Blog posts by Blake Aued, Editor
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'Brunch Bill' Takes Effect in Athens This Sunday
Blog: Grub Notes
Photo Credit: Bailey Brautigan/Pexels
This Sunday, Athens restaurants can start pouring mimosas and bloody marys for early risers—and by early, I mean 10-ish.
At a called voting meeting prior to their agenda-setting meeting Tuesday night, the Athens-Clarke County Commission unanimously approved an ordinance pushing up the time when restaurants can start serving alcohol on Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 11 a.m.
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Piggly Wiggly Wants to Open on Prince Avenue
Blog: In the Loop
A Piggly Wiggly is seeking to open in the development slated for the former St. Joseph Catholic Church property at the corner of Prince Avenue and Pulaski Street, according to Athens Downtown Development Authority co-director Linda Ford.
The Piggly Wiggly will be a "small, urban" store, similar to grocery stores in Atlanta, with a "retro design" and will fulfill downtown and nearby residents' long-standing desire for a grocery store, Ford said at the ADDA meeting this afternoon.
"This is something downtown has wanted for a very long time," she said.
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Athens-Clarke County Will Recount a Third of Its Votes
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Blake Aued
From left, Board of Elections members Jesse Evans, Michele Simpson and Charles Knapper and Director of Elections and Voter Registration Charlotte Sosebee.
In any other year it would have been a mere formality. But an Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections meeting on Monday to certify the county's vote ended with a vote to recount eight precincts on an extremely tight deadline before sending the results on to the state.
Newly appointed board member Jesse Evans submitted petitions to conduct a "recanvassing" in eight out of 24 precincts: Howard B. Stroud, Clarke Central, Lay Park, the multimodal center, Whitehead Road (which includes both 5A and 5B), Chase Street and Cedar Shoals.
Under state law, three voters in a precinct can submit a notarized request to trigger a "recanvassing"—essentially a recount, followed by testing of voting machines—if they believe there is a discrepancy. Commissioners Melissa Link and Mariah Parker and Commissioner-elect Tim Denson worked with voters in their districts to submit the petitions, according to Link.
That triggered a three-hour discussion among board members and attorneys—as well as, at times, some of the 20 or so activists who attended the meeting and interjected or were given permission to speak—about whether such a recanvassing could even be accomplished.
The law requires a quorum of the Board of Elections and the poll manager for each precinct to be present, as well as giving notice to all of the candidates on the ballot and political parties so they can attend or send a representative. And the recanvassing has to be accomplished by mid-afternoon today, or ACC will be in violation of another state law requiring counties to certify their vote totals by 5 p.m.
"This is all news to me," ACC Attorney Bill Berryman said when he learned about the petitions. He asked for and received an hour-long recess to research this issue.
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Where Do Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams Stand on Health Care?
Blog: In the Loop
With issues like Medicaid expansion on the table, health care has been a major factor in the governor's race. Graduate students at the University of Georgia College of Public Health created this handy-dandy graphic to help voters understand the candidates' stances.
"We felt there was a need for concise information without any political rhetoric," student Megan Bramlett said. "These issues are complicated and layered, and our goal was to provide a clear and objective visual to assist Georgia voters as they get ready to head to the polls."
Students divided into two teams, one for Democrat Stacey Abrams and one for Republican Brian Kemp. They were led by Bramlett and Seth Riggle, under the watch of professor Grace Bagwell Adams.
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Tommy Valentine Named ACHF Director
Blog: In the Loop
The Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation has hired Tommy Valentine as its new executive director.
Valentine replaces Amy Kissane, who left in March after 16 years leading the historic preservation nonprofit. David Bryant had been serving as interim director.
“We are excited to have Tommy join our team as the Heritage Foundation enters a new era,” ACHF board President Kim Klonowski said in a news release. “Tommy knows this county, he knows nonprofits and he has put forth a vision for our organization that is firmly in line with where the board believes we should go.”
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Vote Early This Saturday or at Expanded Locations Next Week
Blog: In the Loop
The Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections will be open for early voting from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, and three other early voting locations will open next week.
Voting machines will be set up at the Athens-Clarke County Library from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; at the Tate Center on campus from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; and in the basement of City Hall from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
That's in addition to early voting at the Board of Elections office, 155 E. Washington St., from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 2.
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Abrams, Kemp Campaigning in Athens
Blog: In the Loop
As the gubernatorial campaign enters its last stretch, both candidates—Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams—will be campaigning in the Athens area in the coming days.
Both candidates are currently on bus tours around th state.
After a press conference on Medicaid expansion in Atlanta and a tour of a Hoschton clinic on today, Abrams will stop at the Morton Theatre at 3 p.m. with Sarah Riggs Amico, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor. If you missed her packed-out appearance at Hendershot's, this may be your last chance to catch her before Nov. 6. RSVP here.
Kemp will be at Oconee Veteran's Park off Hog Mountain Road in Watkinsville from 10–11 a.m. on Monday.
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Benson's Bakery in Bogart Catches Fire
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Oconee County Sheriff's Office via Facebook
No one was injured when the Benson's bakery off Atlanta Highway in Bogart caught fire Monday afternoon.
