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(10/23/14 11:24pm)
At 807 Forsyth St., sits an institution that is uniquely Macon. Here, civil rights activists and the NAACP held meetings. Members of the Allman Brothers, Molly Hatchet, and Wet Wille came to eat. Steeped in history and tradition, H&H restaurant is a revered place on the Macon food scene.
Despite its importance, financial troubles forced owner Mama Louise to close the establishment in late 2013. Help came in the form of the Moonhanger Group, owners of downtown's Dovetail and Rookery restaurants, who announced they would purchase the eatery.
The restaurant re-opened Aug. 13 of this year. However, many wondered if the new owners would live up to the expectations.
The day before going, I couldn’t stop talking about the meal I was going to order at H&H. My roommate Kyle Struck, who had finally gotten tired of hearing my voice, decided that he’d join me and my colleague, Justin Baxley. I had to wake Kyle up before we left and he managed to stumble to the car and off we left.
I was not disappointed in the least.
Once we found parking, we approached the humble building. The atmosphere was very homey. Our waitress, Erica Zanghi, placed menus in front of us and took our drink orders. Kyle and Justin ordered the lemonade while I got the Sweet Tea. The lemonade is the best I’ve ever had. The Sweet Tea was also very good. It was sweet enough to stomach but not too sweet to consume.
Once our waitress returned, we asked her what she recommended.
“My personal favorite is the baked chicken and dressing,” Zanghi said. “You get a big heapin’ portion of dressing with chicken gravy over it. The baked chicken is super flavorful.” She went on to add “I can never say no to fried okra…and our mac and cheese is off the chain.”
Sadly, it was Friday. The menu changes on a daily basis and baked chicken is served on Thursdays.
Despite the setback, we eagerly proceeded. Kyle ordered baked ham, deviled eggs, mac and cheese, and fried okra. Justin ordered chicken livers, deviled eggs, mac and cheese, and broccoli casserole. Yours truly ordered the fried chicken, coleslaw, and mac and cheese.
The wait for our meal wasn’t too long. We didn’t mind the wait. We spent most of that time enjoying the Allman Brothers memorabilia than hung from the walls.
Our meals arrived and we quickly began eating. We tried to describe the food to each other but found that we’d rather eat than talk. The fried okra was perfectly cooked. The ham was well-smoked and juicy. The mac and cheese was equally praised by all for its delectable cheesiness. Justin and Kyle raved over the deviled eggs. The coleslaw had a yellow tint to it which threw me off. However, it was the best coleslaw I’ve ever had. The fried chicken has spicy undertones and the skin didn’t crumble apart or sag after taking a few bites. “This was worth waking up for,” said Kyle as he took a few more bites. After a few more rounds of lemonade, we proceeded to clear our plates.
Zanghi came back to check on us periodically. Towards the end of our meals, we asked for more lemonade and about the dessert choices for the day. Peach cobbler, Banana pudding, caramel layer cake, and bread pudding were the choices. Justin immediately ordered the peach cobbler. Kyle quickly ordered the banana pudding. Yours truly had to be different.
Periodically during my meal, I’d glance at the menu hanging above the back counter. The Bread Pudding had piqued my interest. After running the idea by our waitress, she eased my worries.
Once it hit the table, dessert was met with a chorus of O’s and Mmm’s.
The bread pudding was sweet, thick, and very filling. The powdered sugar, cinnamon, and syrup were great. However, it was a little too rich following the massive meal I had just eaten. Without hesitation, my guests devoured what little I couldn’t finish. The banana pudding was great and the Peach cobbler was unbelievably fresh and tasty. I felt like I had taken a peach right from a tree.
This was easily the best meal the three of us have had in a while.
H&H is open Monday-Saturday 6:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m and don’t forget to thank Mama Louise before you leave.
(10/23/14 11:18pm)
[gallery type="rectangular" ids="13570,13571,13572,13573"]
Photos by Carina Plasencia
Fresh, locally grown food is now accessible to a larger and more diverse portion of Macon’s population.The Mulberry Market, a local producers-only farmer’s market, has outgrown their original location on Mulberry Street and will move to Tattnall Square Park on Oct. 15. The move came as little surprise to those involved. “We realized about two years ago that we were quickly outgrowing our space,” said Market Manager Lacey Templeton in an e-mail.
