Blog Topic: Government

In the Loop: Today Is the Last Day to Register to Vote

By Blake Aued | October 6, 2014 10:43am

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

If you're not registered to vote already, today is the last day to do so and be eligible to vote in the Nov. 4 election, when races for governor, Senate and Congress will be on the ballot, in addition to other statewide offices.

Read More...
In the Loop: Stop the Presses! Paul Broun and Harry Reid Agree on Something. Kind of. Not Really.

By Blake Aued | October 2, 2014 10:45am

U.S. Rep. Paul Broun has probably never said anything about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that didn't include the word "socialist." Until now.

Read More...
In the Loop: Pharmaceutical Company Coming to Bogart

By Lee Becker | September 30, 2014 12:21pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

A Massachusetts biopharmaceutical company with roots at the University of Georgia has signed a lease for two buildings being completed at Gateway Technology and Business Park in Bogart.

Read More...
In the Loop: Athens Tax Revenue Increased in Spite of Losing Stores

By Lee Becker | September 29, 2014 3:24pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax revenues increased 10.1 percent in Oconee County following the opening of a cluster of stores, including Marshalls, PetSmart and Gap, in Epps Bridge Centre in the third quarter of 2013.

But Clarke County also increased its revenue from its SPLOST tax during that same period even while it was losing stores to Epps Bridge Centre.

Read More...
In the Loop: Oconee County May Be Overestimating Tax Revenue

By Lee Becker | September 25, 2014 1:44pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

When Oconee County voters go to the polls for the Nov. 4 election, they will be asked to vote "yes" or "no" on a 1 percent sales tax that, according to the ballot language, is expected raise $55.6 million over the six-year life of the tax.

Voters also will be presented with list of projects to be funded, including water and sewer infrastructure, roads, farmland protection, libraries and parks and recreational facilities.

An analysis of collections from the current 1 percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax shows that the county will have to experience strong growth rates to realize that $55.6 million goal.

Read More...
Grub Notes: Automatic Pizza Wins Approval for Beer and Wine

By Blake Aued | September 19, 2014 11:59am

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

The Athens-Clarke County Commission approved a waiver Thursday night for Automatic Pizza to serve beer and wine, paving the way for a mid-October opening.

Read More...
In the Loop: Senior Assisted Living Center Gets OK

By Lee Becker | September 18, 2014 1:20pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

The future site of Thrive.

The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office issued a building permit on Thursday for construction of the 70-unit Thrive senior living facility on Virgil Langford Road in Resurgence Park.

Read More...
In the Loop: Paul Broun Is Under Investigation for... Something

By Blake Aued | September 16, 2014 4:38pm

Various news outlets are reporting that U.S. Rep. Paul Broun (R-Athens) is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee Office of Congressional Ethics.

Read More...
In the Loop: Beer and Wine Laws Loosely Enforced

By Lee Becker | September 12, 2014 3:35pm

From Oct. 7, 2008, when the Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved the first beer and wine licenses for restaurants in the county, until Jan. 1 of this year, compliance with two key provisions of the beer and wine ordinance was entirely on the honor system.

The county simply assumed that the percentage of sales from beer and wine by each license holder was not more than 25 percent of total sales in the individual restaurant and that each sale of an alcoholic beverage in the restaurant also included “a reasonable order of a meal or appetizer.”

Starting with renewal applications for this year, license holders were required to fill out a form listing their gross income from total sales, the gross income from the sale of beer and wine, and the resulting percentage of income from beer and wine sales.

Read More...
In the Loop: Atlanta Cabbies Are the Latest to Sue Uber

By Blake Aued | September 11, 2014 11:06am

Atlanta cab drivers are the latest to take the startup ride-sharing service Uber to court.According to Creative Loafing:

Read More...