UGA grads “have to grind” in post-graduate intern world
Posted: March 27, 2013 Filed under: Education | Tags: college, graduates, internnation, internships, journalism, nonprofit, universityofgeorgia, unpaid Leave a commentRecent University of Georgia graduate, Dorian Ezzard, wakes up at 6 a.m. in New York City to hit the gym, shower, and get dressed before starting the day at her sports endorsements internship. Across the country, UGA graduate, Blake Mitchell, arrives to his Los Angeles film production office around 9 a.m.
These two college graduates share more than their similar work schedules. They have had four to five internships, they work 40-45 hours per week, they live in big cities full of diverse culture, they go to bed around 10:30-11, and they represent the slim success rate of the ambitious and sleep-deprived intern nation.
Ross Perlin, author of “Intern Nation,” says the Millennials comprise an over-worked and exploited generation that competes for internships that do not benefit careers. More young adults ages 25 to 34 move back to their parents’ households than into their own city apartment. About 1.5 million, or 53.6 percent, of bachelor’s degree-holders under the age of 25 in 2011 were jobless or underemployed, the highest share in at least 11 years, according to a 2012 Atlantic article.
Mitchell and Ezzard would be the first to admit the big city life is exhausting, but even after hours of phone calls and hundreds of e-mails, they still stay in their corporate hubs.
“Even when things are going well, you never feel completely comfortable,” says Ezzard. “Every day is a test but when you want it bad enough, none of that matters.”
Ezzard moved to New York without knowing anyone except who she wanted to become. Ezzard works as an intern for CAA Sports. To reach her dream job of becoming a leading executive in event coordination with a NFL or NBA team she spends 45 hours a week at the office from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. A typical day for Ezzard means always being prepared for the unexpected. She could be researching a company for the Property Sales group, or selecting images of professional athletes to be printed on lunchboxes. Before the day is over, it is a guarantee Ezzard will be pulled into several different directions before the day is over. When the day ends at 6:30 p.m. she takes the subway back home and usually cooks dinner or watches one of her weekly shows until bed.
“If you want to move to New York City,” says Ezzard, “know that you have to grind.”
Ezzard isn’t the only one among her friends to accept an internship after graduation. Some of her friends have done the same to “get their foot in the door at a big company.”
Ezzard was paid for three of her five internships. None of Mitchell’s internships were paid, including time at MGM studios and Double Feature Films. The communications field is so competitive, thinks Mitchell, companies get away with offering unpaid internships. Mitchell knows someone who fabricated a letter of school credit to land an internship working on a T.V. set, free of charge. To balance the toll of taking an unpaid internship, she works part-time at the Disney store to pay her bills, while interning without compensation.
Mitchell’s previous internship resulted in his current position as assistant to the executive vice president of production at Participant Media. He works in the Hollywood culture, but not without his own account of an outrageous intern request. At one of the companies he interned at previous to his current job, there was a producer who dinged her car and wanted it appraised and sent Mitchell to get the quotes.
“One day I spent the entire day, driving her SUV around L.A., when I was 19,” says Mitchell, “I was so nervous, thinking I’m going to wreck this car again. I went all over the place to get quotes. It was the worst situation. They would have been sued if anyone had found out.”
Mitchell enjoys the L.A. lifestyle, albeit fast-paced, that makes a demanding job worthwhile. Besides adjusting time zones, Mitchell’s downsize from a S.U.V to a Prius is one of the transitions he’s made since moving to L.A from Athens, Ga. He commutes in his Prius to get to work around 9 a.m. His typical day is a “flurry” of arranging meetings, phone calls to executives and producers, and travel plans for his boss. Mitchell is constantly on his e-mail. He even brings lunch to work to eat at his desk to keep working without pausing. Mitchell’s schedule is full, but he owes his job to his internship.
“An internship is a great extended interview to prove that you have what it takes to be hired later on,” says Mitchell. “Most of my friends who are getting jobs out here, it’s because they interned at the place before hand.”
Mitchell advises to be flexible and patient to undergrads peering at the end of the tunnel.
“Put in the hard work, make the connections,” says Mitchell. “Be prepared for hard work and maybe not immediate pay-off.”
Cristina DuQue, a UGA student graduating this May has found a compromise between Mitchell and Ezzard. She is not in an internship or job, but a fellowship. DuQue works at 350.org, a non-profit. She hopes the pay-off of this non-profit fellowship will turn into a career. In the meantime, she works 15 hours a week, with compensation.
“In the non-profit world it is a little bit different, they hold progressive ideals, and one of those is worker’s rights,” says DuQue. “The concept of unpaid internships is kind of looked down upon.”
DuQue has worked in other internship positions and has dedicated thousands of volunteer hours. She believes she focused more time on her career development than her academics. For her, this decision led to paid internships, paid travel expenses to cities like San Francisco, Austin, Portland and Washington D.C., and compensation. She has three to four friends across the country who will probably take a similar route after graduation and enter a fellowship.
DuQue is following the grind of her UGA predecessors Mitchell and Ezzard. Even before entering the post-graduate world, her advice aligns with Mitchell’s.
