WGAU Local News

Navy Base News Conference

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:06:16 -0500

A press conference is set for 10 o'clock this morning at the Navy Supply Corps School on Prince Avenue: the Navy Base CO will take part, as will University of Georgia President Michael Adams and Athens Mayor Heidi Davison. They'll talk about plans to commemorate the Navy's 57 years in Athens and plans to transition from a Navy campus to a medical campus. The Navy School leaves Athens next year for Newport Rhode Island. The University of Georgia, in collaboration with the Medical College of Georgia, will begin training medical students on the campus in Normaltown.

Another DOT Forum on Highway 78

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:05:12 -0500

The second of two public forums on plans to widen Highway 78 is set for today in Lexington: the DOT session starts at 4 and lasts til 7 at the Oglethorpe County Commission offices on Main Street in Lexington. The DOT is looking at a controversial plan for a four-lane divided Highway 78 to run from Whit Davis Road in Clarke County to Walter Sam Road in Oglethorpe County.

Fire Rages at Athens Chemical Plant

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:20:49 -0500

Athens-Clarke County firefighters say there are no injuries, and no evacuations, as they spent the overnight hours battling a fire at the J and J Chemical plant off Olympic Drive on Athens' east side. The plant makes perfumes for toilet bowl cleaners. There's no word yet on the cause of the fire.

Emergency Drill at UGa

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:20:14 -0500

It's only a drill: the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is conducting a simulated news event as part of a journalists' training session. It'll get underway around 3 o'clock this afternoon, with a simulation of a suspicious package found on campus. Again: it's only an exercise for student journalists.

Oconee Teacher to Head PAGE

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:19:35 -0500

She teaches at Malcom Bridge Elementary School in Oconee County: Vickie Hammond is the new president-elected of PAGE, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators.

DOT Session on Highway 78 Widening

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:06:23 -0500

The Georgia DOT hosts open house information sessions on plans to widen Highway 78 in Clarke and Oglethorpe Counties. The first meeting is set for 4 o'clock this afternoon til 7 o'clock tonight at Gaines Elementary School on Gaines School Road. Another meeting takes place Thursday, 4 til 7, at the Oglethorpe County Commission office on Main Street in Lexington. Current plans call for 78 to be a four-lane divided highway between Whit Davis Road in Clarke County and Walter Sams Road in Oglethorpe County.

Birchmore Finalists Named

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:05:18 -0500

The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department names four finalists for this year's Fred Birchmore Awards: Ken Sherman, Elaine Kress, Jane Douglas, and Elizabeth Nevi are the candidates for the award that will be presented at the August 10 Active Aging Conference at Community Council on Aging headquarters on Hoyt Street in Athens.

Motorcycle Crash Victim ID'd

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:01:54 -0500

Authorities have released the name of the Madison County man who was killed in a weekend motorcycle crash in Athens: Derrick Ware was 46 years old, from Danielsville, killed when he wrecked his bike off Commerce Road. His was the fourth area motorcycle fatality in the past month in northeast Georgia.

NE Ga Heat Wave Unrelenting

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:48:35 -0500

Forecasters say there's no real break in sight in the heat wave that continues to grip Athens and northeast Georgia. Athens is expected to top out at around 97 degrees today. As hot as that is, it's not a record: that mark is 101 degrees, set back in 1925.

Falcons Owner Snaps Up Area Clinics

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:47:32 -0500

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank purchases two area health clinics: clinics in Athens and Winder bring to 8 the number of Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers.

Richt: NCAA Probe No Distraction

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:44:30 -0500

Georgia Bulldog football coach Mark Richt says he doesn't think an ongoing NCAA in inquiry will be a distraction during preparations for the upcoming college football season: the NCAA has added Georgia to the list of schools that are the focus of probes into possible player-agent contacts. The NCAA is also looking at the Universities of Alabama, Florida, and North and South Carolina. Coach Richt met the press Thursday at the annual SEC Media Days gathering in Birmingham.

A-CC Commissioners Pick New Site for Tennis Center

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:42:33 -0500

Athens-Clarke County Commissioners are now leaning toward Southeast Clarke Park is the site for a sales tax-funded Athens-Clarke County Tennis Center: Commissioners met last night at City Hall and revisited the tennis center issue, now that Bishop Park has been eliminated as a potential location.

Clarke Dems Meet

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:41:57 -0500

The Clarke County Democratic Committee holds a Saturday caucus, 9:15 at the Library on Baxter Street: the local Democrats will choose three delegates and two alternates to the upcoming state Democratic Party Convention. That convention takes place next month at the Classic Center.

Athens Air Quality in Question

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:41:15 -0500

Brian Carr with the Atlanta-based Clean Air Campaign says Athens could reach non-attainment status for federal guidelines on air quality as early as next year: Carr says that's in part because of coming changes in the way the EPA will measure ground-level ozone.

Hudgens: No Endorsement in Senate Runoff

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:40:27 -0500

Madison County State Senator Ralph Hudgens, who is leaving the legislature to run for the state Insurance Commissioner's office, says he'll not be making an endorsement in the runoff to fill his Senate seat. Republicans Frank Ginn and Shane Coley will meet in an August 10 runoff. Hudgens has his own August runoff: he'll face Maria Sheffield in the race to replace John Oxendine, who left the Insurance Commissioner's office to wage his unsuccessful campaign for Governor.