A traveling Vietnam War Memorial comes to north Georgia.
After the devastation of Hurricane Helene and the hardships local residents endured in its aftermath, they might feel more grateful than usual during this season of thanksgiving.
Perhaps one meaningful way for people to count their blessings and enjoy a time of reflection would be a daytrip to Dahlonega to see The Wall That Heals. This three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War.
The Wall bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during the conflict, and it will be on display from Thursday, October 31 until Sunday, November 3.
Activities in Dahlonega will include an In Memory Program and Agent Orange Awareness Ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday, November 1 and a closing ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on the final day.
The Wall Visitors can make rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall, which is 375 feet long and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Machine engraving of the names, along with LED lighting, provide readability of The Wall day and night.
Like the original Memorial, The Wall That Heals, which features 140 numbered panels, is erected in a chevron-shape and lists the names by day of casualty.
The Mobile Education Center The 53-foot trailer that carries The Wall That Heals also transforms into a mobile Education Center, which tells the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall itself and the divisive era in American history.
The exterior of the trailer features a timeline of “The War and The Wall” and provides additional information about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Additional exhibits give visitors a better understanding of the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the collection of items left at The Wall.
Hometown Heroes features photos of service members on The Wall who list their home of record from the local area. The photos are part of The Wall of Faces, an effort to put a face to every name inscribed on The Wall in Washington, D.C.
The In Memory Honor Roll includes photos of local Vietnam veterans honored through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s In Memory program, which honors the service members who returned home and later died. Digital photos are of In Memory honorees from the state where the exhibit is on display.
A replica of the In Memory plaque that resides on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in Washington, D.C., reads: “In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice.”
The Items Left Behind display features remembrances representative of those left at the Memorial in Washington, D.C., in honor of those on The Wall.
Since The Wall began touring in 1996, it has been on display in more than 700 communities nationwide.
If You Go: What: The Wall That Heals
When: Thursday, October 31 – Sunday, November 3; open 24 hours a day
There’s something mystical in the air. Maybe it’s the ghostly remnants of summer nights long past, or perhaps it’s the waft of a cinnamon broom or echoes of a lost radio frequency carrying the soul of a forgotten tune.
Whatever it is, Futurebirds has captured lightening in a bottle and unleashed it with its fifth and latest studio album, Easy Company.
From note one, Easy Company doesn’t just play — it conjures. It’s as if the band has tapped into a secret stash of sound, where the past and future collide with a wingspan of Southern rock, cosmic country and secret sauce.
The opener, “Movin’ On,” is a sticky-stomp journey about leaving things behind with the knowledge that they’ll always be a part of you. In a nod to Waynesboro, Georgia’s iconic landmark, this song hits close to home — “There is a huntin’ dawg painted up high on the water tower, and he’s pointin’ somewhere — and I’m gonna find out.”
The rest of Easy Company stitches together a beautiful tapestry of songwriting through the chemistry of the Bird’s lead members with songs like “Solitaires,” “Colorados” and the title track, “Easy Company.”
This isn’t just an album — it’s a journey, and the trip is worth taking, again and again.
Like a surprise summer storm—unexpected, exhilarating, full of twists — Phish, a band known for its relentless innovation and live improvisation, delivers a supersonic cyclone of tuneage with its 16th studio album, Evolve.
Evolve shines like multi-colored sunbeams of wonder with a familiar, yet fresh, maze of melody and rhythm surrounded by a vibrant torrent of rock, funk and jazz. Rooted in traditional rock ’n’ roll but always flipping the script, band members noodle, zap, slap and stomp through a well-worn map with new routes and landmarks scribbled in the margins.
One of the album’s most intriguing moments comes with “Pillow Jets,” a track that starts as a lullaby before spiraling into a cacophony of sound. It’s the kind of song that could only come from a band that swims in unpredictability, where each note feels like it’s balancing on the edge of a new adventure.
“Oblivion” and “A Wave of Hope” maintain a high-energy vibe filled with bluesy riffs and soaring solos that recall the band’s jam roots, but it’s in the quieter moments where the album shows its depth in creating a space where listeners can lose themselves or find something new.
In Evolve, Phish has crafted an album that celebrates its past and leaps into the unknown. Inviting listeners to join them on a journey, the record doesn’t end with the final track but continues to evolve with each listen.
Whether you’re a Phish newbie or a seasoned Phan, Evolve will resonate with you long after the last note.
Bust out the box fans and sweet tea — the sons of Southern soul, Widespread Panic, are back with an oasis of chilly, wet awesomeness that’s been brewing for nine years. Snake Oil King is a high-octane, six-pack of tunes that slings a dizzying blend of Panic’s swagger and gritty-hooked storytelling that quenches the ears and fans the soul.
From first splash, Panic brings the party with the funk-laden blues jam, “We Walk Each Other Home.” The rockin’ raft of Widespread’s effortless wonder floats from track to track, and the signature harmonic and lazy-hazy vocal blend of lead singer John Bell and keyboardist JoJo Herman can be found on the back-porch-groove ditty, “Tackle Box Hero.”
As the lush-layered arrangements of “Snake Oil King” drift into a Lowcountry sunset, the album appropriately wraps with “Small Town,” a big-splash melodic sizzler that brings it all home with a misty waterfall of dreamy Panic bliss to instantly calm the bark of these dog days.