“It’s all about the networking”, says DuQue, “Even if you do it (internship) just for a month or two after graduation, you’ll meet different people and soon a job will open and they may suggest you apply.”
Although the stress level is high and pay-off seems non-existent, risks and hard work from all three of these cases from UGA reveal what doors an internship can open.
“Go after what you want and don’t be afraid to move to a completely new city not knowing a soul,” said Ezzard, “I did it, and I wouldn’t take it back for the world.”
Undocumented
Posted: March 26, 2013 Filed under: Education, Government, Non Profits, Uncategorized | Tags: Economic Justice Coalition, Freedom University, Lift the Ban, Raise the Wages Leave a commentProtestors chanted “Undocumented! Unafraid!” on March 6 against the Board of Regents’ 2010 decision to ban undocumented students from enrolling in the top five research institutions in Georgia.
The Economic Justice Coalition and Freedom University both housed in Athens joined forces after the rally for the Lift the Ban movement addressing undocumented students banned from applying to the top five higher education institutions in Georgia.
The Economic Justice Coalition met to discuss joining forces with Freedom University on the Lift the Ban and Raise the Wages movements in Athens on March 21. Both groups anticipate that joining forces will create a bigger buzz on the two issues affecting Athens. The Executive Director of the Economic Justice Coalition Linda Lloyd plans to use grant money to fund both of the projects.
Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama ban students who cannot prove lawful United States citizenship from enrolling into certain universities within the states. Georgia’s ban prevents undocumented students from enrolling in the state’s top five research colleges that are the University of Georgia, Georgia College and State University, Georgia Institution of Technology, Georgia State University and Georgia Regents University.
Athens Technical College allows undocumented students to enroll. But state laws require undocumented students to pay international tuition fees according to the Vice President of Student Affairs at Athens Technical College, Andrea Daniel.
“If an international student does not provide proof of residency and lawful presence then they must pay four times the tuition rate,” Daniel said.
Representatives from Freedom University and the Economic Justice Coalition hope that the conjunction will create a large enough out cry to persuade the Board of Regents to lift the ban against undocumented students.
The issue of undocumented students ignited with the Jessica Colotl case. Colotl enrolled at Kennesaw State University in 2010 but sparked controversy after a traffic violation arrest. She was arrested for traffic violations and later for making false statements regarding her citizenship status and denied from attending classes during the case. The Economic Justice Coalition worked since 2006 to address local issues of immigrant rights.
The Economic Justice Coalition appointed a Latino Outreach coordinator. They organized an Immigration Rights march with 1,500 people in Athens, Georgia in the spring of 2006 and have worked with the local Latino community ever since.
The coalition organized English as Second Language training classes for day laborers in 2008. The classes helped Latino workers communicate with employers and opened up new job opportunities. The coalition developed a nonprofit business to give African-American and Latino day laborers employment.
Colotl’s case initiated the Georgia legislature to draft House Bill 59 and Senate Bill 458. The bills banned undocumented students from receiving post secondary institutions in the state of Georgia in 2011. The bill required students to pay out-of-state or international tuition rates for schools in the state. The March 6 rally held around the arch fell on the 30th day of Georgia’s legislature session. However, the topic of undocumented students was not considered during this year’s session.
Local school efforts ease the burden some undocumented students face. Athens Technical College supports international students in other ways besides financial hardships attendees face.
“International students have access to a host of support programs that all students use,” Daniel said. “ATC [Athens Technical College] offers free tutoring services, a host of student organizations are available for students to become involved with and Career Services are also available. There is an International Club on campus and this organization often works with Rotaract here at the College on International projects.”
However, the largest problem that enrolled undocumented students face is financial aid. The in-state full-time tuition rate at Athens Technical College is $1,455 compared to the international full-time rate of $5,820. The college addresses issues outside of financial ones due to strict limitations of state laws and the demographics they tend to recruit.
“We really aren’t aware of any issues on campus other than when students state they can’t qualify for financial aid,” Daniel said. “Athens Technical College exists primarily to serve Georgia citizens; therefore, non-resident students may enroll in classes on a space-available basis. They shall not displace students desiring to enroll who are legal, permanent residents of the state.”
The demographics of the college’s students are around three percent Asian and four percent Hispanic-Latino. However, Freedom University’s demographics are 100-percent undocumented students with most students coming from Latina and Hispanic backgrounds.
Freedom University began in 2011 to provide college-leveled classes to students regardless of citizenship status. Some UGA faculty agreed to volunteer teaching classes in undisclosed basements around Athens. Pam Voekel is one faculty volunteer. She spoke with an Athens-Banner Herald reporter about why she wanted to join the cause.
“We asked them as professors what we could do to help as part of that fight and they said well what you can do is teach a class,” Voekel said. “So what we decided to do is open something called Freedom University here in Athens and Freedom University is open to all students regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay.”
Freedom University provides more than education opportunities for the students that face issues outside of the classroom.
Freedom University officials assist students with filling out deferral forms allowed under the Obama administration in 2012. These deferrals allow students to attend schools under a two-year work visa at affordable cost. States like Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina are still hesitant to approve of these deferrals.
Linda Lloyd jumpstarted a partnership with Freedom University on March 21. Lloyd witnessed a movement to fight for undocumented students higher education access rights. She was inspired to help.
