Athens courthouse reopening pushed back as bedbug treatment continues

The Athens-Clarke County Courthouse will remain closed an extra two days after employees who returned to the office Sunday night reported the possible continued presence of bedbugs.

The historic courthouse building first shut down July 22 to treat the facility for bedbugs, the building’s second such infestation in about a year and a half, the Athens-Clarke government said. In a statement Friday, officials said the first treatment had been successful and the courthouse would reopen Monday morning.

But on Sunday evening, employees raised concerns that the treatment might not have been as successful as advertised. The pest control company will treat two areas of the courthouse again early this week “out of an abundance of caution,” officials said. The courthouse is now slated to reopen Wednesday morning.