Blog posts by Blake Aued, Editor
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Bertis Downs on the State of Athens Schools
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Screenshot via Vimeo
Best known as R.E.M.'s lawyer, Athens resident Bertis Downs has been an advocate for—and become something of an expert on—public education for many years.
With new superintendent Demond Means shaking things up (see Karen Sweeney Gerow and Tommie Farmer's recent op-eds for two differing perspectives on Means' reforms) Downs had some thoughts he wanted to share. But he had difficulty putting them on paper, so instead he made this video and sent it to Flagpole.
In it, Downs advocates for continuing the decentralized approach that the Clarke County School District agreed to pursue when it became a charter system.
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Richie Knight Releases 21-Point Plan, Loses Another Campaign Manager
Blog: In the Loop
If you liked Kelly Girtz's five-point plans on affordable housing, economic development and the environment, you're gonna love this, comrade: Fellow mayoral candidate Richie Knight has released a plan with, as LeBron James might say, not five, not six, not seven, but 21 points. You can read it here.
In other Knight news, another of his campaign managers, Cameron Jay Harrelson, has resigned. He follows on the heels of Monika Ammerman, who left last summer, and Loran Posey, who was hired to replace Ammerman, then left last fall and went to work for the Girtz campaign. (In a rather extraordinary move, Knight sued Posey for a libel over a Facebook post that was critical of Knight, a lawsuit that Knight recently dropped.)
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Kelly Girtz Releases Environmental Plan
Blog: In the Loop
Commissioner Kelly Girtz is the kind of guy who has a five-point plan for brushing his teeth in the morning, so of course he has one for the environment, too.
Scheduled for release on Earth Day, it just went out a few days ago, and we are just now getting around to posting it. Oh, well. Here it is:
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Harry Sims (Finally) Responds to A4E Questionnaire
Blog: In the Loop
Mayoral candidate and former commissioner Harry Sims has been feuding with Athens for Everyone over the D- grade it gave him, based in part on his failure to fill out the group’s questionnaire. Well, Sims finally filled it out last week.
In it, he gets in a couple of digs at his favorite foil—activists who speak out—as well as opponent Kelly Girtz, and explains his concerns about various policies A4E favors, such as fare-free transit and Complete Streets.
Here are his answers:
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Athens Democrats Announce Endorsements
Blog: In the Loop
Commission District 7 candidate Russell Edwards is among the chosen ones.
In our local nonpartisan elections, voters often want to know, who’s the real Democrat? The Athens-Clarke County Democratic Committee is here to help.
The committee released a list of endorsements Saturday, includin Patrick Davenport in the Commission District 1 race, former county party chairman Russell Edwards in Commission District 7 (over another former chairman, Bill Overend), LaKeisha Gantt in the school board’s 7th District and Lisa Lott for Superior Court judge.
In addition, it declared the following candidates “qualified Democrats” in other local races:
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Today Is the Last Day to Register to Vote May 22
Blog: In the Loop
Today (Tuesday, Apr. 24) is the last day to register to vote in the May 22 partisan primaries and nonpartisan local elections.
Local races will be decided May 22 or in a July runoff and will not be on the ballot in November. They include Athens-Clarke County mayor, commission districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9, school board districts 5 and 7 and two seats on the Superior Court bench.
In addition, Democratic and Republican primaries for governor and other statewide offices, as well as Congress, are on the ballot locally.
To check your voter registration status, click here. To register to vote, click here.
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Piedmont, BCBS Reach New Contract Agreement
Blog: In the Loop
Piedmont Healthcare and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield finalized an agreement Monday for BCBS to continue covering treatment in-network at Piedmont hospitals and by Piedmont-affiliated doctors.
The contract between the health care provider, which owns Athens Regional, and insurance company ended Apr. 1 with the two sides unable to agree on reimbursement rates. Gov. Nathan Deal urged them both back to the negotiating table, and they reached a "handshake deal" on Friday.
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Man Posing as Uber Driver Accused of Rape
Blog: In the Loop
Athens-Clarke County police have arrested a man they say raped two women who got into his car mistakenly believing it was an Uber.
At about 3 a.m. Friday, Apr. 20, a woman reported to police that she had requested an Uber and got into a car she believed was her Uber, but realized halfway through the ride that it was not. She asked to be let out of the vehicle, and the driver raped her before releasing her, according to police.
That evening, police received a report of a similar incident. A second woman reported that she had requested an Uber at about 1:15 a.m., and when she was picked up, the driver touched her private areas before she could get out. She took photos of the driver and showed them to police.
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More Details on the Westclox Mixed-Use Development
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Studio BNA Architects
A view of the proposed development facing east from above Newton Bridge Road. The amphitheater faces Dairy Pak Road to the south.
The 35-acre General Time development on the long-vacant Westclox clock factory property off Newton Bridge Road would primarily serve permanent Athens residents as well as draw visitors from around the region, according to promotional materials released Monday.
