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Athens-Clarke OKs cat shelter, keeping streetlights on
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Athens Banner-Herald
The Athens-Clarke Commission voted Tuesday to spend $160,000 to keep streetlights on and open a county-run shelter for cats.
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Jobs to be key in local campaigns
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Athens Banner-Herald
As Athens-Clarke voters get ready to elect a new mayor and up to three new county commissioners, one thing is on their minds: jobs.
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Foes and supporters of sales tax mobilizing
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Athens Banner-Herald
Supporters and opponents of extending a local sales tax are gearing up campaigns to sway voters to their point of view before they head to the ballot box in November.
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Noise law challenged once more
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke's noise ordinance faced a new challenge in court Monday as the lawyer for a former University of Georgia student argued that an April 2009 citation violated his constitutional rights.
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Tax list a target at forum in mayoral race
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Athens Banner-Herald
The list of projects that extending a 1 percent local sales tax would pay for already is set, and Athens voters will decide on it the same day they elect a new mayor, but mayoral candidate Nancy Denson said Saturday she would veto the list if given the chance.
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Police exempt as laws target distracted drivers
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke County employees must obey the state ban on text-messaging while driving, but also will have to pull to the side of the road to use cell phones under a new policy that takes effect this week.
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All mayoral candidates vow to work on jobs
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Athens Banner-Herald
With unemployment about 8 percent, jobs dominated a Saturday forum for Athens-Clarke mayoral candidates.
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Taxi system not ideal, but is there a better way?
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke commissioners are taking another crack at reforming the city's sometimes-dysfunctional taxi cab system.
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Plan to cut streetlights draws criticism
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Athens Banner-Herald
Several Athens-Clarke commissioners spoke out Thursday against a proposal to turn off 82 streetlights to save $10,000 on electricity.
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Athens-Clarke eyes a plan for cat shelter
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke Animal Control soon may begin accepting stray cats because residents have nowhere else to take them.
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Athens-Clarke County reconsiders shutting off dozens of streetlights
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Athens Banner-Herald
Two years after public opposition persuaded Athens-Clarke commissioners to abandon a plan to shut off 1,216 streetlights to save money in a budget crisis, they are returning to the idea as the crunch continues.
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Commission should be clearer on sewer line
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Athens Banner-Herald
The lengthy volleying between Athens-Clarke County's government staff and the mayor and commission over extending sewer service into a northeastern section of the county continues to find the mayor and commission reluctant to proceed on largely environmental grounds, as government staff argues that public health concerns virtually mandate the extension.
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Sales tax vote key for trestle
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke officials won't decide whether they can save a famous train trestle featured on an R.E.M. album cover until after they find more funding to convert it into a walking and biking trail.
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Commission still sour on sewer line
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke officials hoped the fourth time was the charm to push through a Northeast Athens sewer line, but commissioners still are saying no to a scaled-back plan in the environmentally sensitive Sandy Creek basin.
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Tennis players get less
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Athens Banner-Herald
Tennis lovers didn't get the regional tournament hub that many of them hoped for when Athens-Clarke commissioners picked a site for new tennis facilities Tuesday night.
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RaceTrac rezone shut down again
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Athens Banner-Herald
After a long and contentious debate, the Athens-Clarke Commission voted late Tuesday to deny a rezoning request for a large gas station on West Broad Street.
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Commission backs site on Eastside for tennis center
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Athens Banner-Herald
The Athens-Clarke Commission approved a park off Lexington Road as the site for a controversial tennis center Tuesday over the objections of tennis players.
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Police pitch text and e-mail alerts
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke police on Tuesday unveiled a notification system that instantly alerts residents about crime in their neighborhoods by sending automated e-mails and text messages.
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SPLOST list up for final vote
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke commissioners are about to set in stone how they'll spend $195 million over the next decade.
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Officials: SPLOST-funded evidence storage facility key to police keeping accreditation
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Athens Banner-Herald
Police run the risk of losing national accreditation without a modern evidence room, officials said.
