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PAGE 12A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. APRIL 2, 2009 Comedy By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com “Open Mic Nite,” will enjoy a homecoming of sorts. Officially titled, “It Was Open Mic Nite At Ye Olde Rustic Inn,” the two-wom an comedy show returns to where it debuted two years ago, Comer’s Saving Grace Cafe, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. The brainchild of Madison County’s own Stephanie Astalos-Jones and “Seinfeld” alum Lisa Mende, “Open Mic Nite” is a collection of ficti tious comedic acts, includ ing the Schmeckles, a pair of Yiddish sisters who appear to have struck a chord with fans locally. “Everywhere we go there’s people like, ‘I want to see the Schmeckles sisters again,’” said Astalos-Jones, who lives in Carlton. The duo debuted at the Comer venue in 2007 and has since toured the act in the Southeast. Astalos-Jones thinks the rest of the U.S. is ready to meet the Schmeckles Sisters. “Our goal is to tour it nation-wide, for sure,” said Astalos-Jones, noting that she and Mende have contacts in Los Angeles. Astalos-Jones is a veteran of both television and film, Law Office of Rob McNiff LLC Criminal • DUI • Traffic Personal Injury • Civil Bankruptcy • Debtor Relief Mediation • Wills 370 Athens Road Winterville 706-742-0001 robmcniff@yahoo.com PREGNANT? WORRIED? We Can Help! FREE PREGNANCYTEST Strictly Confidential 795-5012 -NEW HOURS - Mondays 9-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays 10-4:30 Wednesdays 10-4:30 Thursdays 9-2:30 p.m. 245 General Daniel Ave. (next door to Danielsville Methodist Church) • • M MADISON CO U N T Y 'tiPtyjlirUlMP C ElN T B R EXISTING DISH, CABLE & DIRECT TV CUSTOMERS: jnnMiyw kYOUR BILL!. Upgrade for FREE to HDTV/DVR Up to 4 TV’s (reg. S400)* Limited time only! Call today! 5RTELLITE -SINCE 1 9 8 5 - 706.543.1220 s 4455 Atlanta Hwy. Hours: 8-5 Monday-Friday ‘Some restrictions apply. act returns ‘home’ Lisa Mende (left) and Stephanie Astalos-Jones (right), dressed as the “Schmeckles sisters,” will perform the two-woman comedy show, “It was open mic nite at ye olde rustic inn,” this Friday and Saturday at Saving Grace Cafe in Comer. most recently appearing in the 2008 picture “White Lightin.’” Mende’s resume includes five episodes of Seinfeld from 1992-1997 as well as other screen and film credits. After two years of “Open Mic,” the comedic dynam ic between Astalos-Jones and Mende is such that the two simply turn on the tape recorder and improv. “We end up creating things that we are really happy with and work well, without consciously thinking it out,” Astalos-Jones said. Tickets for the show are $15. For more information, call 706-797-3787. ENCORE OF ‘A GOOD LIFE?’ There are no plans right now to re-perform, “A Good Life,” a local play consisting of Madison County stories that debuted in the summer of 2008. But Astalos-Jones, who wrote the play, foresees another run in the future at some point. She said she’s talked with several who wanted to see the show again, or weren’t able to catch it last summer. “It’s still in the air, and it will happen again,” Astalos- Jones said. “I’m just not sure how we will do it.” Jackson EMC Foundation grant supports Madison Co. Special Olympics athletes Jackson EMC Foundation board member Dr. Bob Hooper presents a $8,473 check that will help Special Olympics atheletes participate in local and state games. A $8,473 grant from the Jackson EMC Foundation will help Madison County Special Olympics pur chase equipment and pay athletes’ fees for local competitions as well as the Georgia Summer and Winter Games. Special Olympics com petitions provide an arena where persons with intel lectual disabilities can develop athletic skills, gain self-esteem and life skills. Through the games, those athletes gain expo sure to those who are typical residents, helping to change attitudes, form friendships and help oth ers understand their true capabilities. Grant funds will be used for team T-shirts, warm ups, swimsuits, bowling ramps and fees. Grants are made pos sible by Jackson EMC members’ contributions to the Operation Round Up program, which rounds up electric bills of par ticipating members to the next dollar amount and uses the spare change to do charitable work. The Foundation has awarded nearly $3.2 million to date through 284 grants to organizations and 124 grants to individuals. Any individual or chari table organization in the ten counties served by Jackson EMC (Clarke, Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison anc Oglethorpe) may appl) for Foundation funding b) completing a grant appli cation, available online a http://www.jacksonemc com/Guidelines-for- Funding. 106.0.html or a local Jackson EMC offic es. 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