Blog Topic: Government

In the Loop: Mayor Denson Proposes Sunday Bus Service

By Blake Aued | April 27, 2015 1:15pm

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

Athens Transit buses will run on Sundays if the Athens-Clarke County Commission approves Mayor Nancy Denson’s 2016 budget—at least for a year.

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In the Loop: UGA Won't Punish Student-Activist Adam Veale Over Protest Arrest

By Blake Aued | April 24, 2015 8:27pm

Photo Credit: Laura James

Adam Veale speaks at a rally at the Arch on Friday, backed by Adam Lassila (who was arrested alongside him at a demonstration in favor of expanding Medicaid) and Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Melissa Link (right).

Adam Veale was one of a dozen protesters who knelt down on the Georgia Capitol steps, held out their arms to be handcuffed and were led away to jail.

They were part of a Mar. 2 Moral Monday protest urging the state government to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid to the hundreds of thousands of Georgians who earn too much money to qualify for the current program, but not enough to purchase health insurance on the private market, even with Obamacare subsidies.

Not only does Veale face a disorderly conduct charge—his court date hasn’t been set, and he’s hopeful it will be dropped—but the University of Georgia sophomore political science major faced university discipline as well. He turned down an “informal resolution” (sort of a plea deal) involving community service and a black mark on his permanent record, and so faced a disciplinary hearing today.

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In the Loop: Oconee County Employees Forbidden From Speaking to the Press

By Lee Becker | April 24, 2015 11:26am

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Oconee County Administrative Officer Jeff Benko has issued a directive to county department heads telling them not to make statements to “the press” without clearing those statements in advance with him.

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In the Loop: UGA Student Faces Disciplinary Hearing Over His Arrest at a Protest

By Blake Aued | April 23, 2015 1:31pm

A University of Georgia student is facing disciplinary action related to a Moral Monday protest at the state Capitol last month.

Adam Veale was arrested, along with fellow Athenians Tim Denson and Adam Lasilla, at a Mar. 2 demonstration urging the state government to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid.

Veale’s hearing is scheduled for 8 a.m. Friday. Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Melissa Link, state Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta), Georgia NAACP President Francys Johnson, Denson and other Moral Monday protesters and Athens for Everyone members are testifying on his behalf.

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In the Loop: Tell GDOT You Want More Passenger Rail in Georgia

By Blake Aued | April 17, 2015 11:40am

Do you want to see more mass transit in Georgia? If so, today's the last day to comment on the state Department of Transportation's State Rail Plan.

According to GDOT's draft plan, "stakeholders expressed a significant level of interest," in intercity passenger rail—including expansion into east Georgia— significant support" for commuter rail in urban areas and to connect employment hubs, and "a high level of support" for investing in rail.

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In the Loop: UGA Tuition Will Rise 9 Percent Next Year

By Blake Aued | April 14, 2015 5:07pm

The University System Board of Regents approved a 9 percent tuition hike for University of Georgia students and a 5 percent hike for North Georgia University Students today.

In-state residents will pay about $800 more to attend UGA during the 2015–2016 school year and $200 more for a full load of classes at UNG.

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In the Loop: Bogart Library Expansion Cut from State Budget

By Lee Becker | April 14, 2015 11:43am

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

A House-Senate conference committee removed all funding for the renovation and expansion of the Bogart Library from the state budget approved in the final two days of the General Assembly last week.

The conference committee action was taken at the direction of Terry England, R-Auburn, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, according to Sen. Bill Cowsert, who represents Bogart and the rest of Oconee County.

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In the Loop: Clarke School Budget Includes a Bump for Teachers

By Evelyn Andrews | April 10, 2015 11:51am

The Athens-Clarke County School Board approved a tentative budget Thursday night for the 2016 fiscal year of $130 million, $5 million greater than 2015.

Even with an expected $5 million increase in revenue, the school district will still run a $3 million deficit, about the same as this year’s deficit of $2.8 million.

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In the Loop: Commissioners Tackle Normaltown Parking, Downtown Beautification, Airport Expansion, Leisure Services

By Blake Aued | April 9, 2015 2:44pm

Commissioner Jerry NeSmith.

It's unclear if Athens-Clarke County commissioners can do anything about a parking deck (with a medical office attached) in Normaltown that would triple the traffic on narrow, winding, residential Yonah Avenue. But several of them are pushing to revise zoning and building codes so the situation doesn't happen again.

About a half-dozen Normaltown and Boulevard residents turned out Tuesday night to ask commissioners to do something to revise plans for the deck to redirect at least some traffic onto Prince Avenue. They asked that county officials consider how 800 cars a day leaving the deck will affect traffic not only on Yonah, but on Park Avenue, with its wonky intersection, and Satula Avenue, which is narrow, often backed up and crowded with parked cars already.

"I don't understand how we can do a traffic impact analysis and not consider the impact of traffic on neighborhoods. It doesn't make sense to me," Commissioner Jerry NeSmith said at the voting meeting. "It's unfortunate we don't have the building codes, the zoning codes in place to protect against this sort of thing.

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In the Loop: Mike Hamby and Kathy Hoard Chased a Chicken All Over the Kroger Parking Lot

By Blake Aued | March 31, 2015 5:09pm

Photo Credit: Mike Hamby via Facebook

Talk about free range.

Was this chicken looking for one of its deceased ancestors? Whatever the reason, it was roaming around the Alps Kroger parking lot a few days ago—and it was up to three Athens-Clarke County commissioners to track it down.

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