With a Widespread celebratory toast to their classic formula, the hollerin’ sons of Athens, GA strike all the familiar chords for the die-hards and open the floodgate for newbies to devour and come back for seconds.
This isn’t just an album; it’s a triple-scoop masterpiece of emotion-commotion with a jammin’ ice-cream truck full of surprises.
A mythical (or not) creature brings bigtime adventure to the Appalachian Mountains.
Whether they call him Bigfoot, Sasquatch or Yeti, true believers have scoured wooded areas from Appalachia to the Pacific Northwest – and all corners of the globe – for sightings of the legendary figure.
In the southwest corner of Virginia, near the commonwealth’s smallest town of Norton, the creature answers to a different name – Woodbooger. And anyone who goes there will find him hiding in plain view in the wilderness of nearby Flag Rock Recreation Area.
Just beyond the parking area for the 1,000-acre park, a giant statue of the tall, hairy, humanlike being towers over a gravel path that leads to Flag Rock Overlook.
The Woodbooger became part of local lore in 2011 when Animal Planet filmed an episode of its program “Finding Bigfoot” in southwest Virginia. Courtesy of this national exposure, tourists flocked to the area in search of the elusive forest dweller. Taking full advantage of the creature’s newfound notoriety, the Norton City Council declared Flag Rock Recreation Area a Woodbooger Sanctuary in 2014.
Explorers Delight
Visitors often take pictures of themselves with the Woodbooger statue. Explorers also are welcome to come to the area and search for the mysterious creature or photograph evidence of the beast’s existence as long as they don’t damage its habitat.
However, Norton is not only a base for those in search of the Woodbooger. Nestled beneath High Knob – the highest point in the Cumberland Mountains – the town is centrally located between two main highways, U.S. 23 and U.S. Route 58 Alternate, near the crossroads of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
The 4,200-foot High Knob summit is part of Stone Mountain which, at 13 miles wide and 26 miles long, connects many of the communities and recreation sites in the High Knob Region. Along with the city of Norton, the region includes nine Southwest Virginia communities in Wise, Scott and Lee counties.
Offering a variety of outdoor adventures, the region also is home to three state parks (Clinch River, Natural Tunnel and Southwest Virginia Museum), the more than 90,000-acre Clinch Ranger District on the Jefferson National Forest and other community parks and trails.
Activities range from hiking, hunting and horseback riding to camping, cycling (road, gravel and mountain) and climbing or bouldering on miles of cliffs. The region’s waterways offer opportunities for fishing and paddling as well.
In addition, the 40-plus mile Thomas Jefferson Scenic Byway Loop passes by additional recreation sites, scenic vistas and trails.
Observation Tower and Overlooks
Located five miles above downtown Norton atop the summit of Stone Mountain, the High Knob Observation Tower is a popular destination for hikers. Distant peaks as far away as Great Smoky Mountains National Park and West Virginia are visible from the tower.
A one-mile trail (also the start of the 15.6-mile Chief Benge Scout Trail) travels from the observation tower parking lot to High Knob Recreation Area.
Evenings are prime time to tour the area as well. Since the Woodbooger is a nocturnal creature, a spectacular sunset just might get explorers in the mood for a nighttime adventure.
The observation tower, along with two overlooks, is an ideal spot to watch the sunset.
Powell Valley Overlook, located on U.S. 23 North between Big Stone Gap and Norton, offers sweeping vistas of Powell Valley and surrounding mountains.
At 3,200 feet in elevation, Flag Rock Overlook also provides a great vantage point to watch the sun dip below the horizon. The lights in downtown Norton illuminate the surrounding hillsides as well.
A daytime hike to Flag Rock Overlook showcases the reasons that the Woodbooger would feel at home in the region. Highlighting the area’s natural beauty, the scenic trail to the overlook provides panoramic views of the Appalachian landscape.
The almost three-mile out-and-back trek, which begins at Legion Park in Norton, requires hikers to navigate gradual inclines and rocky terrain along forested paths lined by towering trees. Yellow blazes mark the trail, but don’t forget to keep an eye out for the Woodbooger. If you don’t spot the real thing, well, the statue is only a few steps from the overlook.
In Good Company
The city’s Flag Rock Recreation Area is three miles above downtown Norton on the lower slopes of High Knob. The park is most often associated with “Flag Rock,” which can be seen from downtown as a rock outcrop capped by an American flag.
The stars and stripes have waved atop the rock pillar since the 1920s when a German immigrant is said to have scaled the outcrop and erected the flag to symbolize his love for his newfound home.
In addition, the Woodbooger is not the only one to enjoy sanctuary status in these parts. The Flag Rock Recreation Area also has been designated as a Green Salamander Sanctuary to protect the species’ habitat. It is the country’s only town or city property given special designation for this species.
There are 20-plus salamander species within the borders of Norton and Wise County, giving the region one of the world’s highest concentrations of salamander diversity.
If you spy a Green Salamander, consider yourself lucky (few trained herpetologists get to see the species) – and be sure to keep your distance. They don’t respond well to being handled, and the chemicals on humans’ skin can harm the amphibians.
