5 p.m.–9 p.m.

Brunch Sat & Sun 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

706.354.7901 Corner of Chase and Boulevard

heirloomathens.com

WAYS TO GET YOUR JUICE: Come in the store to grab a juice Call in and we’ll deliver it curbside Call or email to set up a delivery Tues and Fri Delivery Daily via Uber Eats & Cosmic Delivery M-F 7am-7pm I Sat 9am-5pm I Sun 12pm-5pm

1428 Prince Ave AMY@JOURNEYJUICE.COM

706.850.0707 JOURNEYJUICE.COM

HENDERSHOT’S & THE PLATE SALE

LIVES !

A BoArd GAme CAfé

NOW OFFERING FULL OUTDOOR SERVICE!

Play games and enjoy your R&P food and drink favorites on our deck CONTACTLESS ORDERING ONSITE AND TAKEOUT AVAILABLE THROUGH:

therookandpawn.com · family friendly · 800 Games

want you to...

· Signature Cocktails · Georgia Beers · Local foods · Patio · Parking

294 W. Washington St. (Across from the 40 Watt)

www.therookandpawn.com

MON-SAT 8AM– 9PM

T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AT HENDERSHOTSATHENS.COM ALL PROFITS GO TO ATHFEST EDUCATES

HENDERSHOT’S: OPEN M–SAT 9–5 THE PLATE SALE: OPEN TU–SAT 9–5

Now featuring baked goods from Independent Baking Co.!

237 prince ave. • 706.353.3050

OPEN FOR DINE IN AND CURBSIDE!

SUN 10AM– 9PM

COUNTER SERVICE • ONLINE ORDER CURBSIDE BY REQUEST

DELIVERY VIA BULLDAWG OR DoorDash FIVE POINTS • 706-613-2600

Mon-Fri: Lunch and Dinner · Sat: Dinner

Patio Seating Available

House of Kabob

20OF% F E DIN

PIZZA SANDWICHES

OUT D SEAT OOR ING O

NLY

-IN

PERSIAN CUISINE FREE APPETIZER OR DESSERT WITH ANY TAKE-OUT ORDER CURBSIDE PICK-UP OR DELIVERY WITH DOOR DASH, GRUBHUB, UBER EATS & COSMIC

HAPPY HOUR

MON-- FRI 5-- 7PM

$1 DRAFTS $4 WINE

1155 MITCHELL BRIDGE ROAD

706-850-1509

LIVE JAZZ IS BACK! WEDNESDAYS 6–9 459 E. Broad St. · 706.369.0990 porterhouseathens.com

CALL US FOR TAKE-OUT!

DELIVERY THROUGH BULLDAWG FOOD

SUN-THURS 11AM-8PM FRI & SAT 11AM-9PM BEER • WINE • DESSERTS

254 W. Washington St. 706.543.1523

tedsmostbest.com

Specializing in Food Near and Far

The Best Authentic Mexican Food

MARKET THURSDAYS Order Fresh Produce Online at rashecuisine.square.site

Restaurant Open for Lunch • Fridays 11am – 2pm

5 8 5 Vi n e S t , S u i t e 3 • 7 0 6 - 8 5 0 - 4 1 6 4

DRIVE THRU OPEN! OPEN FOR DINE IN or TAKE-OUT 1225 Chase St. • 706-613-9301 tlalocelmexicanorestaurant.com

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

13

OCT. 26th–30th

A TOUR OF SPIRITED HOMES AROUND BOOLEVARD Flagpole would like to raise some Halloween spirits this year by presenting a driving tour of the best haunts in the Boolevard neighborhood. We have chosen this area for our inaugural tour because this neighborhood is full of Halloween enthusiasts who spook up their homes every year.

HAUNTS WILL BE ON DISPLAY FROM

MONDAY, 10/26–FRIDAY, 10/30 FROM 6:30–9:00 P.M. Think your home could be the most ghastly in the ’hood? Just register your house by Oct. 10th to be on the map. There will be prizes for the Scariest, Most Original, Humorous and Most Traditional house.

Go to flagpole.com for details. • Creepin’ it safe this season!

St prings s c k o . R 0606 3 0 0 St e n s , G A 3 Ah

West Broad

FARMERS MARKET

Drive-Th ru Pickup Saturday s from 11:30 - 1:30

Online Market opens Sundays at 5pm & closes Thursdays at 1pm

wbfm.locallygrown.net Shop Small • Shop Local • Shop West Broad

14

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

Order Order online online or or call call us us at at 706.765.4020 706.765.4020

gardening

feature

PETE MCCOMMONS

‘SCAPE UP YOUR YARD

Speaking of landscaping, downtown Athens benefits from the State Botanical Garden’s “Connect to Protect” native plant initiative.

Here are a Few Low-Cost Hints That Can Help

By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com

F

rom the front our house looks abandoned: overwhelmed by an out-ofcontrol magnolia, ivy, scrub oaks, fire ant mounds, last year’s leaves. We put all our energy into the garden in the back that few people ever see. It seems rank hypocrisy for this yardman to write about landscaping, but fortunately there are experts willing to help out. I talked with Nick Lapointe, co-owner of Normal Landscape Cooperative, and also with my friend Chris Adamson, a local landscape/land planner, who basically does the big stuff but shared some of his insights applicable to fixing up a yard. I also talked with a local landscaper who is a solo practitioner and wants to keep his business small and personal. He was happy to share his experience and insights but didn’t want me to use his name because he just can’t handle any more customers right now. I hope he won’t mind if I refer to him herein as “Ghost” because Halloween is approaching, and “Mr. X” sounds so impersonal.

Ghost caught on immediately that this story is not about bulldozers and big bucks but is an attempt to share some information with Flagpole readers who may feel the need to make their yards work a little better without taking on a major expense.

“You can find out what you like by walking around town. We’ve got some great streets. What a good way to put on a mask, especially outdoors, and there are a lot of people not working, with time now for their

gardens. Tell a gardener you’d love to see their garden; it’s the best compliment you can give. You can even offer to help, and if they need stuff divided, that’s a good way to get extra plants.”

Ghost also recommends the State Botanical Garden as a good, free, outdoor place to get ideas for your own botanical needs.

While acknowledging that every yard has its own considerations, Lapointe says you’ve got to start with the practical things that you can’t get around, like drainage— where the water is going—and access: you don’t want to erect something that is going make your house and yard inaccessible to people who come to paint, landscape or haul off debris, etc.

Lapointe also says keep in mind what would improve the look and functionality of your yard without fighting the existing context.

“You could change everything, but it’s easier to work with the conditions that are already there,” he says. “For example, if you’ve got a lot of trees in place, don’t do grading to disturb the roots.”

As to plant choices, “We tend to use native plants, not exclusively,” Lapointe says. “We use a core palette that we know tends to do pretty well in different conditions: camellias, anise, viburnum, Sweet Bay magnolia, Southern magnolia. Also, if people are interested in edible fruit, figs and blueberries. They do pretty well without a ton of attention.”

Adamson, accustomed to large projects, narrowed his focus to explain that much

depends on the particular lot, the style of the house, the architecture. He suggests framing things, as in a painting—a ground layer with low-lying plants, then shrubs, understory trees and larger trees as focal points. But don’t skimp on just one or two plants. Use them in groups of three, five, seven, etc. to lend some presence.

