While remaining tight-lipped about the details, Athens-Clarke County officials confirmed last week that Athens is in the running to host the Sundance Film Festival.
Local officials were blindsided when a media executive speaking at an Atlanta luncheon last month let it slip that Athens was among 15 finalists for the independent film festival. It was previously known that Atlanta and Savannah also submitted bids.
“Athens remains interested in showcasing our community as a potential location for hosting the 2027 Sundance Film Festival and beyond,” said ACC Public Information Officer Jeff Montgomery, who is also ACC’s liaison to the film community. “We’re internationally renowned as a creative community and host a number of large events every year, so we think we’re a good candidate for consideration.”
Montgomery declined to comment further, so details of Athens’ bid remain unknown. Economic development projects are not covered by the state open records law.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, about 90 cities applied when Sundance said it would be open to moving on from longtime home Park City, UT, after their contract expires in 2026. They were whittled down to 15 finalists in April, each of which must now form a committee. June 21 is the deadline to submit a formal proposal.
Sundance was founded in 1978 by Robert Redford’s production company as an effort to attract more filmmakers to Utah, where Redford has lived since the 1960s. Last year’s festival featured more than 150 full-length and short films, and drew more than 100,000 people to the small ski resort town—about as many as your average UGA football game.
Odds and Ends
Jose Antonio Ibarra made his first court appearance last week, pleading not guilty to charges of murdering Laken Riley. Ibarra faces numerous charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault with intent to rape and aggravated battery. The 26-year-old Venezuelan is accused of killing the nursing student while she was out jogging near UGA’s Lake Herrick in February.
The final public hearing on the Clarke County School District’s $241 million fiscal 2025 budget and property tax rate of 18.8 mills is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 12 at the district’s administrative offices at 595 Prince Ave. $26 million in new spending includes 28 paraprofessionals—two at each elementary school—staff for a new alternative school replacing Rutland Academy, state-funded raises for teachers and locally funded raises for non-teachers, increased health care costs, security measures and additional counselors at high schools. Because property values have risen, the owner of a $350,000 house will see a tax bill that’s $167 higher than last year, on average. Final approval for the budget is set for June 13.
CEO Chris Herron is leaving Creature Comforts Brewing Co. and will be replaced by co-founder and current COO Adam Beauchamp. Herron, who led the fast-growing company for a decade, will remain as a consultant.
Shea Post has stepped down as executive director of the Athens Area Homeless Shelter. During her 12-year tenure, Post tripled the organization’s budget and expanded the shelter’s operations to a second site, increasing the number of families served from six per year to more than 70. Program Director Julianne Geddis will take over on an interim basis.
Tim Johnson is retiring at the end of the month after a long tenure as head of the nonprofit Family Connection-Communities in Schools. His replacement will be Erin Thompson Podvin, who has 20 years of experience working in K-12 education and at local nonprofits, with a particular focus on literacy programs and serving Hispanic families and children with disabilities.
Lisa Lott is the new chief judge for the Western Circuit Superior Court, serving Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. Lott was unanimously elected by the circuit’s four judges to replace Judge Eric Norris in the administrative role. She was elected to Superior Court in 2018.
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