Politics
-
Pendergrass to Begin Considering 2026 Budget
The proposed 2026 budget for Pendergrass is about $3 million, an increase of about $400,000 from the 2025 budget. Pendergrass Deputy Clerk Jennifer Webb Leshok presented the proposed budget during the Oct. 14 work session, where council members also heard the status of the police chief investigation, discussed a new…
-
Bogart Takes Steps Toward New Public Comment Policy
Council member Greg Maddox questioned the process of public comment during the recent Bogart City Council meeting. The city plans to vote on a new policy at the next regular session meeting on Nov. 10. As long as we let the public speak, that is all I care about,” Maddox…
-
Nicholson Council Approves $18K Electrical Bid for Public Works Facility
The Nicholson City Council unanimously approved Monday a $18,000 bid from Walter Barnett Construction for electrical work at the city’s new public works storage facility. The bid and other financial matters took up much of the 30-minute meeting. Electrical Bid Approved Mayor Steve T. Nichols told the council that rough-in…
-
Mayor Kelly Girtz Criticizes Loss of Federal Government Grants to Reduce Violence
Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz demanded that grants rescinded by the U.S. Department of Justice be restored to the state and local governing bodies. The federal grants, initially calculated as $820 million, were rescinded in April after the Trump administration sought to cut federal spending. Many of the grants were…
-
Policy or Prejudice?: Immigration Policies Stir Controversy in Athens
As President Trump’s new immigration policies begin to take effect, members of the Hispanic and Latino community in Athens are facing heightened uncertainty and fear. In response to the sweeping changes against immigration dozens of community members gathered for a demonstration on Feb. 6, marching from the Arch to…
-
A Blue Dot in Red State: Indivisible GA10 Demands to be Heard
Even though the Athens-Clarke County Library auditorium is already packed with attendees, more try to squeeze in. The event organizers direct people to overflow rooms, but some sneak past and try to blend in with the media crews lining the room. The murmur of hundreds of local Democrats grows louder…
-
US Withdrawal from Paris Agreement Draws Local Responses
For the second time, President Donald Trump has pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement — a hit to climate change efforts. The Paris Climate Agreement, adopted in 2015, aims to reduce the risk and impact of climate change by calling for countries to reduce greenhouse gas…
-
Potential NIH Funding Cuts Threaten Neurodegenerative Research
Possible National Institutes of Health funding cuts remain a concern for researchers and institutions nationwide, including those in the state of Georgia. On Jan. 27, President Donald Trump’s administration attempted to freeze NIH funding in order to review the current allocations and determine which grants and institutions will continue to…
-
Athens-Clarke Names Former Planning Director as Interim Government Manager
Mayor Kelly Girtz has appointed former planning director Brad Griffin as the interim manager of Athens-Clarke County. Griffin will oversee the county government’s daily operations and manage more than 1,800 employees during a national search for a permanent manager. “In his role as planning director, Brad was always graceful in…
-
How an Undecided UGA Student Finally Made His Choice for President
Election day is just under six weeks away when I first meet Stephen Vest. It’ll be the first presidential election for many college students, including Vest. As a 19-year-old political science major at the University of Georgia, he’s looking forward to casting his first presidential ballot in such a monumental…