Festivals and Food
Along with the elusive Woodbooger and Green Salamander, the region is home to many outdoor festivals. The annual High Knob Outdoor Fest is August 10-18, with adventures designed for beginners and experts alike.
Activities include an outdoor photo contest, kayak and canoe rides, a bouldering clinic, stargazing program, nature painting classes, outdoor yoga, forest botanicals festival, trail runs, mountain bike poker ride on the Flag Rock Area Trails system and more.
The festival culminates with a celebration in downtown Norton from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, August 17, that features live bands, a craft beer and wine garden, food trucks, local artisans and outdoor gear vendors and demonstrations. For more information, go to highknoboutdoorfest.com.
Photos courtesy of Cyle Foley, Lefty Ray and Jonathan Johnson
Only two years after taking up sporting clays, a local phenom represented Team USA on an international stage.
It all started in February 2022 with an email about wobble trap shooting from the Columbia County 4-H Club. Appling resident Jacob Judson, now 16 years old, was looking for a hobby, so he decided to try shooting at a local 4-H wobble trap team meet at Columbia County’s old landfill.
After pulling a trigger for the first time ever at that event, Jacob was hooked on shooting sporting clays even though he had “never hunted in my life.”
He kept entering sporting clays events – and doing quite well, thank you – across the Southeast, and currently, he competes about 30 weekends a year.
“Jacob is still a name that people are trying to figure out,” says his father, Jonathan.
Spoiler alert: He’s making it easy for them.
Reaching His Goals
Beginning in E Class at the bottom of the shooting world rankings, Jacob rose to the Master Class in 11 1/2 months. Two years after taking up the sport, he represented his country at the 2024 World FITASC (pronounced FEE-task) Championship in Hudson, Wisconsin June 27-30 as a Junior member of Team USA.
For the uninitiated, FITASC – an acronym for the international version of American sporting clays – is the Olympics of the shooting world.
Jacob had to participate in at least four regional shoots to be able to qualify for Team USA at FITASC. Although the competitors came from across the world, they primarily live in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe.
Before the competition, it was hard for Jacob to comprehend his achievement. “When I got the Team USA jersey, that’s when it really hit me,” he says.
Marching in the opening ceremony with his teammates was surreal for him. “It’s hard to explain,” he says. “It was great to represent my country.”
He represented America well. Jacob finished 20th in the Junior division out of almost 100 competitors, and he finished in 130th place in the entire 950-person field, which included shooters of all ages.
In the FITASC competition, shooters faced a series of eight parcours, or courses. Each parcour had 25 targets, which were launched from different stations, for a total of 200 targets. The shoot is based off of a menu board, and participants cannot mount their guns until they see the target.
Jacob met his individual goal of hitting at least 20 clays in each parcour and finished with a score of 166.
“I was happy about it,” he says. “It was a good score.”
Building Competitors
The overall winner of the competition, Zach Kienbaum of Savannah, who is also Jacob’s coach, had a score of 189.
He helps Jacob develop his skills and keep things in perspective.
“At that age, I don’t really care how he shoots,” Kienbaum says. “We’re building competitors for the future. I want to build the best adult Jacob. I want to build the best competitor we can.”
Kienbaum, who coaches many high-level adults, normally doesn’t teach teens unless they’re committed and serious about the sport.
“Jacob is the type of kid that I like working with,” he says. “He came out of nowhere. A year ago, no one really knew who he was. He burst onto the scene.”
Kienbaum says Jacob’s raw talent, along with his low-key demeanor, sets him apart from other shooters.
“He has a great attitude. He’s calm and even-keeled,” says Kienbaum. “His mind just understands what he’s trying to do.”
In Master Class events across the country, Jacob often competes against men in their 30s and 40s who have been shooting for years.
“It’s hard to compete against them. They have a lot more experience and a lot more control in what they do,” says Jacob. “I try to shoot with my coach whenever I can. I try to pay attention to what he’s doing and copy it.”
In addition, Jacob, who started shooting at Pinetucky Gun Club in Blythe in June 2022, has continued to hone his skills with the club’s team, the Pullits. Charles Dolan of Pinetucky says Jacob is the gun club’s first shooter to achieve a national ranking.
“He has worked with the right coaches. He has worked with the right people,” says Dolan. “He has a natural ability and great hand-eye coordination. He has put in the hard work, and that’s what it takes.”
Making Friends
Despite his considerable talent, Jacob says one of the most rewarding aspects of the sport is the people he meets.
“They all compete against each other, but they’re friends at the same time,” says his mother, Lynn. “They want to beat each other, but they’ll give each other a hug afterward.”
Admittedly shy, Jacob, a junior in Columbia County’s Virtual Academy who previously attended Harlem High, says the competitions bring him out of his shell.
“When I’m at a shoot, I’ve had to meet people and learn how to talk to them,” he says.
Reconnecting with friends and meeting new ones, as well as getting experience with more difficult targets, was his favorite part of the FITASC competition.
“I’m friends with a lot of people in the sport, and it was great seeing people I know,” Jacob says. “Meeting other people from around the world is a cool experience, too.”
Columbia County is now home to the area’s first indoor pickleball center.
Dink, drink or dine — come for one, or come for all three. Bringing a new sports and restaurant concept to the county, owners Nancy and Troy Akers have opened Dink’d, an indoor pickleball facility in Petersburg Shoppes on Furys Ferry Road.
