Northeast Georgia News
Reporting from Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison, Oconee and surrounding counties.
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The Gem of Dahlonega
Through the curvy roads of Dahlonega, Georgia, Crisson Gold Mine rests nestled in the trees and is always open for business. Though the mine has been active since 1847, it has been open to the public since 1969 when it was owned by John and Dorothy Crisson. Since 1990,…
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Vintage Music in Downtown Dahlonega
Banjo. Vinyl. Violin. Lessons. These are the words that adorn—and some of the things you’ll find at the top of—the worn staircase of Vintage Music, a combination instrument repair shop, recording studio and music store in downtown Dahlonega, Georgia. At the top of the steps, you’ll find a creaky…
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Accountability in ACCPD: Police Complaints Go Through Specific Process
In 2017, two out of 46 total police complaints made against Athens-Clarke County Police Department received disciplinary action, according to an investigation of over 100 complaints. In 2018, a similar number of complaints received disciplinary action. Complaints in Athens go to the department’s Office of Professional Standards and Recruitment, where…
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Bringing Lavender to the Mountains
“It’s about giving back to the community.” For Tina Misko and her fiancé, David Duffey operating the Red Oak Lavender Farm is a way to interact with the community and to stay active post-retirement. Originally from Atlanta, Misko, 60, has always preferred the outdoors and living in the country. Ten…
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Criminal Cases in Athens: An Examination of Public Defenders Versus Hired Attorneys
Defendants, with their friends, family and attorneys, slowly filed into Judge Lawton Stephens’ courtroom in the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse for an arraignment on the morning of April 5, 2019. Low chatter filled the room as the crowd waited for Stephens to arrive, attorneys streaming in and out of the courtroom.…
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Breaking Down Georgia’s Winding Path to Medical Marijuana Legalization
When Nora Bushfield’s daughter was born, she gave her the name Jolie. Jolie means pretty in French, and her mother said she is. She’s beautiful. When Jolie was nine months old, she started having uncontrollable seizures. Intractable, they’re called, because they can’t be stopped by typical treatment methods. Jolie could…
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Environmental Effort: A Work in Progress at UGA and Around the World
In 1969, the Cuyahoga River caught on fire. Floating pieces of oil-slicked debris were ignited by a passing train, sending the river in Northeast Ohio up in flames. The fire reached over five stories tall and lasted almost 30 minutes. It caused $50,000 in damages. The river has caught fire…
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The Difference Maker
When Chip Bridges left his first job out of college at Lumpkin County High School, he wasn’t sure when he would come back. He certainly wouldn’t realize the impact he would have on the agriculture program when he did. One year after returning to the high school as Agriculture Director…
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Fantastic Fruits and Where to Find Them: Exploring Local Produce in Athens, Georgia
“Where do you get your groceries?” wasn’t always a loaded question. Before the mid-2000s, you weren’t expected to wonder where your supermarket apples were grown, or how they got to the supermarket. Since then, however, the local food movement has taken off. Over the last two decades, demand for locally…
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Drivers May Want to Start Pumping the Brakes: Analysis Finds High Speeds, Ticket Volume on College Station Road
Hundreds of Athens drivers were caught going over the speed limit in 2018 on College Station Road. If you were one of the ones caught speeding, chances are, you were going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, it was in the afternoon, and you were pulled over by…