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Augusta bans flying drones over crowds

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AUGUSTA, Ga. | Augusta has approved one of the region's first local drone laws, which bans the unmanned aircraft from flying in areas where 100 or more people might gather.

Officials with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association knew of no local drone laws in Georgia besides the proposed Augusta ordinance, The Augusta Chronicle reported.

The Augusta Commission on Wednesday signed the ban into law.

The new ordinance "provides a road map for other local communities to model," as the Federal Aviation Administration threatens to pre-empt local regulation of unmanned aircraft systems, even at low altitudes, Augusta Mayor Hardie Davis said.

"I think Augusta has taken the lead on this issue for the state of Georgia," he said.

The ban on drone flights applies only to areas where 100 or more people are gathered or could gather, such as large sporting event venues. It was passed in time for the one of the nation's largest sporting events — The Masters golf championship — which is held annually in April in Augusta.

The ordinance also outlines permitted uses by public utilities and law enforcement, and it allows operators to apply for a special license with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office to fly a drone over a crowd.

Augusta Commission member Bill Lockett had led a commission subcommittee that revised the ordinance.

"That shows how progressive we are," Lockett said. "The whole nation is aware of the importance of implementing a drone policy."


Athens area events on Sunday, April 3

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Phi Delta Theta Iron Phive K Run, Walk and Wag for ALS: UGA Tate Student Center. Runners, walkers and dogs allowed. 8 a.m. (registration), 9 a.m. (race). $25 to 35. www.classicraceservices.com

Second annual AIRS 5K and 1K Wheelchair Rally: 1 to 3 p.m., Sandy Creek Nature Center, 205 Old Commerce Road. Registration and packet pick-up begins at 1 p.m. The 1K wheelchair rally begins at 2 p.m. and the 5K begins at 2:30 p.m. Awards will be distributed at 5 p.m. Proceeds benefit Athens Inclusive Recreation & Sports. For more information, or to register, visit www.active.com.

Athens Debtors Anonymous: 1 to 2 p.m., St. Mary’s Hospital, 1230 Baxter St. Meetings are held in conference room 1724. For anyone with financial and debt problems. (706) 389-3000.

Opening reception for Figures, Florals and Fabulous Celestials: 3 to 4 p.m., Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. A meet and greet with the Oconee County Library’s April auditorium artists: Judith DeJoy, Cindy Malota, and Radha Murthy. Free. Call (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

OLLI@UGA Spring Opera Gala: 4 to 7:30 p.m., Athens Country Club, 2700 Jefferson Road. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UGA is partnering with the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s opera program for its spring fundraising gala at the Athens Country Club. Students of the UGA Opera Theatre will perform during an event that includes dinner and a silent auction. Tickets are $50.

Contact trivia: 6 p.m., Blind Pig Tavern, 2440 W. Broad St. www.blindpigtavern.com.

Camp Amped Finale Show: 6 p.m., Hendershot’s Coffee Bar. Bands of young musicians playing originals and covers learned during camp. www.hendershotscoffee.com.

Yappy Hour: 6 to 8 p.m., Your Pie, 1045 Gaines School Road, Athens. Presented by Athens Unleashed. Hang out with your dog, meet other dog people and enjoy drinks and refreshments. www.athens-unleashed.com.

The Repurposing Project: 6 to 9 p.m., Georgia Theatre. Runway competition where contestants are given a bag of recycled clothing and three weeks to create a new wearable item. $15 or $35 for VIP. www.repurposingproject.com or www.myathensis.com.

Trivia: 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Buffalo’s Cafe, 196 Alps Road.

 

For more events or to add an event to a future calendar, visit events.onlineathens.com.

Athens musicians collaborate on album for cancer patients

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Athens musicians are stepping out of their chosen genres to pair with other musicians, making songs that will appear on an album for the American Cancer Society.

Seth Hendershot, Caroline Aiken and Michael Lesousky are a few of the 18 artists making music for the project.

When Misty Alfonso saw all the talented musicians in Athens sticking around, hopping between local venues but never catching a big break, she decided to make it her mission to promote them.

Alfonso created Duck Cloud Productions, a company dedicated to pushing Athens bands and getting them involved in bigger shows, including national tours, and projects such as this one to benefit cancer patients.

“This is the first time in many years I’ve seen this much talent stacked up in this city,” said Alfonso, an Athens native.

Alfonso matched Athens musicians together into duos and asked them to write a song together on the topic of cancer.

She hopes patients who hear these songs benefit from the money the album raises and the music.

“I’ve always believed that music is very healing,” Alfonso said.

The inspiration for the album is a childhood friend of Alfonso’s who is undergoing chemotherapy at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. Alfonso said she learned that in the chemotherapy ward harp music is played over the loudspeakers to calm patients.

That’s why she decided to call the Athens musicians creating music for cancer patients “The Players of the Lyre,” which is also a reference to the story of David calming King Saul with his lyre music.

“They are doing their music to comfort these people in pain and help them through it,” Alfonso said.

A few of the musicians gathered to talk about the process of writing a song with a new partner this week.

Most of the musicians are working independently now, writing bits and pieces of potential songs and sending them electronically to their partners, bouncing ideas back and forth.

Aiken, a singer-songwriter, said she hopes her song, which will be joyful and upbeat, gives patients hope and relates that they’re not alone.

“I feel like when music comes in and shines a light on that feeling of being alone it dries it all up and helps make it go away,” Aiken said.

Cortez Garza, an acoustic singer partnering with Qlip for the album, said the songs will help people feel help is available.

“I need music to connect to people, and I think that’s the same for everyone, not just musicians,” Cortez said.

The other musicians on the album are Abbey Road Live’s Chris McKay, Elite Tha Showstopper, YIP Deceiver’s Davey Pierce, The Powder Room’s Gene Woolfolk, Eastville Belle, Laughlin, Scott Low, Black Nerd Ninja, The Reverend Conner Tribble Band, Jaclyn Steel, New Mantra and Grand’s Justin Granados, Grand’s Cody Stalvey and Nick Bradfield.

Hendershot said the duos paired from participating artists is are inspirational way to make music and learn new things.

“I’m really excited about Athens music right now, and it’s really nice because it makes you realize it’s not an elitist thing or there’s no separation, everyone is really coming together here,” Hendershot said.

The songs will be recorded in July and released in September.

Meanwhile, Alfonso will also work with University of Georgia Grady College journalism students to produce a documentary showing the process of creating the songs. The documentary will also include interviews with six cancer patients and physicians who are researching new ways to treat the disease.

A show at the 40 Watt on Sept. 30 will kick off the release of the album and documentary.

ARMC generates more than $1.12 billion for Athens' economy

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In 2014, Athens Regional Medical Center generated more than $1.12 billion in revenue for the local and state economy, according to a recent report by the Georgia Hospital Association, the state’s largest hospital trade association. The report also found that, during the same time period, ARMC provided approximately $42 million in uncompensated care while sustaining more than 11,000 full-time jobs throughout Athens and the rest of the state.

The report revealed Athens Regional, the second largest employer in Athens-Clarke County, had direct expenditures of over $491 million in 2014. When combined with an economic multiplier developed by the United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, the total economic impact of those expenditures was more than $1.12 billion.

“While Athens Regional is well known for its role in meeting the health care needs of the residents of our 17-county service area, it also plays an integral role in protecting our area’s economic health,” said Dr. Chuck Peck, President and CEO of Athens Regional Health System. “We are so appreciative of the area’s unwavering support of their hospital and will continue to work hard to ensure that the residents of this area have access to the best and safest health care services available.”