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Tennis site now eastside
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Athens Banner-Herald
Southeast Clarke Park is the new favorite for a sales tax-funded tennis center after Athens-Clarke commissioners nixed Bishop Park as an option.
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Authority, mayor pick new air carrier
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Athens Banner-Herald
The Athens-Clarke Airport Authority and Mayor Heidi Davison are recommending that a government subsidy go to SeaPort Airlines, rather than Georgia Skies, the carrier that currently flies out of Athens-Ben Epps Airport and receives the federal help.
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Bishop Park out as tennis center locale
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Athens Banner-Herald
Bishop Park is off the table as a location for a controversial sales tax-funded tennis center.
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Newest round of arty bus stops an homage to Athens' musical roots
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Athens Banner-Herald
This week, "Beat a Drum," a creation of Dominique Davison of Kansas City, Mo., will appear on West Broad Street, the latest in a series of music-themed bus stops the Athens Area Arts Council plans to install this year.
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Plan calls for recycling boost
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens' citizens and businesses could recycle up to three-quarters of their trash under a plan the Athens-Clarke Commission will vote on this fall.
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Athens-Clarke weighs which carrier's plan will fly
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Athens Banner-Herald
Four airlines are competing to offer federally subsidized airline service from Athens-Ben Epps Airport, and locals plan to decide this week which one to recommend to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
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Mayor hopefuls split on seniors, local food
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Athens Banner-Herald
Former Athens-Clarke Mayor Gwen O'Looney disagrees with fellow mayoral candidate Nancy Denson's proposal to freeze property taxes for senior citizens.
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DensoDenson raising most cash in mayor's racen raising most cash in mayor's race
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Athens Banner-Herald
Nancy Denson is raising more money than four other candidates, including former Mayor Gwen O'Looney, in the Athens-Clarke mayor's race.
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Revamped tennis center concept draws volley of fire
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Athens Banner-Herald
A new plan for a tennis center at Bishop Park saves the soccer field there, but nearby residents still are unhappy.
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Commission backs new homeless shelter
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Athens Banner-Herald
The Athens-Clarke Commission unanimously approved a new shelter on Tuesday, adding much-needed beds for the homeless.
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Races now set in Athens-Clarke
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Athens Banner-Herald
Former Athens-Clarke Commissioner Alvin Sheats is looking for a rematch with Commissioner George Maxwell, who ousted him in 2002.
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Athens-Clarke mayoral field at 5
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Athens Banner-Herald
The field grew to five in the Athens-Clarke mayor's race Thursday as nonprofit homebuilder Spencer Frye and University of Georgia student Glenn Stegall qualified to run.
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Commission finalizes SPLOST list
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke commissioners have tentatively signed off on a $196 million list of sales tax projects despite qualms about asking voters to approve a tax that could run longer than any of them will be in office.
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Denson, Maddox running for mayor Known names qualify
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Athens Banner-Herald
Charlie Maddox and Nancy Denson, two familiar names to Athens voters, qualified Wednesday to run for mayor.
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Mayoral race deserves careful thought
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Athens Banner-Herald
Lately, I've given a lot of thought to the Athens-Clarke County mayor's race. Two good friends are candidates.
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Handful qualify to run again
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Athens Banner-Herald
Gwen O'Looney formally signed up Monday morning to seek another stint in the Athens-Clarke mayor's office.
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Shelter fears dismissed
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Athens Banner-Herald
Neighbors of a proposed homeless shelter should not fear a spike in crime, Athens-Clarke police say.
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Lot's owner, Jittery Joe's can't reach deal
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Athens Banner-Herald
The owner of an East Broad Street parking lot has withdrawn his request to lease it to Jittery Joe's, apparently ending a nine-month saga that pitted smart downtown development against helping a popular local business.