Depending on what you like, your garden can range from the natural, English garden all the way up to the strictly formal. But space plants for the future, because they’re going to grow.

With an eye on cost, Adamson suggests an incremental approach. “You may not be able to afford to do everything at once.

For instance, when creating beds, you can make a mulch bed with no budget. It’s environmentally conscious. Dig it out and fill it up with organic matter—leaves, grass trimmings—and keep adding to it, cover it with pinestraw and then fill it up with plants later.”

Adamson also likes the idea of creating garden rooms. “Outside the porch could be a more formal garden room transitioning to the less formal backyard, with maybe a garden room on the side of the house that is more of a working-type garden where you’re doing things like composting.”

Then Adamson let slip some inside dope that allows anybody to design a garden.

“Take a hundred-foot garden hose and lay it out on the ground. Form it into S-type curves, kind of like the Pepsi-Cola logo.

Those curves are real pleasing to the human eye. Move it around until it looks good from

all angles—from the back porch, out the kitchen window, etc. It’s a real good way to visualize. Then spray paint that line and start cutting away turf.”

Irrigation is important, too, and Adamson says you can either have it done professionally or for $100 in materials, you can do it yourself and lay plastic hose with emitters. He makes it sound easy.

Finally, I asked Ghost the grass question: How much is too much? He points out that wildflowers and plants need work. “The lowest maintenance is a tree,” he says. “Just dig up your yard and plant understory trees and a small grass area.” He does concede, though, that with kids at home these days, they need room to run off energy.

“Getting people away from grass is tricky,” he says. He is amazed by the ubiquity of lawns in Athens and the amount of pesticides and fertilizers that wash off them.

There are more and more lawns in town,” he says. “They’re creating the suburban environments they grew up with.” Ghost says bringing the lawns to intown Athens began seven or eight years ago. “Yonah, Satula. It’s a big shock to see the old yards disappearing. It’s always nice to have a little pocket of them.”

Well, thanks, guys, and here’s hoping this whets some appetites. There’s plenty of information online and in books, and there are lots of people like these ready to offer some guidance or to do it all for you.

And remember, old Flagpoles make excellent mulch. f

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

15

cla cl assifi fie eds 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

FOR SALE

ROOMS FOR RENT

YARD SALES

Office space available a t 2 2 0 P r i n c e Av e .

Flagpole has more space then we need in the 1907 two-story house that we rent across from The Grit and Hendershot’s! Three spaces available on the second floor: $800/month for large office; Facing Prince Ave., lots of windows, built-in bookcase and decorative fireplace. $575/ month for medium office; 17ft x 14ft, decorative fireplace and storage closet. $350/month for small office; Perfect for space for a single person to get some work done. All spaces include parking for the renter and a guest, all utilities (except phone) including internet and use of shared conference room.

Must have limited foot traffic.

No reception available.

Please email ads@flagpole. com for more information or to set up an appointment.

Big Garage Sale: Large selection of household items including kitchenware, furniture, yard supplies, books & CDs, pet supplies, holiday decor and more. Cash or checks ONLY. Please wear masks and practice social distancing. Oct. 3 & 4, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 132 Terrace Cir., Lexington, GA.

MUSIC EQUIPMENT Nuçi’s Space needs your old instruments & music g e a r, e s p e c i a l l y d r u m equipment! All donations are tax-deductible. 706227-1515 or come by Nuçi’s Space, 396 Oconee St.

MUSIC SERVICES Advertise your music service in the Flagpole Classifieds! Call 706-5490301 today!

flagpole classifieds Reach Over 30,000 Readers Every Week!

Business Services Real Estate Music For Sale

Employment Vehicles Messages Personals

BASIC RATES* Individual $10 per week Real Estate $14 per week Business $16 per week (RTS) Run-‘Til-Sold** $40 per 12 weeks Online Only*** $5 per week

I n s t a n t c a s h is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records, at corner of Clayton & College Dwntn. 706-369-9428.

SERVICES CHILD CARE Montessori-inspired childcare available for infants to preschool. Educational and fun! Day and night care available. Parents, you must see this beautiful family home childcare. 706-4249016.

HOME AND GARDEN Plumber Pro Service & Drain. Upfront Pricing. Free Estimates. $30 Flagpole Discount. Call 706-7697761. Same Day Service Available. www.plumberpro service.com.

PRINTING Self publish your book!

Local (Five Points) professional publishing service.

Editing, design and printing services. 30+ years experience. Let’s meet at Jittery Joe’s. 706-395-4874.

Advertise your service in the Flagpole Classifieds! Call 706-549-0301 today!

JOBS FULL-TIME Alternative Energy S o u t h e a s t i s c u r re n t l y seeking a qualified electrician to assist in the installation of residential and commercial solar energy systems. The solar industry is rapidly expanding and AES is committed to leading the industry through an emphasis on quality workmanship and exceptional customer service. If you’re interested in learning more about our team, have questions, or wish to apply, please send all inquiries and resumes to info@alt energyse.com.

Alternative Energy S o u t h e a s t i s c u r re n t l y seeking a Solar Mounting and PV System Hardware Installer with good mechanical skills. The solar industry is rapidly expanding and AES is committed to leading the industry through an emphasis on quality workmanship and exceptional customer service. If you’re interested in learning more about our team, have questions, or wish to apply, please send inquiries and resumes to tblackwell@ altenergyse.com.

Clocked! Restaurant is looking for front and back of house workers. Up to $20/ hr. Fast-paced, fun and creative place to work. We are innovating our restaurant to serve the public safely.

Send your resume to holland shield@gmail.com.

Find employees by advertising in Flagpole!

Full-time line cook needed. Stop by Big City Bread Cafe or Little City Diner to fill out an application or email your resume to bigcitycafe@yahoo. com. Experience preferred, weekend availability required.

We’re hiring! We offer full-time employee benefits including but not limited to medical, vision, dental, and company-paid life insurance. Apply online and join a company that puts its employees first! www. accurusaero.com/careers.

Contact us at 706-548-5009 ext. 211

OPPORTUNITIES Currently seeking a co-host for a true-crime podcast!

Looking for someone who’s hardworking, passionate and confident. Please cont a c t t r u e c r im e t o w n ie s @ gmail.com if interested.

Serious inquiries only.

ADOPT ME!

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

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

• Deadline to place ads is 11:00 a.m. every Monday for the following Wednesday issue • All ads must be prepaid

16

Need a safe, reliable and COVID-aware job? CBSG seeks excellent typists (65+ WPM). We offer a safespace work environment as well as work-from-home opportunities. Choose your schedule with 16 hours/ week minimum. In-person training with future opportunities to work from home.

Pay starts at $8.25 with $1/hour or higher raises after training. No previous transcription experience required. Apply at www. ctscribes.com. Previous employees looking for workfrom-home opportunities should e-mail athrecruiting@ copytalk.com.

Natural medicine and acupuncture clinic in Watkinsville looking for a part-time office assistant with great people skills, computer skills and office e x p e r i e n c e . A s i n c e re interest in health and nutrition is a plus. Scheduling and hours are somewhat flexible. If interested, please send a resume or letter of interest to info@oconee naturalhealthcare.com Weaver D’s! Seeking an order filler and dishwasher.

Open Tues.–Sat., 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Fill out an application after 2 p.m. Restaurant experience preferred.