— Staff reports

Athens falls short in 'Final Four' bid for best Southern college town

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Athens made it to the Final Four of Garden & Gun magazine’s 32-city Best Southern College Towns bracket, but lost to Blacksburg, Va., home of Virginia Tech, in late online Thursday balloting on the magazine’s website.

Blacksburg’s win pits it against Oxford, Mississippi, home of “Ole Miss,” the University of Mississippi, in the championship round of the all-in-good-fun Garden & Gun competition.

The magazine, dedicated to exploring Southern food, music, events, literature and its sporting culture, selected 32 college towns — all with populations under 315,000 — for its competition. The magazine chose cities with a diversity of cultures, opting for communities that "are home to big football dynasties, tight-knit academic communities, and even music and art schools.”

On its way to its Final Four loss, Athens was chosen over Tallahassee, Florida, home of Florida State University; Savannah, Georgia, which hosts a number of institutions of higher education, including the Savannah College of Art and Design, and Clemson, South Carolina, home of Clemson University.

Athens’ Final Four loss to Blacksburg did not come without a “fight.” The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau, which sees contests like the Garden & Gun competition as a way to get attention for the city that can translate into tourism and convention dollars and economic development opportunities, used social media to promote voting for Athens.

“We’re advocates of pushing these things out there,” Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau director Chuck Jones said as voting was in full swing late last week.

Doc Eldridge, president of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, had a fairly charitable take on the Garden & Gun bracket as Athens remained in the running last week. Competitions like the magazine’s contest “create a lot of fun and camaraderie between college towns,” he said.

And win or lose, Eldridge placed the fact that Athens was among the 32 towns in the Garden & Gun competition in the same category as the numerous rankings from a host of other magazines and websites that rank Athens at or near the top of college towns and retirement communities.

“We get a lot of recognitions like that,” Eldridge said. “We’re consistently in that top tier.”

Like Jones, Eldridge sees contests like the Garden & Gun bracket, which play to a wide audience, as a tool for attracting tourists and other forms of economic development.

“These things go all over creation,” Eldridge said.

Handicapping the championship match-up between Blacksburg and Oxford, Eldridge was expecting Oxford to win, at least in part because of Ole Miss and its alumni.

“They’re a pretty fiercely loyal group,” Eldridge said.

No students involved in reported 2015 rape at Cedar Shoals High School

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A reported rape at Cedar Shoals High School on Jan. 7 was not the first reported within the past year at the school.

But the circumstances of a reported April 15, 2015, assault are greatly different from the Jan. 7 report, when a 15-year-old Cedar Shoals freshman told police she had been raped in an isolated stairwell at the school.

On April 15, the reported victim was also a 15-year-old girl, but she was not a student at Cedar Shoals, and the assault she reported did not begin at the school, but in a nearby shopping area, said Athens-Clarke County Police Sgt. Harrison Daniel.

According to a police log, the girl said she had hurt her ankle, accepted a ride from a man and was then taken to the Cedar Shoals campus, where she was raped.

The incident began in the late afternoon and continued for a matter of hours, Daniel said. Police have not yet made any arrests in the case, but are still investigating, Daniel said.

“It’s an active case,” he said. “We’re hoping the leads we have will lead to a suspect.”

Investigators have identified two “persons of interest,” he said.

Police have charged three young men in the Jan. 7 assault and say they have video evidence. One of the accused perpetrators is charged with rape and criminal attempt to commit aggravated sodomy, and two others face charges of being a party to the crimes of rape and criminal attempt to commit aggravated sodomy.

Many parents and teachers at Cedar Shoals reacted with outrage after they learned of the Jan. 7 sexual assault report through a Feb. 4 article in the Athens Banner-Herald, nearly a month after the incident.

Parents questioned why the three accused students were not suspended from school while police investigated, and also raised broader concerns about discipline, security and attendance policies at Cedar Shoals and across the Clarke County School District.

Clarke County School Superintendent Philip Lanoue subsequently placed Cedar Shoals principal Tony Price on administrative leave, but according to Price, he repeatedly raised concerns about security at Cedar Shoals and has been made a scapegoat “for a failure of leadership by the superintendent concerning school security.”

The Clarke County Board of Education has set a public work session on attendance and disciplinary policies from 6-8 p.m. Thursday in the H.T. Edwards Complex, near the intersection of Broad Street and Hancock Avenue at 440-1 Dearing Extension.

The two rape reports were among 166 police reports recorded at 1300 Cedar Shoals Drive, the address of Cedar Shoals High School, during a period of about 17 months.

In late February, the Banner-Herald requested a tally of police responses to the addresses of Cedar Shoals, Clarke Central and Classic City high schools from Aug. 1, 2014, up to the time of the request.

Police went to Cedar Shoals and to Clarke Central about the same number of times during that period — 166 times to Cedar Shoals, 159 to Clarke Central,

Relatively few calls to either school were violent crimes. At Cedar Shoals, the most common calls were for lost property, at just under 30, along with criminal trespass and theft. The police tally showed 11 calls about drugs, a call about a knife and one about a gun.

At Clarke Central, theft, criminal trespass and juvenile complaints were the leading reasons for calling police.

Both schools recorded about 10 battery cases, along with a handful of drug complaints and auto accidents.

Clarke Central recorded two cases of aggravated assault, including one case in which police say a man working on a renovation project at the school repeatedly struck a co-worker with a sledgehammer.

Police responded just twice to 440 Dearing Extension, the address of Classic City High School — once for an accident, and once for a complaint of sexual battery.

Follow education reporter Lee Shearer at www.facebook.com/LeeShearerABH or https://twitter.com/LeeShearer.

UGA, Auburn face off in Blood Battle competition

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Auburn, UGA compete for blood donations

Auburn University and the University of Georgia are in a friendly competition to help save lives. Students, alumni, staff and fans are invited to donate blood at the second Auburn vs. UGA Blood Battle with the American Red Cross.

Last year, Auburn collected almost 300 pints of blood beating UGA. Donors can help Auburn win for a second year in a row April 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and April 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Center. Donors can help UGA take home the win April 4-6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Memorial Hall.

Blood donors with all types, especially O negative, B negative and A negative, are urged to give. Eligible donors with type O negative blood are encouraged to make a double red cell donation.

“High school and college students are important in supporting a strong blood supply,” said Mario Sedlock, director of donor recruitment, Red Cross Alabama and Central Gulf Coast and Southern Blood Services Regions.

Presenting donors at both schools will receive a free T-shirt, while supplies last, free food in the refreshment area, and be entered to win four single-day tickets to any Cedar Fair theme park in the U.S.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-722-2767) or download the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

School discpline, attendance meeting set for Thursday

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The Clarke County Board of Education is holding a public work session where individuals are encouraged to provide suggestions and solutions in connection with the school district’s attendance and disciplinary policies.

The meeting is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the H.T. Edwards Complex, off Broad Street at 440-1 Dearing Extension.

People who plan to attend are strongly encouraged to review the district’s code of conduct, available online at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/codeofconduct, prior to the meeting and to make suggestions in the context of the code.

People will sit at round tables and the meeting will be moderated by Joe Whorton, a retiree of the University of Georgia’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development.

Child care will be provided. RSVPs are not required, but are encouraged to help the district provide adequate seating. To RSVP, go online to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/BoardRSVP.

