Athens Politics Nerd
@athenspoliticsnerd.bsky.social
Independent, progressive journalism for Athens, Georgia.
The MRF being on hold is one thing, but after reading this article my takeaway is I gotta stop throwing batteries in the trash! 😣
"Drivers [are instructed] that if the load they’re hauling catches fire, they are to tip it out...rather than risk losing the entire truck"
flagpole.com/news/city-do...
"Drivers [are instructed] that if the load they’re hauling catches fire, they are to tip it out...rather than risk losing the entire truck"
flagpole.com/news/city-do...
New Athens Recycling Facility on Hold Due to Lack of Funding - Flagpole
The Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department wanted $16 million in SPLOST 2020 funds to build a new Materials Recycling Facility (MRF, pronounced “Murph”) and to move the Center for Hard to Recycle...
flagpole.com
February 18, 2026 at 6:12 PM
The MRF being on hold is one thing, but after reading this article my takeaway is I gotta stop throwing batteries in the trash! 😣
"Drivers [are instructed] that if the load they’re hauling catches fire, they are to tip it out...rather than risk losing the entire truck"
flagpole.com/news/city-do...
"Drivers [are instructed] that if the load they’re hauling catches fire, they are to tip it out...rather than risk losing the entire truck"
flagpole.com/news/city-do...
Now they're going into executive session to discuss threatened or pending litigation. That's always fun!
February 18, 2026 at 1:42 AM
Now they're going into executive session to discuss threatened or pending litigation. That's always fun!
I have to say, I don't agree with the recommendation to continue the First American downpayment assistant program. I don't think this program has actually helped low-income people afford homes, maybe moderate-income people.
I think the public is better served through recapturing the $700,000.
I think the public is better served through recapturing the $700,000.
February 18, 2026 at 1:18 AM
I have to say, I don't agree with the recommendation to continue the First American downpayment assistant program. I don't think this program has actually helped low-income people afford homes, maybe moderate-income people.
I think the public is better served through recapturing the $700,000.
I think the public is better served through recapturing the $700,000.
Commissioner Carol Myers is supporting the extended data center moratorium, too.
Given how much the commission loves delaying votes, I'd guess that this moratorium is as good as extended.
Given how much the commission loves delaying votes, I'd guess that this moratorium is as good as extended.
February 18, 2026 at 12:30 AM
Commissioner Carol Myers is supporting the extended data center moratorium, too.
Given how much the commission loves delaying votes, I'd guess that this moratorium is as good as extended.
Given how much the commission loves delaying votes, I'd guess that this moratorium is as good as extended.
Commissioner Melissa Link says she supports the extension of the data center moratorium for 60-90 days.
February 18, 2026 at 12:26 AM
Commissioner Melissa Link says she supports the extension of the data center moratorium for 60-90 days.
We're hearing public comment down at city hall about a proposed set of regulations for data centers.
Some are asking for the moratorium on data center construction to be extended.
Some are asking for the moratorium on data center construction to be extended.
February 17, 2026 at 11:50 PM
We're hearing public comment down at city hall about a proposed set of regulations for data centers.
Some are asking for the moratorium on data center construction to be extended.
Some are asking for the moratorium on data center construction to be extended.
We're gonna get a food truck court downtown, hell yeah!
February 17, 2026 at 11:12 PM
We're gonna get a food truck court downtown, hell yeah!
Bennie Coleman, candidate for commission in district 7, just asked if Black men could be included in the Superior Court's application to receive a STOP Violence Against Women grant. 🤔
February 17, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Bennie Coleman, candidate for commission in district 7, just asked if Black men could be included in the Superior Court's application to receive a STOP Violence Against Women grant. 🤔
The mayor and commission agenda-setting session is about to start. Most notably, we've got regulating DATA CENTERS on the agenda.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jq0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jq0...
02-17-2026 Mayor & Commission Agenda Setting Session
YouTube video by Athens-Clarke County (accgov)
www.youtube.com
February 17, 2026 at 11:00 PM
The mayor and commission agenda-setting session is about to start. Most notably, we've got regulating DATA CENTERS on the agenda.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jq0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jq0...
As Mayor Kelly Girtz begins to step away from the position he’s held for over seven years, APN asked him to reflect on both the progress he’s made in office and the work that still remains unfinished.
athenspoliticsnerd.com/kelly-girtz-...
athenspoliticsnerd.com/kelly-girtz-...
“There’s a lot more work to be done”: Kelly Girtz bids farewell to the mayor’s office | Athens Politics Nerd
Kelly Girtz will leave office in January, having served as Athens-Clarke County mayor since 2019. As he begins to step away from the position he’s held for
athenspoliticsnerd.com
February 17, 2026 at 7:30 PM
As Mayor Kelly Girtz begins to step away from the position he’s held for over seven years, APN asked him to reflect on both the progress he’s made in office and the work that still remains unfinished.
athenspoliticsnerd.com/kelly-girtz-...
athenspoliticsnerd.com/kelly-girtz-...