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

PART-TIME Join our team! Republic Salon is looking for a newly licensed stylist to be an assistant for Athens’ favorite stylist, Lyric Bellotte, or an experienced apprentice to learn from the best.

312 E. Broad St. 3rd Floor.

(Entrance on Jackson St.) Please apply in person, no phone calls!

MESSAGES Baboon (53811)

In need of a playful pal? Then Baboon’s your guy! He’ll sit for treats, loves to learn new tricks and is the perfect balance of playful and chill. Be sure to make an appointment so you can meet this guy ASAP!

Chance (53810))

Chance has recently learned how to play fetch and with a little time, patience and a few treats, there’s no telling what else this guy can learn! Call today to learn more about Chance!

Tina (53953)

Tina’s a chill girl, but she doesn’t mind a nice adventure in the park!

She loves making friends, playing fetch and sitting for treats. Call the shelter for more on Tina, you don’t wanna miss out on this good girl!

These pets and many others are available for adoption at:

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

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

Flagpole subscriptions delivered straight to the mailbox! Perfect present for your buddy who moved out of town! $45 for 6 months or $80 for 1 year. Call 706-5490301.

Lost and found pets can be advertised in Flagpole classifieds for free. Call 706549-0301 or email class@ flagpole.com to return them home.

SUDOKU

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Difficulty: Medium

2

7

9

4 9 7

5

5 2 9

4

6 8 1 7

3 8 3 9 1

3

5

Copyright 2020 by The Puzzle Syndicate

HOW TO SOLVE:

The Weekly Crossword 2

3

4

5

14

6

7

26

Solution 27 28 29 to Sudoku: 30

67

9

3 9 6 2 8 5 54 1 7 4

4 3 9 8 6 749 5 2 1

10

11

12

13

32

33

34

58

59

60

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30am-6pm Saturday 8am-1pm

R ABBIT HOLE S TUDIOS

19 21

2 7 1 4 3 6 53 8 5 9

706-549-7371

1150 Mitchell Bridge Rd. 706-546-7879 · www.hopeamc.com

16

20

5 35 4 39 8 42 1 45 7 9 52 2 61 3 6 64

8

18

23

GoJoiner.com

by Margie E. Burke

15

17

Property Management Investment Properties Rentals Buying Selling

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 39/28/20 by 3 boxes must contain Week - 10/4/20 the numbers 1 to 9.

1

STILL PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL CARE FOR EXCEPTIONAL PETS DURING THIS TIME

24

1 8 7 366 9 5 640 8 2 1 7 2 5 4 3 43 3 5 6 9 7 246 9 1 5 474 4 1 3 508 2 9 7 4 3 556 6 4 9 621 8 8 3 2 657 5

22 25 31 37

38 41 44 48

51 56

57

63

68

66

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

69

SITE PLANNING & ENGINEERING

Copyright 2020 by The Puzzle Syndicate

ACROSS 1 Sailor's stop 47 No longer with us 5 Take for a ride 49 Chain segment 9 Strong suit 51 Tie the knot 14 Bryce Canyon 52 Skedaddle locale 56 Playing marbles 15 Meal in a shell 61 In progress 16 Trim, as an 62 Notre Dame, for alpaca one 17 Wreath adorn64 GPS suggestion ments 65 Kind of socks 19 Cowboy's com66 One teaspoon, panion maybe 20 Backward, on a 67 September bloom boat 68 John and Yoko's 21 Trim, as a tree son 23 "Are we there 69 Hearty dish ___?"

25 Database DOWN command 1 Insect stage 26 Oscar-winning 2 Elevator man Emma 3 Carry on 31 Navy clerk 4 What you used 35 Metal fastener to be 36 Retirees' org.

5 Lapidary's wares 38 Fix up 6 Preserve, in a 39 Pizzeria appliway ance 7 Got a perfect 40 It may be bid score 41 "Fiddlesticks!"

8 Exodus leader 42 Flippant 9 On dry land 43 Tom Clancy hero 10 Like some cooks Jack 11 Medical fluids 44 Hose hue 12 Vane direction 45 Heir's concern 13 Grove growth

18 HBO series, "Tales from the ____" 22 Orange-toothed rodent 24 Bootlicker 26 Figure of speech 27 Homes for drones 28 Blatant 29 Unwritten reminder 30 Aquatic nymph 32 Kind of raise 33 Words of wisdom 34 Well-known 37 Extend, as a lease 40 Circus site 44 Scout's award 46 Nervous giggle 48 Female fowl 50 Thrills 52 Mitchell mansion 53 Alien crafts 54 Defeat decisively 55 Strike site 57 Combines 58 Meadowlands pace 59 Alleviate 60 Great deal 63 Tetley product

Puzzle answers are available at www.flagpole.com/puzzles

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Event Space Art Studios and Gallery Instrument Museum Recording and Production Services www.rabbitholestudios.org 762-499-4182

PAIN & WONDER

TATTOO

VOTED AN ATHENS’ FAVORITE TATTOO STUDIO TEN YEARS IN A ROW!

Better Service, Better Plumbing Insured • Local • Free on-site Estimates

Voted an Athens Favorite! $30 Flagpole Special Discount*

285 W. Washington St.

Athens, GA 30601

(706) 208-9588 www.painandwonder.com

*Call for details

706-769-7761

www.plumberproservice.com

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

17

food & drink

grub notes

• Okra: Get it while you can. You only have about a month before it’s not in season anymore. Eat it raw for a snack. Roast it lightly on high heat. Fry it. Put it in a soup and cook it into delicious, gooey mush. It’s good all ways.

• Peppers: These, too, are winding down, but it’s worth getting them while their skins are thin and their flavors concentrated by the sun.

Fall at the Farmers Markets A RICH HARVEST AWAITS, ALONG WITH BETTER WEATHER

By Hillary Brown food@flagpole.com people love turnips who otherwise do not.

• Winter squashes include butternut, acorn and, of course, pumpkin. Roast these dudes with salt, olive oil and aromatics, then puree with water or your favorite broth into a soup.

West Broad Farmers Market is nearby and with a slightly different ordering system, which opens for online ordering at wbfm.locallygrown.net every Sunday at 5 p.m. and closes up Thursdays at 1 p.m.

Ready your order, then drive through

Opa Robby’s, on Atlanta Highway in front of Target, is open for online ordering at opa-robbys-marketvirtual-shopping.com with contactless or curbside pickup Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. It offers several different weekly baskets, which present the opportunity to experiment with things like chayote squash or tomatillos, and include 12–15 locally or regionally grown fruits and vegetables. Don’t want a whole basket? You can also shop its offerings by the pound, including pie pumpkins, butterbeans, green peanuts and both pinkeye and lady acre peas.

It has an entire “fall” section if you are itching for mulled cider, mini pumpkins, decorative gourds, cornstalks, hay bales and suchlike, and both elderberry jam and elderberry syrup, which you can use to supplement but not replace your flu shot.

COLLECTIVE HARVEST

Fall in Georgia is short and is often a big fake-out before we head back to summer for a few weeks, but it is lovely. It also doesn’t get as much credit as spring in the produce arena, probably because we haven’t been living off winter greens and potatoes for months by the time it rolls around.