“I was so excited about Freedom University and that rally,” Lloyd said. “At least 200 students, they came and I was just impressed with the level of community organizing.”
The partnership between The Economic Justice Coalition and Freedom University centers around a grant the Economic Justice Coalition receives to fund movements like Lift the Ban.
“Right now we are working on the Resist Grant and Resist is a grant we have received since 2003 it was $3,000 but now it’s moving to $4,000 a year and we want to go ahead and do that grant around the UGA Living Wage and Lift the Ban,” Lloyd said.
Undocumented students attend classes today in the basements of Athens, Georgia. The Economic Justice Coalition, Freedom University and other activist groups are determined to see these students attend classes in the classrooms of schools like UGA one day.
Footage of some of the Economic Justice Coalition’s community board meeting on March 21 can be viewed on the video link below.
Homelessness in Athens Becoming a Continuous Problem
Posted: March 26, 2013 Filed under: Government 1 CommentBy: Yasmeen Freightman
Paul Nelson had been homeless for over seven years. In those seven years, he had been to the hospital and rehabilitation more times than he can count on both hands for addiction to drugs. Today, three years later, he only seeks to guide more of the homeless off the streets.
Homelessness has been a continuous problem in Athens and it is only growing. According to the 2009 Annual Point-In-Time Homeless Count done by Athens officials, 72% of homeless individuals in Athens claimed Athens as their origin of homelessness. Of those counted, 49% claimed no income source. Since 2009, these statistics have only increased.
Two of the chief homeless centers in Athens are the Athens Area Homeless Shelter and the Healing Place of Athens. The Athens Area Homeless Shelter is a transitional shelter for women and dependent children. The AAHS does depend on community donations for 1/3 of its total budget that goes to its transitional housing program, but most of their programs are almost exclusively funded in part by state and federal grants.
Katie Smith, the shelter director of the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, says that AAHS offers several forms of assistance to the homeless. These include the Almost Home Transitional Housing Program, the JobTREC employment program and the rapid re-housing program.
“With our three programs we provide assistance utilizing all resources available to us and have allocated our funding streams to allow us to provide transitional shelter as well as re-housing and employability programs rather than only focusing on one method of homeless assistance,” Smith says.
Smith also says that without either community contributions or government grants, all of the programs would be negatively impacted.
“Through the DCA Emergency Solutions Grant, we have funded the Going Home program for 28 families this year and through the HUD Supportive Housing Programs grant we have provided JobTREC services for over 150 individuals in 2012,” Smith says. “It is extremely unlikely that community contributions could take the place of these grants, which make up over half of our annual budget.”
The JobTREC employment program is an employment assistance agency for homeless people in Athens, where the main goal as a program is to eliminate the barriers that homeless clients face when trying to find employment, whether it is financial, transportation, or skill-related. In 2012, JobTREC served 194 clients.
Greg Purser, the JobTREC case manager of the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, says that JobTREC teaches clients about the atmosphere of professionalism and generally has anywhere from 20-40 active clients at one time.
“Some examples of things that we assist with are: obtaining IDs and birth certificates, constructing professional resumes, vouchers for interview clothing, bus passes for job searching, online application assistance, and also work uniform and clothing purchases,” Purser says.
Purser also says that most clients have found jobs in a range of work fields, but there are certain barriers that most homeless mothers undergo when looking for work that mothers who live in AAHS do not have to experience.
“The mothers at AAHS do have slightly different assistance than other clients in JobTREC, one of the most beneficial being daycare services, which are paid for by the shelter,” Purser says. “This generally seems to be one of the biggest barriers to homeless mothers finding employment because they can get stuck in a loop of not being able to find work without daycare and not being able to pay for daycare without employment. In the past few months we have had a variety of jobs that the mother’s have obtained including some restaurant work, sales, and a hospital CNA.”
For a look at the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hOpJ3qtOpM.
Even with these programs readily available to Athens’ homeless still on the streets, homelessness continues to increase. Katie Smith attributes the continuity of the problem to the some homeless’ mental health issues and resources that are not readily available to them. In fact, 56% of homeless people are diagnosed with mental health illnesses, 33% are currently or in the past have had a substance abuse problem and 18% are homeless as a result of domestic violence.
“Homeless individuals in Athens often choose not to participate in programs, have undiagnosed mental health conditions, or have reached the maximum time limits that many of the programs in Athens have based on their grant funding policies and procedures,” Smith says. “Additionally, there is just simply not enough bed space in the shelters available in Athens.”
Greg Purser believes that homelessness within Athens is an increasing problem because many cannot find jobs due to the economy along with other issues.
“Although one of the main ways to assist with sheltering more homeless people in Athens is to have more shelter beds available, which is currently being worked on with planned additions to both the Salvation Army shelter and AAHS, homelessness is still a much larger problem than just having a bed available,” Purser says. “As you are probably aware, finding employment can be a difficult task for anyone in the economy that we have been having and this difficulty is increased exponentially by not having a stable place to call home, not having reliable transportation to look for or go to work, not having a phone number to even receive call backs from possible employers, and many other issues facing the majority of unemployed homeless individuals.”