The group chose Tattnall long before it began to undergo serious changes. “I just knew, in my heart,” said Templeton, “that Tattnall was the place where the market could grow to serve and benefit the greatest number of people.”
Tattnall provides the Market with various amenities such parking, restrooms and running water that are not present at their current location. The park is currently being retrofitted to provide vendors with reliable electric outlets, an improvement over the old units at Mulberry Street. Melissa Macker, the founder of Itty Bitty Herb Farm and vendor at Mulberry Market since last May, had someone approach her booth and mention the lack of parking. The customer said he passed by all the time but never stopped because there wasn’t any parking..
The Market was created in 2011 to provide fresh, locally grown food to downtown Macon. However, it has not reached all of its intended customers.
A large number of the market’s current customers walk to the market because they live or work downtown. However, Templeton believes that a large number of these people have automobiles and will be able to drive to Tattnall, which is 1.4 miles from the original location. In addition, the large numbers of lower-income residents in the areas that surround Tattnall Square Park will now be able to walk and get fresh food. “We anticipate seeing many new shoppers,” said Templeton. “With the future addition of more sidewalks, we expect to see many more people walking up to the market.”
The Market’s agreement with Wholesome Wave Georgia, a non-profit that matches EBT/SNAP dollars at participating Farmer’s Market, provides lower-income citizens with increased access to healthier food.
“We are able to match up to $20 that every SNAP recipient uses off his or her card once a week,” said Templeton. “Our market has committed to raising 40 percent of the matched dollars this year. This subsidy makes it possible for many low income residents to shop at the market by nearly doubling their purchasing power.”
The move has generated some excitement. “I am thrilled that we are being included in the grand plans for Tattnall Square Park,” said Templeton. “Its transformation into the vision that Friends of Tattnall Square Park has is going to be truly remarkable.”
“As far as the College Hill Corridor initiative goes, we are very excited that the Mulberry Market will be moving to Tattnall Square Park,” said Jessica Walden, Director of Communications and Outreach. “That puts it right in the heart of the neighborhood.”
Once the Market moves, it intends to expand its role in the community. “We plan to continue with our visiting Master Gardener's table each month, and we are excited to be working with the Macon Little Free Library on some children's reading events,” said Templeton.
(10/23/14 11:13pm)
The Georgia College Press Association and Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism teamed up to provide concerned citizens, lawmakers, students, and members of the media with insight into government transparency protocols. “It’s important to educate students,” said Jessica Farmer, Coordinator for the Georgia College Press Association.
The event on Oct. 17 had presentations from Jim Zachary, Director of the Transparency Project of Georgia, and Holly Manheimer of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation as well as an afternoon roundtable discussion.
Following an introduction from Zachary, Manhemier began the talks with an overview of open records laws in the state. Manhemier began by explain the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). According to the Department of Justice website, FOIA was passed on July 4, 1966. The act “provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, to obtain access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions of them) are protected from public disclosure by one of nine exemptions or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions.” Manheimer would go on to say that those seeking information from their city, county or state would abide by the Open Records Act.
Manheimer then addressed electronic communication. In today’s technological climate, electronic means of communication is a hotly contested point of debate. “We aren’t just talking about an 11’ by 8’ piece of paper anymore,” Manhemier said. Texts and e-mails are covered by FOIA. Manheimer advised the audience to act on a rule of thumb that all records are accessible. “Push back when a public official says something is not subject to release,” Manhemier said.
Once a request is filed, the agency must respond in three days. However, there are some exceptions. If an individual walks into a police station and asks for an incident report from a police case that is readily available, they are required to release it. “The agency can’t wait three business days just because the statute says three business days,” said Manhemier. “If it’s there and it’s ready, it needs to be produced.”
Following her presentation, Zachary took the podium and told the audience that our government is not required by law to meet behind closed doors for any purpose. “That is one of the biggest misnomers by local officials,” said Zachary. “There is a provision but no requirement.” Zachary went on to say that every time the government went behind closed doors, they choose to do it.
At the end of his presentation, Zachary stressed the importance of being involved and holding government accountable. “Information is the currency of democracy,” said Zachary. “The best defense is a strong offensive. Open government advocates and the media need to advocate for ordinary people.” At the end of his presentation, Zachary brought the idea full circle. “It is up to all of us to build a culture of government transparency across the state of Georgia,” he said. “Government belongs to us.”