Nonetheless, cooler temperatures allow for delicate crops like lettuces to flourish once more, and some late summer offerings are yet hanging around. Well, Athens’ farmers’ markets are ready to capitalize on your pumpkin-based desires fueled by a very long summer.

potatoes, brussels sprouts and frozen berries (including mulberries, which are one of the best things around and which my kids will literally eat off the sidewalk when they’re in season in May). One of the best things about the market is its plant selection, and if you’ve always envied your neighbor’s beautyberry plant, you can pick up one of your own, as well as fig trees, walking onions, sweet potato plants (easy to grow and productive), succulents and ferns.

Athens Farmers Market continues to operate on Saturday mornings at Bishop Park with some COVID-era rules: one person shopping per family, wash your hands, wear a mask, social distancing, cashless payment preferred, pre-order when possible. Point your browser to athensfarmersmarket. net/shopatbishoppark to find a list of the vendors taking pre-orders, which is also a fun way to menu-plan before you go. Here are some of the things you can likely find there this fall: • Pearsephone pears come from Harvest Moon Garden, which is the only place around that has them and is worth checking out on Instagram at @ harvestmoon_garden.

Collective Harvest has a fall CSA box and à la carte ordering.

• Heartier greens like kale and chard are in season.

• More delicate greens like head lettuce and • Flowers: You usually aren’t supposed to arugula are available, too. eat them, but they can help make you • Mushrooms are really in season yearhappy, and numerous AFM vendors round but come in handy for heartier make lovely bouquets or wreaths. vegetarian and vegan dishes.

• Galangal: This cousin of ginger, with a • Turnips include the beautiful, tiny, snowslightly different, less sharp, more citrusy white Hakurei variety that will make flavor, is available from Ladybird Farm.

Collective Harvest collectiveharvestathens.com has a fall CSA box and à la carte orders. You can pick up either at Locally Grown on West Broad (multiple days and times, listed on the website), in the parking lot of St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church on Barnett Shoals on Wednesdays between 3–6 p.m. or in the parking lot of the Krimson Kafe in downtown Watkinsville on Thursdays between 4–7 p.m. Add $8, and they will deliver to your home. Right now, it has pumpkins and persimmons, as well as hibiscus, lots of eggplants, many peppers and muscadines plus Fuji and Gala apples from farms in the region.

Enjoy! f

the parking lot of the Athens Housing Authority at 300 Rocksprings Street from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. on Saturday. You can either pay then and there or in advance (details on the site). It, too, has kale and okra still, with winter greens and squash on the horizon. You can also get fine sweet

Dog Spa

GO DAWGS!

LOCAL NEWS ®

Sic ‘em Oui, Oui! Voted Athens’ Favorite Pet Groomer

TIMBER-FRAMED HOMES, BARNS, PERGOLAS, POOL HOUSES, AND MORE

eastcountyoak.com 18

AKC Safety-Certified Salon

We Groom Dogs & Cats!

1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy · 706-353-1065

barkdogspa.com

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

WUGA IS A BROADCAST SERVICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.

@WUGAFM | WUGA.ORG

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT IN THE

flagpole BUILDING ON PRINCE AVE. See the Classifieds ad on page 16 for details.

CLASSIC ENTERTAINMENT & TERRAPIN BEER CO. PRESENT

A CO-HEADLINER PERFORMANCE

SAM BURCHFIELD

ACCURUS AEROSPACE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER INCLUDNG VETERANS AND DISABLED

CICADA RHYTHM

SOCIALLY DISTANT | CONTACTLESS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

CNC OPERATORS NEEDED

THE CLASSIC CENTER THEATRE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23

CLASSICCENTER.COM/TICKETS

APPLY TODAY!

• • • • • •

FULL - TIME ENTRY LEVEL HEALTH INSURANCE 401(K) TUITION REIMBURSEMENT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR GED REQUIRED • MANUFACTURING JOB AREA

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION

WWW.ACCURUSAERO.COM/LOCATIONS/ATHENS-CAREERS

K E E P A M E R I C A B E AU T I F U L A F F I L I AT E

If you have a group looking for a volunteer service project, Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful (KACCB) can match you with a school garden in Athens. Project workdays are arranged to fit the group’s availability and skill level.

KACCB provides project resources and tools.

To learn more or arrange a workday contact: stacy.smith@accgov.com SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

19

arts & culture

art notes

Topiary Flower Ladies CINDY JERRELL’S NEW GARDEN SCULPTURES PROVIDE ROADSIDE CHEER

By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com

and Sciences and Flagpole—that awarded $500 to 34 graduate students and community-based artists and practitioners to support the creation of shareable reflections on their experiences of the current pandemic through the arts and humanities. From the vantage point of her own garden, Jerrell observed the widespread increase in neighbors walking, running and biking as a break from sheltering in place and saw a chance to offer passersby a moment of connection and relief from anxiety.

“I began to envision a lady holding her arms up to the sky in reverence and joy, regenerating under the sun,” says Jerrell. “I thought she should be big, because somehow I’ve never been able to forget that Flannery O’Connor quote about making

CINDY JERRELL

An intriguing trio of anthropomorphic environment and community. flowers has sprung up as a roadside attrac“When I first moved to Georgia and tion in Watkinsville, thanks to the green was astounded by kudzu overtaking power thumb and artistic talent of Cindy Jerrell. poles, I always saw a kudzu Tyrannosaurus Towering around 10 feet tall, her cheerful Rex in that shape,” says Jerrell. “I thought topiary flower ladies symbolize how growth, it would be fun to make renegade camouchange and blossoming are all possible flaged topiary frames of giant things like even when staying in one place—a hopeful Brontosauruses or giraffes and leave them message for a pandemic.

As a functional artwork, the ladies have birdhouses hanging at the center of their chests, providing shelter to birds, while their wooden skirts provide a stable framework for an assortment of moonflowers, morning glories and sweet peas to climb.

“Gardening is something I get excited about in early spring every year, ready or not,” says Jerrell, a mixed-media artist. “It’s total sorcery! This little bean is gonna do what? And you get sweaty and dirty, but your head is full of pure optimism. This year I found it really helped with my COVID anxieties to tire myself out digging and weeding and let the sun and earth absorb and dissolve my worries and help me recharge. I read that gardening ‘interrupts harmful ruminating’ and puts you in touch with the bigger picCindy Jerrell’s “Topiary Flower Ladies” are located on South Barnett Shoals Road in Watkinsville. ture. So all that and you get flowers?”

Whether she has selected painting, in kudzu fields to fill in on their own. So a vision apparent by drawing ‘large and photography, graphic art or sculpture as that was in the mix, but the real inspirastartling figures.’ And she would have a her medium of the day, Jerrell often looks tion was a heartfelt response to what the sweet, simple smile. Ultimately, her face to nature for inspiration. Her most recent coronavirus was doing to people and how was inspired by an Inuit doll I saw once installation not only embodies the interI could reach out in some way to try and in National Geographic. I knew she needed section of her passions for artmaking and make someone’s day better.” a crown, which somehow evolved into a gardening but also represents the passage Jerrell’s sculptures were funded by flower face. She would have a wide skirt of time on multiple levels: the days she Shelter Projects, a mini-fellowship prodown to the ground for flowers and vines spent designing the sculptures, the weeks gram launched by the Willson Center for to grow up so that even while she stayed in the vines have taken to slowly inch their Humanities and Arts—in partnership with one place, she would bloom and transform way skyward, and the months the pandemic the UGA Graduate School, the Athens Area into something new and beautiful.” has spent altering our perceptions of space, Arts Council, the Franklin College of Arts Since creating the original trio of topi-

ary ladies, Jerrell has been approached by multiple friends seeking personalized sculptures for their own gardens. Adding words into the design, one offers a friendly greeting of “hello,” while another reminds everyone to simply “be.” On the cover of Flagpole this week, a love-themed lady incorporates suspended, twirling bluebirds. The most unusual topiary lady so far, installed in an apiary, has a halo of bees hovering around her head and a mason bee house nestled in her chest.

