Northeast Georgia News
Reporting from Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison, Oconee and surrounding counties.
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‘A Perfect Storm’: Athenians Carry the Weight of the Energy Burden
When Moesha Tutt opened her energy bill from Walton EMC in January, the nearly-$900 balance for a mere two months shocked her and brought her to tears. The high bill was another stressor for her already-struggling family. After injuring her arm in a car wreck in October, Tutt, a…
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Clarke Central Offers Go Succeed Program to Provide Mentorship
Go Succeed is a mentorship program that provides college prep resources and career advice to high school students in Athens-Clarke County. Students who otherwise wouldn’t have access to that aid are able to be better prepared for life after secondary education. At Clarke Central High School, the Go Succeed Program…
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Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter Asks Community to Help with Overcrowding
Barking can be heard from every corner of the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter. For Charlie, the barking was in celebration of reuniting with his family. “We got Charlie chipped today,” Shannon Everett said, who reclaimed Charlie as his owner. “We are very grateful to Madison County animal shelter for what…
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Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Tackles School Zone Speeding
Speeding in school zones is an increasing problem in Jackson County, but the Jackson County Sheriff’s office is hoping to make a change. Flashing blue police lights can be seen in most Jackson County school zones before and after school hours, and the sheriff’s office wants people to know that…
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Jefferson Community Hosts 5K to Raise Money for Teacher with Breast Cancer
Heather Backer has spent 24 years of her life teaching in Jackson County schools, and as she fights a second battle with cancer, the schools are giving back to her. Backer, a physical education teacher at Gum Springs Elementary School, was diagnosed with two types of breast cancer in 2015.…
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Harnessing the Sun: How Residential Solar Tackles Family Emissions
Hartwell, Georgia resident Patricia Burrows owns a completely self-sustaining home and feels proud to be a solar energy homeowner. “By going solar, the greatest benefit is to the environment. We are no longer using fossil fuels, which the electric companies use to then generate the electricity and send it to…
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African-American Heritage Pathway Marks Athens Landmarks
Local historians are hoping to shine a spotlight on several lost and forgotten landmarks in Downtown Athens. They hope this effort helps preserve and communicate some of the rich and complex history of African Americans in the Classic City. In November, the Athens Downtown Development Authority, in collaboration with the…
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Athens Area Pagans Advocate for Freedom of Religion
A woman invites a group of her closest friends to spend a Wednesday evening together at her house in the woods. They are not spending the evening indoors watching TV or sharing a meal. Tonight the focus is on an important religious ceremony they will hold outdoors. Members of the…
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Local Residents With Disabilities Struggle To Get Jobs Amid Long Medicaid Lines
Sitting on a wooden booth inside Taziki’s Mediterranian Cafe in downtown Athens, Lesha Bizzle can barely contain her joy. It escapes through a giggly smile while large tubs of greek dressing and red salsa sit on the table in front of her. The woman is joyful solely because she is…
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Human Connection: Organizations Return To In-Person Outreach
Chris and Ja’Nina Hamilton park their car on the edge of The Preserve neighborhood in Jefferson, Georgia, and start walking. The couple are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and have been waiting for this moment for nearly three years. They are thrilled to be back doing what they love — knocking on doors. …