The meeting marked the first of several statewide events. To learn more about the symposiums and open government laws, visit http://transparencyprojectofgeorgia.com/ orhttp://www.gfaf.org/
(10/10/14 8:15pm)
After dominating their past two opponents, the Bears marched into Lexington, Va., looking to keep the streak alive against the Virginia Military Institute Keydets and their veteran coach, Sparky Woods.
Following a forced 3-and-out, the Bears scored on an Alex Lakes’ run from 18 yards out. The run put the Bears up 7-0 with 8:33 left in the first.
The Keydets and Bears turned the ball over repeatedly late in the first and early into the second quarter. VMI, able to capitalize on a Chandler Curtis fumble deep in Bears territory, finally scored as Jabari Turner took it in from one yard out, tying the game at 7.
Following a series of Peyton Usher first downs, Curtis redeemed himself as he scored on a 23-yard run to give the Bears a 13-7 lead with 1:40 left in the half. VMI blocked the Bears point after attempt.
The Keydets and Bears would again trade possession following a pair of interceptions. With 31 seconds left in the half, Al Cobb found J.C Garvin from 8 yards out to give the Keydets a 14-13 lead at the half.
On the first drive of the second half, Alex Lakes scored from a yard out to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive that put the Bears on top 20-14. The Bears scored once more with 6:58 left in the third as Russ and Curtis connected on a 62-yard strike, giving Mercer the 27-14 lead. The Keydets would respond with Dillion Christopher’s kicking a 39-yard field goal at 5:36 in the third, which narrowed the gap 27-17.
VMI score once more as Cobb found Samuel Patterson with a 28-yard touchdown pass that shrunk the Bears lead to 27-24 with 6:36 left in the fourth. The Keydets’ comeback fell short as a Zach Johnson interception deep in Mercer territory allowed the Bears to run out the clock.
The Mercer Bears defeated the VMI Keydets 27-24 to win their first Southern Conference game. The Bears move to 4-1 (1-1) on the season as they position themselves to compete for the conference title in their inaugural SoCon campaign.
The Bears took the road once again in another Southern Conference game against last season’s co-champions, the Samford Bulldogs. Coach Bobby Lamb and the Bears sought to extend their three-game win streak, but it came to an end.
The Bears won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Following a pair of three-and-outs by both the Bears and Bulldogs, Samford’s Denzel Williams scored on a two-yard touchdown run to cap a five-play, 65-yard drive that put the Bulldogs up 7-0. The Bears would score with 2:28 left in the first quarter on a Jagger Lieb 37 yard field goal, narrowing the gap to 7-3.
Strong defensive play kept both teams off the board until the middle of the second, when Denzel Williams ran it in from three yards out to give the Bulldogs a 14-3 lead with 5:57 left in the half. The Bears would respond with an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by a John Russ one-yard run. Samford led 14-10 with 1:11 in the half. The Bulldogs attempted to score before half. However, Warren Handrahan missed a 44-yard field goal. Samford entered the half with a four-point lead.
Samford would stop Mercer on its first drive of the second half and march down the field. Micheal Eubanks connected with Gavin Sinclair from 24 yards out to give the Bulldogs a 21-10 lead with 8:28 left in the third. The Bulldogs would force the Bears to punt two more times in the quarter, and Handrahan would miss a field goal once again, this time from 35 yards out. The Bears entered the fourth quarter down by 11.
In the fourth, strong defensive play once again dominated the quarter. The Bears failed to score on offensive, and Jagger Lieb missed an important field goal from 45 yards out. Chandler Curtis managed to return a punt 99 yards, and John Russ converted on a two-point conversion as the Bears narrowed the gap 21-18 with 53 seconds left. The onside kick was not recovered by the Bears, and the Bulldogs proceeded to run out the clock. The Samford Bulldogs defeated the Mercer Bears 21-18. The Bulldogs snapped the Bears three-game winning streak. Mercer moves to 4-2 (1-2) on the year.
(10/09/14 11:41pm)
“I like to say in Macon that, if our walls could talk, they would definitely sing,” said Jessica Walden, co-owner of Rock Candy Tours, a Macon music history tour company, and daughter of Capricorn Records co-founder Alan Walden.
However, the voices coming from 535 Cotton Ave. are in danger of being silenced forever.
Walden and her husband were preparing for their Saturday Rock n’ Roll stroll when they noticed orange barrels in an alley that the company uses. They began to investigate. When she saw the orange condemned notice plastered on the glass front doors, Walden knew that the building was in imminent danger.
