Blog Topic: Breaking News

In the Loop: One Killed, Two Injured in Cedar Creek Shooting

By Ashlyn Webb | November 5, 2018 12:38pm

A shootout in the Cedar Creek neighborhood this morning left one person dead and two more injured, according to Athens-Clarke County police.

At about 7 a.m., the suspect arrived at the victims’ residence on Ponderosa Drive and forced one victim, who was leaving for work, into the house. The suspect then held one victim at gunpoint. The suspect and one of the victims exchanged gunfire, according to an ACCPD news release.

When police arrived at 7:28 a.m., the suspect was dead and the two victims were injured with gunshot wounds. The victims were taken to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center.

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In the Loop: UPDATE: UGA Student Coaxed Into Car Downtown Found Safe; Suspect in Custody

By Ashlyn Webb | October 25, 2018 1:53pm

A man with a history of sexual assaults coerced a woman into his car downtown early Wednesday morning, according to law enforcement officials.

The woman has been found safe, and the man is in custody, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent told reporters this afternoon. Authorities are now looking for other women whom the man may have coaxed into his car.

Witnesses told police they saw the woman being coaxed into a black Nissan Sentra at about 12:15 a.m. It left downtown traveling east on Broad Street and was last seen in the area of Boulevard and Chase Street, according to ACCPD.

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In the Loop: Benson's Bakery in Bogart Catches Fire

By Blake Aued | October 22, 2018 7:40pm

Photo Credit: Oconee County Sheriff's Office via Facebook

No one was injured when the Benson's bakery off Atlanta Highway in Bogart caught fire Monday afternoon.

The fire apparently started in one of the main factory rooms shortly before 3 p.m. Workers were evacuated and Oconee Fire Rescue called to battle the blaze.

“They were cutting a hole for a fan, and the fire started in the insulation,” Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry told The Oconee Enterprise.

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In the Loop: Deal Endorses Houston Gaines for State House

By Blake Aued | October 12, 2018 1:30pm

Gov. Nathan Deal endorsed Republican Houston Gaines for state House District 117 today, saying "Gaines is the only candidate in the race who can deliver results for northeast Georgia and maintain our strong business climate."

Gaines is running against state Rep. Deborah Gonzalez (D-Athens), who beat him in a special election last year. The seat had previously been held by Republicans since it was redrawn in 2012 but is now a swing district.

From the Gaines campaign:

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In the Loop: Abrams Accuses Kemp of Voter Suppression in Packed Athens Appearance

By Blake Aued | October 12, 2018 11:48am

Photo Credit: Savannah Cole

Stacey Abrams speaks at Hendershot's Coffee and Bar Thursday evening.

Democrat Stacey Abrams accused her Republican opponent, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, of trying to suppress minority turnout to win the governor’s race during a recent appearance in Athens.

Abrams spoke at two local bars, Hendershot’s and Wayward Lounge, on Thursday, Oct. 11, the day after the Associated Press reported that Kemp’s office had not processed 53,000 voter registration applications because of minor discrepancies, such as accents in names, between the applications and other documents. Seventy percent of those would-be voters are black.

Abrams, the former House minority leader who’s been running voter registration drives for Democrats for years, is no stranger to sparring with Kemp. Her organization, the New Georgia Project, previously filed a lawsuit against the secretary of state’s office over a similar issue.

“I know what his tricks are,” Abrams said. “He’s a one-trick pony when it comes to voter suppression. It’s not going to work this time.”

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In the Loop: Voters Asked to Resubmit Mail-in Ballots Due to Error

By Blake Aued | October 11, 2018 10:25am

Athens-Clarke County has asked about 300 voters to fill out new absentee ballots after an error was discovered in the ones they'd already they'd already been sent.

According to ACC, those 300 voters received ballots that included a candidate for state Senate District 46 who should not have been included.

The ballot listed Republican incumbent Bill Cowsert, Democrat Marisue Hilliard and independent John Fortuin. However, Fortuin did not qualify as an independent candidate. He is a write-in candidate, and write-in candidates' names do not appear on the ballot.

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In the Loop: CCSD Closed, UGA Opens Late Thursday

By Blake Aued | October 10, 2018 8:28pm

Photo Credit: National Weather Service

Clarke County public schools will be closed Thursday and the University of Georgia will delay opening, officials announced as Hurricane Michael rampaged through the state Wednesday night.

UGA will open at 10 a.m., with the first classes starting at 11 a.m.

Gov. Nathan Deal extended a state of emergency to Clarke County on Wednesday afternoon. Forecasts call for 3–5 inches of rain and winds up to 30–40 miles per hour in Athens later tonight and Thursday morning, possibly downing trees and causing power outages.

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In the Loop: Security Plan Announced for Trump Jr. Appearance

By Blake Aued | October 8, 2018 11:30am

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

Athens-Clarke County police will close down streets around the Classic Center Tuesday afternoon in preparation for Donald Trump Jr.'s appearance.

The courthouse parking deck will be closed at 2 p.m.

At 4 p.m., Foundry Street from Broad to Dougherty streets and Thomas Street between Clayton Street and Hancock Avenue will be closed. In addition, Thomas from Clayton to Broad will be closed to northbound traffic, but will remain open to southbound traffic.

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In the Loop: Donald Trump Jr. Will Campaign for Brian Kemp in Athens

By Ashlyn Webb | October 5, 2018 10:56am

Photo Credit: Savannah Cole/file

Donald J. Trump Jr. isn’t the only big name that will be at the Classic Center next Tuesday. Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp will be holding a rally with Trump Jr., according to an email the Kemp campaign sent to supporters on Thursday.

The rally is scheduled for 5–6 p.m Tuesday at the Classic Center. The announcement added that tickets would be $50 per person, and space is limited.

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In the Loop: Donald Trump Jr. Speech Moved to Classic Center

By Ashlyn Webb | September 28, 2018 10:46am

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

So many people want to attend a speech by Donald Trump Jr. that a right-wing campus group has moved the event to the Classic Center.

Six hundred free tickets were distributed in three hours, forcing organizer Turning Point USA to move it from the Ramsey Concert Hall in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music to a larger venue, said Erin Cooke, president of TPUSA's University of Georgia chapter.

The event remains scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 9. Cooke advised attendees to arrive early, since there will be heightened security. It will be first come, first served. Doors open at 6 p.m.

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