Smith says that building more facilities can compromise for the amount of bed space that the shelters in Athens do not have, which can pacify the issue of homeless on the streets. “…there is just simply not enough bed space in the shelters available in Athens. The HPC is working to alleviate this issue of space, but building of new facilities takes time and resources that are limited in the community,” Smith says.
Purser believes that if homeless assistance programs continue to progress and develop, more of the homeless on Athens’ streets can and will be reached out to.
“…one thing I have learned while working with JobTREC has been that there are as many different causes of homelessness as there are homeless,” Purser says. “If we continue to focus on services that assist with the entire spectrum of homeless problems and continue to provide assistance with housing and employment, then we should be able to hope to see a real impact in the amount of people that face homelessness in our area and also a decrease in time spent without housing.”
Jean Spratlin: Committed to government for almost four decades
Posted: March 26, 2013 Filed under: Government Leave a comment“Most people don’t even think about local government ‘till something comes up and they need something done.”
In her office in City Hall, Jean Spratlin, the Athens-Clarke County Clerk of Commission talks about her job and the importance of local government to herself and to the people of Athens. With white hair and glasses, Spratlin just began her 39th year as a civil servant in local government, and she does not plan on retiring any time soon.
“Good Lord willing, I’ll be having my 40th Anniversary with the Athens-Clarke County government next year,” Spratlin said with a twinkle in her eye. For Spratlin, government is not only a job; it is her passion, and as she described it, it began as a challenge.
Jean Spratlin, Athens-Clarke County clerk of commission, sits in her office on the 39th anniversary of her tenure in local government.
“I had never worked in local government before, didn’t know that much about local government, so I thought it sounded interesting,” said Spratlin in a vibrant southern drawl. Back then she had no way of knowing that in 39 years she would be in the same office, doing what she loved.
She began working for Athens-Clarke County in 1974, serving as a clerk under the clerk treasurer, but since that was almost four decades ago, she cannot quite recall what her specific title was. From there she moved up to deputy clerk, and then on to her current title.
“This has been a continuous job,” said Spratlin, “I have not worked anywhere else since I started.”
As the clerk of commission, her job is to direct the activities that lead to decision-making for the county commission. Essentially, she helps the government of Athens communicate and understand one another in order to govern more effectively. She also has a hand in making sure that all of the information gathered by the commission, all of their documents, and videos of the meetings are available to the citizens of Athens.
“I’m not sure there’s any such thing as ‘a normal day’ around here,” Spratlin said with a chuckle. She explained that any day could bring any sort of issue that she would need to deal with, and often no two days are the same. Of the few things that her office deals with daily, helping the public and the department of directors to find information from years past are more normal. Her office is also in charge of publishing press releases that detail any city and county code and law changes, and making sure that the public is aware of what the county commission is doing.
As the official record keeper for the Athens-Clarke County government, Spratlin’s office preforms a vital duty to the public and the government, both now and in the future.
“Twenty, 30 years from now when someone comes and looks something up, are they going to know what was done?” said Spratlin. “So, when I’m gone, whoever comes after me, or whoever is the mayor or manager or whoever, could come in and find that information without difficulty.”
When speaking with Spratlin, it is easy to see that she is fascinated by government. While she thinks that people do not appreciate the local government enough for what it does, she enjoys getting other people excited about government.
“Everything is of interest to me,” said Spratlin, “I can’t decide which item is more important than the other.” She stressed that remaining neutral in regard to the issues she deals with is a large part of her duty, and one that she takes seriously. She explained that there is a balance to working in her office, in order to properly allow the commission to understand and vote on every aspect of an issue, she has to be able to explain every aspect. “If it is important to a commissioner, it is important to me.”
Spratlin has had health problems that cause her to miss some work. But she dismisses any questions about her ability to carry out her duties. She conceded that health issues can cause problems when it comes to the workplace, but was sure to make it clear that she is committed to local government and the citizens of Athens-Clarke County.
“It’s just a matter of getting down here and getting mind over matter, I guess.”
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-Zach Parker
Athens’ “conservatives” defeated again at county convention
Posted: March 26, 2013 Filed under: Government | Tags: Athens-Clarke County, Bill Griffin, CGOPOC, Conservative GOP of Clarke, convention, election, GOP, Matt Brewster, republican Leave a commentThe only 12 voters in the room devoid of a “Vote Brewster” sticker, stood alone for the eighth and final time, once again defeated by the tense stares of the seated majority.
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This minority group was scattered among the precinct delegates at the annual Clarke County Republican Convention held on March 9th at the Foundry Inn. They call themselves the the Conservative GOP of Clarke (CGOPOC) and formed after the delegate fraud that occurred in last year’s convention. They are a political action committee committed to replacing the current leadership of the GOP with people who they feel follow strict Republican guidelines. After an entire year of campaigning and reaching out to the media, however, they were once again unsuccessful in obtaining a leadership role.
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During the election process of the convention, each candidate had two minutes to convey their qualifications for the position to the public. Most did not take up the whole time slot. Bill Griffin, a CGOPOC supporter who ran for chairman, was a clear exception. With a stern face he gave his blunt opinion about the current GOP leadership, while most of the audience stared down at their feet.
