New pedestrian bridge at Southeast Clarke Park

Southeast Clarke Park has a new bridge over a creek connecting walking trails situated between Lexington Road and Whit Davis Road. It now connects all the trails between three parking lots around the park. The bridge was purchased mostly from a $28,000 grant from the Riverview Foundation, and Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services also gives mad props to Boy Scouts troops 7 and 149 for clearing the trails to connect this bridge.

Local potter featured in OCAF’s Perspectives

Local potter featured in OCAF’s Perspectives: A mainstay of Watkinsville since 1972, Alice Woodruff is best known for her pottery. Her work will be showcased at the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation’s 16th annual Perspectives Georgia Pottery Invitation.

Washington Mayor's residency called into question

Washington Mayor's residency called into question: The mayor of one CSRA city points to controversy in the wake of some in town complaining about his home address.

Invasion of the electric scooters

We noticed them this morning -- pairs or trios of electric scooters parked in the most random places, such as on the grass next to East Campus Road at College Station Road and on the sidewalk in the middle of the block in front of the Holiday Inn on Broad Street. These are the small, narrow kind that one stands on. They are labeled with the name "Bird." I think these scooters are rented through a smartphone app and they're going to be pretty annoying.

We pretty quickly noticed lots of people riding them. It was like they were an instant hit, or at least people were curious about them. I myself am curious about the coming response of our community and local government. Surely it is not legal to just park a scooter on a sidewalk, and this can't be a sustainable business model or something we'll have for very long in our town.

The scooters were often obstructing public sidewalks. I noticed that three of them were later moved to the edge of the curb -- where they threatened to obstruct vehicle traffic. The next time I went by, two of those were gone. Anyway, I hope they are gone for good soon.

Say it ain't so

I just heard on the radio that the 5 Points Waffle House is closing due to a lease dispute. Man, what a gut punch. I get it that that location is prime real estate and I suppose thats whats driving this but think about how many generations of Athenians and UGA students have frequented that place in varying degrees of sobriety over the years.

Community journalism makes a community

Pete McCommons of Flagpole was recently recognized by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia with the inaugural Rollin M. "Pete" McCommons Award for Distinguished Community Journalism. McCommons wrote in his March 7 "Pub Notes" column that "it takes a community to support community journalism." He in turn recognized many individuals who participated in and supported local journalism here in Athens, as well as those who made Athens such a great place for community journalism.

Store closing sale at Junkman's Daughter's Brother

There are signs announcing a store closing sale at Junkman's Daughter's Brother on West Broad Street. Interested in posters and home decorations, I dropped in and learned that the discount is ten percent. Not finding anything I particularly wanted, I might browse some more if he drops it down to fifty percent.

Does anyone know when the store is actually closing? Is it for real this time?