urban pro weekly

Headed for church? Don’t forget your 9mm.

JULY 3 - 9, 2014

The CSRA’s FREE WEEKLYNEWSPAPERVOL.3 NO.41

NEWS • COMMENTARY ARTS ENTERTAINMENT Urban WPro eekly

Eddie Bussey 706-772-9800

The first artist to be exhibited at the Humanitree House Art Gallery, located in downtown Augusta. The exhibit, entitled “Growing Grey”, features an eclectic collection of scenes and portraits painted on wood. Photo by Vincent HobbsRON TURNER

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UPW: Many of your pieces feature recognizable or famous people. Why include them in your work?

RON: The famous people are rep-resentations of that process of “let-ting go.” They all led controversial lives in which the public became very judgmental. However, they are instrumental in the music they con-tributed. The grey represents the letting go of their pasts and seeing them for their true greatness - their immortal music.

UPW: Who are some of your artistic influences?

RON: Edward Hopper, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso.

UPW: If you could sit as an apprentice and study the work and life of any artist who has ever lived, which artist would you choose?

RON: I would choose to sit in with The Factory in New York City, Andy Warhol’s studio. I’d love pick the minds and souls of Jean-Michel Basquiat and others during art’s last movement in the 1970’s.

UPW: When did you begin to be interested in art?

RON: I won my first art show in first grade. My elementary art teacher was instrumental in showing me the beauty of art.

Ron (R.R.) Turner is an artist based in the CSRA and is the art director at TranterGrey Media, a marketing and media company. He was selected as the first artist to be exhibited at the Humanitree House Art Gallery, located in downtown Augusta. The exhibit, entitled “Growing Grey”, features an eclectic collection of scenes and portraits painted on wood, with the main element being the dynamic tonal range of grays and blacks incorporated into the artwork.

Ron’s inspiration for the exhibit was a sort of epiphany for him — a shedding of the outward man and how people perceive that outward man, coming full circle with the understanding that there is no need to exist solely for the acceptance and approval of others. He calls it the process of “letting go”. The central piece in the exhibit is called “Growing Grey”, a stark illustration of how to discard the precon-ceived notions that others may have about a person and to “just be me.”

UPW: Do you feel that most artists, regardless of medium, endure some sort of pain in their life that translates into creative expression?

RON: I think it was W.C. Handy who said that you had to be happy to write the blues, that you had to have those dark times to get the story, then come out and shine to tell it. I believe that carries over into all art.

UPW: Is Augusta a conductive environment for artists to flourish?

RON: Art in Augusta is a challenge, but it’s slowly coming forward. I think people are starting to see the value in art. Digital reproductions

have all but destroyed the painted canvas. Who wouldn’t want a Picasso in their home? But that’s changing; people are tiring of the faux repro-ductions.

UPW: Can artists help to initiate social change through their work?

RON: Definitely. Look at Banksy, an artist who remained secretive about his real identity for years. His strong message resonated all over the world.

(Editor’s note – Banksy is a UK-based graffiti artist and political activist who uses stencils to create artistic commentary on buildings across the globe.)

RON TURNEROn Exhibit Now At Humanitree House Art Gallery

This painting by artist Ron Turner is on exhibit at Humanitree House Art Gallery in downtown Augusta and is entitled “Forward/Backwards”. The art depicts “moving forward at the cost of social and environmental slavery” and references the Augusta Canal and tex-tile mills.Turner is the first artist to be exhibited at the new gallery. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

“Immortal Gaye, the Immortal Man of Love” by Ron Turner Photo by Vincent Hobbs

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PublisherBen Hasan

706-394-9411

Photography and Social Media Courtesy of

Vincent HobbsUrbanProWeekly LLC

Sales & MarketingPhone: 706-394-9411

Urban WeeklyPro

WORSHIP Directory

that crime and violence drops dras-tically when everyone carries a gun,” Jones said.

There are even some registered gun owners, such as A. Fielding, who are skeptical of the new law. As a former law enforcement officer and U.S. Army Sergeant, Fielding has seen numerous citizen gun incidents. “I do not feel it is a good idea. I cannot think of a reason I would need to carry my loaded weap-on into any of those places,” Fielding stated. “If you are that afraid, stay home. I feel that people should not be able to carry weapons in those places.”