“The only thing we knew to do at that point is just bring it to public attention,” she said. A social media movement to save the building blossomed following the appearance of Walden’s article “Farewell to 535 Cotton Ave., birthplace of Macon’s music business” in the Sept. 19 edition of “The Telegraph.” John L. Wilson, a resident of Pittsboro, N.C. and life-long Southern Rock fan, started a Facebook event titled “Save the Capricorn Records Building in Macon, GA” after reading Walden’s article.
“I messaged (Jessica Walden) and asked her, ‘Is this real? Is this actually happening?’” Wilson said. The page currently has 1,700 members who are attending.
However, the rising tide of activism may have come too late to save the building. The building was never in good shape for as long as Walden can remember.
Before Capricorn Records called 535 Cotton Ave. home, chickens were plucked at the property. “My dad vividly remembers sweeping chicken heads out into the street trying to get the building ready for renovations,” Walden said.
Phil Walden began booking R&B artists for fraternity shows while he was president of Phi Delta Theta fraternity at Mercer University. Eventually, Phil and his brother Alan formed a booking agency and developed a relationship with “The Big O” Otis Redding.
From humble origins, the business grew. They originally rented property on Mulberry Street and quickly expanded. As the company grew, Redding and the Waldens knew that they needed a bigger facility.
However, racial segregation divided the city, and the inter-racial partnership was not welcomed. “They specifically chose Cotton Avenue because it's where the majority of African American business owners owned property at the time” Walden said.
Following the move, RedWal Music Company became a conglomerate of management, booking and music publishing companies. It was one of the largest black booking agencies in the world.
“It was actually bigger than Motown (Records) at one time,” Walden said.
Percy Sledge, Etta James and Ike and Tina Turner came through Macon and worked directly with RedWal. “My dad likes to tell the story about how Joe Fraizer, the heavyweight boxer, came to Macon just to sit in that office,” Walden said. “He wanted to sit in the same space where Otis Redding came to work every day.”
Two years after purchasing the property, Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash at the age of 26. The Waldens were back at square one. “They lost their star, their business partner, and their best friend,” Walden said.
The Waldens re-branded, and the façade of the building was re-done. “That’s when Capricorn Records was born,” Walden said.
With the Waldens and Frank Fenter at the helm, Capricorn Records blossomed.
535 Cotton Ave. became their executive headquarters as the company continued to purchase property. “They pretty much took over the whole block,” said Walden. The company had their own executive suites and park. The fan clubs of Southern rock bands such as Wet Willie and the Marshall Tucker Band set up on Cotton Avenue and received fan mail from around the world.
Those who called 535 Cotton Ave. home even managed to influence the presidential election of 1976 when the record label’s premier act, The Allman Brothers, and co-founder Phil Walden threw their support behind then Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.
In BBC 4’s documentary “Sweet Home Alabama: The Southern Rock Saga”, filmmakers stated that Carter announced he was running for the Democratic presidential nomination at a Capricorn Records-hosted picnic. Following the announcement, the Allman Brothers would go on to play massive fundraising events for the Carter campaign.
“Without Capricorn Records, we wouldn’t have had a peanut farmer in the White House,” said Wilson.
However, during the 1980s, Southern rock underwent an evolution that left Capricorn behind. Capricorn Records filed for bankruptcy in 1982, and the building was auctioned off.
It has not been occupied since.
A slow water leak was present when the building was sold, and it was never fixed. “That leak has just decimated a good bit of the building,” said Walden.
Over the years, plans to do something with the property have been proposed but always seem to fall through.
“There was an attempt by my uncle (Phil Walden) to look at the property in the 90s when Capricorn Records had come back to life,” said Walden, “but it was not financially feasible.”
Now, the building sits in disrepair. The former Capricorn property cannot be accessed from the front doors because of the unstable nature of the floor.
Ethiel Garlington, Executive Director of Historic Macon, said that a buyer is being lined up for the property. The best case scenario involves “gutting” the inside of the building and reinforcing the outer structure from the inside with steel, which would keep the historic façade intact. “We hope the buildings will be stabilized so they aren’t a public safety hazard and eventually reused,” said Garlington in a message.
However, partial demolition is still an option.
“I do hope out of the outcry that some kind of proposal is put together… to preserve some of its historical structure that would help tell the story of what it once was,” Walden said.