“There’s no easy way to say this, last year’s convention was an embarrassment,” Griffin said during his two-minute ramble. “None of our county delegates were selected at the state convention because the convention was so defective. I submit that we need to change the leadership. I am willing to serve as the chairman.”
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His mention of the embarrassing convention referred to the illegal election of the county delegates that occurred last year. Matt Brewster, the county chairman, and John Elliot, the nominating committee chair, disregarded the blatant shouts for a “division”, which is a call for a recount of votes. The meeting was ended improperly and those ignored bombarded the chairman and John Padgett, the Secretary of Georgia State Republican Party, with accusations of fraud. The CGOPOC filmed the fiasco and created a YouTube video that they broadcasted on their website and multiple media sources.
In May 2012 at the Georgia GOP convention, BJ Van Gundy, the chairman of the credentials committee, announced that no delegates would represent Clarke County due to the fact that they were elected illegally.
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This year’s county convention was procedural and accurate. The CGOPOC made sure of that. Convention Chairman Bill Bushnell explained each step of the election process multiple times before he allowed any votes to be casted. Although the process seemed elementary to many, Bill Griffin and other CGOPOC supporters stood up various times during the convention to initiate a clarification of the rules.
“Mr. Chairman? Bill Griffin 6B, I understand each candidate gets to speak for one minute, correct?”
Minutes later.
“Mr. Chairman? Bill Griffin 6B, question of privilege, the body deserves to hear the name of the person speaking.”
And again.
“Mr. Chairman? Mr. Chairman? Bill Griffin 6B, can you please clarify what we are voting on?”
Lori Bone, another CGOPOC supporter who ran for secretary, challenged the credentials of one of the county delegate alternates, Chelsea Magee, stating that she did not currently live in Clarke County. Bone proposed that she be put in Magee’s place.
With that, bustle of side comments spread between the seats.
“The rhetorical comments are a violation of the rules,” Convention Chairman Bushnell demanded.
Even after all of the commotion and credential confusion, Bone was once again shut down and did not receive the seat as a county delegate alternate.
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Although candidates from both sides spoke on the importance of party unification, there was a clear split from the very beginning of this year’s convention. Each side convened in separate rooms before Chairman Matt Brewster called the meeting to order.
Eyes darted to the CGOPOC pack as they entered the convention room.
There were three levels of the election: county party officials, district delegates and alternates, and state delegates and alternates. The CGOPOC challenged the nominated candidates in all three levels. When votes were taken, the same 10 to 12 people stood in the PAC’s favor among a estimated crowd of 40-50 voters. As a result, the floor passed every original ballot of the nominating committee, despite the efforts of the minority group.
The meeting closed with little public drama. Although internal disappointment still fumed.
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In separate interviews held a few days after the convention, Matt Brewster and Bill Griffin revealed their own opinions of the future of the Clarke County GOP; opinions that are on two different spectrums.
When asked if he felt at all threatened by the CGOPOC, Chairman Brewster was quick to deny the continuation of any such group efforts.
“That’s all over,” Brewster said. “Some people would have assumed that the party was split but when it was all said and done it was just a very small minority group that was very loud. They ran TV ads, newspaper ads, and radio ads. A lot of people didn’t care for their message because it was on the negative side.”
Brewster said that he is confident in the direction of the party and that the GOP has already reached out to many of the CGOPOC supporters to try and work with them in the future.
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The reaction from Bill Griffin could not have been more opposite.
“If [Brewster] is under the impression that many people have forgotten about that, he’s just delusional. The video speaks for itself,” Griffin proclaimed.
He continued to rant about the lack of advertising from the GOP for the county convention. Only a small blurb was posted in the Athens Banner Harold 15 days prior to the meeting, which is the minimal requirement based on party rules.
“They don’t want people there,” Griffin said. “They say everything is good because, yeah, everything is good for them while they have their power.”
Griffin has chosen to remove himself from the republican politics of Clarke County for the time being.
“I can’t by conscience give my money, time and energy to the county party with the leadership in place and I couldn’t advice anyone else to.”
Sustaining Local Economies
Posted: March 26, 2013 Filed under: Business | Tags: Athens Farmers Market, Athens.LocallyGrown.net, Community Supported Agriculture, Jerry NeSmith, Zoe Brawner Leave a commentBy: Zoe Brawner
A burgeoning network of food artisans, purveyors and growers anticipate the opening day of the Athens Farmers Market, set to kickoff on April 6.
In the last decade, according to Local Harvest, farmers markets have become a weekly ritual for many shoppers as well as a favorite marketing method for farmers. In Athens, officials report the Athens Farmers Market attendance has more than doubled.
The Athens Farmers Market sells its products twice a week. Every Saturday the Athens Farmers Market is at Bishop Park from 8am until noon and on Wednesdays it is located at City Hall from 4 p.m.-7p.m.
Today there are almost two million farms in the United States. Local Harvest states that about 80 percent of those farms are small farms and a large percentage of these are family owned. When you look at a map that identifies farmers markets across the nation, it is a sea of hundreds if not thousands of red dots. http://www.localharvest.org/. Local Harvest’s map of all of the farms in the United States allows you to find a small farm near you to support your local farmer.
