💧 Where Your Athens Stormwater Fee Actually Goes

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☕️ A Local Coffee Stop to Add to Your Monday

If you're looking for a coffee spot where you can settle in for a while, Hendershot's on Prince Avenue has coffee, tea, a full kitchen, free Wi-Fi, and plenty of seating. It's a longtime Athens favorite for working, catching up with a friend, or lingering over a drink, with breakfast and lunch options during the day and a full bar and live music later on.

Learn more here.

🏠 When Mom Moves In, the Spare Bedroom Is Only the Beginning

When an aging parent moves in, a spare bedroom solves only one part of the problem.

The harder questions are whether they can enter safely, use the bathroom, move through the doorways, and live without the house working against them.

Changes like wider doorways, fewer steps, and a finished basement or garage can make the home easier for the whole family without making it feel like a care facility.

JOMA Construction has three Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists and applies universal-design thinking across its remodeling work, whether a family is welcoming a parent or preparing to stay in the home for decades.

Their projects can start with a window or soffit repair and eventually grow into a kitchen, deck, addition, or full remodel as a family’s needs change.

JOMA has completed more than 1,000 Athens-area projects since 2005, and 43% of last year’s jobs came from repeat clients.

The company is also 100% employee-owned, so the people planning and building the work have a direct stake in how it turns out.

If your home needs to work better for its next chapter, schedule a free consultation online or call 706-372-1052.

Thank you to our local sponsors who help make this publication possible!

💦 Fall Is Coming. Have You Looked at Your Gutters Yet?

It's easy to put off the outside of your house when everything looks fine from the driveway. Then fall arrives, leaves start piling up, and suddenly the gutters are one more thing on the list.

That's one reason HydroChlo Pressure Washing is putting more focus on gutter cleaning this fall. The Athens-area business is locally owned by David Camarena, who started HydroChlo to serve the area close to home.

Pressure washing is still a big part of what they do, but David is also looking ahead to the seasonal services homeowners are likely to need. Fall gutter cleaning and, later in the season, Christmas light installation are both part of that plan.

And if you're wondering who you're actually getting when you book, that's where the local-owner angle comes in. David is the person behind the business, rather than a large company sending a crew you've never heard of.

HydroChlo is targeting Athens-area homeowners and making it easy to get in touch directly by phone or message. For a service business, that straightforward connection is part of what David wants to build as he grows locally.

If pressure washing or gutter cleaning has been sitting on your to-do list, fall is a good time to get it handled.

Call HydroChlo now at (706) 530-0530 to get a free estimate!

Thank you to our local sponsors who help make this publication possible!

💧 Where Your Athens Stormwater Fee Actually Goes

The Gist: Athens property owners are paying a higher stormwater utility fee this year, and a new WUGA report explains where that money goes. The fee helps fund Athens-Clarke County's Streets and Drainage work, including maintaining stormwater infrastructure and preventing roads from deteriorating.

Why It Matters: This is a real household expense for local property owners, but many residents may not know what they're paying for. The money supports infrastructure people rely on every day, making this more than another government update.

Read more here.

🎭 The Watkinsville Theater Bringing Narnia to the Stage This Fall

Just south of Athens, The Stage Oconee is celebrating its 20th season with eight productions, including Narnia the Musical, Steel Magnolias, Shrek, and The Wizard of Oz. It's become a local home for theater lovers, families, and people who want to get involved in the performing arts.

And Narnia isn't just something you can watch. Auditions are coming up September 25–27, 2026, so anyone who's ever wanted to try performing has an opportunity to step into the process. The show itself will take the stage December 11–13.

The Stage Oconee also describes itself as family-oriented rather than simply family-friendly, with productions for different audiences throughout the season. Beyond the shows, the theater offers classes and welcomes volunteers interested in everything from acting to costumes, lighting, and other behind-the-scenes work.

Whether you're hoping to audition, looking for a new family tradition, or just want to see what local theater looks like in Watkinsville, The Stage Oconee has plenty worth putting on your calendar this season.

Thank you to our local sponsors who help make this publication possible!

🌳 Sweet Pea Club | State Botanical Garden of Georgia | Athens | Sept. 3 | More Kids ages 3–5 can explore nature through songs, stories, puppets, games, and other activities in the Children's Garden.

🦅 Fall Bird Rambles | State Botanical Garden of Georgia | Athens | Sept. 5 | More Take a morning bird walk through the garden and look for fall migrants with the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society.

🏈 Georgia vs. Tennessee State | Sanford Stadium | Athens | Sept. 5 | More Catch Georgia's home football opener against Tennessee State Saturday afternoon.

🌿 Garden Nights: Adult Recess | State Botanical Garden of Georgia | Athens | Sept. 2 | More Explore the Children's Garden after hours with beverages, lawn games, and a relaxed evening designed for adults.

📚 Silent Book Club of Athens | Tapped Athens Wine Tasting Market | Athens | Sept. 1 | More Bring a book, settle in with a drink, and enjoy a quiet hour of reading with other local book lovers.

🌮 Tiki Taco Tuesday | Live Wire | Athens | Sept. 1 | More Grab tacos, cocktails, live music, and dancing during this Tuesday night event.

If you want to read any of our previous issues, check them out HERE on our website.