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10/14/2026

President Donald Trump will be attending a rally in Dalton Friday afternoon in support of several Republican races in this fall’s midterm elections.

The midterm rally is scheduled to take place at the Dalton Municipal Airport, with doors opening at 11:30 a.m. and remarks beginning at 3 p.m.

Among the other attendees at the rally will be Republican Congressman and U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins and gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson.

The midterm rally is scheduled to take place at the Dalton Municipal Airport, with doors opening at 11:30 a.m. and remarks beginning at 3 p.m.

10/09/2026

Athenians are among those in the nation expected to feel the effects of Hurricane Isaias on Saturday. John Knox is a professor of Geography and Associate Director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia. He details what North Georgia may experience due to the category 3 storm.

“We’ll have high winds in North Georgia, we’re under a high wind warning, especially the higher elevations of north Georgia will experience strong winds perhaps 50 miles per hour or so,” according to Knox. “And also, since we’re going to get a few inches of rain from this, there’s a flooding risk, a flash flooding risk from Atlanta northeastward.”

Knox says those conditions are likely to cause downed trees and there is an increased chance of tornadoes.

Alexia Ridley has more on our website.

Athenians are among those in the nation expected to feel the effects of Hurricane Isaias on Saturday.

10/08/2026

An Athens-Clarke County Police officer has been fired for misuse of a Flock camera.

The ACCPD states that an officer was informed that another officer may have misused the automatic license plate reader. An internal investigation revealed that Officer Tyler Vaughn used the Flock system to search his ex-girlfriend’s license plate several times over a week in 2025. Chief Jerry Salters took immediate steps to terminate Vaughn.

An Athens-Clarke County Police officer has been fired for misuse of a Flock camera.

10/08/2026

The Athens-Clarke County commission voted 8-to-2 Tuesday night to approve a reformed rights-of-way ordinance that will likely impact homelessness in downtown Athens.

The amended ordinance will now prohibit camping on sidewalks, bikeways, streets and other public areas adjacent to commercial districts. Mayor Kelly Girtz worked with a committee to amend the language of the proposed ordinance.

The vote came after nearly an hour of public input and about 40 minutes of discussion among the 10 commissioners.

In addition to the regulation on camping, the ordinance will have $1 million in funding, which raised questions of how that money will be allocated.

The Athens-Clarke County commission voted 8-to-2 to approve a reformed rights-of-way ordinance that will likely impact homelessness in downtown Athens.

10/02/2026

WUGA was honored to receive three awards at this year's GABBY Award ceremony last weekend!

GABBY AWARD - BEST REPORTER - Alexia Ridley

GABBY AWARD - BEST PODCAST SERIES - Lara Dua-Swartz (Down in It)

MERIT AWARD - BEST FEATURE STORY - Mary Ryan Howarth ("Conflicts at Athens anti-Trump protests reflect affective polarization ")

Thank you to the for these amazing honors and for celebrating broadcasting talent across our state!

09/29/2026

In response to what is being referred to as global market volatility, Governor Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency and suspended Georgia's motor fuel excise tax for 30 days.

The suspension took effect at 12:01am on September 29 and will run through October 29th, 2026. The current fuel excise tax is about 33 cents per gallon of gasoline and around 37 cents per gallon of diesel.

In response to what is being referred to as global market volatility, Governor Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency and suspended Georgia's motor fuel excise tax for 30 days.

09/29/2026

A University of Georgia student fell from the eighth floor of an apartment building Saturday.

Athens-Clarke County police said 21-year-old Kristin Sargent was dancing on a couch in the Rambler Athens Apartments before she fell through an open window to the pool deck.

When police arrived around 7:30 Saturday night, Sargent was on the ground near the pool which is on the second floor of the apartment building.

Athens-Clarke County police said 21-year-old Kristin Sargent was dancing on a couch in the Rambler Athens Apartments before she fell through an open window to the pool deck.

09/25/2026

The deadline for new voters to register in Georgia is Monday, October 5th. Those who need to update any of their voter information will also have until October 5th to make changes.

The last day to request an absentee mail-in ballot is October 23rd.

Sample Ballots are now available, and voter registration will close October 5th for the upcoming midterm elections.

09/24/2026

If you’ve been searching for a new book to cozy up with as the temperatures cool down, you’re in luck. There are a host of book sales in Athens and the surrounding counties beginning Thursday.

The Athens-Clarke County Library, the Oconee County Library, the Madison County Library and the Oglethorpe County Library are all having fall sales now and through the next week. At all of these sales, customers can purchase hardcovers, paperbacks, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks and more.

09/23/2026

Senator Raphael Warnock held a press conference September 23 and said that 20 law enforcement officers have been arrested in Georgia for misusing their access to automatic license plate readers.

One such incident is under investigation in Athens after an Athens-Clarke County Police Department employee was fired for allegedly using the Flock system for personal reasons.

Senator Warnock said that he is partnering with Republican Senator Katie Britt from Alabama to demand the Department of Justice institute guard rails to end the abuse.

First, he addressed AI. Now, Senator Warnock is addressing the rising abuse of license plate readers by law enforcement.