Blake Aued

Athens

Editor @FlagpoleMag, contributor @streetsblogUSA. I learned a long time ago that reality was much weirder than anyone’s imagination.

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Articles

Friday’s Headlines Got DOGE’d Again

1 week ago | ecotopical.com | Blake Aued

Welcome to EcoTopical Your daily eco-friendly green news aggregator. Leaf through planet Earths environmental headlines in one convenient place. Read, share and discover the latest on ecology, science and green living from the web's most popular sites.
UGA Remains Silent on Cuts to Federal Research Grants

1 week ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

In March, Keegan Brooks woke up to an email from his boss informing him that his position as a lab tech no longer existed because the National Park Service had terminated a contract with UGA. Brooks found a new job, but others have not been so lucky. Tens of thousands of federal employees have lost their jobs, alongside an untold number of graduate and post-doc students conducting research at universities like UGA. The impact of federal cuts in a government town like Athens is far-reaching.
ACC and CCSD Officials Wait for DOGE's Other Shoe to Drop

1 week ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

Despite President Trump’s stated goal of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, so far public schools are largely unscathed. Still, Clarke County School District officials are preparing for a potential 15–20% cut come July 1, when the district usually receives its federal funding. “We don’t anticipate any changes in [fiscal year] 2026, but it’s something we need to monitor,” Chief Financial Officer Chris Griner told the school board at an Apr.
First Phase of Bethel Redevelopment, View at NoDA, Is Now Open

1 week ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

Eight years ago, Rick Parker and the Athens Housing Authority board of directors approached the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission with the innovative idea of using SPLOST money to rebuild Bethel Midtown Village as a mixed-income community. One pandemic, one global supply chain meltdown and more than $40 million later, the first phase of The View at NoDA (North Downtown Athens) is officially open (and yes, the name does bring to mind SodoSopa from “South Park”).
Mayor Girtz Proposes Few Changes in New Athens-Clarke County Budget

1 week ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

Mayor Kelly Girtz introduced a $202 million general fund budget for Athens-Clarke County last week, down $2 million from the current fiscal year, keeping the property tax rate level at 12.45 mills. The budget includes pay raises for ACC employees but few new initiatives, adding just 12 positions to the county government workforce of 1,800.
Renowned Planner Visits Athens to Discuss New Land Use Plan

1 week ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

The Athens-Clarke County Planning Department is bringing a renowned urban planning expert to town this week as part of a three-year-long effort to draw a new future land use map guiding growth for the next 25 years. Joe Minicozzi, former director of the Asheville Downtown Association and founder of the urban planning firm Urban3, specializes in using graphics to help people visualize the impact of land use on tax revenue.
Gov. Brian Kemp Passes on Running for U.S. Senate

1 week ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp will not run against Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026. Politico first broke the news, which was then confirmed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I have decided that being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family,” Kemp, an Athens native, said in a statement posted on X.
Rep. Mike Collins Finally Holds a Town Hall Meeting—Over the Phone - Flagpole

2 weeks ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, whose 10th District includes Athens, has refused to hold a town hall meeting here, but he did participate in a conference call with constituents last week, answering mostly softball questions ostensibly supplied by callers from mostly red rural areas like Rutledge and Collins’ hometown of Jackson, but funneled through an aide.
Proposed $251 Million CCSD Budget Could Include Tax Cut

2 weeks ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

Clarke County School District administrators are proposing to leave this year’s property tax rate unchanged, but homeowners could see a tax cut if one school board member gets his way. Tim Denson proposed lowering the millage rate from its current level of 18.8 mills—$18.80 for every $1,000 of assessed value—to 18.2 mills by taking money from the district’s fund balance of $55 million.
Athens State Sen. Bill Cowsert Is Running for Georgia Attorney General

3 weeks ago | flagpole.com | Blake Aued

In an announcement slamming his hometown as a “sanctuary city” run by “extremist liberals,” state Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) announced today that he is running for Georgia attorney general. First elected in 2006, Cowsert is in his ninth term as a state senator for District 46, which currently includes Oconee County and parts of Clarke, Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett counties.