“Pickleball has exploded nationwide, and it’s no different here,” says Joe Clemente, chief operating officer. “There is no facility of this kind anywhere in the area. We want Dink’d to be a destination in the community.”
Troy Akers agrees. “We know the area is ready for this,” he adds.
The 27,000-square-foot, climate-controlled facility offers extended hours seven days a week, and Dink’d features nine championship pro-surface courts for tournaments, leagues, clinics, lessons and open play. Other activities include glow-in-the-dark pickleball and themed nights.
“If it’s really hot or really cold or it’s raining, people can play pickleball,” Clemente says. “Pickleball is addictive. It’s easy to learn, and people enjoy the camaraderie. A place like Dink’d caters to different generations of pickleball players.”
Dink’d is not just for pickleball, however. Additional amenities include a pro shop, full kitchen with a chef-inspired menu and full service bar with beer on tap, cocktails and mocktails.
Packages for parties, corporate outings and other events include court space, catering options and multimedia.
“The food and beverage component is a big part of this, and it makes us different from other pickleball facilities,” says Clemente.
Vu Nguyen, a pro-level pickleball player, will serve as head of pickleball operations. Memberships, which give people earlier access to courts than the general public, include pro and social levels.
“We’re a member-based model, but the public is welcome,” Clemente says. “If you reserve a court or just want to hang out, we’re open to everyone.”
For tournaments, Akers says they plan to work with the county to offer play at Dink’d and nearby Columbia County Racquet Club.
“This is an Augusta-based business. It’s not a chain. When you come to Dink’d, you’re supporting a local business,” says Akers. “It’s going to be a best-in-class facility that will make the community proud.”
Photos courtesy of Harlem High School and Augusta Christian Schools
A local high school baseball team recently won back-to-back state championship titles.
The words bear repeating. After all, not one, but two, Columbia County teams – Harlem High and Augusta Christian – successfully defended their state championships this year.
To capture its latest Georgia Class-AAA crown, Harlem swept Calvary Day School this spring by scores of 13-5 in game one and 7-0 in the second game.
Last year the Bulldogs also swept their opponent for the title, defeating Ringgold High School 5-3 and 2-1 with come-from-behind victories in both games.
The 2023 and 2024 state championships were the sixth and seventh titles for Head Coach Jimmie Lewis, who has led the program for the last 46 years of his 48-year career on the Harlem baseball staff.
“It means a whole lot when you’re 71 years old,” he says. “They were a team. They were not a bunch of individuals.”
With last year’s title, the Bulldogs ended a 37-year drought by winning their first state championship since 1986. They finished as runners-up in 1992 and 1999 when Lewis coached his four sons.
He also led the team to state championships in 1979, his first year as head coach, and pulled off a three-peat in 1981, 1982 and 1983.
In addition, MaxPreps ranked Harlem as high as No. 9 in the nation and No. 1 out of all classifications in Georgia this year.
Augusta Christian shut out Cardinal Newman High School, 8-0, in the third game of the best-of-three series to win this year’s South Carolina Independent School Association’s Class-AAAA baseball championship. The team also won the first game, 3-1, after dropping game two in extra innings.
A year ago, the Lions won the school’s first state title since 2007 by defeating Hammond High School, 9-3, in the decisive third game.
With this season’s title, Austin Robinson, a 2013 Greenbrier High grad who pitched in back-to-back state championships for the Wolfpack, won his second crown in three years as Augusta Christian’s head coach.
“It means everything, especially to the boys who put in all the work and the time. They’ve dedicated their lives to baseball,” he says. “I wish I could take credit, but the credit goes to those boys and what they’ve done the last four years.”
Senior Moments
Both coaches say they had great leadership from the seniors on their teams the last two years, and the state championships were special to the players.
“The seniors have been playing together since we were real little,” says Harlem’s Amerson Guy, the grandson of Oakland Raiders punter and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Guy. “We’ve always dreamed about winning a state championship, but to do it back-to-back was truly incredible.”
He says the 2023 state championship was more exciting because it was the first one Harlem had won in years, but teammate Caiden Coile favors 2024.
“The second one was different because it was the last game that the seniors played together,” he says.
Augusta Christian’s Wilson Donnelly shared that sentiment. “We won the first one for last year’s seniors. The second one felt different because it was my last one,” he says. “I’m glad I got to share it with my teammates and friends. I’ll get to tell my kids that I won back-to-back state championships in high school.”
His teammate, Khaleel Pratt, believes there is no feeling like winning back-to-back championships. “Not many people get to experience that,” he adds. “It was a lot of fun to do it with my guys.”
Along with their back-to-back titles, the seniors on both teams amassed some impressive numbers during their playing days as well.
The Harlem seniors went 128-18 during their four-year high school careers, 73-2 the last two seasons, 10-0 in the 2023 playoffs and 10-0 in the 2024 playoffs. They also set a Bulldogs record with a 37-game win streak that dates back to last season.
Of the eight seniors on this year’s Harlem team, six wanted to keep playing baseball and earned college scholarships.
Jake Fulmer will play at Toccoa Falls College; Tyler Simmons, the Region 4-AAA Player of the Year; is headed to USC-Aiken; and Shane Wheeless will suit up for East Georgia State College.
