Blog Topic: R.I.P.

In the Loop: Police Identify Athens Woman Killed by Train

By Blake Aued | May 6, 2016 4:31pm

Brandi Sue Darling, 31, is the woman who was hit by a train and killed Thursday morning while walking along the tracks near Wynburn Avenue in Boulevard, according to the Athens Banner-Herald.

The conductor blew the horn when he saw Darling, but she did not move, and even with emergency brakes the train could not stop in time, police said.

Darling was homeless and may have been staying at a camp in the area, according to police.

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In the Loop: Memorial Scheduled for UGA Students Killed in Wreck

By Blake Aued | April 28, 2016 1:42pm

UGA President Jere Morehead issued a statement mourning four students who were killed in a car crash Wednesday night.

A memorial for four UGA students who died in a car crash in Oconee County Wednesday night will be held at 5 p.m. today at Tate Plaza.

The students—Kayla Canedo, 19, of Alpharetta; Brittany Feldman, 20, of Alpharetta; Halle Scott, 19, of Dunwoody; and Christina Semeria, 19, of Milton—were killed on Highway 15 when the Toyota Camry they were riding in crossed the center line and collided with another car at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, according to Georgia State Patrol. The driver, Agnes Kim, 21, of Snellville, is in critical condition, and the other car's driver was hospitalized as well.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, but authorities have said they don't believe alcohol was involved.

UGA President Jere Morehead released a statement on the fatal crash this morning:

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Homedrone: Prince's Final Concert Was a Stunning Journey Through His Career

By Jace Bartet | April 22, 2016 11:38am

Photo Credit: Mike White

I would like to tell you now about the final concert of Prince Rogers Nelson.

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In the Loop: Wave Goodbye to the Prince Avenue Flags

By Blake Aued | April 18, 2016 3:45pm

Photo Credit: Uma Nagendra

The bright orange flags at two Prince Avenue crosswalks are gone—for good this time.

The Athens-Clarke County Transportation and Public Works Department placed the flags at crosswalks near The Grit and Daily Grocery for people to wave at drivers as they crossed the busy street more than a year ago, but they didn't work, according to ACC traffic engineer Steve Decker.

A study done by TPW and police found that waving the flags did not make more drivers slow down or stop, so TPW stopped replacing the flags.

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Homedrone: R.I.P. Ross Shapiro of The Glands

By Gabe Vodicka | March 26, 2016 9:00pm

Photo Credit: Mike White

Tonight in incredibly sad news: Ross Shapiro, the singer and guitarist for beloved Athens rock band The Glands, has passed away after an illness, friends confirm.

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Homedrone: R.I.P. Athens Musician Allen Owens

By Gabe Vodicka | March 21, 2016 5:45pm

Allen Owens, a longtime Athens rock guitarist and friendly music-scene fixture known for his work with bands such as Pride Parade, Kinky Waikiki and Powerload, has passed away, according to posts on social media.

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Homedrone: Athens Remembers David Bowie

By Gabe Vodicka | January 13, 2016 10:32am

To say David Bowie's influence was vast is to understate the significance his music has had in the personal and creative lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world. In our little corner of the globe, he remains a constant presence. Strains of Bowie's work can be heard throughout the history of Athens music: Pylon's throbbing post-punk; the Olivia Tremor Control's psychedelic soul-searching; the B-52s' cheeky pop; of Montreal's androgynous psychodrama.

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In the Loop: Shooting Death Reported Near Hawthorne Avenue

By Blake Aued | November 29, 2015 2:55pm

A Hartwell woman was killed during a gunfight Friday night in Athens’ Brooklyn neighborhood near Hawthorne Extension and Brooklyn Road.

The victim was Breana Jeree Blackwell, 23. She was in a parked vehicle dead of a gunshot wound when police arrived on the scene at 10:58 p.m.

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In the Loop: Educator and Civic Leader David Nunnally Has Died

By Blake Aued | October 25, 2015 4:52pm

The Rev. David Nunnally, an Athens educator and civil rights leader, died Oct. 17 at age 86.

The Rev. David Nunnally, an Athens educator and civil rights leader, died Oct. 17 at age 86.

According to an announcement from Fred Smith, Nunnally, one of 14 children, was born in Athens in 1929 and graduated from Tuskegee University. He was a teacher, school administrator, scoutmaster and assistant pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he worked with youth.

In the 1960s, Nunnally was the first African American to run for office in Athens since Reconstruction, narrowly losing a city-council race. He founded the Human Relations Council, a group aimed at fostering understanding among races, in 1979.

He was elected to the Clarke County school board in 1992. He stepped down in 2012 for health reasons.

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Culture Briefs: R.I.P. Albert Ligotti, Athens Symphony Founder

By Gabe Vodicka | September 15, 2015 12:33pm

Albert Ligotti, the founder of the Athens Symphony and its conductor from its inception in 1978 until 2012, died Saturday, according to an Athens Banner-Herald article. Ligotti was 88.

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