Phyllis Jenkins Barrow has died at the age of 89. The long-time Democratic Party activist was the widow of the late judge James Barrow and the mother of Savannah Congressman John Barrow. Funeral arrangements are pending and are being handled by Lord and Stephens Funeral Home.  

The University of Georgia's Vice-President for Public Service and Outreach is leaving Athens for Tuscaloosa: Art Dunning will become the next Vice Chancellor for International Programs and Outreach at the University of Alabama. Dunning leaves UGa in March of next year, after ten years directing what the University says is the nation's largest campus-based outreach program.

The University of Georgia Health Center offers H1N1 flu vaccinations this week: shots and nasal spray will be available tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday at the Health Center and for two days next week at the Tate Center. The swine flu vaccines are for University students, their spouses, and their family members, with priority status for children, pregnant women, and health care providers.

That was Uga VII's half-brother Russ on the sidelines for this weekend's Georgia Bulldog victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Russ substituted for the Bulldog mascot that died earlier this month. University officials say Russ will also be with the Bulldogs when they make their bowl appearance, likely in late December. There has been no decision on whether he will be Uga's permanent replacement.

Athens-Clarke County government offices are closed again today, closed on this day after Thanksgiving, scheduled to re-open Monday. Also closed again today: the University of Georgia, Gainesville State College, and nearly every public school in northeast Georgia.

There is nobody is in class today in Athens: students in the Clarke County school district begin their Thanksgiving break. Their counterparts at the University of Georgia have been on break since Monday. Today is a furlough day for staffers at UGa. It's also a furlough day at Athens Technical College, and at Gainesville State College campuses in Hall and Oconee Counties.

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals has a suggestion for the University of Georgia, which is looking for a replacement for Uga VII, the Georgia Bulldog mascot who died last week in Savannah: PETA says the University should use what it calls an "animatronic dog," or use a person in a costume. PETA has sent its suggestion via e-mail to University of Georgia Athletic Director Damon Evans. The PETA e-mail follows...

A public forum on plans for the City Hall streetscape project is on tap for today: it's a 5 o'clock session at the Government Building on Dougherty Street. It's a $1.3 million project funded by sales tax dollars. An Athens-Clarke County Commission vote on project design is anticipated next month.

Bond was set Monday in the case of Gene Milner, the former University of Georgia student charged in the beating of a Clemson University student who says he was held against his will in the basement of a Lumpkin Street fraternity house: $7,000 bond for the 23 year-old Milner, who surrendered to police this past Sunday, one week after the alleged assault.

The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department says the playground at Memorial Park will close next week and remain closed for the rest of year: crews will be making playground repairs and adding some new facilities. The Memorial Park playground is scheduled to re-open on January 4.

Monday was to have been a deadline day in Athens, the last day to apply for spots on the Athens-Clarke County Overview Commission. City Hall has now extended that deadline through November 30. That's the panel that will review the charter that guides the Athens-Clarke County Government. Applications are available at the County website--www.athensclarkecounty.com--and at City Hall.

Oconee County Commissioners meet tonight. It's a 7 o'clock session at the Oconee County Courthouse in Watkinsville. Commissioners will get a look at a land use and transportation report composed by an Oconee County citizens advisory committee.

Today is a deadline day in Athens: it is the last day to apply for spots on the Athens-Clarke County Overview Commission. That's the panel that will review the charter that guides the Athens-Clarke County Government. Applications are available at the County website--www.athensclarkecounty.com--and at City Hall. They're due by noon today.

Three suspects are in custody after a weekend car chase in east Athens: the burglary suspects--ages 16, 17, and 18--are accused of leading police on a high-speed pursuit that ended on Whit Davis Road. Along with charges stemming from the chase, the teenagers are accused of stealing a TV and other electronics items from a home on Hummingbird Trail. They're also facing drug possession charges.

A forum for University of Georgia staff members is set for 1 o'clock this afternoon in UGa's Dean Rusk Hall. Up for discussion is the University's 2020 Strategic Plan, a draft of which can be seen on the University of Georgia website. Similar forums will be held next month for University faculty and students.

