Athens Script for Saturday, October 28, 2023

Here are your top stories presented by Drake Realty.

Story 1: Georgia football QB Carson Beck's Jacksonville homecoming for UGA-Gators is different this time

Carson Beck, the starting quarterback for the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, returns to his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, for a game against the Florida Gators. Beck, a former star at Mandarin High School, now leads the nation's top-ranked team. He played there as a running back/defensive end as a youngster and later committed to Florida for baseball but switched to Alabama for football before ultimately choosing Georgia. Despite being a backup for three years at Georgia, Beck's strong performances this season have made him a leader in passing yards and completion percentages in the SEC. Friends, family, and the Jacksonville community will be watching and supporting him during the game….. This from  the Athens – Banner Herald

Story 2: Former UGA football player convicted in connection to deadly gas station robbery in Oconee County

Former University of Georgia football player Ahkil Crumpton has been convicted on several charges related to the deadly shooting of a RaceTrac clerk in 2021. The charges stem from Crumpton's involvement in the murder of Elijah Wood, a RaceTrac clerk shot and killed during an attempted robbery. Crumpton fired a round at close range, killing Wood, before fleeing the store without taking any money or merchandise. Crumpton, a former UGA football player, now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for attempted robbery and a maximum of ten years for his firearm charge. A murder trial related to Wood's death is forthcoming. Crumpton was also involved in another deadly shooting in Philadelphia, and the same firearm was used in both killings…. This from 11 Alive

Story 3: ACCPD investigates stabbing during drug dealOn October 24, Athens-Clarke County police responded to a stabbing incident in the 1300 block of College Station Road. They found a victim with multiple stab wounds. Investigation revealed that the victim was selling marijuana to a 20-year-old male suspect, and during the transaction, an altercation ensued, resulting in the victim being stabbed multiple times. The suspect fled with the marijuana. University of Georgia police later located the suspect, and ACCPD arrested him. He has been charged with aggravated assault, armed robbery, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. The victim is in stable condition. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Lister…. This from The Red & Black

Story 4: Car goes up in flames and combusts on Oconee County High School campus

On Tuesday morning, a car in the Oconee County High School parking lot caught fire, as shown in a video shared on social media. The incident occurred just before 6 a.m., with an eyewitness capturing the car's combustion. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and there was no damage to the school premises. Oconee County Fire Rescue promptly extinguished the fire, and the incident did not disrupt the school's class schedule or morning traffic flow. The cause of the car fire is not mentioned in the report…. This from the Athens – Banner Herald

Story 5: Athens community gathers to watch documentary on policing in schools

Community members in Athens gathered for a screening of the 2021 documentary "On These Grounds," which delves into policing in schools. The documentary focuses on a school resource officer, Ben Fields, who forcibly removed a student from her desk in South Carolina in 2015, sparking debate on the role of police in schools. After the screening, a discussion looked at the film's themes and the presence of police officers in schools. Solutions discussed included altering laws that permit officers to arrest students and reevaluating the role of officers in schools, with an emphasis on training teachers to handle student situations and providing male mentors rather than police presence….. This from The Red & Black

Story 6: Most recent median home sales in Clarke County down at $299,750

In Clarke County, newly-released data for July indicates a decline in median home sale prices. The median home sold for $299,750, which was 16.7% lower than June's median sale price of $360,000. Compared to July 2022, the median home sale price was slightly down at $299,750 compared to $315,000. Looking at single-family homes, the median selling price in Clarke County was $325,000 in July, down 9.7% from the previous month. In the broader context of Georgia, homes sold at a median of $330,000 in July, showing a 0.8% decrease from June. The total value of recorded residential home sales in Georgia also decreased significantly from $9.7 billion in June to $6.2 billion in July….. This from Athens – Banner Herald

Story 7: Judge Orders GA Districting Maps To Be Revised For Representation

U.S. District Judge Steve Jones on Thursday ordered Georgia's district maps to be revised in an effort to better represent Black voters both in Congress and the General Assembly, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The outlet reported legislators have until Dec. 8 to redraw the district lines and create more districts with Black majority populations, "or something close to it." According to the AJC report, Jones' order could mean an increase of Black representatives in 2024.

Story 8: Athens literacy program accentuates the right to read at documentary screening

Sheats Social Services' Reading Rainbow Collective Literacy Program hosted a screening of the documentary "The Right to Read" at the Athens-Clarke County Library. The documentary focuses on the importance of children learning to read and features the stories of an NAACP activist, two families, and a teacher. Sharon Duncan, a literacy advocate, emphasized an ongoing literacy crisis, where children are sometimes incorrectly labeled as dyslexic or unable to read. She highlighted the significance of teaching children to read using the right methods. Duncan also discussed the connection between illiteracy and the prison system, noting that learning to read can significantly reduce recidivism rates among juveniles. The documentary highlighted the disparities in literacy, especially among minority groups, and encouraged community involvement to promote child literacy…. This from the Red & Black

Social:

Jill Coley  from Albany posted in  the Old School Athens GA:1806-2013 “Does anyone remember the Flock of Seagulls playing next door to the Chi Phi house in 1989?

Chi Phi had Widespread Panic and it was empty. I saw my first WSP show that night. But my memory is somewhat faded on the details. I was so young and had no idea what an impact that decision would play on my future as I became a WSP fan immediately! Ain’t Life Grand ”

Some of the top comments were from:

Len Robbins From Homerville Georgia said “Flock of Seagulls played at Sigma Chi. Wild night. Saw Widespread in the Fiji basement right after Space Wrangler was released.”

Leslie Stuart commented “WSP used to play outside the bookstore (1986) & I could hear them from my room in Reed Hall.”

And finally Mark M Cooper from London said “I was there….. I was SAE (‘86-90) & used to see WSP at Uptown on Monday nights for $5! I thought it was Sigma Chi who had Flock of Seagulls(?)”