However, Fielding takes some com-fort in some provisions of HB 60. “I do like the fact that businesses have the right to refuse to allow weapons in their facilities.”

However, the Safe Carry Protection Act allows registered gun owners to bring their weapons into any govern-ment facility that does not have a secured entry. This includes public libraries.

Darlene Price, director of the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System, wrote in an email to UPW that, “We are working with the County Commission and the City Attorney to hopefully list the public libraries as a “gun-free” zone. I’m not exactly sure how this can be done because the Safe Carry Protection Act is already in place, but—we have asked the question. I have not engaged our legislators yet, but will do so.”

Price is hopeful for such an exemp-tion to take place, “…since “gun-free”

zones are already in place for schools - and public libraries serve the same clientele, and more.”

Public libraries across Georgia are scrambling to determine what sort of protocols should be in place to accom-modate the law. On NPR’s web site, an article stated that a group of librarians in Atlanta were told by their direc-tor Alison Weissinger that librarians weren’t even allowed to ask gun-toting patrons if they had a license to carry the weapon.

The Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) released a statement on June 6, 2014 to municipalities in Georgia concerning the new law. A portion of that release is titled, “Checking for a Weapons Carry License”.

a. Persons carrying any weapon, including firearms, cannot be detained (prevented from leaving) solely for the purpose of checking to see if they have a weapons carry license.

I. This means a police officer or any other city employee cannot stop an individual who clearly has a weapon solely to check for a weapons carry license.

II. To detain a person carrying a weapon, the person must have created a reasonable suspicion that another law is being violated.

b. Law enforcement cannot detain individuals simply to check for a weapons carry license. This may render provisions of this legislation granting license holders different rights from non-license holders in government buildings and commer-

cial service airports worthless. Since law enforcement would be prohibit-ed from detaining to see a weapons carry license in many situations, all persons carrying weapons in an unse-cured government building, including prohibited persons, would have to be treated as if they were license hold-ers or the officer and city could face a lawsuit for simply asking to see a weapons carry license.”

Both law enforcement and city officials will have to make sweeping changes to their protocols in order to comply with the new law.

According to Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, government facili-ties without secured entrances can’t just simply post signs prohibiting guns on the premises. “Weapons carry license holders can enter open government buildings where ingress is not screened or restricted by security personnel.”

Augustans like Fielding think the law is “a very bad idea.”

“Unfortunately, with Georgia being a ‘Stand Your Ground State’, I can see the increase that will come with people claiming to be afraid for their life, but wanting to stand their ground because they are armed, “Fielding said. “Let’s watch the death rate go sky high!”

The implications of HB 60 will impose challenges to citizens, law enforcement, community leaders and government officials. We will all stay tuned to see how the new law will be played out. Will it be the re-emergence of the Wild, Wild West, right here in Augusta?

Praise the Lord and pass the ammoby Vincent HobbsSpecial to UrbanProWeekly

AUGUSTA•It’s 11 AM Sunday morning. You

are sitting in the congregation at your church, enjoying music as the choir sings. Two young men walk in the back door, both wearing handguns strapped next to their hip, Old West-style, and you watch as they take a seat next to a young family.

•You are surfing the web, seated in a row of computers at the downtown library. You notice a pretty young woman, sitting in the row across from you, unholster her Glock 9mm and place it on the desk in front of her. You overhear her say, “now that’s more com-fortable.”

•It’s “Girl’s Night Out” at a local bar. You and your friends order up some drinks, and as the bartender prepares the cocktails, a scruffy old guy saunters up to your group. In the subdued light, you notice that he has a rifle strapped to his back.

While these scenarios may seem unlikely, each one can actually happen under Georgia’s new gun law which went into effect this week on Tuesday. The Safe Carry Protection Act (HB60), signed by Governor Nathan Deal last April is one of the most permissive gun laws in the country.