University of Georgia Police issue arrest warrants in the case of a Clemson University student who claims he was held against his will and beaten in the basement of a UGa fraternity house. The Clemson student says it happened last weekend. Campus cops say Gene Milner III will face a felony charge of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor battery count. A University press release identifies Millner as a visitor to the UGa campus.

There's word today that Chance Veazey, the Georgia Bulldog baseball player who was injured in an October 28 scooter accident, has been left paralyzed. Veazey, a freshman from Tifton, is recovering and rehabilitating at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.

For the second time in two days, there will be a panel discussion on plans for health care reform at the University of Georgia: this afternoon's session, set for 3 o'clock at the Russell Library, follows a forum held Thursday in the University's Miller Learning Center.

A University of Georgia education professor is named to a national panel that will work to develop a common national standard for English Language Arts and Mathematics. James Marshall will work in the Common Core State Standards Initiative.  

A man suspected in the murder of his wife is arrested after a SWAT team standoff in Decatur. The homicide happened early this morning in Athens. Athens Police say 30 year-old Willim Studstill will be charged in the stabbing death of his wife, 33 year-old Stephanie Studstill. Police say she was stabbed multiple times in the couple's apartment in the Carriage Gate apartment complex. That's off Barnett Shoals Road in east Athens.

There are still more than two years to go before voters in Oconee County elect a County Commission Chair, but Sara Bell says she will be a candidate in 2012. Bell lost a close race to three-term incumbent Melvin Davis in 2008, losing by 100 votes out of more than 6,000 ballots cast in last year's Oconee County elections.

Athens-Clarke County Commissioners meet tonight. It's a 7 o'clock agenda setting session at City Hall. City Hall streetscape plans are up for discussion. There will also be more talk about plans for an Athens-Clarke County Diversion Center.

Researchers from the University of Georgia will take part in an obesity conference that begins today in Atlanta. Georgia Tech's Global Learning Center is hosting the two-day gathering of obesity experts.

The University of Georgia's Office of Institutional Diversity and the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce are among the sponsors of today's Small Business and Minority Business Expo. It starts at 8 and lasts til 2 in the Tate Center.

Democratic candidate for Governor DuBose Porter is due in Athens this evening: the House Minority Leader will speak to Clarke County Democrats in a 6 o'clock session at the Clarke County Courthouse.

The Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department is conducting flow tests on fire hydrants at 17 spots across town: City Hall says today's tests might make for discolored tap water.

The Oconee County Republican Party meets this evening, a 7 o'clock session at the Watkinsville Community Center. Oconee Republicans will hear from Gerry Purcell, a GOP candidate for the state Insurance Commissioner's office.

The Board of Regents--in a move that will impact students at the University of Georgia, Gainesville State College, and other institutions in the University System of Georgia--approves a fee increase. It'll cost students--or their parents--another $100 per semester, depending on which school the student attends. This latest fee increase, designed to offset anticipated state budget cuts, will kick in in January.

Another Saturday, another night game for the Georgia Bulldogs: the Dogs, who defeated Auburn this past Saturday night in Athens and will play Kentucky this coming Saturday night in Sanford Stadium, learned Monday that the regular season finale against Georgia Tech will also be played under the lights. The November 28 game against the Yellow Jackets will kick off at 8 o'clock in Atlanta.

Only two more days to apply for spots on the Athens-Clarke County Vision Committee: City Hall is looking to fill 10 positions on the panel that will work on issues related to housing, economic development, and community development issues in east Athens and in the Hancock Corridor. Tomorrow is the deadline for applications, which can be submitted on line at the Athens-Clarke County website or at the County Clerk's office in City Hall.

An Athens woman is dead after a Monday evening crash on east Broad Street: a car driven by 63 year-old Linda Mae Johnson side-swiped a UPS truck. Athens-Clarke County Coroner Sonny Wilson says it will take an autopsy to determine if Johnson was killed in the accident, or if she died as a result of a medical condition that might have caused the wreck. The driver of the delivery truck was not injured.