Kind expressions and gentle messages help personify these ladies, who demonstrate how incorporating artwork into gardens can create a sense of wonder and playfulness. In addition to sculptures and living topiaries that are traditionally ornamental, many of the utilitarian objects often found within gardens are ripe for an artist’s touch. Over the past several years the annual auction Roll Out the Barrels has made one-of-a-kind painted rain barrels a popular way to collect art that is both decorative and functional. And though they may be more difficult to meet in the absence of Athens’ important craft markets, there are a handful of metalsmiths and woodworkers here in town who accept commissions for custom benches and bird houses and even more ceramicists who offer special flowerpots.

“I like the idea of collaborating with nature. You can provide habitats for birds, frogs and bugs, or you can make a beautiful birdbath or ceramic bowl that provides fresh water. So you do your half, and then nature finishes the piece when a little bird moves in or a critter gets a nice clean drink of water,” says Jerrell. “You could make cool rain chains, and I’m also personally excited about making whirligigs or wind puppets.

I want to make some more trellises with personality since there is always this gap between when you first plant something and when it is mature.”

Jerrell’s topiary flower ladies are located along South Barnett Shoals Road on the outskirts of Watkinsville near Let It Be Yoga and can be safely observed from the sidewalk. f

FREE RIDES! Save Money & Save the Planet. Ride the Bus!

accgov.com/transit Flagepole-9-2020_4D.indd 1

20

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

• Fare-free for 2020 • Live bus tracking & passenger counts • Frequent sanitation • Masks required 9/17/20 2:20 PM

Casual Versus Committed ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN

By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com Hey Bonita, I have had a fling with a guy I met online for the better part of two years now, starting out as a friendship and developing into a salacious flirtation. We finally met right before the pandemic when he took me on vacation with him, and all the sexual tension kind of busted with some really bad timing of crises in his life.

Understandably, we did not fool around.

We had planned to do some very dirty things this year, on his side of the country, locally and wherever else we could make an excuse to visit. Needless to say, we have postponed the plans until things are far safer and a vaccine is approved and administered. He is down to do anything I want to do, and that opens up a lot of possibilities to sex-plore.

However, I am a reformed slut these days.

My perspective has changed, and I want to settle down and have meaningful, romantic relationships again. My friend and I will not be entering that sort of

the one who would be a casual lay. Do you see the problem here?

I think you should examine why you don’t see “sex-ploration” as something that can happen within a monogamous relationship. You are assigning certain behaviors to particular lifestyles here by assuming that “very dirty” things cannot and will not happen with a person that you’re committed to, and maybe that’s because you haven’t developed a super sexy rapport yet with your new prospect. You and this not-local friend know how to talk dirty and share your fantasies, and that’s surely a comfort when you feel randy for that other person but worry that sex talk might turn them off. Basically, you’re operating under the assumption that no one will want to commit to a highly sexual person like you, and that’s just not true.

We have our best sex with people with whom we are vulnerable and open and people who care

Adult Toys • Movies • Sexual Enhancers • Lubes

hey, bonita…

Hookahs • Vapes • Tobacco • Accessories

Lingerie •Intimate Gifts • Detoxification & MORE!

advice

Fall Back to Pleasure, Together!

15% OFF Mention This Ad For:

relationship. I have, however, begun taking my time in getting to know another person and see the potential in them. My friend is aware and is supportive of me dating the new prospect—even if that means my monogamy cuts out our plans.

I struggle with wanting to experience things with this friend versus having more connected sex with a lover. Of course, I can have both eventually, but I think holding out for the former is a blockade to being open to the latter.

Part of me thinks I should cancel the tentative plans with the friend. The slut in me wants to experience things before settling down. I know time will tell and things will unfold, but ultimately I fear losing the friendship to lack of copulation. I guess I’m just a confused mess.

Help!

Reformed Slut

enough about mutual pleasure to be present in an unselfish way. Usually, that’s whoever we’re dating. Don’t get me wrong—I’ve had a few legendary one-night stands, but when I think of people in my past whom I’d hook up with again, it’s usually someone I trusted enough to do more than just sleep with them.

Breaking off the dirty talk with your friend is probably a good idea. They’re clearly distracting you from the person you wanna cuff up with, who I wouldn’t assume * doesn’t wanna talk dirty with you. I think you’ve just gotten very comfortable with having this long-distance friend as a safe, no-commitment outlet for your fantasies and desires, shielding you from the realities of navigating a relationship because they don’t even live here, and they only wanna bang. This local person is the real challenge, and I know that can be intimidating at first. Honor your feelings and ease into it, sure, but you should be talking sex with the person that you’re actually trying to have sex with. You can absolutely have your back blown out in a monogamous relationship.

You deserve it! f

All Sexual Wellness & Personal Care Products!

Your Pleasure Is Our Business:

Adult Toys • Sexual Enhancers Hi there, Reformed, Lubes • Mood Setters • Condoms What’s the big difference between these two that makes you believe that you can • Vapes • Smoke • CBD Hookahs share your sexual fantasies with one person Pipe • Detoxification but not the other? You have someAccessories sort of intimate designs for them both, but you’re AdultwayParty only presenting in an authentic with Gifts • Intimate Gifts

PLUS... SO MUCH MORE! (*Offer not to be combined with other promotions.)

(*Offer not to be combined.)

All Couples Merchandise:

15% OFF

*

Just Mention This Flagpole Ad!

4100 Lexington Rd. Athens (Adjacent to Willowood Square)

706.552.1492

ShopStarship.com SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

21

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 ATHENS CREATIVE DIRECTORY (Athens, GA) The ACD is a new platform to connect creatives with patrons. Visual artists, musicians, actors, writers and other creatives are encouraged to create a free listing (using a desktop computer) before the new website launches.

Make sure to include contact information, a description of work and an image. athenscreatives@gmail.com, athenscreatives.directory DEFIANCE AWARDS PROJECT (Morton Theatre) The Morton Theatre Corporation is accepting submissions for its new Defiance Awards Project, which will provide up to 10 cash awards of $500 to Black artists to support the creation and exhibition of short films or studio art that explore the Black Lives Matter movement and everyday experiences of Blacks in America. Deadline Oct. 31. board@mortontheatre.com 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. nicholas.daglis@accgov.com SOLO-DUO-TRIO (Ciné) ATHICA is seeking artists for exhibitions at its gallery and upcoming satellite location, Ciné. Proposals are considered on a rolling basis. athica.org/ updates/solo-duo-trio-call WILD RUMPUS CALL FOR ARTISTS (Online) The Wild Rumpus and tiny ATH gallery will host a virtual exhibition of works in all media that interpret the theme “Magical.” Artists of all ages can submit up to five works for consideration ($10/piece). Artwork will be displayed online Oct. 7–31.