“I’m against weapons in the church. It’s inappropriate to bring a weap-on to church, unless you are a law enforcement officer on duty,” said Jack Anderson, pastor of New Life Community Fellowship Baptist Church in Augusta. “I would advise not to do it, because of the nature of the sanctuary and God’s holy presence for worship. The church can act as a safe haven for someone seeking shelter or protection. This law goes against that concept.”

Critics call the new law the “Guns Everywhere” law and some of those critics are in law enforcement.

In a story that ran on the NBC News web site, Frank Rotondo, the Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police stated, “Police officers do not want more people carrying guns on the street, particularly police officers in inner city areas.”

Gun supporters have hailed the new law.

Georgia Carry, the organization that lobbied for the bill, stated on their website, “The Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights doesn’t just apply in certain locations or to special peo-ple favored by the government. The right of the people to keep and bear arms applies everywhere and to all of us without qualification. ‘Shall not be infringed’ means SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.”

Some Augustans think that the new law is a disaster.

Xavier Jones, a renowned Augusta artist and former U.S. Army weapons specialist, thinks that allowing guns in public spaces is “a recipe for a fire fight.”

“I want to see the statistics that show

Managing EditorFrederick Benjamin Sr.

706-306-4647

New gun law permits loaded weapons to be carried in churches, libraries and other public buildings.

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WORSHIP Directory

Everfaithful Missionary Baptist Church314 Sand Bar Ferry RoadAugusta, Georgia 30901(706) 722- 0553Church School Sunday 9:25amMorning Worship Sunday 11amEvening Worship 6pm (1st & 3rd Sunday) Midday Prayer 12pm WednesdayIntercessory Prayer/Bible Study 6pm Wednesday

Radio Broadcast: Sundays • WKZK 103.7 FM at 7:30 a.m.

Bishop Rosa L. Williams, Pastor

Good Shepherd Baptist ChurchRev. Clarence Moore, Pastor1714 Olive Road / P. O. Box 141 (mailing address) Augusta, GA 30903706/733-0341- Telephone/706/667-0205 – FaxE-mail address: [email protected] address: goodshepherdaugusta.orgChurch Service: 7:45 & 11:00 a.m.Church School: 9:45 a.m. / Prayer Service: 11:00 a.m. – WednesdayBible Study: 9:00 a.m. - Saturday / 7:00 p.m. - Wednesday

Rev. Clarence Moore

Sunday School 8:30 amMorning Worship Services: 9:45 amEvening Worship Services 6 pm (4th Sunday)Bible Study: 6pm (Mondays)Midday Bible Study: 12pm (Tuesdays)Prayer Services: 6pm (Wednesdays)Celebrate Recovery: 6pm (Fridays) and 12pm (Mondays)

2323 Barton Chapel Road • Augusta,GA 30906706.790.8185 / 706.922.8186 (fax)

Visit Us @ www.broadwaybaptistaug.org • Join us on facebook

Dr. C. William Joyner, Jr.Senior Pastor

Start your calling today! Mount Olivet Certified Academic Institution 706.793.0091 • 706.793.0335 • www.mocai-aug.org

Sunday Morning Services 10 am

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Daily Morning Prayer6:30 a.m. - 6:45 a.m.

218-548-1625 • Access Code 2331#

Got Skills?UrbanProWeekly is looking for freelancers who can write.

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“EVERYONE LOVES” Festival attendees pose for a photo during the Pride Festival held at the Augusta Common on Saturday. The theme for this year’s event was “Everyone Loves.” Photo by Vincent Hobbs

(Left) A band plays for the outdoor crowd during the Augusta Pride Festival held at the Augusta Common on Saturday. The theme for this year’s event was “Everyone Loves”. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Partygoers pose for a photo during the “Beats On Broad” party held at the Augusta Common as part of the 2014 Augusta Pride event. The theme for this year’s event was “Everyone Loves”. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Pride Festival in Augusta

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Justin Chang

The depressing number of race-mocking frat parties in recent years becomes the jumping-off point for

a snarky but good-humored cultur-al debate in “Dear White People.” Bristling with arguments about the complexities of black identity in a supposedly post-racial America, this lively and articulate campus-set comedy proves better at rattling off ideas and presenting opposing view-points than it does squeezing them into a coherent narrative frame. But while it veers toward smugness and self-satisfaction at times, the Spike-Lee-lite exercise nonetheless heralds a fresh and funny new voice on the scene in writer-director Justin Simien, bolstered by an an excellent cast that should find an especially appreciative audience among young black moviegoers; whether a signifi-cant portion of white viewers accept the invitation extended by the title remains to be seen.