Jeremiah Hamilton, Guy and Coile will be teammates again at Andrew Junior College, and Hamilton is excited about bringing everything they learned from Coach Lewis to the next level.
“It’s more than just baseball at Harlem. He teaches young kids how to be men,” he says. “We have great chemistry, and we can’t wait to gel with the other players and have a great season.”
The Augusta Christian seniors had a 40-15 record the last two seasons, and all six of them earned scholarships to play collegiate baseball.
Pratt will play for the University of Kentucky, and Luca Perriello is a Virginia Tech signee.
“Playing for Augusta Christian and Coach Robinson taught me how to be a teammate,” Perriello says. We learned to work together, not just on individual goals.”
Eric Doyon is bound for Columbia International University; Santiago Pacheco will play for Southern Union State Community College; Jonah Shipes is going to Gordon State College and
Donnelly signed with the University of West Georgia.
The Meaning of Team
Both teams had to overcome injuries throughout the season. In addition, Robinson says, “We knew we had a target on our backs after last year.”
Lewis, the 2024 Region 4-AAA Coach of the Year, agrees.
“We faced everybody’s best pitcher. My crowd stepped up to the plate. We battled, and we beat them,” he says. “I think if I had told them they were going to play the Atlanta Braves, they would expect to beat them.”
To reach their goals, the players pulled together as a team.
“No one man can win a game. It takes a team, and ‘team’ means ‘together everyone achieves more,’’’ says Lewis. “When we work as a team, we have a chance to win.”
Lewis also says he wouldn’t be successful without assistant coaches Chris Waters, Rusty James, Hunter McBride and Lonnie Morris; trainer Robert Leslie; athletic director Rodney Holder, and his wife of 50 years, Nancy. He even got to share last year’s title with his grandson, Landen Lewis, who was a senior on the 2023 team.
Robinson’s wife, Molly, came to every game with their 1-year-old daughter, Lilly, on her hip, and the players acknowledged their fans as well.
“All the support we had from the people of Harlem, you’ll never find anywhere else,” says Will Holder, a rising HHS senior who has committed to Georgia Southern. “They traveled everywhere with us.”
History of Success
Of course, Columbia County has a long history of baseball success.
Robinson credits the pedigree to head coaches like Lewis, Terry Holder (grandfather of Will and father of Rodney, who won back-to-back 4A state championships at Greenbrier in 2006 and 2007) and Gerald Barnes.
“Augusta is a great stomping ground for baseball because of these three men,” he says.
Terry Holder won eight state baseball championships at Evans (five) and Greenbrier (three) high schools. At Westside High in Augusta, Barnes won more than 900 games and two state titles.
“When you play and coach around people like Terry Holder and Gerald Barnes, you tend to learn. Sometimes they beat your brains out, but that’s how you learn,” Lewis says.
The future also is bright for Columbia County baseball, and HHS and Augusta Christian are eyeing a three-peat next year.
“It’s doable,” says Lewis. “We need to practice hard, work hard, set goals, take one game at a time and go after it.”
The 2025 Bulldogs also will play on the newly christened Jimmie Lewis Field, which will be dedicated at the start of the season.
Ethan Duckworth, a rising senior for Augusta Christian, says winning the first two state championships was hard. As for a three-peat, he adds, “We’re going to try to find a way to get it done.”
As summer brings the heat with exciting excursions, backyard soirees and ice cream truck marathons, there’s magic in finding the perfect soundtrack to accompany every moment. With their latest self-titled album, The Avett Brothers offer not just a collection of songs, but a journey for the ride.
From the crisp melodies of the album opener “Never Apart” to the cosmic harmonies of “Orion’s Belt,” The Avett Brothers capture the essence of life’s seasons with an effortless grace. It’s as if they’ve distilled the very fragrance of scattered rain, warm breezes and every sense trigger in between to build a thunderhead crescendo of awesome.
But it’s not just the lyrical content that evokes the sense-fueled season; it’s the intentional craftsmanship of melodic arrangements and spatial genius that carve a profound emotional connection that ebbs and flows like the tides, shifting and changing with the passing of time.
Tracks like “Love of a Girl” and “Forever Now” showcase the band’s versatility, seamlessly blending folk, rock and Americana influences into a sound that feels both timeless and fresh.
And with their trademark blend of gritty, heartfelt lyrics and soulful instrumentation, they craft a crustless sonic sandwich that satisfies the hunger for more.
So, as the sun moves up the mercury, let The Avett Brothers be your SPF for the adult swim of life.
As the sun feels closer and the heat feels hotter, summer makes a collect call from sweet destinations. Whether it’s a backyard sprinkler or a sandy shore, we are invited to soak up the vibe. And whether you are on the road or lounging around, A La Sala (translation: To the Room), the latest cosmic creation by the smooth-groove Houston funk-rock trio Khruangbin, is a must-have in the sonic solstice cooler.
Pouring an auditory cocktail into a universe where groove and gravity skip hand in hand, Khruangbin’s trademark blend of blues, funk, surf and lo-fi rock delivers a variety of flavors that are as cool as they are clever. From the moment the needle drops, you’re whisked away on a journey that defies both time and space.
