Blog Topic: Government

In the Loop: The West Broad Garden Is Safe for Now, but Its Funding Is Being Cut

By Blake Aued | May 12, 2016 11:27am

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

The Clarke County School District has put on hold its unpopular plan to pave over a community garden as part of a renovation project to convert the long-vacant West Broad School into offices.

At a meeting of the Board of Education’s property committee on Tuesday, district administrators provided the Athens Land Trust—which operates the West Broad Market Garden on the West Broad School grounds—with a letter guaranteeing that the garden will remain on the property for at least three years. The ALT needed the guarantee in order to pursue federal grants.

Associate Superintendent Ted Gilbert told the committee that the planning process for the West Broad School renovations will take years.

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In the Loop: Athens for Everyone Pushes for Living Wage for ACC Employees

By Blake Aued | May 11, 2016 1:01pm

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

The progressive political group Athens for Everyone is urging the Athens-Clarke County Commission to fund a living wage of $10.17 an hour for all its employees, including part-time and temporary workers.

For years ACC has paid all of its full-time workers a living wage, but according to information obtained by Athens for Everyone through an open records request, 240 part-time and temp workers make less than $10.16 an hour.

"This is going to make a significant difference in their lives," Drew Hooks, head of the group's living wage committee, said at an event prior to the commission's budget work session Tuesday evening.

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In the Loop: Commission Approves Chase Street Changes

By Blake Aued | May 4, 2016 5:14pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

A pedestrian crosses Chase Street at Boulevard.

After a lengthy debate and a bewildering series of votes Tuesday night, the Athens-Clarke County Commission approved Commissioner Melissa Link’s plan to reconfigure Chase Street to better accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.

Whereas the ACC Transportation and Public Works Department had recommended replacing the center turn lane on Chase from Boulevard to Rowe Road near the Loop with bike lanes, under Link’s plan the bike lanes will start north of the last house on Chase to alleviate concerns from residents about turning into and out of their driveways without the turn lane.

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In the Loop: Back to the Drawing Board for 100 Prince

By Blake Aued | May 4, 2016 4:27pm

A rendering of 100 Prince by Smith Planning Group.

The Athens-Clarke County Commission sent the mixed-use development proposed for the St. Joseph Catholic Church site back to the planning commission Tuesday night at the developer’s request.

“Homes Urban remains committed to the basic concept of the plan,” but three issues recently came up that require the Greenville, SC-based developer to reconfigure it, Athens lawyer Jim Warnes told the commission.

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In the Loop: Gov. Deal Has Vetoed the Campus Carry Bill

By Blake Aued | May 3, 2016 5:58pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

Expect celebration, if not celebratory gunshots, on the University of Georgia campus this evening: Gov. Nathan Deal has vetoed House Bill 859, the controversial “campus carry” bill.

In a lengthy statement explaining his veto—available in full here—Deal said he believes HB 859 would do little to make campuses safer.

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In the Loop: Athens Police Say Their Rape Kit Backlog Is Gone

By Blake Aued | May 2, 2016 4:23pm

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department has worked through its entire backlog of rape kits, it said today.

In response to reports of thousands of unprocessed rape kits in Georgia, the state legislature (after some resistance) passed a law earlier this year mandating that law enforcement agencies submit rape kits to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab within 30 days of collection.

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In the Loop: ACC's Cat Shelter Has Moved

By Blake Aued | April 28, 2016 11:36am

This is what a cat looks like.

Effective today, Athens-Clarke County Animal Control's cat shelter has moved from 150 Buddy Christian Way down the street to the same location as the dog pound.

The dog shelter at 125 Buddy Christian Way, near the airport, underwent a $620,000 renovation and expansion that included more dog cages and a dog park as well as new space for cats.

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In the Loop: Michael Stipe Might Attend an Anti-Campus Carry Rally on Wednesday

By Blake Aued | April 25, 2016 3:21pm

Michael Stipe has already made it abundantly clear that he opposes Georgia’s “campus carry” bill, and the former R.E.M. frontman expounded on his reasoning in a USA Today op-ed published this morning.

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In the Loop: Michael Stipe, Indigo Girls, Tituss Burgess Oppose Campus Carry

By Blake Aued | April 20, 2016 3:12pm

Photo Credit: Twitter via @REMHQ

Recently a group of University of Georgia poets decided they want to bombard Gov. Nathan Deal with photos of writers and other Athenians holding signs opposing the campus carry bill and hopes he’ll veto it. Well, a few celebrities have joined the fun.

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In the Loop: Eric Norris Named New Athens Judge

By Blake Aued | April 19, 2016 11:53am

Gov. Nathan Deal has named Watkinsville lawyer Eric Norris the fourth judge for the Western Circuit Superior Court.

Norris.

Norris also serves as a part-time magistrate court judge in Oconee County. He received his bachelor’s degree from North Georgia College & State University and his law degree from Regent University, a Christian college in Virginia.

The Western Circuit covers Clarke and Oconee counties. Norris joins David Sweat, Lawton Stephens and Patrick Haggard on the bench. He’s expected to spend most of his time in the Watkinsville courthouse, whereas the other three are mainly based in Athens.

After years of lobbying by the local legal community because of population growth and a rising caseload, the legislature approved the fourth judgeship last year.

Superior Court handles felony criminal cases, civil lawsuits and family law, such as divorces and child custody.

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