Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: What does the Double Barrel–Buddha Bar merger mean for your game days?
Coming up: ESP Athens: ESP Food Bank on the Athens Patch calendar

Hi Athens! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- What does the Double Barrel–Buddha Bar merger mean for your game days?
- How safe do female students really feel in Athens right now?
- Which Athens restaurants earned top — and troubling — health inspection scores?
Also on today's calendar: Windy Lake Manor Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Celebration and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
Today's Athens Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. After investing billions to light up their network from big cities to small towns, T-Mobile is America's Best Mobile Network in the US according to Ookla Speedtest®. Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 1H 2026. We thank T-Mobile for their support in helping to keep communities like ours connected and for making today's Athens Patch AM possible.
Find a T-Mobile store near Athens.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny and warm, with a high of 92 and low of 69 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Friday: A t-storm around in the p.m., temps: high: 96, low: 69.
- Saturday: Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm, with a high of 86 and low of 69 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Double the space: Double Barrel and Buddha Bar merge (redandblack.com) — Downtown Athens bar-goers will see a big change as Buddha Bar closes and its space is merged into neighboring Double Barrel, creating a much larger, flexible venue under the Double Barrel name. Owner Jason Dunn says the expansion, approved by Athens-Clarke County and completed over the summer, is designed to handle game-day crowds, student events, and big group tabs while keeping the familiar Double Barrel vibe.
![]()
• Female students struggle with fear, uncertainty over safety in Athens (redandblack.com) — Female UGA students and their families are voicing deep concern about safety in Athens after recent investigations and high-profile cases, even as police found no evidence of rape in a widely discussed August incident. Local crime data, student perspectives, and Mayor Kelly Girtz's plans for more officers, cameras, and downtown security offer important context for how Athens is responding and what precautions residents can take.
![]()
• Athens-Clarke County restaurants receive range of inspection scores, according to Georgia Department of Health records (wuga.org) — Recent state health inspections found a wide range of scores at Athens-Clarke County restaurants, from low marks tied to issues like live cockroaches and temperature problems to several perfect 100s at spots including Cedar Shoals High School. Local favorites such as downtown Chick-fil-A and Maepole scored in the high 90s, and residents can check any restaurant's latest grade on the state website.
![]()
📸 Around Athens
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Athens
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- ESP Athens: ESP Food Bank →
Athens
5:00 pm
Thursday September 17
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Breast Cancer Support Group →
UCBC Breast Health Center, 245 Floyd Drive, Athens
5:30 pm - ACM @ UGA →
Dawson Hall 116, 305 Sanford Drive, Athens
6:30 pm - Paul Hindemith "The Swan Turner" - Wind Ensemble with Maggie Snyder, viola →
Hodgson Concert Hall, 230 River Road, Athens
7:30 pm - Lambda Chi Alpha Parents Weekend Fall 2026 →
Lambda Chi Alpha, 990 South Milledge Avenue, Athens - Thomas Dollbaum with Reagan Byrd (of Heffner) @ Hendershot's in Athens, GA! →
Hendershot's, 237 Prince Avenue, Athens - Ella Langley - The Dandelion Tour →
Akins Ford Arena, 300 N. Thomas Street, Athens - Athens Bulldog Brainpower Challenge →
301 College Avenue, Athens - Ella Langley Concert Shuttle →
Akins Ford Arena at the Classic Center, 155 Hickory Street, Athens - Windy Lake Manor Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Celebration →
Windy Hill Road, Windy Hill Rd
12:00 pm - Harvey Street Coming to Georgia Theatre! →
Georgia Theatre, 215 N Lumpkin St, Athens
8:00 pm - Unmythable →
195 W Washington St, Athens
7:30 pm
Thursday September 17
Friday September 18
Wednesday September 23
Monday October 5
📣 Athens Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Athens PatchAM possible:
- Level Up Games — (770) 497-0202
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Hello everyone im getting my business off the ground.
I love cleaning my prices are reasonable and I am dependable . I can use your cleaning products or I can bring my own . Message me for prices and I… (Nextdoor Arch St) - Any recommendation for bridal dress shopping in or around Athens?
Very open to saving money, hoping for something affordable. Would consider something preowned (Nextdoor Beechwood Hills)
- Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County posted a job opening for Accounting Administrator in Athens. Apply here.
- Pilgrim's Pride Corporation posted a job opening for Feed Mill Maintenance Supervisor in Athens. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Athens here.
🗞 Nearby News
Watkinsville
- Athens Crush to hold open tryouts (classiccitynews.com)
- Extra Special People hosts annual charity event with Tidal Wave Auto Spa (redandblack.com)
Bogart
- Elderly man leaves SUV in roadway after Bogart wreck (onlineathens.com)
- Charlotte Ann Harnish (hartselleenquirer.com)
- Ex-ESPN Analyst David Pollack Gives Tough Update on Wife's Brain Cancer: 'Didn't Get the Best News' (usmagazine.com)
Ok Athens! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
👉 Help make Patch AM better
- Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
- Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
- List items for sale or services offered
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.