mayor
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Athens-Clarke County
Q&As Provide Look Into Lives of Public Representatives, Servants
Reporting I students each semester learn more about their beats — a special topic area of focus — by conducting research and interviews with community and student leaders, entrepreneurs, musicians, professors, performers and others. The nearly 80 students in the course conducted an interview on their beat in September. This…
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Q&As
Q&A: BOE Member LaKeisha Gantt Sees Mayoral Run as ‘Next Step’
LaKeisha Gantt, Clarke County Board of Education former president and current member, is campaigning in the 2026 Athens-Clarke County mayoral election. Q: As someone who has lived in Athens your whole life, what inspired you to run for mayor? A: It wasn’t really one single moment or turning point. It’s…
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Q&As
Q&A: Athens-Clarke Mayor Wants Opportunities to Be His Lasting Impact
Kelly Girtz is in his final term as mayor of Athens-Clarke County, which has more than 128,000 residents. Q: Alright, so you’ve had a long history of working in the Athens community, from education to District 9 commissioner. What inspired you to become the mayor? A: I really wanted to…
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Athens-Clarke County
Athens Implements North Thomas Street Crosswalk, Public Safety Measures
Athens-Clarke County will add a pedestrian crossing on North Thomas Street near The Classic Center following two car accidents that resulted in fatalities, Mayor Kelly Girtz said Sept. 23 in a news conference. This project will make the city safer for pedestrians and drivers, Girtz said, while discussing public safety…
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Athens-Clarke County
Northeast Georgia County Representatives Discuss Population Growth
Grady Newsource brought in representatives from the surrounding counties to address the issue of population growth — during a special solutions journalism broadcast on Nov. 15. Recently, Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Jackson, Oconee and Madison counties have all seen an influx in population. The Solutions Journalism Network defines solutions journalism as rigorous reporting…
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In-Depth
Shenanigans: The Heart of a Community
Shenanigans Irish Bar and Pub is more than just a restaurant. For some, it is a piece of the Dahlonega community. It houses some of the most colorful characters in town and is known for quality food and drink. What makes it special, however, goes beyond that. Deb Rowe,…
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Athens-Clarke County
Mayor Kelly Girtz’s Office Advocates for Appropriate Purchasing Card Usage in Athens-Clarke County
Roughly 600 government-issued credit cards, or purchasing cards, are issued to various individuals and institutions within Athens-Clarke County Unified Government. Not one of them, however, belongs to the mayor. Mayor Kelly Girtz, sworn into office in January 2019, has not elected to have a purchasing card provided to him in…
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Athens-Clarke County
UGA President Weighs in on Halting Bars, Apartments Downtown
The Athens-Clarke County moratorium that was put in effect earlier this month is still drawing criticism from both sides — most recently by President of the University of Georgia Jere Morehead. Morehead spoke out about the legislation at a press conference last Wednesday saying that the city would benefit from…
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Athens-Clarke County
Athens Commissioners Postpone Adoption of Budget Goals
By Richard Banton Athens commissioners will hammer out the upcoming fiscal year’s goals and objectives in late January. The move comes after a heated meeting last night that saw the commission split on whether to postpone the adoption. The budget’s goals and objectives guide the year’s operating budget, determining where…