One of the more self-referential gags here concerns the dearth of cinematic options for black audienc-es that don’t involve Tyler Perry, a problem to which Simien’s movie, successfully crowd-funded on the basis of a well-received three-minute concept trailer, presents itself as one of many possible solutions. Coming on the heels of a year that brought us “12 Years a Slave,” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” and “Fruitvale Station,” all fact-based dramas that confronted the challenges of being an under-privileged black person at differ-ent moments in U.S. history, “Dear White People” takes satirical aim at a more rarefied sphere of African-American experience, unfolding on a fictitious Ivy League campus that

becomes a sort of elite microcosm of present-day race relations — the hal-lowed-halls answer to the all-black Mission College in “School Daze.”

The black students at Winchester U. have no shortage of influence, opportunity and social/intellectu-al mobility, but they’re still forced to deal with outsider assumptions and, no less important, their own preconceptions of how they should behave. At the “respectable” end is university golden boy Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P. Bell), who’s dating a white girl (Brittany Curran) and is in all respects the very picture of cooperative, non-threatening black masculinity. At the opposite extreme is Troy’s ex-girlfriend, Sam White (Tessa Thompson), a self-styled mil-itant activist determined to shake up Winchester’s predominantly white student body, using her radio talkshow to issue pithy, silky-voiced putdowns like, “Dear white people … please stop dancing.” Positioning herself as Sam’s rival for social-media supremacy is the beautiful and ambi-tious Coleandra “Coco” Conners (Teyonah Parris, “Mad Men”), who, with her straight weave and reali-ty-TV aspirations, has little use for anyone’s fight-the-power rhetoric.

These tensions come to a head when Sam unexpectedly dethrones Troy as student head of the Armstrong/Parker House, a histor-ically black residence hall that has been impacted by the university’s recent Randomization of Housing Act; where others see a healthy diver-sification measure, Sam sees a perni-cious establishment move to break up one of the few venues where students of color can be with their own kind. Observing from the side-lines is Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams, “Everybody Hates Chris”),

a gay student with an unwieldy Afro but little interest in “black culture,” per se; he’s the school’s most glaring misfit, as well as living testament to the film’s thesis that a person’s iden-tity is far too fluid and contradictory to squeeze into a narrow mold.

To Simien’s credit, that complex-ity extends to all four of his central characters, none of whom make it to film’s end without feeling at least somewhat conflicted about them-selves, the political stances they take, the people they sleep with, and the art they create and consume. (One of the movie’s key points is that nothing breaks down cultural barriers more effectively than, well, culture, which explains why Sam can at one point make a controversial short film called “The Rebirth of a Nation,” featuring Obama haters in whiteface, and later grudgingly admit that she likes Taylor Swift.) Meanwhile, the temptation to move up the ladder proves a stum-bling block for Troy, who’s angling to join the staff of the school’s Lampoon-style humor publication, as well as student journalist Lionel, who’s trying to turn Sam’s campaign into an atten-tion-getting news story.

Simien’s stylized, confrontational approach enables him direct access to his characters’ thoughts, ambi-tions, hang-ups and concerns in a way that a more naturalistic piece couldn’t have managed, and he grants them plenty of room to debate each other on all manner of topics: affirmative action, the homogenized images of black life in American cul-ture, the racist undertones in “The Gremlins,” the question of how much to tip for bad restaurant service, the Republican Party as latter-day lynch mob, don’t touch my hair, etc. If the dialogue at times sounds a touch predigested, the quips too pleased

with their own cleverness, it’s par for the course with this sort of volley-of-ideas storytelling.

