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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Athens Implements North Thomas Street Crosswalk, Public Safety Measures
Athens-Clarke County will add a pedestrian crossing on North Thomas Street near The Classic Center following two car accidents that resulted in fatalities, Mayor Kelly Girtz said Sept. 23 in a news conference. This project will make the city safer for pedestrians and drivers, Girtz said, while discussing public safety…
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Athens Mayor: No New Developments Regarding Drug-Related Inmate Deaths
There are no new developments in the investigations regarding the deaths of four inmates in the Athens-Clarke County Jail between April and July 2025, Mayor Kelly Girtz said Tuesday. Two of these inmates died of apparent drug overdoses. Before the death of the fourth inmate, Clarke County Sheriff John Williams…
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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…
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Athens Water Festival creates awareness for water conservation
Area children splashed and adults learned more about the water they use everyday at the annual Athens Water Festival on Sept. 6. The event, held at Sandy Creek Park, aims to teach people more about where their water comes from and water conservation. “I’m really glad that we get to…
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Clarke Central Tennis Players Find Strength in Coach’s Cancer Fight
Last June, Clarke Central High School assistant tennis coach Evan Adams received life-changing news. At just 33 years old, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. A steady presence on the Gladiators’ courts for more than five years, Adams has always led her players with close connections and a strong emphasis…
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From Load-In to Lights-Out: What It Takes to Keep Athens’ Iconic Sound Alive
Long before the first chord rings through the Georgia Theatre and hours after the last fan files out of downtown Athens, Colm O’Reilly is still working — loading out gear, wrapping cords and preparing for tomorrow’s show. He’s been there since 7 a.m. “When people think of Athens’ music scene,…
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Fresh Food, Fresh Start: How Athens FARMRx Connects Health, Local Produce
With a bag of leafy greens in one hand and fresh tomatoes in the other, Maya Alandete sees more than produce changing hands. She sees confidence, connection and a chance at better health. That’s the mission behind FARMRx, a food-as-medicine program helping bridge the gap between healthcare and healthy eating…
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Voices That Shaped The South: Legacy of Georgia’s Female Writers
Georgia’s women writers — from Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone with the Wind” to Flannery O’Connor’s haunting Southern Gothic tales — have played a key role in shaping and redefining the landscape of Southern literature. At the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Library in Athens, the archives reveal the legacies of these…
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Get to Know: Gym Owner Caroline Ward
After feeling a call to leave her career in accounting and pursue what she loves, UGA gymnastics alumna Caroline Ward opened a gym and wellness program in the basement of her home. Since then, TransFit Athens has outgrown her home and become a staple in Five Points as a strong…
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Keeping Athens In Tune: How Two Venues Built a Music Legacy
Athens has long been a birthplace of musical innovation, launching acts like R.E.M., the B-52s and Widespread Panic. This project explores how two of its most iconic venues, the Georgia Theatre and the 40 Watt Club, collaborate to sustain the city’s vibrant music scene. Through interviews with venue staff, we…