Athens-Clarke County Commissioners meet this afternoon. It's a 5:30 work session at the Government Building on Dougherty Street. Commissioners will talk about plans to expand the overcrowded Clarke County Jail.

Memorial services for Jerry Fuchs are set for today in Athens and Marietta: the drummer for the Athens-based rock band Maserati was killed in a fall down an elevator shaft in Brooklyn earlier this month. The Athens service is set for 11 o'clock this morning at the 40 Watt Club on Washington Street downtown. Marietta--Fuchs' hometown--holds its service at 7:30 at Ann's Catholic Church. 

The University of Georgia is claiming a Top 10 ranking: UGa says its study abroad program is ranked tenth among doctoral and research institutions, with 2,058 students taking part in international study programs in 2007 and 2008.

Work on the expansion of the University of Georgia's Butts-Mehre Building makes for more campus traffic delays: a stretch of East Rutherford Street closes today, East Rutherford between Pinecrest Drive to the parking lot of the University tennis center.

Drivers in downtown Athens can anticipate delays today and tomorrow: crews are pouring concrete on College Avenue between East Dougherty and East Hancock. Also this week: lane closures on Oak Street between Oconee and Peter Streets, where workers are taking down utility poles.  

It was another busy weekend for Athens Police, who made a couple dozen arrests for underage drinking before, during, and after the Georgia Bulldogs win over the Auburn Tigers. And while it was probably not as bad as after the early season game against South Carolina, tailgaters trashed UGa's North Campus again, leaving tons of debris that took clean-up crews several hours to remove.

A Dalton man is arrested in Athens, accused of--among several other charges--impersonating a police officer: Athens-Clarke County Police say Kenwin Printup approached them as they were citing other suspects for underage drinking claiming he, also, was an officer. Turns out he didn't have a badge, or a job in law enforcement. He's now facing a drug possession charge. He's also accused of trying to fight with the officers who arrested him.

University of Georgia Police Chief Jimmy Williamson says the move to close off grass parking lots for Saturday night's Bulldog game against Auburn will mean the loss of about 3,000 parking spaces. Grass lots at the University's intramural field, the Ramsey Center, Aderhold Hall, and East Campus Road will be off-limits to tailgaters. UGa says the lots were saturated by this week's heavy rainfall. Williamson is encouraging fans to carpool to Saturday's game, which kicks off at 7 o'clock in Sanford Stadium.

Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson is in Athens today: Republican Isakson--a realtor before heading to Capitol Hill--is speaking to the Athens Area Association of Realtors. He'll also be on campus this afternoon, speaking to the University of Georgia's College Republicans.

The Athens Farmers Market that opened back in the spring closes after tomorrow morning's session. Local farmers are selling locally grown produce from 8 til noon in Bishop Park.

Former Arkansas governor and Republican candidate for President Mike Huckabee is in Athens tomorrow, a Saturday book signing at Borders. The Fox News Channel commentator will be at the Athens book store from 11 til noon. Huckabee has written a Christmas book.

They've been on opposite sides of the issue of an economic development partnership with Athens-Clarke County: Oconee County Commissioners John Daniell and Chuck Horton are meeting this morning. Daniell is a proponent of the proposed partnership; Horton has been a critic. They'll sit down with Oconee County Economic Development Coordinator Rusty Haygood.

A memorial service for Jerry Fuchs is set for today in Brooklyn: the drummer for the Athens-based band Maserati was killed this past weekend. Police in New York say the 34 year-old Fuchs fell down an elevator shaft. An Athens memorial service will be held next Tuesday at the 40 Watt Club.

Today is an open house day at the Athens-Clarke County Materials Recycling Facility: tours of the facility on Hancock Industrial Way begin at 5 o'clock this afternoon.

Athens-Clarke County Police say two drug suspects were arrested after one of them tried to pass a counterfeit bill at a fast-food restaurant in east Athens: Tobias Patterson is 29 years old, Oscar Maxwell is 21. Both are from Athens. Police say Patterson faces a forgery charge after being caught with a bogus $20 bill, while Maxwell faces a cocaine possession charge. Maxwell and Patterson were arrested Wednesday on Gaines School Road.