The pending destruction has given the last visible piece of Capricorn’s magical music dynasty more attention over the past few weeks than it has in the past 32 years.
Walden hopes that the troubles at 535 Cotton Ave. will serve as an example of what not to do with Macon’s other historic sites. “This one… this is the ultimate one. This one shows you what years of neglect will do and sometimes we don’t realize what we have until it's almost too late.”
(09/29/14 4:24pm)
After dominating their past two opponents, the Bears marched into Lexington, Virginia, looking to keep the streak alive against the Virginia Military Institute Keydets and their veteran coach, Sparky Woods.
Following a forced 3-and-out, the Bears scored on an Alex Lakes’ run from 18 yards out. The run put the Bears up, 7-0 with 8:33 left in the first.
The Keydets and Bears turned the ball over repeatedly late in the first and early into the second quarter. VMI, able to capitalize on a Chandler Curtis fumble deep in Bears territory, finally scored as Jabari Turner took it in from 1 yard out, tying the game at 7.
Following a series of Peyton Usher first downs, Curtis redeemed himself as he scored on a 23 yard run to give the Bears a 13-7 lead with 1:40 left in the half. VMI blocked the Bears point after attempt.
The Keydets and Bears would again trade possession following a pair of interceptions. With :31 seconds left in the half, Al Cobb found J.C Garvin from 8 yards out to give the Keydets a 14-13 lead at the half.
On their first drive of the second half, Alex Lakes scored from a yard out to cap an 8 play, 75 yard drive that put the Bears on top, 20-14. The Bears scored once more with 6:58 left in the third as Russ and Curtis connected on a 62-yard strike giving Mercer the 27-14 lead. The Keydets would respond with Dillion Christopher kicking a 39 yard field goal at 5:36 in the third, which narrowed the gap, 27-17.
VMI score once more as Cobb found Samuel Patterson with a 28 yard touchdown pass that shrunk the Bears lead to 27-24 with 6:36 left in the fourth. The Keydets comeback fell short as a Zach Johnson interception deep in Mercer territory allowed the Bears to run out the clock.
The Mercer Bears defeated the VMI Keydets, 27-24 to win their first Southern Conference game. The Bears move to 4-1 (1-1) on the season as they position themselves to compete for the conference title in their inaugural SoCon campaign.
(09/25/14 6:09pm)
The resilient Mercer Bears are riding a two game win streak following dominating wins on the road against Stetson and at home against Ava Maria. On Sept. 6, the Bears suffered their first home defeat since 1941 as they fell to the No. 17 Furman Paladins 25-20.
Looking to avenge themselves, the Bears marched into Deltona with a purpose. From the opening kickoff, the Bears put their heels on the throat of the Mad Hatters and refused to let up.
Following a fumble recovery on the opening kickoff, Alex Lakes punched it in from 12 yards out as the Bears’ opening drive went two plays for 21 yards in a mere 12 seconds. Later in the first, a 38-yard run by Lakes and an 11-yard pass from John Russ to J.T Palmer set up a 21-yard touchdown scamper from Freshman Tee Mitchell as the Bears went up 14-0 with 9:41 left in the first. Alex Lakes, following a 26-yard run, found the end zone again from nine yards out. The 13-play, 83-yard drive put the Bears on top 21-0 with 2:12 in the first.
The first score in the second quarter came at 9:46 as Alex Lakes scored his third touchdown on the night from a yard out following a 40-yard completion from Russ to Avery Ward. The Bears go up 28-0 with 9:46 in the second. A goal line stand on fourth down from the one yard line kept the Mad Hatters out of the end zone. The Bears, from their own five, proceeded to march down the field. The 7-play, 95-yard scoring drive was capped by a Russ to Palmer connection that put the Bears up 35-0 with 0:18 seconds left in the half.
The Bears kept it going in the second half. A 40-yard touchdown run by Peyton Usher at 6:30 left in the third gave the Bears a 35-0 lead. The Bears scored their final touchdown with 2:25 left in the third as JeTarri Donald ran it in from 39 yards out.
In their 49-0 throttling of Stetson, the Bears allowed 244 total yards and forced 5 turnovers on defense while putting up 508 total yards on offense.
This weekend, the Bears carried that momentum into their matchup with the Ava Maria Gyrenes. In the first half, the Bears did exactly the same thing that they had done in the past week.
