CLASSIC CITY NEWS

By Joe Johnson An Athens-Clarke grand jury has indicted a homeless woman on felony charges in connection with a violent confrontation with police officers last month. Amber Mae Skeens, 37, was charged with felony obstruction of law enforcement officers, criminal damage to property, and criminal trespass, according to the indictment filed Tuesday in Superior Court. According to police and court records, the incident happened on the evening of September 1st at the Murphy Expres

Photographer Georgia Darsey spent the afternoon of the University of Georgia’s Homecoming Parade in downtown Athens and at UGA’s Spec Towns Track. Here is some of what Georgia experienced in her own words and photos. On October 3, 2025, I spent the afternoon photographing at the Spec Towns Track in Athens, Georgia, capturing UGA athletes during their practice sessions. I focused on several standout athletes — Alon Rogow in pole vault, Maximus Tucker and Romet Vahter in high j

Issued today by Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services The World of Wonder playground ( 325 Whit Davis Rd .) at Southeast Clarke Park will be closed from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM Wednesday, October 22, 2025 while new trees are being planted. The playground will re-open and resume its regular schedule following the work. All other amenities at Southeast Clarke Park will remain open during regularly scheduled hours. For more information, please call 706-613-3800.

The following was released today the city of Winder The Cities of Winder and Auburn are working together to transform an old quarry into a 1-billion-gallon reservoir, a $90 million project designed to secure the region’s water supply for decades to come. Located at the former Martin Marietta rock quarry off Parks Mill Road in Auburn, the 78-acre site will be converted into a concrete-lined storage pond with the capacity to hold enough water to supply Winder for an entire year

By Joe Johnson A man was recently arrested after his SUV was stopped by police for trying to use an exit ramp to enter the Athens Perimeter. The vehicle was searched after drug paraphernalia was seen in plain view and police said they found meth, crack cocaine, and an open bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey. They also learned that that 41-year-old Garris Trippe Jones III of Eatonton was in violation of bond conditions from a domestic violence arrest involving his passenger, a 44-

By Joe Johnson A Walton County man caused his girlfriend to crash while driving on the Athens Perimeter then beat her after getting out of the car. The incident happened on the evening of September 24th when Jartavious Antonio Bell from Monroe was a passenger in a car being driven by his 38-year-old girlfriend. According to police, while the couple argued, Bell began hitting the woman then grabbed and jerked the steering wheel, causing the car to crash into a wall. He then fl

From Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services: What if all your favorite fairy tales…suddenly broke apart? The magic is gone, the heroes are confused, and the villains are winning. But there’s one last hope, Skelly, a lovable skeleton who never planned to be a hero, but might just become one. Don't miss  "Kristar Bubble Show: Shards of Skelly"  at Morton Theatre.  Show dates are Thursday, October 23 at 5:00 p.m. or Thursday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are now on sale online

By Joe Johnson Police have issued a BOLO for a 31-year-old man from Gwinnett County who beat and strangled his girlfriend in an Athens hotel. The incident occurred on the evening of September 22nd at Sleep Inn & Suites where the 29-year-old Athens woman escaped from her attacker and found a housekeeper who called 911 for her. She identified the suspect as her boyfriend, Shakir Jackson of Lawrenceville. He reportedly fled from the hotel in a blue Honda Civic displaying Georgia

From Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Have a ghoulish time with all of the Halloween events scheduled this fall! Scary, Oozy, Slimy Day at Sandy Creek Nature Center (October 18, 2025) Journey through the Stars Planetarium Program: Spooky Space at Sandy Creek Nature Center (October 18, 2025) Walk through Boo at Lay Park (October 24, 2025) Fright on the Firefly Halloween Trick or Treat Trail at Dudley Park (Oct. 25, 2025) Halloween Week at Bear Hollow Zoo - Halloween Show

By Joe Johnson A Superior Court judge has refused to grant bail to an Athens man who has been in custody since nearly killing someone with a brick two months ago. Tyderius LaJason Moon was arrested on August 3rd following the assault on 56-year-old James King who he accused of stealing. King was barely breathing when police found him lying on the ground and bleeding from the head outside of a Prince Avenue convenience store. After beating his victim in the face with his fists

