About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (May 11, 2011)
Saturdays: IPs! lam WGAU Priest and us on Facebook: facebook.com/truesouth Now Progressive Radio Show, in ftthens with a Southern Sensibility,^- ITMM1 Edwands £pThe nice LOUNGE athens Q georgia Tnen/ly Neighborhood'*&»r 2455 Jefferson ficac in Home;-, cos H- : s 706.546.0840 Open at 2pm t f • 12pm Sat LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Wednesday - KARAOKE CONTEST 9pm Thursday - BLUES JAM 8:30pm Friday - THE GEORGIA WHISKEY BAND 9:30pm Saturday - NORMALTOWN FLYERS Spm ^ CONGRATS TO BAMBI& CHAD! ^ / Por,f' 7m fpheom * Jukebox racecook.com/Off'ceAthens ATHENS NEWS AND VIEWS Sunday, Boozy Sunday: Athens-Clarke County Manager Alan Reddish warned at last week's FY12 budget work session (see City Pages, p. 5) that adding a referendum on Sunday alcohol sales to this November's local bal lot, which otherwise would contain only the school district's education SPLOST, would cost the county $54,000. Reddish said the measure could be placed on the March 2012 presidential primary ballot for no cost, and Commissioners Mike Hamby and Kelly Girtz both say waiting seems wise. But the deducin' Dope can't help wondering if five months of increased tax revenues might offset the cost of a November referendum. Some quick, sloppy math concludes that would involve local package outlets peddling an extra $50,000 worth of booze—give or take a dram or two—each Sunday. Who's up for it? revenues are needed to pay the debt for the mixed-use parking structure currently being erected at Lumpkin and Washington streets, and county staff has proposed raising meter rates from 50C to $2 per hour. An immediate hike that steep is very unlikely, but one thing looks almost certain: hours for metered park ing will be extended to 9 or 10 p.m. from the current 7 p.m. cutoff. The final plan will end up on the M&Cs June agenda. Couples Boutique Celebrating Love and. Slaying Sexy Ms store has everything you expect from Sexy Suz and more... upscale • women & couples friendly sophisticated • games & sexy fun toys for lovers • adult novelties • sexy shoes incense/ candles & oils • fetish and bondage adult movies & DVD's |l Athens' largest Lingerie store j BOTH LOCATIONS OPEN IOam - 1 lpm Mon-Thu • I Oam - Midnight Fri &. Sat • Noon - 8pm Sun No-one under 18 admitted * Photo ID required More Fiscal Fun: At the same bud get meeting, commissioners didn't like the sound of Mayor Nancy Denson's proposed reduction of the county's support for independent agencies—like the health depart ment, DFCS and the public library— by 2 percent across the board. Several pointed out that they had declined to meet with those agencies this year under the assumption that their budgets would remain flat. Girtz and Hamby both support leaving those budgets as they are, and speculate that's how things will go. Girtz says savings from modifications to Denson's proposals for employee insurance benefits (outlined in this space last week) will pay for the continuation of current agency budgets, as well as the retention of all but the 10-11 p.m. hour of evening bus service. ✓ More Parking, Less Free: Hamby, who sits on the board of the Athens Downtown Development Authority, says that group is still in discussions on how it will recommend modifying downtown parking rates, both for meters and decks. More A small blaze beside the railroad tracks behind Flagpoles offices last Tuesday brought out the fire department, but nobody was hurt, and no property was damaged. Liberal Media: In a shocking development, WGAU radio (1340 AM) will begin carry ing a news talk show that will feature—get this—a progressive political perspective. "True South" debuts Saturday, May 14 from 10-11 a.m., and will run in that time slot every week. Its hosts will be ER doctor and health reform activist Neal Priest and attorney and recent congressional candidate Russell Edwards; Priest's wife, Pat, a longtime Athens radio pro, writer and progressive activist, will produce. Frequent guests will include regional experts, leaders and academics, discussing "timely stories in state and national politics and culture with a southern sensibility"; the hosts will also take calls from listeners. Let's wish 'em well. Dave Marr news@flagpole.com Next Door to Haverty's ,, zldull Emporium 4124 Atlanta Hwy., Bogart ^ 50 Gaines School Rd. www. sevysuzonline. com Krazy Korner Big upsto Congressman Paul Broun, Jr. for signing on to Representative Louie Gohmert’s House Resolution for a "Ten Commandments Weekend.” In fact, Gohmerfs resolution is textually identical to Broun’s own offering a year ago. But while I commend Broun and Gohmert, there are a few problems with their effort. I’m not saying that Broun hates Jesus; I’m just a little disappointed in his half-hearted devotion to making this a Christian nation. Is it only a token gesture to the Almighty? Let’s take a closer look. • First of all, it’s only a resolution, which is about as legally binding as a Monopoly “Get Out of Jail Free” card in Sing Sing. God didn't give Moses a stone reso lution on Sinai. • Urn, only a weekend? Rome wasn't built in a day, and no theocracy is built over a weekend. Afghanistan has been at it for a long time. • There are no enforcement mechanisms—or even suggestions for such—in the resolution. For example, Chapter 21 of Exodus, which immediately follows the Commandments, lays out some fantastic examples, mostly involving pelting people with rocks. If I can't covet my neighbor's wife (nor “his ox or donkey"), I at least want to be able to throw rocks at him (or his ox and donkeys, whiclTalso seems to be obliquely forbidden). Which brings me to my main complaint-, why just one chapter of the Bible? Only 10 of God's many laws? Leviticus is an entire book of rules.- how to properly sacrifice your ox (4:4); which bugs to eat (11:20); when women are unclean; when they're stone- able (it’s when they're witches). It's all there. A Leviticus month would really get this country back on track. {Matthew Pulver] 4 FLAGPOLE.COM-MAY 11,2011