On their first offensive snap, John Russ connected with Peyton Usher for a 53-yard touchdown, putting the Bears up 7-0 with 13:59 left in the first. Later in the quarter, Russ would throw another touchdown, this time to Chandler Curtis to put the Bears up 14-0 with 11:29 left in the first. Alex Lakes found the end zone with 54-yard run that put the Bears on top 21-0 with 7:30 left in the first. Ava Maria would respond with a 54-yard run of its own as Kaleb Coffee put the Gyrenes on the board. The Bears led 21-7 with 6:05 left in the quarter.
The first play of the second quarter put the Bears on the board once more as Russ connected with Robert Brown from 8 yards out as the Bears led 28-7. Following a three and out by the Gyrenes, Chandler Curtis returned a punt for 61 yards and found the end zone. The Bears stretched their lead to 35-7. A four-yard touchdown run by John Russ with :44 seconds left in the half gave the Bears a 42-7. In the process, the Bears’ offense broke a team record for the number of first half points.
The first half cushion was enough to keep the Bears ahead as Coach Lamb allowed his backups to enter the game. Ave Maria would score twice in the second half: once on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Bob Orban to Sage Roberts with 1:15 left in the third and again on 43-yard pass from Matthew Kreichman to Ryan O’Rourke with :39 seconds left in the fourth. The Bears defeated the Gyrenes 42-21.
(09/07/14 3:36am)
In their first Southern Conference game of the season, the Mercer Bears fell to the #17 Furman University Paladins 25-20. The Bears played well despite their shaky performance in the season opener against Reinhardt University.
The defeat marked the first time the Bears have lost at home since 1941, and the Bears failed to come through when needed the most. The Bears' offense could not seem to get it going in the first quarter, as they had only one yard of total offense. The Paladins had no trouble moving the ball, however, as their first drive of the game went 70 yards in 15 plays and took 7:50. The Paladins took a 3-0 lead, the only points in the quarter.
The Paladins opened the second quarter with the ball. After 12 plays and 46 yards, Jon Croft Hollingsworth, Furman kicker, kicked a 35-yard field goal to put the Paladins, ahead 6-0. Soon after, the Bears answered with a drive of their own: an 87-yard drive capped by Alex Lakes’ two-yard touchdown gave the Bears a 7-6 lead with 4:31 left in the second.
Furman silenced the crowd at Anderson Field as Hank McCloud entered the end zone untouched from five yards out. At this point, the Paladins regained the lead, 13-7 with 58 seconds left in the half. On the ensuing Mercer possession, John Russ, quarterback for the Bears, coughed up the football, giving the Paladins prime field position on the Mercer 35 with 51 seconds left in the half. The Bears’ special teams came up big and blocked Hollingsworth’s third attempt on the night, and the Bears entered the locker room down 13-7.
The Bears started the third quarter with the ball and returned the kick-off to their own 27. Several plays later, John Russ hit D’Vante Penamon for 41 yards as the Bears marched their way into Furman territory. An 18-yard scamper by John Russ set up an nine- yard pass to Robert Brown, which put the Bears ahead 14-13 with 11:06 left in the third. A great punt return by the Paladins’ Chad Scott set up another Hollingsworth field goal that put the Paladins back in control, 16-14 with 4:25 left in the third.
The Paladins started the fourth quarter with ball. An eight play, 51-yard drive capped by a Hollingsworth 50 yard field goal once again put Furman on top, 19-14 with 12:52 left in the fourth.
Mercer’s first offensive play in the fourth quarter ended with John Russ throwing an interception to Gary Wilkins on a screen play. Wilkins returned the interception 19 yards and gave the Paladins a commanding 25-14 lead with 12:38 left in the fourth.
After the Bears failed to convert on fourth down, Tyler Ward picked off Dillion Woodruff, the Paladins quarterback, to keep the Bears in the game. The turnover led to a JT Palmer and John Russ connection from seven yards out. A failed two-point conversion left the Bears trailing 25-20 with 3:34 left in the fourth. A failed onside kick attempt gave the Paladins great field position, as they were able to run the clock down and give the Bears the ball back on their own 21.
A final heave downfield fell short as the Furman Paladins defeated the Mercer Bears 25-20. Failures to convert on third down and to stop the Paladins on third down proved to be the Bears' downfall.