📣 Voting location change! 📣
If you normally vote at Gaines Elementary School, for the 2026 primary (and runoff if needed), you will vote at Hilsman Middle School (870 Gaines School Road) instead.
There's some construction going on at Gaines Elementary, so it is unavailable in the spring.
If you normally vote at Gaines Elementary School, for the 2026 primary (and runoff if needed), you will vote at Hilsman Middle School (870 Gaines School Road) instead.
There's some construction going on at Gaines Elementary, so it is unavailable in the spring.
February 13, 2026 at 6:07 PM
📣 Voting location change! 📣
If you normally vote at Gaines Elementary School, for the 2026 primary (and runoff if needed), you will vote at Hilsman Middle School (870 Gaines School Road) instead.
There's some construction going on at Gaines Elementary, so it is unavailable in the spring.
If you normally vote at Gaines Elementary School, for the 2026 primary (and runoff if needed), you will vote at Hilsman Middle School (870 Gaines School Road) instead.
There's some construction going on at Gaines Elementary, so it is unavailable in the spring.
Was everything the mayoral candidates said at the AthChat debate completely true?
Not exactly.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4YM...
Not exactly.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4YM...
Fact checked: 5 claims from the AthChat debate
YouTube video by Athens Politics Nerd
www.youtube.com
February 12, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Was everything the mayoral candidates said at the AthChat debate completely true?
Not exactly.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4YM...
Not exactly.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4YM...
Cine was filled beyond capacity on Saturday as Athenians gathered to hear mayoral candidates Mara Zúñiga, Tim Denson, Dexter Fisher and LaKeisha Gantt debate.
athenspoliticsnerd.com/athens-mayor...
athenspoliticsnerd.com/athens-mayor...
Athens mayoral candidates debate housing, affordability solutions | Athens Politics Nerd
Sophia Eppley is a senior student at UGA's Grady College of Journalism and the news editor for the Red & Black. She is covering the 2026 mayor's race for
athenspoliticsnerd.com
February 10, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Cine was filled beyond capacity on Saturday as Athenians gathered to hear mayoral candidates Mara Zúñiga, Tim Denson, Dexter Fisher and LaKeisha Gantt debate.
athenspoliticsnerd.com/athens-mayor...
athenspoliticsnerd.com/athens-mayor...
Abolish ICE. This agency cannot be reformed. It is a national disgrace.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-9f...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-9f...
Meet Aliya Rahman, Disabled U.S. Citizen Assaulted, Jailed & Traumatized by ICE in Minneapolis
YouTube video by Democracy Now!
www.youtube.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:54 AM
Abolish ICE. This agency cannot be reformed. It is a national disgrace.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-9f...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-9f...
The AthChat podcast hosted their second mayoral debate at Cine this weekend. Mayoral candidates Mara Zúñiga, Tim Denson, Dexter Fisher and LaKeisha Gantt all participated in the debate.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os03...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os03...
The Second AthChat Mayoral Debate (Feb 2026)
YouTube video by Athens Politics Nerd
www.youtube.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:33 PM
The AthChat podcast hosted their second mayoral debate at Cine this weekend. Mayoral candidates Mara Zúñiga, Tim Denson, Dexter Fisher and LaKeisha Gantt all participated in the debate.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os03...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os03...
That debate. Ug. Parts of that were tough to sit through.
Well done by the moderators! And entertaining. But this kind of conversation is not going to convince anyone, I don't think. We need like an hour on each topic to really get to the meat of it.
Well done by the moderators! And entertaining. But this kind of conversation is not going to convince anyone, I don't think. We need like an hour on each topic to really get to the meat of it.
February 8, 2026 at 1:02 AM
That debate. Ug. Parts of that were tough to sit through.
Well done by the moderators! And entertaining. But this kind of conversation is not going to convince anyone, I don't think. We need like an hour on each topic to really get to the meat of it.
Well done by the moderators! And entertaining. But this kind of conversation is not going to convince anyone, I don't think. We need like an hour on each topic to really get to the meat of it.
"Under the proposal, homeowners would no longer have to pay property taxes on their primary residence starting in 2032... Local officials would be able to make up the lost revenue through sales taxes—to a point—and fees and assessments for specific services."
flagpole.com/arts-culture...
flagpole.com/arts-culture...
