Athens-Clarke County commissioners are considering rerouting Firefly Trail, diverting a portion of it from the railbed onto Moores Grove Road and mixing people on foot and bikes with speeding cars. A handful of landowners there have resisted selling segments of their property to complete the trail. The commission voted in 2021 to approve the current route along the abandoned railbed and in 2022 to authorize the use of eminent domain to acquire the necessary property. But now, Commissioner P...| Flagpole
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 at City Hall. It is one of many preventative measures that he supports to reduce crimes such as driving under the influence, drug and narcotic violations, motor vehicle theft an...| Flagpole
Today, the new Athens emo folk project Valley of Giants, fronted by singer-songwriter Malie Kato with Iain Cooke on instrumentation, debuts its song “Causation” with a live session video from Ear Bonez Studio. Joining the duo for this performance is Julia Barfield. Valley of Giants describes itself as blending “folk’s storytelling roots with emo’s raw vulnerability, creating music for anyone who has missed something they can’t quite name” while turning “personal confession...| Flagpole
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ACE/FRANCISCO GALLERY (675 Pulaski St., Suite 500) Heaven4theYoung presents “The Uncanny Valley” featuring ceramics, oils and watercolors by Frances Thrasher. On view Oct. 16 through January 2026. Opening reception Oct. 16, 6–9 p.m. AMICI AT THE FALLS (8851 Macon Hwy., Suite 501) Works by artist Camille Hayes on view through October. ATHENAEUM (287 W Broad St.) In the main gallery, Krista Clark’s “assembly” presents a site-specific installation informed by the politics and poetics...| Flagpole
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ON THE BEACH: Athens-adjacent artist Jake Chisenhall (Floral Portrait, Delorean Gray) has let slip his first release under his proper name. The five-song release is titled Be Steel, My Heart. From the first saxophone blast of opening song “Flowers Of Inez,” it’s tempting to categorize this as adult contemporary, but that temptation only lasts a few seconds. Once it’s passed, listeners will notice a distinct Beach Boys influence from vocal melodies to instrumentation and arrangement. T...| Flagpole
At least six of 10 Athens-Clarke County commissioners support a proposal to raise commissioners’ salaries to about $28,000 a year, the first such increase in 20 years. Part-time commissioners have earned a base salary of $15,000 since 2001, which is currently $19,133 with automatic cost-of-living increases, plus another $1,200 if they complete certification training offered by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. If approved, the new annual salary would be $28,693—the median for commi...| Flagpole
After 20 years of lobbying by neighborhood residents, Prince Avenue has its bike lanes. The Athens-Clarke County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday night to make the Prince Avenue pilot project permanent. “Some of us thought this day would never come, and it feels a little surreal,” said Commissioner Melissa Link, who’s been advocating for bike lanes on Prince since well before her election in 2014. “This has really been transformative for a lot of people.” The 60-day pilot projec...| Flagpole
Cobbham residents are asking the developer of a hotel behind the former UGA President’s House on Prince Avenue to reduce the size of the building by almost two-thirds. Gainesville-based Capstone Property Group has proposed an 88,000 square-foot, 116-room hotel on the five-acre property, with the historic house serving as a restaurant, bar and suite. The Historic Cobbham Foundation voted to support a hotel that’s about 30,000–38,000 square feet, in line with The Rivet House hotel at the ...| Flagpole
Earlier this month, Mayor Kelly Girtz announced that, for the first time, Athens had made it through half the year without a single murder. “This has been a team effort with ACCPD, every community support organization, and every resident,” he posted on social media. “We continue to strive for improvements, but this is a huge accomplishment.” That does not mean, however, that Athens no longer has a gun violence problem. From 2021–2024, there were 436 shootings in Athens, wounding or ...| Flagpole
Clarke Central High School student Noah Kilpatrick found a way to connect his passion for running to a community service project for the Eagle Scouts, resulting in a uniquely impactful opportunity that engages multiple communities within Athens. The Eagle Scout project is the last step in becoming a full Eagle Scout, and scouts submit a detailed proposal to the organization’s board for a project that benefits the community. Once approved, the scout works with a project coach and must show l...| Flagpole
The two organizations are unrelated, but the YWCO and YMCA share similar missions, play similar roles in the Athens community, and both are embarking on capital campaigns to expand and modernize their facilities. The YWCO recently sold a 22-acre parcel it had purchased in 2007, when a senior housing developer made an offer they couldn’t refuse for its Research Drive land. That project fell through, however, and the board of directors eventually realized they could not afford to maintain two...| Flagpole
For over 35 years in Athens, GA, Flagpole has taken a fiercely independent, hyperlocal approach to covering politics, music, art, food and culture, in addition to providing a comprehensive events calendar. Put simply, we keep Athens informed on the who, what, when, where and why of goings-on around town. Unlike many other newspapers, Flagpole has always been and will continue to be free, thanks largely to Athens’ local business community. In exchange for their support, our partners reach m...| Flagpole