Proceeds benefit the Wild Rumpus,

tiny ATH and Food2Kids. Deadline to participate is Oct. 1. Visit website for submission form. www.tinyath gallery.com

Classes DEDICATED MINDFULNESS PRACTITIONERS (Online) Weekly Zoom meditations are offered every Saturday at 8 a.m. Email for details. jaseyjones@gmail.com F3 FREE MEN’S WORKOUT GROUP (UGA Intramural Fields Parking Deck) Bring your gloves and a buddy for a socially distanced workout. Saturdays, 7 a.m. www. f3classiccity.com FALL PROGRAM REGISTRATION (Athens, GA) ACC Leisure Services hosts a diverse selection of activities highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports and holiday events for adults and children.

In-person and virtual programs are offered. Rolling registration is offered Saturdays through Nov. 28 for classes beginning two weeks later. www.accgov.com/leisure 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 OCAF CLASSES (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) “Cartooning” is a four-week online class taught by Robert Alan Black that covers drawing, creating characters, drawing panels and other advanced skills.

Saturdays beginning Oct. 3, 2 p.m. $100–110. www.ocaf.com/learn.

“Rooted in the Loop: Cooking with OCAF” specializes in plant-based and vegan food. Meals are shared virtually Thursdays at 2 p.m. facebook.com/ocaf1902

art around town ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART (ATHICA) (675 Pulaski St., Suite 1200) “Masked/Unmasked: Photographs by David Noah” is an online exhibition that features dual portraits and personal statements on mask-wearing from 70 individuals. Visit athica.org through Nov. 15.

CINÉ (234 W. Hancock Ave.) “The New Americans” features pop art paintings

by Atlanta artist Blair LeBlanc. Through October.

CLASSIC CENTER (300 N. Thomas St.) The Classic Gallery II presents “Inside/Outside,” an exhibition of works by Richard Botters, Melanie Epting, Nancy Everett, Richard Huston and Beth Richardson.

GALLERY AT HOTEL INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Athens Facades” presents Mike Landers’ photographs of buildings at dark in downtown and Five Points between 2000–2002.

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “Hurricane Katrina and Its Aftermath in the Art of Rolland Golden.” Through Oct. 18. • “Carl Holty: Romantic Modernist” includes paintings and drawings that reflect the artist’s pursuit of modern art theory. Through Jan. 17. • Sarah Cameron Sunde’s “36.5 / A Durational Performance with the Sea” combines performance, video and public art to address climate change. Through Jan. 17. • “Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Horvitz Collection” represents three generations of artists dating from the 1940s. Through Sept. 26, 2021.

KEMPT (175 N. Lumpkin St.) The Milan Art Institute presents a display of 20 or so recent works by the institute’s students. Through October.

LAMAR DODD SCHOOL OF ART (270 River Rd.) “Tony Cokes: Five Weeks” shares a different video by the conceptual artist each week. • In “Disarticulate Ground,” Annie Simpson alters roadside markers. • “OFFSIDES” is a collaborative exhibition between MFA candidate Luka

22

OUTDOOR YOGA (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) Meg Brownstone will be leading an ongoing and socially-distanced outdoor yoga class where you can explore your own individual breath and movement through the lens of interdependence.

Sign up and pre-register online.

Sundays, 9:20–10:45 a.m. $10 suggested donation. www.revolution therapyandyoga.com 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, marinaspain-2020.squarespace.com YAMUNA AND MORE (Elevate Athens, Online) Nia Holistic Fitness and Yamuna Body Rolling are held on an ongoing basis. $20/class.

Specialty classes range from selfcare to Yamuna foot fitness and more.www.elevateathens.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 ANNUAL BIRDSEED SALE (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Order a variety of birdseed in multiple sizes and drive by the center to pick it up.

Delivery is available for senior citizens and those who need it. Oct. 23, 3:30–5:30 p.m. and Oct. 24, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. www.accgov.com/ sandycreeknaturecenter ATHENS FARMERS MARKET (Bishop Park) The market is open with safety precautions in place.

Wear a mask, pre-order when pos-

Currently on view at tiny ATH gallery through Oct. 4, “Place in Space” is a photography exhibit by local videographer, photographer and producer Travis A. Ward. Ward will participate in an artist talk through Instagram Live (@tinyathgallery) on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. sible, keep your family home and use cashless payments. Saturdays, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmers market.net ATHENS JOB FAIR (East Athens Development Corportation) Express Employment hosts a hiring event.

Oct. 2, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. expresspros. com/athensga ATHENS WATER FESTIVAL IN A BOX (Online) This year’s festival offers educational activities and materials mailed directly to your home address for free. Boxes are limited to 150 participants. Register online. Through September. www. athenswaterfestival.com AUTHOR TALK (Zoom) Authors Vanessa Veselka and Karolina Waclawiak discuss The Great Offshore Grounds. Oct. 5, 7 p.m. www.avidbookshop.com BROWN MEDIA ARCHIVE EVENTS (Online) UGA Libraries celebrates

Carter and New York-based artist Tomm Roeschlein. • In “The Persistence of Change,” MFA candidate Matthew Hoban uses stop motion, prints and sound to interrogate memory. All exhibitions run through Oct. 9.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) Andrew Zawacki’s “Waterfall Plot” pairs 20 black-and-white photographs with short poems from his latest poetry volume. • In the Lounge Gallery, view paintings by Kendall Rogers, the recipient of the LHAC Chice Award at the “45th Juried Exhibition.” • “Boundless” features works by Don Chambers, Derek Faust, Alex McClay, Katherine McCullough and Paula Reynaldi. • “The Art of Jeremy Ayers” celebrates the artist, lyricist, activist and beloved member of the community, who passed away in 2016. • Organized by Christina Foard, “Imagination Squared: Pathways to Resiliency” consists of 800 five-inch works created by students and community members. Sharing a theme of resiliency, the small works build a collective story of recovery and strength.

MADISON ARTISTS GUILD (125 W. Jefferson St., Madison) Bev Jones’ works in “Whispers of Tranquility” are inspired by experiences that jar her, as well as still moments, particularly when alone and immersed in the natural world. Through October.

STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead) “Elements: Expressions in Wood, Metal and Stone” presents three-dimensional works by Steffen Thomas in a variety of media. Through Nov. 7.

UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) Online exhibitions include “Steele Vintage Broadcast Microphone Collection,” “Foxfire on Display at UGA: 50 Years of Cultural Journalism Documenting Folk Life in the North Georgia Mountains, September–December 2016,” “Covered With Glory: Football at UGA, 1892–1917” and “Fighting Spirit: Wally Butts and UGA Football, 1939–1950” and “The Strategies of Suffrage: Mobilizing a Nation for Women’s Rights.” Visit digilab.libs.uga.edu/scl/exhibits.“Sign of the Times: The Great American Political Poster 1844–2012” is on view in person through Oct. 5.

