Athens Man Attacked by Two Men Early Monday Morning

 

            An Athens man was attacked by two unknown males and suffered minor injuries to his face and hands in the early hours of Monday morning, according to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.

            Anthony Tyrell Strickland of Oakhill Drive was admitted to Athens Regional Medical Center where he described the battery incident to an officer.

            Strickland said that two black males in a Toyota Corolla approached him as he was walking on Old Hull Road around midnight. He said he told them to “keep moving”, but the males exited the vehicle and began to fight him.

            After the males left, Strickland returned to his residence and called a friend to take him to the hospital for his injuries.

            He was unable to give a further description of the suspects or the vehicle.

German Journalist Visits U.S. To Observe Digital Culture

            Johannes Boie, a German journalist covering the impact of technology on society, politics and economy, is participating in a program to gain an understanding of digital development in the United States.

            “It’s one of the most important things you can write or report on,” Boie said to students at the University of Georgia Monday morning.

            Over the course of the next three months, Boie will travel the U.S. with the Transatlantic Media Network program, operated by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Boie at UGA Monday morning.

            Boie will visit over thirteen states, but is particularly interested in observing technology companies in the Silicon Valley, such as Google and Facebook.

            “I think technology itself is neutral,” Boie said. He explained that there is a lack of comprehension about information sharing in his German audience – they do not understand that social media is a sort of “transaction.”

            The 30-year-old Munich resident hopes to speak with as many people as possible while visiting the U.S. so he can write about digital development with new information.

            Boie is a writer for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the largest German national subscription daily newspaper with a circulation of 400,000. Visit the website here: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/

Flagpole Editor Credits Involvement with "Alternative" Local Community with Success

            Pete McCommons, editor-in-chief of Flagpole magazine, said he and his publication benefit from local involvement as well as the practice of free circulation.

            “It’s the fact that this is a university town,” the 74-year-old said, crediting the Athens, Ga. community with the success of alternative news such as Flagpole.

McCommons speaking with UGA students.

            After being fired by The University of Georgia, McCommons found success in journalism four decades ago with the Athens Observer because of his involvement in the local community and government.

            “Our strong suit is local coverage,” McCommons explained to UGA students Monday morning. And Athens, which he described as an urban, alternative town, embraces alternative news, especially a publication that is free in print and online.

            Flagpole has a circulation of 14,000 and a full-time staff of 11 people.

Rebecca Burns Teaches UGA Students to Create Digital Portfolios

            Rebecca Burns, an Atlanta-based author and journalist, visited with University of Georgia students Monday morning to teach them how to create a strong digital portfolio.

            This semester, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at

UGA introduced a new policy requiring digital portfolios of graduating journalism students.

            “It’s kind of its own animal,” Burns said, explaining that the portfolio is an online resume to showcase a student’s work professionally.

            She recommended using Wordpress as a platform, purchasing a custom domain for $18, and, for public relations students, including a social media section.

Olympic Gold Medalist Shannon Vreeland Describes “Humbling Experience” with UGA Swim Team

            Shannon Vreeland, a decorated swimmer with two NCAA championships and an Olympic gold medal under her belt, credits her experience on the University of Georgia swim team as a factor in her success.

Vreeland with head coach Jack Bauerle.

            “It’s always a humbling experience,” Vreeland told a group of UGA journalism students Monday morning, describing how practicing with the best swimmers in the world on a daily basis prepared her for the Olympic Games.

            Several of her teammates joined her at the games in London, including friends Allison Schmidt and Andrew Gemmell. “This team is just fantastic,” Vreeland said, emphasizing the support from the UGA swimmers – Olympians or not.

            Vreeland expressed her respect for head coach Jack Bauerle, whom she said treats every team member the same, regardless of their success.

Moldova and Romania Concerned About Future in Midst of Crisis in Ukraine

Citizens in Romania and Moldova are concerned about the crisis in Ukraine concerning the Crimean referendum and its impact on their future.

            Tudor Vlad, the associate director of the James M. Cox Jr. Center for International Mass Communication Training and Research, University of Georgia professor, and Romanian by birth, spoke with UGA students Monday morning about the situation in Eastern Europe.

            “It creates a precedent,” he said, speaking of Crimea’s referendum declaring independence from Ukraine and the Russian military presence there.

            Countries in Eastern Europe are not homogenous, Vlad said, and this declaration causes worry in Moldova and Romania because of their regions that adhere to a different language and culture, just as Crimean citizens speak and identify as Russian.

            In Moldova, the region of Transnistria is particularly concerning because of its potential to secede, he said.

UGA Student Forgoes Spring Break Plans to Save Money for Study Abroad

            University spring break is a time of year so infamous for partying by the beach that it has inspired multiple films, country music albums, and television specials.

            However, for University of Georgia sophomore Public Relations and Political Science student Hannah Bause, the week-long reprieve from classes is a chance for her to save money and visit friends.

 

            “I’m studying abroad in Cannes this summer, so I need to stay home and save money,” Bause said Monday morning in the UGA Zell B. Miller Learning Center.

            She was recently accepted to Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity study abroad program.

            Bause is entertaining the idea of visiting a friend at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga., but is likely going to spend most of spring break with her family in Griffin, Ga.