The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for several counties in northeast Georgia, as Tuesday rains continued into Wednesday morning. The Oconee River at Penfield is rising and has led to flood warnings for Clarke, Oconee, and Greene Counties. Jackson and Barrow Counties are on the flood warning list because of the Middle Oconee at Arcade. Towns County is on the list because of the Hiwassee River. And portions of Gwinnett and Walton counties are under a flood warning because of the Alcovy River, Suwannee Creek, and Crooked Creek. The remnants of Tropical Storm Ida continue to dump heavy rain on the region. There is also a wind advisory for all of north and central Georgia through 7 o'clock tonight.

University of Georgia College Republicans are hosting a candidates forum this evening: invited to take part are state School Superintendent Kathy Cox and her Republican challengers, Roger Hines and Richard Woods. The forum starts at 6 o'clock in the University's Miller Learning Center.

Athens, Gainesville, Lawrenceville, and Dahlonega are among the cities included in the flash flood watch that extends through Wednesday morning. The National Weather Service says deep tropical moisture has spread across the southeast, courtesy of Tropical Storm Ida. The remnants of the storm are expected to move into Georgia today, bringing rainfall totals between 3 and 5 inches and possibly higher to some parts of northeast Georgia.

The University of Georgia plays host to a Nobel Prize winner: Mario Capecchi was a co-winner of the 2007 Nobel in Medicine. He'll speak at 11 o'clock this morning in UGa's Biological Sciences Building.

An Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission work session is on tap for today. It starts at 5:30 this afternoon in the Government Building on Dougherty Street. Commissioners will talk about, among other things, their wish list for the 2010 legislative session and plans for the County budget for Fiscal Year 2011.

The funeral for Michael Wise is set for 2 o'clock this afternoon at the New Zion Church. Athens-Clarke County Police say Wise shot and killed Kendra Borders last Thursday, then shot and killed himself. Borders was 20 years old, the mother of their three children. Michael Wise was 26.

The Georgia Bulldogs last two home games of the 2009 college football season will be played under the lights at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs play the Auburn Tigers this coming Saturday in a game that will kick off at 7 o'clock. The home finale, a week later against Kentucky, will start at 7:45.

Former Governor Roy Barnes, who is running to return to the Governor's Mansion in 2010, is due in Athens this evening. Supporters of Barnes' bid to win the Democratic nomination are holding a fundraiser at the Classic Center. It gets underway at 6 o'clock tonight.

The Athens-Clarke County Republican Party holds its monthly meeting, 6 o'clock this evening at the local GOP headquarters on north Milledge. The Athens Republicans will hear from a representative of the Center for an Educated Georgia.

The University of Georgia plays host to a four-day water conference that gets underway today at the Georgia Center. The Water-Ecosystems Services, Drought, and Environmental Justice Conference continues through Thursday.

The University of Georgia Alumni Association is collecting holiday season food and toys for northeast Georgia's less fortunate: donations of non-perishable food items and unwrapped toys for the Toys For Tots program can be made through December 10 at the Alumni Association headquarters in the Wray-Nicholson House on Hull Street in Athens.

The University of Georgia's annual Homecoming Parade steps off at 6 o'clock this evening in downtown Athens. This year's grand marshal: former Gym Dog Courtney Kupets, winner of several prestigious national athletic awards. The parade precedes tomorrow's homecoming football game. The Georgia Bulldogs host the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles: kickoff is set for 1 o'clock in Sanford Stadium.

A new era in Georgia Bulldog basketball begins this evening: new coach Mark Fox will be courtside in his first game in Athens, an exhibition game against North Georgia. The game tips at 7 in Stegeman Coliseum. Admission is free.

University of Georgia president Michael Adams says again he has no interest in pursuing the presidency of the NCAA. Dr. Adams' name has surfaced as a possible successor to the late Miles Brand. Adams--in a Thursday press conference at UGa--said his desire is to retire in Athens.

The late September floods forced the postponement of the annual Rivers Alive clean-up that had been scheduled for early October. It'll take place Sunday, with volunteers cleaning up in and along the banks of the Oconee River in Athens. Those volunteers are asked to meet at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Multi-Modal Center in downtown Athens.