Tracks like the colorful sunset-jam “Fifteen Forty-Three” or the cabana-clopping “Hold Me Up (Thank You)” bring rhythms braided in a Duane Eddy twang that are equal parts intricate and irresistible. The album’s simplistic yet exotically complex layers drop a refreshing loop of fruity-sweet gems that reflect like sun on the water and crash with soothing waves of expanding reverberations.
This is an all-inclusive acoustical resort, where you can lose yourself and float down the lazy river of auditory delight. So put on your shades, turn up the volume, toss your cares in a cooler of Khruangbin and let the vibes take you away.
From fairies to potheads (literally), this yard art is an expression of personality and playfulness.
There’s no rest for makers like Michelle Scarborough Johnson, who has been creating yard art and garden sculptures for the past 10 years.
Her creative juices never stop flowing – even in her sleep.
“I’ll wake up in the morning with an idea and think, ‘I could do this,’” Michelle says.
The retired critical care nurse makes her pieces out of hypertufa, which is a lightweight, porous, manmade rock consisting of Portland cement and aggregates such as vermiculite, perlite, peat moss or sand. She mixes up the cement-based substance, which is a substitute for a porous type of limestone called tufa, herself using a recipe she found online.
“I honestly don’t remember where I saw it, but I taught myself,” Michelle says.
Recycled and Refurbished
Yard art is just the latest creative endeavor for this self-taught artist.
“I sew a lot. I paint. I quilt,” Michelle says. “I always wanted to make pottery, but you need a kiln. I love gardening.”
When Michelle was 10 years old, her grandmother taught her how to sew. Otherwise, however, she taught herself the other crafts.
“It’s very fulfilling for me to be making something all the time,” says Michelle, a mother of six who earned her nursing degree at age 42.
She makes hats out of refurbished materials, and for every hat she sells, she donates one to someone in need.
She also incorporates discarded and recyclable materials such as wine bottles, plastics, metal hardware, balloons, ice cream containers, milk jugs and strips of fabric into her hypertufa projects.
“I wrap the bottles in old clothes that can’t be donated,” says Michelle. “I dip the fabric in cement. As it dries, I build it on top of the mixture.”
Her tools include old screwdrivers, picks, a drill and paintbrushes. “I just make do with what I have,” she says.
Fairies and Potheads
Michelle hand-molds her pieces, and she works in her outdoor studio on her 2-acre property in Blythe. Some of her favorite things to make are fairies and “potheads,” which are head-shaped planters.
“I talk to them while I’m making them,” Michelle says. “Some of them are kind of flirtatious. They have smoochy lips. The snarky ones have sly smiles. They develop a personality as I’m making them. I feel like people want to buy them when they see something in them. I don’t make their personality. I just let it evolve.”
Although each fairy and pothead has its own personality, they have a lot of similarities in their faces because of the way Michelle molds them. In addition, they generally have one characteristic in common. Most of them have their eyes closed.
“They look peaceful to me,” Michelle says. “I’ve done them with their eyes open, but they don’t look as happy.”
She rarely names her creations, either. “I let everybody choose what they want to call their pothead,” she says.
One of her fairies, which has rosy cheeks and wings, a blue dress and hair made of bed springs, has been selected for inclusion in the Greater Augusta Arts Council’s WetPaint Party & Art Sale on Friday, March 8.
To make fairy wings, she casts elephant ears or various leaves that she finds in her garden. “I use old jewelry on the fairies,” Michelle says. “I used to make jewelry, so I have a lot of jewelry supplies.”
To make a pothead, she starts with a balloon that she wraps in strips of cement-dipped fabric. Once it dries, she turns it upside down to drill a hole in the bottom.
While Michelle can shape a piece in an hour or two, it can take a few days to finish the yard art because the work has to be done in stages. However, she says she can spend a month making a garden fairy.
Texture and Color
Michelle also paints her hypertufa pieces with acrylics, and after drying and curing them, she seals them with concrete so they can withstand the elements.
“I love texture and color,” she says. “They’re just so natural and pretty.”
She likes secondary colors such as purple, teal and orange, and she highlights textures with off-white paint. However, she tries to make her pieces look natural in their outdoor setting.
“I want them to look like they belong there, but I also want them to stand out,” Michelle says.
She paints the elephant ears, which she also uses to make yard art such as birdbaths, a different color from the grass to make them stand out. In addition, she makes totem poles by putting a piece of rebar in the ground and stacking it with hypertufa pieces that she makes one at a time.
Six years ago, she spent the entire summer building a pathway with pavers she made out of cement to connect the greenhouses in her garden.
Although she doesn’t use her nursing skills in her craft, she has found that it takes a combination of art and science to create a piece.
She needs to use the correct proportions of aggregates when she mixes the hypertufa so it doesn’t crumble. Anatomy also comes into play when she makes fairies and potheads because “the ears need to be equal with the eyes.”
In addition, she says, “My pieces are not anatomically correct, but that’s part of the fun of it.”
Creativity and Connection
Michelle started a Facebook page called Hypertufa Heffas, which is named after the heifers that graze in a field behind her property. She sells most of her work on various Facebook sites or by word-of-mouth.
“It’s fun when somebody really loves a face and they connect with it somehow,” Michelle says. “Sometimes the personality speaks to them. I love that somebody loves a piece.”