A truck driver has been arrested for the crash on Interstate 85 that killed eight people, including five children. The victims were killed Monday afternoon when a tractor trailer struck their van, and it burst into flames. The truck had been was following too close behind the van on the interstate in Jackson County, according to the Georgia State Patrol. Four other vehicles in the resulting chain reaction. The truck driver, identified as 33-year-old Kane Hammock of Gainesvil

The following has been released by the Athens-Clarke County Fire Department The Athens-Clarke County Fire Department (ACCFD) will officially place into service Rescue 4 on 10/24/25. Rescue 4 is a custom-built heavy rescue vehicle designed to strengthen the department’s technical rescue and emergency response operations across the community. Approved by the Mayor and Commission through the county’s Apparatus Replacement Plan, Rescue 4 represents a major investment in public sa

By Aaron Hale/UGA Today When Dr. Chip Chambers walks into an exam room at Self Regional Healthcare in rural Greenwood, South Carolina, he always begins with the same question: “How can I help?” And then, he lets them talk.  As the patients describe their ailments or injuries or updates to the fresh-faced doctor with the red beard and kind eyes, it’s unlikely they’re picturing Chambers in his previous life leading student section cheers at Georgia Bulldogs football games. As

From Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services The Leisure Services Department announces that applications are now being accepted for the  2025 Athens-Clarke County Downtown Parade of Lights.  This year’s parade is scheduled for Thursday, December 4 at 7:00 p.m The deadline for entries is Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.  Late applications are not accepted.   This is a firm deadline. The online application is available at  www.accgov.com/parade   The parade application fee

By Joe Johnson A 25-year-old Athens man was robbed early in the morning of October 10th as he was walking from one job on Baxter Street to his other job on West Broad Street. He told police that when he got to the intersection of Paris and Waddell streets he was accosted by the suspect who took his wallet and punched him in the face, then threw the wallet at him after removing its cash. Police say the victim had a visible injury to his eye that was beginning to swell.

The following has been released by Indivisible GA District 10 Athens, Georgia. On Saturday, October 18, citizens from across Georgia’s Congressional District 10 will gather in Athens-Clarke County and Greene County for the second “No Kings Day of Action. They will join millions of American across the country in a nationwide day of nonviolent protest against the increasingly unlawful and authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. There currently are thousands of events

By Joe Johnson Dana Leighann Burns, 41, of Toccoa, was arrested on September 23rd for allegedly driving under the influence of fentanyl and methamphetamine. A police officer reported that he pulled over the woman’s car on Old West Broad Street after seeing it without taillights and being driven erratically. He further noted that Burns had failed to immediately stop after activating his lights and siren. Burns reportedly told the officer that she realized that she had swerved

By Joe Johnson A 20-year-old student recently reported to police that someone tried to extort him. He said that he had been engaged in conversation with a male through the Grindr app and after having provided him with nude photo of himself the male threatened distribute them to his family members if he didn’t pay $1,000. The profile used by the extortionist was deleted from Grindr soon after the incident.

By Joe Johnson Allen Wasif, 21, of Norcross was arrested early in the morning of September 21st after he recklessly sped through Athens in a Chevy Corvette, reaching speeds of over 100 mph and nearly striking pedestrians, according to police. The arrest report states that an officer was running radar on West Broad Street at King Avenue at about 12:15 a.m. when he saw the Corvette drive past and was “continuously speeding up and slowing down.” When the officer tried to pull th

By Joe Johnson Seven people were killed Monday afternoon in a multi-vehicle collision in Jackson County. An eighth person reportedly died at the hospital. The crash happened at about 4:15 p.m. Monday and involved six vehicles. A tractor trailer reportedly struck a van from behind and caused a chain reaction involving the other vehicles. The van burst into flames and all seven of its occupants perished. One of the involved vehicles was a van transporting 37 cats, some of whic