News – Digital Storytelling

Is Venezuela Losing Its Fight for Survival?

September 21, 2019February 13, 2020 Dito MontanaChavez, Guaido, Health, Human Rights Violations, Humanitarian Crisis, Military Regime, Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela3 Comments

ATHENS, GEORGIA– Roughly 4 million refugees have left Venezuela since 2014 due to the crippling humanitarian crisis, making it the largest exodus from a Latin American country in recent history, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Decades of severe economic mismanagement by the military dictatorship has left many Venezuelans struggling to survive. Millions of people lack access to fundamental necessities like food and medicine as President Nicolas Maduro continues to restrict the flow of humanitarian aid into the country. Three out of four citizens reported…

Community Health News Organizations

ACCPD works to improve mental health response procedures

May 17, 2019August 27, 2019 Amy ScottAdvantage Behavioral Health Systems, Athens, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, crisis intervention, Georgia, John Radford, Katie McFarland, mental health, Mental Illness, Robie Cochran, suicide prevention0 comment

Story written and produced by: Amy Scott, Alexandria Ellison and Ashlyn Webb ATHENS, Ga. — Athens-Clarke County Police linked approximately 140 citizens back to mental health resources in 2018, continuing their 2016 initiative to lower the incarceration rate of the mentally ill. This is due in part by the ACCPD’s 2016 mental health collaboration and Georgia’s Crisis Intervention Team training.The mental health collaboration is a partnership between ACCPD, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, Advantage Behavioral Health and UGA’s Fanning Institute. The collaboration was created to “examine policies, enhance interdepartmental communications,…

Environment Health News

Athens Set to Become Wetter, Hotter, Experts Say

May 14, 2019May 14, 2019 Sarah WaruiAthens-Clarke County, Climate Change, Environment, Health, sustainability, University of Georgia0 comment

ATHENS, Ga. — Athens climate is becoming more extreme, with hotter and wetter days ahead in response to human-induced climate change, according to researchers. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that Athens experienced its highest rainfall average in 2018 in the last 20 years. Rain averaged almost 70 inches in 2018 compared to the 46-inch rainfall average from 1981 to 2010. These aren’t the only expected weather changes. “The latest research that we have on what should happen in the southeastern United States, including Athens, is that we will…

Athens health scores reflect more than food quality

May 13, 2019May 22, 2019 Ashley SorianoAthens-Clarke County, Environmental Health Department, Fuzzy's Taco Shop, Health inspection, Health violation, Mama Jewel's Kitchen0 comment

ATHENS, Ga. — Local restaurant health scores don’t only reflect food quality and kitchen cleanliness, a fact that restaurant owners and managers alike wish the public knew more about. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, health inspection violations fall into two categories: risk factor violations, such as proper cooking temperatures, and good retail practice violations, such as building infrastructure. “It’s really not the score itself. It’s the violations. You can have multiple good retail practice violations that can get somebody into a B score, but overall they may…

Government News

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

December 10, 2018May 13, 2019 Caitlin Jettcommunity, Environmental Awareness, Plastic Bags0 comment

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…

Community Government News Organizations Social Issue

Dreamers in Athens Maintain Hope Amidst Uncertain Future

February 19, 2018April 13, 2019 Rebecca Nauth, Emma KorstanjeDACA, Dreamers, Immigration0 comment

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…

Community Health News Organizations Social Issue

Campus Kitchen Provides Thousands of Meals for Food Insecure Households

February 18, 2018December 7, 2018 Rachel GraceACCA, Athens, Athens Community Council on Aging, Campus Kitchen, Campus Kitchen at UGA, Food Insecurity, Hunger Relief, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, UGA, UGA Office of Service Learning, UGArden, University of Georgia, Volunteering0 comment

ATHENS, Ga. – Campus Kitchen at the University of Georgia distributed 25,000 pounds of food to food insecure households and food banks around Athens last year, according to the program’s website. The organization recovered more than 43,000 pounds of food from local grocery stores and gardens, such as UGArden, which they used to provide weekly nutritious meals for their clients and then redistributed unused food to related programs in the area. “Our model is built on creative food sourcing,” said Brad Turner, the program coordinator for the organization at UGA’s Office of Service…

Entertainment News Uncategorized

Athens Drag Culture Inspires Gender Identification

February 9, 2018December 7, 2018 Savannah Peatathens drag, drag, drag culture, drag race0 comment

ATHENS, Ga. – Diego Wolf, a native of Conway, Arkansas, who now lives in Athens, said that drag shows– the energetic art of song and dance– have given him a way for him to find his true self. “It is a socially acceptable, safe place to explore the identity that you choose, and not the one that you are born with,” Wolf said. Between three drag groups, a dozen human rights events, and weekly drag performances, drag has become a staple in Athens, according to Wolf. When exploring one’s…

Community Crime Government News

ACCPD Builds Community Relations, Strengthens Communication

December 8, 2017December 7, 2018 Robert DentyACCPD, Athens-Clarke County, community oriented policing0 comment

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…

Entertainment News

UGA Experts Claim Experiential Marketing Creates More Demand

December 7, 2017December 7, 2018 Kathryn Kostovetsky & Mackenzie Eldridge2 chains, 2 chainz, abigail castro, album, ambiguous, american marketing association, Athens, athens ga, Athens-Clarke County, Atlanta, audience, billboard 200, caroline stroud, charts, communications, cool, digital media, Education, engaging marketing, experiential marketing, Facebook, Georgia, Instagram, instagram page, interactive marketing, marketing, Millennials, music, music artists, norm, photo op, pink trap house, pretty girls like trap music, promotional period, promotions, rankings, reputation, sabrina hand, snakes, social media, social media tactics, taylor swift, trap house, Twitter, UGA, uga marketing, uga marketing experts, unique, unique marketing, University of Georgia, unusual0 comment

ATHENS, Ga. – University of Georgia marketing experts stress that unique social media tactics from music artists can earn them higher rankings. In August 2017, music artist Taylor Swift blacked out all of her social media and posted unexplained videos of snakes to her Instagram. This was to build anticipation for her new album which is set to come out in November 2017. President of UGA’s American Marketing Association, Sabrina Hand, described this tactic as “Experiential Marketing,” a method that engages the audience to participate and connect with the artist. “This…