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Expansion projects on tax ballot
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Athens Banner-Herald
A bigger jail and a bigger Classic Center made the cut for a new round of sales tax projects, but the Athens-Clarke Commission still is hashing out the details on the rest of the ballot list.
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Lowry staying and will run again
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke Commissioner Doug Lowry will stay in Athens and run for re-election rather than move to Canada, he said Monday.
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Commission lobs tennis center talk into meeting
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Athens Banner-Herald
A majority of Athens-Clarke commissioners seem to be in favor of building at least some tennis courts at Bishop Park.
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Three to be judged for court
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke County's next Municipal Court judge should treat defendants fairly and have a way with young people, Mayor Heidi Davison said Tuesday.
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Tennis site vote delayed
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Athens Banner-Herald
Mayor Heidi Davison will pull a controversial tennis center from the Athens-Clarke Commission's Thursday agenda to find a compromise on a location.
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Athens-Clarke Commission shouldn't cut back proposed jail size
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Athens Banner-Herald
For reasons both practical and political, Athens-Clarke County commissioners should resist a temptation - one clearly being felt by some of them - to cut the proposed size of a jail renovation and expansion project that's going to be the centerpiece of a package of projects proposed for special-purpose, local-option sales tax funding in a November referendum.
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Plan to redirect Hull Street
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Athens Banner-Herald
University of Georgia and Athens-Clarke officials unveiled a plan last week to close off part of Hull Street, giving the area around the university's new special collections library a more campus-like feel.
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Size of new jail big question for commissioners
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke commissioners face a dilemma in deciding what size the new Clarke County Jail should be.
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New signs neighbors stirred up
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Athens Banner-Herald
Adam Rainville saw Normaltown neighbors walking to the Fourth of July fireworks show in Bishop Park years ago and knew he wanted to live there.
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DA, Athens-Clarke Commissioners set audit scope
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Athens Banner-Herald
Western Circuit District Attorney Ken Mauldin and Athens-Clarke commissioners came to a tense agreement Wednesday on the scope of an audit of Mauldin's office.
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Sewer line plan dismissed
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke County will rezone hundreds of acres in Northeastern Clarke County to stop potential development that could hurt drinking water quality, commissioners said Tuesday.
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Nuçi's, Athens-Clarke make their cases
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Athens Banner-Herald
State Supreme Court justices hearing oral arguments in a property tax appeal by Nuçi's Space grilled lawyers for both sides Tuesday - a hint that the court is struggling with how to decide the case.
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Panel OKs shelter
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Athens Banner-Herald
The Athens-Clarke Planning Commission signed off on a homeless shelter in a gentrifying part of East Athens on Thursday over the objections of about a dozen homeowners, real estate agents and property managers who said they fear for their safety.
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No Athens-Clarke plans to pry taxes from university
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Athens Banner-Herald
Even as the federal and local governments look for ways to tax the profit-generating aspects of nonprofits - Athens-Clarke authorities don't plan to try to get property tax from UGA or nonprofit corporations tied to the university, such as the UGA Athletic Association.
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Budget with tax hike, furloughs OK'd
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Athens Banner-Herald
The Athens-Clarke government's spending plan for fiscal 2011, starting July 1, includes two unpaid days off for all 1,550 employees and a half-mill property tax increase that amounts to $25 for the owner of a $150,000 home.
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Financing snags delay new parking deck
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Athens Banner-Herald
Trouble finding retail tenants and securing financing has delayed a public-private downtown Athens parking deck.
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Making light of it: Red light cameras subpoenaed in Athens case
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Rome News-Tribune
A lawyer defending two clients from charges they were photographed running red lights in Athens subpoenaed five traffic cameras to testify.
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Commissioners need long view on development
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Athens Banner-Herald
It may well be, as Athens-Clarke County's mayor and commission apparently believe, that the county needs to take a deeper look at the course of development on Carr's Hill, a neighborhood just southeast of downtown Athens.
