Athens News Matters

Athens News Matters for October 1, 2021

WUGA | By Chris Shupe,

Published October 1, 2021 at 4:49 PM EDT

This week on Athens News Matters, Mayor Kelly Girtz sits down with WUGA's Chris Shupe to talk about the future of police oversight, eviction relief, and the process of creating a sactioned homeless encampment. The 2021 Athens Poet Laureate, Jeff Fallis, joins the team to discuss his new position and to talk about some of his work. A segment on Beekeeping for beginners in which President of the Eastern Piedmont Beekeepers Association, Dan Long, discusses how to become a beekeeper. A tribute to trucking songs, and our panel sits down to discuss the week in news and politics.

Athens News Matters

Chris Shupe

Chris Shupe was the Program Director of WUGA from 2014-2022. Shupe may be best known as The Athens King, a tribute to Elvis Presley, which often included an 8 piece show band! After two years as a part-time announcer, Chris Shupe joined WUGA full time as the station’s Morning Edition Host and Assistant Operations Director. He was later promoted to PD in 2014.

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Alexia Ridley

Alexia Ridley joined WUGA as Television and Radio News Anchor and Reporter in 2013. When WUGA TV concluded operations, she became the primary Reporter for WUGA Radio. Alexia came to Athens from Macon where she served as the News Director and show host for WGXA TV. She's a career journalist and Savannah native hailing from the University of Michigan. However, Alexia considers herself an honorary UGA DAWG!

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Martin Matheny

Martin Matheny was formerly WUGA's Program Director and a host and producer of our local news program 'Athens News Matters.' He started at WUGA in 2012 as a part-time classical music host and still hosts WUGA's longest-running local program 'Night Music' which was heard on WUGA and GPB Classical. He is now the Morning Edition Host for Delaware First Media.

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