Blog Topic: Government

In the Loop: State GOP Chief John Padgett of Athens Accused of Discrimination

By Blake Aued | March 2, 2015 5:09pm

Padgett at the state Republican convention in Athens in 2013.

Longtime Athens Republican John Padgett, currently chairman of the state GOP, has been hit with a lawsuit alleging that he has discriminated against minority employees at his ambulance business.

According to the AJC:

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In the Loop: Tim Denson and 11 Others Arrested While Protesting for Medicaid Expansion

By Blake Aued | March 2, 2015 4:32pm

Book 'em, Danno.

Former Athens-Clarke County mayoral candidate Tim Denson (pictured at left), University of Georgia student Adam Veale and Athens for Everyone board member Adam Lassila were among 12 people arrested this afternoon during a demonstration in favor of expanding Medicaid at the state Capitol.

According to a news release from Athens for Everyone:

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In the Loop: Oconee Official: Move Bishop and Widen 441

By Lee Becker | February 13, 2015 11:05am

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

The Madison Athens-Clarke Oconee Regional Transportation Study (MACORTS) Policy Committee took the first step on Wednesday toward reactivating the construction of a bypass of Bishop and the four-laning of U.S. 441 from Watkinsville to the Apalachee River.

The project now goes to the public comment stage, with a key meeting to be held from 5–7 p.m. on Feb. 24 in the Community Center at Oconee Veterans Park.

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In the Loop: 'Religious Liberty' Bill Will Legalize Discrimination

By Evelyn Andrews | February 12, 2015 11:51am

A "religious liberty" bill in the Georgia House of Representatives could be used to legally justify discrimination, Robbie Medwed, the assistant director for Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity, told members of the Young Democrats at the University of Georgia on Wednesday.

Last Thursday, House Bill 218, known as the “Preventing Government Overreach on Religious Expression Act” was introduced in Georgia by state Rep. Sam Teasley (R-Marietta). The bill is part of a growing trend of religious liberty bills throughout the nation.

Medwed presented concerns that these bills will be abused in order to justify discrimination, child abuse and domestic violence.

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In the Loop: A New Loop 10 Interchange Is Now Open

By Blake Aued | February 11, 2015 3:35pm

Rejoice, commuters: No more traffic light at the Loop, Peter Street and Olympic Drive. A new interchange at what's now known as Exit 9 is open, six weeks ahead of schedule.
There's still a bit of work to be done, so GDOT officials are urging caution, but the inner Loop ramps officially opened at 11:15 a.m. The outer Loop ramps opened Jan. 20.

E.R. Snell Contracting of Snellville built the $14.5 million project.

Next up for GDOT is realigning the Barnett Shoals Road/Oconee Street interchange, which is a mess. That project is supposed to get underway in 2016 or 2017.

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In the Loop: A Bill to Lower Tuition for Undocumented Students Is Unlikely to Pass

By Tom Crawford | February 10, 2015 5:01pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

Eduardo Samaniego [center] at an Apr. 28 rally outside the UGA Administration building

More than a dozen undocumented immigrants made an emotional plea at a Senate committee meeting Tuesday for a bill that would result in lower tuition rates for them to attend one of Georgia’s public colleges.

While they got a polite and sympathetic hearing from the senators, the students most likely won’t get a break on tuition because the bill is not expected to get a vote in the Senate’s Higher Education Committee.

“If I took a vote today, this bill would not pass,” said Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), the committee chairman. “I feel pretty comfortable in telling you that. I can promise you, it will not pass in its present form.”

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In the Loop: Resentment Between Augusta and Athens Led to Medical School Dean Barbara Schuster's Ouster

By Tom Crawford | February 6, 2015 12:59pm

Barbara Schuster

What in the world is going on at Georgia’s public medical schools?

In the span of less than a month, the president of Georgia Regents University (GRU) in Augusta and the dean of the affiliated health sciences program at the University of Georgia have both been sent packing,

University System officials won’t comment on what’s behind the high-level turmoil, but it appears to be at least partly the product of long-simmering resentments between the Augusta faction and the Athens faction over who should be educating Georgia’s next generation of physicians.

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In the Loop: Kids Are Over-Tested, Education Expert Anthony Cody Tells Athens Parents

By Evelyn Andrews | February 6, 2015 10:55am

Anthony Cody, a former Oakland, CA, teacher turned advocate for public education, told Clarke County public school parents Thursday that students are tested too much and don't get enough hands-on learning.

Cody toured local schools and spoke at a PTO meeting at Clarke Central High School, a day after giving a speech at the University of Georgia chapel.

He was impressed by the horticulture program at Clarke Central Middle School, saying it will give the students an understanding of science and math that cannot be gained in a traditional classroom setting. Throughout the speech, Cody spoke highly of project-based learning, such as the horticultural program, as opposed to only testing students on knowledge.

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In the Loop: This Bill Would Let Craft Brewers Sell Beer Directly to the Public

By Blake Aued | February 3, 2015 12:37pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

The tasting room at Terrapin Beer Co.

Senate Bill 63—the Georgia Beer Jobs Act—was introduced last Wednesday. The bill, co-sponsored by several Republicans, including Athens Sen. Frank Ginn, includes the following provisions:

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In the Loop: Is the Daniells Bridge Road Project About Safety or Development?

By Lee Becker | February 3, 2015 11:23am

Tom Kittle, who really is at the center of the Daniells Bridge Road extension and flyover, made his case for this project and the related widening of the road in a straightforward fashion at the Oconee County Board of Commissioners meeting last Tuesday.

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