City Dope

The Ugly Truth

originally published October 10, 2001

FIRST OFF, let's talk about crosswalks. Crosswalks are those thick white stripes, or in some cases wide strips of bricks, which are found primarily at intersections. They're for people to WALK aCROSS the street, not for drivers to park their impatient asses while they look to make a right on red. If you find yourself blocking a crosswalk and hear the sound of cursing over whatever abominable music you're blaring, City Dope is probably in the vicinity.

THE SECOND ANNUAL TOUR DE SPRAWL gets underway Thursday, October 11 (see story, p. 7). The event has a promising future thanks to our County Commissioners, who continue to provide us with plenty of so-called "development" to wring our hands over. Just last week they approved the Barnett Shoals widening project, which will not only bring a mini-Atlanta Highway to the Eastside, but will cost the county $3 million for a turn lane the state DOT won't pay for. City Dope sees a silver lining, however: now maybe people will shut the hell up about the $25,000 trestle. As if.

THE ENRON CORPORATION is one step closer to its goal of building a gas-fired power plant - pardon us, "Energy Center" - in Athens. On October 4, Planning Commissioners voted 4-3 to recommend the plant's approval by the Mayor and Commission. Not that it matters much. The Mayor.Com normally only cite the PC recommendation when it suits them, ignoring it otherwise. How badly do the Powers That Is want Enron here? ACC Public Utilities Director Gary Duck told the PC that the Enron plant, which will cut the flow of the North Oconee by up to 4.5 million gallons per day, will actually help the river by reducing the volume of polluted water in it. Guess we can decrease the air pollution the Enron plant will bring if we all breathe less.

SO ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY puts together an Economic Development Foundation and appoints a bunch of hot shots promising to bring high-tech, clean businesses here. A couple of months later, the ACC Commission rezones almost 400 acres - next to a black neighborhood, natch - from a clean industry zone to a smokestack zone (see Behind The Rail, p. 6). To refute the neighborhood folks they know will be at the Commission meeting, the Chamber of Commerce sends in two heavy hitters: its president and its chairman. Conveniently, the Chamber chairman also serves on the EDF. My sister! My daughter! My sister! My daughter!

UGA PRESIDENT MICHAEL ADAMS met with the University's Staff Council on October 3. Tops among staff concerns was on-campus parking. Adams told staffers that while the school will continue to build parking decks (at $10,500 per space), they can expect permit prices to increase as the University tries to encourage carpooling, walking and biking. Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration (whew!) Hank Huckaby said UGA is currently working with Athens-Clarke County to improve bus service to outlying neighborhoods where students, faculty and staff live, and that he expects bus routes to expand over the next several years. Here's hoping whatever they come up with doesn't hinge on a Commission vote.

city-burntstone.jpg Photo by Brad Aaron

AS ITS REGULAR CUSTOMERS undoubtedly know by now, the Burntstone Brewhouse will close its doors at the end of the month. The only true "brew pub" in Athens, Burntstone had no problems drawing customers over its three year run, but a series of behind the scenes incidents proved too much to overcome. Owners Lou Villalba and Scott Schaffer say structural problems, employee theft and increased taxes were contributing factors. "Even though we may or not be running [it], we're hoping that an investor will step in and find a way to keep it going," says Villalba. "That would be much better than selling the business and watching it get ripped apart."

PARENTS ARE COMPLAINING about the Clarke County School Board's "Pepsi survey." After signing a million dollar contract to make Pepsi the "exclusive supplier of beverage products" to Clarke schools, the CCSB seeks to change its own 1992 regulation forbidding soda sales at middle schools. The CCSB distributed the survey to gauge parental support for the move, and some say the questionnaire is blatantly biased toward the Board's position. City Dope sees their point. Not only does the survey avoid messy issues like obesity and diabetes, it never even uses the words "Pepsi" or "soft drink."

UGA IS THREE WEEKS into the construction of an "impermeable cap" over its toxic waste dump near the State Botanical Garden. Closed in 1979, the dump received University chemicals, radioactive waste, animal carcasses and God knows what else for about two decades. Georgia EPD tried for years to get UGA to excavate the site, but the University wanted to seal it up - an easier and cheaper way out. The school got its wish last year, when Daddy Roy Barnes stepped in and demanded EPD accept UGA's plan. Go Dawgs.


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