OFFICE MANAGER & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jennifer Keene
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CONTRIBUTORS Grant Blankenship, Erin France, Gordon Lamb, Mark Niesse, Jill Nolin, Ed Tant
CARTOONISTS Missy Kulik, David Mack, Klon Waldrip, Joey Weiser
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EDITORIAL & OFFICE INTERN Mary Beth Bryan
PHOTOGRAPHERS CJ Bartunek, Kat Wood, Jake Zerkel
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city dope Vision Zero
NEW DASHBOARD
WILL SHOW WHEN, WHERE AND WHY WRECKS HAPPEN
By Blake Aued and Grant Blankenship news@flagpole.com
Athens- Clarke County transportation officials are creating a new online dashboard tracking car crashes, injuries and deaths.
Last year, 10 fatal crashes killed 14 people in Athens—a number exacerbated by a rash of deaths around Christmas. In one, a wrong- way driver on the Loop, 26- year-old Desiree Browning of Lawrenceville, hit a vehicle driven by Soonhoon Choi, 25, of Athens, killing herself and Choi. His wife, Sara Waldroup, and their unborn child later died from their injuries as well.
That was just one of the 5,154 wrecks reported in Athens last year—an average of 14 per day. Of those, 1,248 resulted in a total of 1,801 injuries.
Sixty- seven of those crashes involved pedestrians, and 43 involved bike riders. While that’s less than 2% of total crashes, that small number resulted in a quarter of overall deaths and serious, life-altering injuries (17 of 71).
According to a “heat map” of wrecks, they’re most common along wide, fast and busy streets like Lexington Road, West Broad Street, Highway 29 and North Avenue (where the Athens- Clarke County Commission turned down a $25 million federal safety grant rather than potentially inconvenience drivers by eliminating some car lanes). For cyclists and pedestrians, downtown, North Campus and Prince Avenue are among the most dangerous areas, but as Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator Daniel Sizemore noted, “It’s more likely to see bike crashes where people are riding bikes.”
Despite last year’s three fatal crashes in December, they tend to decline during the holidays and over the summer, when many UGA students are out of town, then spike in the spring and especially in fall, possibly because of the number of football fans driving into town.
Transportation and Public Works officials showed an unfinished version of the dashboard last week to Athens in Motion, a group that advises the Athens- Clarke County Mayor and Commission on transportation. The dashboard will let users filter results by mode of transportation, date range, severity of crash, type of road, lighting and weather conditions, time of day, school zone, commission district and possibly driver age.
“It’s going to be an amazing, powerful tool for the commission and the public, and useful for having conversations with officials and the public about countering some of these ideas that may or may not be true about where the wrecks are and what causes them,” Athens in Motion chair Lauren Blais said.
In 2022 the commission passed a Vision Zero resolution setting a goal of zero traffic deaths by 2037. The previous year, fatalities hit an all- time high of 23, dropping to 11 in 2022, then rising again to 21 in 2023 and falling to 11 in 2024. [Blake Aued]
“ It’s going to be an amazing, powerful tool for the commission and the public.
Ossoff Inquires About ICE
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff has written a letter to the head of the Department of Homeland Security pressing for details about a rumored Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility planned for a warehouse in a small town near Athens.
So far, leaders in the city of Social Circle, population about 5,000, have been unable to learn anything new about the idea (first reported in the Washington Post) that ICE has its eye on a million- square- foot ware-
house in the city. In his letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Ossoff shared concerns raised first by local leaders about the idea that the warehouse, which is less than a mile from an elementary school, could hold up to 10,000 people slated for deportation. “We’re not getting any transparency,” Osoff said. “The local officials in Social Circle can’t get any answers from the Department of Homeland Security. The whole thing is shrouded in secrecy—and that’s very much this Department of Homeland Security’s M.O. They evade congressional oversight. They lie in public. So it’s not surprising to me that they’re hiding the ball as they scout potential locations for new detention centers.”
Social Circle is represented in the U.S. House by Republican Mike Collins. Collins is also running for the Senate seat currently held by Ossoff.
In a statement, a representative for Collins said while the congressman “supports ICE’s mission to detain and deport illegal immigrants that flooded over Joe Biden’s open border,” he has also requested a briefing with DHS and ICE about Social Circle in which he, too, would seek answers to residents’ questions.
Eric Taylor is the Social Circle city manager. He said local opposition to the idea is not political in a city where about threequarters of voters cast ballots for President Trump. “The frustration here is that they’re looking at a building that was not built for human habitation,” Taylor said. “There’s nothing more than a shell of a building. This is not something—hands down—that the city can support.”
Taylor added that if the facility were to be built out, it could triple the city’s population and exceed its ability to provide something as basic as running water.
On a recent day, a few vehicles and people could be seen at the warehouse lined by dozens of loading docks for semi trailers. Signs posted by the company PNK Group, which owns the building, listed names and numbers of representatives. When called, those reps told Georgia Public Broadcasting they were under a non-disclosure agreement amid ongoing negotiations. [Grant Blankenship/GPB]
Ibarra Seeks New Trial
A hearing requesting a retrial for Jose Ibarra, the immigrant convicted of killing
Athens nursing student Laken Riley in 2024, brought TV news crews descending on a heavily guarded Athens- Clarke County courthouse on Friday, Jan. 30.
Sheriff’s deputies armed with rifles blocked off Jackson Street near the courthouse while, inside, an expert witness for the defense challenged DNA evidence found on Ibarra’s jacket. However, the witness, Ruth Ballard, acknowledged that she had not had time to finish her analysis. Ibarra’s public defenders had asked Superior Court Judge Patrick Haggard to push back the hearing, but he refused. Haggard did give the defense another month to submit further arguments, the Associated Press reported.
Haggard convicted Ibarra of brutally assaulting and murdering Riley after the Venezuelan immigrant waived his right to a jury trial, and sentenced him to life in prison. Then-district attorney Deborah Gonzalez opted not to seek the death penalty.
Ibarra entered the U.S. illegally with his family in 2022, then claimed asylum, and was let go while the claim was being processed per a Biden administration policy aimed at easing overcrowding in detention facilities. He initially went to New York City, where he separated from his wife, then joined his brother in Athens. In February 2024, he attacked Riley while she was jogging along trails near Lake Herrick on the UGA campus, close to Ibarra’s apartment, according to police and prosecutors.
The case sparked national outrage and led to Congress passing the Laken Riley Act, which requires unauthorized immigrants accused of theft to be detained. Ibarra had been cited for shoplifting while in Athens but, per ACC policy for many types of misdemeanors, was not booked into jail. Other state-level legislation passed in the wake of Riley’s murder requires local law enforcement to cooperate more fully with enforcing federal immigration laws.
At the same time as Ibarra’s hearing, Athens residents stood near the Arch to protest ICE agents fatally shooting observer Renee Good and demonstrator Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Student groups organized a similar protest at the Tate Student Center. About 150–200 people attended each protest, according to attendees. Minneapolis organizers called for a nationwide strike on Jan. 30.
An ICE protest outside City Hall planned for Feb. 1 was postponed to Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. because of the snowstorm predicted to come through Athens. [BA] f
Work has started on a College Square project that will add brick pavers and new landscaping to the pedestrian plaza. The construction is expected to take about 10 months. Sidewalks and access to businesses remain open.
THE LIGHTROOM
WEDNESDAY,
CLASSICAL
SHOWGIRL CABARET
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10
The Challenger Disaster
MANY ASTRONAUTS GAVE THEIR LIVES TO EXPLORE SPACE
By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com
“Ad astra per aspera” is an ancient Latin phrase meaning “to the stars through hardships.” Forty years ago, the harrowing hardships of questing for the stars were seen in cold Florida skies when the space shuttle Challenger exploded 8 miles above its Cape Canaveral launch site, killing its crew of seven astronauts, including Christa McAuliffe, who had hoped to be the first schoolteacher to orbit Earth.
McAuliffe planned to teach lessons from space and show experiments to students. She and her six crewmates hoped to use their lofty vantage point in orbit to study Halley’s Comet as it made its once-in-alifetime appearance during its long, looping 75- year circuit of the sun. It was not to be. The astronauts died chasing the will’o- the wisp, Halley’s Comet. Millions who
triumph. Less than three years later, triumph turned into tragedy when that same Challenger ship exploded high above its seaside launch pad on Jan. 28, 1986.
Nearly two decades before the Challenger disaster, on Jan. 27, 1967, three astronauts died in a fire inside their Apollo spacecraft during a ground-based test on the launch pad. Gus Grissom was a veteran of two previous space flights aboard Mercury and Gemini spacecraft in 1961 and 1965. Ed White had performed the first space walk during a Gemini flight in 1965. Roger Chaffee was a rookie astronaut eager to fly aboard the Apollo craft designed to voyage to the moon. Grissom and Chaffee were laid to rest in the sacred soil of Arlington National Cemetery. White is buried at his beloved West Point military academy.
viewed the launch and loss of Challenger on television or on the scene were shocked and saddened when the death throes of the spaceship came just 73 seconds after it soared aloft.
Forty years after the explosion, the name Challenger still evokes memories of disaster and death. Forgotten in the wake of the 1986 catastrophe is the fact that Challenger was on its 10th mission when it disintegrated. Challenger had a string of successful missions after it began flying in 1983. During its first year of service, America’s first woman in space, Sally Ride, and the first African American astronaut, Guy Bluford, flew into orbit aboard Challenger.
In the wee hours of a summer morning in August of 1983, I was with a crowd of tens of thousands who had gathered to watch as Bluford and his crewmates aboard Challenger took off on the first nighttime launch of a space shuttle. Pelting rains, rumbling thunder and jagged bolts of lightning threatened to cancel the launch, but the weather relented, and Challenger roared to life at 2:30 in the morning. Thousands cheered as the spaceship’s fiery ignition lit up the launch area with billowing steam and an orange glow. Challenger resembled a luminous Chinese lantern as it vaulted into the summertime skies and hurtled into orbit with a guttural roar of technological
The same year that the Apollo astronauts died, more tragedy came to space fliers in both the United States and Russia. Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov of Russia died when the parachute failed during his ill- fated mission aboard a trouble-plagued Soyuz spacecraft. Later in 1967, pilot Mike Adams died in the crash of his X-15 rocketplane after flying to an altitude of just over 50 miles, considered the edge of space by NASA and the Air Force. He was awarded Astronaut Wings posthumously as the first American to die during a space flight, but his service and sacrifice are almost forgotten, and the crash site where he died is today a lonely and remote stretch of California desert.
The race to space claimed more lives in 1971 when three Russian cosmonauts died while returning to Earth from a space station. That same year, Apollo 14 astronauts Al Shepard and Ed Mitchell left on the moon a plaque and a figurine honoring fallen space travelers of all nations. In 2003 seven American astronauts died when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during its re-entry into the atmosphere.
More deaths in space are inevitable, but Mitchell voiced a true perspective about our troubled Earth when he said, “From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty.” f
The Challenger crew: (L-R, back) Ellison S. Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis and Judy Resnik. (Front) Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee and Ron McNair.
Ending Property Taxes
BILL WOULD CREATE 100% EXEMPTION FOR HOMEOWNERS
By Jill Nolin news@flagpole.com
House Republicans have proposed a major property tax overhaul that they say will save Georgia homeowners money but eliminate a reliable source of revenue for counties, cities and schools.
Under the proposal, homeowners would no longer have to pay property taxes on their primary residence starting in 2032, amounting to a 100% homestead exemption. The current homestead exemption would gradually increase in the meantime. Local officials would be able to make up the lost revenue through sales taxes—to a point—and fees and assessments for specific services.
“Property taxes across Georgia have risen at an unsustainable rate,” said House Speaker Jon Burns, a Newington Republican. “Skyrocketing property values are pushing tax bills higher and higher, placing an unfair and unsustainable burden on homeowners throughout our great state.”
time tax relief grant like the one that sent about $500 back to homeowners in 2023 at a cost of about $850 million to the state. A new round of property tax breaks, though, has not yet been funded. It also calls for capping local property tax revenue growth at 3% for the non-exempt property owners who would continue to pay property taxes.
The property tax is an important revenue source for local governments and schools. The total lost local revenues would be at least $5 billion, according to an estimate from a state association that represents counties at the Capitol.
