Blog Topic: Breaking News

In the Loop: Two Killed in Fiery Wreck in Oconee County

By Blake Aued | September 15, 2015 11:48am

Two people died Monday night when they tried to flee from a sheriff's deputy and collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 316.

According to the Oconee County Sheriff's Office:

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In the Loop: R.E.M. Doesn't Feel Fine About Donald Trump Using Its Song

By Blake Aued | September 9, 2015 8:42pm

Members of R.E.M. had the hugest, the classiest, the most luxurious putdowns Wednesday night for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

At a "Stop the Iran Deal" rally in Washington, DC, today, Trump took the stage to the Athens band's 1987 hit, "It's the End of the World as We Know It."

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In the Loop: Mayor Denson Pitched a Fit About Buffers Last Night

By Blake Aued | August 28, 2015 4:41pm

Photo Credit: Tim Denson

Mayor Nancy Denson "called out" fellow Democrats and commissioners at a meeting Thursday.

Mayor Nancy Denson caused a stir at a Clarke County Democratic Committee meeting Thursday night when she hijacked a panel discussion among three commissioners to read a statement defending her opposition to pond and wetland buffers.

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Homedrone: Little Kings is 25-and-Up On Weekends Now

By Gabe Vodicka | August 28, 2015 3:15pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

Deep State performs on the Little Kings patio during AthFest 2014.

Like all downtown Athens watering holes, the popular bar and music venue Little Kings Shuffle Club has seen its share of unruly patrons over the years: The infamous patio pooper comes to mind, as does a recent incident in which a man attempted to steal money from a tip jar, was thrown out and responded by breaking one of the club's windows.

After a series of similarly unfortunate events last weekend—the first following the start of UGA's fall semester—the bar at the corner of Hancock Avenue and Hull Street will only admit customers who are aged 25 or older on Fridays and Saturdays. The change is effective immediately.

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In the Loop: Mayor Denson Takes Bishop Park Master Plan Off the Agenda

By Blake Aued | August 27, 2015 3:19pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

Soccer players at Bishop Park.

After a number of commissioners criticized the expense of overhauling Bishop Park at last week's agenda-setting meeting, as well as the order in which projects would be completed, Mayor Nancy Denson has removed the Bishop Park Master Plan from the agenda for Tuesday's voting meeting. She told commissioners in an email:

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Homedrone: Dodd Ferrelle Is Running for Mayor of Winterville

By Gabe Vodicka | August 31, 2015 10:09am

Photo Credit: Justin Evans

Dodd Ferrelle (center), with his band, March.

Dodd Ferrelle is considering throwing his hat into the ring for mayor of Winterville.

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In the Loop: Jeb Bush Is Coming to Athens

By Blake Aued | August 19, 2015 3:23pm

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

So far, Jeb Bush is the Isaiah Crowell of the Republican presidential field: highly rated but not producing as expected. Many polls show him trailing Donald Trump by double digits.

The former Florida governor, like the Gators last year, is hoping to turn his season around. And he’ll be campaigning in Athens on Sept. 19, when 100,000 or more registered voters will be gathered here for the UGA-South Carolina game.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp (an Athens resident) announced Bush’s visit on Facebook earlier today:

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In the Loop: Winterville Mayor Emily Eisenman Is Stepping Down

By Blake Aued | August 19, 2015 1:02pm

Winterville Mayor Emily Eisenman won't run for re-election this year, and at least three candidates are vying to replace her.

Eisenman, who is nearing the end of her first four-year term, is stepping down because her career won't allow her to spend as much time on her mayoral duties as she'd previously spent, she said.

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In the Loop: Civil Rights Leader Julian Bond Has Died at 75

By Tom Crawford | August 16, 2015 2:36pm

Julian Bond, the young college activist from Atlanta who grew to be one of the most influential figures in America’s struggle for civil rights, died Saturday night in Fort Walton Beach, FL, after a brief, undisclosed illness.

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In the Loop: Severe Storms Hit the Athens Area

By Blake Aued | August 10, 2015 5:42pm

Photo Credit: Alexandra Edwards/Twitter

Storm damage on College Avenue between Willow and Dougherty streets.

More than two inches of rain fell on parts of Athens in less than an hour and winds gusted at 60 miles per hour earlier this afternoon, knocking over trees and knocking out power, mainly in the western half of the city.

Georgia Power reported 45 outages in Athens affected 2,423 customers. Outages were spread throughout downtown, East Athens, Prince Avenue, the mall area, Rocksprings, the Hancock Corridor and Five Points. More than 1,500 of those customers are downtown and in Newtown, Pulaski Heights and Boulevard east of Chase Street.

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