The University of Georgia recently announced a new interdisciplinary Museum Studies Certificate program. Its objective is to prepare students for careers in museums and museum-related fields.

The program “provides a broad overview of the history of museums as well as knowledge of museum theory, methodology and practice consistent with contemporary national and international standards” according to UGA’s Bulletin website.

As reported in The Red & Black, the Museum Studies Certificate requires at least 16 semester credit hours including a museum internship.

The rest of the nine credit hours can be picked from among 23 pre-approved elective courses found on the Bulletin website.

“Museum Studies is a growing field and has incredible opportunities and applications for students in a variety of academic disciplines — history, art history, art education, biology, anthropology, just to name a few,” said Callan Steinmann, associate curator of education at the Georgia Museum of Art in an email.

A variety of UGA graduates have worked at museums at one point during their careers, said James Reap, graduate coordinator of the Masters of Historic Preservation Program.

Steinmann, Reason and Reap, who worked on the program together over the past year, all emphasized the future career opportunities in museums and museum-related fields that the program seeks to offer.

Steinmann also said that because of UGA’s and Athens’ museums, such as the Georgia Museum of Art and the Georgia Museum of Natural History, students will have close access to internships and field experience.

“These institutions provide students the opportunity to work with objects, solve problems and apply concepts and ideas learned in the classroom,” Steinmann said. “Museums are such rich cultural resources, and this certificate will allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the role of museums in society and the day-to-day logistics of managing collections, developing exhibits and working with visitors.”

Even though the program was approved to begin this fall, there will be an application period before the required courses are offered, Reason said.

Reason also said a proposal for a graduate certificate in museum studies is in the works.

“We hope [the graduate certificate] will be approved for spring as well, allowing those students to take the course,” Reason said.

The Museum Studies Certificate program is being offered to all undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students who are in academic good standing (cumulative GPA is a 2.0 or above).

​Students must also submit an application to the program, which may be found on UGA’s history department website soon.
 
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Along Clayton Street, construction crews and blocked parking spaces can be seen throughout the day Mondays through Thursdays.

The long work days have helped crews be two weeks ahead of schedule, according to an Athens-Clarke County press release.

As reported in the Red & Black, the first phase of the renovations started June 18 when crews began digging trenches for the stormwater system.

“They are two weeks ahead because they didn’t find as many unmarked conflicts as they feared in the first block and it went smoothly,” said Jeff Montgomery, public information officer for ACC.

The weather and moving to a Friday morning schedule for repaving “helped save a few days,” Montgomery said.

Even though construction crews have sped up in the timeline, they may be back on schedule.

“I should note that while we are ahead on [the first] block, some changes have been made to the south side of the [second] block, which will make the work on that side a little longer than originally scheduled,” Montgomery said, “so the net result may be closer to the original schedule.”

The third block from North Jackson Street to Thomas Street will occur from Oct. 1 to Oct. 25.

“After a successful pilot project, crews will continue [to] work full days on Thursdays and laying down asphalt to open the roads on Friday mornings for the second block,” according to the Athens-Clarke County website.

A few parking spaces will be blocked on Thursday evenings.

Some controversy has surrounded the renovations, mostly from business owners on Clayton Street.
Back in February, downtown business owners turned in a petition with 37 signatures to the Mayor & Commission, requesting for ACC to split up the construction timelines.

Following the submission of the petition, breaks in the timeline were implemented, particularly to work around football and holiday seasons, which are the busiest times for downtown businesses.

“What we’ve done here is we’ve broken it apart so that the businesses, the people that are going to be impacted the most, will still be able to serve their customers, and we can still do the construction in a reasonable amount of time,” said District 10 Commissioner Mike Hamby at the June 5 Mayor & Commission meeting.

For more public input, ACC will have two public meetings, allowing for feedback on the streetscape design phase of the East Clayton Street Improvement Project. An online survey will also be available for attendees to select “features important to them,” ACC’s website said.

The meetings will be held Aug. 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. and Aug. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Michael Bros. Building Mezzanine on East Clayton Street.

The who project is expected to be completed by August 2020.
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This past Sunday night Georgia received three commitments for the 2019 football season, as reported recently in The Red & Black.

Five-star running back John Emery Jr., four-star athlete Makiya Tongue and four-star linebacker Rian Davis all went public about their plans to commit to Georgia in 2019.

All three players are not from the state of Georgia with Emery Jr. and Tongue hailing from Louisiana and Davis being from Florida.

With these three commits, the Bulldogs now have the No. 2 class for 2019, right behind Alabama. For Georgia to be No. 1, there are some recruits that would give the Bulldogs the upper hand.

For starters, Tymon Mitchell, defensive tackle of Nashville, Tennessee, is a three-star defensive tackle and the No. 24 in the country at his position.

Georgia has received commits from Travon Walker, Trezmen Marshall and Bill Norton, but the Bulldogs might look to add one or two more on the defensive line before the class is filled. At 6-foot-3 and 309 pounds, the Tennessee native could be a major addition for the Bulldogs.