Customers arrive to the sound of live music at the Athens Farmers Market. They grab a freshly brewed cup of Thousand Faces coffee. Then roam from booth to booth, buying seasonal produce from their favorite growers.
All of this occurs while visiting with neighbors, old friends and making new friends. Customers try new foods they have never cooked at home while children wander at will in the protected confines of the market.
They are free to dance and sing to the music of a local musician. Growers offer recipes and tips to cooking the current season’s produce. If the customer’s timing is right, they can watch a cooking demonstration by a local chef and taste a sample of the outcome.
As the customer leaves, they stop for fresh eggs, field-fed meat and dairy products. But most importantly, when the customer prepares and eats their food from the market, they remember the relaxing experience and appreciate the tasty and nutritious food they are eating.
The Athens Farmers Market establishes a tighter connection between producers and consumers of locally grown produce. Co-founder of the Athens Farmers Market, Jerry NeSmith, says they require that the growers come to the market to sell their products. NeSmith said that the Athens Farmers Market nourishes and encourages the relationship between the consumer and the grower. It creates a sense of community between the local citizens and local farmers.
College student Rachel Barnes is a frequent customer at the Athens Farmers Market just for that reason.
“I shop at the Athens Farmers Market for many reasons, namely that I like to know exactly where my food comes from. I can ask the growers questions about how to prepare it, and I am supporting people within my community. I’d give my money to a local, family-owned farm than a corporation any day!”
There is no surprise why the Athens Farmers Market has hundreds of “regulars” that come every week and are on a first name basis with the growers. NeSmith even stated that growers often invite customers to their farm for visits. Recently, the Athens Farmers Market attendance has risen from an average of 800 adult visitors to almost 2000. NeSmith says the Athens Farmers Market has doubled the number of growers at the market since their first market in 2008.
Juan VillaVeces, a vendor at the Athens Farmers Market, and his family have been a part of the Athens community for over 35 years. His family has a history of cooking in Athens. As a food purveyor, VillaVeces provides prepared foods using locally produced ingredients. VillaVeces says that some of their customers actually guide their recipes and what he actually brings to the market. VillaVeces mainly sells empanadas. Occasionally he offers tamales. He also has an assortment of muffins, baklava, pastries, and anything else he wants to experiment with in gluten free products.
“We sell our products at the Athens Farmers Market because Athens is not big enough to sustain our business exclusively with one venue. Although some of the customers are the same people who go to the farmers market. The market is also a social event. It has been beneficial for my children to be involved and have something to do on the weekends.”
Community Supported Agriculture programs are similar to farmers markets due to the fact that CSAs have also become a viable source to financially support these farmers and increase local consumption. Typically the farmer will provide a certain number of “shares” to the public, which is often a box of vegetables. Consumers can purchase a membership with seasonal subscription fees in advance. In return the consumer will receive weekly shares of produce throughout the course of the growing season.
Athens.LocallyGrown.net is an example of an established Community Supported Agriculture program. Dan and Kristen Miller founded Athens Locally Grown in 2001 and have continued to grow this CSA. Today Athens Locally Grown sells a wide range of products to over 4,000 individuals, families, local restaurants, and grocery stores. In other CSA programs members receive the same box of stuff. However, Athens Locally Grown lets consumers choose which items they want, the quantities, and from which farm they want their produce. Athens Locally Grown sends members a weekly email each Sunday evening that contains a list of the produce, milled products, fresh flowers, and artisan goods that are available each week. Consumers simply browse the available items on the website emailed to them before they place their order online. Members pick up their orders between 4:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m. each Thursday at Ben’s Bikes.
CSAs like Athens Grown Locally and farmers markets like the Athens Farmers Market, have many benefits. When consumers support a local business by purchasing local items, consumers provide stability to the local economy. Consumers of local products are individuals involved in the process of saving resources including packaging materials and gas. Locally Grown and Athens Farmers Market supporters help educate the community about the importance of sustainable agriculture as well as preserve a way of life. Both believe that small, diverse, family-owned farms contribute to a society’s health.
Proposed Legislation for Reducing Gun Restrictions–What it means for Athens
Posted: March 26, 2013 Filed under: Government, Safety | Tags: Athens, Georgia, Government, gun control, House Bill 512, Safe Carry Protection Act, Safety, University of Georgia Leave a commentThe trigger is pulled and the gun jerks back. The shell flies out. The bullet travels down the range almost too fast to be seen. The only evidence of the bullet’s presence, a Bang! The sound echoes off the cement walls and a single bullet hole appears straight through the target—an outline of a human profile.
Daniel Grass, a senior at the University of Georgia, shows off his target image. Ten bullet holes gape in the paper target—all through the head.
Grass is confident in his shooting ability and plans to purchase a gun when he has enough money. He said he would not feel any more or less safe carrying a gun with him on campus—but that is exactly what he would be able to do if the proposed legislation House Bill 512 were to pass through the senate.