What’s missing from the picture, more crucially, is a sense of film-making energy and verve that would match the force of its verbiage. Scene by scene, “Dear White People” is carefully composed (by d.p. Topher Osborn), precisely edited (by Phillip J. Bartell), divided into neat little chapters, and scored to passages from “Swan Lake” and “Fur Elise,” to deliberately arch and distancing effect. Meanwhile, en route to its explosive “African-American-themed party” climax, which owes something to recent history and something to “Do the Right Thing,” the story wan-ders in a few less-than-productive directions, most of them involving the tricky friendship/rivalry between Troy and smug white student Kurt Fletcher (Kyle Gallner), and the fact that their fathers are Winchester’s dean (Dennis Haysbert) and presi-dent (Peter Syversten), respectively. It’s the sort of contrived plotting more befitting a soap than a satire, and it has the effect of diminishing the film’s impact and insight at just the point when it should be expand-ing in the viewer’s mind.

If it ultimately feels modestly edgy rather than shocking or dangerous, “Dear White People” nonetheless provokes admiration for having both-ered to ask some of the hard ques-tions without pretending to know any of the answers. It also works as a fine showcase for its actors: Fleshing out characters that could have been little more than one-note mouthpieces, Williams, Thompson, Parris and Bell all make strong, dis-tinctive impressions, with Thompson perhaps the standout as the film’s sharpest and most enigmatic figure.

‘Dear White People’

JUSTIN SIMIEN’S LIVELY AND ARTICULATE COMEDY PROVES

BETTER AT RATTLING OFF IDEAS THAN IT DOES SQUEEZING THEM INTO

A COHERENT NARRATIVE FRAME.

Sundance Film Review:

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SCRAP TIRE RECYCLING

FreeOffering Monthly Tire Recycling for Richmond County Residents

As a good community partner, Augusta Solid Waste provides a variety of community-wide events to encourage citizens to join in reducing waste within our community. On the 3rd Saturday of every month Augusta Solid Waste will hold a recycling event where Richmond County residents can drop off up to 5 scrap tires per resident!

Since it is against the law for any person in a residental zone to accumulate any amount of scrap tires on or around their property, this is a FREE way to recycle and dispose of these scrap tires! We believe it is our responsibility to make Augusta a cleaner, greener and smarter community – a better place to live!

A complete calendar of community events sponsored by Augusta Solid Waste can be found at: www.augustasolidwaste.com.

Augusta Solid Waste is committed to our “Cleaner. Greener. Smarter.” program to provide quality service that’s better for you and better for Augusta.

JUNE 21, 2014Diamond Lakes • 4335 Windsor Spring Road

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Customer must provide proof of Richmond County residency.

Tires will not be accepted from businesses or commercial customers.

Tires may be on or off the rim.

Each resident may bring a maximum of five (5) tires per visit.

Each event will run from 9am – 2pm on the 3rd Saturday of every month.

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‘Dear White People’

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WATERBRANCH BAPTIST CHURCH, located at 5701 Wrightsboro Road in Grovetown, GA, opens the food pantry (charitable food assistance) on the 3rd and 4th Saturday of every month, from 1-2pm. All are welcome. Rev. LJ Tanksley is the pastor.

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Where’s Waldo? In Augusta, GA, of course.

The famous children’s book char-acter in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting twenty-four different local businesses throughout our community this July. Those who spot him can win prizes, including buttons, book coupons and more. From Flowers on Broad at 1018 Broad Street to Casella Eye Center at 767 Broad Street, from Curvitude Boutique at 908A Broad Street to the Augusta Canal Interpretive Center Gift Shop at 1450 Greene Street, Waldo and newly added for 2014, faithful dog Woof, figures will be well hidden in local business establishments. Find Waldo is a great summer vacation activity, and a wonderful way for res-idents to support local business and the Shop Local movement.

Anyone who wishes to participate can pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Augusta, GA!” passport with the names of all the participating sites, and get their passport stamped or signed for each Waldo they spot. The first 100 Waldo seekers to get their passports stamped or signed at ten or more sites can bring their passports back to The Book Tavern to collect prizes. Collecting store stamps or sig-natures at twenty or more businesses will entitle diligent seekers to enter in a grand prize drawing on July 31, with the top prize being a 6-volume deluxe set of Waldo books.

