The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement held a candidate forum for those seeking the office of ACC Commissioner yesterday.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQMl...
The manager fired him. I'm happy to share what I have if you would like to see it.
I should clarify that this is an alleged violation. I don't even know what happened.
I have been poking into former Warden Covington's firing. I did a records request and y'all, it looks like the Epstein files. A page is fully redacted and there are heavy redactions throughout.
He was fired for a severe violation of the county's drug & alcohol policy, that's all I know.
If Iran had bombed a school in Athens and killed hundreds of kids, what would our response be?
Would we seek justice? If we ignore this, just because it wasn't in our backyard, I feel our humanity is eroded. We must prosecute those responsible.
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
The ACC Commission has extended the ban on new data center construction until June 5.
They also considered a set of affordable housing recommendations, but some commissioners have cold feet.
www.youtube.com/shorts/0MWbH...
Barry Irwin has jumped into the ACC Commission District 9 race, meaning Ovita Thornton has TWO challengers??
This comes at a time when, honestly, I'm happier with Ovita than I have been in a long time. The affordable housing stuff goes a long way for me.
Should be interesting!
Linda Davis is NOT running again for Board of Education, District 3.
Your candidates in this district are Carl Blount and Reginald Willis.
Wow, Fred Smith Sr. jumped into the Board of Education, District 5 race. 👀
There's a third candidate in the District 10 Democratic primary?
JOHN B. DORITY (US Congress, District 10)
Why? Y'all.... why?? Why do we need three Democrats running for an unwinnable seat? 😵💫
The ACC Commission has extended the ban on new data center construction until June 5.
Commissioners also voted against recapturing ARPA funds from various nonprofits and tasked the planning commission with developing a plan to promote affordable housing.
athenspoliticsnerd.com/acc-commissi...
The following local candidates qualified today:
ZANDER MASON (ACC Commission, District 5)
Hope I didn't miss anyone.
The following local candidates qualified today:
DEXTER FISHER (Mayor)
LAKEISHA GANTT (Mayor)
MARA ZUNIGA (Mayor)
TIM DENSON (Mayor)
RICHARD STANZIALE (ACC Commission, D5)
TERRY JOHNSON (ACC Commission, D1)
TIFFANY TAYLOR (ACC Commission, D3)
We have a challenger in every commission district, folks!
I've had to update the title of this article because -- y'all -- the RAISE grant has been extended significantly! 😲
athenspoliticsnerd.com/how-acc-gov-...
The Bottom. Lickskillet.
We may never have heard these names before, but they were once thriving Black neighborhoods downtown.
A new website has been created to share the story of these neighborhoods and how they were destroyed during urban renewal.
athenspoliticsnerd.com/beyond-linne...
For progressive activists (I've been there), the state government is an impenetrable brick wall. If we say vote yes, they vote no just to spite us, if they listen at all.
Much respect for people who do it, but the state govt is so, so much more difficult than the local to lobby for things.
I think the GICH recommendations (if they were all adopted) would make an impact, yeah! Like Blake is saying, it would take years but I do think it matters.
As far as the resolution, unfortunately I agree with Blake here too. It would require state approval, so that's kind of the end of it.
The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement is giving public comment now in favor of an affordable housing resolution they developed, although they acknowledge that many of their ideas will require approval at the state level.
The ACC commission has unanimously voted to extend the ban on new data center construction until June 5.
The final vote in favor of sending the GICH affordable housing recommendations to the planning commission for review was 8-1, with Hamby opposed and Myers absent.
It sounds like Commissioner Thornton has been whipping votes in favor of sending the GICH affordable housing regulations to the planning commission for review.
Give 'em hell, Ovita! I love it.
"If it makes some folk uncomfortable, we've been uncomfortable for a long time." -Thornton
Commissioner Hamby says he will vote against sending the GICH affordable housing recommendations to the planning commission for review.
He says that there isn't enough guidance given to the planning commission ahead of time for him to approve it.
The ACC commission just voted unanimously (with Fisher recusing himself) to NOT recapture any ARPA funds at this time.
There will be other opportunities to recapture the funds if ACC staff continue to believe that it is necessary. The final deadline to spend these funds is in December.
For a second meeting, there's no one speaking during public comment in favor of allowing data centers.
Not surprising. I think data centers have a PR problem, though. 🤷♂️
The ACC commission has delayed making a decision on how to regulate data centers, choosing to send the proposed policy back to the planning commission for changes.
They'll see it again in a few months. Later tonight, they'll vote on extending the ban on new data center construction.
Commissioner Melissa Link just spoke, urging people to "reject" AI and other technologies that require a large expansion of data centers. She says the technology is "destroying the planet."
People are speaking in favor of strong regulations on data centers at city hall right now (or for completely disallowing them in Athens).
The monthly mayor and commission meeting is getting underway. The main topic tonight is data centers. There will be two votes: #1 - on data center regulations, and #2 - on extending the data center moratorium.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NxA...
State Rep. Eric Gisler held his second town hall meeting on Saturday to give his constituents a legislative update mid-session.
www.oconeecountyobservations.org/2026/03/stat...
I talked to her about this recently. She doesn't regret saying what she did at all.
