The Barber Street Park Project is almost ready to move on to the design phase. Volunteers have explored and documented the site, and now have a good sense of the design challenges ahead. But there's a little work from the initial clearing phase to finish up, and this mostly involves removing a large pile of bush honeysuckle that was generated during the first two volunteer works days.

Project leaders are looking for volunteers to help them move the bush honeysuckle pile at the Barber St. site this Sat. June 12 from 10am to 2pm. Other touch-up work includes keeping paths clear of vines. Some trash pick-up may also be necessary.

The Barber Street Park Project is a volunteer effort to design and build a neighborhood park here in Athens on an empty lot on Barber Street. Located at the top of Boulevard, the site is well positioned to serve as a neighborhood focal point and could easily be integrated into a future greenway network and/or a rails-to-trails project.

For more info about this project and to find out how you can get involved, check out Dan Lorentz's great blog HERE.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Boulevard | Athens | Park

We are proud to announce our sponsorship of the Athens Farmers Market this year. The Market is an organization of local farmers, craftspeople and volunteers working to make local naturally grown food, crafts and works of art available for the good of all.

Make sure you visit the Market, located at Bishop Park, Saturday mornings from 8am to Noon. Click HERE for more information, including a list of what will be available each week. You'll also see a link to the Market website at the bottom of our homepage.

Go get your veggies and support our local farmers!

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Food | Sustainable

Full Circle Agent Briggs Carney participated in the 2010 Tour de Farm over the weekend.

Tour de Farm is a three-day, approximately 100-mile bike ride to many small local farms in and around Athens-Clarke County. This year's Tour de Farm was a huge success, as both riders and volunteers alike connected to and formed relationships with the agricultural landscapes of Northeast Georgia, the food grown locally and seasonally in our region, and the people working hard to produce this food sustainably.

"It was a really cool experience and one I would definitely do again," Briggs said. He said guest chefs prepared dinner each night using food grown on the farms and riders camped at stops along the way.

The group of riders were followed by a camera crew from CNN, so we'll post those videos when they are available. To check out photos from the event, click HERE.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Sustainable

About one-fourth of Americans say they'll discard a large piece of furniture when moving rather than recycle or sell it, reports a new survey. Since 40 million Americans move each year, that means about 10 million will leave behind a sofa or other large item, which often end up in landfills.

As we head into moving season in Athens, keep in mind your local options and don't toss your furniture in the trash. There are plenty of area non-profits that will even pick up that old sofa you no longer want! Put a phone call in to one of these places and RECYCLE:

Athens Habitat ReStore - 706-354-0936

Goodwill - 706-433-1900

The Salvation Army

Athens Thrift Store - 706-546-5596 drop-off or 706-357-9244 pick-up

Donations are tax deductible! Click HERE for more on the survey.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Recycle | Athens

Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.

Looking for ways to make an impact? Click HERE for a few ideas and check The Flagpole for local activities, including the New Earth Day Festival.

As you go about your day, take this quote with you from the great Dr. Seuss:

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better. It's not. - The Lorax

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Earth Day | Athens

The Classic Center & Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division invites professional and amateur Athens artists of all backgrounds to participate in a Request for Design proposal for a combination outdoor recycling bin. The unit shall be designed to have one bin for aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles, and a second bin for small cardboard and paper items (i.e.: newspapers, magazines, etc.).The primary goals of this project are as follows:

• Provide a pedestrian recycling option which will reduce the burden on our local landfill;

• Support of our local artists and the arts;

• Beautify downtown with artistic recycling bins.

Proposals due by 2pm June 11th. Selected artist recieves an honorarium of $500. Click HERE for more info.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Recycle

We recently celebrated Full Circle’s 1st Birthday! It is hard to believe it has already been a year since we launched Athens’ first green-centric, locally-owned real estate firm. That old saying about time flying when you’re having fun is true – we’ve had a great time in our first year of business and we’re excited about where we’re heading in 2010. I asked our fearless leader, Patrick O’Brien, to take over the blog today and reflect on the company he started one year ago:

What a year. Along with any new business venture comes a mixture of excitement about starting something new, trepidation as to whether it will be successful, and a lot of hard work. I am both happy and thankful that we have negotiated this period without major incident in a challenging market and have positioned ourselves to flourish in the years to come. I can say with certainty that I could not have done it alone and will be forever indebted to the people who believed in me and the ideals upon which Full Circle was founded. Their continued efforts are central to the company’s growth and success. I am lucky to have them. Lastly, I am thankful for the opportunity to continue our mission of promoting sustainable development practices in a community we care deeply about, something we could not have done without the clients who have chosen to work with us this past year - thank you!

