Athens-Clarke County
Reporting about Clarke County, Georgia. Some stories will be republished in the Athens Banner-Herald as part of a news-academic partnership with Grady Newsource.
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If Athens’ Landfill Turns Methane Gas Into Energy, Why Compost?
Beneath mounds of waste at the Athens-Clarke County Landfill, dozens of wells drilled into the ground collect energy from the methane gas created by decomposing organic waste. The gas is filtered through pipes to a small plant on landfill property where it is converted into usable energy. Plant operator Corey…
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Is Athens on Track to Meet its Clean-Energy Goal for 2035?
Seven solar trackers move with the sun in the parking lot of the Athens-Clarke County Library, providing shade for patrons while generating electricity for the building. For library manager Niké Shimobi-Obijuru, the trackers are also a visible example of how the county is implementing renewable energy in its public facilities. “They’re…
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Rewearing the ‘G’
Saturdays in Athens bring high energy, barking and red-and-black outfits that fill the streets. Matching sets and Georgia apparel are found at any given space from the tailgates on North Campus to Milledge Avenue, purchasing them for the occasion online or from a boutique. For some, however, the search for…
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Clarke County Schools to Make $1 Million-Plus IRS Rebate Payment
The Clarke County School District Board of Education approved Thursday a payment of more than $1.18 million to the IRS to return excess investment earnings from the district’s 2022 bond issue. The full rebate totals $1.3 million, with $1.18 million due by Oct. 31. Chief Financial Officer Chris Griner…
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AthHalf Director Offers Tips, Advice for Half Marathon Runners
Participants preparing for the 2026 AthHalf Half Marathon faced the challenge of balancing their training goals with the intense Georgia heat and humidity. The half marathon is scheduled for Oct. 11. Race organizers faced their own challenge as a storm front is headed to the region, but organizers said Thursday…
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How Local Debates Over Data Centers Leak into Water Scarcity Concerns
For most people in Georgia, water is a convenience accessible with just a simple twist of the faucet. Few would consider it a scarce commodity unless it was no longer a convenience. Yet water resources fluctuate throughout the year, and deplete fastest during warmer months due to the increased usage…
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From Safety to Parks: Q&As Provide Quick Look at Key Topics in Athens
Get to know Athens and topics from public safety to the restaurant scene to park development and more from people in the know. Nearly 50 students interviewed professionals, business owners, community leaders, musicians, law enforcement, government staffers and students in September to learn more about their beats, a special topic…
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Historic Athens Porchfest Returns for Its Eighth Year
Denise Sunta spends weeks matching hundreds of bands to hundreds of front porches, making sure no two sets at the same time land next door to each other and that no musician playing in multiple bands gets double-booked across neighborhoods for Historic Athens Porchfest. This year, a University of Georgia…
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Athens Community Weighs Safety Benefits, Privacy Concerns as Flock Camera Use Expands
As Flock Safety cameras continue to expand in number across Athens-Clarke County and throughout Northeast Georgia, residents and local officials are raising questions about how the technology is used, who can access the data, and what the growing network means for public safety and privacy. Two Grady Newsource reporters looked…
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How a Queer Kickball League is Creating a Safe Space in Athens
Robbie Haynes, 32, moved to Athens last July from Orlando, Florida, after his partner, Tyler Goehring, 31, accepted a position as an assistant professor of string music at the University of Georgia. To his surprise, he found that the city did not have any explicitly queer-labeled spaces. Athens, despite its…