“We appreciate the support of our community, and call upon individuals to provide feedback on attendance and disciplinary policies,” said Clarke County Board of Education President Charles Worthy. “The board is committed to taking appropriate action regarding policies following the work session. Working together, we will maintain our focus on high student achievement in safe school environments.”


Author Terry Kay releases new novel 40 years after publication of first book

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Georgia author Terry Kay has written a new novel, “The King Who Made Paper Flowers.” And while Kay may not consider himself a king at his abode set far off the road in a dense forest of southern Athens-Clarke County, he actually had been making paper flowers on one recent day.

Kay will distribute the flowers at a couple of upcoming book-signing events for the novel, released this month by Mercer University Press. At 7 p.m. Monday, Kay will be at the Barnes & Noble bookstore on Atlanta Highway, and at 3 p.m. April 17, he’ll be signing books at Cafe au Libris at the Athens-Clarke County Library.

The 78-year-old writer from the Hart County community of Vanna continues to have books published. Way back in 1976, Kay’s first novel “The Year the Lights Came On” was released.

“It’s stunning to me that 40 years later I have 17 published books, not counting the magazine and newspaper pieces. I never even thought there would be a second book,” Kay said recently as he sat at his dining room table.

The newest novel is set in Savannah, where the main character, Arthur Benjamin, will find himself relating with an odd array of characters as he wins friends and finds a home in the old coastal Georgia city of humid summers.

There was a time in the mid-1970s that Kay, once a movie critic with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was tricked into becoming a writer of fiction.

Kay, who writes about his relationship with the late novelist Pat Conroy in an upcoming Atlanta Magazine article, attributes his first book to Conroy. Back in those days, while all were living in Atlanta, Kay, Conroy, and a few others would mingle — sometimes over a drink — and offer each other advice, sometimes meaningful.

Conroy “and the late Jim Townsend (Atlanta Magazine editor) were drinking in a restaurant in Atlanta one time and they got to talking about why I would not write fiction,” Kay recalled.

“Pat said I know how to make him do it. He went to a phone and called his editor,” Kay said. Conroy called Ann Barrett, a high-profile editor in New York, and suggested she read 150 pages of a manuscript that Kay had written. She contacted Kay by letter. Kay made his way to Conroy’s house.

“I yelled at him and said ‘I told you I didn’t want to do it,’” Kay said. “Finally he said, ‘You can do one of two things. You can tell her I lied and you don’t have anything. Or you can write 150 pages.’”

Kay buckled.

He wrote an array of chapters about a farm boy growing up during the 1940s in Hart County and later becoming a newspaperman.

“I knew they were not going to take it. I sent it off and I was happy. I had at least fulfilled the obligations of my friendship with Conroy,” Kay said.

But among the chapters was a vignette about the boy’s family having electricity for the first time, and that caught the attention of the editors. A novel was born.

“The Year the Lights Came On” featured the remarkable advancement of electricity as it reached to the small homes and farms of rural America.

As Kay sat at his dining table, he sought the memory of that very real moment nearly seven decades ago when Kay’s mother and father gathered in a room of their home to anxiously await the light. The Rural Electrification Administration folks had told them the power would be streaming at 2 p.m.

“There must have been five of the children at home at the time,” Kay said as he leaned his face down toward the table as in deep thought.

“Gary, me, John, Peggy, Patsy,” he said, touching his fingers as if counting each sibling.

“Nobody was saying anything,” he said. “The switch was on — and lo and behold by God — at the appointed hour, the light popped on. It was just astounding. Astounding.”

“My sister Peggy was standing by the light switch. She reached and turned it off. Nobody said a word. She turned it on. She turned it off. She turned it on.”

Kay will never forget how his little brother, Gary, who was 4, tugged on sister Patsy’s dress.

“She leaned over and said ‘What is it, baby?’ and he said, ‘Peggy better quit doing that. She’s gone burn out all the batteries.”

Kay paused and smiled. The memory was resurrected.

“There were five of us there who could have written this story,” he remarked. “But I was the only writer.”

Follow writer Wayne Ford on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WayneFordABH.

Women need respect, says former Georgia chief justice

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What do women need? First of all, respect, according to former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears, who gave a speech with a soundtrack as she delivered the keynote address for Women’s History Month at the University of Georgia last week.

“Women have made tremendous strides in the fight for equality since this nation was born,” and more will come, said Sears, who became the first woman to serve on the Georgia Supreme Court when Zell Miller appointed her to the court, and the first African-American woman in the United States to serve as Chief Justice when she ascended to that position in 2005.

Sears gave a talk with a musical backdrop as she listed 10 things women need, playing snippets of songs to illustrate each.

“Music has been a soundtrack of the women’s movement. It has given us courage and a sense of hope,” she said before beginning with a bit of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” the song many consider the greatest rock ‘n’ roll song of all time, with its “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me” lyric.

“Yet much of the work we do is not respected,” Sears told an audience of more than 100 in the auditorium of the Richard B. Russell Building, which houses the UGA library’s special collections.

“Women also want healthy relationships, to love and be loved, and control of their own lives, she said, drawing on songs by Queen Latifah, Wynonna Judd and Loretta Lynn to illustrate her points.

Lynn’s “The Pill,” was banned by more than 60 radio stations when she released it in 1975, with lyrics like these: “I’m tearin’ down your brooder house,‘cause now I’ve got the pill.”

“‘The Pill’ was a liberation song,” opposing the notion that women should be barefoot and pregnant, Sears said. Reproductive choice gave women the option to pursue careers or follow other paths, she said.

Women also need equality in the workplace, the opportunity to compete at the highest levels of business and government, and peace, particularly freedom from domestic violence, she said, as she played Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.”
“Domestic violence is a worldwide epidemic,” she said.

Women also need freedom from society’s beauty standards, to be seen as individuals, and “to make a lasting impact on the world,” Sears said.

“Be courageous,” she said. “When you’re afraid, step out and do it anyway.”
Some believe “men have become sort of optional,” she said, but Sears has a different take.

“That’s become OK in our society, and girls and boys suffer when that happens,” she said.

But it’s almost become politically incorrect to talk about children needing to be with fathers, she said. But not just any man, Sears counseled an audience that included many young women.

“For women more than men, the wrong mate can really mess you up,” she said.

Follow education reporter Lee Shearer at www.facebook.com/LeeShearerABH or https://twitter.com/LeeShearer.

Athens police officers are reversing drug overdoses

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A University of Georgia student was out with friends celebrating her birthday in a way that young people often do, by mixing alcohol with prescription drugs.

The celebration turned to horror when, after the student returned to her home in east Athens with some friends, she started having trouble breathing. She became unresponsive and was turning blue.

The student did not die on her 23rd birthday, and thanks to Athens-Clarke County Senior Police Officer Erik Hogan, she hopefully will live to see her 24th birthday and many more.

Immediately upon arriving at the student’s home on Fourth Street, Hogan treated her with an anti-overdose agent called naloxone. Even before the ambulance arrived, the student’s condition was improving, Hogan recalled. She had begun breathing more regularly, and taking deeper breaths, he said. She was moving her arms and legs. And when the ambulance did arrive, the officer said, the student was alert enough to think that nothing was wrong, insisting that she did not need to go to the hospital.

It was determined that in addition to drinking to celebrate her birthday, the student had also taken at least one 30-milligram tablet of oxycodone and possibly some xanax pills.