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Officials to discuss stray cats
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke officials will meet this week to begin to figure out how they will deal with unwanted tame cats after the nonprofit that was taking them in stopped providing the service.
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A new volley of criticism over tennis plan
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Athens Banner-Herald
Westsiders, the latest group to raise concerns about a new tennis center, are upset that a plan for 11 courts at Bishop Park will mean the end of soccer and other games on a large multiuse field the center partially would replace.
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Budget hearing tonight
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Athens Banner-Herald
The budget includes a half-mill property tax increase, which amounts to $25 on a $150,000 home.
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Law would mandate care of septic tanks
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Athens Banner-Herald
Almost 8,000 Clarke County homeowners could be forced to pump their septic tanks regularly or pay for a new utility under a new law Athens-Clarke officials are writing.
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State fee hikes allow A-C to halve worker furloughs
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Athens Banner-Herald
The Athens-Clarke Commission put the finishing touches on the county budget Thursday, deciding to spend a $450,000 windfall on public safety programs and reducing the size of a pay cut for employees.
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Commissioners still doubt safety of sewer plan
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke commissioners remain skeptical that it's safe to lay sewer lines near the county's drinking water intake, despite assurances from utility officials.
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Panel endorses expanding the Classic Center
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Athens Banner-Herald
An advisory committee has endorsed expanding the Classic Center as part of an upcoming round of sales tax-funded projects.
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Westside park tops for tennis
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Athens Banner-Herald
Bishop Park is the recommended location for a controversial $2.3 million tennis center scheduled to be built next year.
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Planners sign off on parking for coffee shop
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Athens Banner-Herald
Jittery Joe's customers should be able to use a parking lot next door to the downtown bean-roasting company and cafe, Athens-Clarke planning commissioners said Thursday.
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Athens-Clarke's noise law stiffened
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke officials are cracking down on loud, late-night outdoor music at bars and nightclubs.
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A-C to expand landfill
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Athens Banner-Herald
An Athens-Clarke Commission vote to enlarge the county landfill turned into a round of finger-pointing over how officials could have avoided the expansion.
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Halls of fame on market
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke County could bid to bring the Georgia Music Hall of Fame to Athens under a bill the state legislature passed last week.
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County landfill pressed for time and space
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke County will run out of space to dump trash by the end of the year unless the county landfill is enlarged.
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Mayor calls for tax hike, furloughs
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke Mayor Heidi Davison proposed a small tax hike and spending cuts Wednesday in her $103.7 million recommended budget for next year.
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Commission on wrong track with food carts
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Athens Banner-Herald
There are any number of legitimate reasons for Athens-Clarke County's mayor and commission to be concerned about expanding the number of spaces where sidewalk vendors - which, for the purposes of immediate discussion, will be thought of as spaces for food vendors - can set up to sell their wares.
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Community center should get SPLOST funds
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Athens Banner-Herald
Don't envy the citizens group charged with making recommendations for possible projects for the proposed continuation of Athens-Clarke County's 1 percent special-purpose, local-option sales tax.
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Some rethinking of SPLOST is needed
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Athens Banner-Herald
"The feeling of the whole committee was we really wanted to touch every constituency in town. It was very important for us to get some diversity in the list we were choosing."
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In new contract, UGA to shrink bus subsidies
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Athens Banner-Herald
The University of Georgia will cut subsidies for students and employees to ride Athens Transit, costing the bus system $150,000 next year, officials said Thursday.
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Another whack at SPLOST list
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Athens Banner-Herald
An Athens-Clarke committee whittled down a list of potential sales-tax projects again this week, cutting roads, trees, a community center and other funding requests.
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County should OK parking for Jittery Joe's
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Athens Banner-Herald
The owner of a small East Broad Street tract used as a parking lot in the eastern edge of downtown Athens has given the Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission at least five reasons to correct a mistake made by its commissioners earlier this year.
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Enforcement begins on new meter system
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Athens Banner-Herald
The grace period is over for people parking in the heart of downtown Athens.