- Patrick

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens

Historic preservationists and urban planners are hoping a Saturday symposium at Ciné will titillate local citizens’ imaginations about redevelopment possibilities in downtown Athens.

“We’re hoping for a little bit of a wow factor,” said Amy Kissane, executive director of the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation, which has organized the one-day event. “The reason were doing this is to broaden people’s ideas about what can happen in downtown from an architectural standpoint and new construction, to public art and transportation in and out of downtown.”

The symposium, titled “Look at That! Fresh Approaches in Urban Redevelopment for Athens,” will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Ciné, 234 W. Hancock Ave. Registration costs $15, which includes lunch, and reservations are required. The deadline for signing up is Tuesday. For more information, call (706) 353-1801 or e-mail achf@bellsouth.net or click HERE.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Urban

Athens was named one of the Top U.S. Cities for Young Professionals this morning on The Today Show. Real Estate expert and "Shark Tank" judge Barbara Corcoran compiled a list of the most vibrant cities for young professionals based on affordable housing, jobs, good schools and welcoming communities.

Athens was the only small town on the list, which also named Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, D.C., Chicago, LA and Boston as top cities. She said Athens was known for its love of UGA, pretty architecture and thriving music scene. The segment showed a 3BR/3BA home listed at $132,900 as a great example of the low real estate prices in town.

To watch the full segment from The Today Show, CLICK HERE.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Awards

Monday is the deadline for Clarke County property owners to file forms that could drop the taxes they pay on their homes and businesses.

Property tax returns are a method of appealing the taxable value of land and buildings. By filing a return, owners tell tax assessors what they think the property is worth.

"That's one thing that's happening a lot now, is that people want to appeal the value of the property," Clarke County Tax Commissioner Nancy Denson said.

After a return is filed, assessors decide whether they agree or disagree with the value the owner places on the property. If they disagree, they send the owner an assessment.

Monday also is the deadline for Clarke County residents to file for homestead exemptions, a tax break on owner-occupied houses. Homeowners who already have a homestead exemption do not need to reapply. For more info, CLICK HERE to read this Athens Banner-Herald article.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Property Taxes

The 2nd Annual Green Life Expo will be held Friday, 10am to 5pm, and Saturday, 10am to 3pm, at The Classic Center. The FREE Expo is designed to educate businesses, families and individuals on ways to lessen their carbon footprints while saving natural resources and money. Make sure you drop by to check out all of the exhibitors and bring recyclables including home electronics (including TVs), CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, computer games, alkaline and rechargeable batteries, fluorescent light bulbs/tubes, gently worn clothes and shoes for Soles4Souls.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Green | Athens

The heart-wrenching stories of tragedy and survival coming out of Haiti are overwhelming. It’s hard to watch the evening news and not feel a sense of helplessness. What can we do here in Athens, GA, to help those in need so far away? The answer is to donate money to organizations you know will put your contribution to good use immediately. As a Peace Corps friend of mine pointed out, sometimes grassroots organizations work better than the big, government non-profits because they know the country in need more intimately.

Last weekend, tiny Madison, GA, raised $30,000 during a benefit concert to support Hope for Haiti, a FL-based non-profit started by a Madison resident. Now a UGA Professor who worked for 20 years in Haiti has planned, Athens For Haiti, a benefit concert to be held at 8pm, Jan. 30th, at the Town & Gown Theatre. All funds raised will go straight to those in dire need in Haiti.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Haiti

If you’re looking for a new career direction in 2010, getting into the solar energy biz may be a smart move. Even though the market in Athens is just now developing, demand is expected to grow thanks to government incentives, increasing energy costs and tighter restrictions on pollution from power plants. As the market grows, demand for trained solar installers will increase.

