Grady Newsource
This piece was reported by a journalism student in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.
Melissa Butler Named Superintendent of Oconee County Schools
Education
September 24, 2025
Melissa Butler Named Superintendent of Oconee County Schools
The Oconee County Board of Education unanimously voted to appoint Melissa Butler as superintendent. The decision comes after an almost four-month search. “I am deeply honored by the opportunity to serve as the next Superintendent of Oconee County Schools,” Butler said in a press release. “Oconee County is a place…
Push for Change: Northeast Georgia Organizations Pursue Environmental Justice
Environment
September 23, 2025
Push for Change: Northeast Georgia Organizations Pursue Environmental Justice
Hurricane season is here, and Athens received its share of downpours over the past month. The heavy rain has left low-income communities vulnerable to flooding throughout Northeast Georgia, and this is not the only problem. “There’s also a very big issue with regards to flooding as well. So flooding and…
Cleaning the Chattooga: Improving Through Effort, Looking for Collaboration
Visual Journalism
September 19, 2025
Cleaning the Chattooga: Improving Through Effort, Looking for Collaboration
Pete Roe, a resident of Rabun County, has been cleaning up the Chattooga River and the surrounding Earls Ford Road for the past 15 years. In the beginning, he would take back two entire truck loads worth of trash. Now, he’s only picking up about half of a bag a…
Elementary School Custodian Named Employee of Month
Athens-Clarke County
September 17, 2025
Elementary School Custodian Named Employee of Month
Sallie Smith, a custodian at Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary, arrived at work in the morning as usual when the Clarke County School District superintendent approached her. “I’m like, she must be here to talk to the kids. Then she called my name,” Smith said. And for good reason: Smith had…