Hogan is one of several local police officers who have been trained to administer naloxone, a drug that reverses the side effects of overdoses from such opioid drugs as heroin and prescription pain pills like hydrocodone and oxycodone.

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department tries to ensure that each of its shifts is staffed with officers who are equipped with naloxone and trained in its use, according to Police Chief Scot Freeman.

As first responders for nearly all emergencies, including medical ones, Freeman said, it makes sense to equip police officers with the easily administered agent that can mean the difference between life and death.

‘Having the ability to prevent overdose deaths, rather than focusing exclusively on the enforcement of laws to stop drug use, may allow us as law enforcement to enable opiate users to live long enough to have the opportunity to pursue effective treatment options,’ Freeman said.

‘In addition, such narrow escapes from death often brings the seriousness of the drug use problem to the attention of family and loved ones that an intervention is required,’ Freeman said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 47,055 drug overdose deaths in 2014 in the United States. Each day, according to the CDC, 44 people in this country die from overdosing on prescription painkillers.

Officers with the Athens-Clarke County and University of Georgia police departments are trained to save overdose victims through the use of Narcan — a brand name of naloxone — by Dr. Kurt Horst, who is medical director for National EMS and affiliated with Athens Regional Medical Center.

To illustrate how naloxone works, Horst first explained what opioids do to the body.

Opioids are used medically for pain control, binding receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems, Horst said. In the brain, they bind opioid receptors and block perception of pain.

‘In overdose, these effects are more pronounced and cause excessive sedation and respiratory depression which can lead to aspiration (passive vomiting where stomach contents can enter the lungs), hypoxia (low oxygen levels), respiratory arrest, and death,’ Horst said.

Naloxone reverses the effects of an overdose by displacing opioids from the opiate receptors in the brain. After a dose of naloxone, the person should begin to breathe more normally, and it becomes easier to wake them.

It is very important to give help to an overdosing person right away as brain damage can occur within only a few minutes of an opioid overdose as the result of a lack of oxygen to the brain.

The University of Georgia Police Department instituted a naloxone program in 2014, and the Athens-Clarke County Police department followed suit last fall.

According to UGA spokesman Bob Taylor, UGA police have had to use naloxone on just one occasion so far to save a life.

County police have administered the life-saving agent four times.

Officers do not get any extra pay for undergoing naloxone training. They do it to make a difference.

‘Local police should be commended for initiating this program and we are already seeing positive outcomes,’ Horst said.

Athens-Clarke County Senior Police Officer Scott Blair said he volunteered for the naloxone program because he had personally seen an increase in the frequency with which police respond to drug overdoses.

‘I wanted to have more medical training because it’s frustrating when you arrive on a scene and aren’t able to do anything to help in certain situations,’ Blair said.

Blair was able to make a difference the night of Dec. 23. That is when a man called 911 from a Woodrow Street residence, frantic that his friend had possibly overdosed.

Hearing the call go out over the radio, Blair raced to the residence, where he found the victim on a couch, gasping for breath and sweating profusely. When the victim suddenly went unresponsive, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, Blair knew the man was exhibiting classic symptoms of a drug overdose.

After laying the man on his back, the officer administered naloxone, and a short time later he began to come to. Before being loaded into an ambulance for a trip to the hospital, the man was talking again, telling about how he had gone to Atlanta where he purchased just under a gram of heroin and shot it up upon returning home to Athens.

‘I was just very glad that I was able to be there and make a difference,’ Blair said.

Hogan has already saved two lives in Athens using naloxone, but saving lives is something he is well used to.

Prior to joining the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, he worked as a paramedic in Atlanta for more than five years, and he has maintained his paramedic license while serving as medic for the Strategic Response Team, the Athens-Clarke County police special weapons and tactics unit.

‘I think that (naloxone) is a fantastic resource to have, considering the number of overdose cases we encounter,’ the police officer said.

Follow Criminal Justice reporter Joe Johnson at www.facebook.com/JoeJohnsonABH or www.twitter.com/JoeJohnsonABH

UGA joins public-private partnership to transform fiber materials and manufacturing

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The University of Georgia is a partner in a new national public-private consortium to revolutionize the fiber and textiles industry through commercialization of highly functional, advanced fibers and textiles for the defense and commercial markets. The partnership, called Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, or AFFOA, was announced Friday by the Department of Defense.

The AFFOA partnership builds on recent breakthroughs in fiber materials and manufacturing processes that will soon allow us to design and manufacture fabrics that see, hear, sense, communicate, store and convert energy, regulate temperature, monitor health and change color.

The announcement of the consortium followed a highly competitive nationwide bid process for a national manufacturing institute that is part of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation announced by the federal government in 2012 to advance manufacturing leadership and job creation in the U.S.

“The University of Georgia is proud to play a role in transforming fiber and textile manufacturing in America through our involvement in the AFFOA initiative,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Participation in this outstanding public-private partnership is aligned perfectly with our heritage as a land-grant university and our strong commitment to advance economic development in the 21st century.”

Members of the consortium include Fortune 500 companies such as Corning, DuPont, Nike and Intel, as well as small and medium-sized companies spanning the electronics, materials, apparel, transportation, fashion, defense, medical and consumer good manufacturing sectors. It also includes leaders of the fabric industry, such as Inman Mills, and leading research universities MIT, Cornell University, Drexel University, the University of Michigan, the University of California, Davis and the University of Texas at Austin.

The AFFOA mission is to transform traditional fibers, yarns and textiles manufacturing into a highly sophisticated functional system that will ensure America remains at the leading edge of fiber science. It brings together Fortune 500 companies, universities, fiber and textiles manufacturing facilities, state workforce development programs and federal agencies to co-invest in key technology areas that can encourage investment and production in the U.S. 

Markets for the revolutionary fabrics range from apparel, health care and consumer products to defense, transportation, software and architectural and structural textiles.

“UGA’s contributions to AFFOA tap into longstanding expertise in textiles, polymers and fibers, a track record of collaboration with industry, as well as our success in launching new businesses based on discoveries,” said Vice President for Research David Lee, who has led UGA’s participation in the consortium to date. 

UGA researchers who will play critical roles in AFFOA include Sergiy Minko, Georgia Power Professor of Polymers, Fibers and Textiles, College of Family and Consumer Sciences and professor, department of chemistry, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; Suraj Sharma, assistant professor in the department of textiles, merchandising and interiors, College of Family and Consumer Sciences; and Jason Locklin, associate professor in the College of Engineering and department of chemistry, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Researchers from the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center who conduct research on biopolymers also will contribute to research and development of new technical textiles. Innovation Gateway, UGA’s commercialization and startup arm, will be instrumental in bringing new technologies to the market, including a portfolio of 10 existing textile, fiber and polymer technologies.

“In addition to revolutionizing textile manufacturing, we hope to reverse the downward trend in textile manufacturing employment,” Lee said. “This initiative is projected to add 50,000 jobs over the next 10 years across a wide range of U.S. industries and sectors along the entire supply chain.”

The effort is funded by a $75 million federal commitment and cost share matches from AFFOA partners totaling $317 million. UGA will receive at least $5 million over five years, with an additional investment of state matching funds. 

Athens Academy senior, sophomores receive honors

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Four Athens Academy students were honored recently.

Athens Academy senior Rara Reines Williams was honored for her exemplary service with a Certificate of Excellence from the 2016 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and with a President’s Volunteer Service Award granted by the program on behalf of President Barack Obama.