Local green builder and renewable energy expert, Tony Purcell, teaches Solar Thermal Water Heating System training classes right here in Athens. You can get info on upcoming Jan/Feb classes HERE.

Tony has already completed one project for the EPA on College Station Road (photo left) for their main lab building. It can be seen from the street when driving by on the right side of the roof (facing the building). He has also done an installation for a house built in Bogart that achieved Earthcraft Platinum certification and his personal home has an active solar space heating system installed via a hydronic radiant floor system. He's also done numerous other smaller residential installations in the local area.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: solar | athens

Full Circle Broker Patrick O'Brien was featured in an article in today's Athens Banner-Hearld about how real estate agents and homesellers are starting to see some signs of life in our struggling market.

Patrick's comments are below or you can read the full article HERE.

From The Banner-Herald:

After months of stagnant sales in Clarke and surrounding counties, homes are starting to sell again, but they aren't selling as fast - or for as much money - as they would have just a couple of years ago.

"What we have seen in the past six to eight months is an increase in the number of homes being sold at the lower ends of the price range out there - less than $200,000 or even $150,000," said Patrick O'Brien, a broker at Full Circle Realty in Athens. "Those are the homes that the first-time homebuyer is shopping for, especially in this tough market."

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens

I loved the "Shop Your ATH Off" ad I saw in this week's Flagpole Magazine encouraging Athenians to shop local this holiday season. Readers can pledge to spend at least $100 at locally owned businesses at www.flagpole.com and register to win gift certificates from those shops.

One of my favorite local holiday markets at Big City Bread sadly won't be open this year, however there are a slew of other local holiday markets where you can buy pottery, arts and crafts and other items all made by local peeps. Many of these events start THIS WEEKEND! Check out the list below or click HERE for The Flagpole's Holiday Shopping Guide.

Enjoy the Christmas Parade downtown tonight at 7pm and remember to pump a little money into our local economy this year!

Railroad Arts District Holiday Market on the loading docks at the Chase Park Warehouses. Friday Dec.4, 2-9pm. Part of the big First Friday event happening in the RxRAD. www.railroadartsdistrict.blogspot.com

Trace Studio Collective's pottery sale Friday Dec.4-Sunday Dec.6 from 2pm-7pm. 160 Tracy Street, 2A

Marmalade Pottery will have its holiday sale on Saturday Dec.4 from 5pm-9pm and Sunday Dec.5 from 9am-5pm.

R.Wood Studio pottery sale Saturday Dec. 5, 9am-4pm www.rwoodstudio.com

Cont...

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Local

Athens Heritage Walks are a series of guided tours celebrating Athens-Clarke County’s designation as one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Each tour is led by a distinctive Athens personality whose knowledge brings a unique and colorful perspective to our local history.

The tour of UGA's North Campus and Old Athens Cemetery is already sold out for this Saturday. Go to http://achfonline.org/heritage-walks/ for more info and to see what upcoming walks are still availalble.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | History

Our secret is totally out!

MSN Travel today named Athens, GA one of the Top 13 Best College Towns, saying "The music scene in the University of Georgia’s hometown is simply unbeatable. R.E.M., the B-52s and Widespread Panic got their start here, and Athens is widely credited as one of the birthplaces of alternative rock and New Age music."

In the last month, Athens also made U.S. News and World Report's list of 15 Great Underpriced College Towns and Hotel and Travels Reservations' list of Best College Towns in America.

Keep 'em coming...

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Awards

UGA Libraries published a comprehensive Athens-Clarke County Guide to Athens. This interactive guide is packed with links to all things Athens, including maps, local media and organizations, employment links, economic and crime stats, school info and environmental reports.

If you are moving to the area or live here and want a great all-in-one website to "bookmark", you'll want to check it out! We will also post a link to it on our RESOURCES page.