FLAGPOLE.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

the 25th anniversary of its special collections with events that highlight the Walter J. Brown Media Archive & Peabody Awards Collection’s contributions to media preservation, scholarship and filmmaking. Molly McGehee presents “Vienners’ at Odum’s: DeAundra Peek and the Atlanta Televisual Drag Scene” on Oct. 7, 7 p.m. Brown’s archivists and audiovisual technicians will share their favorite videos in the archive on Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. Artist Keith Bennett will share B-52’s videos and tour footage from the ’70s and ’80s on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. Family Day on Oct. 17. Panel discussion with freelance filmmakers and footage archivists on Nov. 11, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/BrownMedia ArchivesPeabodyAwardsCollection THE CALL ME ISHMAEL PHONE BOOK (Zoom) Logan Smalley and Stephanie Kent speak on their new book, The Call Me Ishmael Phone Book: An Interactive Guide to LifeChanging Books. Oct. 13, 7 p.m. events@avidbookshop.com THE CRY BABY LOUNGE PRESENTS (Online) Eli Saragoussi hosts bimonthly shows using YouTube Premeire. Find The Cry Baby Lounge on Facebook. thecry babylounge@gmail.com, bit.ly/ TheCryBabyLounge FALL FINE ART SALE (249 Dupree St., Lexington) Women’s Art Guild of Oglethorpe County presents its first annual Fall Fine Art Sale with over 200 pieces by Maryann Cox, Cynzia Sanchez, Sylvia Godlas, Beatrice Brown, Nan Demksy and Jennifer Wallens Terry. Oct. 4, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. @WomensArtGuildOglethorpeco on Instagram.

GAMEDAY AT THE CLASSIC CENTER (The Classic Center, Akins Ford Arena) Celebrate with a socially distanced tailgate experience indoors. Oct. 3, 6–11 p.m. $30/person. www.classiccenter.com/ gameday GEORGIA VS AUBURN (Sanford Stadium) Georgia bulldogs play against the Auburn tigers. Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. www.georgiadogs.com HIKES (Multiple Locations) “Night Hike” is offered at Memorial Park

on Oct. 2 at 7:15 p.m. “Autumn Splendor: Lakeside Loop trail” is planned at Sandy Creek Park for Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. “Full Moon Hike” is planned at Sandy Creek Nature Center on Nov. 30 at 5:30 p.m. www. accgov.com/leisure KIP JONES ON THE PATIO (Athentic Brewing Company) Kip Jones performs outdoors. Oct. 2, 6 p.m. www. athenticbrewing.com KUNSTMARKT: THE VIRTUAL HOLIDAY MARKET (Online) Originally designed to mimic a European holiday market, Kunstmarkt is an online series of events showcasing the work of local artists. Nov. 19–Jan. 2. www.steffenthomas.org LIVE JAZZ (Porterhouse Grill) Enjoy dinner and some smooth jazz.

Wednesdays, 6–9 p.m. www.porterhouseathens.com LIVE WIRE SUMMER EVENTS (Live Wire Athens) Wedding Industry Happy Hour is held every Wednesday from 5–6 p.m. Games of darts are held every Wednesday from 5–10 p.m. Fresh Garden Jam with live jamming is held every Thursday from 5–10 p.m. Love Music Live Stream offers bands streamed from the main stage every Friday 5-10 p.m. www.livewireathens.com/ calendar MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS CANDLELIGHT VIGIL (Online) Kick off Mental Health Awareness Week with a virtual vigil led by Advantage Behavioral Health Systems. Oct. 4, 7 p.m. facebook. com/advantagecommunity MILES FOR MENTORSHIP (Athens, GA) The Clarke County Mentor Program presents a virtual run, walk or bike during the month of October. www.runsignup.com/Race/GA/ Virtual/MilesforMentorship MUSIC OF THE MOODY BLUES (Online) A tribute concert will be streamed live from the Harlequin Theatre & Cinema. A portion of proceeds will benefit the MadisonMorgan Cultural Center. Oct. 17, 3 p.m. $15. www.mmcc-arts.org/ event-list/go-now NOWHERE BAR LIVE (Online) Watch bands perform on stage through

Facebook Live. www.nowherebarlive. com OCTOBER EVENTS (Southern Brewing Company) Monday Night Trivia every Monday at 6 p.m. Sunday Trivia with Solo Entertainment is held every Sunday at 5 p.m. www.sobrewco.com POTTERY POP UP SALE (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) OCAF hosts a sale of works by Kathryn Gould, Douglas Tobin, Kathy King and Jim Bridgeman Sept. 29-Oct. 10. Every two weeks, four new regional artists will be featured. www.ocaf.com/events RIVERS ALIVE ATHENS (Multiple Locations) Wade into local rivers, lakes and streams as part of the continuing statewide campaign to clean and preserve over 70,000 miles of Georgia’s rivers and streams.

Register by Oct. 9. Event on Oct. 24, 9–11 a.m. athensriversalive@gmail. com, www.accgov.com/riversalive SAM BURCHFIELD & CICADA RHYTHM (Classic Center) Enjoy a socially distanced show in the Classic Center’s Theatre. Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m. www.classiccenter.com/ tickets SUMMER SOIREE (Online) The 9th annual Mercedes-Benz of Athens Summer Soiree features a virtual live auction to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens on Oct. 15. 6 p.m.

A silent auction will be held Sept.

15–Oct. 15. 706-546-5910, www. greatfutureathens.com SUNFLOWER MUSIC SERIES (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Caroline Aiken plays Oct. 8. Timi Conley plays Oct. 22. The series will be held virtually. www.botgarden. uga.edu VIRTUAL JACK-O-LANTERN JOG AND GOBLIN FUN RUN (Athens, GA) Participants can run independently from Oct. 24–31.

Run in costume and email a photo to scncinc@gmail.com if interested.

Proceeds benefit the Sandy Creek Nature Center Inc. Report your time at tiny.cc/JOJ5KTimes. scncinc@ gmail.com THE VISITOR IN THE EYE (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Pachinko Pop Cinema returns with an outdoor screening. After an eye transplant, Chiaki starts seeing visions of a mysterious man. Oct. 6, 7 p.m. www. facebook.com/pachinkopop

Kidstuff FREE FAMILY PROGRAMS (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Naturalist’s Walks are held Oct. 3 and Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. “Critter Tales” is held Oct. 10 and Nov. 14 at 2:30 p.m. www. accgov.com/sandycreeknaturecenter

Support Groups ADULT SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE SUPPORT GROUP (Online) A safe and confidential space for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse to connect with and receive support from other survivors.

Mondays from 5:30–7 p.m. for 8 weeks starting Oct. 19. Please note the week of Thanksgiving will be skipped. Screenings are required to participate. 1-877-363-1912, www. northgeorgiacottage.org 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. athensaa.org RECOVERY DHARMA (Recovery Dharma) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction.

Visit the website for info about Zoom meetings. Thursdays, 7–8 p.m.

FREE! www.athensrecoverydharma. org SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) (Email for Location) Athens Downtown SAA offers a message of hope to anyone who suffers from a compulsive sexual behavior. www.athensdowntownsaa.com

On the Street ABSENTEE BALLOTS (Athens, GA) Registered voters can request an absentee ballot before Oct. 30 for the Nov. 3 election through the Georgia Secretary of State’s online portal at ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5.

