Blog Topic: Athens Politics Nerd

In the Loop: Video: Athenians Deliver Petition Asking Kemp to Appoint New DA

By Chris Dowd | February 25, 2020 11:39am

Congressional candidate Andrew Ferguson (center) and Athens state Rep. Marcus Wiedower (right).

The resignation of District Attorney Ken Mauldin has cast uncertainty on the race to succeed him. Will there even be an election for DA this year?

Erin Stacer of Athens for Everyone and Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Tim Denson organized a delivery of over 1,500 petition signatures to Gov. Brian Kemp, asking him to allow the voters to decide who will next serve them as DA. While at the Capitol, the group also asked their state representatives to weigh in publicly on this situation.

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In the Loop: Video: Panelists Discuss Voter Suppression

By Chris Dowd | January 30, 2020 4:43pm

Photo Credit: Chris Dowd

From left, Deborah Gonzalez, Christopher Bruce, Jeanne Dufort and Linda Lloyd.

Suppressed: The Fight to Vote, a documentary by Robert Greenwald about voter suppression in the 2018 election in Georgia screened Tuesday at Ciné.

Afterward, a panel discussion was moderated by Deborah Gonzalez, former District 117 state representative and current candidate for district attorney in Athens. The Panel was made up of Christopher Bruce, political director of the Georgia ACLU; Jeanne Dufort, a volunteer with the Coalition for Good Governance; Jesse Evans, chairman of Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections; and Linda Lloyd, executive director of the Athens Economic Justice Coalition.

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In the Loop: Video: Athens Area Residents Protest Creosote-Burning Biomass Plant

By Chris Dowd | January 27, 2020 3:17pm

Photo Credit: Chris Dowd

The Madison Clean Power Coalition held a protest outside the biomass plant in Colbert on Saturday. Over 60 people were present to demand that the plant stop burning creosote-treated railroad ties.

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In the Loop: Video: Mokah Johnson Kicks Off State House Campaign

By Chris Dowd | January 20, 2020 10:58am

Photo Credit: screencap via YouTube

Educator and civil rights activist Mokah Jasmine Johnson formally kicked off her campaign for state House District 117 Saturday at the downtown bar Max Canada.

Other speakers at the event included Athens-Clarke County commissioners Mariah Parker (15:00) and Tim Denson (20:22), Athens PRIDE board member Cameron Harrelson (34:47), poet Marcel Mincey (42:43) and former state Rep. Deborah Gonzalez, who is running for district attorney this year (50:58).

Unless she has primary opposition, Johnson will face Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens) in November. District 117 includes mainly western Clarke County and northern Oconee County.

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In the Loop: The Best and Worst Athens Politics Stories of 2019

By Chris Dowd | December 31, 2019 11:33am

Here are top five best and worst things that happened in Athens government in 2019, courtesy of the Athens Politics Nerd.

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In the Loop: Video: Downtown Historic District Delayed, Baby Bonds and a Botched Ambulance Response

By Chris Dowd | December 12, 2019 3:21pm

This week, the Athens Politics Nerd looks into why the Athens-Clarke County Commission delayed a vote on a historic district for the west end of downtown; the "prosperity package" and Broderick Flanigan's idea to give savings bonds to African American babies that they could use to go to college, buy a house or start a business when they grow up; and National EMS' failure to respond to a 911 call from a local elementary school.

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In the Loop: Athens and Oconee County, Compared

By Chris Dowd | November 26, 2019 3:12pm

Photo Credit: Chris Dowd

Athens-Clarke and Oconee County are neighbors, but they've been growing along two different paths ever since the University of Georgia was founded in the late 18th century. We take a look at their history, land area, population, economic growth and school systems to get a better idea of how much they differ.

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In the Loop: Video: Democrats Host U.S. Senate Candidates in Athens

By Chris Dowd | November 19, 2019 10:32am

Photo Credit: Chris Dowd

From left, Sarah Riggs Amico, Jon Ossoff and Ted Terry.

The Athens-Clarke County Democratic Committee hosted conversation with three U.S. Senate candidates—former 6th Congressional District candidate Jon Ossoff, former candidate for lieutenant governor Sarah Riggs Amico and Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry—on Nov. 11 at the Cotton Press. (A fourth candidate, former Columbus mayor Teresa Tomlinson, did not attend because of a scheduling conflict.) The winner of the May primary will face Republican Sen. David Perdue in November.

The Q&A sessions were moderated by state Reps. Spencer Frye (D-Athens) and Dar'shun Kendrick (D-Lithonia).

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In the Loop: VIDEO: What's in SPLOST 2020?

By Chris Dowd | October 14, 2019 2:29pm

On Nov. 5, Athens-Clarke County voters will decide whether to extend a 1 percent tax for special projects called SPLOST, and early voting at the ACC Board of Elections at 155 E. Washington St. started today.

The Athens Politics Nerd breaks down what the tax will pay for, including projects like an arena at the Classic Center, energy efficiency, a new recycling center and more.

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In the Loop: Is the Justice System Really Just?

By Chris Dowd | September 24, 2019 2:10pm

From left, public defender John Donnelly, Superior Court judge Lisa Lott and Municipal Court judge Ryan Hope.

The judicial branch is one of the three branches of government, but it’s probably the least well known. Let’s explore the judicial branch of government on the federal, state and local levels.

Superior Court Judge Lisa Lott, Municipal Court Judge Ryan Hope and Circuit Public Defender John Donnelly discuss their roles in the justice system and how they think this system can be reformed.

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