🌱 Patch AM: What Athens police are uncovering in a 2-year-old’s death probe

Hey hey Athens! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• What Athens police are uncovering in a 2-year-old’s death probe
• Why Georgia’s top teen leaders are heading to Athens next year
• When will the Walk for Peace reach Athens streets?

Also on today's calendar: KACCB Bring One for the Chipper Christmas Tree Recycling and 6 more events.

Today's riddle: The world champion tongue twister just got arrested! 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Breezy in the morning, with a high of 47 and low of 28 degrees.
• Wednesday: Plenty of sunshine, temps: high: 52, low: 37.
• Thursday: Sunny, with a high of 57 and low of 40 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Athens police investigating death of 2-year-old boy (classiccitynews.com) — Athens-Clarke County police are investigating the death of a 2-year-old boy found unresponsive in his eastside home the morning after Christmas. Officers say they noticed an object with apparent drug residue that later went missing, and the case remains under active investigation with no final cause of death yet released.
   

2. Redding named to Youth LEAD Georgia (moultrieobserver.com) — Athens will host a two-day statewide youth leadership summit as part of the new Youth LEAD Georgia 2026 cohort, run by UGA’s Fanning Institute and backed by Chick-fil-A funding. A Colquitt County student is among 30 teens chosen from across Georgia for retreats, a bus tour, and hands-on community projects, bringing some of the state’s most engaged young leaders to Athens.
   

3. Where is the Walk for Peace today? Track monks' track across Georgia (onlineathens.com) — Buddhist monks on a 120-day, 2,300-mile Walk for Peace are expected to pass through Athens as they trek across Georgia around the start of the new year. They began in Texas and are currently moving through metro Atlanta communities, drawing crowds who cheer their message of peace, loving-kindness, and compassion along the way.
   

4. Stories our readers kept coming back to: 5 of The Telegraph's most popular articles in 2025 (macon.com) — One of the Telegraph’s most-read stories this year spotlighted Athens as a top U.S. retirement destination, praised for relaxed mornings, outdoor activities, and dining. That feature appears alongside other popular Middle Georgia pieces on federal jobs, a Macon principal’s move, the Georgia National Fair, and a major malpractice verdict.
   

📸 Around Athens

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Athens

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Wednesday December 31

• New Year's EVE At Noon 5K
  Sandy Creek Park, 400 Bob Holman Rd, Athens
  12:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Wednesday December 31

• Blackberry Smoke
  The Classic Center , 300 N Thomas St , Athens
  7:00 pm
• Athens Goth Night Dance Party
  Ciné , 234 W Hancock Ave , Athens
  9:30 pm

Thursday January 1

• Audit Committee Meeting
  Athens-Clarke County, GA Calendar , 301 College Avenue , Athens
  10:30 am
• "First Day Hike" at Ben Burton Park
  Athens-Clarke County, GA Calendar , 616 Mitchell Bridge Rd , Athens
  2:00 pm

Saturday January 3

• Bring One for the Chipper Christmas Tree Recycling Event
  Athens-Clarke County, GA Calendar Athens, GA 30601
  9:00 am
• KACCB Bring One for the Chipper Christmas Tree Recycling
  Various
  9:00 am

Monday January 5

• "Pickleball" at Heard Park
  Athens-Clarke County, GA Calendar , 400 McKinley Dr. , Athens
  8:00 am

Tuesday January 6

• Meet Us in the Lobby
  Athens-Clarke County, GA Calendar , 124 E Hancock Ave , Athens
  9:00 am

📣 Athens Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Tuesday December 30

• Shih Tzu Not Trivia
  Wing House , 8727 US-29 , Hull
  7:00 pm

Friday March 20

• Big Fish Performances — The Stage Oconee
  The Stage Oconee , 560 Jerry Smith Dr , Watkinsville
  10:30 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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

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

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• THANK YOU for all of your donations to make this Christmas magical for East Athens elders!
  It could not have gone better, it was a huge success! Gifts for all, food galore and we even had a saxophone player that made some cry. A good cry. (Nextdoor E Athens/Sorenson Ridge)
• Please share & repost to help reunite this lost dog!
  Nova was LOST on December 28, 2025 in Athens, GA 30609 near Sandy Creek Sharing for a neighbor. For the latest information or to contact the owner,… (Nextdoor Hwy 441)

• ServiceMaster Clean posted a job opening for Janitor in Athens. Apply here.
• University of Georgia posted a job opening for Temporary Hourly Professional (Fuller) 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 hear they’re giving him a really tough sentence.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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