CLASSIC CITY NEWS

By Joe Johnson The man who died last weekend while incarcerated at the county jail in Athens has been identified as 45-year-old Joshua Lee Silvers. He was a convicted child molester who had been jailed for failing to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. He had been convicted of sexual battery against a 6-year-old girl in Oconee County. Jail personnel found Silvers unresponsive in his cell Sunday night and he died after unsuccessful lifesaving attempts. Pe

By Joe Johnson A Superior Court judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for the woman who injured several people in December when she intentionally crashed her car into Kroger on Alps Road. Lonneshia Shafaye Appling is facing multiple counts of aggravated assault for her actions that day, Prosecutors say that the 40-year-old Dudley Drive resident had been under the influence of a combination of fentanyl and methamphetamine when her car plowed into the supermarket. Accor

Released today by the Gwinnett County Police Department: (Lawrenceville, Ga., Apr. 10, 2026) – Gwinnett County Police Department is warning residents to be aware of seasonal lawn care service scams. As the weather warms up and people start landscaping their properties, individuals or small groups of people will offer property owners their lawn care services and end up taking advantage of the situation. These scams often involve someone going door to door offering services suc

By Joe Johnson The recent death of an elderly resident of an Athens assisted living facility was not due to negligence, a police investigation has concluded, The investigation was conducted after police received allegations that an 86-year-old resident of Manor Lake died last Sunday because of neglect by one of the employees. That employee allegedly had numerous disciplinary problems in the three short weeks of her employment, including sleeping on the job and falling to mak

This was released today by the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office: On the night of April 5, 2026, at approximately 7:03 PM, the staff at the Athens-Clarke County Jail were bringing a change of uniform to a male jail resident. A deputy entered the cell and noticed the male seated, slumped over, and unresponsive to verbal or physical stimulation. Lifesaving procedures were initiated, and on-site medical assistance was called. EMS and CCFD were also requested to come to the jail. EM

This was released today by the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office On the night of April 5, 2026, at approximately 7:03 PM, the staff at the Athens-Clarke County Jail were bringing a change of uniform to a male jail resident. A deputy entered the cell and noticed the male seated, slumped over, and unresponsive to verbal or physical stimulation. Lifesaving procedures were initiated, and on-site medical assistance was called. EMS and CCFD were also requested to come to the jail. EMS

By Joe Johnson Crystal Jean Bloodworth, 38, of Jackson, Mississippi, was arrested last month after a high-speed police chase with a child in her car. The child was unrestrained while lying on a pile of clothing and Bloodworth was under the influence of drugs at the time, according to arrest warrants on file at Superior Court. Athens-Clarke County police said they are prevented by law from releasing the incident report because it involves a charge of first-degree cruelty to a

Lawrence By Joe Johnson An inmate has been harassing a University of Georgia student in phone calls from Macon State Prison. According to police , 32-year-old Reuben Scott Lawrence made over 50 unwanted calls to the student using numerous different phone numbers without caller ID. He also sent vulgar and threatening text messages to her. He knew about the student because he had been romantically involved with her sister during his incarceration, UGA police are investigatio

By Joe Johnson The man who shot his former girlfriend inside a Baxter Street dentist office last year has pleaded not guilty to an attempted murder charge. Carl Eugene Clark, 74, of Winterville Road, tried to kill 47–year-old Sheila Mobley in December when he went to her job at McRae Family Dental and shot her multiple times in the chest and face. She survived and Clark later shot himself in the face in a failed suicide attempt, Huwas arrested and subsequently charged in a

The 1947 "Athens, Georgia Town Film" is a 16mm color amateur film, likely shot by Chamber of Commerce director Joel A. Weir, showcasing post-WWII life in Athens . The footage, often cited by the Walter J. Brown Media Archives , features downtown scenes, UGA campus life, local businesses, and contrasting residential areas like Milledge Avenue and Linnentown.

This news release was issued by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation:: At the request of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Hull, Madison County, GA, involving an off-duty GBI agent. The GBI is also investigating an aggravated assault that occurred before the officer involved shooting. Earnest Howard, age 47, of Athens, GA, was shot and injured during the incident. No agents were injured. Howard has been arrested and c

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has released the following: Hull, Madison County, GA (April 5, 2026) - At the request of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Hull, Madison County, GA, involving an off-duty GBI agent. The GBI is also investigating an aggravated assault that occurred before the officer involved shooting. Earnest Howard, age 47, of Athens, GA, was shot and injured during the incident. No agents were in

By Joe Johnson The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is reviewing the death of an 86-year-old resident of an assisted living facility for possible neglect by one of the employees, The woman died Sunday morning at Manor Lake while under the care of a 34-year old employee who has had numerous problems in the short time she’s been there. The employee had previously been found sleeping on the job and allegedly had not been properly caring for the resident who died. She was a

Glenn (file) By Joe Johnson Trico Latorey Glenn, 50, of Winterville Road, is being sought police for assaulting his girlfriend with a crowbar during a domestic violence at their home early in the morning of March 27th. He and the 52-year-old victim were arguing about his drinking when he struck her in the face with the crowbar. He took her phone when she tried to call for help. The assault was witnessed by the victim’s teenage daughter who called 911. A police incident report

By Joe Johnson Athens police last week cited the Theta Chi fraternity after receiving neighborhood complaints about loud music being played by a band at its South Milledge Avenue frat house, At about 11:30 am March 28th an officer confirmed that the county noise ordinance was being violated by parking several hundred feet away from the fraternity house, at the corner of Peabody and Bloomfield streets, “Measuring the distance using Google Earth shows a difference of approxima

If nothing else, Trump has brought out the true “American” in many Americans. Americans standing up for what they believe—to protest with the largest numbers possible—is what made us who we are.  Support for the cause is irrelevant. Support for the right is everything. Thomas Jefferson put it perfectly: “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive.” When Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr tried to shut do

By T.W. Burger The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. would be 97 this year if some pinhead hadn’t shot him. He would perhaps be gone frail and a little dotty. Thinking back on his arc as firebrand and martyr, which is frankly hard to imagine. Those of us who were around in his day remember him differently than younger folks do. While he was alive he was, depending on where you stood, a visionary, a man of God who held his country’s collective feet to the fire of its own founding do

Released today by the Gwinnett County Police Department Lawrenceville, Ga., April. 3, 2026) – Gwinnett County Police detectives have identified the suspect seen on camera holding a gun and attempting to kick in an apartment door. On March 22, around 1:00 a.m. officers responded to a suspicious activity call at 900 Legacy Park Dr.  The victim said someone was at his apartment door trying to kick the door in and had a gun in his hand.  When officers arrived, the victim showed t