Blog posts by Blake Aued, Editor
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Documentary on Mary Frances Early, First Black UGA Grad, Airs Tonight
Blog: Culture Briefs
A documentary on the first black student to graduate from the University of Georgia will air on Georgia Public Broadcasting at 10:30 p.m. today and again at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Mary Frances Early: The Quiet Trailblazer premiered in Atlanta last week, and an on-campus screening is being arranged, according to the university.
The film was co-produced by Maurice Daniels, professor and dean emeritus of the UGA School of Social Work, and Michelle Cook, vice provost for diversity, inclusion and strategic initiatives. It is narrated by former WSB-TV anchor Monica Pearson.
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Woman Killed Crossing West Broad Street
Blog: In the Loop
An elderly woman was killed Friday night while crossing West Broad Street, according to Athens-Clarke County police.
Patricia Barker, 74, was crossing West Broad at Briarcliff Road, where she lived, when she was hit by a driver in a minivan traveling east at about 8:30 p.m. Friday. She was crossing north to south and had made it across all but one of seven lanes of traffic when she was hit, police said.
When police arrived, National EMS personnel were performing CPR. Barker was then taken to a hospital, where she died of her injuries.
There is no crosswalk at Briarcliff Road, and there are no sidewalks to the nearest crosswalks on that part of West Broad.
No charges have been filed against the driver, a 36-year-old Oconee County woman.
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Groups Demand Answers on Chief Freeman's Departure
Blog: In the Loop
Three local political groups want answers on why Scott Freeman is no longer chief of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.
The Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition, the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement and Athens for Everyone—representing the Latinx community, African Americans and progressives, respectively—issued a statement over the weekend demanding "clarity" on Freeman's departure.
Freeman made a concerted effort to reach out to minority communities and refused to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement during his three-plus years as chief. He resigned under pressure last Thursday, with his boss, ACC Manager Blaine Williams, citing problems with attrition.
According to the groups' statement:
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City Manager: Police Chief Lost Confidence of Department
Blog: In the Loop
Athens-Clarke County Manager Blaine Williams
Athens-Clarke County Manager Blaine Williams said Thursday night that he and Police Chief Scott Freeman mutually agreed to part ways over simmering concerns about morale and attrition within the police department.
"This has been coming for some time," Williams told Flagpole, adding that "this is a conversation that's been happening the past five or six months.
"Real or perceived, there's been an erosion in confidence in the chief," Williams said. "The chief has done a lot of great things, but I've got to bring some stability to the department... At the end of the day, the chief and I agreed mutually this was in the best interests of the department."
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Scott Freeman Is Out as Athens Police Chief
Blog: In the Loop
Scott Freeman is no longer chief of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, but the circumstances surrounding his departure are unclear.
As an Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement town hall meeting about community relations with police was wrapping up, AADM co-founder Knowa Johnson announced that Freeman had been fired.
The Athens Banner-Herald broke the story at about 7:30 p.m., quoting Mayor Nancy Denson as saying that ACC Manager Blaine Williams had fired Freeman.
“I wasn’t surprised that he was let go because I know there were several issues,” Denson told the ABH. “Evidently he wasn’t a good fit for Athens.”
Neither Williams nor Freeman immediately returned calls seeking comment. But about 20 minutes later, the ACC government issued a news release saying Freeman had resigned effective today. The announcement said he is leaving to "pursue other opportunies."
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Churches Sponsor Suicide Prevention Workshops
Blog: In the Loop
Milledge Avenue Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church of Athens are sponsoring two workshops—one for the public and one for faith leaders—on suicide prevention next week.
The churches are bringing in Soul Shop, a faith-based suicide prevention program, to raise awareness of suicide as a public health problem and how to reduce the risk of suicide.
First Presbyterian's parish nurse, Madeline Van Dyck, attended a Soul Shop conference in Atlanta.
"The workshop boldy took on the mystery of suicidal depression and the heartache that surrounds it," Van Dyck said. "The presenter and the materials were able to frame for me a new understanding of the hold suicide has on a soul, and a crucial new step we all need to take to address desperation's call."
