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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How One Man’s Hobby is Helping Reduce Waste in Athens
It was the combination of frequent trips to resale shops mixed with his tennis burnout that led Athens resident David Ragsdale to his new hobby: cast iron restoration — the process of searching for, stripping down and seasoning decades-old cookware to give it a new life. “My lady likes Pyrex,…
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Q&As Provide Look Into Lives of Public Representatives, Servants
Reporting I students each semester learn more about their beats — a special topic area of focus — by conducting research and interviews with community and student leaders, entrepreneurs, musicians, professors, performers and others. The nearly 80 students in the course conducted an interview on their beat in September. This…
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Boulevard Neighborhood Bands Together at Historic Athens Porchfest
Community members in white ringer tees with the words “Save Historic Legion Pool” and kids in costume filled the streets of the historic Boulevard neighborhood on Sunday. The shirts addressed the “Save Legion Pool” initiative to protect the pool on the University of Georgia’s campus and bring attention to the…
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Growth, Good Weather, Celebration of Community at 7th Annual Historic Athens Porchfest
The first rain in almost two weeks threatened Historic Athens Porchfest hours before the outdoor festival began, but a light breeze and blue sky dispersed the clouds before Sunday’s event was halfway over. First-time host Shawn Baker smiled as the sun emerged, although he was prepared for rain with…
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Historic Clarke County School Cleanup Plans Spark Discussion Over Future Use
The Clarke County Board of Education unanimously approved spending nearly $143,000 for abatement and trash removal at West Broad Street School during its most recent meeting. A fire at the historic school on Sept. 8, 2025 partially destroyed the inside of one of its vacant buildings. The fire caused…
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After Loss of Bassist, The Original Screw Tops Celebrate His Life at Porchfest
The Original Screw Tops are playing at Sunday’s Historic Athens Porchfest, but things are different this year following the recent death of longtime bassist Jeff Evans. “To be honest, I’m still in shock because he had this heart condition,” vocalist Marcelo Buril said. “It was one of those days…
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Porchfest 2025: Here’s Some Itinerary Suggestions
The annual Historic Athens Porchfest is coming up on Sunday, Oct. 19, and students in Kyser Lough’s First Year Odyssey course on music journalism and Athens have scoured the 200+ Porchfest band lineup to build a few custom, themed itineraries for attendees. We’ll give you the first five shows to…
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Care That Creates Community at Ghost of Athens
At Ghost of Athens, Dave Ranney and Robby Bailey believe a mix of self-care and community is just the comfort people need, and they work to create a safe and quiet third space. Ghost’s community originally began in Clayton, Georgia, but has since relocated to Athens as of June 2025. Ranney…
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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…
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Athens Mayor Notes Crime Drop, Emphasizes Prevention Programs
Aggravated assaults, robberies and motor vehicle thefts have declined in Athens-Clarke County this year, while the community has not recorded a homicide as of Sept. 23. Mayor Kelly Girtz outlined the trends during a Sept. 23 news conference with University of Georgia journalism students, framing public safety as not only…