Blog Topic: Great Job

In the Loop: Athens Transit Wins National Award

By Blake Aued | May 26, 2016 12:42pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

People have lots of complaints about Athens Transit: Buses don’t come often enough; it doesn’t go enough places; it’s too expensive.

While those are legitimate concerns—and a study is underway to examine those issues—let us remember that Athens Transit, whatever its flaws, is really an excellent system, especially for a city this size.

In fact, on Wednesday the Community Transportation Association of America, at its annual conference in Portland, OR, named Athens Transit the Urban Community Transportation System of the Year.

In particular, CTAA cited:

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In the Loop: Doug Collins Can't Stop Throwing Shade at Paul Broun

By Blake Aued | May 25, 2016 11:15am

U.S. Rep. Doug "Mic Drop" Collins (R-Gainesville).

Incumbent 9th District congressman Doug Collins trounced former Rep. Paul Broun in yesterday's Republican primary—a race in which Collins did not hesitate to throw Broun'stroubled ethical past in his face, while Broun labeled Collins an establishment lackey.

Well, Collins was not exactly magnanimous in defeat. Here's the victory statement issued by his campaign last night (emphasis mine):

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In the Loop: The ADDA Just Saved Fourth of July Fireworks

By Blake Aued | May 23, 2016 3:55pm

Photo Credit: Eric Kilby/Wikimedia Commons

The Athens Downtown Development Authority has put together a last-minute Independence Day fireworks celebration after Georgia Square Mall, which has hosted the pyrotechnics display for the past two years, canceled the upcoming event last week.

No company was available to shoot off fireworks on July 4, but the ADDA board voted this afternoon to approve a $20,000 contract for a fireworks show on Friday, July 1. ADDA Executive Director Pamela Thompson said she is confident she can raise that amount through corporate sponsorships.

The fireworks will be launched starting at 9:30 p.m. from the top of the Classic Center parking deck, which is the only place downtown that the Athens-Clarke County fire marshal deemed safe, Thompson said.

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Culture Briefs: Cine Is Screening 'Aliens'—With Laser Tag

By Blake Aued | May 20, 2016 12:31pm

Ciné is screening James Cameron’s space-Marine classic Aliens this weekend. As if that wasn’t cool enough, there will be Alien-themed laser tag, too. My body is ready.

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Grub Notes: The Fresh Food Bus Is Back This Weekend

By Hillary Brown | May 18, 2016 12:38pm

A farmers market that says it wants to serve lower-income people is all well and good, but words are just words if they can't actually get there.

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In the Loop: Athens Police Say Their Rape Kit Backlog Is Gone

By Blake Aued | May 2, 2016 4:23pm

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department has worked through its entire backlog of rape kits, it said today.

In response to reports of thousands of unprocessed rape kits in Georgia, the state legislature (after some resistance) passed a law earlier this year mandating that law enforcement agencies submit rape kits to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab within 30 days of collection.

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Culture Briefs: Here Are the Five Bulldogs Drafted by the NFL

By Blake Aued | May 1, 2016 1:35pm

Photo Credit: Andy Harrison/UGA Athletics

First-round pick Leonard Floyd celebrates against Clemson.

Georgia’s lackluster 2015 season wasn’t for lack of professional-level talent. Five former Bulldogs were taken in the NFL draft, which wrapped up on Saturday.

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In the Loop: Michael Stipe, Indigo Girls, Tituss Burgess Oppose Campus Carry

By Blake Aued | April 20, 2016 3:12pm

Photo Credit: Twitter via @REMHQ

Recently a group of University of Georgia poets decided they want to bombard Gov. Nathan Deal with photos of writers and other Athenians holding signs opposing the campus carry bill and hopes he’ll veto it. Well, a few celebrities have joined the fun.

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In the Loop: Nuçi’s Space Wins Grant for Solar Panels

By Blake Aued | April 13, 2016 5:34pm

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

Nuçi’s Space Executive Director Bob Sleppy with Gretchen Elsner of Solarize Athens, Mayor Nancy Denson and Colleen McLoughlin of Environment Georgia.

The local nonprofit Nuçi’s Space is getting rooftop solar panels thanks to Solarize Athens, a program that offers local residents and businesses bulk discounts on solar-panel installation.

Solarize Athens and the environmental nonprofit Environment Georgia announced an $11,000 grant to Nuçi’s Space this afternoon to help pay for the $20,000 panels. Nuçi’s Space won the grant from among four nonprofit applicants.

“Solar made the most sense for Nuçi’s Space and would have the biggest impact on their energy bills,” said Colleen McLoughlin, solar campaign organizer for Environment Georgia.

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Grub Notes: ACC Won't Prosecute Creature Comforts

By Blake Aued | March 25, 2016 12:44pm

Photo Credit: Creature Comforts

Athens-Clarke County won’t prosecute local brewery Creature Comforts for allegedly violating the state law regulating brewery tours, the county attorney’s office announced earlier this week.

In February, an undercover officer acting on a tip and posing as a service industry employee on “industry night,” a monthly event where service industry workers receive free tours (and beers), reported that she was given free beers and never offered a tour, nor did she see a tour being conducted.

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