She teaches group and private classes and hosts parties at her outdoor studio when the weather is warm. She also loves the creative process and the ability to bring joy to others with her work.
“Being able to create something frees up your mind. You can get lost in it. When you’re gone, you have something to leave behind. Something you make by hand is more important than a piece of furniture,” says Michelle. “It’s good for my spirit to be creative. I think artists just have this need to always be making something.”
The beauty and mysterious allure of music is often discovered and rediscovered through a sonic vortex that stirs emotions, preserves time and evokes a passionate connection to personal experiences. Memories are forever time capsuled and new ones created. As we float through the tunnel of winter, a pitstop in the music vault of love is the perfect remedy for thawing the soul.
In 1987, the Aussie quintette INXS dropped their love boat-sized iconic album, Kick. While this may not be your typical Valentine’s Day spin, Kick is a magnetic rhythm machine with sensual undertones that makes it the perfect soundtrack for stringing the bow for Cupid’s arrows.
From the jump, it is an energetic and somewhat rebellious record with the punchy “Guns in the Sky,” but the mood swerves swiftly to the sultry and seductive classic, “Need You Tonight,” and the electric bouquet of rock, “Never Tear Us Apart.” An assorted box of funk, pop and orchestral-waltz vibes ignites the flames of desire.
The late, great pop-poet Michael Hutchence croons with warm charismatic swagger to make Kick an unforgettable soundtrack for this season of love, romance and ear-candy. The rolling love sonic-coaster delivers the perfect loops, hooks and speed to make the heart race, emotions jump and head spin.
Let INXS Kick-start the jams and “Mystify” your love journey with a stirring “New Sensation.”
Watch — or dare to compete in — the zaniest new athletic competition this side of the Everglades.
We’ve all seen the headlines, and the competition to determine which one is the most absurd is fierce:
Florida man tries to evade arrest by cartwheeling away from cops.
Florida man arrested while trying to get into a police car to threaten someone.
Florida man drives stolen truck to Space Force base to warn of a battle between aliens and dragons.
Florida man learns hard way he stole laxatives, not opioids.
Florida man trapped in an unlocked closet for two days.
Florida man Googles self to find out which Florida man he is.
Now’s your chance, however, to see these guys in action for yourself at the inaugural Florida Man Games.
The event was inspired by the Sunshine State’s reputation for its offbeat news stories that typically feature wild police chases, guns, drugs, reptiles – or some combination of the aforementioned instruments of chaos and commotion.
According to the website, “The Florida Man Games is where the bizarre meets brawn and sanity is optional. This isn’t just a competition; it’s a one-of-a-kind Floridian spectacle.”
No wonder organizers call the event “the most insane athletic showdown on Earth.”
Florida-Style Obstacle Courses Truthfully, athletic prowess also may be optional for the competition that was dreamed up by St. Augustine resident and media outlet owner Pete Melfi. As if hurricane season has blown into Florida early this year, however, the games are bound to take the state by storm.
After all, with the Florida-style obstacle courses that the contestants must master, the games will resemble a veritable sanctioned crime spree as competitors vie for the coveted gator head trophy.
The event includes the Weaponized Pool Noodle Mud Duel, where adversaries test their strength inside a massive above-ground pool called the Florida Man Games Colosseum.
In the Evading Arrest Obstacle Course, “escapees” jump over fences and run through yards with actual sheriff’s deputies hot on their heels.
With the Category 5 Cash Grab, Florida men can scoop up easy money as they battle hurricane-level gusts in a wind-blowing booth while they scramble to catch as much real cash as they can.
Wannabe wrestlers will try to blast their opponent out of the ring in the Beer Belly Florida Sumo.
In another opportunity to live a day in the life of a Florida man headline, rivals square off head-to-head in a race with two bikes and a handful of copper pipes in the Race Against Time with a Catalytic Converter.
Two former stars of the 1990s TV show American Gladiators, Dan “Nitro” Clark and Lori “Ice” Fetrick, who also appeared in Netflix’s Muscles & Mayhem, will judge the events.
Fun For All For those who aren’t part of a team on the main events field, Florida Man Games activities will be available all day long for spectators to challenge each other in their own competitions.
They can try to best each other in contests such as the Mechanical Gator Ride, Florida Sumo, Weaponized Pool Noodles and Obstacle Course. Of course, snapping selfies with alligators will be all but mandatory as well.
Spectators also can soak up Florida culture with alligator shows, datil pepper (Florida’s hot pepper) vendors, SWAT vehicles and more.
Other entertainment – as if any more is required – includes a Mullet Contest, the Florida Ma’am Pinup competition and Chicken Coop Bingo.
Don’t worry if all these fun and games give you a gator-sized appetite. Award-winning pit masters will be on hand to dish out mouthwatering BBQ throughout the day.
The competition will draw to a close with the 911 Fight Night: Brawl of the Badges between police officers and firefighters. In this epic showdown, these public safety heroes clash in an intense battle to prove who’s the toughest behind the badge.
Get ready to rumble, and let the games begin.
If You Go:
What: Florida Man Games
When: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday, February 24, gates open 10 a.m.
Where: Francis Field, 25 West Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, Florida
Search for treasures in plain sight during this inventive Jekyll Island tradition.