Some counties would have an easier time than others recovering the lost revenue, according to an analysis from the Association County Commissioners of Georgia. Some bedroom communities, for example, would have to raise the sales tax more significantly to offset their losses. And there are limits to how high local officials can take their sales tax rate, with the limit still at 5% in addition to the state’s 4% rate.
Burns billed the plan as “historic” as he unveiled the package at a state Capitol press conference with House Republicans standing behind him. The package calls for amending the state Constitution, which will require a two- thirds vote in both chambers—meaning the support of Democrats is needed. Georgia voters would also have to sign off on it. The resolution for the constitutional amendment, HR 1114, but not the enabling legislation, was filed Jan. 29.
“We see this as something that hopefully everybody—local, state—we can come together, lock arms, roll up our sleeves and get some good work done for the taxpayers,” said Shaw Blackmon, a Bonaire Republican who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, and who has been tasked with shepherding the proposal through the process.
Several Democrats said they were reserving judgment until they see the details. Rep. Bryce Berry, an Atlanta Democrat and teacher, said he has an open mind, but he’s wary of how any erosion of the property tax might affect schools. “I don’t want to hamper those rural districts,” Berry said. The package also calls for another one-
Data Center Bills
LAWMAKERS FILE A FLOOD OF LEGISLATION TARGETING THE INDUSTRY
By Mark Niesse, Capitol Beat News Service news@flagpole.com
Anger and opposition to the rapid rise of data centers across Georgia has led to a surge of bills that would clamp down on the resource- consuming industry.
Georgia legislators have proposed seven bills regulating data centers by eliminating tax breaks, prohibiting costs from being passed on to residential electricity customers or temporarily barring their construction entirely.
Data centers—hulking industrial buildings that power artificial intelligence and technology companies—have emerged as one of the hottest topics at the Georgia Capitol this year as they’ve proliferated across the state’s landscape in recent years. There are over 200 data centers in Georgia, according to Baxtel, a data center industry research firm.
year after two Democrats unseated Republican incumbents last fall in elections for the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities.
State Rep. Ruwa Romman (D-Duluth) proposed a moratorium on new data center construction until Mar. 1, 2027 in House Bill 1012. “Before we permanently alter the landscape of our state, we have an obligation to properly regulate and assess both the benefits and impacts of these data centers on our communities,” said Romman, a Democratic candidate for governor. “They
Clint Mueller, the association’s deputy director, said the revenues could be replaced by only relying on the sales tax, which is another primary source of funding for local governments. Local officials could also try to find another revenue source, or cut services.
“One way or the other, there still has to be something to fill the gap once homesteads are completely eliminated,” Mueller said.
Blackmon acknowledged to reporters that the plan does “rethink the way that we fund local governments.” He said that even with the likely sales tax bumps and other offsetting revenue-raising increases, homeowners should come out ahead under the plan.
Rep. Chas Cannon, a Moultrie Republican who is the county administrator in Colquitt County, said the challenge now is to explain the plan to taxpayers and also the local officials who are being asked to navigate a new local funding landscape.
“The way we do things has been around for a long time, so it’s going to take very complicated steps to kind of unwind that,” Cannon said.
The House proposal is one of many percolating at the Gold Dome that are designed to serve up answers for voter concerns about affordability as the midterms loom. In the Senate, there is a high level push to end Georgia’s income tax, as well as other measures meant to rein in property tax bills. f
This article originally appeared at georgiarecorder. com.
State Sen. Matt Brass, the chairman of the powerful Senate Rules Committee, said residents are worried about the impact of large data centers being built in their communities. Brass proposed Senate Bill 410, which would end Georgia’s sales tax exemption for new data centers but preserve it for existing facilities. Gov. Brian Kemp vetoed a bill in 2024 that would have eliminated the tax break entirely, citing concerns it would undermine business investment in the state.
“It started with concerns from folks back home. There’s a lot of angst over it,” said Brass (R-Newnan).
Data centers will still invest in Georgia even if they don’t get a tax break, Brass said, citing the state’s energy rates, business climate, weather and property values. “There’s all these reasons they want to come here, and the tax incentive I don’t believe is one of them,” Brass said.
Georgia taxpayers effectively gave away $474 million to data centers during the fiscal year that ended in July, according to a recent report by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts.
Data centers produced 8,505 construction jobs and 1,641 operations jobs with a combined $1.2 billion added to the state’s economy, according to the department’s summary of the report.
The Data Center Coalition, a trade association that includes Amazon, Google and Meta, said Georgia has become the fastest-growing data center market in the country. “Data centers are committed to being responsible neighbors that pay their full cost of service for the energy they use,” said Khara Boender, director of state policy for the Data Center Coalition. “We will continue to work with stakeholders at the state, local and industry level to strike the right balance that maximizes the benefit to Georgia taxpayers, protects against rate increases, and ensures data centers are a net positive for the state.”
Rising energy costs and data centers have become a major campaign issue this
come to the table with all these promises, and when those promises don’t come true, it’s too late.”
Another bill that would protect residential customers from electricity costs of data centers is already advancing through the legislative process this year. Senate Bill 34, sponsored by Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome) was debated last year but is being revived in committee hearings this week.
Other legislation calls for local governments to make public data centers’ water and electricity usage. f
Data Center Bills
SB 34: Prohibits costs associated with data center fuel generation and transmission from being included in residential electricity rates.
SB 408: Sunsets Georgia’s sales tax break for data centers on Jan. 1, 2027.
SB 410: Eliminates sales tax exemptions for new data centers.
SB 421: Requires local governments to disclose data centers’ water and electricity usage.
HB 528: Requires data centers to report their water consumption, electricity usage and community impacts.
HB 559: Sunsets Georgia’s sales tax break for data centers on Dec. 31, 2026.
HB 1012: Bans new data center construction until Mar. 1, 2027.
DC BLOX Atlanta East Hyperscale Data Center Campus in Conyers on Friday, Jan. 23. Georgia lawmakers have recently introduced bills to end the tax exemptions on future data centers in response to controversies surrounding power infrastructure and economic impact.
Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns unveiled the chamber’s proposal to cut property taxes on the Capitol’s South Steps on Jan. 28 in Atlanta.
Michael Adams’ Legacy
LATE UGA PRESIDENT PHYSICALLY TRANSFORMED CAMPUS
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
Former University of Georgia president Michael Adams, who oversaw a period of tremendous growth on campus, died Jan. 25 at age 77 after a brief illness. Adams served as president for 16 years, from 1997–2013. During that time, he oversaw the creation of the School of Public and International Affairs, the College of Environment and Design, the Odum School of Ecology, the College of Public Health, the College of Engineering and the Complex Carbohydrates Research Center. Under Adams, UGA spent $1.3 billion on new buildings as part of a master plan adopted in 1998, including the Zell Miller Learning Center, the Paul D. Coverdell Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries, the Animal Health Research Center, the Edgar L. Rhodes Animal Dairy Science Complex, the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center and East Campus Village, where he expanded the Georgia Museum of Art. In addition to building out South and East campus, the plan also laid the groundwork for future expansion onto West Campus, where the Terry College of Business and the new dorm Black-Diallo-Miller Hall now stand.
“It was really him pushing it all along,” Danny Sniff, then the university’s chief architect, told Flagpole in 2013. “He really saw the power in these big, thematic ideas.”
Perhaps the biggest coup of all was the partnership Adams formed with the Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University) that paved the way for a new medical school on the Normaltown property UGA acquired in 2010 when the Navy Supply Corps School moved to Rhode Island. Although UGA at the time was one of the few flagship state universities without a medical school, and Georgia sorely needed more doctors, the idea was met with stiff resistance from politically influential officials in Augusta.
Chuck Toney, who was a speechwriter for Adams and held other leadership positions in his administration, called the medical and engineering schools Adams’ greatest achievements, along with converting parking lots into greenspaces that made walking on campus easier. “He had a very strong commitment to the role of the physical environment in the academic process,” Toney said in an interview after Adams’ death.
Adams—despite a reputation for being imperious—was a consummate politician. He held a PhD in political science from Ohio State University and worked as an aide to Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander and Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker before going into academia as a professor at Ohio State, an administrator at Pepperdine University, then president of Centre College in Kentucky. Toney described him as warm, funny and generous behind the scenes, and someone who prided himself on being a product of Albany and Macon public schools. He knew how to sell his initiatives as good for the state of Georgia, and how to sell UGA as the best institution to implement them.
on fundraising—by the end of his tenure, Adams had tripled the university’s endowment to $750 million. He also created a real estate foundation that could get around state limitations on borrowing money, further fueling the campus construction boom.
Despite some success in sports, athletics scandals continued to plague Adams. His hand-picked successor to Dooley, Damon Evans, was arrested for DUI and fired in 2010. Basketball coach Jim Harrick was fired for academic fraud that resulted in NCAA sanctions.
Adams also pursued the controversial National Bio- and AgroDefense Facility (NBAF), where researchers would have studied dangerous microbes. The Department of Homeland Security lab was awarded to Kansas State University.
In another decision that angered members of the Athens community, Adams gave fraternities an ultimatum to leave UGA-owned property on Lumpkin Street so it
when he left. “But in the overall picture, he’s had a positive impact on the university, and that’s had a positive impact on the community.”
By the end of Adams’ tenure, UGA had a $2.1 billion economic impact on Athens- Clarke County. Enrollment during that time grew from 29,000 to 35,000, while admissions standards grew more rigorous. The faculty added 127 endowed professors and 14 Georgia Research Alliance eminent scholars. Federal research grants nearly tripled. More than 100,000 alumni’s degrees bear his signature—a fact he was particularly proud of.
“I believe in this place. I believe in higher education. I believe in the power of education to change lives,” he said during his final State of the University address. “I’m exhibit A of that, and it has given me an opportunity to represent the institution and move it forward.”
But sometimes Adams’ political instincts failed him, most famously when he forced out a 71- year-old Vince Dooley as athletic director in 2003. “It became more heated than I wish it had,” Adams said at the time.
The move against Dooley led to a split with major donors, but Adams had the backing of the Board of Regents, and he simply formed a new fundraising organization and moved on. (The old and the new foundations eventually combined.) The spat had little long- term effect
could be redeveloped. He expected them to take an offer of free land on East Campus, but several moved off- campus and into neighborhoods instead. One fraternity with Confederate roots, Kappa Alpha, built a new house on historically Black Hancock Avenue in 2005, furthering the corridor’s gentrification.
Adams also riled some by attempting to shut down Legion Pool in 2012, but backed down in the face of community opposition. The Jere Morehead administration made a final decision to replace the pool with parking and greenspace last December.
Despite some conflicts, Adams set UGA on the path to becoming a premier public research university. “If you look at the total picture of what was accomplished, you may not like everything he did. You may not like him as a person. You may think he’s great,” then-Mayor Heidi Davison said
After stepping down at UGA, Adams returned to Pepperdine University—where he started his higher education career—as chancellor for three years before coming back to Athens. His funeral was held Tuesday, Feb. 3 at First Presbyterian Church.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of President Adams’ passing, and on behalf of the University of Georgia community, I want to express my sincere condolences to [wife] Mary, [sons] David and Taylor, and their entire family,” current President Jere W. Morehead said in a statement from UGA . “When Dr. Adams became president, he outlined an ambitious vision for the future of our great institution, and during his 16- year tenure, he implemented that vision and elevated the national reputation of UGA in so many positive ways. I will always be grateful for his service to the University of Georgia and his unwavering commitment to advancing our mission.” f
UGA President Michael Adams presented Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus with a bulldog statue when the Navy Supply School in Normaltown moved to Rhode Island in 2010. Securing the property for a new health sciences campus was among Adams’ signature achievements.
KEVIN S. O’BRIEN / U.S. NAVY
Stephen John Ramos, 55, passed away on January 20, 2026, after a cardiac arrest. He was Professor of Urban Planning in UGA’s College of Environment + Design. Born in Boston, MA, on July 8, 1970, to Dr. Emilio Ramos and Jane Gore Ramos, he grew up in Ellicott City, MD. He is survived by his wife and partner of thirty years, Nuria Jaumot-Pascual, his children, GJ, 16, and Enzo, 13, all of Athens, GA, and by his brother Peter, sister-in-law Diane, nephew Simon, and niece Nyla of Buffalo, NY, and by many friends and colleagues. He was preceded in death by his parents.