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Forum for Athens Candidates Scheduled for Oct. 11
Blog: In the Loop
The Athens Area and Oconee County chambers of commerce have scheduled the first local candidate forum of this election season, to be held Thursday, Oct. 11 from 6–8 p.m. in the auditorium on the third floor of Piedmont Athens Regional's medical services building at 242 King Ave.
Confirmed candidates include state Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens), state Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville and Democratic challenger Dawn Hawkins Johnson, state Rep. Deborah Gonzalez (D-Athens) and Republican challenger Houston Gaines, and state Rep. Jonathan Wallace (D-Watkinsville) and Republican challenger Marcus Wiedower. Cowsert's Democratic opponent, Marisue Hilliard, has not committed.
The forum will be moderated by Tim Bryant, news director at WGAU 1340 AM, and broadcast live on that station.
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AADM Hosts Town Hall Meeting Thursday on Community Policing and Race Relations
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Savannah Cole
Athens-Clarke County police held a cookout in the Columbia Brookside neighborhood off Hawthorne Avenue last week. Under Chief Scott Freeman, the department has held occasional cookouts as a way to improve relationships between police and local communities.
The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement will host a town hall meeting on community policing and race relations at the Athens-Clarke County library from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Co-founder Mokah-Jasmine Johnson said that residents and community leaders are concerned that ACC police aren't doing enough to build trust and ensure safety in the wake of two recent incidents—an officer who hit a fleeing suspect with his car in June, and another officer who tackled a 10-year-old boy in July.
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Standoff With Robber Ends at West Broad Gas Station
Blog: In the Loop
A standoff with an alleged armed robber that shut down part of West Broad Street this evening ended without any injuries.
A man walked into the Marathon gas station near Evans Street with a gun Friday afternoon intending to rob it, according to Athens-Clarke County police spokesman Epifanio Rodriguez. But after being confronted by someone inside, the man instead walked outside and sat down.
When police arrived, the man—whose name has not been released—refused to comply with their instructions, Rodriguez said. The SWAT team was called in, and after attempts to negotiate, they used non-lethal rounds to take him into custody, he said.
The man was arrested at about 7 p.m., and West Broad was reopened.
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Commission Approves Barnett Shoals Bike Lanes, Delays Decision on Boulevard
Blog: In the Loop
Athens-Clarke County commissioners approved preliminary plans Tuesday night for bike lanes in the Boulevard neighborhood—but not on Boulevard itself.
The concept plan approved Tuesday includes narrowing lanes on a Chase Street bridge to slow traffic coming into town off the Loop and multi-use paths along Barber Street and Oneta Street.
However, plans to eventually stripe bike lanes along Boulevard were scrapped—for now—after residents of the street objected that Boulevard is already safe for cyclists, and the markings would ruin its historic character.
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BikeAthens: Commission Should Move Forward With Barnett Shoals Bike Lane
Blog: In the Loop
A two-way protected bike lane in the Washington, DC suburb of Montgomery County, MD.
Athens-Clarke County commissioners are expected to vote tonight on plans for removing one car lane from four-lane Barnett Shoals Road south of College Station Road to make room for a two-way protected bike lane when the road is repaved.
The new configuration would be tested for 30 days before being made permanent. But two Eastside commissioners, Andy Herod and Sharyn Dickerson, don't even want to test it. They have proposed replacing a sidewalk with a multi-use path instead. BikeAthens recently posted an article explaining why that's a bad idea.
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UGA Will Ticket Bird Users Who Break Traffic Laws
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Savannah Cole
University of Georgia police will start ticketing Bird e-scooter riders on Friday if they break traffic laws, the university announced in a campus-wide email this morning.
“For the last 10 days, the University Police Department has engaged in an effort to educate scooter riders about the applicable laws,” an Archnews email said. “Moving forward, individuals violating traffic code — including riding scooters on sidewalks — may be cited, which could lead to fines of $185, plus associated court fees.”