The Flagpole's 2009 Guide To Athens also just hit newstands. Click HERE to see the write-up on Full Circle Real Estate Group.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens

Nature's Harmony, a sustainable farm in Elberton, continues to create a buzz with their unconventional and "beyond organic" farming techniques. Besides selling locally-grown fruits and veggies, they have recently expanded to meat. Back in June, CNN visited the farm three times for a story that came out today. (Read it HERE).

Nature's Harmony is a member of a growing local-food movement, often referred to as Community-Supported Agriculture. The CSAs, as they're called, are a model in which consumers pay for their food in advance and receive it directly from the farmer. Working much like a magazine subscription, customers pay for a period of usually at least six months and receive packages either at the farm or at established delivery locations.

Although thousands of farms have sprung up over the past two decades selling fruits and vegetables using the system, experts say there are probably only a few dozen that, like the Georgia farm, offer meat.

Farmers Tim and Liz Young raise cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys and lambs on their 76-acre farm in northeast Georgia, near the South Carolina state line.

Check out this great concept and unique farm at www.naturesharmonyfarm.com.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: sustainable | farm | athens

  All commercial developments in Athens will have to be friendlier to the environment after Athens-Clarke officials begin writing new regulations next month.
  Athens-Clarke commissioners said at a Thursday agenda-setting meeting that they will start forcing developers to obtain LEED certification for all new and renovated shopping centers, office buildings and other commercial developments.
  The proposed code changes will not apply to homes or apartments.
  Green building raises construction costs and rents by a few percentage points, but actually will save businesses money in the long run by cutting down on utility expenses, said Commissioner Ed Robinson, a small-business owner.
"This is actually a business-friendly policy we're attempting to develop," Robinson said.

Click HERE for more info and a link to the story published today in The Athens-Banner Herald.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: green | commercial | LEED | Athens

Athens-based instrumentalists', Japancakes, just premiered their first ever video, "Behind the Mountains" on Stereogum, a popular national music blog. The longtime instrumentalists recently enlisted vocalist Orenda Fink, of Azure Ray, to lend her voice to the project. As a former Athenian, Orenda played with the band in their early days.

"The idea was to do a unique project and make it international, using different vocalists from different countries," said drummer, Brant Rackley, a Full Circle Agent.

The band recorded three different versions of the song - an instrumental version, English version and one in Chinese. All three songs and the video will be available on iTunes and everywhere on July 28th! For more info on Japancakes, click HERE.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Music

First Lady Obama just announced United We Serve, an 81-day campaign that calls all Americans to volunteer in their communities to create change, during the 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service. Click HERE to find out what you can do for HandsOn Northeast Georgia in Athens and serve your community!

HandsOn Network is a key activator in this effort and will provide sustainable value for this call to service through its new Get HandsOn initiative. Essentially, HandsOn Network provides value for United We Serve through three key competencies, calling America to Get HandsOn:

    * Inspire Citizens
    * Equip Service Leaders
    * Mobilize Communities

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: volunteer | Athens

UGA's Grady School of Journalism produced a new video explaining how Athens Locally Grown works. Check it out HERE and learn more about their online farmer's market and easy system for getting your veggies locally!

You can visit Athens Locally Grown online HERE.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: athens | local | food

When a tree must be removed from an urban environment, its value is lost. New Urban Forestry is a tree service with a mission -- They maintain the value of urban timber in three ways:

• First and foremost, they provide services to keep your trees healthy and safe.
• Second, when a tree must be removed, they keep your timber out of the chipper and out of the landfills.
• Finally, New Urban Forestry returns the wood to you as flooring, furniture, cabinetry, lumber and more...

Check out their NEW website HERE and learn more about this unique, local venture!

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: trees | athens | timber reclamation

The Medical College of Georgia can proceed with selecting 40 first-year medical students for a satellite campus in Athens after getting a favorable report from its accrediting body, according to today's Athens Banner-Herald.

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education found the school is meeting its goals and providing the resources to open a branch of the School of Medicine in conjunction with the University of Georgia in fall 2010.

"We're pleased to be on track and moving ahead with this project and getting closer all of the time," said School of Medicine Dean D. Douglas Miller.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: athens | mcg