Where’s Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertain-ing drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in the late eighties. Since then, the Where’s Waldo books have held a cherished spot on bookstore shelves the world over. There are now over 61 million Waldo books in print worldwide and they’ve been translat-ed into over 30 languages. An entire generation has grown up searching for Waldo and his cast of wandering companions.

In celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, his American pub-

Find Waldo In AugustaElusive book character creates Summertime Fun to support the Shop Local Movement

lisher, Candlewick Press, is once again teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and 250 independent bookstores all across the country, including The Book Tavern here in Augusta, for some hide and seek fun as well as to encourage communities to patron-ize their local businesses. There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for the entire month of July. For more information about hunting for Waldo and Woof in Augusta, call The Book Tavern at 706.826.1940.

The James Brown movie bio Get On Up will be shown at Augusta’s Regal Cinemas on July 24, eight days before it opens in theaters nationwide.

Chadwick Boseman, who played baseball legend Jackie Robinson in ‘42,’ gets to show his musical talent in ‘Get On Up.’

Augusta Museum of History Executive Director Nancy Glaser confirmed the local premiere. A red carpet walk begins at 6 p.m., and the movie screening starts at 7 p.m., Glaser said.

The history museum will host an after party immediately following the screening, Glaser said. Proceeds from the events benefit the James Brown Family Children Foundation.

According to Regal Cinemas, two screens with 726 seats total are reserved to show the movie on July 24.

James Brown movie set for Augusta Premiere, After Party on July 24

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4 Urban WeeklyPro Commentaryby Bob Young

I recently heard a radio interview with Mayor Deke Copenhaver. He was asked a question all of us are

asked at one time or another: What would you have done differently?

The mayor’s response was that he should have pushed harder to expand the powers of the mayor’s office. He’s not the first to engage that line of thought. The consolidat-ed government’s first mayor, Larry Sconyers, and I both advanced the argument that the mayor needed a hammer to use from time-to-time.

Ironically, the legislation that cre-ated the government that joined together the former City of Augusta and Richmond County is drafted with quite a hammer already in the mayor’s tool belt. He/she is the chief executive officer of the consolidated government.

Being the CEO means what it says. The mayor is the administrative and operational head of the government, just as the governor and president are the heads of their respective jurisdictions.

But something interesting hap-pened on the way to consolidation. The city commission passed an ordi-nance creating the office of city administrator and at the same time moved the executive powers of the mayor to the administrator. The commission was able to do that under home rule.

This might have sounded like a good idea that the time – back in 1996. After all, should not the daily operations of the city be managed by

a professional administrator, rather than by the elected mayor as the consolidation bill asserted?

Fresh on the minds of those designing the new government was the near financial collapse of the for-mer city of Augusta. They held the former mayor solely responsible and were not looking for as repeat after a fresh start.

So the commissioners designed a governing structure that retained the mayor as a presiding officer and put the administrator in a box sur-rounded by the 10 members of the board, each with their own interests and priorities.

But also in that box are the execu-tive powers that briefly belonged to the new mayor. Chief among those powers is budget authority, which is the responsibility to prepare, man-age and account for the city’s annual spending plan, as approved by the commission.

Without the authority that goes with being a full city manager, a string of administrators left our government in unceremonious fash-ion. The first, Randy Oliver, saw the writing on the wall and left, open-ing the door for George Kolb, who also fell out of favor. Then came Kolb’s deputy, Fred Russell, who lasted the longest, but perhaps left the quickest.

All three administrators had one thing in common: They were hired on 10-0 votes. While the search goes on for a new administrator, let’s use this time to end the charade of frac-tured government for all times.

Let’s go back to what the con-

solidation bill established. I submit we’ll quickly see how divisiveness and dissention can be muted. We’ll see how public policy can be crafted around a vision. And, we’ll have one person to hold responsible. The mayor doesn’t need a vote and a veto, as many have advocated over the years. He just needs the powers he was originally granted by the leg-islature.

