Blog Topic: Government

In the Loop: Oconee County Could Vote on T-SPLOST Next Year

By Lee Becker | January 25, 2018 10:46am

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Oconee County Commission Chairman John Daniell.

Oconee County probably will consider whether to pursue a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax after it completes an ongoing transportation study and might ask voters to approve such a tax next year, Board of Commissioners Chairman John Daniell said Tuesday night.

Daniell made his comment in response to a question posed at the first quarterly Board of Commissioners town hall meeting for 2018, held at the Community Center in Oconee Veterans Park.

Jeanne Barsanti of 1170 Oliver Bridge Road, in the south of the county, asked “what your feelings as commissioners are” about doing a local Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, now that Clarke County has passed its own T-SPLOST.

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In the Loop: Athens State Reps, Local Churches Condemn Sheriff's Policy of Detaining Undocumented Immigrants

By Blake Aued | January 19, 2018 12:24pm

Photo Credit: House Photo Office

Gonzalez (center) and Wallace (right) at their swearing-in ceremony in November.

Newly elected state Reps. Deborah Gonzalez (D-Athens) and Jonathan Wallace (D-Watkinsville) issued a joint statement today condemning Clarke County Sheriff Ira Edward's policy of detaining inmates so they can be deported.

It came to light in December that the sheriff's office had quietly changed its policy in July and begun, at Immigration and Custom Enforcement's request, detaining inmates that ICE says are undocumented immigrants for up to 48 hours past the point when they'd otherwise be released so ICE can pick them up and deport them.

The policy change met with harsh criticism from progressive and immigrants' rights groups, to which Wallace and Gonzalez have added their voices:

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In the Loop: Clarke and Oconee Schools, UGA Are Closed Wednesday

By Blake Aued | January 17, 2018 10:17am

Everybody stay warm.

Both the Clarke and Oconee county school districts announced Tuesday night that schools will be closed Wednesday in anticipation of possible snow early this morning. The University of Georgia delayed opening before calling off classes entirely.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for central Georgia (including Athens) until 10 a.m. Wednesday. There is a 70 percent chance of precipitation, with a predicted low of 23 degrees. One to two inches of snow is possible.

"Plan on difficult travel conditions, including during the morning commute on Wednesday," the advisory says.

Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency in 83 counties, including Clarke. Non-essential state employees are not expected to report to work on Wednesday.

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In the Loop: Athens Immigrants Respond to Trump's 'Shithole Countries' Comment

By Tre Brown | January 14, 2018 2:48pm

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

Speaking of shitholes...

Early Thursday afternoon, it seemed as if the Senate was steamrolling into a victory bipartisan effort to end the uncertainty for DACA recipients—immigrants brought to the U.S. as children by undocumented parents who were protected from deportation under the Obama Administration. A team lead by Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) seemed to have settle on an agreement to prevent the deportation of almost 700,000 DREAMers that the bill covers.

However, later that same afternoon, when President Trump was brief on the details of the plan by senators, he was frustrated with the idea of allowing the legal immigration of residents from Africa, Haiti and El Salvador, questioning, “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” adding, “We should be taking more people from Norway.”

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Grub Notes: Chick-Fil-A Is Opening in Downtown Athens

By Blake Aued | January 5, 2018 6:05pm

Hallowed be thy sandwich.

It's true: Everyone's favorite homophobic-yet-delicious fast-food chicken chain is coming to downtown Athens.

Rumors that Chick-Fil-A would move into the prime space at the corner of Broad Street and College Avenue most recently occupied by burger chain Five Guys have been confirmed by documents filed with the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department.

The building is in the downtown historic district, and Chick-Fil-A has applied for permission to make changes to the facade:

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Culture Briefs: Beer's on the Line in the National Championship Game

By Blake Aued | January 4, 2018 2:08pm

A lot more is riding on Monday's college football championship than school pride.

As is often the case for politicians thirsty to show their love for the home team during key games, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox and Athens Mayor Nancy Denson have placed a friendly wager on the outcome of the Georgia–Alabama game.

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In the Loop: Gun Group Will Push to Expand Campus Carry in 2018

By Blake Aued | December 20, 2017 4:04pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

A campus carry protest Mar. 21 on the UGA campus.

While most Athens residents would prefer to talk about repealing campus carry, an influential gun-rights group will be lobbying state legislators to expand the law next year.

Buried in AJC political reporter Jim Galloway's Sunday column are these words from John Monroe, vice president of GeorgiaCarry.org:

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In the Loop: Kent Kilpatrick Named ACC Leisure Services Director

By Blake Aued | December 18, 2017 2:14pm

Longtime Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services administrator Kent Kilpatrick has been named the department's new director.

Kilpatrick has been the interim director since Pam Reidy left in June 2016. ACC Manager Blaine Williams announced late Friday that he made the title permanent.

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In the Loop: Vote to End Net Neutrality Scheduled for Today

By Dan Jackson | December 14, 2017 10:47am

Photo Credit: Jessica Silverman

Indivisible District 10 members gathered outside an Athens Verizon store Dec. 7 to protest the end of net neutrality.

Dozens of protesters braved wintry weather last week to demonstrate in front of a local Verizon store against the rollback of Obama-era net neutrality laws, joining thousands of others at more than 700 similar demonstrations across the country.

Today, a coalition of organizations, including Free Press, Center for Media Justice, Color of Change and other groups are demonstrating in front of Federal Communications Commission offices in Washington, DC immediately prior to a scheduled FCC vote to on ending net neutrality.

Toni Reed, a co-chair of the political group Indivisible Georgia District 10, said that the effort would make “access to the internet… based on what you can afford. Deregulation will only benefit the wealthy and large corporations.”

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In the Loop: The Clarke County Jail Is Now Detaining Undocumented Immigrants for Deportation

By Blake Aued | December 5, 2017 3:38pm

Photo Credit: Nicole Adamson/file

Athens residents protest the Trump Administration's immigration policies in September.

More than a dozen inmates at the Clarke County Jail have been turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement since the Clarke County Sheriff's Office reversed its policy in July and started holding undocumented immigrants for ICE.

The Red & Black reported that the reversal came about because of "changes to the Department of Homeland Security’s policy."

“In light of these changes, and in keeping with our role and responsibility for community safety with respect to the detention of individuals with outstanding warrants, we now recognize ICE detainers that are supported by a warrant for arrest or warrant for removal or deportation,” Captain Hayden Hodges of the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

At ICE's request, the sheriff's office will now detain inmates at the local jail for up to 48 hours after they're scheduled to be released. ICE has made 17 such requests and picked up 13 inmates, Hodges told Flagpole.

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