Robert Brown, sophomore tight end for the Bears, was disappointed the team lost, but he believes the Bears have a bright future ahead of them. "Even though we lost, we still feel like our goal of winning the Southern Conference championship is attainable," said Brown. "Furman was #17 in the country and is the SoCon defending champs, so knowing we can play with one of the top teams in the nation for four quarters is huge in the progress of our young program."
(09/03/14 8:39am)
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(03/06/14 8:48pm)
In light of recent developments in the state capital, SGA President Raymond Partolan, Mercer freshman Dilan Garcia, and three other undocumented students hosted a viewing of the documentary “The Dream is Now” followed by a panel discussion in order to get students on campus more involved and politically aware of an issue that is continuing to increase in importance.
On Feb. 21, the Georgia Senate proposed Bill SB 404, a measure which would prevent DACA (Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals) students, U Visa beneficiaries and victims of domestic violence from possessing a driver’s license. Following protests earlier in the afternoon, the Georgia Senate quietly assigned SB 404 to the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee without the bill being read on the Senate floor.
Monday also saw the approval of Senate Resolution 1031, a proposal to amend Georgia’s Constitution and declare English the state’s official language and mandate that all driver’s license exams be given in English. Outraged, undocumented students, with the help of Mercerians and other concerned Georgians, spearheaded a massive mobilization effort to thwart the bill. Calls flooded the office of senator Mullins, the Senate Rules Committee chairmen and pictures on the internet circulated blasting Coca-Cola for donating money to the sponsor of SB 404, Bill Heath, just weeks after releasing a Super Bowl ad that lauded the diversity of the United States.
On February 26 Bill SB 404 and Senate Resolution 1031 were not brought to a vote in the Rules Committee, effectively killing the legislation. Following the death of the bill, Raymond Partolan applauded the efforts of his fellow activists. “The way our democratic process works is that we, as individuals in American society, have the power to influence our lawmakers. You guys should be proud of yourselves for being a catalyst for change” said Partolan.
Despite the legislative victory, the ability of undocumented and deferred action students to attend college in the state of Georgia remains to be a frustrating and nearly impossible task.
Nina Morales, a panelist working with Freedom University, a program started by the University of Georgia professors to provide rigorous, college-level instruction to all academically qualified students regardless of their immigration status, recalled her struggle in attending college. Morales was determined to become the first of her family to obtain a college degree. She attempted to take classes at Georgia Perimeter College. However, two days before class Morales was informed that she would be charged 1,700 dollars for one class because she was charged out-of-state tuition despite having lived in Atlanta for several years. “I had only saved $2,000” said Morales.
Eduardo Samaniego, a member of the steering committee at Freedom University, told a heart-wrenching story that visibly moved several members of the audience when he spoke of his failed pursuit to attend his dream school, UGA. Samaniego grew up in Mexico working of the family farm. As he grew older however, Samaniego came to a realization. “I realized waking up at 5 a.m. to shovel manure was not what I wanted to do.” Samaniego wanted his mother to apply for a Visa in order to enter the US but it didn’t seem feasible. “My mother made 30,000 pesos or 3,000 dollars. A Visa cost nearly 7,000 and there was not guarantee I’d get it.” Dejected, Samaniego attempted suicide. Shortly after, his mother managed to acquire a Visa. Smaniego would go on to attend North Cobb High School where he was elected student body president one year after learning English. However, times were hard for Samaniego. He was homeless and changed clothes in his locker. “I had to lie about where I lived” said Samaniego. Despite all the obstacles, Eduardo graduated in the top ten of his class at North Cobb.
He paid for his mother to obtain a Visa to see his graduation. When walking across the stage, Eduardo recalled the event to be bittersweet. “Instead of receiving my diploma, I received a letter that said: Congratulations, you are banned from the University of Georgia.” Eduardo then resorted to working in fast food restaurants and other odd jobs. “I worked from 7 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon and then 5 in the afternoon until 2 in the morning. I did this for two years” said Samaniego.
Samaiego and Morales are victims of a legal discrepancy that exists between the Department of Homeland Security and the Georgia Board of Regents. According to the Board of Regents, According to the Board of Regents, any student requesting to be classified as an in-state student for tuition purposes will be required to provide verification of their lawful presence in the United States in order to be classified as an in-state student. The DHS explicitly states, “An individual who has received deferred action is authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be present in the United States, and is therefore considered by DHS to be lawfully present during the period deferred action is in effect.” However, DACA students like Nina are still forced to pay out-of-state tuition. Many of these students are unable to pay these exorbitant prices for higher education.
