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

Blog posts by Blake Aued, Editor

More on Chris Conley's Plans to Film an Epic Lightsaber Duel

Blog: Culture Briefs

Image credit: ducksizedhorses via reddit.com/r/uga

Like the Force, Flagpole's man-crush on University of Georgia wide receiver Chris Conley grows stronger every day.

The self-described nerd recently sat down with the Macon Telegraph's Seth Emerson to talk… and talk… and talk about his Star Wars fandom and plans to shoot an epic light saber duel on campus sometime next year.

By Blake Aued | December 20, 2013
Downtown Arcade Flashback Games Closing; Downtown Arcade Wonder Bar Opening

Blog: In the Loop

Flashback Games, the retro arcade at 162 W. Clayton St., is moving to Loganville later this month, according to its Facebook page:

By Blake Aued | December 19, 2013
Cobbham Historic District Sign Stolen

Blog: In the Loop

Photo via fullcircleathens.com.

Someone stole the Hill Street "Cobbham Historic District Neighborhood Park" sign from Piedmont College between 8 a.m. Dec. 11 and noon Dec. 17, according to Athens-Clarke County police. (That's a long time to not notice a sign is missing.)

The sign is black and gold and 32 inches by 42 inches.

By Blake Aued | December 19, 2013
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Dec. 16

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 | December 16, 2013
Go Ice Skating at the Classic Center

Blog: Culture Briefs

But please, leave your pipes at home.

The Classic Center's new ice skating rink opens Saturday for a week-long sneak preview. Here's the 411:

By Blake Aued | December 13, 2013
A New Medical Center's Coming to Prince Avenue

Blog: In the Loop

By Blake Aued | December 12, 2013
UPDATE: Escaped Prisoner Caught

Blog: In the Loop

A prisoner walked off a work detail today in the vicinity of Newton Bridge Road and Paradise Boulevard, according to Athens-Clarke County officials.

By Blake Aued | December 11, 2013
Obamacare Obstructor Ralph Hudgens Has a Democratic Challenger

Blog: In the Loop

Ralph Hudgens, the Republican state insurance commissioner who says he's doing everything in his power to obstruct Obamacare, has picked up a Democratic opponent.

Elizabeth "Liz" Johnson, a self-described 40-year veteran of the insurance industry from Statesboro, is running for Hudgens' post regulating insurance in Georgia, including implementing the Affordable Care Act.

By Blake Aued | December 10, 2013
Downtown Parade of Lights Photo Gallery

Blog: Culture Briefs

The Parade of Lights took over downtown Athens last night, and Flagpole was there to document the action.

Check out a photo gallery after the jump.

By Blake Aued | December 6, 2013
Commission Approves Partial Bus Fare Hike

Blog: In the Loop

As they said they would, Athens-Clarke County commissioners rejected a 25-cent bus transfer fee at their voting meeting tonight.

But they accepted other recommended fare increases to close an Athens Transit budget gap while pledging to hire a consultant next year to take a comprehensive look at improving the bus system.

By Blake Aued | December 3, 2013
The 40 Watt Is Getting a Music History Mural

Blog: Culture Briefs

LEAD Athens is working with the 40 Watt Club to install a mural on the music venue's mostly-blank western wall.

By Blake Aued | December 2, 2013
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Dec. 2

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 | December 2, 2013
Jason Carter: HOPE Changes Are a 'Catastrophe'

Blog: In the Loop

A stunning 200 people came to a last-minute campaign stop at Hendershot's this afternoon to meet state Sen. Jason Carter, the likely Democratic nominee for governor.

By Blake Aued | December 1, 2013
Hey! Another Commission Candidate: Dave Hudgins (UPDATED)

Blog: In the Loop

Photo via Facebook.

Dave Hudgins, who lost in a runoff to Commissioner Jared Bailey in 2010, is taking another crack at it, he said on Facebook yesterday.

By Blake Aued | November 27, 2013
Urban Outfitters Is Opening in Downtown Athens

Blog: In the Loop

An Urban Outfitters in Pasadena, CA. Credit: minnaert/Wikimedia Commons.

Urban Outfitters is opening a store at 155 E. Clayton Street, according to the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department.

By Blake Aued | November 26, 2013
So Is Rachel Watkins (Running for Commission, That Is)

Blog: In the Loop

photo via Facebook.

Now we have three, count 'em, three candidates running for Athens-Clarke County Commission in District 3. Rachel Watkins is joining Herb Gilmore and Melissa Link in the race to replace retiring Commissioner George Maxwell.

Watkins lives in Boulevard and works in marketing at Avid Bookshop and the Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau. She sent out this mass email yesterday:

By Blake Aued | November 26, 2013
Melissa Link Is Also Running for Commission

Blog: In the Loop

Neighborhood activist (and sometimes Flagpole contributor) Melissa Link is also running to replace retiring Commissioner George Maxwell in District 3.

By Blake Aued | November 25, 2013
Herb Gilmore Is Running for Commission

Blog: In the Loop

Former Athens-Clarke County planning commissioner Herb Gilmore is running for county commission on a platform of comprehensive planning and helping small businesses, he announced today.

An Old West Broad Street resident, Gilmore is running for George Maxwell's District 3 seat. (Maxwell is not running for re-election.) The district includes the Hancock Corridor, Rocksprings, Cobbham, Boulevard and Normaltown neighborhoods in central Athens.

By Blake Aued | November 25, 2013
Pause to Remember John F. Kennedy

Blog: In the Loop

In case you haven't turned on your television or read anything in the past couple weeks, today is the50th anniversary of Lee Harvey Oswald the CIA the mob Castro Lyndon Johnson lizard people somebody shooting President John F. Kennedy.

By Blake Aued | November 22, 2013
UGA Has a New Provost: Pamela Whitten

Blog: In the Loop

The University of Georgia has a new No. 2. President Jere Morehead has named Pamela S. Whitten, dean of the Michigan State University College of Communication Arts and Sciences, UGA's senior vice president for academic affairs and provost (Morehead's old job) effective Feb. 1.

By Blake Aued | November 21, 2013