As teenagers, he and his brother Peter and neighborhood friends formed a post-punk band The Unknown, which released two albums with Stephen on guitar.
In true partnership, Stephen and Nuria supported each other in their academic pursuits through the years. Stephen earned a degree in English and Spanish at Gettysburg College in 1993, moved to Nicaragua, where he met Nuria, and where they both worked in international development. An endowment in Stephen’s name will benefit Project Gettysburg-León, a nonprofit partnership supporting sustainable development.
In 2000, Stephen earned twin master’s degrees in Community and Regional Planning and Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where Nuria earned her bachelor’s in anthropology. From Austin, the couple moved to Spain, and in 2005, to Cambridge, to study at Harvard. Nuria earned a master’s in Management, and in 2009, Stephen received his Doctor of Design from Harvard GSD, where he researched the first of his two books, Dubai Amplified: The Engineering of a Port Geography (Routledge Press, 2010), a crucial text on Middle East harbor engineering.
In 2010, as he was turning his dissertation into his first book, GJ was born. He became a dedicated and loving father on January 10. In 2013, as he was working on establishing his scholarship on ports and infrastructure, Enzo was born. When interviewed for an article at UGA, he said that the most significant event of his time there was the birth of his son.
An international scholar of port cities, infrastructure, transition, logistics, and planning history, Dr. Ramos has served on numerous boards and scientific committees and received various research grants. In 2011, he became an Assistant Professor at the CED at the UGA. Nuria earned her PhD in Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methodologies at UGA in 2018 while Dr. Ramos was a Visiting Professor on the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, (TU) Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Dr. Ramos’s second book Folk Engineering: Planning Southern Regionalism (University of NC Press, 2025) was developed during his tenure at UGA.
The twin doctoral couple enjoyed thirty years together. Ramos was a beloved professor, a loving husband, and a dedicated parent. The family enjoyed yearly trips to Dr. Jaumot-Pascual’s native Catalunya and to meet old friends in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Locally, they have enjoyed the many nature trails and a wide group of colleagues and friends.
Donations can be made to Project Gettysburg-León (https://app.aplos.com/aws/ give/ProjectGettysburgLeon/general) and on the Meal Train site (https://mealtrain. com/8nql14), where funds are being collected to establish a scholarship for students of color in Stephen’s name. A memorial service in his honor will be held in the spring.
Stephen Ramos, Beloved Professor of Urban Planning
arts & culture feature
Withdrawal Comes to Ciné
AWARD-WINNING INDIE FILM MADE IN ATHENS
By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com
Athens native filmmaker and podcaster Aaron Strand’s debut film Withdrawal, inspired by his own experience with addiction, made its soldout world premiere at the Atlanta Film Festival last May before a hometown premiere at the Athens Film Festival in August. After winning multiple awards around the indie film festival circuit, Withdrawal is back in Athens for a week of screenings at Ciné.
The film aims to humanize the opioid crisis through the story of two artistic lovers, Viv (played by Millie Rose Evans) and Jay (played by Brent Michal), who decide to break their codependent heroin addiction during a night of withdrawal with one another. While the story itself is universal, Strand’s approach makes it a deeply Athens story.
“There’s an essential truth here about the artistic life. It’s just very cool that Athens really is the perfect canvas to tell that story upon. So it was never the goal to be Athens first, but if anyone that comes and sees this movie has lived in Athens, or knows someone that lives in Athens, they come back and they’re like, ‘Yo, that is the spirit of that town,” says Strand.
Evans, who has won several Best Actress awards for this film, is also an Athens native, and Strand says that she perfectly channeled the Athens creative and musical spirit. Bringing empathy and tenderness to the role, Evans also wrote and performed two songs to be featured.
every aspect of the screen craft that I could, and it took me a decade before I could finish a feature film that I thought was worth the time and effort that I had put into it. But Athens was this incredible incubator that allowed me to learn those skills.So it’s a credit to Athens and the resources that were here, and most importantly, the time that I could take in Athens that allowed me to explore that part of my craft and to build those technical skills.”
“Growing up and being an artist in Athens, it can have so much hope and so much joy as you enter into the scene here. It can feel like some sort of artistic carnival. But then at a certain point, maybe you get a little impatient. You start to get a little disillusioned with the independent artist life, and all of a sudden you start looking for shortcuts of, like, it’s easier to feel like a rock star than be one. And that’s a story that has played out for me in Athens. I’ve seen it play out with so many other Athenians,” says Strand.
Although the story is not autobiographical, Strand drew from his own experience and transformed it into something larger than himself, an aspect of the film that he’s very proud of. In 2013, Strand returned to Athens thinking that his life was over. Ten years of hard work to not only get sober and rebuild his life, but learn how to effectively tell stories and work at his craft had brought him to this moment.
“This world of micro-budget filmmaking, of storytelling and really honing a narrative style and craft to tell really heartfelt stories about specific communities is something that is accessible to everyone,” says Strand. “When I came back to Georgia, I cooked at the hot bar of Earth Fare for like six years, slinging hot bar food. The whole time I was doing that, I was dedicating myself to not just watching movies and going to Vision Video about every other day, but to learning
MUSIC | FRI, FEB. 6
Drum Tao
calendar picks
Hodgson Concert Hall • 7:30 p.m. • $42–74 (discount w/ UGA ID)
Based in Oita Prefecture, Drum Tao is a wakaido ensemble created on a foundation of Japanese tradition and blended with modern music and design. At the center of the performances are large taiko drums, but the group also incorporates a variety of traditional Japanese instruments, such as bamboo flutes and various stringed instruments. More than just a musical performance, Drum Tao is also renowned for the tight choreography and dynamic staging of its shows, which add an element of visual storytelling to the experience. The ensemble is currently touring the U.S. through the beginning of April, building onto its cumulative audience of over 10 million people across dozens of countries. In addition to this performance, there will be a show at 10 a.m. the same day for the Piedmont Athens Regional Performances for Young People series, with a $5 admission fee for K–12 students and their chaperones. [Mary Beth Bryan]
MUSIC
| FEB. 6–7
Billy Strings
Akins Ford Arena • 6:30 p.m. (doors), 7:30 p.m. (show) • SOLD OUT!
drinks, as well as vendors to shop around at while listening to the music. Though Pickin’ in the Classic City is free to attend, donations will be accepted at the door, with a portion of the proceeds going toward the event’s beneficiary, Nuçi’s Space. Like Nuçi’s Space, Crawfish for a Cause is dedicated to
mental health awareness and suicide prevention in Athens. [MB]
MUSIC | SAT, FEB. 7
Kinky Waikiki’s
Western Roundup
Nuçi’s Space • 8 p.m. • $15
Daily screenings will be held Feb. 6–12, with each hosted by a different local organization or community figure. Each host will conduct a Q&A with different members of the cast and crew based on a topic that reflects on their own industry or lens of the community. Friday will be hosted by Fuel Hot Yoga, Saturday by Project Safe, Sunday by Agora Vintage, Monday by Montu Miller, Tuesday by Athens Film Festival, Wednesday by Mayor Kelly Girtz and Thursday by Nuçi’s Space.
“We want to make this as much of a community celebration as possible,” says Strand. “Somewhere around the 2000s and the decline of the Cineplex, the idea of cinema as a third space began to sort of decay… it’s a complete slap in the face to the legacy of cinema and to the beauty of movies as a catalyst for community.”
Marketing films without the backing of a big industry label is a challenge for any filmmaker, so having hosts already known to the community helps to build trust in the film. “Those community members are lending their stamp of approval saying, ‘Hey, this is a project that we support. This is a project that we’re excited about.’ Hopefully that creates a more personal touch that will get people to take a risk on something that doesn’t have those standard industry film stamps of trust,” says Strand. For times and ticketing info, visit athens cine.com. f
Billy Strings is a defining voice in today’s bluegrass landscape, with an inspiring backstory of perseverance to boot. He was born in Lansing, MI as William Lee Apostol, with his father dying of a heroin overdose early on in his childhood. His mother remarried bluegrass musician Terry Barber, who sparked Apostol’s love for the genre and introduced him to artists like Doc Watson and John Hartford. Unfortunately, by his teenage years both parents had become addicted to methamphetamines, at which time Apostol left home and developed addictions of his own. Though all parties eventually achieved sobriety from harder drugs, his experiences with addiction became heavily folded into his musical story. By 2012 he began releasing music, beginning with “Dust in a Baggie,” which was recorded with mandolin player Don Julin. Billy Strings’ debut record, Turmoil & Tinfoil, came out in 2017, garnering him early attention from the likes of Rolling Stone. Since then, he’s amassed a devoted following, performed with many fellow bluegrass and country greats and earned two Grammy Awards for Best Bluegrass Album. [MB]
MUSIC | SAT, FEB. 7
Pickin’ in the Classic City
Paloma Park • 2–6 p.m. • FREE!
Plenty of post-Billy Strings shows will be happening to accompany the picker’s visit to Athens, including Sicard Hollow at Live Wire after both shows and Captain Midnight Band at Nowhere Bar after the Saturday show. Local nonprofit Crawfish for a Cause, on the other hand, is partnering with Paloma Park to ensure a full day of music with a BMFS pre-party. The event will be soundtracked by live performances from Peach Ice Cream Bluegrass, a bluegrass band with an improvisational spirit, and rock band Barnhouse. There will also be food and
Athens retro steel-guitar band Kinky Waikiki is heading up a benefit show for local mental health and musicians’ resource nonprofit Nuçi’s Space. The Westernthemed show will raise money for Nuçi’s Space to supply its rehearsal rooms with new microphones. Though Kinky Waikiki— which for this show will be composed of AJ Adams, Neal Fountain, Paul Lee, Carlton Owens and Tommy Somerville–usually performs traditional Hawaiian- style music, for this fundraiser it will serve as a backing band for a host of crooners as they perform the best of Western swing and classic country. The lineup of guest singers will include Ella Adams (Women in STEM), Claire Campbell (Hope for Agoldensummer), Austin Darnell (The Howdies), Cody Haynes (Coyote Holler), Clay Leverett (Lona, Now It’s Overhead), Tommy Somerville (Squat) and William Tonks (MrJordanMrTonks). [MB]
MUSIC | FEB. 11–14
HeAthens Homecoming
Athens’ cult favorite Southern rockers are back for their annual hometown residency. Since its formation in 1996, Drive-By Truckers has built up a dedicated fanbase across its 14 studio albums and countless live performances. The band has a reputation not only for its sound, but also for its gritty storytelling and unapologetic sociopolitical commentary. For each night of the four-night residency, Drive-By Truckers will be joined by a new guest. On Feb. 11, alt- county/slacker rock artist MJ Lenderman will make his 40 Watt Club return for the event. On Feb. 12, twangy Athens folk-rocker T. Hardy Morris will take the stage. In classic HeAthens fashion, the third night will feature a band from Nuçi’s Space’s Camp Amped youth music program, as well as local band The Lanes, who are celebrating an album release. Philadelphia’s alt- country sweethearts Florry, who last stopped by for 2025’s AthFest, will join the Truckers for the final show. [MB] f
Drum Tao
‘Home & Family: A Printmaking Exhibit’
TAYLOR-GRADY HOUSE HOSTS BLACK HISTORY MONTH GROUP EXHIBITION
By Libba Beaucham arts@flagpole.com
Woodcuts, lithography, screen printing, letterpress, etching, linocuts—all of these (and more) are printmaking, “the medium of the reproducible,” as Kayla Hall describes it.
Hall is a member of the University of Georgia Printmaking Student Association and the local Black Artists Alliance. Artists from both organizations, including Hall, will exhibit their own printmaking works alongside Atlanta-based artist Jamaal Barber during “Home & Family: A Printmaking Exhibit” at the Taylor-Grady House from Feb. 6–28 in honor of Black History Month.
The exhibition has offered the student artists the opportunity to learn from Barber and interpret the theme of home and family for themselves through various mediums of printmaking. The setting itself also offers a unique opportunity for both the artists and those viewing the art in a historic setting.