House Bill 512, which passed through the Georgia House in a 117-56 vote this month, is currently being reviewed by the Senate. HB 512, also known as the Safe Carry Protection Act, amends current legislation to lift restrictions on where guns can be carried. If passed this bill would allow concealed weapons on college campuses—as well as in places of worship, bars and unsecured government buildings.
Athens House Representatives were split on their vote for HB 512. Democratic Representative Spencer Frye voted against the bill while Republican Representative Regina Quick voted in favor. As reflected by the conflicting views of the two representatives, the Athens community has a variety of opinions on HB 512.
HB 512 would affect public institutions differently than private ones. Places of worship and bars, because they are private property rights, would still be allowed to decide whether or not to allow weapons in their establishment. Public universities, however, are considered government institutions and would be required to permit guns on certain areas of their campus.
The University of Georgia being a public institution would be directly impact by the passing of the Safe Carry Protection Act.
University Police Chief Jimmy Williamson opposes HB 512, particularly legislation that would allow for guns to be carried on college campuses. “We like where the current law is,” said Williamson. “I have concerns [about HB512] from a safety standpoint.”
Williamson said that he believed the law would cause a number of issues and would make the job of police officers more difficult. He noted his concern about the influence guns would have on instances of intimidation or bullying on campus. Williamson said the presence of more guns in innocent people’s hands would complicate the job of police officers when in came to responding to active shooters. “It would be hard for the police responding to know who the good guy and who the bad guy is,” said Williamson.
On the other side of the issue Bobby Tribble an employee at Franklin Gun Shop in Athens, said
“If you are a law abiding person you can carry a gun anywhere you want to and as long as you don’t show off with it and do something illegal or unless you have to use the gun nobody is going to know you have it anyway.”
Tribble said he did not believe that passing or removing restrictions on where gun owners could carry weapons would change the number of people carrying concealed weapons in these areas. “Only law abiding people obey laws so passing more laws is not going to have any effect.”
The University Union hosted a debate on gun control open to students, faculty and athens locals. Richard Feldman, president of the Independent Firearm Owner Association and Kathryn Grant of the non-profit organization Gun Free Kids, both presented their views on the issue guns on campus.
Grant, who is part of the Keep Guns Off Campus Resolutions, said in opposition to HB 512, “The assertion that arming students and teachers in keeping the campus community safe lies at the heart of this debate, but is a rationale seen by many as fundamentally flawed.” Grant further encouraged those making decisions on this bill to listen to experts on the issue that have said putting guns on campus will not make it a safer environment.
Feldman a prominent lobbyist for gun rights refuted Grant. Feldman said that in order to discuss the issue of gun control people must get away form the emotions in the issue.
“[If] I am carrying that gun legally, am I somehow, when I cross over onto school property, going to become a vicious killer? I think not,” said Feldman. The concern is not where guns can be carried. The important issue is who is carrying a gun.
Feldman said, removing gun restrictions would not change the number of dangerous people who could carry a gun on campus—rather it would increase the number of law-abiding citizens who would have a gun and ability to defend themselves.
But do students or faculty feel they would be safer if guns were allowed on campus? University Georgia System Chancellor Hank Huckaby does not think so.
“In my position I believe strongly that allowing our students to carry weapons on our campuses will not increase their personal safety but instead reduce it,” said Huckaby, in a statement before the Georgia legislative committee. Huckaby is supported by the 31 other University System of Georgia’s presidents in his opposition of HB 512.
Lucas Smith a freshman at the University of Georgia said he is against HB 512. “There are merits to both arguments, but I would personally want to see no guns on campus,” said Smith. While Smith said he supports the second amendment, he feels that he pays money to attend the University and should have a say in how safe he feels on campus.
Back at the shooting range, Grass fired over 17 rounds through his target practicing his precision and aim. “I agree with allowing guns in more places,” said Grass. “I think the biggest misconception about gun control is that, the more regulation you put on gun is going to keep them out of the wrong hands.”
Grass believes that current legislation restricting gun carrying on campus is not going to stop someone who wants to bring a gun on campus from doing so. By allowing guns on campus Grass said he did not feel the number of students carrying guns would drastically increase.
“There might be a small percent of student who carry [guns] and they are going to be the responsible ones who wouldn’t want to shot me anyways. The only thing that [allowing guns on campus] could do it maybe prevent a mass shooting or something,” said Grass.
While the Safe Carry Protection Act remains under review in the Georgia Senate, the Athens and University community can contact Athens’ State Senator Bill Cowsert to voice their opinion on House Bill 512.
Restaurant Health Inspections Anything but Consistent
Posted: March 26, 2013 Filed under: Business, Safety | Tags: CDC, FDA, Health, Inspections, Jimmy John's, restaurants, Technology, Wingster 1 CommentBy: Colson Barnes and Whitney M. Wyszynski
“It could be as simple as an open soda can in the kitchen,” said Kyu Lee, manager of Wingster.
He shook his head and shrugged, thinking about the health inspection score of 70 percent Wingster received on Nov. 13, 2012.
A window behind the cash register showed the cook busy preparing a variety of sauces. The phone buzzed with delivery orders. Anxious customers ordering delivery are unable to see the health score mounted next to the door.
“Simple things will deduct points from the score,” Lee said, looking at the kitchen. “We all have different responsibilities to clean this place.”
