🌉 Who Athens may name the East Broad bridge for

Meet Athens Photographers and Share What You Shoot

Athens Photography Guild gives photographers a monthly room to compare work, learn from speakers and join group photo challenges. It meets at 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday in the Community Room at Lyndon House Arts Center, 211 Hoyt Street. Working professionals and complete beginners are welcome, with no registration or membership dues required. The guild’s September program centers on an “Around Town” photo challenge and group discussion.

Read more here.

🏠 The Employees Own This Athens Construction Company

When you hire a remodeler, you’re trusting people with your home, your budget, and decisions you’ll live with for years. Knowing who’s behind the company is part of making that choice.

JOMA Construction has been 100% employee-owned since 2023. Through its Employee Stock Ownership Plan, employees have a financial stake in the company’s long-term success.

The people who help plan, manage, and build JOMA’s projects also share in the future of the business.

JOMA has completed more than 1,000 Athens-area remodeling projects since 2005. Homeowners can stay involved throughout the work through an online portal where they can see progress photos, ask their project manager questions, and approve changes.

If you’re considering a remodel, a free consultation gives you a chance to discuss your ideas and find out what’s possible in your home.

Read about JOMA’s employee ownership and use the project form on that page to tell the team what you have in mind.

Or call 706-372-1052.

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

⚖️ What Should You Do Before You Make a Move in a Georgia Divorce?

A divorce can involve much more than deciding whether to stay together. There are questions about the house, finances, retirement accounts, debts, and other property and decisions made early in the process can have consequences later.

At Samuel Thomas Law, Samuel E. Thomas helps Athens families understand where they stand before making those decisions. A lifelong Athenian and UGA graduate, Sam focuses on helping clients navigate the family-law questions that come with major life changes.

One of the biggest things to understand is that Georgia uses equitable distribution, meaning marital property is divided based on what is considered fair rather than automatically split 50/50. Property owned before the marriage or inherited during the marriage may be treated differently as well.

That’s why acting before you understand your position can create unnecessary complications. Moving out, changing financial arrangements, or signing an agreement without knowing how it could affect you may be difficult to undo later.

You don't have to wait until you're ready to file to get answers. A confidential consultation can help you understand your situation and your options even if you ultimately don't need a lawyer.

Call (706) 546-0999 or request a confidential consultation to talk with Sam about where you stand.

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

🏠 What If Your Kitchen Could Finally Work the Way You Do?

A beautiful kitchen is one thing. A kitchen that actually makes sense for how you cook, gather, store things, and move through the room is another.

That’s the approach behind Next Kitchen & Bath, the Athens-based remodeling company led by Wendy Ritchey. Rather than starting with a catalog of finishes, Wendy starts by understanding how you actually use your space.

She works with each client on the layout, cabinetry, countertops, lighting, tile, and finishes, helping bring all the pieces together into one cohesive design.

And she stays involved beyond the design. Wendy coordinates with the contractors and remains part of the project through the final walkthrough, helping make sure what gets built stays connected to the original vision.

Her design style also leans timeless rather than trendy, so the goal is to create a space that feels personal and current without looking dated a few years from now.

If your kitchen or bathroom has been frustrating you for years, show Wendy what isn't working and start imagining what could.

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

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

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