ACRONYM (Athens, GA) ACRONYM is a new website compiling COVID19 aid for Athens-based live music venues and artists. Check the website for updated listings on funding and financial opportunities, mental health guides, organizational support, community resources and more. Visit acroynym.rocks ATHHALF HALF MARATHON AND 5K (Athens, GA) This year’s race will be held in a virtual format. Proceeds benefit AthFest Educates. Register

by Oct. 23. $70 (half marathon), $30 (5K). Submit times by Oct. 25. www. athhalf.com THE MARIGOLD MARKET (Online) The Marigold Market aims to make fresh food easily accessible to the Eastside Athens and Winterville communities. The market is open online every week from Friday– Wednesday, and orders can be picked up every Saturday. www.cityof winterville.com/marigold-market MUSICIANS (AND FRIENDS) HEALTH CLINIC (Nuçi’s Space) In-person and telephone appointments are available on Oct. 5, 12 & 26, and Nov. 2, 9 & 16. Open to anyone on a low income who is uninsured or under-insured. Call to book. 706-227-1515 NATIVE PLANT SALE (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) The Connect to Protect plant sale will be held online. Schedule a plant pickup time. A Virtual Plant Sale Preview Party will be held Oct. 2 from 6–7 p.m. ($10), and the sale will continue through Oct. 27. botgarden.uga.edu/fall-native-plantsale-events STEPS TO CONNECT CHALLENGE (Athens, GA) Family ConnectionCommunities in Schools Athens hosts a challenge during the month of September with three different mileage goals for walking, running or biking. $15–30/individual, $50/ family. www.facebook.com/fccis athens TRASHERCISE (Athens, GA) Complete your own Trashercise workout by walking, jogging or running along, trails, roads and neighborhoods. Bring a bag, gloves or a grabber, and pick up any trash you see. Share photos through #trasherciseathens. Report your cleanup online, and Keep AthensClarke County Beautiful will send a prize. carlos.pinto@accgov.com, www.keepathensbeautiful.org, www. accgov.com/aahcleanupreport VIRTUAL LEISURE SERVICES (Online) A variety of activities are offered in arts, athletics, nature and recreation. www.accgov.com/ leisure f

music

threats & promises

AyoPaco’s Planet Pac PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com IBANDS IN THE STREAM, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE: The Flicker

Theatre & Bar will launch its online series, Deadstream, on Thursday, Oct. 1. The series, which is to benefit both the venue and local musicians experiencing financial hardship, will run every Thursday evening in October and probably all of November, too. The performance will be mostly filmed live at Flicker, although some artists may record their own sets elsewhere and send in the footage. The idea as it stands is for the shows to feature two acts—one opener doing approximately 20 minutes and a headliner running 30-40 minutes. While the show-streams are free, viewers are asked to donate as much as they can or would like during each broadcast. At the time of this writing, no schedule of artists had been determined—a fact likely to have changed by the time you read this—but on deck to perform across the series are WesdaRuler and Louie Larceny, Blunt Bangs, T. Hardy Morris, The Pink Stones, Four Eyes, Hotel Fiction and more. Please check facebook.com/flickerbar.athens for updates and then tune in via this conveniently shortened YouTube URL: bit.ly/32OygWB.

EASTER FOR CHRISTMAS: It’s been eight years since their last album, and this new one’s been cooking for six, but Easter Island is finally able to announce that the band’s sophomore LP, Take All The Time You AyoPaco Think You Need, will see release on Dec. 11. The first single from the record, “Smoke,” is out now and can be streamed over at easterisland.bandcamp.com. Stylistically, the band is still a lush and tuneful bunch with its tell-tale ringing guitars and harmonic vocals. This particular track is a bit more measured and a little less overtly earnest than the band’s past work. In this way, it is perhaps more emotionally poignant and effective. It was primarily produced and engineered by member Ryan Monahan with additional engineering work handled by Mike Albanese (Espresso Machine Recording), and it was mastered by Joel Hatstat at High Jump Media.

The band’s debut album, Frightened, was released in 2012.

For other ongoing concerns, please see facebook.com/ easterislandband.

LAND, HO!: Although the latest album by Pilgrim came out way back in late March—the digital release, at least—the band has launched pre-orders for the physical release. The record, Neverland, will be available on vinyl and CD, and the band’s got some new T-shirts available, too, for you to sport while you’re rockin’. As I wrote in my original review of the album, I’m “partial to those songs where Pilgrim turns

the Foghat up to 11,” and that’s an assessment I stand by.

The band expects that the physical goods will be available in early 2021. Honestly, you’d think with a name like that, they’d have been targeting a Thanksgiving release, but, oh well. Get on the techno tip and lay your money down over at pilgrimathens.bigcartel.com, and stream the record at pilgrim4.bandcamp.com.

HEY, OH: The new EP from AyoPaco (aka Paco Marquez,

formerly known as Jack Frost) is out now and named Planet Pac. It’s been a long time since we heard anything from Marquez, and his last release, IceGod, came out just about this time two years ago. Yet again, Marquez excels at producing and performing super-slick, incredibly modern and contemporary hip hop that could easily slide into any playlist of new mixtape artists. It takes a couple of listens through to really catch up with his humor, but he’s quite adept at standing his ground, so to speak, while still being kind of disarmingly self-effacing. You can find this on Spotify and other major streaming services.

I WANNA BE A COWBOY: Ridiculously

hot on the heels of his critically acclaimed album Place Without A Name, Athens’ favorite expat (hopefully a temporary situation) Garrett Hatch is set to release another new album Oct. 20. This next one is named Home, and you can preview one song, “Sagamore Drifter,” now. It’s a steady-paced gallop of a Western-styled tune but crafted in that particular way that makes one dream for days of David Lynch characters, far-off coyote howls and tumbleweeds. Check it all out at garetthatch.bandcamp.com.

FIVE MINUTES OF FIGHTING: The oft-mentioned Ixian has done

a split release with Wizard Spoon as part of the latter’s Cuarentena series, of which this pairing constitutes Volume 4. On the Wizard end of things, the highlight in their three-song thrash parade arrives in the space between 0:29 and 0:39 on the song “Hunger.” I realize that’s a long time to wait for a 42-second song to kick in, but deal with it. As if each decided to place their best right in the middle of their respective sections, Ixian’s best here is the artpunk-electro-smash thing “Skeleton Keys.” The final song, “Power of God,” follows in similar fashion but is no less satisfying. Each band has posted this individually, but the full release is available at ixian.bandcamp.com, whereas wizardspoon.bandcamp.com only features the Wizard Spoon tracks. So choose your own path, bruh. f

record review Various Artists: Creature’s Surfin’ Shindig (Missing Fink Records) Up from the depths of unknown waters, Missing Fink’s Creature’s Surfin’ Shindig LP features 16 cuts by artists from around the globe, pushing surf-rock archetypes to wildly inventive places of murk and mystery. From St. Petersburg, Russia, Messer Chups kick off the demonic safari with classic reverb and kerrang in “Mini Skirt.” Hitchcock—from São Paulo, Brazil—gets downright eerie, infusing horror movie sound effects with rolling reverb. Buenos Aires, Argentinabased guitarist Didi Wray plays with a cool finesse in “Milo De Las Sierras,” but Fred Schneider and the Superions steal the show with “Totally Nude Island.” Here, the B-52s vocalist tells a haunted, sea-faring tale of an island in the South Sea where men are consumed by passion. Creature’s Surfin’ Shindig is the culmination of the landlocked Augusta, GA label’s dedication to probing the outer limits of where rockabilly, punk and surf sounds collide with sci-fi cinema and monster movies from the 1950s. Each song is thick with atmosphere and makes a perfect soundtrack for carving on the dark side. [Chad Radford]

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM

23

WE’RE STILL READY FOR

GAME DAY EVEN IF IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT

ORDER ONLINE FOR CURBSIDE PICK-UP

FROM THE BREWERY! SHOP.TERRAPINBEER.COM