Then there is Clay Webb, center of Oxford, Alabama. The five-star center and the No. 16 ranked played in the class of 2019. He is the No. 1 ranked center in the class, and with senior Lamont Galliard’s departure after this season, the Bulldogs may be needing to replace him with a guy like Webb.

At 6-foot-3, 295 pounds, Webb has the size to play SEC football on the offensive line. Georgia along with Clemson and Auburn are trying to recruit Webb.

Last there is Tyrique Stevenson from Miami, who is a four-star cornerback who visited Georgia July 28.

He is the No. 9 ranked cornerback in the class of 2019. Stevenson could be joining another Miami native, freshman Tyson Campbell in Georgia's defensive backfield next season. At 6-foot and a half and 188 pounds, he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds.

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On this Tuesday, July 24, the primary runoff election will determine all of the nominees for the general election on November 6.

On the Republican ballot, the primary runoffs for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Secretary of State will occur.

The governor’s primary is between Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp. Whoever of the two wins will face off with Democrat Stacey Abrams in November.

David Shafer and Geoff Duncan are running in the Lieutenant Governor’s runoff to face off Sarah Riggs Amico, the Democratic nominee in the general election.

David Belle Isle and Brad Raffensperger are going after the Secretary of State nomination. Former Democratic congressman John Barrow is up against the winner.

As reported in The Red & Black, the unified government of Athens-Clarke County released ballots for both parties.

Voters must be registered to vote and bring a photo ID when they head to the polls. Accepted forms of ID include a Georgia Driver’s license, even if expired or suspended, a valid state government photo ID, government employee or U.S. military photo ID and a tribal photo ID.

If residents do not have any of these forms of ID, they can acquire a voter identification card for voting purposes at no cost from the ACC Board of Elections.

All precincts opened at 7:00 a.m. and will stay open until 7:00 p.m. on election day.

You can find your polling location at the Secretary of State’s website, and the ACC government also has an interactive precinct map.

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On July 30, The Athens Area Community Foundation and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will host a discussion about college access and affordability at the Oconee County Civic Center in Watkinsville.

Open to the public, the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

As reported in The Athens Banner Herald, it includes talks on the state of Georgia’s workforce talent gap, the economic challenges that arise from it, and the possible educational solutions to close this gap.
Hank Huckaby and Carl Swearingen are the keynote speakers at the event.

“We are dedicated to educating the public about this challenge to Georgia’s economic growth, as well as elevating solutions to support the state’s college completion rate,” said Huckaby, a board member of the Athens Area Community Foundation. “With this event, we will convene local leaders and the public to generate thoughtful discussion and inspire action.”

According to a foundation news release, the talent gap or shortage of qualified individuals who can fill open jobs for the state’s employers, is becoming worse.

While companies have come to the state, Georgia’s workforce education and training have not kept up with the demand, officials said.

The foundation also said that projections indicate that by the year 2025 an estimated 60 percent of jobs in the state will require a type of post-secondary education, whether it’s an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree. Currently, only about 47 percent of the workforce meets that standard.

To keep the economic growth of the state going with a prepared workforce, Gov. Nathan Deal started Complete College Georgia in 2011 with the intent of closing the talent gap by raising students’ post-secondary school completion rate, according to the foundation.

This initiative will help meet the goal of 250,000 additional credentialed or degreed employment candidates by the year 2025.

One way to help is by making gap funding available for students with the most financial needs. Each year in Georgia, 15,000 students are dropped from the class rolls in the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) as a result of unpaid balances that average $1,200.

The event will also feature student stories and local experts to offer solutions to support Georgia’s workforce. For more information or to register, visit www.athensareacf.org.

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During this year’s recent annual National Sheriff’s Association Summer Annual Executive Training, Athens-Clarke County Sheriff Ira Edwards was elected as the sergeant-at-arms.
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A sergeant of arms is an official of a legislative or other assembly whose duty includes maintaining order and security.

As reported in The Red & Black, he was elected at last month’s training session which took place in New Orleans. It is one of many summer sessions hosted by the NSA, which is an organization that serves the Office of Sheriff through education, police training and law enforcement information resources.

“It’s an honor and privilege to be elected to serve on a local, state, and now national level,” Edwards said.

As sergeant-at-arms, Edwards will be responsible for maintaining decorum at the many meetings and conferences held by the association. His election also means that he will move on to the next highest office every year until he reaches the presidency, Edwards said.

Chartered in 1940, the NSA has had only one other African-American elected to the position of sergeant-at-arms in its history. Edwards believes that his election is a step in the right direction.

“It’s a clear indication that the NSA sees the importance of inclusion and diversity on a national level,” Edwards said. “If we are to address diversity and equality, we must start at the top and allow it to flow downward.”

This prestigious election came from the national association which represents over 3,000 sheriffs throughout the country.

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​This weekend was the Star Spangled Classic, Athens’ official Independence Day celebration.

As reported in The Athens Banner-Herald, the family-friendly event Saturday included inflatable play spaces, rides and other children’s activities.

The Funk Brotherhood band also performed on a portable stage in front of City Hall.

Several downtown streets were closed for the event at different times, and traffic was rerouted in some areas.

