Today on Athens News Matters, sustainable fashion hits the runway in Athens. Plus, the yearly Blueberry Festival seeks to improve the health of land and people.
The Athens-Clarke County Commission will adopt the upcoming fiscal year’s budget on June 9th. The county’s Mayor Kelly Girtz submitted a proposed budget to the commission on May 1st. The document contains plans for how to fund the county’s services, from local community events to water and sewer delivery.
WUGA’s Alexia Ridley sat down with Mayor Girtz to get an overview of his version of this important document, and to see how he will approach his final months as mayor. A Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights Hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 2nd.
Fashion is an important part of how we express ourselves. But the production of clothing has long had negative impacts on the environment. This spring, the Atlanta Sustainable Fashion Week held an event in Athens. The organization aims to promote fashion that has fewer negative impacts on the environment. WUGA’s Alexzundra Tillman attended and explored what eco-friendly clothing production in Georgia is all about.
The annual Forest Heights Blueberry Festival held in Athens is a celebration of blueberries for all ages. However, the yearly party is only one branch of the west side neighborhood’s Blueberry Project.
Bart King helped found the Blueberry Project in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic, when residents of Forest Heights were craving ways to connect. The project is now in partnership with several nonprofits around Athens. And it seeks to increase the resilience of both land and residents of the neighborhood.
WUGA’s Emma Auer sat down with Bart King to discuss what inspired this project, and what attendees can expect from this year’s Blueberry Festival.