The fire apparently started in one of the main factory rooms shortly before 3 p.m. Workers were evacuated and Oconee Fire Rescue called to battle the blaze.
“They were cutting a hole for a fan, and the fire started in the insulation,” Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry told The Oconee Enterprise.
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Terrapin Releases So Fresh and So Green, Green and More Local Beer News
Blog: Grub Notes
Terrapin will release its aways eagerly awaited wet-hopped So Fresh and So Green, Green IPA at its annual Hop Harvest Festival this Saturday.
This year, the Athens-based brewery went with a hop called Glacier, which balances SFASGG's malt sweetness and brings citrus notes and an herbal, woody aroma to the beer. And, for the first time, the hops are sourced from Michigan—a market Terrapin recently expanded into, and which has a, um, budding hop-growing industry. (American hops typically flourish in the Pacific Northwest.)
This will be a busy weekend for beer lovers. Also Saturday, Akademia Brewpub celebrates its first anniversary with the release of Paraskevidekatriaphobia, a 13% ABV stout referencing the fear of Friday the 13th, the day Akademia opened last year.
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Deal Endorses Houston Gaines for State House
Blog: In the Loop
Gov. Nathan Deal endorsed Republican Houston Gaines for state House District 117 today, saying "Gaines is the only candidate in the race who can deliver results for northeast Georgia and maintain our strong business climate."
Gaines is running against state Rep. Deborah Gonzalez (D-Athens), who beat him in a special election last year. The seat had previously been held by Republicans since it was redrawn in 2012 but is now a swing district.
From the Gaines campaign:
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Abrams Accuses Kemp of Voter Suppression in Packed Athens Appearance
Blog: In the Loop
Democrat Stacey Abrams accused her Republican opponent, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, of trying to suppress minority turnout to win the governor’s race during a recent appearance in Athens.
Abrams spoke at two local bars, Hendershot’s and Wayward Lounge, on Thursday, Oct. 11, the day after the Associated Press reported that Kemp’s office had not processed 53,000 voter registration applications because of minor discrepancies, such as accents in names, between the applications and other documents. Seventy percent of those would-be voters are black.
Abrams, the former House minority leader who’s been running voter registration drives for Democrats for years, is no stranger to sparring with Kemp. Her organization, the New Georgia Project, previously filed a lawsuit against the secretary of state’s office over a similar issue.
“I know what his tricks are,” Abrams said. “He’s a one-trick pony when it comes to voter suppression. It’s not going to work this time.”
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Voters Asked to Resubmit Mail-in Ballots Due to Error
Blog: In the Loop
Athens-Clarke County has asked about 300 voters to fill out new absentee ballots after an error was discovered in the ones they'd already they'd already been sent.
According to ACC, those 300 voters received ballots that included a candidate for state Senate District 46 who should not have been included.
The ballot listed Republican incumbent Bill Cowsert, Democrat Marisue Hilliard and independent John Fortuin. However, Fortuin did not qualify as an independent candidate. He is a write-in candidate, and write-in candidates' names do not appear on the ballot.
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Stacey Abrams Is Campaigning in Athens Today
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: University of Georgia
Two days after Donald Trump Jr. took the stage with Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp at the Classic Center, Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams is campaigning with another politician who's well-known locally—though probably not quite as famous nationwide.
Abrams and Athens-Clarke County Mayor-elect Kelly Girtz are hosting a meet-and-greet from 6–8 p.m. today at Hendershot's Coffee and Bar.
The event is aimed particularly at young voters. They will discuss "the importance of voting for Democrats across the state," according to the Abrams campaign.
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CCSD Closed, UGA Opens Late Thursday
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: National Weather Service
Clarke County public schools will be closed Thursday and the University of Georgia will delay opening, officials announced as Hurricane Michael rampaged through the state Wednesday night.
UGA will open at 10 a.m., with the first classes starting at 11 a.m.
Gov. Nathan Deal extended a state of emergency to Clarke County on Wednesday afternoon. Forecasts call for 3–5 inches of rain and winds up to 30–40 miles per hour in Athens later tonight and Thursday morning, possibly downing trees and causing power outages.
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Creature Comforts Releases Three New Beers
Blog: Grub Notes
Photo Credit: courtesy of Creature Comforts
Athens brewery Creature Comforts released its long-awaited lawnmower beer, Classic City Lager, on Monday.
The 4.2% ABV pale lager is meant to be an introduction to craft beer, as well as a simple, cold beverage to keep stocked in the fridge, according to head brewer David Stein.
It's been available on draft for a while now, but at its most recent Service Industry Night, Creature Comforts rolled out six- and 12-packs of cans. They'll show up in stores in Athens soon, if they haven't already.
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Security Plan Announced for Trump Jr. Appearance
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore
Athens-Clarke County police will close down streets around the Classic Center Tuesday afternoon in preparation for Donald Trump Jr.'s appearance.
The courthouse parking deck will be closed at 2 p.m.
