Blog Topic: Great Job

In the Loop: Campus Carry Opponents Plan Online Action

By Blake Aued | April 10, 2017 11:31am

Photo Credit: Poetry Action Network

As they did last year, the Poetry Action Network—a group of Athens writers led by Magdalena Zurawaski, Laura Solomon and Jenny Gropp—is taking to Twitter to oppose "campus carry" legislation passed by the Georgia legislature.

The Poetry Action Network is asking campus carry critics to download a sign here, print it out, take a picture of themselves holding the sign, and tweet the photo to @vetocampuscarry or @poetryaction, or email it to [email protected]. The photos will be tweeted at Gov. Nathan Deal all day in an effort to convince him to veto House Bill 280.

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In the Loop: Video: Kids, Cops and Charlayne Hunter-Gault at the Chess and Community Conference

By Joshua L. Jones | April 3, 2017 4:17pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

The fifth annual Chess and Community conference Saturday at the Georgia Center featured entrepreneur Beau Shell (the Lil' Ice Cream Dude), journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault (who integrated the University of Georgia) and a tournament between the Classic City Knights youth chess team and local police officers.

Here's a video by Flagpole senior staff photographer Joshua L. Jones featuring Chess and Community founder Lemuel "Life the Griot" LaRoche.

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In the Loop: Photos: Clarke County School District Maker Faire

By Blake Aued and Austin Steele | April 2, 2017 2:05pm

The Clarke County School District held its first-ever Maker Faire Saturday afternoon at Clarke Central High School. The event featured more than 100 students from all 21 CCSD schools, including exhibits on arts and crafts, 3D printing, film, music, drones, robots, science, engineering, agriculture and more. All photos by Flagpole contributing photographer Austin Steele.

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In the Loop: Cheers! Watkinsville Approves Sunday Sales

By Lee Becker | March 22, 2017 4:42pm

Photo Credit: Paul Joseph

Watkinsville voters overwhelmingly approved the Sunday sales of alcoholic drinks in the city’s restaurants and the Sunday sales of beer and wine in the city’s convenience stores in voting in the special election that ended Tuesday.

Vote rturnout was low, but the margins in favor of Sunday sales in the city were even higher than they were when county voters approved Sunday sales last November.

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Grub Notes: Five & Ten Is Nominated for a James Beard Award Again

By Hillary Brown | February 17, 2017 11:24am

The James Beard Foundation released its scroll of semifinalists for restaurant awards across the country on Wednesday, and Five & Ten is among the "Outstanding Restaurant" nominees again.

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In the Loop: 500 Gather in Greensboro to Tell Off Trump to GOP Congressional Staffers

By Dan Jackson and Michelle Golden | February 10, 2017 4:37pm

Photo Credit: John Buckley

GREENSBORO — A large crowd of energized and vocal opponents of the new administration’s policies attended Friday’s constituent service meeting in Greensboro, hosted by representatives of Rep. Jody Hice, a Republican who represents Athens, and the state’s two senators, Johnny Isakson and David Perdue.

Some were wearing the pink “pussy hats” worn during the recent wave of demonstrations in Washington and in cities across the country, and many held up hand-lettered signs. The room was packed, and most of the crowd—estimated by Greene County Sheriff Donnie Harrison at more than 500—was standing in the back and along the sides of the room.

After the staff members introduced themselves to the crowd, Josh Findlay, a Hice staffer, said that it was “the largest crowd we’ve ever had” at this kind of meeting. He then announced that due to the crowd size, meetings would be held individually in nearby private rooms. At this point people, in the crowd began booing loudly and howling that they wanted to be heard by the legislators’ surrogates, and sustained chants of “Hear our voice!” “Cowards!” and “This is what democracy looks like!” rang out.

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Grub Notes: Farm Cart Pop-Up at 1000 Faces Sunday Morning to Benefit the ACLU

By Hillary Brown | February 4, 2017 3:20pm

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Homedrone: Athens Bands Donate Proceeds to ACLU, SPLC Following Immigration Ban

By Gabe Vodicka | January 31, 2017 10:22am

Photo Credit: Kristin Karch

Jianna Justice

Following President Trump's temporary ban on refugee resettlement and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries, several Athens bands say they are donating proceeds from digital music sales to civil-rights organizations, including the Southern Poverty Law Center and American Civil Liberties Union.

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In the Loop: Photo Gallery: Athens' First MLK Day Parade

By Blake Aued and Joshua L. Jones | January 17, 2017 12:52pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

Former R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe speaks with parade organizer Mokah Jasmine Johnson after the Athens in Harmony concert at the 40 Watt Club Monday night.

Athens' first-ever Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade drew several thousand people downtown on Monday to enjoy not only marching bands and classic cars, but food trucks, kids' activities, live music and more. Flagpole photographer Joshua L. Jones was there to capture the event. [Blake Aued]

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In the Loop: MLK Day Volunteers Restore Historic Black Cemetery

By Martha Michael | January 17, 2017 10:06am

Photo Credit: Austin Steele

Local artist Harold Rittenberry speaks at the dedication for a gate he designed at Brooklyn Cemetery.

After spending hours Monday morning morning working to restore Brooklyn Cemetery—a historic African American cemetery located behind Clarke Middle School and Holy Cross Lutheran Church—volunteers dedicated a new cemetery gate designed by noted local artist Harold Rittenberry.

To honor the over 660 volunteers who have worked to restore the cemetery since the restoration project began in 2006, the Friends of Brooklyn Cemetery—along with volunteers, county commissioners, representatives from the University of Georgia and the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation—gathered to receive an official proclamation from UGA President Jere Morehead. The proclamation recognizes the efforts of volunteers and stated a “deep and abiding appreciation” for those who have worked to preserve rich cultural significance of the cemetery.

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