Blog Topic: Government

In the Loop: Athens Transit Reduces Service but Is Now Free

By Blake Aued | March 18, 2020 11:20am

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

To reduce transmissions of coronavirus, Athens Transit is switching to a weekend level of service and will stop collecting fares through Apr. 7.

Nine routes will operate from 7:30 a.m. until 9:45 p.m.: 1 (North Avenue), 2 (East Broad/Nellie B), 5 (Beechwood/Baxter Street), 6 (Hancock/Abbey West), 7 (Prince Avenue), 8 (Barber Street/Newton Bridge), 20 (West Broad/Atlanta Highway), 25 (Lexington/Gaines School) and 27 (Barnett Shoals/Gaines School).

Passengers can only enter and exit the bus through the rear door to ensure social distancing between the driver and riders. No youths under 18 are allowed to ride unless accompanied by an adult.

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In the Loop: Commission Restricts Public Gatherings, Calls for People to Stay at Home

By Blake Aued | March 16, 2020 8:54pm

Mayor Kelly Girtz. Photo credit: Chris Scredon

In an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, the Athens-Clarke County Commission approved an emergency ban on assemblies larger than 10 people in many local gathering places at a called meeting Monday night.

But the commission opted against a proposed curfew, instead passing a "voluntary sheltering in place" policy asking residents to stay in their homes as much as possible.

The ban on gatherings of more than 10 people—based on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation issued today—applies to bars, restaurants, entertainment venues like movie theaters and bowling alleys, ACC-owned facilities and public property. Employees are exempted from the limit. It does not apply to retailers, such as grocery stores or pharmacies. Restaurants will still be allowed to serve food for take-out and delivery.

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In the Loop: Commission to Consider Curfew, Ban on Gatherings

By Blake Aued | March 16, 2020 1:16pm

The Athens-Clarke County Commission has called an emergency meeting at 5 p.m. today to consider a curfew and a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people.

If approved, the curfew will prohibit people from driving or going out in public between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. That includes streets, bars, restaurants, parks and any other public building or public place.

Because of the need for social distancing, rather than attend in person, citizens are urged to provide comments online and watch the proceedings on Charter cable channel 180 or online at YouTube.com/accgov.

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In the Loop: Georgia Pushes Back Presidential Primary; Athens Legislators Issue Coronavirus Warning

By Blake Aued | March 14, 2020 7:18pm

Gov. Brian Kemp.

Georgia is postponing early voting in the Democratic presidential primary and pushing Election Day back from Mar. 24 to May 19 due to fears of voters and poll workers spreading coronavirus.

May 19 is also the date of Democratic and Republican primaries for seats in Congress and the state legislature, as well as nonpartisan local races such as the Athens-Clarke County Commission and Clarke County Board of Education.

Early voting will resume at some point before May 19, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In addition, Mayor Kelly Girtz, state Reps. Spencer Frye (D-Athens), Houston Gaines (R-Athens) and Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville), and Sens. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) and Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville) issued a statement today saying that they except to see COVID-19 cases in Athens.

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In the Loop: State Says Athens Can't Use Paper Ballots

By Blake Aued | March 11, 2020 7:15pm

Brad Raffensperger.

The State Elections Board voted today to sanction Athens-Clarke County for using paper ballots instead of the new voting machines the state recently sent Georgia counties.

After a hearing held at UGA that lasted nearly eight hours, the state board voted to require the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections to cover the $2,500 cost of the investigation into the decision. The state board will also fine the local board $5,000 for each day it continues to use paper ballots.

ACC could have faced a fine of over $5 million—$5,000 for each of the more than 1,000 paper ballots that had already been cast.

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In the Loop: Video: Athenians Deliver Petition Asking Kemp to Appoint New DA

By Chris Dowd | February 25, 2020 11:39am

Congressional candidate Andrew Ferguson (center) and Athens state Rep. Marcus Wiedower (right).

The resignation of District Attorney Ken Mauldin has cast uncertainty on the race to succeed him. Will there even be an election for DA this year?

Erin Stacer of Athens for Everyone and Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Tim Denson organized a delivery of over 1,500 petition signatures to Gov. Brian Kemp, asking him to allow the voters to decide who will next serve them as DA. While at the Capitol, the group also asked their state representatives to weigh in publicly on this situation.

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In the Loop: Mayor Bob Smith Is at Odds With the Watkinsville City Council

By Lee Becker | February 24, 2020 11:55am

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Watkinsville Mayor Bob Smith suggested delaying a decision on the development plan for the Wisteria Ridge apartment complex on 75 North Main St. at the Watkinsville Mayor and Council meeting last week.

The mayor votes only in the case of a tie, and the council approved the plan in a 3 to 1 vote.

Smith strongly opposed the site development plan submitted by Oconee State Bank for its new headquarters at 41 North Main St. Council approved the plan 3 to 0, with council member Brian Brodrick recusing himself from the discussion and vote. (Council member Christine Tucker was absent from the meeting.)

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In the Loop: Kemp Sets Feb. 20 Deadline to Apply for DA

By Lee Becker | February 18, 2020 3:34pm

Brian Patterson.

Gov. Brian Kemp has set a Thursday deadline for applications for the position of district attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit consisting of Clarke and Oconee counties.

Brian Patterson, currently chief assistant district attorney, has said he will apply for the appointment.

Deborah Gonzalez, former House District 117 representative, has said she will not submit her application.

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In the Loop: What Did Antwon Stephens Do With All the Campaign Cash He Raised?

By Blake Aued | February 4, 2020 3:28pm

Antwon Stephens.

A newly appointed Clarke County Board of Education member never disclosed what he did with $100,000 he reported raising to run for mayor in 2018, and is under investigation for potentially violating federal campaign finance law as well.

Antwon Stephens raised money to run against U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Gainesville) this year despite being ineligible to serve in Congress because he won’t turn 25, the minimum age, until June of 2021. When Collins became President Trump’s chief defender in the House impeachment hearings, actress Alyssa Milano and prosecutor-turned-pundit Preet Bharara tweeted links to Stephens’ ActBlue fundraising account to their millions of followers.

According to a letter from the Federal Election Commission to Stephens’ campaign treasure, Ty Kelley, dated Jan. 26, he failed to file a statement of organization in a timely fashion. In addition, he has not filed any reports disclosing his campaign’s donors and expenses, although the most recent deadline was Friday.

Stephens also did not file any campaign finance disclosures for his mayoral campaign since Jan. 31, 2018, the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections confirmed. In that report, Stephens stated he had raised $102,396 and had $88,695 on hand.

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In the Loop: New School Board Appointee Misled Board About Graduating From Cedar Shoals

By Blake Aued | January 31, 2020 3:14pm

Newly appointed Clarke County Board of Education member Antwon Stephens did not graduate from Cedar Shoals High School in 2014, as he implied when he sought a vacant position on the board last month, according to a report in the Cedar Shoals student newspaper.

A majority of the board chose Stephens from among four applicants to fill the vacancy in District 2 for the remainder of 2020. In his written application and in a speech to the board, he described himself as "Cedar Shoals class of 2014." One of his champions on the board, Tawanna Mattox, cited the fact that he is a recent CCSD graduate as reason to support him.

But when confronted by reporters from Cedar BluePrints — who noted that he wasn't in the yearbook or listed on the graduation program — Stephens admitted that he didn't actually graduate from Cedar Shoals. He left during either his sophomore or junior year, and said he received a diploma from an online high school.

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