Williams is the daughter of David and Jennifer Williams of Athens.

Presented annually by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honors young people across America for outstanding volunteer service.

Certificates of Excellence are granted to the top 10 percent of all Prudential Spirit of Community Award applicants in each state. President’s Volunteer Service Awards recognize Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country.

Three Athens Academy sophomores have been invited to participate in the 2016 Hugh O’Brian Youth State Leadership Seminar.

Congratulations to Abby Cuneo, who has won a full scholarship to represent Athens Academy at the seminar, which will be held June 17 through 19 at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville. She is the daughter of Patrick and Kelley Cuneo of Hull.

In addition, classmates Kate Cabaniss and Margaret Timberlake each received partial scholarships to attend the program. Kate is the daughter of Jon and Jena Cabaniss of Maxeys. Margaret is the daughter of Jim and Allyn Timberlake of Athens.

Students selected for the seminar have demonstrated leadership ability as well as outstanding communication skills, creative problem solving, sensitivity to the needs of others, courage to speak out for their beliefs and challenge authority, and strong participation in community service.

HOBY’s flagship program, the State Leadership Seminar is designed to help high school sophomores to recognize their leadership talents and apply them to become effective, ethical leaders in their homes, schools, workplaces and communities.

Clarke County students tapped for 52nd annual Governor's Honors Program

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Six Clarke County School District students have been named finalists and will attend the Governor’s Honors Program, a residential summer program for gifted and talented high school juniors and seniors. A function of the Georgia Department of Education, it will take place on the campus of Valdosta State University.

The students are:

• Linsey Chen, Cedar Shoals High School, whose area of nomination is music

• Ashlea Eatenson, Clarke Central High School, whose area of nomination is dance

• Sara Goodie, Clarke Central High School, whose area of nomination is communicative arts

• Martha Mayfield, Clarke Central High School, whose area of nomination is social studies

• Neha Mohanty, Clarke Central High School, whose area of nomination is science

• Avery Warner, Clarke Central High School, whose area of nomination is mathematics

“I commend our Governor’s Honors Program finalists for developing such a deep intellectual curiosity in their disciplines and congratulate them for being selected to take advantage of this unique educational enrichment opportunity,” said Superintendent Philip D. Lanoue. “I know these students will be exceptional ambassadors for our district, and they will go on to make a true difference in our state post-graduation.”

Nearly 3,000 students from across the state were interviewed and auditioned over three weekends in January and February, and from those nominees, about 700 finalists were chosen to participate in the 2016 program.

Oconee area events this week

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Exhibit — Figures, Florals and Fabulous Celestials: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Exhibit features the work of three local watercolor artists — Judith DeJoy, Cindy Malota, and Radha Murthy. Free admission. Open through April 30. For more, call (706) 769-3950

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide: 12:30 to 5 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in filing certain tax forms and schedules, including the Form 1040. Volunteers will be assisting patrons on a first-come first-served basis. All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, visit aarp.org/taxaide.

NerdHerd Hangout: 6 to 7 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Come hang out at the library and geek out with other nerds. You can even bring food. Youth in grades 6 through 12 welcome. Free and open to the public. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Cookbook Club: 7 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Every month, members of the Oconee County Library’s Cookbook Club will all read the same cookbook and prepare a recipe to share with other members. The title for April’s meeting is “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier” by Ree Drummond. Pick up a copy at the library. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Teen Advisory Board: 7 to 8 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Teen Advisory Board is a volunteer team of teens that meet once per month. Members make book suggestions for the library, help plan teen programs and assist with displays or other projects. For grades 6 through 12. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Lego Club: 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Create Lego art and play Lego-based activities. Lego blocks provided. For ages 3 to 11. Free. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Harry Potter coloring: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Represent your house and color your favorite characters as you hang out and munch on Harry Potter-themed snacks. For grades 6 through 12. Free and open to the public. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

¡Aprende Español! Semana Uno: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. An eight-week Spanish course for beginners with Adriana Hayunga on Wednesdays through April 20. Participants don’t have to make it to every single class to attend. Registration is required and space is limited. All programs and events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 706-769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

TOPS weight loss: 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Government Annex Building, Ga. Highway 15, Watkinsville. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is a nonprofit support group for weight loss. Members can share challenges, successes or goals, hear a brief program and discuss plans for the week. (800) 932-8677. www.tops.org.

Oconee Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oconee County Courthouse, 23 N. Main St., Watkinsville. The market is open rain or shine through the last Saturday in November.


UGA calendar for April 4-10

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UGA Trumpet Ensemble: 8 to 9:30 p.m. today, Ramsey Concert Hall at the UGA Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road, Athens. Free to attend. pac.uga.edu.

Jazz Ensemble I and II: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Ramsey Concert Hall at the UGA Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road, Athens. pac.uga.edu.

Class — Photographing Flora and Fauna: 6 p.m. Thursday, The Georgia Center for Continuing Education, 1197 S. Lumpkin St., Athens. Participants will learn how to use their photography equipment more effectively to capture the best images. Classes are held Thursdays through May 19. Explore composition strategies, exposure and lighting techniques, shutter speed, macro and telephoto photography and more. Two field trips are included in the schedule to give participants the opportunity to apply what they have learned in class and receive feedback on their work. Participants should bring a SLR digital camera and the owner’s manual. For more, visit www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/courses/photography/photo-flora-fauna.

Guest artist — Dr. Oliver Yatsugafu, violin: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Edge Recital Hall at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 250 River Road, Athens. An alumnus of the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, Yatsugafu, violin professor at the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso in Brazil, performs for his alma mater. This guest artist performance is free and a master class will follow the recital. (706) 542-3737. music.uga.edu.

Guest artist — Transient Canvas: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dancz Center for New Music at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 250 River Road, Athens. The bass clarinet-marimba contemporary music duo of Transient Canvas — Amy Advocat and Matt Sharrock — begins its residency at the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s Dancz Center for New Music. This free performance will include works from UGA composers, including the world premiere of a composition by School of Music doctoral student Cody Brookshire. (706) 542-3737. music.uga.edu.

Human Trafficking in the State of Georgia — Challenges and Solutions: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Zell B. Miller Learning Center, 48 Baxter St., Athens. This event aims to spread awareness on the issue of human trafficking both in the state of Georgia and its prevalence globally. The speakers on the panel include Camila Wright, assistant attorney general and Georgia’s statewide prosecutor for human trafficking; Monica Khant, immigration attorney and executive director of the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network; and Dr. David Okech, UGA professor in the school of social work. The panel will take place in Room 250.

Guest artist — Keith Kirchoff, piano: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dancz Center for New Music at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 250 River Road, Athens. Acclaimed pianist Keith Kirchoff performs a program of new works for piano and electronics. This recital is free to attend. (706) 542-3737. music.uga.edu.

For more events or to add an event to a future calendar, visit events.onlineathens.com. Choose “UGA” as your category to be included in the UGA calendar.

Arts and entertainment calendar for April 4-10

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Exhibit — Oil Compass by Greg Benson: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, Wednesday and Sunday, Farmington Train Depot, 1001 Salem Road, Farmington. Show features eight paintings that comprise a 360-degree panorama of a particular place at a particular moment. Exhibit open through April 30.

Exhibit — Figures, Florals and Fabulous Celestials: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Exhibit features the work of three local watercolor artists — Judith DeJoy, Cindy Malota and Radha Murthy. Free admission. Open through April 30. For more, call (706) 769-3950.

