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REPRESENTATION—AS IF
BROKE IN HALF: The Georgia General Assembly sent a
panel of experts last week to hear local concerns about the
upcoming legislative redistricting. Six middle-aged, white.
Republican men constituted the leadership of the reapportion
ment committees on the stage at the Seney-Stovall Chapel.
Included among them were our own Senator Bill Cowsert and
our Representative Doug McKillip—both of whom have a deep
understanding of the importance of redistricting.
Cowsert's Republican colleagues in the Senate, including
his brother-in-law, rearranged his senatorial district to make it
more friendly to Republicans during his first campaign. He no
doubt prefers it stay that way, even though it took splitting
Athens-Clarke County in half to make it work.
McKillip—last elected as a Democrat—is counting on reap
portionment to make his heavily Democratic district Republican
enough to enable his re-election. At the Chapel last week, he
appeared relieved to be sitting up with his new GOP chums
instead of down amongst his erstwhile Democratic friends,
who might forget their gentle, liberal ways and punt his new
Republican suit across Milledge Avenue with him in it.
Our leaders talk about commonality of interests and not
splitting up communities, but politics always trumps those
civic concerns. Neutering local Democrats was more important
than keeping Athens-Clarke County in one senatorial district
represented by an Athenian. Now Athens is divided into two
separate senatorial districts appended to the vast, rural hinter
lands, where a Burger King drive-through is the closest thing
to a sidewalk cafe and the University of Georgia means foot
ball. Once Cowsert moves on up the political ladder, Athens will
never again be represented in the Senate by an Athenian, and
her interests will always be subordinated to those of the rural
counties. Such is the partisan nature of all reapportionment.
Mayor Nancy Denson, who was elected by Democrats and
Republicans alike, could have spoken to the committee with
authority about the need to put Athens back into a single
district. Alas, she was laid up with an injured leg and did not
make a dramatic entrance on crutches to confront the commit-.
tee. Former mayor Doc Eldridge, who was elected as a Democrat
when the wind was blowing that way, now breezes along as
a Republican. Doc showed up in spite of two broken ribs to
admonish the committee with more partisanship than original
ity: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Several citizens pointed out that it is indeed broke—right
in half. The committee kept a straight face.
THREE BLOCKS LONG: The next night some of the same
ritizens trooped into a room at the Classic Center to see what
the architects have come up with for the expansion of that
facility. Unlike the legislators, the architects did answer ques
tions, though the result will be pretty much like reapportion
ment: what you see is what you get. And what you get is what
you had all along: a three-block-long monolith—a gigantic
barrier across the eastern end of downtown Athens, through
which not even a bicycle can pass and pedestrians only via
what will sometimes be a roundabout path through the facility
itself. Connectivity—keeping Hancock Street open and allow
ing access toward the river—was the only consideration that
aroused opposition to the Classic Center expansion all along.
When a citizen asked at the meeting last week about connec
tivity, the architect responded, "I don't know what you mean."
This is not to say that it is not impressive. A soaring atrium
reminiscent of a big-city train station such as Athens never
had will become the signature magnet to attract convention
planners and wedding moms. Foundry Street becomes a back
alley, with access into the Classic Center only up steep steps.
Six weeks of citizen input, and the architects still don't even
acknowledge what the citizens were talking about.
MISSING INACTION: The accident that injured Mayor
Denson's leg has exacerbated what some commissioners see
as a leadership vacuum. It may be that they're simply feeling
the difference between Mayor Davison's hyper-attention to
detail and Mayor Denson's approach of heading the government
without needing to poke a finger into every pot. Either way,
the mayor is not nearly as involved with the commission as her
predecessor was, and her injury makes more difficult t!ie com
mission's struggles to deal with pressing issues.
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:
City Dope 4
Athens News and Views
You get one more chance to comment on the Classic Center expansion design before it's approved.
Athens Rising 7
What's Up in New Development
Some creative ideas for revenue might speed the realization of some of Athens' civic goals.
Theater Notes 11
Spies, Lies and Slapping Thighs
Coming soon: A James Bond spoof, lots of Shakespeare and some funny ladies.
Art Notes 12
Hot Spots
Your favorite places around town are hosting some great local art.
COVER DESIGN by Kelly Ruberto
featuring a painting by Jonathan Jacquet
on display at OCAF -
Mixtape Wars 14
Beach Party!: Conley v. Dennis
Kite to the Moon's Timi Conley vs. Maserati’s Coley Dennis
• ^
The Sound of the Future 16
Les Rhinoceros Make Their Debut
Offerjng a promising, experimental sound that warps jazz, world music and electronica.
CITY DOPE 4
CITY PAGES 5
CAPITOL IMPACT 6
ATHENS RISING 7
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 8
MISCELLANY 9
MOVIE DOPE 10
THEATRE NOTES 11
ART NOTES 12
THREATS & PROMISES 13
MIXTAPE WARS 14
THE MEMORIALS 15
LES RHINOCEROS 16
LANA REBEL 17
THE CALENDAR! 18
BULLETIN BOARD 24
ART AROUND TOWN 25
COMICS 26
REALITY CHECK 27
CLASSIFIEDS 28
EVERYDAY PEOPLE 31
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.VOLUME 25
ISSUE NUMBER 20
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