The ACC Board of Elections did not have the authority to hire a second attorney to help defend their use of paper ballots during early voting last month. That’s according to ACC Attorney Judd Drake, who originally counseled board members against the switch to paper ballots, saying it would be […]
Tuesday night, Athens-Clarke County Commissioners expected a difficult set of choices in store for them going into budget talks this year. Might they be forced to raise taxes or cut services as the COVID-19 recession continues? According to initial estimates, maybe not. ACC Manager Blaine Williams’s first draft of the […]
Sheriff Edwards declined a video interview due to social distancing rules imposed by the threat of COVID-19. Instead, we completed the interview over email. Here are the questions APN asked, and his responses: Athens Politics Nerd: “Why should voters choose you over your opponent?” Sheriff Ira Edwards: “Stability in Leadership. […]
The mayor and commission is calling for leniency on rent and mortgage payments for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. At their meeting on March 31, the commission unanimously passed a resolution calling on local landlords and mortgage holders to take a number of steps in support of tenants and […]
Nurses at both hospitals in Athens are reporting a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, but are not yet receiving hazard or crisis pay. There is a nationwide shortage of N95 respirators (which are face masks that filter out at least 95% of airborne particles) […]
Clyde Armory, a local gun shop, is suing the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government over the Shelter in Place Ordinance implemented last week. UPDATE 4/7/20: This lawsuit has been dismissed. Clyde argues that the ordinance, designed to stop the spread of COVID-19, is “unduly intrusive” and a violation of both the […]
The Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission is ordering all of Athens to stay home as much as possible until April 7, 2020. Say that again? Due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, all non-essential businesses and non-profits are hereby closed to the public. All non-essential travel is prohibited. All gatherings […]
All Athens Transit services will be offered free of charge until April 7, as part of the local government’s response to COVID-19 (aka coronavirus). With UGA out of session, the bus is operating on a weekend schedule of nine routes, 7 days a week. It may be a reduced schedule, […]