In the Loop
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Meg Norris Discusses Opting Out of Georgia Milestones Testing
Photo Credit: Alberto G./Flickr
Meg Norris, founder and resident expert in standardized testing for Opt Out Georgia, came to Athens Wednesday evening to meet with parents interested in the possibility of having their children forego the upcoming Georgia Milestones assessments.
An hour of discussion ensued, with Norris explaining the policy backdrop for the current tests and some of the politics involved in helping pass Senate Bill 355, the state law giving parents the right to control the education of their children, including opting them out of assessments without penalty. And on the pressing question of “Should I opt my kid(s) out of these tests, and what will happen if I do?” Norris’ answer, not unexpectedly, was “It’s complicated.”
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Paul Broun's Ex-Chief of Staff Indicted
Former Athens congressman (and current candidate) Paul Broun's former chief of staff was indicted today on eight charges in an FBI investigation related to his alleged misuse of taxpayer money, according to the AJC.
David Bowser has been charged with one count of obstruction of proceedings, one count theft of government property, one count of concealment of material facts and five counts of making false statements.
Bowser is accused of paying consultant Brett O'Donnell $43,000 in taxpayer money to prepare Broun to debate opponents in his 2014 run for Senate and urging O'Donnell to portray himself as a campaign volunteer. O'Donnell plead guilty of lying to investigators in U.S. District Court last year.
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School Board Candidates Tackle Questions at Forum
Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones
Kamau Hull (left) and John Knox at a Federation of Neighborhoods meeting Monday night.
In spite of increased interest in the inner workings of the Clarke County School District since thealleged sexual assault at Cedar Shoals High School came to light, only one Clarke County Board of Education seat is being contested this year.
In District 8, out on the Eastside, University of Georgia geography professor and father of a recent Cedar Schoals graduate John Knox is facing Kamau Hull, a lawyer and CSHS grad with a son in the district.
Hull and Knox—along with unopposed incumbent Charles Worthy and Jared Bybee, the lone candidate for an open seat on the board—appeared at a Federation of Neighborhoods forum Monday night. Here are a few of the questions they tackled, and their responses.
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Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Apr. 4
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.
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CCSD's Charter District Application Has Been Approved
After nearly a year’s wait. the state school board has approved Clarke County School District’s application to become a charter district.
The application had been held up by several issues—most notably a dispute with the state over governance of CCSD’s career academy—but those issues have now been ironed out.
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Downtown Sewer Line Repairs Finished for Now
Photo Credit: Athens-Clarke County Water Conservation Office
Yes, that's raw sewage. Hug a Public Utilities worker today.
Athens-Clarke County workers have repaired 150 feet of clogged sewer line on Broad Street downtown—for now.
The Public Utilities Department finished temporarily patching up the sewer line late Wednesday night, but a permanent fix wasn’t possible because of a rainstorm coming through Athens, PUD Director Gary Duck said. Workers will have to go back in, probably early next week, Duck said.
“We’re going to need several days of good, clear weather,” Duck said.
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Opposition to 'Campus Carry' Bill at UGA Grows
Members of the University of Georgia community continue to add their voices in opposition to House Bill 859, the “campus carry” bill that would allow guns on most parts of the UGA campus.
In the past week, parents of children enrolled in UGA daycare facilities and the College of Education faculty Senate have written letters to Gov. Nathan Deal urging him to veto it. They’ve joined the university administration, University Council, Franklin College faculty Senate and numerous individual students and faculty members.
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Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Mar. 28
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.
Lou Kregel's artwork
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