University of Georgia Graduate and Former Journalist Changes Career to Public Relations

            University of Georgia alumna Merritt Melancon began a job in public relations two years ago at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, ending her 10-year career as a journalist.

Melancon speaks to UGA students Monday.

            “I was getting too old to be at work until 10 p.m.,” Melancon said, explaining her choice to make the switch from journalism to public relations. The 33-year-old former magazine journalism student is married and expecting a baby this summer.

            She left her post at the Athens-Banner Herald in 2012, and immediately started work at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences as a public relations coordinator.

            Melancon does not intend to return to journalism, saying that she enjoys the direct relationships with the public that her new job offers.

            “I like being able to share that excitement with people,” the self-described science dork said while speaking to journalism and public relations students at UGA Monday morning.

Former Oconee County Commissioner Contemplating Another Run for Local Office

            Chuck Horton, former member of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners and University of Georgia police chief, stated that he would focus on local government if he were to run for office again.

            “I’m more suited for local issues,” Chuck said while visiting a UGA journalism class Monday morning.

            As a former Oconee County Board of Education member, he said he understands the need for good schools, as well as the less glamorous parts of the job such as the placement and maintenance of sewer lines.

            When asked about a possible role in state government, Chuck expressed his disappointment in the current Georgia legislators and communicated his desire to stay away from Atlanta. “I would probably get in trouble,” he laughed.

            Horton was elected to serve as a member of the Board of Commissioners in 2005, and was re-elected to Post 4 in 2009. Melvin Davis, the incumbent chairman of the Board of Commissioners, defeated Horton in the 2012 election.

State Government Expert Anticipates Overreaction to Snow in Atlanta

            Harry Hayes from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government said that state and local government in the Atlanta area will overreact and be forced to coordinate in future winter weather emergencies.

            Speaking to journalism and public relations students at the University of Georgia, Hayes answered questions concerning the January shutdown of Atlanta in 2 inches of snow and its effect on the possible winter storm this week.

Hayes speaks to students at UGA.

            “Nobody wants to be blamed,” he said, stating that the Department of Transportation and local government need to work together to prevent and react to crises such as the interstate congestion that left Hayes’s stepson and many others stranded in their cars for up to 20 hours.

            He predicted that organizations in the Atlanta area would close and over prepare if snow is forecasted in the next few days to avoid another emergency situation.

University of Georgia Students Enjoy the Super Bowl Together

            The Seattle Seahawks overpowered the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII last night, and students at the University of Georgia were watching. Motivated by her love of football, sophomore public relations student Sarah Spencer attended a party at a friend’s apartment and cheered the Seahawks to victory.

Sarah Spencer, left, enjoys the game with friends.

            Spencer watched the Super Bowl from start to finish, enjoying the commercials and the halftime show as well as the game. She completed her homework in the Tate Student Center this morning, allowing herself to spend Sunday night socializing. “I’m a lifetime football fan, and my Dad’s a huge Seahawks fan so I definitely watched the whole game,” she said as she flipped through a textbook, “Bruno Mars is really talented, so it was nice to see him at halftime.”

            Each of her friends brought food and drinks to the party, and they took pictures of the event and shared them on social media. When asked about her favorite commercial, Spencer didn’t hesitate to respond. “Definitely the Budweiser puppy,” she nodded, “Like everyone else.”

Public Relations Assistant Department Head Praises Grady ADPR Program

            Public relations professor and assistant department head Bryan Reber, who holds a doctorate in journalism from the University of Missouri, said that the University of Georgia’s Grady College graduates have a strong reputation because of the school’s separate public relations and advertising programs.

            Prof. Reber visited an Introduction to News Writing class at UGA this morning and took questions from public relations and journalism students.

            Whereas some schools offer an integrated degree such as strategic communications, Grady has a distinct public relations major and an advertising major.  

             UGA offers a unique graduate program, titled the 4+1 program, available exclusively for graduates of either the public relations or advertising departments at Grady. It allows students to obtain an advertising-public relations master’s degree in 1 additional year of study.

            Prof. Reber highlighted the difference between the two fields. “Advertising focuses on paid placement, where PR focuses on earned placement,” he said. He praised the 4+1 program because of the opportunity to receive a graduate degree in a short period of time, as well as its appeal in a corporate work environment.

A Taste of Oconee Returns For Its 8th Fundraiser

            The 8^th annual A Taste of Oconee event benefiting the Oconee County Middle School Fine Arts program will be held Sunday, Feb. 23, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Oconee County Civic Center.

            Local restaurants are catering the event and the OCMS band and chorus programs are providing the entertainment. Each year, a Kid’s Choice Award and People’s Choice award are given to the most popular vendors. Local businesses and families have donated a variety of items for a raffle.

            Tickets are priced at $20 each and can be purchased from any OCMS band or chorus student, the OCMS front office, the Oconee County Chamber of Commence, or the Oconee County Civic Center. Tickets will be available at the event if it is not sold out. Two tickets for $20 are offered to military, fire personnel and Oconee County teachers and staff.

            For more information, visit the official A Taste of Oconee website at http://www.atasteofoconee.com/.