Northeast Georgia News
Reporting from Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison, Oconee and surrounding counties.
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Can Foster Homes Keep up with the Increase of Children Entering the Foster Care System?
Dr. John DeGarmo lost his first child 23 years ago. This loss fueled a passion in Dr. DeGarmo to help children who are suffering. He and his wife Dr. Kelly DeGarmo opened their doors to more than 60 foster children. Nationwide the increase in the number of children in need…
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Women Can Face Difficulties When Owning a Business
Kate Van Cantfort likes her feet to be in work boots and her face to be makeup free. What she wants is to be able to support herself and her 11-year-old daughter, Emma Van Cantfort-Carpenter. But lately, the 41-year-old owner of Lotta Mae’s Supply Co., a home and garden store…
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Athens Farmers and Business Owners Count the Costs of Working Together
As cooler days begin to last a little longer, the obvious signs of spring manifest themselves in blooming flowers, warmer weather and a higher concentration of runners stretching their legs along Milledge Avenue. In the outdoor eating area at Big City Bread on Finley Street, diners enjoying the mild evening…
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Understanding the Fight Against School Violence in Georgia
May 20, 1999 seemingly began like any other Friday for 15-year-old Jacob Jones. But on this particular morning, a lingering photo assignment deadline forced Jones to forgo his weekly ritual of Friday breakfast at Chick-fil-A with friends and arrive at school much earlier than usual. Aside from skipping breakfast, it…
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Atlanta Native Brings Awareness to Political Causes Through Character-Based Performance Art
On Sine Die—the name for the final day of the Georgia legislative session— Priscilla Smith is found in the hallway of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building writing condolence letters to state legislators who voted to advance the controversial House Bill 481. Nicknamed the “heartbeat bill,” HB 481 would ban most…
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Athens-Clarke County Prepares for Finalized SPLOST Decisions
The building becomes loud with chatter. People scribble in their notebooks and raise their hands to ask questions. The atmosphere in the room resonates progress, but also stress. The deadline is approaching quickly, and the weight of the decision-making process is becoming heavier with each day. The $248 million budget…
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Somebody Call 9-1-1: How it All Works
Strict procedure and technological innovation has allowed 9-1-1 centers, like those in Athens-Clarke-County, to be able to locate exactly where an emergency call is coming from. They can use this real-time information to readily dispatch the appropriate officers to the scene. RapidSOS One of the key tools 9-1-1 dispatchers…
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Trivia Nights: Why Do They Thrive in a Streaming-Obsessed World?
On April 2, the general manager of Woodford Bar on East Washington Street in Athens, Ga., walked into his bar as he does on any other Tuesday evening. Hank Sewell set up the tables and chairs in the social area, made sure the bar area was clean and stocked and,…
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‘It Was A Big Burden’: Life as a Former-911 Dispatcher
When Megan Bocanegra started working as a 911 dispatcher, she expected it to be temporary. She’d just finished her bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and debated whether to attend graduate school. In 2005, she decided to work at the communications center in her hometown of…
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Girls in Healthcare: UGA’s New Organization to Connect, Encourage
Girls in Healthcare (GHC) is a new student organization at the University of Georgia that strives to connect, unify and encourage women pursuing healthcare in Athens and beyond. GHC became a registered organization at the university in April 2018, but the idea first came about in early 2017, by the…