Athens ranks 40^th on a list of 120 cities rated by Coldwell Banker: the real estate firm says Athens is in the upper one-third of housing affordability in college and university towns. The report says the typical four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home in Athens is going for just under $206,000. That compares with Akron Ohio's $145,000 on the low end and Palo Alto California--home of Stanford University--on the high end, where a similar home can sell for more than $1 million.

Athens-Clarke County Police and their counterparts at the University of Georgia are searching for the gunman responsible for a deadly shooting in south Athens. The body of the female victim was found in the parking lot of a shopping center on south Milledge, near the Highway 10 Loop. Police are concentrating their search on an area near the University of Georgia golf course, focusing on Whitehall, Jade, and Riverbend Roads. The suspect is described as a black male, wearing a camouflage jacket and blue jeans. University of Georgia vice-president Tom Jackson says a handful of classes near the search area have been cancelled while police look for the gunman.

The University of Georgia Redcoat Band dedicates its new practice facility today: a dedication ceremony is set for 5:30 this afternoon at UGa's Intramural Complex off College Station Road.

Athens-Clarke County Police say the Travelers--sometimes known as the Irish Travelers--are again at work in the Athens area. Police say these scam artists are targeting elderly homeowners, typically offering one price for roofing or driveway work, then charging a much higher price when the work is finished. Police say they also change the amounts on checks that are written as payment, cashing them for higher amounts. You're asked to call police if you've been victimized by an Irish Traveler scam.

Athens-Clarke County Police are investigating a reported shooting: the victim tells police several shots were fired from a truck, shots aimed at two men outside a home in Pittard Road. There were no injuries reported, although some of the shots did strike a vehicle in the victim's driveway. It happened just after midnight this morning. The victim tells police the shots came from a black male in a white Ford extended cab pick-up truck.

Athens-Clarke County Commissioners meet tonight for a vote on controversial plans for a $17 million downtown parking deck. Critics are complaining about the size of the sales tax funded deck, which will go up at the corner of Washington and Lumpkin Streets. Commissioners meet at 7 at City Hall.

Charlie Maddox kicks off his campaign for Mayor today: he's staging a 5:30 rally at the Lyndon House Arts Center. This is his second run for the mayor's office in Athens: Maddox lost a 2006 runoff to incumbent Heidi Davison.

The University of Georgia's Traffic Injury Prevention Institute gets an $836,000 grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. UGa plans to use the money for young and senior driver education, and for passenger safety education.

A special called meeting of the Oconee County Commission is set for 6 o'clock this evening at the Oconee County Courthouse in Watkinsville. That proposed economic development partnership with Athens-Clarke County is the primary item on the business agenda.

It's a dubious record: the Atlanta Journal Constitution quotes law enforcement authorities in Jacksonville who say they issued 252 citations for underage drinking this past weekend, arrests coinciding with the annual Georgia-Florida football game, they game they'd rather we stopped calling the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. That's the largest number of underage drinking arrests on Bulldog-Gator weekend, breaking the old mark of 213 set five years ago. The top-ranked Gators, by the way, won the game 41-17.

City Hall is looking for this year's Christmas tree. The Athens-Clarke County Landscape Management Division says they're looking for tree that will be donated for display in downtown Athens. The ideal tree: about 35 feet tall, 20 feet in diameter, symmetrical with a single trunk. If that sounds like something you'd have to pass along, you're asked to contact the Landscape Management Division by November 25.

Athens-Clarke County officials are looking for upwards of two dozen people to serve on the next Athens-Clarke County Overview Commission, a panel that will review the Charter that created and guides the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County. Panel members will be appointed by a grand jury. Applications will be accepted through November 23.

Plans for SPLOST 2011 are up for discussion at tonight's meeting of the Athens Federation of Neighborhoods. It's a 7:30 session at the Prince Avenue headquarters of the Athens Heritage Foundation. Athens-Clarke County Commissioners and other County officials are among the speakers who will talk about projects that could be funded by another extension of the County's Special Purposes Local Option Sales Tax.