“When you come through the door, you will hear me say ‘welcome home,’” said Dan Roberts, executive director of Taylor-Grady House at Landmark Commons. “As a gallery, it’s one of the few places you can actually sit down… it really just prompts you to slow down, to really look at the work, to really look at the architecture, and question where this once was, where we are now, and what this has the capability of being.”
Barber began his artistic career as a painter, but focused his work on printmaking after viewing a screenprinting demonstration at a local art store in 2013. His printmaking works are vibrant, highly textured, layered and bold with themes that center around “the anger, the pride, the pain and the triumph of Black life.” His works can be seen illustrated in the Pulitzer Prize- winning book The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. “Unity is a big part of his artist’s practice and philosophy,” says Hall. “He has this holistic world view of, anybody’s a maker.”
It’s a fitting sentiment for the circa 1844 Greek Revival home, once the residence of Henry W. Grady, an Athens-born journalist and leading voice of reconciliation in the post-Reconstruction “New South.” In an 1886 speech, Grady proclaimed, “There was a South of slavery and secession; that South is dead… a South of union and freedom; that South, thank God, is living, breathing, growing every hour.” Today the home is an event venue, art gallery and house museum with a mission “to be an open door for all to experience an inclusive history through education, preservation and hospitality.”
The experience of viewing modern art, especially works by Black artists, within the context of the house’s history allows for reflection in ways that a modern art gallery cannot. “A brown- skinned Black person like myself operating in this space would look much different than I am now, you know? So I think that, in itself, it’s a radical consideration,” says Hall.
The history of the form itself resonates with Hall, too. “Printmaking has one of the longest histories… woodcuts being one of the earliest forms,” explains Hall. “To have this historic artform within a historic home… and the fact that we are combining folks across various demographics, history, storytelling, all around the central theme of home and family is very poignant, now more than ever.”
That earliest form of printmaking, woodcut relief, goes back at least 1,000 years to China with images carved into wood planks, pressed into ink and transferred to paper. Before the method of woodcut relief, there were protoprintmaking techniques using carved bronze and stone on clay and silk. While both methods transfer an image to another surface, these older methods were intended for use by officials, religious institutions and the elite classes. The reproducibility and the reaching of the masses was and remains an essential part of printmaking. “It’s also one of
the mediums that allowed for everyday people to begin to acquire art,” says Hall.
The medium has evolved with technological innovation of printmaking methods, the most well known form being Gutenberg’s typesetting and letterpress system in 1440, which led to the mass production of books. The system would seem painstakingly slow to us today, but the 15th century technology was truly revolutionary in its ability to reproduce and disseminate information far faster than the handwritten manuscripts of scribes. For Hall, this form of printmaking is a meditative process. “Setting something by type, the way in which you type on a word document, I’m doing that by hand… So there’s this attentiveness, delicacy, care and exactitude that printmaking requires… the intimacy is really what I love.”
Printmaking’s connection to Black history has been an inspiring piece of the exhibition, too. Hall notes the ties to early Black newspapers and literature, artists of the 1940s–1960s like Elizabeth Catlett, and activist groups like the Black Panther Party using printmaking as a means of unification and reaching the masses through art. Hall hopes that the art on display during “Home & Family” will also inspire guests to consider what home and family means to them.
Several events will be held, including an opening reception and artist talks. An artist talk with Jamaal Barber will be held Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lamar Dodd School of Art. The opening reception at the Taylor-Grady House will be held Friday, Feb. 6 from 5:30–8 p.m. The Taylor-Grady House will also host a student artist talk on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. and a Printmaking for Children workshop on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.
For more information, visit taylorgrady.com. f
“First Baptist” by Jamaal Barber
“New Visions” by Jamaal Barber
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9 at 7:30 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall. FOR TICKETS:
$15 - Adults
$3 UGA students music.uga.edu 706-542-4400
SUBAERIAL COLLECTIVE & WOODWINDS DUOS
Subaerial Collective: Adrian Childs, piano/keyboards; Peter Lane, bassoon/ contrabassoon, technology; and Emily Koh, double bass/electric bass. Woodwind duos: Angela Jones-Reus, flute; Amy Pollard, bassoon; and Brandon Quarles, saxophone.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19 at 7:30 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall. FOR TICKETS:
$15 - Adults
$3 UGA students music.uga.edu 706-542-4400
“REFLECTIONS” - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
This evening features a wide variety of orchestral music, both classical and contemporary, including one featured concerto, “Reflections on the Mississippi” (2015) by Michael Daugherty with UGA faculty soloist Matthew Shipes, tuba.
Conductor Christopher Hickey
MOZART VESPERS presented by UGA REPERTORY SINGERS UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA NEW
FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE Featuring new compositions curated from over 600 submissions.
FRIDAY, FEB. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Ramsey Concert
Six-Track Demo
By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com
SOUND AND VISION: The University of Georgia Performing Arts Center will host the truly spectacular Japanese drumming troupe Drum Tao. This performance, which mixes traditional Japanese drumming (wadaiko) with contemporary styles, happens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6 at the Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. The group will perform its newest ensemble production named The Best. At 10 a.m. the same day, Drum Tao is hosted at the same location by Piedmont Athens Regional Performances for Young People (grades 2–12, ages 6 and up). Admission for the morning session is only $5 each for students and adult chaperones. Tickets for the evening performance run $42–$74. To purchase tickets and for more information, please see pac. uga.edu/calendar and scroll down until you see these listed. Also, check out drum- tao.com.
FOLKS OUT THERE: Preorders are open now for the 10th anniversary edition of Kishi Bashi’s Sonderlust. In addition to digital downloads, the fresh version is available on vinyl and compact disc. This reissue is packed to its gills with bonus material, too, and features a full 12 extra tracks, although I cannot confirm those will all be featured on the vinyl version. The record is slated for release on Feb. 27. Kishi Bashi’s live shows are renowned for their intensity and sense of celebration, and fans can catch him at Knoxville, TN’s stupendously curated Big Ears Festival on Sunday, Mar. 29, then here in town on Tuesday, Mar. 31 at the 40 Watt Club. Head over to kishibashi.bandcamp.com to order the record (and catch up on any music you may have missed), and for all your other Kishi Bashi needs, please see kishibashi.com.
in Athens from West Virginia in 1986, the pair quickly fell in with the Widespread Panic crowd as well as others, like producer David Barbe, who had a solid respect for what they were doing. Physical copies of the boxed set, which is all previously unreleased material recorded 1987–2012, are available for $40, but you can stream it immediately on
“What Time Is It?” should stay in the kitchen for a while, but the gently-plucked “Day Moon” is almost there. Skirr ends all this with “(I Didn’t Know I Needed A) Miracle” which is less direct than the opening track, but with similar musical provenance. And, just as a demo should, this acts as a nice introduction for this thoughtful group. Find it at skirrband.bandcamp.com, and if you feel like being social, go do that at instagram.com/skirr_band.
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT: Orlando, FL’s Drunken Butterfly Records just released a split cassette of Athens hardcore troopers Regulator and Crying Form. Each band contributes three songs but, also, each side plays as a single track. Honestly, this makes so much sense, anyway, because you can never tell which song is playing on a cassette without paying close attention. But in the interest of bringing you the full scoop I did pay close attention. Specific highlights here are Regulator’s “Working Class” and Crying Form’s “L.I.F.E”. The former rocks as if the past 30 years of hardcore never happened, and the latter was sold on me as soon as I heard those sweet Black Flag guitar tones. The entire thing is only 9:07 long, so jam it on your lunch break. Dig it at drunkenbutterflyrecords.bandcamp.com.
major streaming services as well as listen or order at bloodkinterminus.bandcamp.com. For up to date information, please see bloodkin.net.
EARLY BIRDS: The first show to take place at the newly established Dead Beat Club (R.I.P Buvez) is scheduled. It’ll happen Friday, Feb. 13 with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and music starting an hour later. Opening the show is Klark Sound (Clark Hamilton) and headlining is Athens supergroup Blue Stars (Claire Campbell, Andrea DeMarcus, Joe Rowe and Dan Nettles). Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased by following this URL: tinyurl.com/5n8ftdzk.
ORDER UP: Although it was released 13 years ago, the fivedisc, 88- song boxed set One Long Hustle by Bloodkin just landed on Bandcamp a few days ago, so I thought I’d men-
THE ADULTS ARE TALKING: The Athens music veterans in Skirr (namely Ben Walters, Ian Schmutte, Thomas Wilcox and Davy Gibbs) released a six- track demo last month. One thing I like so much about this is it doesn’t pretend to not
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF BLIND JOE DIRT: Right at the very end of 2025 Dirt McSpurt—who is a project of songwriter Jack Walters— released this super weird record named DIG (EP). Briefly, if you like outsider folk of the sort that drives people out of coffee shops and makes them cross the street to get away, then this is for you. It’s a marked departure from his previously released hip-hop stuff, some of which was released under the name Jack The Spitter. The record starts to coalesce into something nearly workable around the track “Two Headed Sister,” which is tuneful and fairly direct, but it starts to slip back into the weird era by the very next song “(I am making
Oliver Domingo’s electronic spacethemed act, which utilizes primitive drum machines and synthesizers to create disco-pop, jazz and easy listening inspired compositions.
FAKE JR. Power pop from Raleigh, NC-based musician Kevin Murphy.
BOY NAMED SUE Southern emo rock and roll band from North Carolina.
THE UNBELIEVING DOG Whimsical, sad music from Iain Cooke.
Hendershot’s
No Phone Party. 7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
KENOSHA KID The brainchild of guitarist Dan Nettles performs two sets of adventurous new music each week from his ever-expanding catalog that exists “somewhere in the Schrödinger’s nexus of jazz, post-rock and improvised music.”
GIMME HENDRIX Local Jimi Hendrix cover band led by Eric Keaton. DIREWOLF Grateful Dead tribute band.
Hendershot’s
7:30 p.m. FREE! www.hendershots athens.com
OPEN MIC Hosted by Liz Farrell the first Wednesday of every month. Sign up online.
Porterhouse Grill
7 p.m. www.porterhousegrillathens. com
JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens featuring a rotating cast of familiar faces performing American songbook, bossa nova classics and crossover hits.
Ramsey Hall
3:30 p.m. FREE! music.uga.edu
REPERTORY SINGERS A mixed chamber choir directed by graduate student conductors.
MYLES MORGAN Fast-rising country artist who has already opened for acts like Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Riley Green. Hendershot’s 8 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
SHANE PARISH AND MICHAEL LIBRAMENTO Master guitarist and fearless explorer of rhythm and timbre Shane Parish joined by jazz multi-instrumentalist Michael Libramento.
Friday 6
40 Watt Club
Peachtree Entertainment Presents. 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $20 (adv.), $25, $50 (VIP). www.40watt. com
LOGAN CROSBY Musician from Georgia whose goal is to bring the effortless, soulful sound back to country.
BRODY CLEMENTI Country musician known for his work in brother duo CB30.
COSMIC CHARLIE Grateful Dead cover band that adds its own flair to the classics.
Hendershot’s
Dizzy Rat Presents. 8 p.m. $10. www. hendershotsathens.com
YOUR EX’S PETS Haunting, groovy, soft-loud songs with rich vocal harmonies. Special preview of all new songs!
DRÍ & THE VIOLENCE Project of singer, percussionist and songwriter Adriana Thomas.
TAXICAB VERSES Local group fronted by Jim Wilson and inspired by the traditional sounds of Ghana. DJ MR. CHARLIE Charlie Wilson spinning tunes.
Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall
7:30 p.m. $42–74 (discount w/ UGA ID). pac.uga.edu
DRUM TAO Wadaiko group with extraordinary athleticism, largescale taiko drums and precise choreography merged with contemporary costumes and traditional flute, harp and guitar melodies.
Live Wire
Post-Billy Strings Late Night Show. 9 p.m. (doors), 11 p.m. (show). $15 (adv.), $20. bit.ly/LiveWireAthens Feb6
SICARD HOLLOW Psychedelic punk-grass rockers from Nashville.
EVEY MAY Athens based indie alternative songwriter with postpunk and shoegaze influences.
TOMMY HEDGEHOG New local rock band.
