Authors | Flagpole Magazine | Athens, GA News, Music, Arts, Restaurants

Blog posts by Blake Aued, Editor

Jack Lumpkin Is Savannah's New Police Chief

Blog: In the Loop

Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jack Lumpkin will be taking over Savannah and Chatham County's merged police department Nov. 9, according to Connect Savannah.

By Blake Aued | October 14, 2014
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Oct. 13

Blog: In the Loop

Photo Credit: Ben Walton

Welcome to Athens Power Rankings. In the spirit of sports rating systems, through painstaking analysis, we rank the top movers and shakers in the Classic City each week. Who's hot? Who's not? Find out below.

By Blake Aued | October 13, 2014
Jason Carter Introduces Drive-By Truckers

Blog: In the Loop

Game over: Jason Carter has won the coveted Patterson Hood endorsement.

Just kidding—nobody's sealed the deal yet. But introducing the Drive-By Truckers—whom Carter befriended while attending UGA law school—at a sold-out Tabernacle show certainly doesn't hurt the Democratic gubernatorial nominee's chances. This is just a guess, but I doubt Gov. Nathan Deal has Southern Rock Opera on his iPod.

By Blake Aued | October 13, 2014
Florida Fan Bryan Allen Named as Gurley Snitch

Blog: Culture Briefs

Photo Credit: believekevin/Flickr

Someone in Athens paid suspended god-like tailback Todd Gurley $400 to sign 80 autographs last spring, then ratted him out to UGA's compliance office, according to Sports Illustrated.

By Blake Aued | October 10, 2014
Todd Gurley Is Suspended and It's OK to Cry

Blog: Culture Briefs

Welp. There goes the season. Heisman Trophy candidate (until about 15 minutes ago) Todd Gurley has been suspended indefinitely, and we have no idea why. Here's the full two-paragraph statement from the Bulldogs:

By Blake Aued | October 9, 2014
Pedestrian Hit on Prince Avenue

Blog: In the Loop

A 73-year-old woman was hit by a car while crossing Prince Avenue on Tuesday.

The woman—who was not in a crosswalk—was crossing Prince near Oglethorpe Avenue at around 6 p.m. A 20-year-old Monroe woman driving a Toyota Scion hit her as she was turning right from Satula Avenue onto Prince, according to Athens-Clarke County police.

By Blake Aued | October 9, 2014
You Can Vote on a Sunday in Athens Now

Blog: In the Loop

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

The Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections unanimously approved this afternoon an additional day of early voting on Sunday, Oct. 26

Voters will be able to cast ballots from 1–5 p.m. that day at the Board of Elections office at 155 E. Washington St.

By Blake Aued | October 7, 2014
Creature Comforts Wins Great American Beer Festival Award

Blog: Grub Notes

Photo Credit: Porter McLeod

Athens' Creature Comforts Brewing Co. might be brand new on the craft beer scene, but it's already winning awards.

The brewery, which opened in April, took home a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado in the American Style Brett Beer category for Curiosity No. 2, part of its one-off series of unusual or obscure styles.

By Blake Aued | October 6, 2014
Today Is the Last Day to Register to Vote

Blog: In the Loop

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

If you're not registered to vote already, today is the last day to do so and be eligible to vote in the Nov. 4 election, when races for governor, Senate and Congress will be on the ballot, in addition to other statewide offices.

By Blake Aued | October 6, 2014
Jewish UGA Students Are Unhappy Homecoming Falls on Yom Kippur

Blog: In the Loop

Jewish students at the University of Georgia are upset that the homecoming game against Vanderbilt falls on Yom Kippur, their religion's holiest day.

In a letter to UGA President Jere Morehead, Jewish students complained that they won't be able to participate in Homecoming because they'll be fasting and praying from sundown today until sundown Saturday.

By Blake Aued | October 3, 2014
Stop the Presses! Paul Broun and Harry Reid Agree on Something. Kind of. Not Really.

Blog: In the Loop

U.S. Rep. Paul Broun has probably never said anything about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that didn't include the word "socialist." Until now.

By Blake Aued | October 2, 2014
UGA Tobacco Ban Takes Effect Today

Blog: In the Loop

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

A campus-wide smoking ban took effect on the University of Georgia campus today. (Yes, that means no chewing or vaping, either.)

The Board of Regents approved the no-smoking policy in March. It applies to every public college and university in the state.

By Blake Aued | October 1, 2014
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Sept. 29

Blog: In the Loop

Welcome to Athens Power Rankings. In the spirit of sports rating systems, through painstaking analysis, we rank the top movers and shakers in the Classic City each week. Who's hot? Who's not? Find out below.

By Blake Aued | September 29, 2014
R.E.M. Is Releasing a Live DVD Box Set, Selling T-Shirts from the Monster Tour

Blog: Homedrone

Little-known Big Star cover band side project R.E.M. is releasing a six-DVD set of its televised live performances.

The set, dubbed REMTV, will include R.E.M.'s 1991 and 2001 "MTV Unplugged" sets, 1998 "VH1 Storytellers" appearance, 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, a rare 1984 cover of "Smokin' in the Boys Room" (?), a 2001 concert in Cologne, France and a 2008 concert in the Athens of Greece, plus a documentary and lots more rarities and never-before-released stuff.

By Blake Aued | September 26, 2014
UGA Is Replacing Its Coal-Fired Boiler

Blog: In the Loop

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

The University of Georgia is finally getting rid of its coal-fired boiler, President Jere Morehead announced today.

By Blake Aued | September 24, 2014
SEC Football Teams, Ranked

Blog: Culture Briefs

1. Alabama

By Blake Aued | September 23, 2014
UGA Hockey, Classic Center Ice Skating Kick Off Today

Blog: Culture Briefs

Photo Credit: Porter McLeod

The University of Georgia Ice Dawgs kick off their season at 1:30 p.m. today against archrivals Florida at their new home at the Classic Center.

And following the game, at 5 p.m. the Classic Center will open up its temporary hockey rink to the general public. Admission is $12 and includes skate rental. Go to classiccenter.com for the full ice-skating calendar.

By Blake Aued | September 21, 2014
UGA Student Charged With MLC Threat

Blog: In the Loop

Photo Credit: Randy Schafer

UPDATE 1:18 p.m.: Police have given the "all clear." Go about your business. Police Chief Jimmy Williamson has scheduled a 2 p.m. news conference.

University of Georgia police are urging everyone to stay away from the Miller Learning Center due to a "threat of violence."

By Blake Aued | September 19, 2014
Automatic Pizza Wins Approval for Beer and Wine

Blog: Grub Notes

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

The Athens-Clarke County Commission approved a waiver Thursday night for Automatic Pizza to serve beer and wine, paving the way for a mid-October opening.

By Blake Aued | September 19, 2014
Sunday Voting Under Consideration in Athens

Blog: In the Loop

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

The Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections will consider holding early voting on a Sunday next month, according to Clarke County Democratic Committee Chairman Joe Wisenbaker.

DeKalb County kicked off the Sunday voting trend last week, scheduling early voting on Sundays in an effort to draw "souls to the polls"—African American churches busing their mostly Democratic congregants to voting booths. Since then, Fulton and Lowndes counties—both rich sources of Democratic votes—have followed suit.

Republicans have called the move "blatantly partisan" and vowed to put an end to Sunday voting during next year's legislative session. It's part of a larger battle in which Democrats are trying to register and turn out more voters, while the GOP is trying to block them.

By Blake Aued | September 18, 2014