Open mic night: 8 to 11 p.m. today, Hendershot’s Coffee Bar, 1560 Oglethorpe Ave., Athens. www.hendershotscoffee.com.

100 Watt Horse and The Moths, Oh, Rose: 9 p.m. today, Georgia Theatre, 215 N. Lumpkin St., Athens. Rooftop show starts at 10 p.m. http://www.georgiatheatre.com/event/1143911-100-watt-horse-athens/.

The Reverend Tribble’s Tuesday Open Mic Night Round 2: 7 p.m. Tuesday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Songwriter-based event showcases 12 open mic night artists on main stage. Slots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No comedy or spoken word. Prizes will be awarded to audience and peer favorites. Free. All ages show. (706) 549-7051.

The Steel Wheels with special guests Forlorn Strangers: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. All ages show. (706) 549-7051.

Karaoke: 9 p.m. Wednesday, The Office Lounge, 2455 Jefferson Road, Athens. www.facebook.com/OfficeAthens.

Class — Photographing Flora and Fauna: 6 p.m. Thursday, The Georgia Center for Continuing Education, 1197 S. Lumpkin St., Athens. Participants will learn how to use their photography equipment more effectively to capture the best images. Classes are held Thursdays through May 19. Participants should bring a SLR digital camera and the owner’s manual. For more, www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/courses/photography/photo-flora-fauna.

Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek with special guests Petra Haden and Jesse Harris: 8 p.m. Thursday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Show for those 18 and older. (706) 549-7051.

Afternoon Beer Club: 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, Live Wire, 227 W. Dougherty St., Athens. Funky vinyl selections from 5 to 8 p.m. by DJ Osmose. Free brewery swag. The venue also will give out free tastings from featured breweries. www.livewireathens.com.

Athens Brewery Tours: 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, tour departs from The Varsity, 1000 W. Broad St., Athens. Stops include Creature Comforts, Terrapin Brewery and Copper Creek. Tickets are $35. (706) 548-6325. www.athensbrewerytours.com.

Jazz at Highwire: 8 p.m. Friday, Highwire Lounge, 269 N. Hull St., Athens. www.highwirelounge.com.

Laughlin with The Holman Autry Band and Eastville Belle: 8 p.m. Friday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Presented by Peachtree Entertainment. All ages show. (706) 549-7051.

Festival Urbano featuring Bachata Urbana, Espíritu del Vino and DJ Franco: 8 p.m. Saturday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Presented by Athens Latin. Must be 18 or older. (706) 549-7051.

21st annual Classic City Brewfest: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Event is for those 21 and older. (706) 549-7051. http://www.classiccitybrew.com/brewfest.html.

For more events or to add an event to a future calendar, visit events.onlineathens.com. Choose “entertainment” as your category to be included in the arts and entertainment calendar.

Athens area events this week

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TODAY

Exhibit — Oil Compass by Greg Benson: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, Farmington Train Depot, 1001 Salem Road, Farmington. Greg Benson’s show features eight paintings that comprise a 360-degree panorama of a particular place at a particular moment. Exhibit open through April 30.

Exhibit — Figures, Florals and Fabulous Celestials: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Exhibit features the work of three local watercolor artists — Judith DeJoy, Cindy Malota, and Radha Murthy. Free admission. Open through April 30. (706) 769-3950.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide: 12:30 to 5 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in filing certain tax forms and schedules, including the Form 1040. Volunteers will be assisting patrons on a first-come first-served basis. All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, visit aarp.org/taxaide.

Open chess play: 4 to 5:30 p.m. today, Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St., Athens. Players of all skill levels are encouraged to attend. Members of the local Chess and Community Conference will be on hand to assist players. No registration required. Open to ages 7 to 18. www.athenslibrary.org/athens.

Alcoholics Anonymous: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. today. Call (706) 389-4164 for location. www.athensaa.org.

NerdHerd Hangout: 6 to 7 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Come hang out at the library and geek out with other nerds. You can even bring food. Youth in grades 6 through 12 welcome. Free and open to the public. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Cookbook Club: 7 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Every month, members of the Oconee County Library’s Cookbook Club will all read the same cookbook and prepare a recipe to share with other members. The title for April’s meeting is “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier” by Ree Drummond. Pick up a copy at the library. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Teen Advisory Board: 7 to 8 p.m. today, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Teen Advisory Board is a volunteer team of teens that meet once per month. Members make book suggestions for the library, help plan teen programs and assist with displays or other projects. For grades 6 through 12. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Trivia: 8 to 10 p.m. Monday, Highwire Lounge, 269 N. Hull St., Athens. www.highwirelounge.com.

Rock and roll trivia: 9 to 11 p.m. Monday, Little Kings Shuffle Club, 223 W. Hancock Ave., Athens. www.facebook.com/lkshuffleclub.

Team trivia: 9 to 11 p.m. Monday, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, 1860 Barnett Shoals Road, Athens. Call to verify time. www.beefobradys.com.

 

TUESDAY

Preschool Storytime: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St., Athens. Story program for children 18 months to 4 years old and their caregivers. Books, songs, puppets, nursery rhymes and early literacy and pre-school activities. www.athenslibrary.org/athens.

Bingo at East Athens Community Center: 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, East Athens Community Center, 400 McKinley Drive, Athens. Senior adults are invited for fellowship, refreshments and bingo. (706) 613-3593.

Free tax preparation and E-filing services: 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St., Athens. AARP Tax-Aide Program volunteers will help taxpayers of middle and low income, with special attention to those ages 50 and older. You do not need to be an AARP member to receive services. Bring identification, 2015 tax documents and supporting information, and a copy of your 2014 tax return. (706) 369-1245.

Cloning Technologies to Regenerative Medicine — Science Fiction to Reality: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Hotel Indigo Athens, 500 College Ave., Athens. An exclusive panel of Athens entrepreneurs will discuss their innovations and contributions to regenerative medicine and cloning technology. The one-hour panel discussion will be followed by a networking reception that will provide an opportunity to interact with the panelists and others in the North Georgia life science and biotech industries. Sponsored by UGA Innovation Gateway, Georgia Bio and Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Department. Free. For more information, call (404) 221-0617 or email admin@gabio.org. www.gabio.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=788088&group.

Lego Club: 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Create Lego art and play Lego-based activities. Lego blocks provided. For ages 3 to 11. Free. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Alcoholics Anonymous: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Call (706) 389-4164 for location. www.athensaa.org.

Domestic violence support group: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Call (706) 543-3331 for location. Hosted by Project Safe. Dinner served at 6 p.m. Child care provided.

Olive oil tasting: 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, The Olive Basket, 297 Prince Ave., Athens. Free. www.olivebasketonline.com.

Sons of the American Revolution regular meeting: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jennings Mill Country Club, 1150 Chambers Court, Watkinsville. Sons of the American Revolution Historical Presentations Series presents “The Great Madness: Borderland Warfare in Revolutionary Georgia,” a program by historian Steven Scurry, during the organization’s regular meeting. Social hour will begin at 6 p.m. with buffet dinner to open at 6:45 followed by the program. Open to the public. (706) 548-3266.

Bingo: 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Ted’s Most Best, 254 W. Washington St., Athens. Free admission. www.facebook.com/tedsmostbest.

Trivia: 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Locos Grill & Pub, Westside and Eastside locations. (706) 208-0911. www.locosgrill.com.

Trivia: 9 to 11 p.m. Tuesday, Hi-Lo Lounge, 1354 Prince Ave., Athens. Free. www.hiloathens.com.

