Blog Topic: Breaking News

In the Loop: CCSD's Charter District Application Has Been Approved

By Blake Aued | April 1, 2016 11:26am

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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In the Loop: Gov. Deal Says He'll Veto 'Religious Liberty' Bill

By Blake Aued | March 28, 2016 12:05pm

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

Gov. Nathan Deal speaks at an Athens GOP meeting in 2014.

Gov. Nathan Deal announced today that he will veto a controversial “religious liberty” bill that supporters say would protect gay-marriage opponents from government reprisal but critics say would legalize discrimination against the LGBT community.

In addition to opposition from civil rights groups, many corporations had threatened to pull their business out of Georgia. Hollywood studios have said they’d stop filming movies and TV shows like Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and “The Walking Dead” here, and the bill put Atlanta’s bid for a Super Bowl at risk.

Deal said the bill goes too far. Here’s a statement from his office:

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In the Loop: Cedar Shoals Principal Tony Price Denies Mishandling Sexual Assault

By Blake Aued | March 22, 2016 6:58pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

Tony Price—the Cedar Shoals High School principal who was suspended and faces firing after an alleged sexual assault at the school in January—is speaking out about the incident and says central office administrators and Clarke County School District police, not Price, are responsible for mishandling it.

Since the alleged sexual assault was made public in February, CCSD administrators have said that Price did not follow the district’s code of conduct by failing to suspend the three students who are accused of raping a classmate in a stairwell at the school.

Now, Price has told his side of the story, and it differs on several key points from the district's—including who was ultimately responsible for students' safety and whether Price could have disciplined the accused students before the police investigation took its course.

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In the Loop: CCSD Sets Forum on School Discipline

By Blake Aued | March 21, 2016 6:54pm

The Clarke County Board of Education will host a public forum at 6 p.m. Thursday, Apr. 7 in the H.T. Edwards building on discipline and attendance issues raised by teachers and parents in the wake of the district’s mishandling of an alleged sexual assault at Cedar Shoals High School.

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In the Loop: Mayor Denson Names Nominee for ACC Manager

By Blake Aued | March 16, 2016 2:10pm

Blaine Williams, who’s served as Athens-Clarke County interim manager since Alan Reddish retired in February, is Mayor Nancy Denson’s pick to fill the position permanently.

Denson announced today that she’s named Williams the sole finalist, subject to approval by the ACC Commission at its Apr. 5 meeting. If his appointment is ratified as expected, his contract will run through June 2017.

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In the Loop: Deal Tells Lawmakers to Fix the 'Campus Carry' Bill

By Blake Aued | March 14, 2016 5:12pm

Gov. Nathan Deal signs a sweeping gun law June 25, 2014.

A proposed "campus carry" law that would allow permit holders to carry concealed weapons on public college and university campuses has drawn widespread opposition not only from administrators, but UGA faculty and staff as well.

But there is now hope that the law may at least be watered down. Gov. Nathan Deal, who had previously indicated that he would sign House Bill 859—which passed the Senate on Friday, landing on his desk—is now backing away. He called on legislators this afternoon to address concerns about the bill and hinted he could veto it otherwise.

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In the Loop: The Senate Passed the 'Campus Carry' Bill

By Blake Aued | March 11, 2016 2:31pm

Photo Credit: Dede Giddens/file

House Bill 859, which would allow concealed-carry license holders to bring guns onto the UGA campus, is scheduled for a vote in the state Senate tomorrow.

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In the Loop: Qualifying Ends With Most Local Candidates Unopposed

By Blake Aued | March 11, 2016 12:12pm

Dave Hudgins.

Deputy Tax Commissioner Toni Meadow has drawn a familiar challenger in the open Clarke County tax commissioner's race.

Dave Hudgins, a lawyer and Athens-Clarke County planning commissioner who has run for ACC Commission twice, qualified to run for the office late Thursday. It's a position that traditionally has been handed down—the current tax commissioner, Mitch Schrader, who's not running for re-election for health reasons, was Nancy Denson's top deputy when she stepped down to run for mayor in 2010, and he ran unopposed that year and in 2012.

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In the Loop: Paul Broun Is Back!

By Blake Aued | March 3, 2016 12:14pm

Pop the popcorn. After two years’ absence, Dr. Broun may be going back to Washington.

Paul Broun, Athens’ controversial former congressman, is considering running for Congress once again—but this time in a different district.

Broun told the Athens Banner-Herald that he plans to make an announcement on Wednesday. “Stay tuned,” he said when asked what the announcement would be.

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In the Loop: Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio Won in Athens

By Blake Aued | March 2, 2016 12:11am

Photo Credit: ABC News

"We'll settle this in Athens, Georgia, Madame Secretary!" Bernie Sanders debates Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire last December.

Bernie Sanders did well in Athens—but not well enough to avoid Hillary Clinton blowout in Georgia on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Marco Rubio won a plurality in Clarke County but finished a distant second statewide to Donald Trump.

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