Northeast Georgia News
Reporting from Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison, Oconee and surrounding counties.
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From Burnout to Balance: Holistic Self-Care at the Healing Arts Centre
Step inside the Healing Arts Centre on Prince Avenue and the energy shifts. The lights are soft instead of fluorescent, the air scented with herbs and incense. Upstairs, a yoga studio awaits its next guests with neatly rolled mats. Down the hall, therapy and massage rooms offer couches, plants and…
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Klassy Kats: Working Toward Solutions That Are Cat, Community Centered
Citizens of Butts County are no strangers to seeing animals dropped off on the side of the road or strays living on backroads. Butts is a rural county that is constantly dealing with overpopulation of animals. Over halfway through 2025, 497 cats had been taken in solely by Butts County…
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From Soil to System: How Marigold Collective is Redefining Local Food Access
Each Saturday, Winterville’s Pittard Park becomes a living, breathing testament of community resilience and sustainability. Local vendors line the walkways, tables overflowing with bright leafy greens and fresh homemade bread, while live music and the scent of roasted coffee set the mood. Responding to Community Need Athens-Clarke County qualifies as…
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Population Boom Boosts Jackson County Volleyball Team
The halls at Jackson County High School are growing busier each year, and so is the volleyball court. As the county’s population surges, more students are filling classrooms, lockers and tryout lists. The squeak of sneakers and the thud of volleyballs echo through the gym as coaches call out drills,…
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Rezone Withdrawn from Bishop Town Council Agenda
A request to rezone six acres on High Shoals Road for a special event venue was withdrawn from the December Bishop Town Council agenda. The Oconee County Planning Commission in November recommended denial of the rezone for the property adjacent to the planned location of St. Aelred Catholic Church, according…
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Hope Behind Bars: How Clarke County Jail’s Re-Entry Program Is Changing Lives
When Cheyenne walked into the Clarke County Jail four and a half months ago, she thought she was stepping into another setback. Instead, she was greeted with a support system, new connections and eventually a diploma. On Oct. 16, 22-year-old Cheyenne became the second jail resident and first female to…
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On 50th Anniversary, Lay Park Playground Faces Possible Changes
City officials and residents are split over a redevelopment plan of 295 E. Dougherty Street, where supporters expressed excitement for new parking, student housing and urbanization while others warned the project may disrupt community services, limit access to Lay Park Community Center and overlook housing needs. Lay Park Community Center…
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How Autumn Olive is Being Removed from Heritage Park to Help Native Species
At Heritage Park in Oconee County, an invasive plant species called the “autumn olive” is continuing to grow and cause harm to native plants found in the park. Cindy Pritchard, executive director of the Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission, is holding bi-monthly removal days, through February 2026, to help keep…
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Athens Nonprofits Cope with Post-Shutdown SNAP Demand
Local nonprofits in Athens are continuing to feel the effects of the longest government shutdown in U.S history. “Until something gets taken away, you don’t really realize how much of a gift it is,” said Cole Phillips, CEO and Medical Director of Mercy Health Center, reflecting on the challenges faced…
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A Punch a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: Woman Gains Strength While Boxing Through Parkinson’s
Rolling hills, wandering deer and quaint towns slip past the clear windows of Marcy Floyd’s car as “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” drifts out of the speakers. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Floyd makes the hour-and-a-half commute from her house in Lake Oconee to the X3 gym off Milledge…