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Coffee lot plan 'better'
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Athens Banner-Herald
A new and improved plan for a parking lot at the downtown Jittery Joe's will come before the Athens-Clarke Planning Commission next month.
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5 years on, park the place for skaters
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Athens Banner-Herald
In 2003, as Athens-Clarke commissioners decided how to spend a limited amount of sales tax revenue for facilities at the 124-acre park, a dedicated group of older skaters fought for and landed the votes needed to approve one of the state's first public skate parks.
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Classic Center expansion gains support
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke commissioners want to find a way to include a Classic Center expansion on a November referendum.
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Water, sewer rate hikes in works for Athens-Clarke
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens residents may pay more for water and sewer service beginning in July.
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Green issues split mayor candidates
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke officials should follow through on their 20-year-old promise to offer sewer service to the entire county, mayoral candidate Charlie Maddox said Saturday at a forum on environmental issues.
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Ex-Mayor O'Looney to run again
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Athens Banner-Herald
Former Athens-Clarke Mayor Gwen O'Looney wants her old job back.
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Commission designates corridor a historic area
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Athens Banner-Herald
A 25-year effort to protect South Milledge Avenue culminated Tuesday when the Athens-Clarke Commission turned the scenic corridor into a historic district.
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2 mayoral hopefuls set pace in money race
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Athens Banner-Herald
Clarke County Tax Commissioner Nancy Denson and nonprofit homebuilder Spencer Frye are pulling away financially in the Athens-Clarke mayor's race.
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Caution on sewer line plan
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke commissioners will hold off on $15 million in sewer line extensions until they know how much customers will pay for the lines and if the expansion will hurt water quality.
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Athens-Clarke, UGA police sharing data, calls
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Athens Banner-Herald
When a South Milledge Avenue man realized a thief had swiped a ring from his home late last month, a University of Georgia police officer took down the details and wrote a report.
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SPLOST panel doing credible job thus far
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Athens Banner-Herald
In the best of fiscal times, the addition - or, in Athens-Clarke County's case, the continuation - of a 1 percent hike in the local sales tax to fund a range of infrastructure improvement projects is an easy sell for backers of such a special-purpose local option sales tax, or SPLOST.
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Sales tax list pared by panel
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Athens Banner-Herald
A $48 million Classic Center expansion is among the projects that are not likely to make the first cut for a sales-tax referendum this November.
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Athens-Clarke will vie for free Net
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke County is joining the hundreds of communities nationwide trying to grab Google's attention and get the communications giant to bring them ultra-high- speed broadband Internet.
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Frye announces candidacy for Athens-Clarke mayor
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Athens Banner-Herald
Nonprofit homebuilder Spencer Frye is running for mayor of Athens-Clarke County, he announced Monday.
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Grant agency might be cut
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke commissioners may cut the agency that funds many social services because the department no longer oversees as many federal grants.
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Shelter in Athens-Clarke asks for $50K
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Athens Banner-Herald
An Athens homeless shelter is asking the Athens-Clarke Commission for $50,000 to keep its doors open.
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Athens-Clarke says no edge for local firms
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Athens Banner-Herald
Athens-Clarke County is abandoning plans to give local businesses an edge on government purchases and contracts because officials think there is not much more they can do to buy locally.
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High court will hear Nuçi's tax case
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Athens Banner-Herald
The state Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether the Athens nonprofit Nu i's Space must pay property taxes, a case that could have financial implications for nonprofits across the state.
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Bus campaign not faring well
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Athens Banner-Herald
An anti-poverty activist is mounting a campaign to get the Athens-Clarke Commission to lower bus fares.
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Plan would extend sewer lines, spur growth
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Athens Banner-Herald
A plan to extend sewer lines to parts of Athens now equipped with septic tanks could have as much or more impact on growth as any zoning decision the Athens-Clarke Commission ever makes.
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