Blog Topic: ICYMI

Homedrone: Flagpole Premieres: WesdaRuler Live at the Pity Party

By Jessica Smith | April 16, 2020 4:15pm

WesdaRuler

It’s time for another blast from the past at the Pity Party! Lean back and vibe along to local hip-hop artist WesdaRuler as he’s joined by Louie Larceny during his November set at the beloved house venue.

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Homedrone: Flagpole Premieres: Ghostflower at The Pity Party

By Jessica Smith | April 9, 2020 2:20pm

Ghostflower

Can we all agree to never, ever take house shows for granted again? Taylor Chicoine of The Pity Party, a cozy house venue in the Boulevard neighborhood, intended to reboot his beloved backyard spot back up this month. Though a pair of confirmed shows had to be canceled due to the pandemic, he’s been hard at work editing videos of prior performances for your quarantine entertainment. Chicoine also recently partnered with videographer James Preston of Athens Rising, so we can look forward to even more creatively shot videos in the future.

Relive the magic of Miami band Ghostflower below.

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In the Loop: Portrait Unveiled of Miriam Moore, First Black Woman Elected to Local Office

By Blake Aued | July 2, 2019 5:03pm

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

A portrait of former Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Miriam Moore hangs in the community room of the East Athens Development Corp., a nonprofit she helped start, in a former elementary school that's now named after her.

Community leaders unveiled the portrait at a ceremony Saturday attended by about 100 people who knew or were influenced by Moore. Known as Mimi, Moore fought to bring social services and quality affordable housing to East Athens before, during and after her four years on the Athens City Council and ACC Commission. She was the first African-American woman elected to both bodies in 1988 and 1990, respectively.

Along with the late Jessie Barnett and Evelyn Neely, Moore helped revitalize Triangle Plaza and create the Classic Center, EADC, Athens Neighborhood Health Center and East Athens Park. The Miriam Moore Community Service Center on McKinley Drive was named for her in 1999. She died in 2006 at the age of 80.

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In the Loop: Athens Republicans Vote for Abortion Bill, Against Hate Crimes Bill

By Lee Becker | March 12, 2019 12:44pm

Rep. Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville).

Oconee County’s two representatives in the Georgia General Assembly cast their votes late Thursday night with the House majority in favor of a bill that prohibits most abortions after a doctor can detect a heartbeat in the womb and with the minority against a hate crimes bill.

House Bill 481, officially called the Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act, passed narrowly at 10:45 p.m. on Thursday with 93 representatives, almost all Republicans, voting in favor, and 73 voting against.

The bill required 91 votes for passages in the 180-seat House of Representatives, where Oconee County’s Houston Gaines and Marcus Wiedower are joined by 105 other Republicans.

House Bill 426, which would amend existing Georgia Code to provide criteria for imposition of punishment for defendants who select their victims based upon certain biases or prejudices, also passed narrowly with 96 voting in favor and 64 voting against.

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In the Loop: Photos: Athens Mayor and Commission Swearing-In Ceremony

By Blake Aued and Savannah Cole | January 9, 2019 11:18am

New Mayor Kelly Girtz and four new Athens-Clarke County commissioners, along with re-elected incumbent Melissa Link, were sworn in Tuesday at City Hall, ushering in a new era of progressive politics for Athens.

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In the Loop: Protesters Criticize UGA's Handling of Slavery Issue at Baldwin Hall Memorial Dedication

By Blake Aued and Savannah Cole | November 19, 2018 6:29pm

A small group of protesters, including Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Mariah Parker, held signs at Friday's dedication ceremony for a memorial to slaves whose remains were found under Baldwin Hall to remind attendees of UGA's history of slavery.

“We are drawn here today by a deep sense of respect for these individuals and by a strong sense of duty to commemorate the lives they lived,” UGA President Jere Morehead said. “The memorial we are dedicating this morning will provide for an enduring tribute as well as a physical space for meaningful reflection in the future.”

None of the three speakers—Morehead, U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones and Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Michelle Cook—mentioned slaves or slavery.

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Homedrone: Here Are the 2018 Athens Hip Hop Awards Winners

By Gabe Vodicka | March 26, 2018 5:04pm

Photo Credit: Karica Smith

Sam Lipkin and Seline Haze

The sixth annual Athens Hip Hop Awards took place last night, with this year's event placing a special emphasis on activism. Local performers, politicians and community organizers gathered for a full evening of music and much more, in an effort to celebrate local hip hop and the community that supports it.

Read more about the awards here. Below, check out this year's winners:

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Homedrone: Stream New Music From The YOD, Eureka California, Grassland String Band

By Gabe Vodicka | March 13, 2018 11:38am

Photo Credit: Stacey-Marie Piotrowski

Eureka California

Just as Athens' event calendar revs up to full speed this time of year, local bands seem to drop new music left and right at the first signs of springtime. To wit, here are three recent tunes from across the stylistic spectrum, each of which is worthy of your attention.

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Culture Briefs: Photo Gallery: Lunar New Year Celebration at the Botanical Garden

By Blake Aued and Jessica Silverman | February 20, 2018 3:56pm

It's the Year of the Dog—or Dawg, if you prefer—and the State Botanical Garden helped usher in the lunar new year with a celebration Saturday featuring crafts, food, storytelling, music and more.

Flagpole photographer Jessica Silverman captured the festivities, but if you missed them, don't worry: more are on the way, thanks to a Big Read project sponsored by the University of Georgia Department of Language and Literacy Education and the National Endowment for the Arts. This year's Big Read is based around To Live by Yu Hua and the work of the young-adult novelist Grace Lin.

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In the Loop: Photo Gallery: Athens' 2nd Annual MLK Day Parade

By Blake Aued and Nicole Adamson | January 17, 2018 9:10am

After a day of service and other Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities, thousands of Athens residents gathered downtown for the second annual MLK Day parade, organized by the Athens Anti-Discrimination Coalition. Hundreds marched while a diverse group of thousands more watched, and the parade was followed by a festival with kids' activities, a market for black-owned businesses, food trucks and live music at the Hot Corner, historically Athens' center of African-American life.

Flagpole photographer Nicole Adamson documented the scene:

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