Hattie Thomas Whitehead will lead conversations on her book “Giving Voice to Linnentown” the next two weekends as part of the 19 Days of Juneteenth observations. June 8 at 2 p.m., she’ll speak at the Athens Regional Library auditorium and on June 18 she’ll speak at … Read the rest
Familiar stories will be featured at the Classic Center starting Thursday at Annual Conference when United Methodist clergy and lay delegates from the North Georgia Conference gather in Athens for three days of worship and decision-making. Hattie Thomas Whitehead, consultant to Oconee Street UMC and local author, will have a table featuring her memoir “Giving Voice to Linnentown” … Read the rest
by John Vodicka
“In most places, when people hear about or see something that is a symbol or representation or evidence of slavery or the slave trade or lynching, the instinct is to cover it up, to get rid of it, to destroy it.”
– Bryan Stevenson
I’ve decided to step back from the rigorous courtwatching I’ve been doing these … Read the rest
Athens-Clarke Commissioner Russell Edwards recently said that he has not heard from citizens who support a proposed Community Police Oversight Office as much as he has heard from those who oppose its creation. As a result, Edwards has questioned the wisdom of moving forward with the proposal which developed in response to 2018 incidents of police officer use of force … Read the rest
By Steve Williams
We need your help to “let justice run down like water” in Athens, Georgia. Over 65 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. invoked that imagery from the Bible (Amos 5:24) during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, at the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement. While much progress has been made since then, much remains to be done to make … Read the rest
The Racial Justice Task Force invites you to help hold the University of Georgia and administration accountable for racial justice on campus and in the Athens community. Join our partner organization, the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement, and the UGA Students of Beyond Baldwin at 6 PM at The Arch. Among the speakers will be our own John Vodicka! Click here to … Read the rest
Does Athens need a police oversight board? Oconee Street’s Racial Justice Task Force has supported the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM) efforts seeking an answer to this question for our community. A comprehensive proposal has been developed to create an independent civilian board to enhance positive police / community relations and to increase accountability and trust in the complaint process when … Read the rest
By John Cole Vodicka
Take a look at this Flagpole article detailing treatment of people accused of crime in Athens-Clarke County courts:
Chaining and binding prisoners is not right. And over the years, courts have said as much:
By John Cole Vodicka
Raymond M. suffers with the demons of addiction. He’s 29 years old. Since Dec. 29, he’s been in the Clarke County Jail, arrested yet again and waiting on whether his felony probation will be revoked, returning him to prison. Since 2014 Mr. M. has been locked up a number of times for things like entering automobiles, … Read the rest