"This type of adaptive reuse model works so well in countless scenarios in metro Atlanta and around the Southeast," said Michael Dinerman, who is developing the project along with Jennifer Davidson. "We saw the old Westclox property as an opportunity to help pull together many needs of the Athens community in one strategically located district."
Plans and renderings—available on the Athens-Clarke County website—show a brewery with a rooftop "tasting terrace," a "cycle cafe" along a stormwater detention pond and a "provisions market."
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Brian Kemp Blasts Athens Sheriff for ICE Reversal
Blog: In the Loop
Brian Kemp.
This morning, the AJC's Political Insider picked up on Flagpole's Friday report that Clarke County Sheriff's Office will no longer detain undocumented inmates past their release points to give Immigrations and Customs Enforcement time to deport them.
The news came as a relief to many in Athens, but the Insiders wondered when Secretary of State Brian Kemp would weigh in.
Sure enough, this tweet came soon after:
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Sheriff Reverses Policy on ICE Detainers
Blog: In the Loop
The Clarke County Sheriff's Office will no longer detain undocumented immigrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport unless requests are accompanied by a judicial warrant, the sheriff's department announced late this afternoon.
Sheriff Ira Edwards instituted a new policy in July, complying with ICE requests to hold undocumented inmates—many of whom had not been convicted of a crime—for up to 48 hours beyond when they would have otherwise been released so that ICE could pick them up and deport them. The policy change met with widespread criticism from activists, churches and other elected officials once it became public in December.
In January, Edwards convened an advisory committee that could not come to a concensus on the issue and recommended that he seek legal counsel from the Athens-Clarke County attorney's office, which told him "there is case law that has identified gaps in the current system that do not allow the Sheriff's Office to hold individuals solely on a detainer from ICE," according to a news release. "As such, the Sheriff wishes to avoid the potential risk to the county of civil litigation relating to ICE detainers."
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Big Mixed-Use Development Planned for Former Athens Clock Factory
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: Matt Clayton/Google
A "super cool" 35-acre mixed-use development including a 3,000-seat music venue is planned for the the old Westclox plant off Newton Bridge Road, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reportedThursday.
The project's developers, UGA graduate Michael Dinerman and Jennifer Davidson, have been eyeing the property for more than two years. Dinerman, an Atlanta real estate developer, said he has seen similar adaptive reuse projects in Atlanta and noticed that Athens lacks a large music venue.
In addition to the music venue, they want to build about 100 apartments, "maker space" for craftspeople, retail space and three or four restaurants. Terrapin Brewery has also signed a long-term lease for warehouse space at the development, according to the Business Chronicle.
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Someone Sprayed Harry Sims' House With Paintballs
Blog: In the Loop
We now take you live to the Athens-Clarke County mayoral forum:
Former commissioner and current mayoral candidate Harry Sims was the victim of a drive-by paintball attack on Wednesday.
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AADM Co-Founder Knowa Johnson Joins Sims Campaign
Blog: In the Loop
Knowa Johnson.
Knowa Johnson, co-founder of the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement, has joined former Athens-Clarke County commissioner Harry Sims' mayoral campaign.
This comes as a bit of a surprise, given that Sims has been skeptical of the civil rights committee AADM has proposed creating, while fellow candidates Kelly Girtz and Richie Knight have been vocal supporters. ButJohnson could help Sims shore up his support among young people, which appears to be his weakest demographic.
From the Sims campaign's announcement today:
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Memorial Scheduled for Karen Tinsley
Blog: In the Loop
The University of Georgia has scheduled a memorial service for Karen Tinsley, the UGA faculty member who was hit and killed by a truck while riding her bike Tuesday near Bishop.
The service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Apr. 9 in the Chapel on North Campus. A reception will follow at 4 p.m. in the Georgia Center's Mahler Hall.
Lord & Stephens West funeral home in Watkinsville has not announced funeral arrangements.
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Driver Kills UGA Professor and Cyclist Karen Tinsley
Blog: In the Loop
Photo Credit: UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Karen Tinsley, a faculty member in the University of Georgia's College of Family and Consumer Sciences, died Tuesday after being hit by a truck while riding her bike in Oconee County.
An F-150 struck and killed Tinsley, an avid cyclist, on Astondale Road near Bishop Tuesday night, according to the Oconee Enterprise.
Tinsley, 45, is a native of Augusta who moved to Athens in 2002 and earned her master's degree and doctorate from UGA. The Watkinsville resident was recently promoted to senior public service associate at FACS.
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What's Up With the Trees on the Loop?
Blog: In the Loop
Or what’s down, rather. Many readers have noticed that trees on the Loop are being cut down and have asked who’s doing it and why. It’s the state Department of Transportation, and they say they’re thinning the trees for safety reasons.