Streets bordering a four-block area around City Hall were closed at 10 a.m. College Square and portions of Hickory, Dougherty and Thomas streets near the launch site were closed from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

The annual fireworks display began around 9:30 p.m.

Unlike last year, the Classic Center deck served as the launching point this year.

This was the third year for the event in downtown Athens after many years of moving around, and some years in which there was no Star Spangled Classic.

For several years, the show was at Bishop Park, but in 2008, a recession hit, and the Athens-Clarke government cut its funding.

In 2016, the city decided to have the Star Spangled Classic in downtown for the first time. It was estimated that 15,000 people came that year. Last year, rain hurt attendance numbers, but there were still fireworks. This year had a decent crowd, despite reports of 60 percent chance of thunderstorms.

For those who missed the fireworks, there will be another firework show July 4 at the Epps Bridge Centre shopping complex. Those who attend are asked not to bring pets, alcohol, tobacco products or personal fireworks. Parking on sidewalks and in the new Hobby Lobby shopping center is prohibited.

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On Tuesday afternoon a vehicle mowed through the fence of the Science Learning Center, crashing into the wall and windows of the building.

As reported in the Athens Banner-Herald, pictures of the crash were widely circulated on social media, showing the car’s front end trapped between the building and a retaining wall, with the right rear wheel  in the air.

According to a University of Georgia police report, the driver is a UGA student who lost consciousness while driving in the McPhaul Center parking lot, causing the car to crash through the fence and go over the wall’s edge.

Witnesses told UGAPD the driver “appeared to be having a seizure and drove forward almost striking a pedestrian.” They also said he may have been convulsing even after the vehicle came to a halt.

According to the report, the student, who suffered “slight bruising around his nose,” said that a friend would pick him up and take him to the University Health Center.

The black 2016 Nissan Rogue was damaged with “a dented and broken front end, breaking of the driver side bumper and headlight as well as undercarriage damage consistent with scrapes from the retaining wall and fence,” the police report said.

The building’s exterior wall received paint transfer, fence damage, and “dislodgement and cracking of the retaining wall.” As the car was being removed, UGA facilities workers had to cut the fence, as it was caught on the undercarriage of the vehicle, the report said.

The vehicle was towed and taken to the Athens Paint and Body impound lot.

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​When it comes to fast food, the concept of “now” is evolving. With the popularity of instantaneous services, especially in the food and retail industry, food delivery services are sprouting up all across the country and this is also the case in Athens.

Beginning with Bulldawg Food, which caters mostly to students, and welcoming Uber Eats and Grubhub, the market for fast, convenient food delivery is certainly in high demand around Athens.

Waitr, a new restaurant on-demand platform, is making its debut in the Athens food community on June 21.

What makes Waitr unique from other delivery services is its no minimum order requirements or distance charge, as reported in The Red & Black.

According to a press release, Waitr is expected to grow quickly in Athens and is planning to hire 150 people in the area.

Waitr is currently hiring drivers in Athens through their website. Athens is the fifth city that Waitr has set up in throughout Georgia, in addition to Augusta, Macon, Columbus and Savannah.

Waitr is also available in other states including Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and Texas.

Restaurants around town have come on board with Waitr services, including Akademia Brewing Company, Hendershots, Your Pie, Mellow Mushroom, Dawg Gone Good BBQ, Pouch Pies and Champy’s Famous Fried Chicken.

It is anticipated that more will join in the coming weeks, according to a press release.

The company will be hosting a launch party tomorrow at Mellow Mushroom on East Clayton Street at 8 p.m. The night will consist of a special Waitr trivia competition with a $200 first place prize. Other free prizes will be offered too.
 
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​On July 1, the new law focused on eradicating distracted driving will be enacted throughout the state of Georgia.

As reported in The Red & Black, on May 1, House Bill 673, or the “Hands-Free Georgia Act,” was signed by Gov. Nathan Deal to end distracted driving and encourage technology-free traveling through Georgia.

To avoid breaking the new law, it’s important to know that while driving you can't hold any wireless telecommunication device with any part of the body. You also cannot write, send, or read texting of any kind in the form of text message, instant message, email or internet data.

Also prohibited is watching a video or movie on a wireless telecommunication device, recording or broadcasting video footage as well as getting out of the seat or removing the seat belt to get your device.

You can, however, use earpieces, headphones, or Apple Watch to talk and use voice recognition (such as “Hey Siri” or “OK Google”) to text, email, and instant message as well as using Maps application and GPS, which includes entering location information while driving.

Drivers can also use one button to activate voice recognition and use devices such as: “radio, CB radio, CB radio hybrid, commercial two-way radio, subscription-based emergency communication device, prescribed medical device, amateur/ ham radio device, in-vehicle security and navigation, or remote diagnostics systems.

The penalties include the first offense being fines up to $50 and one point on license, second offense within two-year period with a fine up to $100 and two points on license and the third offense within two-year period as a fine up to $150 and three points on license.

After these offenses, your license could possibly be suspended.

This law doesn't apply when reporting a traffic incident, medical emergency, fire, crime or road condition that poses a hazard, to contractors of utility service providers responding to a utility emergency, to police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel.

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