Restaurants like Wingsters are inspected one to two times per year by the Clarke County Health Department. An analysis of restaurant scores in Athens revealed:
■ The Northeast Georgia Health District does not update the restaurant inspection website regularly.
■ There is no consistent system for documenting the scores online, and past scores are not archived online for public access.
■ The time of day, inspector, and time of year can affect a restaurant’s health score.
Nationwide Trends
According to the New York Times, many restaurant operators complain that numerical scores “can be confusing or deceptive.” Customers often do not know the specific policies that detracted from the optimal score.
The Times-Picayune determined that Louisiana’s restaurant inspectors were more lenient than national counterparts. The paper determined that “the difference seems to be in how each municipality enforces its safety regulations.”
“But restaurateurs complain, reasonably, that it’s a racket for the city to squeeze more money out of them,” Forbes writer, Josh Barro said. “A restaurant that gets a bad grade is inclined to pay for a re-inspection so it can display an A, but it still has to pay penalties based on the negative results of the first inspection.”
The Georgia Department of Community Health, through the county health departments, sends an inspector to inspect facilities where food is consumed on or off the premises.
Six inspectors monitor restaurants in Athens, and they do not notify the restaurants before the inspection occurs. The names of the inspectors are not provided to the public.
Restaurants are given a numerical score from 0-100 based on the cleanliness of the facility. A score less than 70 is considered a failing grade; however, the restaurant will receive a follow-up inspection within 10 days.
Restaurant inspection scores are listed on the Clarke County Health Department website, with the date and brief explanations of violations.
After interviewing representatives at restaurants with the five lowest health ratings, many agreed that the regulations have become more difficult. Wingster, Johnny’s New York Style Pizza, Plantation Buffet, Jimmy John’s, and Waffle House scored the lowest, as of Mar. 7, 2013.
[Would your kitchen pass a health department inspection?]
Some of the most popular restaurants fall short of a passing grade due to wrong food temperature control, improperly marked foods and poor employee health.
Food inspections are divided into two categories—critical and non-critical. Deductions that have risk factors outlined by The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are considered critical. The non-critical categories include factors that are designated by the Federal Food and Drug Administration.
[What are the most common violations?]
Success Stories
Howard Anderson, manager of the Jimmy John’s on Baxter Street, has worked with Jimmy John’s since 2006.
“We are very systematic here. We have a punch list that comes from Jimmy John’s corporate, but it doesn’t take into account the Georgia health regulations,” Anderson said.
Jimmy John’s scored 75 percent on its Mar. 7, 2013 inspection. Anderson headed for the Health Department a mere day after the original inspection.
“I went to talk to the health inspector about what we can do to improve our score,” he said. “I retrained everyone on hand washing and the basic lessons about diseases.”
Anderson believes it was a lack of training that was the problem, but he also noted that this inspection was different than past inspections.
“It was more difficult this past time,” Anderson said. He noted that some other restaurants may not be following some of the lesser known policies.
“She [the inspector] was specific about things like needing to spray the floor before we sweep it,” Anderson said.
Jimmy John’s on Baxter St. worked to improve. The restaurant’s score skyrocketed to a 100 percent on the follow-up inspection.
Herschel’s Famous 34, a new restaurant on Broad Street, received a 100 percent on its first inspection.
“I think it definitely makes a difference [to have a good health score],” said Lee Purser, Herschel’s Famous 34 manager.
Health inspection scores are a glimpse of the restaurant’s performance, but most establishments want a perfect score, according to Andrea Kerr, the environmental health manager at the Clarke Country Health Department.
“It is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations,” the health department website highlighted. “An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment.”
Ms. Kerr said the food service inspection scores are uploaded to the Northeast Health District website nightly. However, Jimmy John’s follow-up inspection score from Mar. 13, 2013 was not updated until Mar. 26, 2013, per this blog’s request.
There is no consistent system for denoting follow-up scores. Some restaurants, like Wingster, display the most recent score, whereas other restaurants, such as Wok Star, display both the original and follow-up score.
Psychology in Decision-Making
Many psychological studies have determined the effects of extraneous factors on decision-making. Factors, such as the time of day, day of the week, and weather conditions, can affect a person’s decisions.
“Even patently false or irrelevant information often affects choices in significant ways,” according to the New York Times.
A recent study at the California Institute of Technology determined that people’s value judgments affect decision-making. Value-based decisions occur in the prefrontal cortex, which affects personality expression and social behavior.
The prefrontal cortex is known for the executive function. This function differentiates between conflicting thoughts—better and best, good and bad, and correct and incorrect.
Inspector discretion plays a key role in restaurant health scores. Local restaurants complain that certain inspectors are tougher than others.
Possible Solution
The names of inspectors are not released publically, and past scores are not archived on the Northeast Georgia Health District website. Assigning ID numbers to inspectors could be a possible solution.
ID numbers could be disclosed on the website, and if citizens spotted suspicious score fluctuations, they could report findings to the health department. This would protect the inspector’s identity while monitoring the consistency of the scores.
Inspector discretion affects the public’s view of a restaurant, and this system could make the process more transparent.
Civic Life in Downtown Athens 