mayor Kelly Girtz
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Q&As
Q&A: Executive Assistant to Athens Mayor Has Inside View to Government for 30 Years
Editor’s Note: Shortly after this interview, Christine Howard was promoted to the Clerk of Commission after the previous clerk retired after 51 years in that role. Christine Howard is the executive assistant to Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz, and her role consists of performing numerous daily tasks such as…
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Athens-Clarke County
Athens Mayor Notes Crime Drop, Emphasizes Prevention Programs
Aggravated assaults, robberies and motor vehicle thefts have declined in Athens-Clarke County this year, while the community has not recorded a homicide as of Sept. 23. Mayor Kelly Girtz outlined the trends during a Sept. 23 news conference with University of Georgia journalism students, framing public safety as not only…
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Athens-Clarke County
Athens-Clarke Hits Public Safety Milestones Amid Ongoing Reforms
Athens-Clarke County has recorded zero murders through September — a first in the county’s history — according to Mayor Kelly Girtz, who announced the milestone Sept. 23 at City Hall. In addition, there has been a significant decrease in major crimes compared to last year. Aggravated assaults dropped to 420,…
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Athens-Clarke County
Athens Mayor, Commission Discuss $7 Million Downtown Athens Project
A $7 million renovation for Downtown Athens, coming in the winter of 2026, is still being discussed by the city’s mayor and commissioners. For decades, Athens residents have debated what to do with College Square. According to David Lynn, director of planning and outreach, the idea of closing the square…
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Athens-Clarke County
Athens Community, Campus Respond to Laken Riley Act Signing
The Laken Riley Act became the first bill signed into law by President Donald Trump’s new administration on Jan. 29. The Act was named after Laken Riley, an Athens-Clarke County resident and Augusta University School of Nursing student who was killed by José Antonio Ibarra, an undocumented migrant from Venezuela…
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Athens-Clarke County
Athens-Clarke Mayor Comments on Possible Immigration Crackdowns
Mayor Kelly Girtz said Athens-Clarke County is not a sanctuary city. “There isn’t even a formal definition of that term,” Girtz said on Monday. “Under Georgia law, cities and counties cannot legally function as sanctuary cities.” President Donald Trump’s administration has escalated its challenge against “sanctuary city” laws by threatening…