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Photo Gallery: Project Safe's '70s vs. '80s Lip-Sync Battle, Groovy Nights
Blog: Culture Briefs
UGA Vets 4 Pets & People performed Tina Turner's cover of "Proud Mary."
Athens mayor-elect Kelly Girtz and others got their groove on Saturday at Groovy Nights.
The 17th annual '70s- and '80s-themed lip-syncing contest, held at The Foundry this year, raised funds for Project Safe, a local nonprofit that works to prevent domestic violence and offers assistance to survivors and their children.
Girtz—who played coy about his song selection last week—went with Madonna's "Express Yourself."
The county commissioner wasn't the only elected official on stage, either. Watkinsville Mayor Dave Shearon also got into the act.
Both may be skilled at winning elections, but neither could take home the prize at Groovy Nights. That went to the MAMAs for their rendition of Prince's "1999."
Flagpole photographer Savannah Cole captured the event.
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UGA Will Build a Monument to Slaves Formerly Buried Underneath Baldwin Hall
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file
Judge Steve Jones speaks at a service for the reinterment of slave remains slave remains found during construction at Baldwin Hall at Oconee Hill Cemetery in 2017. Jones was later named to a task force dedicated to further memorializing those individuals.
The University of Georgia will build a memorial at Baldwin Hall to the slaves whose remains were discovered buried near the building during construction in 2015.
A black-owned quarry in Oglethorpe County will donate 35,000 pounds of granite for the memorial, the university announced today. UGA Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Michelle Cook is a member of the family—the Millie Long estate in Carlton—that owns the quarry.
“Our family is proud to contribute to this historic project, which will serve as permanent tribute to the memory of these individuals,” Cook said in a news release. “This project is particularly important to me because of my own family history in the Athens area, which dates back more than 150 years. It was an honor to work with the task force to design a memorial that will provide a tranquil, reflective place for our entire community.”
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Arena Football Team Will Move to Athens Next Year
Blog: Culture Briefs
If you're the type of person who suffers pigskin withdrawal after the Super Bowl, a cure is coming: The Peach State Cats, an arena football team, will play their home games in Athens next spring.
The Cats' home base will be Akins Ford Arena, aka the Classic Center's grand hall, which when equipped with temporary bleachers can seat 2,000 people. The arena also hosts the University of Georgia Ice Dawgs club hockey team and, until recently, the Classic City Rollergirls, who now play at Athens Arena on Atlanta Highway.
“We are looking forward to calling the Classic Center our home,” Cats owner Tim Freeman said in a news release. “Athens has had a rich football history with the success of the University of Georgia, Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central programs over the years. We are looking forward to serving the community.”
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The UGA Class of 2022 Might Be the Smartest Ever
Blog: In the Loop
The Class of 2022 had an average high-school grade point average of 4.04—the highest ever at the University of Georgia.
The average ACT score was 30, tying last year's record, and the average SAT score was 1,365, up 21 points from 2017, according to statistics released by UGA.
The average freshman took eight Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual enrollment classes in high school.
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Discrepancies in Voter Info Will Be Corrected, Election Supervisor Says
Blog: In the Loop
An astute reader noted the other day that her voting location listed on the secretary of state's website did not match up with the one listed on the Athens-Clarke County Board of Election's interactive precinct map.
Given Secretary of State Brian Kemp's well-documented voter suppression efforts and lack of security in the system, this was cause for concern.
Further investigation found at least two other discrepancies between the Board of Election's map and its list of polling places.
Charlotte Sosebee, director of the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections, told Flagpole that the map has taken a long time to update, and those discrepancies will be resolved by the middle of next week. In the meantime, here is the correct information:
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Athens Economic Development Director Leaves
Blog: In the Loop
Ryan Moore.
Athens-Clarke County's first and only director of economic development is leaving for a job in Brunswick effective Sept. 1.
Ryan Moore was hired to helm the newly created department in 2013, when it replaced the independent Economic Development Foundation.