EIGHT PICTURES Like if Pixies took Morrissey’s lunch money. The Foundry Aubrey Entertainment Presents. 6 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $20 (adv.), $25. bit.ly/SonsOfSailorsFeb7
SONS OF SAILORS A Jimmy Buffett cover band that has been performing together since 1980. Hendershot’s 3–5 p.m. FREE! www.hendershots athens.com
CLASSICAL REVOLUTION Open classical play by local musicians. Live Wire Post-Billy Strings Late Night Show. 9 p.m. (doors), 11 p.m. (show). $15 (adv.), $20. bit.ly/LiveWireAthensFeb7
SICARD HOLLOW Psychedelic punk-grass rockers from Nashville. Nowhere Bar Post-Billy Strings Late Night Show. 11 p.m. www.instagram.com/nowhere barathensga
CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT BAND New Orleans-born, Nashville-based rock band with crunchy guitar riffs, thick R&B grooves and soaring vocal harmonies.
Nuçi’s Space
Nuçi’s Space benefit show for new microphones. 8 p.m. $15. www. nuci.org
KINKY WAIKIKI’S WESTERN
ROUNDUP The relaxing, steel guitar-driven band following the traditions of Hawaiian music joined by guest singers Ella Adams, Claire Campbell, Austin Darnell, Cody Haynes, Clay Leverett, Tommy Somerville and William Tonks. Paloma Park
Pickin’ in the Classic City. 2–6 p.m. www.nuci.org
PEACH ICE CREAM BLUEGRASS Bluegrass band that blends folk and blues with a carefree dash of improvisation to sooth the soul.
BARNHOUSE Local five-piece rock band.
The Root
10 p.m. FREE! www.therootathens.com
SILENT DISCO Grab a pair of headphones, choose a music channel and dance the night away.
Sunday 8
Boutier Winery & Inn
Wine Down. 3–5 p.m. www.boutier winery.com
SHANE MCALLISTER Piano covers of favorite rock songs.
Will Shine hosts this open jam with a house band made up of rotating local musicians.
Ramsey Hall
7:30 p.m. $6 (w/ UGA ID), $18. pac. uga.edu
SUBAERIAL COLLECTIVE A trio of UGA faculty composer-performers expanding the limits of traditional concert boundaries through the use of technology, reinterpretation of performance practice or recontextualization of the concert experience.
WOODWIND DUOS Featuring flutist Angela Jones-Reus, bassoonist Amy Pollard and saxophonist Brandon Quarles.
Live band and vocalists perform hit songs along with a screening of the digitally remastered movie.
Flicker Theatre & Bar Sweetheart Serenade. 8 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreandbar.com
DYLAN EARL Steeped in nostalgia and history but unafraid to challenge tradition, his newest effort delivers a modern take on country
and western filled with sharp wit, irreverence and a fearless streak of creative rebellion.
JONATHAN TERRELL Austin, TX singer-songwriter shares a new breed of country that drifts through dreamscapes and delves into vivid stories from Americana’s most gorgeous and gritty corners.
TELEMARKET Vintage pop identity crisis courtesy of Athens songwriter and producer Adam Wayton (and his many talented friends).
RYAN JENNINGS Nashville-born songwriter whose debut album weaves stories of local Nashville history, family and heartache. Hendershot’s No Phone Party. 7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com
KENOSHA KID The brainchild of guitarist Dan Nettles performs two sets of adventurous new music each week from his ever-expanding catalog that exists “somewhere in the Schrödinger’s nexus of jazz, post-rock and improvised music.” Ramsey Hall 7:30 p.m. $64 (discount w/ UGA ID). pac.uga.edu
HAOCHEN ZHANG Pianist who plays with a unique combination of deep musical sensitivity, fearless imagination, and spectacular virtuosity. Program includes Beethoven and Schumann.
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS Legendary local Southern rock band front by Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley. MJ LENDERMAN Asheville-based musician known for his unique concoction of alt-country and indie rock.
KARAOKE WITH DJ GREGORY Second and fourth Wednesdays. Hendershot’s 7 p.m. (sign-ups). FREE! www.hendershotsathens.com
BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE OPEN MIC Emcees, poets, rappers and freestylers of all styles are invited to perform with the backing band playing the tempo of their choice.
Porterhouse Grill 7 p.m. www.porterhousegrillathens. com
JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens featuring a rotating cast of familiar faces performing American songbook, bossa nova classics and crossover hits.
Down the Line
2/12 Shadowgrass (Georgia Theatre)
2/12 Drive-By Truckers, T. Hardy Morris (40 Watt Club)
2/12 Shane Parish and Michal Libramento (Hidden Gem)
CLASSES: Microsoft Word: Basic Formatting (ACC Library) Learn how to create a word document and to format text, insert content and more. Registration required. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Amici at The Falls) Test your trivia knowledge with host Miles Bunch. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/ baddogathens
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Paloma Park) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/baddogathens
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Winghouse Grill Hull) Test your general trivia knowledge. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
GAMES: Bingo & Sip (MaiKai Kava Lounge) Play BINGO with a chance to win prizes. Every other Tuesday, 7 p.m. FREE! www.athenskava.com
GAMES: Singo! (Beef O’Brady’s) Win gift certificates and prizes at this music bingo night. Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. www.beefobradys.com/athens
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Magnolias of Athens) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Benjamin. Tuesdays, 8 p.m. www. instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
LECTURES & LIT: Historic Athens History Hour (Lyndon House Arts Center) Author Mark Clegg will discuss his book The Crimson & Gold 12–1 p.m. FREE! www.historic athens.com
LECTURES & LIT: Bogart Bookies (Bogart Library) Pick up a copy of When the Moon Turns Blue by Pamela Terry and discuss it with the group. 1 p.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 4
ART: Curator Talk (Georgia Museum of Art) Shawnya Harris will give
a gallery talk about the exhibition “Shacks, Stories and Spirit: Beverly Buchanan’s Art of Home.” 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Stormwater Management for the Sustainable Landscape (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) A workshop with focus on environmentally friendly strategies to mitigate the effects of stormwater runoff. All materials provided. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. $140. botgarden. uga.edu
EVENTS: Wine Tasting (Ciné) Try more than 10 different wines from Kate Arnold Wines with proceeds benefitting Ciné. 5:30–7:30 p.m. $25. www.athenscine.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (South Main Brewing) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Normal Bar) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Wednesdays, 7:06 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Locos Grill and Pub Eastside) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. www.instagram.com/ shihtzunottrivia
Thursday 5
ART: Opening Reception (Lamar Dodd School of Art) Five new spring exhibitions will be on view featuring artworks spanning animation, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, scientific illustration and more. 5–7 p.m. FREE! art.uga.edu
ART: Faculty Perspectives (Georgia Museum of Art) Cassandra Hall will give a gallery talk on the exhibition “We, Too, Are Made of Wonders.” 5:15 p.m. FREE! www.georgia museum.org
ART: Student Art Show (Winterville Cultural Center) Works by local art students will be on view during this annual exhibition. 5:30–7 p.m. FREE! www.wintervillecenter.com
EVENTS: Ladies Night Out (Boutier Winery & Inn) Enjoy a night of line dancing with wine and a buffet. First Thursdays, 6–9 p.m. $20. www. boutierwinery.com
FILM: Ocean with David Attenborough (ACC Library) Screening of the documentary that explores the beauty of our oceans, the challenges they face and the solutions already within reach. 5 p.m. FREE! www.classiccityrotary.org
FILM: History Film Series (221 Leconte Hall) Screening of the 2025 award-winning film Sinners 5:30 p.m. FREE! history.uga.edu
GAMES: Bad Dog BINGO (Amici at The Falls) Play BINGO with host TJ Wayt. Thursdays, 6 p.m. www. instagram.com/baddogathens
GAMES: Love.Craft Bingo Night (Athentic Brewing Co.) A bingo event benefiting the nonprofit organization Love.Craft Athens. 6:30–8 p.m. $3–5. www.lovecraftathens.org
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Terrapin Beer Co.) Test your general trivia knowledge. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Butt Hutt) Test your general trivia knowledge. Thursdays, 7 p.m. www. instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
KIDSTUFF: Little Learners (Howard Park & Community Center) Explore numbers, colors, letters and patterns through hands-on activities, creative play and social time with new friends. Ages 2–5. 10 a.m. $2 (ACC residents), $3 (non-residents). www.accgovga.myrec.com
KIDSTUFF: Lego Builder’s Challenge (Oconee County Library) Drop in to free build and create, or do one of the fun LEGO challenges. Ages 5–12. First thursdays, 3:30–5:30. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee
PERFORMANCE: Ballroom Magic (UGA New Dance Theatre) UGA’s Ballroom Performance Group presents its 35th annual performance “Home is Where the Magic Is.” Feb. 5–6, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7, 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. $11–22. www. ugaballroom.com
PERFORMANCE: The Vagina Monologues (Marigold Auditorium for Arts and Culture) The Cottage presents this performance with proceeds supporting the center’s free services for survivors of sexual violence and child abuse in the Athens area. Feb. 5–7, 8 p.m. $16 (adv.), $18. www.northgeorgiacottage.org
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Friday 6
ART: Art in the Park (Sandy Creek Park) Join staff to create works of art inspired by nature. All ages. Registration required. 10 a.m. $5 (ACC resident), $7.50 (non-resident). www.accgovga.myrec.com
ART: Opening Reception (The Taylor-Grady House) The Black History Month exhibition “Home & Family: A Printmaking Exhibit” will be on view. 5:30–8 p.m. FREE! www. taylorgrady.com
CLASSES: Morning Mindfulness (Georgia Museum of Art) Instructor-led meditation, movement and mindfulness techniques in the galleries. Email to RSVP. 9:30 a.m. FREE! gmoa-tours@uga.edu
EVENTS: Adult Trips (Howard Park & Community Center) Leisure Services offers round trip travel to the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $30 (ACC resident), $45 (non-resident). www.accgov.com/myrec
EVENTS: Muddy Water Market (Athentic Brewing Co.) Browse traveling vendors and artists with live music. Feb. 6–7, 12–5 p.m. www. athenticbrewing.com
EVENTS: Athens Wine Weekend (The Classic Center) Sample wines with different tasting events taking place in benefit of The Classic Center Cultural Foundation. Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 7, 1 p.m. Feb. 9, 11:30 a.m. $65 & up. www.classic center.com
EVENTS: Laugh Your Heart Out (3701 Atlanta Hwy) Bennett For Athens hosts a fundraiser featuring comedy, karaoke, dancing and food. $30. 7 p.m. secure.actblue.com/ donate/bennettforathens
EVENTS: Miss Omega Psi Phi Scholarship Pageant (Morton Theatre) This year’s theme is inspired by Fast and the Furious, showcasing the intellect, talent and resilience of participants. 7:11 p.m. $8–20. bit.ly/missomega26 FILM: Withdrawal (Ciné) Screening of the award-winning indie film by Athens filmmaker Aaron Strand, with giveaways and a Q&A hosted by Fuel Hot Yoga. 8:30 p.m. $11. www.athenscine.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Oak House Distillery) Test your general trivia knowledge. Fridays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Friday Night Initiative (Tyche’s Games) Learn how to play a new roleplaying game. New players welcome. 7 p.m. FREE! www. tychesgames.com
PERFORMANCE: Ballroom Magic (UGA New Dance Theatre) UGA’s Ballroom Performance Group presents its 35th annual performance “Home is Where the Magic Is.” Feb. 5–6, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7, 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. $11–22. www. ugaballroom.com
PERFORMANCE: The Vagina Monologues (Marigold Auditorium for Arts and Culture) The Cottage presents this performance with proceeds supporting the center’s free services for survivors of sexual violence and child abuse in the Athens area. Feb. 5–7, 8 p.m. $16 (adv.), $18. www.northgeorgiacottage.org
Saturday 7
ART: Student Perspectives (Georgia Museum of Art) Join one of the student guides for a conversational tour of the permanent collection. 12 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Metal Enameling Workshop (Lyndon House Arts Center) Learn the basics of fusing glass to copper to make enameled earrings. Supplies provided. Registration required. 10 a.m. $30. www.acc gov.com/lyndonhouse