A day at the beach can bring out anyone’s inner child, and Jekyll Island has found a way to captivate the young at heart with Island Treasures.
In this hide-and-seek-style activity that runs all day every day during January and February, people can search for plastic globes that volunteers called Beach Buddies “hide” around the island. Lucky island combers who find one can redeem it for a real glass-blown globe.
“It’s an annual tradition that people really enjoy,” says Kathryn Hearn, the Jekyll Island Authority marketing communications manager. “It’s a good way for them to get out and explore parts of Jekyll Island that they have never seen before. Most people go to the beach or the Historic District when they visit, but Island Treasures creates excitement around the entire island. People really get into the treasure hunt aspect of it.”
The event is a great way to create memories, and since the globes also are available for purchase to those who don’t find one, no one has to go home empty-handed. They sell for $85 at the Jekyll Island Guest Information Center or online.
‘Accessible to All’
While Island Treasures started more than 22 years ago, the colorful, coveted orbs date back to the early 1900s when East Coast fishermen used hollow glass balls, or floats, on their nets as markers.
Occasionally, the floats would break loose and wash ashore for beachcombers to find and keep. In the 1950s, collecting these rare, highly sought-after glass floats became a hobby.
Jekyll Island selects two or three artisans from across the country to create the one-of-a-kind glass-blown objects every year. This year Seattle-based Mark Elllinger and Loretta Eby of Georgia made the globes.
Each Island Treasure, which is about half the size of a soccer ball, has a distinct abstract design with varying colorations.
Beach Buddies place them around the island any time of the day or night. They typically hide about 200 plastic globes during the two months, putting out two or three on weekdays and about five on weekends.
The volunteers receive special training before the annual event, and their identity is kept secret. Globe seekers are asked to refrain from following Beach Buddies – or anyone they think is a Beach Buddy – for safety reasons and to ensure that the hunt is fair for everyone.
“The globes are accessible to all. They’re hidden in plain sight on a bench or by a bike rack or on a nature trail,” says Hearn.
Timing is Everything
The best places to look for the plastic globes are in common areas such as Great Dunes Beach Park, Driftwood Beach, St. Andrews Beach Park, Horton House, the Historic District and the Beach Village.
While the 20-acre Great Dunes Beach Park, which features multiple recreation areas, is Jekyll Island’s most popular family beach, Driftwood Beach is made up of sun-bleached trees worn down by storms and erosion over time.
Located on the southern-most tip of the island, St. Andrews Beach Park is a great place to see wildlife such as migratory birds and pods of dolphins.
St. Andrews also is home to the Wanderer Memory Trail, which tells the story of one of America’s last known slave ships, the Wanderer.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1743 Horton House is one of the oldest tabby buildings in Georgia.
Although the Historic District offers a selection of gift shops and Jekyll Island collectibles, the Beach Village is the epicenter of the island with its shops, restaurants and hotels.
When searching for globes, however, it’s just as important to know where not to look. Island Treasures will never be placed in beach dunes, marsh areas, residential properties or golf courses. In fact, entering these areas can be illegal and unsafe.
Some treasure hunters develop strategies about when and where to search for the plastic globes, but Island Treasures is really about being at the right place at the right time.
Each plastic globe has a numbered tag inside, and people who find one can redeem it for the corresponding glass-blown globe at the Guest Information Center. The center is open 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday.
People must complete a claim form and provide a photo ID to receive their prize. Only one Island Treasure can be claimed per household per year so as many people as possible can enjoy the hunt.
Off-Season Vibes
Island Treasures is a great reason to plan a wintertime family vacation or girls’ weekend.
“The off-season and shoulder-season are wonderful times to visit Jekyll Island,” Hearn says. “There are not as many people on the island, and everything moves at a slower pace. There’s more of a community feel in the off-season.”
Shops and restaurants remain open during non-peak seasons, when average temperatures are in the mid-60s and lodging rates are reduced.
As Jekyll Island is about a three- to four-hour drive from Columbia County, local adventure seekers might want to turn the outing into a multi-day trip. Accommodations range from luxury resorts and boutique hotels to chain-hotel lodging and Jekyll Island Campground.
An overnight stay also provides more time to explore the island. After all, whether visitors find a globe or not, the real treasure is discovering all that Jekyll Island has to offer.
Local PGA Tour player Luke List and his wife, Chloe, an Evans High School alum, recently presented a check for $250,000 to Children’s Hospital of Georgia to support the expansion of its Children’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
The donation was made possible by the proceeds List earned when he won the RSM Birdies for Love charity competition during the 2022-23 PGA Tour season.
The Lists’ son, Harrison, was born prematurely June 5, 2021. After leaving the hospital, Harrison soon was readmitted due to RSV, a respiratory virus, and was intubated for two days. He ultimately spent two weeks in intensive care at Children’s Hospital.
“It means so much to me and my family to have this opportunity to give back,” List said. “We want to share our story just to have people know what they do here and how much they’re really giving and really change lives.”
Fairies and Potheads
To make a pothead, she starts with a balloon that she wraps in strips of cement-dipped fabric. Once it dries, she turns it upside down to drill a hole in the bottom.
“I want them to look like they belong there, but I also want them to stand out,” Michelle says.
Creativity and Connection
