Live From Trappeze

(Dan's liveblog is here.)

4:30 p.m. - We're back liveblogging from Trappeze, so feel to come by and get us a beer.

4:36 p.m. - Brandon Shinholser was kind enough to join us again, and the three of us are chatting tennis center. As of now, Dan and I favor locating it at Bishop Park, but with appropriate compensation and/or relocation taken into consideration for the Athens Farmers Market. Shinholser, as well, is partial to Bishop Park.

4:43 p.m. - Blake has a copy of the fundraising request from Wilmont Greene for The Georgia Theater, so be sure to check it out and help those folks out.

4:50 p.m. - Via Jason Winders on Facebook, R.E.M. is curious to know if its music was used on Gitmo detainees.

4:57 p.m. - Spencer Frye, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity who has an exploratory committee set up for an Athens-Clarke County mayoral bid, has joined us.

5:01 p.m. - Frye on deciding to run or not run for mayor: "It's like we put out a few months back, what we're really trying to do is take stock of is what Athens needs in a mayor. And making sure we get as much input as possible because it's not something to take lightly because the community deserves somebody who can make an informed decision about Athens's needs."

5:14 p.m. - Frye on the tennis center: "I think David Lynn said it the best when he said, and I'm paraphrasing, that I hope everybody realizes that no decision about design or that have been made yet because it's early in the process. Personally, I think we ought to let the tennis folks behind it lead the way, but I do love the Bishop Park site."

5:21 p.m. - The latest from the Athens Banner-Herald on the tragic plane crash on the eastside of Athens-Clarke County. Prayer to friends and family of those involved.

5:35 p.m. - Martin Matheny, former communications director for the Democratic Party of Georgia and current Beyond The Trestle blogger, has joined us. And he's got a question for the (surprisingly large) group gathering around us: "What's the best-kept, arts-related secret in Athens?" His answer is the Athens Symphony Orchestra.

5:37 p.m. - My answer, obviously, is the Georgia Museum of Art. Shinholser opted for the local art at Five Star Day, and Frye voted for the Lyndon House (itself), noting the historic preservation qualities in the building itself.

5:47 p.m. - Ample discussion at the table regarding a rumor surrounding Whole Foods being interested in the soon-to-be-vacated St. Joseph's Catholic Church space. We're not sure if it was driven by Dan's previous post or an actual rumor.

5:53 p.m. - Dan is expressing a desire to have us do a livestream, which is a better idea than a liveblog. So we'll investigate that in the future.

5:57 p.m. - Matheny, acting now merely as media consultant, is very pleased with the Democratic Party of Georgia's new web site: "I think it's telling that three of the five Republicans bothered to issue responses, and I think it was (Eric) Johnson, (John) Oxendine and (Johnny) Isakson, and in none of their responses was addressed the charges. They accused the party of being negative, but not they didn't respond to the substantive facts in those accusations. It says to me they can't refute the facts, and I hope folks will understand that these guys have made lucrative careers in politics, and that's not what America is about. It's supposed to be about serving your fellow man and not lining your pockets."