CLASSES: Valentine’s Stained Glass (work.shop) Learn the basics of cutting, grinding, foiling and soldering a stained glass lovebird or heart. 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. $40. www.fluxgoods.com/classes
CLASSES: Clay Handbuilding Workshop (Southern Star Studio) Learn how to create a piece of pottery and decorate it. All supplies provided. Ages 12 & up. First Saturdays, 2 p.m. $60. www.southern starstudioathens.com
EVENTS: Day of Mindfulness (Griffin-Dubose Healing Lodge) Inspired by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, events include meditation, live music, mindful eating, a dharma talk and more. Registration required. 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. $10–20 (suggested donation). www.mindful breathsangha.org
EVENTS: Muddy Water Market (Athentic Brewing Co.) Browse traveling vendors and artists with live music. Feb. 6–7, 12–5 p.m. www. athenticbrewing.com
EVENTS: Athens Wine Weekend (The Classic Center) Sample wines with different tasting events taking place in benefit of The Classic Center Cultural Foundation. Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 7, 1 p.m. Feb. 9, 11:30 a.m. $65 & up. www.classic center.com
EVENTS: Miss Queen of Hearts Pageant (Morton Theatre) SLay Pageants presents a competition showcasing the confidence, selfesteem and inner beauty of participants. 5 p.m. $20 (adv.), $25. bit. ly/mqoh26
EVENTS: Athens Mayoral Debate (Ciné) Mayoral candidates Mara Zuniga, LaKeisha Gantt, Time Denson and Dexter Fisher will discuss their campaigns. 5–7 p.m. www. athenscine.com
EVENTS: Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball (Madison Morgan Cultural Center) This ball gown and black tie affair will feature a Cajun-inspired dinner and creole dessert station with live music and drinks. 7:30 p.m. $150. www.mmcc-arts.org
FILM: Withdrawal (Ciné) Screening of the award-winning indie film by Athens filmmaker Aaron Strand, with giveaways and a Q&A hosted by Project Safe. 2:45 p.m. $11. www.athenscine.com
KIDSTUFF: Wings of Fire Bingo (Bogart Library) Join an afternoon of games, refreshments, prizes and book discussions about the Tui Sutherland sci-fi series. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart
MEETINGS: African American Genealogy Shared Interest Group (Oconee County Library) Learn and share research stories, problem-solving techniques, and tools that are focused on African American genealogy. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
OUTDOORS: Cast Iron Chef Campfire Cookout (Sandy Creek Park) Join Trails and Open Space staff for fire building, demonstrations of Dutch oven cooking, s’mores and more. 12 p.m. $4 (ACC resident), $8 (non-resident). www.accgovga. myrec.com
PERFORMANCE: Ballroom Magic (UGA New Dance Theatre) UGA’s Ballroom Performance Group pres-
ents its 35th annual performance
“Home is Where the Magic Is.” Feb. 5–6, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7, 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. $11–22. www. ugaballroom.com
PERFORMANCE: UGA India Night
(The Classic Center) Eight teams participate in a Bollywood-Fusion dance competition. 5 p.m. (doors), 6 p.m. (show). $33.25. www.classic center.com
PERFORMANCE: Athens Showgirl Cabaret Drag For All 16th Anniversary Show (Hendershots) Celebrate the anniversary with a fabulous night of open drag fun for all ages. 8–11 p.m. $5. www. athensshowgirlcabaret.com
PERFORMANCE: The Vagina Monologues (Marigold Auditorium for Arts and Culture) The Cottage presents this performance with proceeds supporting the center’s free services for survivors of sexual violence and child abuse in the Athens area. Feb. 5–7, 8 p.m. $16 (adv.), $18. www.northgeorgiacottage.org
Sunday 8
ART: Student Perspectives (Georgia Museum of Art) Join one of the student guides for a conversational tour of the permanent collection. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum. org
EVENTS: Valentine’s Pop-Up Market (Hendershot’s) Dizzy Rat presents a local artists market with music by pondgorl and Josey. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. FREE! www.hendershotsathens.com
EVENTS: Athens Wine Weekend (The Classic Center) Sample wines with different tasting events taking place in benefit of The Classic Center Cultural Foundation. Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 7, 1 p.m. Feb. 9, 11:30 a.m. $65 & up. www.classic center.com
FILM: Withdrawal (Ciné) Screening of the award-winning indie film by Athens filmmaker Aaron Strand, with giveaways and a Q&A hosted by Agora Vintage. 5:30 p.m. $11. www.athenscine.com
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (The Globe) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Sundays, 6 p.m. www. instagram.com/baddogathens
OUTDOORS: Pollinator Prairie Plant Inventory (Watson Mill Bridge State Park) Join park staff as they survey the on-site pollinator garden. 1 p.m. $10 parking pass/ vehicle. www.gastateparks.org/ WatsonMillBridge
PERFORMANCE: History Now! Living History and Interpretation (ACC Library) The program “Loyal to King and Country” tells the story of Georgia loyalists during the war of independence. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. www.athenspetanque.org
Monday 9
CLASSES: Coyote Hendy (Hendershot’s) The Dancing Ruth leads a line dancing class. Second Mondays, 6 p.m. www.hendershots athens.com
FILM: Withdrawal (Ciné) Screening of the award-winning indie film by Athens filmmaker Aaron Strand, with giveaways and a Q&A hosted by Montu Miller. 5:15 p.m. $11. www.athenscine.com
FILM: Bad Movie Night (Ciné) An amoral surgeon and a heart transplant gone wrong in the gratuitous film Night of the Bloody Apes. 8 p.m. FREE! www.instagram.com/ BadMovieNight
GAMES: Chess and Community (ACC Library) Drop in for open chess play to learn the game, challenge skills and engage with other enthusiasts. Mondays, 3:30–5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Fully Loaded Pizza Kitchen (Normaltown)) Test your general trivia knowledge. Mondays, 7 p.m. www. instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Pancho’s Tacos & Tequila) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Ian. Mondays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Dooley’s Bar and Grill) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Mondays, 7 p.m. www.instagram. com/classiccitytriviaco
art around town
ATHICA@Ciné Gallery (234 W. Hancock Ave.) “Bird’s Eye View” presents abstracted landscapes by Lybi Cucurullo that combine ink on plexiglass with oil-painted topographies inspired by bird murmurations. Artist reception featuring nature-inspired poetry readings by local writers Feb. 19, 6–8 p.m. Through Feb. 25.
ATHENAEUM (287 W. Broad St.) “Beverly’s Athens” is a concurrent exhibition with the Georgia Museum of Art featuring works by Beverly Buchanan. The exhibition includes sculptures, drawings, photographs, print multiples, autobiographical ephemera and research materials alongside examples of her well-known “shacks.” Closing symposium Mar. 20–21. Through Mar. 21. ARTS + ATHLETICS (130 The Plaza) Atlanta artist Paige Adair’s exhibition “The Swan’s Chamber and Other Enchanted Portals” features paintings, printmaking and works on paper. On view by appointment only through Mar. 21.
DODD GALLERIES (270 River Rd.) On the third floor landing, Derek Larson’s “Made in Mexico” features animated films produced in Mexico City between 1952–1956 by the studio Dibujos Animados S.A. • MFA candidate Phoebe-Agnès Mills’ paintings in “Ekstasis” consider how the spiritual might be sensed within the material world. • The 35th Annual Student Scientific and Medical Illustration Juried Exhibition features illustrators from UGA and Augusta University. • “the green glass door” is a collaboration by Jon Vogt’s digital printmaking class. • “Quantum Castle” is an interactive and immersive exhibition featuring ceramic characters by Adah Bennion, Eve J. Brown, Brian George, Jana Ghazawi, Clara-Beth Hamill, Jeanne Marie Martineau, Maddy Underwood and others. Opening reception Feb. 5, 5–7 p.m. On view Feb. 5 through Mar. 20.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) Drawing on Ada Limón’s poem “In Praise of Mystery,” “We, Too, Are Made of Wonders” explores humanity’s fascination with the cosmos through poetry, science and visual art from the museum’s collection. Gallery Talk by Cassandra Hall Feb. 5,
GAMES: General Trivia (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your general trivia knowledge. Mondays, 7 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Grindhouse Killer Burgers) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Benjamin. Mondays, 7:30 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccity triviaco
Tuesday 10
ART: Student Perspectives (Georgia Museum of Art) Join one of the student guides for a conversational tour of the permanent collection. 3 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum. org
CLASSES: Family Craft Night (Lay Park Community Center) Bring the family to create a Valentine’s
GAMES: Rock ’n Roll Trivia (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host The Music Man. Second Tuesdays, 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing.com
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Amici at The Falls) Test your trivia knowledge with host Miles Bunch. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/ baddogathens
GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Paloma Park) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/baddogathens
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Winghouse Grill Hull) Test your general trivia knowledge. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzunottrivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
Phoebe-Agnès Mills’ exhibition “Ekstasis” is one of five opening at the
themed floral arrangement. 6 p.m. $15 (ACC resident), $22.50 (nonresident). www.accgov.com/myrec FILM: Withdrawal (Ciné) Screening of the award-winning indie film by Athens filmmaker Aaron Strand, with giveaways and a Q&A hosted by Athens Film Festival. 5:15 p.m. $11. www.athenscine.com
GAMES: Singo! (Beef O’Brady’s) Win gift certificates and prizes at this music bingo night. Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. www.beefobradys.com/athens
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Magnolias of Athens) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Benjamin. Tuesdays, 8 p.m. www. instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
5:15 p.m. Through June 28. • “Beverly’s Athens” is a concurrent exhibition with the Georgia Museum of Art featuring works by Beverly Buchanan. The exhibition includes sculptures, drawings, photographs, print multiples, autobiographical ephemera and research materials alongside examples of her well-known “shacks.” Through June 28. • asinnajaq’s “Three Thousand” combines archival videos from the National Film Board of Canada with animations, soundscapes and contemporary video footage. Through June 28. • “Looking Through a Sewn Sky: Rachel B. Hayes” is a commissioned installation in the Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden that blends sculpture, painting and craft. Through Jul. 30, 2027.
LAST RESORT (174-184 W. Clayton St.) Known for her surreal and whimsical themes of magic realism, Susan Pelham’s mixed media works will be on display through Mar. 8.
LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) In the Lobby Case, Jeff Campana’s “Assemblage Vessels” features modular ceramic vessels produced using computer-designed molds and CNC milling. Through Feb. 21. • In the Ronnie Lukasiewicz Gallery, “Creative Tracks: Artwork from Inside the Athens-Clarke County Jail” presents art created by participants in the Creative Tracks studio art program taught by Kristen Bach at the ACC Jail. Through Mar. 21. • In the Lounge Gallery, “hold still, please” features abstract landscape paintings by Kate Kaiser, exploring memory, space and quiet presence through oil on wood panels. Artist talk Feb. 26, 5:30 p.m. Through Mar. 21. • In the North Gallery, “En mi mente” features charcoal and wax pastel works by Sebastian Granados. Artist Talk Feb. 26, 5:30 p.m. Through Mar. 21.
OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville) In the Main Gallery, “A Way Among Ways” is curated by Beth Malone and features artists whose work explores labor, material and improvisation. Through Mar. 7. • In the Members Gallery, “This Beautiful Tangle” includes paintings and illustrations by Jeffrey Whittle alongside prints and paper works by Melissa Harshman. Through Mar. 7.
STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA (2450 S. Milledge Ave.) Works by artist Judy Hammond are on view, featuring paintings in oil, acrylic and pastel. Through Mar. 1.