 

WEDNESDAY

Guided Trail Hikes: 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sandy Creek Nature Center, 205 Old Commerce Road, Athens. Sandy Creek Nature Center staff and naturalists from the community will lead a guided walk on the trails at the nature center. Everyone is invited to stay afterwards for coffee. Free and open to the public. 706-613-3615. www.athensclarkecounty.com/sandycreeknaturecenter.

Preschool Storytime: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St., Athens. Story program for children 18 months to 4 years old and their caregivers. Books, songs, puppets, nursery rhymes and early literacy and pre-school activities. www.athenslibrary.org/athens.

New mamas support group: 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Bloom Community Space, 160 Tracy St., Athens. Studio GH. New moms can bring their babies and talk with other new moms about life with a newborn. Free. www.bloomathens.com.

Alcoholics Anonymous: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Call (706) 389-4164 for location. www.athensaa.org.

Four Athens Happy Hour: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, The World Famous, 351 N. Hull St., Athens. www.fourathens.com.

Harry Potter coloring: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Represent your house and color your favorite characters as you hang out and munch on Harry Potter-themed snacks. For grades 6 through 12. Free and open to the public. (706) 769-3950. www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Jazz at Porterhouse: 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Porterhouse Grill, 459 E. Broad St., Athens. (706) 369-0990. www.porterhouseathens.com.

¡Aprende Español! Semana Uno: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. An eight-week Spanish course for beginners with Adriana Hayunga on Wednesdays through April 20. Participants don’t have to make it to every single class to attend. Registration is required and space is limited. All programs and events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 706-769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Bingo: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Highwire Lounge, 269 N. Hull St., Athens. www.highwirelounge.com.

Trivia: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Blind Pig Tavern, 312 Washington St., Athens. (706) 548-3442. www.blindpigtavern.com.

Karaoke: 9 p.m. Wednesday, The Office Lounge, 2455 Jefferson Road, Athens. www.facebook.com/OfficeAthens.

Trivia: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Copper Creek Brewing Co., 140 E. Washington St., Athens. (706) 546-1102. www.coppercreekathens.com.

 

THURSDAY

Tai Chi class: 10 a.m. Thursday, Rocksprings Community Center, Rocksprings Court, Athens. Offered every Thursday. Uses flowing movements to connect the mind and body, reduce stress, and improve circulation. Beginners welcome.

“Branching Out with Your Family Tree” Children’s Storytime: 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St., Athens. Children ages 5 to 11 and their caregivers are invited to learn about their family roots and explore the Library’s new Family History Toolkits, which can be checked out after Storytime. Free and open to the public. For more information, call (706) 613-3650. www.athenslibrary.org/athens.

Alcoholics Anonymous: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Call (706) 389-4164 for location. www.athensaa.org.

The Big Read — Camille Dungy poetry reading: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, First AME Church, 521 Hull St., Athens. Join the ongoing celebration of Robinson Jeffers’ poetry with a public reading by award-winning poet Camille Dungy. The events includes a question-and-answer session, refreshments and book signing. Free and open to the public. A selection of Dungy’s books will be available for sale on-site courtesy of Avid Bookshop.

Athens Human Rights Festival planning meeting: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nuci’s Space, 396 Oconee St., Athens. The Athens Human Rights Festival is looking for volunteers to help with this years festival. For more information, call 706-202-9169 or email dragojoe@msn.com.

Guest artist — Dr. Oliver Yatsugafu, violin: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Edge Recital Hall at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 250 River Road, Athens. Performance is free. A master class will follow the recital. (706) 542-3737. music.uga.edu.

Guest artist — Transient Canvas: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dancz Center for New Music at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 250 River Road, Athens. Performance by the bass clarinet-marimba contemporary music duo of Transient Canvas — Amy Advocat and Matt Sharrock. (706) 542-3737. music.uga.edu.

Human Trafficking in the State of Georgia — Challenges and Solutions: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Zell B. Miller Learning Center, 48 Baxter St., Athens. This event aims to spread awareness on the issue of human trafficking both in the state of Georgia and its prevalence globally. Speakers include: Camila Wright, assistant attorney general and Georgia’s statewide prosecutor for human trafficking; Monica Khant, immigration attorney and executive director of the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network; Dr. David Okech, UGA professor in the school of social work. The panel will take place in Room 250.

TOPS weight loss: 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Government Annex Building, Ga. Highway 15, Watkinsville. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is a nonprofit support group for weight loss. Members can share challenges, successes or goals, hear a brief program and discuss plans for the week. (800) 932-8677. www.tops.org.

Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek with special guests Petra Haden and Jesse Harris: 8 p.m. Thursday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Show for those 18 and older. (706) 549-7051.

FRIDAY

Josh Calhoun on the Art and Ecology of the Book: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, UGA Special Collections Library, 300 S. Hull St., Athens. As part of the 2016 Big Read celebration of William Jeffers, Josh Calhoun, an assistant professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will present at the annual Symposium on the Book with his lecture, “The Art and Ecology of the Book.” Calhoun is an expert on the natural history of texts and papermaking, as well as Renaissance lyric poetry and drama.

Exhibit — Oil Compass by Greg Benson: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Farmington Train Depot, 1001 Salem Road, Farmington. Show features eight paintings that comprise a 360-degree panorama of a particular place at a particular moment. Exhibit open through April 30.

Exhibit — Figures, Florals and Fabulous Celestials: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Exhibit features the work of three local watercolor artists — Judith DeJoy, Cindy Malota, and Radha Murthy. Free admission. Open through April 30. For more, call (706) 769-3950.

Fantastic Fridays: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Julius F. Bishop Park, 705 Sunset Drive, Athens. Obstacle courses and funs for children and their caregivers. Cost is $5 per child per visit for Athens-Clarke County residents and $7.50 per child per visit for non-residents. Program open through May 6. Register at www.athensclarkcounty.com/leisure. (706) 613-3589.

Museum Mile Tour: 2 p.m. Friday, Athens Welcome Center, 280 E. Dougherty St., Athens. The Museum Mile Tour is a two-hour tour of Athens’ four unique house museums. In each house, you will see a different era of Athens history. Reservations are encouraged by calling (706) 208-TOUR (8687). Cost is $20 per person.

Afternoon Beer Club: 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, Live Wire, 227 W. Dougherty St., Athens. Featuring $2 craft beers and a rotation of featured craft breweries each week. Funky vinyl selections from 5 to 8 p.m. by DJ Osmose. Free brewery swag. The venue also will give out free tastings from featured breweries. www.livewireathens.com.

Guest artist — Keith Kirchoff, piano: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dancz Center for New Music at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 250 River Road, Athens. Free to attend. (706) 542-3737. music.uga.edu.

Alcoholics Anonymous: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday. Call (706) 389-4164 for location. www.athensaa.org.

Athens Brewery Tours: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, tour departs from The Varsity, 1000 W. Broad St., Athens. Stops include Creature Comforts, Terrapin Brewery and Copper Creek. Tickets are $35. (706) 548-6325. www.athensbrewerytours.com.

Ramblin’ Country: 7 to 11:59 p.m. Friday, VFW Athens, 835 Sunset Drive, Athens. (706) 543-5940.

Jazz at Highwire: 8 p.m. Friday, Highwire Lounge, 269 N. Hull St., Athens. www.highwirelounge.com.