“We are doing vegetation management along the corridor the last few weeks,” GDOT spokeswoman Katie Strickland said. “Trees can be a hazard for roadways in many instances. Winter weather, along with other storms, can take trees down across power lines and also block routes. We also have seen pedestrians and drivers injured by trees located too close to our right of way.”
Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.
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Deal Intervenes in Piedmont-BCBS Dispute
Blog: In the Loop
Just a few hours after this post went live, Gov. Nathan Deal waded into the reimbursement dispute between Piedmont Healthcare, which owns Piedmont Athens Regional and several other Georgia hospitals, and Blue Cross Blue Shield that has thrown thousands of Athens workers and their families out of network.
Deal ordered both sides back to the negotiating table late Tuesday afternoon to hammer out a new contract setting reimbursement rates for Piedmont doctors and procedures. The last one expired at midnight Saturday, affecting almost 600,000 state employees on BCBS plans.
If an equitable solution is not reached, I’ve directed the Department of Community Health and the State Health Benefit Plan to explore all possible solutions to ensure our members have access to care," Deal said in a news release. "The university system stands ready to take similar action on behalf of its employees. "
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Watch the Flagpole/DT Productions Mayoral Forum
Blog: In the Loop
Insert your own thought bubbles.
Last Thursday, Flagpole teamed with local video producers DT Productions and the Red & Black to live-stream a forum featuring mayoral candidates Kelly Girtz, Richie Knight and Harry Sims.
The candidates faced questions from me and fellow moderatoes Lisee Pullara, the R&B's editor in chief, and DT President Andrew Levy on topics ranging from affordable housing to sexual assault to the Athens airport.
About 6,000 people watched the forum live on Facebook and Twitter, but in case you missed it—or it was just so entertaining, you feel compelled to watch it again and again—here it is!
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Deadline Passes Without Piedmont-Blue Cross Blue Shield Deal
Blog: In the Loop
"We checked your bank account, and no, I'm sorry, we can't remove your brain tumor."
A deadline for Piedmont Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield’s parent company, Anthem, to reach a deal on a new contract came and went at midnight Mar. 31. While all hope isn’t lost, for now, thousands of UGA, ACC and Clarke County School District employees, among others, will have to either pay higher out-of-pocket costs or find new doctors.
While the contract has expired, emergency room visits at Piedmont Athens Regional will still be considered in-network for BCBS customers.
Piedmont Healthcare, which owns Piedmont Athens Regional, sued Blue Cross Blue Shield in February after the insurance company decided it would no longer pay for MRIs and CT scans performed in hospitals, only at less expensive outpatient clinics. The two companies are also locked in a dispute over how much BCBS should reimburse Piedmont doctors.
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latest stories
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In the Loop | May 12, 2018 1:02pm
Bertis Downs on the State of Athens Schools
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In the Loop | May 2, 2018 1:49pm
Richie Knight Releases 21-Point Plan, Loses Another Campaign Manager
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In the Loop | April 30, 2018 3:39pm
Kelly Girtz Releases Environmental Plan
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In the Loop | April 30, 2018 2:34pm
Harry Sims (Finally) Responds to A4E Questionnaire
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In the Loop | April 30, 2018 1:27pm
Athens Democrats Announce Endorsements
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In the Loop | April 24, 2018 2:06pm
Today Is the Last Day to Register to Vote May 22
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In the Loop | April 23, 2018 4:49pm
Piedmont, BCBS Reach New Contract Agreement
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In the Loop | April 23, 2018 12:42pm
Man Posing as Uber Driver Accused of Rape
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In the Loop | April 17, 2018 3:52pm
More Details on the Westclox Mixed-Use Development
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In the Loop | April 16, 2018 4:46pm
Brian Kemp Blasts Athens Sheriff for ICE Reversal
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In the Loop | April 13, 2018 6:53pm
Sheriff Reverses Policy on ICE Detainers
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In the Loop | April 13, 2018 10:02am
Big Mixed-Use Development Planned for Former Athens Clock Factory
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In the Loop | April 12, 2018 3:58pm
Someone Sprayed Harry Sims' House With Paintballs
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In the Loop | April 6, 2018 1:21pm
AADM Co-Founder Knowa Johnson Joins Sims Campaign
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In the Loop | April 6, 2018 12:28pm
Memorial Scheduled for Karen Tinsley
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In the Loop | April 4, 2018 6:59pm
Driver Kills UGA Professor and Cyclist Karen Tinsley
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In the Loop | April 4, 2018 9:08am
What's Up With the Trees on the Loop?
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In the Loop | April 3, 2018 8:53pm
Deal Intervenes in Piedmont-BCBS Dispute
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In the Loop | April 3, 2018 6:44pm
Watch the Flagpole/DT Productions Mayoral Forum
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In the Loop | April 3, 2018 1:06pm
Deadline Passes Without Piedmont-Blue Cross Blue Shield Deal