Government News 

Girtz’s Environmental Plan Sparks Concern for Low-Income Families

ATHENS, Ga. — Some residents of Athens-Clarke County fear that a plan on plastic bags could cause a negative impact on low-income families. Kelly Girtz, mayor-elect of Athens-Clarke, released an environmental plan that includes a ban or fee on plastic bag use in the county. While Girtz mentioned that he will ensure that low-income families will not be burdened by this plan, there are still concerns lingering among Athens-Clarke residents. Asynaka Willis, business account manager at Haven, a company that offers services such as document printing to web hosting, in Athens, Georgia, an…

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Community Government News Organizations Social Issue 

Dreamers in Athens Maintain Hope Amidst Uncertain Future

ATHENS, Ga. – The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) is scheduled to expire on March 5 putting as many as 21,600 registered beneficiaries of this federal program popularly called Dreamers in Georgia at risk for deportation, according to the Migration Policy Institute.  The ending of DACA, which allows undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to live and work in the country, would demographically affect those that are single and under the age 24. If faced with deportation, almost 80 percent of these young DACA recipients…

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Athens Attempts to Increase Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety

ATHENS, Ga. – Athens-Clarke County is constructing a new bicycle and pedestrian master plan, Athens in Motion, with the intention of making the roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. The plan rates roads on a level of comfort scale that ranges from one to five, with a score of one being the safest and five being the least safe for cyclists of varying skill levels. The ratings system is bolstered by Athens-Clarke County residents who point out problem areas for bicyclists and pedestrians on an interactive map provided by the…

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Community Crime Government News 

ACCPD Builds Community Relations, Strengthens Communication

ATHENS, Ga. – The Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) is using a new strategy of community oriented policing in hopes of changing the relationship between local law enforcement and the public. The policy, implemented by ACCPD Chief Scott Freeman, gets officers out of their patrol cars and into the community to build stronger bonds with the people they serve and will usher in the next era of policing in Athens, Freeman said. Click below to watch an interview with the University of Georgia’s Dr. Brian Williams on community policing.  “I think…

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UGA Professors Analyze Trends and Causes Behind Opioid Epidemic

  ATHENS, GEORGIA — University of Georgia (UGA) professors Randall Tackett,Jayani Jayawardhana, and Matthew Perri are researching causes and trends behind the opioid epidemic in northeast Georgia. Although the three professors are conducting separate studies, they all are investigating the causes behind the rising use of opioids on UGA’s campus and northeast Georgia. Professor Randall Tackett, a pharmacy professor at UGA, studies abused drugs. He deals with students on UGA’s campus who struggle with addiction to opioids and runs programs in school systems to help with addiction. He uses his studies to…

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Community Education Government News Organizations Uncategorized 

Poverty and Immigration Policy May Hurt Hispanic Education in Athens

ATHENS, GEORGIA— According to national studies and local experts in Athens, outside factors in 2017 may contribute to the continued education gap that has afflicted Hispanic-American students, especially those born into immigrant families. The Pew Research Center reports that the national percentage of Latinx children born to immigrant parents now accounts for less than half of the U.S. born Latinx population. Although the number of U.S. born Latinx children born to immigrant parents is decreasing, another report shows that only 77 percent of Hispanic students graduate from high-school. According to Susan…

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