Saturday, August 30, 2025 - Athens News Bulletin

ATHENS, Ala. - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey visited Athens today to highlight recent achievements in education, infrastructure and workforce development, drawing both praise and protest.

At a luncheon hosted by the Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce at the Alabama Veterans Museum, Governor Ivey underscored progress on key road projects and educational milestones. She celebrated Athens State University’s largest incoming class and Calhoun Community College’s efforts to align training programs with local employers’ needs. Ivey noted that the state’s Rebuild Alabama transportation initiative funded widening on Interstate 565 and the $13.3 million expansion of Huntsville-Brownsferry Road, remarking, “It’s not just the big projects - we’re investing in communities like Athens to keep businesses moving.”

▼ Outside the museum, a small group of demonstrators voiced opposition to several of Ivey’s policies, including her administration’s handling of rural broadband expansion and environmental regulations. Organizers held signs and chanted slogans but remained peaceful as law enforcement monitored the perimeter.

Earlier this week, Athens and Limestone County crews completed resurfacing work on key downtown arteries damaged by last December’s tornado, part of a broader effort to bolster resiliency in the wake of severe weather events.

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