Laughlin with The Holman Autry Band and Eastville Belle: 8 p.m. Friday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Presented by Peachtree Entertainment. All ages show. (706) 549-7051.

Great Day of Service: 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Tuckston UMC, 4175 Lexington Road, Athens. Attendees can participate in one of the following areas: Stop Hunger Now (8 a.m. to noon for all ages), Shut In/Nursing Home Visitation (9 a.m. to noon for all ages), UMCOR Sewing Kits (9 to 11 a.m.), Habitat for Humanity (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for ages 18 and older), provide snacks/lunch/water for Habitat for Humanity volunteers (9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.), and Athens-Clarke County Fire/Police Appreciation Packages (9 to 11 a.m. for all ages). For more, call (706) 353-1311 or email debjarecki@gmail.com.

Oconee Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oconee County Courthouse, 23 N. Main St., Watkinsville. Open rain or shine.

SATURDAY

Exhibit — Oil Compass by Greg Benson: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Farmington Train Depot, 1001 Salem Road, Farmington. Show features eight paintings that comprise a 360-degree panorama of a particular place at a particular moment. Exhibit open through April 30.

Exhibit — Figures, Florals and Fabulous Celestials: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Exhibit features the work of three local watercolor artists — Judith DeJoy, Cindy Malota, and Radha Murthy. Free admission. Open through April 30. For more, call (706) 769-3950.

Youth Stepshow: 1 p.m. Saturday, The Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St., Athens. $16.

Film Athens presents Breaking into the Acting World with Mallory Moye: 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Ciné, 234 W. Hancock Ave., Athens. Interested in acting and don’t know what the next step is? Join working actress and Athens native Mallory Moye in affiliation with Film Athens in de-mystifying the entertainment industry. The first half of class will be a discussion about the ins and outs of the business, and in the second half, students will get on their feet to audition with provided material from current film/television scripts. Cost is $75. Adults and students age 15 and older are welcome to attend.

Critter Tales: 2:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sandy Creek Nature Center, 205 Old Commerce Road, Athens. Participants will hear a story about nature and a staff member will bring a critter out on display or a trip outdoors for an activity. Free and open to the public. For more information, call (706) 613-3615 or visit www.athensclarkecounty.com/sandycreeknaturecenter.

14th anniversary fest: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Terrapin Brewery, 265 Newton Bridge Road, Athens. $25.

Alcoholics Anonymous: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Call (706) 389-4164 for location. www.athensaa.org.

Get Exposed! A Film Athens networking event: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Meet with local film industry professionals and supporters of local film, media and commercial production. Free to attend. (706) 549-7051. www.facebook.com/filmathens.

Festival Urbano featuring Bachata Urbana, Espíritu del Vino and DJ Franco: 8 p.m. Saturday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Presented by Athens Latin. Must be 18 or older. (706) 549-7051.

SUNDAY

Exhibit — Oil Compass by Greg Benson: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Farmington Train Depot, 1001 Salem Road, Farmington. Show features eight paintings that comprise a 360-degree panorama of a particular place at a particular moment. Exhibit open through April 30.

Athens Debtors Anonymous: 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, St. Mary’s Hospital, 1230 Baxter St., Athens. Meetings are held in conference room 1724. For anyone with financial and debt problems. (706) 389-3000.

Exhibit — Figures, Florals and Fabulous Celestials: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Exhibit features the work of three local watercolor artists — Judith DeJoy, Cindy Malota, and Radha Murthy. Free admission. Open through April 30. For more, call (706) 769-3950.

21st annual Classic City Brewfest: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, The Foundry, 295 E. Dougherty St., Athens. Event is for those 21 and older. (706) 549-7051. http://www.classiccitybrew.com/brewfest.html.

Caregivers Support Group: 3 p.m. Sunday, Tuckston UMC, 4175 Lexington Road, Athens. Kayla Meek from Avery Place will speak on the topic of caregiver fatigue. For more, email Ann Stearns at astearns267@gmail.com or call (706) 850-7272.

Alcoholics Anonymous: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Call (706) 389-4164 for location. www.athensaa.org.

Contact trivia: 6 p.m. Sunday, Blind Pig Tavern, 2440 W. Broad St., Athens. www.blindpigtavern.com.

Yappy Hour: 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Your Pie, 1045 Gaines School Road, Athens. Presented by Athens Unleashed. Hang out with your dog, meet other dog people and enjoy drinks and refreshments. www.athens-unleashed.com.

Trivia: 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Buffalo’s Cafe, 196 Alps Road, Athens.

 

State legislators await Gov. Deal's decision on 'campus-carry' handgun bill

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ATLANTA | In the wake of his veto of the so-called “religious freedom” bill, Gov. Nathan Deal could deal another major blow to conservatives in the Republican-dominated state legislature as lawmakers await his decision on another controversial piece of legislation: a bill to allow college and university students ages 21 and up to carry a concealed handgun on campus with a permit.

The law would not allow handguns in dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses, and in athletic facilities.

Rep. Buzz Brockway, a Republican from Lawrenceville, co-sponsored the bill, but said he did not want to predict which way the governor would lean.

Brockway also said he did not think the veto of the religious exemption bill earlier this week would weigh into Deal’s decision.

“I don’t think folks like retribution, or revenge in politics, so if he chooses to disagree, we will just roll up our sleeves and work harder,” he said.

Brockway cited Deal’s strong relationship with the legislature, saying that even if the bill is vetoed, he does not see how it would have any impact on Deal’s support from Republican lawmakers.

House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, an Atlanta Democrat, said she could not speculate on a reaction from Deal’s supporters on the right, but said the core group that lobbied for the bill would be impacted. She then said that the bill was not brought to the table by the entirety of the Republican base in the House, but by a smaller special-interest group.

“I can say (Deal) raised some thoughtful and important concerns expressed both by House and Senate Democrats about the expansive nature of the legislation,” said Abrams, D-Atlanta. “There is no urgency to the passage of this bill.”

Jerry Henry, executive director of GeorgiaCarry.Org, has been a strong supporter of the bill. He said if Deal vetoes the measure, it will hurt his reputation as a champion of the Second Amendment.

“For 35 years, he has had an A-plus rating from NRA, and now he could veto a good gun bill,” Henry said.

As with the religious exemption bill, Deal has also been pressured from outside groups to kill the measure. Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy group backed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, says it will spend $25,000 on ads running Thursday through Monday in metro Atlanta.

Henry said the outcry is part of Bloomberg’s efforts to fund anti-gun advocacy around the country.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily right to buy your rights away from you, and if he is successful buying your Second Amendment rights, what rights will he go after next?” Henry said.

Another campus-related bill allowing students to carry electroshock weapons on campus is currently sitting on the governor’s desk. Brockway was the primary sponsor of this bill, and said he believes the governor will view handguns and stun guns as two separate measures.

“The campus carry bill is a Second Amendment issue, and the stun gun bill, while related, is more about personal protection,” Brockway said.

Deal has until May 3 to sign or veto the gun bill, or else it becomes law by default.

 

Body found inside SUV in downtown Macon parking lot

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MACON | Police have found the body of a woman inside an SUV parked at a restaurant in downtown Macon.

The Bibb County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that the vehicle was still running Saturday morning when deputies discovered the body of 25-year-old Blair Chamblee in the backseat. The circumstances of Chamblee's death were not released.

Authorities say the manager of the nearby Zaxby's restaurant had noticed the vehicle Friday night.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the Macon woman's cause of death.

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