Bill Would Phase Out Property Taxes for Georgia Homeowners - Flagpole
House Republicans have proposed a major property tax overhaul that they say will save Georgia homeowners money but eliminate a reliable source of revenue for counties, cities and schools. Under the p...
flagpole.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:03 PM
"Under the proposal, homeowners would no longer have to pay property taxes on their primary residence starting in 2032... Local officials would be able to make up the lost revenue through sales taxes—to a point—and fees and assessments for specific services."
flagpole.com/arts-culture...
flagpole.com/arts-culture...
"5,154 wrecks [were] reported in Athens last year—an average of 14 per day. Of those, 1,248 resulted in a total of 1,801 injuries [and 14 deaths]."
flagpole.com/news/city-do...
flagpole.com/news/city-do...
New 'Vision Zero' Dashboard Will Show Where, When and Why Car Wrecks Happen - Flagpole
Athens-Clarke County transportation officials are creating a new online dashboard tracking car crashes, injuries and deaths. Last year, 10 fatal crashes killed 14 people in Athens—a number exacerbated...
flagpole.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:36 PM
"5,154 wrecks [were] reported in Athens last year—an average of 14 per day. Of those, 1,248 resulted in a total of 1,801 injuries [and 14 deaths]."
flagpole.com/news/city-do...
flagpole.com/news/city-do...
Newly elected State Rep. Eric Gisler dropped a resolution affirming that the unrestricted release of Georgians' personal information to the federal government would be against the law.
athenspoliticsnerd.com/state-rep-er...
athenspoliticsnerd.com/state-rep-er...
State Rep. Eric Gisler drops resolution to protect the privacy of Georgia voters | Athens Politics Nerd
State Representative Eric Gisler (D) filed a resolution on the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives last Thursday to reaffirm that providing
athenspoliticsnerd.com
February 4, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Newly elected State Rep. Eric Gisler dropped a resolution affirming that the unrestricted release of Georgians' personal information to the federal government would be against the law.
athenspoliticsnerd.com/state-rep-er...
athenspoliticsnerd.com/state-rep-er...
My recap of tonight's mayor and commission meeting:
Basically nothing happened. 🤷♂️
Basically nothing happened. 🤷♂️
February 4, 2026 at 12:28 AM
My recap of tonight's mayor and commission meeting:
Basically nothing happened. 🤷♂️
Basically nothing happened. 🤷♂️
The mayor and commission have delayed voting on the future land use map to be able to include some changes and to review the new service delivery plan more carefully.
"I have incoming requests from constituents," Link said. "We have more to talk about."
They held the vote until APRIL. 🙄
"I have incoming requests from constituents," Link said. "We have more to talk about."
They held the vote until APRIL. 🙄
February 4, 2026 at 12:10 AM
The mayor and commission have delayed voting on the future land use map to be able to include some changes and to review the new service delivery plan more carefully.
"I have incoming requests from constituents," Link said. "We have more to talk about."
They held the vote until APRIL. 🙄
"I have incoming requests from constituents," Link said. "We have more to talk about."
They held the vote until APRIL. 🙄
People are speaking in opposition to the new future land use plan now, and in favor of affordable housing, down at city hall.
February 3, 2026 at 11:38 PM
People are speaking in opposition to the new future land use plan now, and in favor of affordable housing, down at city hall.
The monthly mayor and commission voting session is about to get started.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDf3...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDf3...
02-03-2026 Mayor & Commission Regular Session
www.youtube.com
February 3, 2026 at 10:42 PM
The monthly mayor and commission voting session is about to get started.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDf3...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDf3...
The Table at UGA is hosting Nico Lang this Saturday to discuss their book American Teenager, which celebrates the resilience, courage and joy of trans youth navigating today’s challenging world.
February 3, 2026 at 5:27 PM
The Table at UGA is hosting Nico Lang this Saturday to discuss their book American Teenager, which celebrates the resilience, courage and joy of trans youth navigating today’s challenging world.
A potentially nefarious attack on Georgia's election laws is underway.
The changes to SB214 seen here would force the hand counting and tabulation of paper ballots, which is time consuming, inaccurate and could allow for challenges.
The midterm could be at stake.
drive.google.com/file/d/1qh0c...
The changes to SB214 seen here would force the hand counting and tabulation of paper ballots, which is time consuming, inaccurate and could allow for challenges.
The midterm could be at stake.
drive.google.com/file/d/1qh0c...
February 2, 2026 at 9:40 PM
A potentially nefarious attack on Georgia's election laws is underway.
The changes to SB214 seen here would force the hand counting and tabulation of paper ballots, which is time consuming, inaccurate and could allow for challenges.
The midterm could be at stake.
drive.google.com/file/d/1qh0c...
The changes to SB214 seen here would force the hand counting and tabulation of paper ballots, which is time consuming, inaccurate and could allow for challenges.
The midterm could be at stake.
drive.google.com/file/d/1qh0c...