I submit the ordinance creating the administrator’s office should be repealed. This type of governance simply hasn’t worked. The taxpay-ers have suffered the pain of this experiment for almost 20 years. The cortisone shots are no longer work-ing.

Executive powers should be returned to the mayor. Further, the office of chief operating officer should be established to support the mayor’s authority.

Only one mayor needs to be in charge; not 10 mini-mayors. It’s clear the government lacks credibil-ity. Two recent examples show why: The voters soundly rejected the lone commissioner who ran for mayor, and they turned down SPLOST.

The election of Hardie Davis as our fourth mayor in the nearly 20 years of consolidated government should be a sign that the time has come to fix what ails us. Minorities have been reluctant to support any changes in the mayor’s powers, feel-ing that their influence would be diluted. That argument fades with Davis’ election.

Mayor-elect Davis has a lot to offer our city, and we should not set him up for failure. Success will be assured when a super majority of eight commissioners (as required under the law) agree that the status quo has left us mired in uncon-trolled debt and deficit spending and must be changed.

In this case change is simply going back to what we were supposed to have – a strong mayor. We don’t need to wait. Mayor-elect Davis should know before January first what he is getting into. We owe it to him, and we owe it to the people he serves.

Let’s give the man his hammer!

The writer is a former mayor of Augusta.

Mayor’s powers should be expanded

I truly do not know where to begin. I don’t know which idea is more offensive—the presump-

tion that corporations are people and therefore deserve the same Constitutional protections as indi-vidual citizens, or the notion that an American enterprise can legally dis-criminate against its female employ-ees under the guise of religious freedom. Of course, I am referring to the Supreme Court ruling on this past Monday.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby that for-profit employers with religious objection can opt out of provid-ing contraception coverage under Obamacare. I take issue with this ruling on two fronts, both as a Christian and as a woman.

One of the driving, fundamental beliefs that breathed life into our republic at its inception is the belief that individuals should be free to

worship when, where, and how they please; and furthermore, govern-ment shall not force any religious belief or practice on any citizen against their will. The freedom to believe as you wish is often held as sacred in our nation. A person’s religion often shapes their lifestyle and personal identity. It is, indeed, a blessing that we live in a nation where an individual’s religious rights are respected and protected.

The key word here is individual. Over the years, our government has performed a delicate balancing act between ensuring citizen’s religious rights and ensuring that all citizens are protected under the law.

It’s no easy task and the Hobby Lobby decision is a prime example. Essentially, the decision indicates that corporations (such as Hobby Lobby) can defy federal statutes if they feel the law violates their reli-gious freedom. This sets an unset-

tling precedent for large, for-profit companies to make similar claims in the future. Corporations simply should not be treated as people. If the owners of Hobby Lobby feel that the use of certain contraceptives violate their religious rights, then they (themselves and their family members) should not use those con-traceptives. In a sense, the ruling allows the corporation to impose its religious beliefs on the employee.

How fair is that?As a woman, I also can’t help

but feel a little singled out by this Supreme Court decision. I could be wrong; but I imagine that if the burden of fighting for and main-taining reproductive rights was a responsibility primarily shouldered by men, every employer (big or small, for-profit or not-for-profit) would be required to provide con-traception without question. As quiet as it may be kept, this ruling

had as much to do with issues of gender and power as it had to do with religion.

For some women, it’s as if religion was used as yet one more excuse to trample upon the hard fought right of women to control their own bod-ies and make very personal repro-ductive choices for themselves.

Only time will tell if Monday’s decision proves to be slippery slope towards legal discrimination or a tiny blip on the radar of the United States vast legal system. As a Christian, it is truly disheartening to see a company use my faith to deny benefits to its workers. As a woman, I am disappointed to see female employees lose ground on an important issue. What’s next is left to be seen…

[email protected]@KristieRobinJ on TwitterKristieRobinSpeaks.wordpress.com

Former Augusta Mayor Bob Young

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Your religion versus my rightsBY KRISTIE ROBIN JOHNSON

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Notice to Public Housing Residents Housing Authority of the City of Augusta, Georgia