At 4 p.m., Foundry Street from Broad to Dougherty streets and Thomas Street between Clayton Street and Hancock Avenue will be closed. In addition, Thomas from Clayton to Broad will be closed to northbound traffic, but will remain open to southbound traffic.
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Forum Tonight on Future of Athens Police
Blog: In the Loop
Local political groups have organized a forum this evening on the future of policing in Athens in the wake of Chief Scott Freeman's forced resignation last month.
The forum is from 5–7 p.m. at Hendershot's Coffee and Bar. It will begin with a happy hour and music from William Freeman Leverett and Foreign, followed at 5:50 p.m. by a panel discussion featuring interim police chief Mike Hunsinger, Commissioner Mariah Parker, Commissioner-elect Tim Denson, former mayor Gwen O'Looney and UGA law professor Russell Gabriel, moderated by yours truly. An audience Q&A will follow the panel discussion.
The forum is sponsored by the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement, Athens for Everyone and the Athens Immigrants' Rights Coalition. Those groups are calling for the formation of a police citizens' advisory committee and public input on the choice of a new chief.
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UGA Student Accused of Using Racial Slur at Football Game
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: pruddle/Wikimedia Commons
A white University of Georgia student is under investigation after being accused of shouting a racial slur at Saturday's Georgia–Tennessee game.
Student Klarissa Gulebian posted in the "Overheard at UGA" Facebook forum that someone yelled "put that [n-word] in the game," apparently referring to quarterback Justin Fields, a highly rated freshman who is black and whom some fans prefer over starter Jake Fromm.
The person was later identified as baseball player Adam Sasser. He is under investigation by the UGA Equal Opportunity Office for violating the university's non-discrimination and non-harassment policy, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Dems Troll Brian Kemp With Pro-Vols Banner
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Democratic Party of Georgia
Is Brian Kemp really a Tennessee fan? Well, the Brian Kemp isn't, but a Brian Kemp is.
As Kemp and other Republican candidates were wrapping up a tailgate at Herty Field—where, we presume, everyone wore red—Georgia Democrats hired a plane to buzz Sanford Stadium with a banner reading "BRIANKEMP SAYS... GO VOLS."
Brian Kemp is running for governor. BrianKemp is a parody Twitter account filled with negative news stories about Kemp and Photoshopped images of the candidate wearing orange. (The actual Kemp's actual Twitter handle is @BrianKempGA.)
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ACCPD Deputy Chief Justin Gregory Is Resigning
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Athens-Clarke County
Deputy Chief Justin Gregory is the second top administrator to leave the Athens-Clarke County police department in less than two weeks.
Gregory, a 23-year veteran of law enforcement, submitted his resignation Friday, effective Oct. 5. He told Flagpole that he's been thinking about changing careers for over a year to spend more time with his family and gain more life experience. He said he's leaving his options open.
"It's time to figure out what to do with the rest of my life," he said.
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latest stories
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Grub Notes | November 21, 2018 11:58am
'Brunch Bill' Takes Effect in Athens This Sunday
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In the Loop | November 13, 2018 4:49pm
Piggly Wiggly Wants to Open on Prince Avenue
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In the Loop | November 12, 2018 9:56pm
Athens-Clarke County Will Recount a Third of Its Votes
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In the Loop | November 5, 2018 11:20am
Where Do Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams Stand on Health Care?
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In the Loop | November 1, 2018 3:15pm
Tommy Valentine Named ACHF Director
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In the Loop | October 26, 2018 3:02pm
Vote Early This Saturday or at Expanded Locations Next Week
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In the Loop | October 26, 2018 11:04am
Abrams, Kemp Campaigning in Athens
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In the Loop | October 22, 2018 7:40pm
Benson's Bakery in Bogart Catches Fire
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Grub Notes | October 19, 2018 10:37am
Terrapin Releases So Fresh and So Green, Green and More Local Beer News
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In the Loop | October 12, 2018 1:30pm
Deal Endorses Houston Gaines for State House
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In the Loop | October 12, 2018 11:48am
Abrams Accuses Kemp of Voter Suppression in Packed Athens Appearance
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In the Loop | October 11, 2018 10:25am
Voters Asked to Resubmit Mail-in Ballots Due to Error
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In the Loop | October 11, 2018 9:32am
Stacey Abrams Is Campaigning in Athens Today
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In the Loop | October 10, 2018 8:28pm
CCSD Closed, UGA Opens Late Thursday
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Grub Notes | October 9, 2018 2:16pm
Creature Comforts Releases Three New Beers
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In the Loop | October 8, 2018 11:30am
Security Plan Announced for Trump Jr. Appearance
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In the Loop | October 4, 2018 1:27pm
Forum Tonight on Future of Athens Police
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In the Loop | October 3, 2018 1:11pm
UGA Student Accused of Using Racial Slur at Football Game
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In the Loop | September 29, 2018 4:10pm
Dems Troll Brian Kemp With Pro-Vols Banner
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In the Loop | September 24, 2018 5:48pm
ACCPD Deputy Chief Justin Gregory Is Resigning