KIDSTUFF: Jumping Gym (Howard Park & Community Center) Explore a bouncy wonderland with big jumps and soft landings. Ages 5 & under. 10 a.m. FREE! www. accgovga.myrec.com
KIDSTUFF: Toddler Tuesday: Reach for the Sky (Georgia Museum of Art) Enjoy art and storytime in the galleries, then complete an art activity. Ages 18 months to 3 years. RSVP by email. 10 a.m. FREE! gmoa-tours@uga.edu
SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. info@athenspetanque. org, www.athenspetanque.org
Wednesday 11
ART: Artful Conversation: Star Gazers (Georgia Museum of Art) Callan Steinmann, director of learning and engagement, will lead a conversation about “Star Gazers” by John Biggers. 2 p.m. FREE! www. georgiamuseum.org
CLASSES: Wired For Success: How Do You Work This Thing? (Howard Park & Community Center) A hands-on class that teaches computer basics, how to navigate cellphones and more. 9 a.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/myrec
CLASSES: French Class (Oconee County Library) Join instructor Emma Auer to learn the basics of the French language. Ages 18 & up. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee
FILM: Pachinko Pop (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1975 Japanese comedy film Tora-san’s Rise and Fall. 7 p.m. FREE! www. flickertheatreandbar.com
FILM: Withdrawal (Ciné) Screening of the award-winning indie film by Athens filmmaker Aaron Strand, with giveaways and a Q&A hosted by Mayor Kelly Girtz. 8:15 p.m. $11. www.athenscine.com
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (South Main Brewing) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. www.instagram.com/shihtzu nottrivia
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Normal Bar) Test your general trivia
GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your general trivia knowledge with host Garrett. Wednesdays, 7:06 p.m. www.instagram.com/classiccitytriviaco
GAMES: Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Locos Grill and Pub Eastside) Test your general trivia knowledge. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. www.instagram.com/ shihtzunottrivia
KIDSTUFF: Ready, Set, Grow (Heard Park & Community Center) An active program for toddlers and preschoolers with a weekly theme. Ages 2–5. 10 a.m. $3 (ACC resident), $4.50 (non-resident). www. accgovga.myrec.com
MEETINGS: C3 to End Homelessness (Hendershot’s) A roundtable discussion regarding housing and homelessness to educate, identify issues and plan steps to solutions. Second Wednesdays, 5–6:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenshc.org/coc
MEETINGS: Athens Psychedelic Society (ACC Library) Meet likeminded individuals interested in topics related to expanded states of consciousness. 6 p.m. FREE! www. athenspsychedelicsociety.com
2/13 Galentine’s Flower Arranging (State Botanical Garden of Georgia)
2/13 Shih Tzu Not Trivia (Oak House Distillery)
2/13 Friday Night Initiative (Tyche’s Games) f
STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead) “Steffen Thomas Through the Eyes of Young Adults” is on display in the Educational Gallery. Final date TBA.
TAYLOR-GRADY HOUSE (634 Prince Ave.) In celebration of Black History Month, “Home & Family: A Printmaking Exhibit” explores belonging, community and kinship through printmaking. Featuring work by Jamaal Barber, UGA students and faculty. Opening reception Feb. 6, 5:30–8 p.m. Artist talk with Jamaal Barber and participating UGA students Feb. 19, 7 p.m. On view Feb. 6–27.
UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “Fashioning the Classic Bride: The Life and Career of Anne Barge” features 33 dresses from the UGA alumna. Opening Reception Feb. 12, 5 p.m. Signature Lecture Feb. 24, 6 p.m. Through July. • “Beyond the ’96 Games: Atlanta’s Olympic Legacy” features an original torch from the opening relay and other authentic memorabilia. Opening Reception Feb. 12, 5 p.m. Through October. • “Captain Planet: The Power Is Yours” explores the origins and impact of the TV series. Through May. • “Sustained Excellence: A History of UGA Swim & Dive” explores the program’s history through photographs and artifacts. Through May.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF ATHENS (780 Timothy Rd.)
Artist Rodney Grainger’s exhibition “Locking Up Our Own” is on view at the Claire and Robert Clements Gallery, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month. Through February.
WINTERVILLE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER (371 N. Church St., Winterville) Six new exhibitions will run through Mar. 24. Gallery 1 features plein air works by the Athens Area Plein Air Artists depicting the Winterville Trestle and local scenes. Gallery 2 features modern quilted wall pieces by Sarah Hubbard and complex sculptures by Kelly King. The Narrow Gallery features resin works by local author and artist Anita Eberhart Shaw. The Foyer Gallery features paintings by Sherre Watwood. The Garden Gallery features fused-glass works by Babs Kall. • “The Lost Weekend: The Photography of May Pang” presents 38 photographs documenting John Lennon during his post-Beatles era for a three-day exhibition Feb. 20–22. Pang will appear in person with photographs for sale.
Lamar Dodd School of Art on Thursday, Feb. 5.
bulletin board & classifieds
BULLETIN BOARD: Listings from nonprofits, community resources and free
Classifieds
for the following Wednesday issue. Email class@flagpole.com or call 706-549-0301.
pkozatch@gmail.com or call 631903-4365.
HELP WANTED (Full-time) Aurum Studios is hiring a full-time sales associate. Strong customer service skills and multi-tasking abilities preferred. Email resume to lori@ aurumstudios.com.
MUSIC (Instruction) Athens School of Music. Now offering in-person and online instruction in guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, strings, banjo, mandolin and more. From beginner to expert, all styles. Visit www.athensschoolof music.com. 706-543-5800
MUSIC (Services) Instant cash is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records at corner of Clayton and College Dwntn. 706-369-9428
SERVICES (Home & Garden) Brrr… winter is here! A perfect time to tackle those invasive plants!
Woman-Run Gardening Services: We offer garden maintenance, invasive plant removal, personalized edible and native gardens for your school, home or business! For more info call/text 706-395-5321.
SERVICES (Home & Garden) Hi! I’m Pablo, an expert gardener offering personalized care for your landscape. I specialize in lowmaintenance, native gardens that support pollinators and biodiversity. Find me @pablofromseed, email
SERVICES (Travel) Retired professional driver with vehicle for hire. Can transport up to six passengers where needed; anytime. Will drive your car or truck one-way or roundtrip anywhere in U.S. Call Bob Andrews 706-608-2288 or email AthensBob5@gmail.com.
Arts
AAAC QUARTERLY GRANT (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council offers $500 grants to visual and performing artists. www.athensarts. org/support ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM (Lyndon House Arts Center) The AIR Program provides participants with a workspace, access and a stipend. www.accgov.com/lyndonhouse ATHENS CREATIVE DIRECTORY (Athens, GA) The ACD is a platform to connect creatives with patrons. www.athenscreatives.directory BIPOC ARTIST/CURATOR PROJECT OPEN CALL (Lyndon House Arts Center) Seeking BIPOC individuals to develop an art exhibition for LHAC. www.accgov.com/9799/ ArtistCurator
CALL FOR ART (ACCGov) Athens Downtown Development Authority, Morton Theatre Corporation and ACCGov invite professional artists
to submit qualifications for consideration for a mural in the Morton Theatre lobby. Deadline Feb. 27, 5 p.m. www.accgov.com/11628/Callfor-Public-Art-Morton-Theatre
CALL FOR ART (Amici at The Falls) Seeking artists to share artwork in monthly exhibitions. careywelsh20@gmail.com
CALL FOR ART (Donderos’) Seeking new artists to exhibit works. contact@donderoskitchen.com
CALL FOR ART (Oconee County Library) Seeking local artists to share their artwork in monthly exhibitions. adial@athenslibrary.org
CALL FOR ART (Winterville Library) Apply to be a featured local artist in the Front Room Gallery. The library accepts all 2D mediums. swatson@athenslibrary.org
CALL FOR ARTISTS (MAGallery) Now accepting artist applications. MAGallery is a nonprofit cooperative gallery. Gallery Artists work one day a month and participate on a committee. www.themadisonartists guild.org/call-for-artists
CALL FOR ARTISTS (Online) JOKER JOKERtv is accepting proposals from artists and curators living in Athens. Artists worldwide can submit ideas. www.jokerjokertv. com/submit
CALL FOR COLLECTORS (Lyndon House Arts Center) The LHAC’s “Collections from our Community” series features objects found in the
closets, cabinets and shelves of Athenians. shelby.little@accgov. com
CALL FOR MUSICAL PERFORMERS (AthFest) Applications for AthFest 2026 now open. Selection based on musical talent, following and draw, self-promotion and previous AthFest experience. Submission deadline Feb. 14. Event held June 26–28. www.athfest.com/athfest-music/
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS (Athens Homeless Coalition) Seeking submissions for street newspaper. Poetry, short stories, visual art, song lyrics. enagementcoordinator @athenshc.org
CALL FOR VENDORS (Asian Lunar Festival) Now accepting applications for local artists, performers, food vendors, community organizations and more for the first annual Athens Asian Lunar Festival. Event held Feb. 14-15. www.taste_asia_ street@outlook.com
CALL FOR VENDORS (R.I.C.E. Georgia) Applications for exhibitors, vendors and performers now open for Community Forestry and Cultural Festival Arbor Day Celebration. Event held Saturday, Feb. 21. Volunteer opportunities also available. www.rice-georgia.org, joffewright@gmail.com
LIFE DRAWING (Winterville Cultural Center) Open studio for artists 18 & up to draw unclothed models. Two models on Feb. 11 & Mar. 6. $25.
Male model Mar. 26. $20. Registration required. www.drawathens.org
OPEN STUDIOS (Lyndon House Arts Center) Studio members have access to spaces for photography, ceramics and more. www.accgov. com/7350/Open-StudioMembership
PUBLIC ART SELECTION PANELS
(Athens, GA) The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission is seeking community members to participate in upcoming public art selection panels. www.accgov.com/9656/ Public-Art-Selection-Panels
Auditions
OPEN AUDITIONS (Athens Master Chorale) Seeking new members in all voice parts including high sopranos, tenors and basses. Scheduled auditions held at St. Gregory the Great Church. athmcdirector@ gmail.com
OPEN AUDITIONS (Athens Symphony) The Athens Symphony is holding auditions for qualified musicians. www.athenssymphony. org/openings
VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE (Town & Gown) Open auditions for an adult comedy. Feb. 9–10. Performances held Apr. 10–19. www.townandgownplayers. org
Classes
A COURSE OF LOVE (Unity Athens Church) Learn a positive path for spiritual living based on A Course in Miracles. Wednesdays, 10–11:30 a.m. www.unityathens.com
ACCENT REDUCTION CLASS (Covenant Presbyterian Church) Improve your American English pronunciation skills. For ages 18 & up. Tuesdays, 12 p.m. marjoriemiller@ gmail.com
CLASSES, HIKES & PADDLES (Watson Mill State Park, Comer) The park offers a variety of events including “Introduction to iNaturalist & Merlin,” morning and evening kayak sessions, firebuilding classes, various educational hikes including “A Bridge to the Past,” “Tree ID,” “Homestead Hike” and more. Parking fee/pass required for all events. www.gastateparks.org/ WatsonMillBridge
CANOPY CLASSES & SCHOLARSHIPS (Canopy Studio) Canopy offers a variety of trapeze and aerial arts classes for children and adults. Scholarships and financial aid are available. outreach@canopystudio. org, www.canopystudio.org/ outreach/scholarships
CLASSES & PROGRAM (Bogart Library) Various ongoing weekly events including ESL (Tuesdays and Thursdays), Knit Lits Knitting (Thursdays) and more.
CLASSES, PROGRAMS & TOURS (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Various ongoing weekly events including Guided Plant Walk (Tuesdays–Fridays), Porcelain and Decorative Arts Tour (Tuesdays), Free Sketch (Fridays) and more. botgarden.uga.edu
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS (Athens, GA) The Athens Land Trust hosts a variety of virtual and in-person classes. Topics include “Affordable Housing Info” and “Homebuyer Education Course.” www.athens landtrust.org/classes-events
CUBAN MUSIC & MOVEMENT (The Studio Athens) TIMBAthens offers multiple classes for different skill levels. Sundays, 3 p.m. (Level 1), 4 p.m. (Level 2 & 3), 5 p.m. (Advanced). Classes resume Jan. 11. $10 drop-in. timbathens@ gmail.com, www.timbathens.com
CUBAN SALSA LESSONS (El Carretonero) SALSAthens offers multiple classes for different skill levels. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. (advanced) and 7:30 p.m. (beginner/intermediate). $10 drop-in. www.SALS AthensDancing@gmail.com
DANCE CLASSES (East Athens Educational Dance Center) The center offers classes in ballet, hip hop, jazz, modern and more for all ages and skills. www.accgov.com/myrec FREE CLASSES (The Athens Free School) Learning network for community centered around compassion, autonomy and playfulness. Visit @athensfreeschool on Instagram.