The Augusta Housing Authority (AHA) must amend its approved 2014 Comprehensive Agency Plans to comply with the statutory changes contained within, Public Law 113 – 76, the Fiscal Year 2014 Appropriation Act. The Augusta Housing Authority (AHA) will set the flat rental amount for each public housing unit that complies with the requirement that all flat rents be set at no less than 80 percent of the applicable Fair Market Rent (FMR) adjusted, if necessary, to account for reasonable utilities costs. The new flat rental amount will apply to all new program admissions effective October 1, 2014. For current program participants that pay the flat rental amount, the new flat rental amount will be offered, as well as the income-based rental amount, at the next annual rental option. The Augusta Housing Authority (AHA) will place a cap on any increase in a family’s rental payment that exceeds 35 percent, and is a result of changes to the flat rental amount as follows: Multiply the existing flat rental payment by 1.35 and compare that to the updated flat rental amount; The Augusta Housing Authority (AHA) will present two rent options to the family as follows: the lower of the product of the calculation and the updated flat rental amount; and the income-based rent. The AHA will conduct one Public Hearing on Thursday, July 10, 2014 at 9 am. in the board room of the J. Madden Reid Building located at 1435 Walton Way, Augusta, Georgia to discuss the plans in accordance with the QHWRA and related U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsequent notices related to the 2014 Appropriations Act requiring public housing authorities to establish flat rents at no less than 80 percent of the fair market rents. Interested parties can review and obtain a draft copy of the Plans upon request. Residents of public housing who would like to attend the hearing and require transportation or any interested persons requiring special assistance for hearing, visual, or language impairment are requested to contact the Resident Services Department at (706) 312-3155 no later than Thursday, July 3rd.

Equal Housing Opportunity The Housing Authority of the City of Augusta

By: Jacob L Oglesby, Executive Director Mission Statement: To promote adequate and affordable housing, economic opportunity

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Early Voting Has Begun For Commission District 6 and State Senate District 22

The Greater Augusta Arts Council is proud to announce the monthly First Friday celebration in downtown Augusta, Ga. First Friday will take place on Friday, July 4, 2014, from 5PM to 9PM. There are several gallery openings and special events.

Special Events this month include: Artist’s Local 1155 will be open

for gallery tours of new and favorite art. 1155 Broad St.

The Augusta Fire Collective will perform a special First Friday show this month. Watch fire dancers twirl and spin for your entertainment. This event will take place shortly after the sun sets. 11th & Broad St.

Odd Fellows Gallery will be open to the public. There will be art from all over the CSRA on display for sale through the month of July. 1036 Broad St.

Art on Broad will be open with art from all the partners on display. Stop in for a tour and conversation. 1028 Broad St.

The River Walk Series, Inc. will present the 18th annual “Star Spangled Fourth” featur-ing the 100-member Independence Day Chorus & Orchestra with spe-cial guest star, Russell Joel Brown. 7:30PM. 605 Reynolds St.

The city of Augusta will celebrate Independence Day with a light-up spectacular! Shortly after sundown, cannons will be discharged and there will be a firework display centered at the 5th Street Bridge.

Our recurring events are presented by loyal community members who venture out of their way to make First Friday a memorable event each month, and for that we say “thank you.”

First Friday is a family friendly event that is free and open to the public. For information on this event, as well as other events, visit www.augusta-arts.com or contact Jamie Lowe by phone at 706-826-4702, extension 3.

FIRST FRIDAY

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Mini Theatre receives new van from alumni AUGUSTA MINI THEATRE DIRECTOR TYRONE BUTLER stands next to a recently donated van. Former dance student Kathy King and her husband Jesse donated the 15-passenger van to the arts group. The Kings are long-time supporters and volunteers for the Augusta Mini Theatre. Mrs. King has been associated with the Mini Theatre since 1975 and was an original member of the Theatre’s first dance troupe, The T-Bone Express.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

A KAYAKER enjoys the scenery at Lake Olmstead on lazy mid-week afternoon. Outdoor temperatures reached 90 degrees before evening thun-derstorms moved into the CSRA. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

CAUGHT IN THE ACT Augustans at work and play

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