The Savannah native was named sole finalist for president of the Glynn County Development Authority in June, according to The Brunswick News.
Michelle Nguyen will be the department's interim director while a national search is conducted, according to ACC Manager Blaine Williams.
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ACCPD: Officer Who Restrained Boy Was Justified
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: screenshot via Ariel Collins/Facebook
An Athens-Clarke County police officer who restrained a distraught 10-year-old boy was justified in his use of force, according to internal affairs documents Flagpole obtained through an open records request.
An investigation by Lt. Richard Odum, head of the Office of Professional Standards, found that "no policy violations occured and the force used was reasonable."
The investigation started after the boy's cousin posted a video to Facebook of officers holding down the boy. The video went viral, and many viewers complained that the officers were being too rough.
The officers went to the Sartain Drive home on July 20 to look into an allegation that a man there had choked his ex-girlfriend. They arrested the man, which led to his son becoming extremely upset.
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Cowsert on Short List for Georgia Supreme Court Vacancy
Blog: In the Loop
State Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) is one of eight contenders for two open seats on the state Supreme Court, according to the AJC.
The Judicial Nominating Committee—made up of six trial lawyers, two state legislators and a representative from the state attorney general's office—recommended nine names to Gov. Nathan Deal to fill vacancies left when Britt Grant was named a federal appeals court judge and Harris Hines retired.
Among them were Cowsert and Jason Deal, Nathan Deal's son, who is a superior court judge in Hall and Dawson counties. But Jason Deal took his name out of the running so his father wouldn't have to decide whether to appoint him.
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latest stories
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Culture Briefs | September 18, 2018 4:43pm
Documentary on Mary Frances Early, First Black UGA Grad, Airs Tonight
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In the Loop | September 18, 2018 11:29am
Woman Killed Crossing West Broad Street
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In the Loop | September 17, 2018 2:36pm
Groups Demand Answers on Chief Freeman's Departure
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In the Loop | September 13, 2018 10:44pm
City Manager: Police Chief Lost Confidence of Department
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In the Loop | September 13, 2018 8:36pm
Scott Freeman Is Out as Athens Police Chief
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In the Loop | September 12, 2018 9:59am
Churches Sponsor Suicide Prevention Workshops
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In the Loop | September 11, 2018 4:34pm
Forum for Athens Candidates Scheduled for Oct. 11
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In the Loop | September 11, 2018 2:04pm
AADM Hosts Town Hall Meeting Thursday on Community Policing and Race Relations
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In the Loop | September 7, 2018 7:49pm
Standoff With Robber Ends at West Broad Gas Station
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In the Loop | September 5, 2018 3:47pm
Commission Approves Barnett Shoals Bike Lanes, Delays Decision on Boulevard
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In the Loop | September 4, 2018 2:26pm
BikeAthens: Commission Should Move Forward With Barnett Shoals Bike Lane
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In the Loop | August 30, 2018 11:22am
UGA Will Ticket Bird Users Who Break Traffic Laws
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Culture Briefs | August 27, 2018 12:47pm
Photo Gallery: Project Safe's '70s vs. '80s Lip-Sync Battle, Groovy Nights
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In the Loop | August 21, 2018 4:48pm
UGA Will Build a Monument to Slaves Formerly Buried Underneath Baldwin Hall
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Culture Briefs | August 21, 2018 12:33pm
Arena Football Team Will Move to Athens Next Year
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In the Loop | August 20, 2018 2:05pm
The UGA Class of 2022 Might Be the Smartest Ever
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In the Loop | August 17, 2018 1:33pm
Discrepancies in Voter Info Will Be Corrected, Election Supervisor Says
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In the Loop | August 9, 2018 1:34pm
Athens Economic Development Director Leaves
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In the Loop | August 8, 2018 3:26pm
ACCPD: Officer Who Restrained Boy Was Justified
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In the Loop | August 6, 2018 11:21am
Cowsert on Short List for Georgia Supreme Court Vacancy