Blog Topic: Raging Election

In the Loop: Oconee Chairman Melvin Davis Will Make the Call on Calls Creek Sewer Before He Steps Down

By Lee Becker | October 20, 2016 12:24pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker/file

Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis said Tuesday that he is open to bringing the decision on whether to build a sewer line down Calls Creek up for action before he leaves the board in January.

In an email message to Jim McGarvey, president of Friends of Calls Creek, Davis said “I do not have any issues with the current Board of Commissioners acting” on sewer issues, even though Commissioner Jim Luke is retiring in January and will be replaced and one slot on the board is vacant.

Davis’ willingness to go forward with a vote on the sewer pipeline and other sewer issues before January puts pressure on opponents and proponents of the sewer pipeline to influence the outcome of the special election now underway to fill the vacant position on the board.

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Homedrone: R.E.M. Adds Live Version of 'World Leader Pretend' to Anti-Trump Playlist

By Gabe Vodicka | October 19, 2016 2:58pm

R.E.M. officially called it quits back in 2011, but the Athens band has infiltrated the music-news cycle sporadically since then. (Oh, hey: Mike Mills brings his new rock concerto to town Monday.) Most recently, the group released a profanity-laden statement in response to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump using one of its songs at one of his white-nationalist rallies on the campaign trail.

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In the Loop: Reminder: Early Voting Is Underway

By Blake Aued | October 18, 2016 4:33pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

In case you haven't noticed, there's an election coming up, and not a moment too soon. Early voting started Monday at the ACC Board of Elections office and runs through Friday, Nov. 4.

As you can see from the photo above, there have been long lines already, even though early voting doesn't tend to pick up until closer to Election Day. People must be hyped about choosing between Giant Douche and Turd Sandwich. (Actually, the Athens Banner-Heraldreports that people just want to get it over with so they can preserve what's left of their sanity by ignoring the news for the next three weeks.)

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In the Loop: Oconee County Joins the Chorus Against the 'Opportunity School District'

By Lee Becker | October 19, 2016 10:09am

Oconee County School Superintendent Jason Branch.

Both Oconee County School Superintendent Jason Branch and Board of Education Chairman Tom Odom have spoken out publicly against Amendment 1 to Georgia Constitution that is on the November ballot.

The so-called Opportunity School District amendment asks voters to decide if they want “to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student performance?"

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In the Loop: Congressman Hice Urges Athens Republicans to 'Stay Focused,' Vote for Trump

By Blake Aued | October 11, 2016 10:02am

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones/file

U.S. Rep. Jody Hice speaks at an Athens GOP meeting in 2014.

They wouldn't mention him by name, but at least two Republican elected officials representing Athens are urging GOP voters to continue supporting Donald Trump in spite of the video that surfaced Friday of Trump describing sexually assaulting women and attempting to commit adultery.

"None of us anywhere will defend the comments that were made," U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-Loganville) said in a brief speech at an Athens GOP meeting Monday night. "I will tell you this, if you are struggling with who to vote for, just remember the platforms the parties are running on."

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Homedrone: Hear a Track from Mike Mills' New Rock Concerto

By Blake Aued | October 10, 2016 4:28pm

Photo Credit: Anton Corbijn

Last month we told you that former R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills was working on a classical/rock hybrid called Concerto for Rock Band, Violin and Strings. Rolling Stone premiered a movement from the concerto called “Sonny Side Up” on its website last week.

The concerto is a collaboration with violinist and Mills’ longtime friend Robert McDuffie. Backing musicians include McDuffie’s Mercer University music students and Athens music-scene veterans John Neff (Drive-By Truckers), William Tonks and Patrick Ferguson (Five Eight).

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In the Loop: Chris Conley: Stop Calling Trump's Offensive Comments 'Locker Room Talk'

By Blake Aued | October 10, 2016 2:04pm

Photo Credit: Jim Hipple

Chris Conley, Flagpole’s all-time favorite Bulldog, wants you to know that “grab them by the pussy” isn’t locker-room talk.

The former UGA receiver, who now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, shot off a few tweets lasrt night aimed at those who’ve been dismissing Donald Trump’s controversial comments made on the “Access Hollywood” set in 2005.

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In the Loop: Athens Education Experts: Vote 'No' on the Opportunity School District Amendment

By Carolyn Crist | October 4, 2016 3:03pm

Photo Credit: Federation of Neighborhoods

A panel of education experts left no doubt about the intention to vote “no” this November againstAmendment 1, the Opportunity School District constitutional amendment, at the latest Athens-Clarke County Federation of Neighborhoods meeting Monday.

The amendment, which would allow the state to overtake schools labeled as “persistently failing,” faced criticism throughout the forum, which focused on one question: “Who will control our schools?”

The amendment’s language is broad, vague and a “power grab,” said C.J. Amason, a local parent and director of the Foundation for Excellence in Public Education.

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In the Loop: Democrats Rally the Troops, Attack Trump and Isakson at Debate Party

By Blake Aued | September 27, 2016 4:36pm

Photo Credit: Joshua L. Jones

State Rep. Spencer Frye (D-Athens) speaks at the Clarke County Democrats' debate-watching party Monday at the Athens Cotton Press.

Jim Barksdale, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, attacked Republican incumbent Johnny Isakson as an obstructionist and Trump supporter during a speech prior to a debate-watching party Monday night sponsored by Clarke County Democrats that drew about 200 politicos—including a few big names from Atlanta.

Isakson, who is seeking a third term, has spent the past eight years obstructing President Obama for political gain, Barksdale said.

“This is not acceptable,” he said. “We need to say that’s not the way a representative of the people should act.”

Instead of standing up to the controversial Republican presidential nominee, Barksdale said Isakson has opted to “ride on Donald Trump’s bandwagon of exclusion, his bandwagon of hate, as long as it gets him re-elected.”

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In the Loop: Where to Watch the Presidential Debate (and Drink) in Athens

By Blake Aued | September 26, 2016 12:37pm

The horror... the horror...

You’re probably going to watch the presidential debate tonight. Let’s be honest: No matter where you are on the political spectrum, it’s going to be depressing, and you’re going to need gallons of booze to get through it. Unless you want to end up sobbing on the floor by yourself like Martin Sheen at the beginning of Apocalypse Now, maybe it’s best to go out in public. Here are some options:

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