NETWORKING, LESSONS AND MEETINGS (Integrative Medicine Initiative) Free events for those in the local wellness sector seeking support and educational opportunities. admin@integrativemedicine initiative.org
SQUARE DANCE CLASSES (Classic City Dance Club) Classes begin Thursday, Feb. 12. No partner
needed. $5 per class. All ages and skill levels. athsquaredance@ outlook.com
VARIOUS ONGOING CLASSES
(Winterville Cultural Center, Winterville) The Basics of Crocheting (Thursdays), Yoga in the Gallery (Tuesdays and Wednesdays), Tai Chi (Wednesdays) and more. www. wintervillecenter.com
Help Out
ANIMAL SERVICES VOLUNTEERS
(Animal Services Adoption Center) Volunteers needed for daily interactions with the shelter dogs. Sessions run Monday through Friday; training session required. Individuals under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. www. tidycal.com/animalservicesvolunteer
ATHENS SKATEPARK PROJECT
(Athens Skate Park) Seeking volunteers and community input. Third Sundays. www.athensskatepark project.org
BRAS FOR A CAUSE (Grail Bra Specialists) Seeking donations of gently-used bras for distribution to local shelters, recovery centers and communities in need. Contact Athens Area Bra Bank at 706-8500387. support@grailbras.com
DIAPER DONATIONS (Athens Area Diaper Bank) Diaper donations needed for local infants. All sizes and open packs/boxes are accepted. www.athensareadiaperbank.com
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (Friends of Disabled Adults and Children) Free home medical equipment provided to those in need. Athens locations for pickup at Northeast Georgia Area Agency on Aging and Multiple Choices. Donations also accepted. www.fodac.org
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT EXCHANGE (Silver Lace) Open registration for consideration for free mobility and daily living medical items. Donations also accepted. www.silver laceinc.org, info@silverlace.org
MULTIPLE CHOICES VOLUN-
TEERS (Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living) Seeking volunteers to assist a nonprofit agency that serves individuals living with disabilities throughout a 10-country area of Northeastern Georgia. 706-850-4025, dmyers@ multiplechoices.us
PET FOOD PANTRY (Animal Services Adoption Center) The Animal Services community pet food pantry provides pet food to ACC residents at no cost. Donations always welcome. Monday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sundays, 12–3 p.m. www.accgov.com/adoptioncenter
SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS (Athens Area Arts Council) The council is accepting applications from individuals who can commit to monthly meetings and have a passion for the arts. www.athensarts.org
SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS (Bigger Vision of Athens) The nonprofit homeless shelter Bigger Vision of Athens, Inc. is seeking new members for its board of directors. the biggervisionshelter@gmail.com, www.bvoa.org/boardmember
SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS (Moms Adopting Moms) Local nonprofit seeks board members, including a chair and treasurer, to support foster children and families through mentorship and reunification. momsadoptingmoms@ gmail.com
SEEKING DONATIONS (The Cottage) Seeking donations of single-serving, non-perishable snacks to help children and adults navigating interviews, therapy sessions and court hearings. To arrange a drop-off please call 706-546-1133, ext 223.
SEEKING DONATIONS (Hands of Hope) Local homeless ministry accepting donations of winter clothing for their free distribution program. Other donations accepted for fundraising yard sale with proceeds benefiting program. 706-207-5172
SEEKING NEW MEMBERS (ACAC) The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission is seeking new members. Deadline to apply is Mar. 13. www. athensculturalaffairs.org
SEEKING SEASONAL POLL WORKERS (ACCGov) ACCGov Elections Department is hiring seasonal poll workers for the 2026 election cycle. Pay ranges from $15.60–$17.94 per hour. Training and specific availability required. Accepting applications through Feb. 27. www. accgov.com/jobs
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Marigold Collective, Winterville) Volunteers needed for community food distribution events including weekly food kitchen, meal deliveries and more. Also accepting donations of canned and dry goods. wwwmarigold collectivewinterville.com
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Meals on Wheels) Currently recruiting volunteers to deliver meals, engage in safety checks and more. eschley@ accaging.org
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (Morton Theatre) Volunteers needed for upcoming events. Board Member opportunities also available. www. mortontheatre.com/volunteer
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (R.I.C.E Georgia) Volunteers needed for Arbor Day Forestry Education & Cultural Festival Feb. 21, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Support tree planting, youth activities, community education and event operations. www.rice-georgia. org, riceproassist@gmail.com
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS (St. Mary’s Home Health & Hospice) Seeking volunteers to provide companionship or to help with simple tasks for those in hospice care. Training provided. 706-389-2273
TEACHER SUPPLIES (Teacher Reuse Store) Educators can access free creative supplies at the store. Please bring credentials. www. accgov.com/trs
TOWELS FOR ANIMALS (Animal Services Adoption Center) Seeking donations of gently used bath towels and hand rags for bathing animals and cleaning kennels. Donations can be dropped off at the door after hours. www.accgov.com/ animalservices
VOLUNTEER NETWORK (Community Works, Watkinsville) A nonprofit organization that connects volunteers of all ages to events, resources and training opportunities. CWorksOC@gmail.com
Kidstuff
CLASSES & PROGRAM (Bogart Library) Various ongoing weekly events including Lego Mania (Wednesdays), Storytime with Miss Harli (Mondays) and more. www. athenslibrary.org/bogart
CLASSES & PROGRAMS (Oconee Library) Various ongoing weekly events including children’s yoga (Tuesdays), Story Time (Wednesdays) and more. www.athenslibrary. org/oconee
CLASSES & PROGRAMS (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Nature centered programs for homeschool groups 5–7 and 8–12 years of age. Feb.6, various times. Registration required. www.accgov.com/myrec
POSTER CONTEST (Athens, GA) Georgia DNR, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and TERN encourage K-5 students to submit works to the 36th annual Give Wild-
life a Chance Poster Contest. Part of the “Kids for Conservation” initiative, the 2026 theme is “Welcome to the Wild World, Little Ones!” Deadline is Mar. 6. www.georgia wildlife.com/PosterContest
SPRING PROGRAM REGISTRATION (Athens, GA) The Leisure Services Department offers a diverse selection of activities highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports and special events. Now registering. www. accgov.com/myrec
YOUTH PROGRAMS (Sheats Social Services) Registration now open for a variety of weekly programs that provide educational and community support for K-12 students. Volunteers are also needed. www. sheatssocialservices.org
Word on the Street
BIKE REPAIR STATIONS (Multiple Locations) Over 15 free bike repair stations located across Athens with tools, an air pump and more. www. accgov.com/10584/Bike-RepairStations
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (Nuçi’s Space) Direct connections to mental healthcare like counseling and psychiatry, medical care for physical concerns and more. www. nuci.org, 706-227-1515
MINDFUL BREATH SANGHA MEETING (Healing Lodge) In the Zen tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Sundays, 1–2:30 p.m. Newcomers welcome. Free. www.mindfulbreathsangha.org
MICROCHIP SCANNING STATIONS
(Multiple Locations) Connect lost pets with their owners via scanning stations. Available 24 hours. Located at ACC Animals Services, Memorial Park Dog Park and Southeast Clarke Park. Instructions provided at each location.
PRESERVATION AWARD NOMINATIONS (Historic Athens)
Nominations open through Feb. 28 for the 57th Annual Historic Preservation Awards. Projects completed between May 2025 and Feb. 2026 are eligible for nomination, as well as projects that are scheduled to be complete in Mar. 2026. Award categories, criteria and submission form via riteriabit.ly/presawards26.
OPEN STUDIOS (Nuçi’s Space) Four sound-treated, climate-controlled rooms available for rent. Equipped with a full PA system, drumkit and Wi-Fi. www.nuci.org
SEVENTH GENERATION (No. 3 Railroad Street, Arnoldsville) Seventh Generation Native American Church hosts various gatherings on Sundays, 11 a.m. 706-340-7134
VHS DIGITIZATION (Athens, GA)
Seeking previously recorded concerts and events on VHS, VHSC, Hi8, MiniDV and DVDs to digitize and archive. www.vhsordie.com
VIC CHESNUTT SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARDS (Athens, GA)
Classic City Rotary is now accepting nominations. Songs must have a public release date during 2025, and songwriters must reside in Athens-Clarke County or a contiguous county. All genres welcome. Winner receives $1,500 cash prize, recording time from Amplify at Nuçi’s Space, a photo shoot with Jason Thrasher and a Team Clermont promotional package. Finalists receive $250 cash prizes. Deadline Mar. 1. www.vicchesnuttaward.com
VOTER REGISTRATION
RESOURCES (ACC Library Atrium)
Economic Justice Coalition community volunteers assist Georgia residents with registration, confirm prior registration and update voter registration information as needed. www. economicjusticecoalition.org f
good growing
The Language of Flowers
SENDING A SYMBOLIC MESSAGE WITH YOUR BOUQUET
By Erin France editorial@flagpole.com
Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and maybe you’d like something special for someone special, whether a partner, friend or romantic entanglement. While current culture equates white lilies with funerals and red roses with romance, there’s a whole undercurrent of floral meanings to choose from.
The language of flowers (or florigraphy), popularized by wealthy women in England, France and America in the 19th century, allowed women to show affection (or disaffection) through flowers without the impolite directness of saying anything with your mouth. While I am thoroughly against this amount of passive aggressiveness in real life, I love the idea. Could you really turn away an unsuitable suitor with a white rose? Cement a friendship with sweet peas and zinnias? Insult a rival with narcissus and marigolds?
Maybe another reason to brew a cup of chamomile tea?
WHITE CLOVER: Symbolizes good luck. Could be given to a friend or partner who has to take an exam. Also, could be paired with laurel (a sign of success) for a friend who’s starting a new venture.
ROSEMARY: There are many books, poems and works of art that use rosemary as a sign of remembrance. Could be paired with roses to signal deep romantic devotion. Adding some sprigs of rosemary could also spruce up a pre-bought rose bouquet for a longterm romantic partner.
CLEMATIS: Stands for mental beauty. I predict it will be hard to find a blooming clematis in winter, but a clematis bulb is an excellent gift for your gardening valentine.
I fear the Victorian era was much messier than that. Like most passiveaggressive communications, context matters, as did flower variety and people’s ability to identify what they were holding. Different marigold breeds could mean vulgarity or jealousy if you follow Kate Greenaway’s 1884 The Language of Flowers, or marigolds could simply imply grief if you read Henrietta Dumont’s 1851 The Language of Flowers. Many of the meanings came from popular culture, poems, songs and Biblical references. Some of these meanings have changed in the past 150 years, but many still hold true. Marigolds are now popularly known as the flower of the Day of the Dead, a day that expresses grief and also fond remembrance. But strands of marigolds also are popular for festivals like Diwali, and denote purity and the divine. Other cultures see marigolds as a symbol of wealth or romantic love. If you’re interested in learning more, but would prefer a modern-day aesthetic, try Jessica Roux’s 2020 Florigraphy. The book includes beautiful illustrations and offers example bouquets for various social settings.
As always, the most important meaning is always the one you have with the person you’re giving a bouquet to. If your person loves yellow roses, get them a yellow rose— don’t worry about the meaning. Otherwise, here’s a quick cheat sheet that might help you come up with a thoughtful bouquet:
CARNATIONS (DIANTHUS): Give these to your mama. Carnations are the “official” flower of Mother’s Day—especially the color pink. According to Roux, they symbolize a mother’s eternal love.
ZINNIAS: Give these to a friend you miss. Greenaway ties zinnias to absent friends, while Roux believes zinnias symbolize everlasting friendship.
CHAMOMILE: Energy in adversity, which, I would argue, is lots of good folks right now.
FENNEL: Symbolizes strength. Also, fennel has some great leafy fronds in both green and bronze to add some real heft to your bouquet.
PURPLE LILAC: Give to a new romantic partner. Purple lilacs denote the first emotions of love, according to most Victorian texts.
MISTLETOE: Symbolizes ambitiousness. Personally, mistletoe also stands for a flirty nature, because of the other Victorian tradition of kissing under the mistletoe around Christmas. Could be given to a friend or partner—though I’d add another flower to it, because mistletoe by itself doesn’t make a large bouquet.
TULIPS: A standard, yet beautiful declaration of love. A great gift for a partner, especially if roses feel a bit too on- the-nose for you. There will be plenty of these available, in pots as well as cut flowers. f
by Margie E. Burke
by Margie E. Burke
FLOWERS DO
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