In response to these actions, DACA and undocumented students filed suit against the Board of Regents on Aug. 1 of last year. “We’re taking the issue one step at a time” said Partolan. “The case has been going through a legal back and forth. Two weeks ago, the trial was transferred to Fulton County. We should receive a new judge in two weeks.”
Raymond and the Mercer administration are also in talks about publicizing the lack of barriers that exist for DACA and undocumented student in applying here at Mercer. Partolan went on to say “Mercer has historically not proclaimed stances of social issues”. Actions, not words, dictate Mercer policy. While SB 404 was defeated, the battle for in-state tuition remains a struggle.
(03/06/14 8:14pm)
Nearly 50 years ago, Sam Oni forever changed Mercer University when he arrived on campus in September of 1963. Unlike other African American students breaking the color barrier at higher learning institutions across the South, Oni was not escorted on to campus by 500 US Marshals nor was he met by an angry crowd armed with Confederate Flags, shotguns, rocks and whatever else they could get their hands on. Oni simply walked through campus towards his dorm room. At the time, Mercer stood as a progressive oasis amongst a desert of racial injustice.
Throughout this year, Mercer has commemorated the anniversary of its integration in an attempt to evaluate the progress we have made over the past fifty years in improving race relations not only here at Mercer, but throughout the United States. The progress we’ve made is obvious. At first glance, Mercer’s student population is very diverse with students from several different socioeconomic backgrounds, races and religions calling this university their home. Two of my best friends here come from very different walks of life. One is an international student from a wealthy Hindu family in India and the other is an African American from Los Angeles who grew up in a Muslim household. I’ve never once felt like this University is made up mindless drones which are programmed to think and believe the same things.
That being said, we are only fooling ourselves if we truly believe that we have achieved Dr. King’s dream at this institution or in this nation. Over the past week, I’ve been exposed to events, both locally and nationally, which have forced me to reflect on how much progress we’ve truly made. Two Sundays ago, three University of Mississippi students draped a noose and the old, Confederate-inspired state flag of Georgia on the statue of the University’s first African American student, James Meredith. This is one of the most appalling and distasteful acts of overt bigotry in recent memory. This is 2014. It is not 1883 or 1903. Fear forced blacks into the periphery of southern society. If you did not follow orders, you would not survive. Pregnant black women were forcibly hung upside down, burned and had their abdomen cut open to induce labor only to have the child’s head stomped in. Men were forced to work crops at gunpoint. To read accounts of these appalling acts perpetrated against blacks in the post-bellum era highlights the sheer terror that came with simply being of a different skin tone. They were not citizens and justice was non-existent. In spite of all this, those students thought placing a noose around the neck of James Meredith’s statue was funny. Students here at Mercer also act in racially motivated behavior. Pockets of segregation exist throughout campus. I walk into the Caf and feel as if it’s divided. Students make bigoted posts and comments on social media sites and in daily conversation which feed off of racial stereotypes and ignorance. At times, I believe all of us here don’t feel apart of the Mercer community. Truth be told, it disappoints me and we should be ashamed.
Hearing Sam Oni speak Wednesday morning helped me realize two things. One: celebrating diversity doesn’t necessarily promote racial harmony. We have several student organizations aimed at celebrating the culture of a particular ethnic group, but where are the groups that bring representatives from each to discuss issues that affect all ethnic groups? To have civilized discussion with students from different cultural backgrounds could provide students with an entirely new outlook. While today there have been many strides in granting equal rights to African-Americans, the formation of a more hospitable racial environment is still far from over because we continue to suppress the violence and hatred that characterized Southern race relations of past generations. We pretend as if our past does not influence our future. Simply put, ignorance breeds hatred. In order to work towards a more racially harmonious society, we must acknowledge what lurks in the shadows. Two: this change will not come from the top down but from the bottom up. Oni’s speech stressed the importance of going out into the community and “tearing down the walls.” We must tear down the walls in order to reach each other instead of pretending they don’t exist. I implore you not as African-Americans or Whites, Asians, Latinos or Middle Easterners but as Mercercians and kind, decent people to continue the progress of this institution. I hope this message will not fall upon deaf ears. Those who represent our university tell us that we major in changing the world. I believe that we have the opportunity to prove it.