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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‘This is Something We’re Going to Fight For’: Special Education Residency Program Pushes to Bolster Support
[Special education] is something we’re gonna stand up for… it’s not going anywhere,” said Patrick Bishop. Patrick Bishop has worked with children since the late 1990s, first in Los Angeles as a counselor for at-risk teens. From the early 2000s until now, he’s moved back and forth from California to…
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Forgotten Essentials: How Donating Personal Care Items Can Help
For many, buying shampoo, conditioner, deodorant or laundry detergent is an afterthought. But for thousands of families in Athens, these essentials are a financial burden often forcing difficult trade-offs between hygiene and other necessities like rent, utilities and food. Hygiene insecurity, sometimes referred to as hygiene poverty, describes the inability…
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Adopt-A-Mom Celebrates Single Mothers as Unseen Heroes this Mother’s Day
Every Mother’s Day, The Ark, a nonprofit organization that supports single mothers with financial assistance and educational resources, celebrates them with Adopt-a-Mom. With the help of donations from community members, the program gifts single mothers with flowers, handwritten notes, and this year, a brunch. Supporting low-income single mothers is about…
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Schools, Mental Health Professionals Call For More Parent Involvement with Social Media
Clarke County School District staff and local mental health professionals called for increased parental involvement in student well-being at the Mental Health Town Hall Monday, referencing behavioral changes related to adolescent social media use. “All social media and the internet just kind of snowballed, and nobody was like, ‘Here, let…
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AI-Audio Equipment Extends Impact of Athens Urban Wildlife Project Across County
The Athens Urban Wildlife Project is a relatively small project here in Athens that’s part of a much larger organization. It works to keep track of local wildlife behaviors, in response to urbanization as a part of the Urban Wildlife Information Network. Locally, the project strives to involve citizen volunteers…
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Monarchs on Milledge: Greek Houses Protecting Pollinators
Fruits and vegetables are staples of a healthy, balanced diet. Pollinators, such as insects and birds, play a key role in the reproduction of plants that produce these types of food. University of Georgia students Sam Dilley and Ryan Donovan are committed to protecting pollinators and their habitats. With the…
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How a Local Boutique is Redefining Fashion, Promoting Sustainability
Community is a boutique located in Athens that uses existing materials to redesign clothing and support sustainable fashion. It also addresses local textile waste produced by the fast-fashion industry and is trying to promote their business model to younger generations. The growing business of the fast-fashion industry, which is a…
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United Campus Workers Protest Highlights Growing Tension Around Department of Education Cuts
In downtown Athens it is not uncommon to be walking around and stumble upon the occasional protest, but last week’s United Campus Workers of Georgia protest at the arch on March 19 hit a little closer to home for some. UCWGA is a wall-to-wall higher education union which offers…
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Love, Wastewater Meet at Athens Water Reclamation Facility Tour
With Earth Day just around the corner on April 22, many communities are turning their focus to sustainability. In Athens-Clarke County, the public utilities department took advantage of a less conventional holiday to educate residents about water sanitation — Valentine’s Day. Sixteen guests arrived at the Middle Oconee Water Reclamation…
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Athens Mayor, Commission Discuss $7 Million Downtown Athens Project
A $7 million renovation for Downtown Athens, coming in the winter of 2026, is still being discussed by the city’s mayor and commissioners. For decades, Athens residents have debated what to do with College Square. According to David Lynn, director of planning and outreach, the idea of closing the square…