Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How could new HUD rules cut Athens’ supportive housing units?

Spotted on the Athens calendar: Silent Disco

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Saturday December 27th Patch AM
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Hey there, Athens! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How could new HUD rules cut Athens’ supportive housing units?
  • Where can you recycle your Christmas tree in Athens this year?
  • What will replace Legion Pool—and why so many Athenians are upset

Also on today's calendar: KACCB Bring One for the Chipper Christmas Tree Recycling and 5 more events.

Find out what's happening in Athensfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: How many sheep does it take to make a sweater? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Athensfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Saturday: Partly sunny and very warm, with a high of 74 and low of 56 degrees.
  • Sunday: Mostly cloudy and warm, temps: high: 70, low: 58.
  • Monday: A couple of showers, with a high of 64 and low of 26 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Georgia Groups That Help the Homeless Prepare for HUD Changes (flagpole.com) — Athens-Clarke County’s homeless housing programs could lose dozens of permanent supportive units as federal HUD rules shift funding toward transitional housing, forcing local agencies to pause 2026 grant reviews. Local officials now face a tight January reapplication deadline and uncertainty over whether supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and other Athens-focused services will keep receiving the federal backing they rely on.
   

2. Sites around metro Atlanta and north Georgia where you can 'bring one for the chipper' (11alive.com) — If you’ve got a real Christmas tree to ditch, Athens-Clarke County offers several Bring One for the Chipper drop-off spots, including Clarke Middle School and the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials. You’ll find detailed dates, hours, and even 24/7 locations in Athens and nearby counties to recycle trees into mulch instead of sending them to the landfill.
   

3. UGA defends its decision to move forward with Legion Pool redevelopment (redandblack.com) — UGA is moving ahead with plans to demolish Legion Pool and turn the site into an expanded green space and amphitheater, despite strong pushback from Athens residents and preservation advocates. University officials cite high repair costs, low student use, and environmental concerns, while community groups like Historic Athens and Friends of Legion Pool argue the nearly century-old pool remains a vital, historic gathering place.
   

4. One person rescued from residential fire in Athens, officials say (11alive.com) — Firefighters in Athens rescued a person from a Christmas Eve house fire on North Avenue, pulling the victim from a heavily burning one-story home and rushing them to Piedmont Athens Regional before transfer to a burn center. Crews confirmed all residents were accounted for, and the fire chief praised the coordinated, fast response that made the life-saving rescue possible.
   

5. Scientists stunned after discovering unexpected 'mutation' in common US creatures: 'Somehow gets perpetuated ' (thecooldown.com) — University of Georgia researchers working with specimens at the Georgia Museum of Natural History in Athens have discovered that six common North American bat species glow under ultraviolet light. Their findings could eventually guide better conservation strategies and deepen understanding of how bats adapt to changing environments, while putting Athens-based science at the center of a growing global research field.
   

📸 Around Athens

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Athens

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★ Featured events ★

    Saturday December 27
  • Silent Disco
    The Root, 1235 S Milledge Ave, Athens
    10:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Athens Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Athens PatchAM possible:

  • Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
    Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • LOST BRACELET
    Much sentimental value, lost 12/24 possibly at Target or Barnes & Noble. Please message me if you happen to find it. Many thanks! (Nextdoor Idylwood)
  • Loose dog on Riverbend Parkway approx 10:45 AM Dec 25.
    Unfixed tan male with green collar. Last seen running off Riverbend into the Woodstone Park complex. Was friendly but would not let me get close… (Nextdoor University Gardens)
  • Walmart posted a job opening for Merchandise and Stocking Associate in Athens. Apply here.
  • Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Forklift Driver in Athens. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Athens here.

Ok Athens! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I have no idea. I didn’t even know sheep could knit.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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