Citizens At April 16 GDOT Open House Will See Three Alternative Routes For SR 15 Truck Bypass Of Watkinsville

***Plans Differ In Location, Length, Cost***

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has identified three routes for the planned SR 15 truck bypass of Watkinsville that it will present at its Public Information Open House (PIOH) scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. on April 16 at the Oconee County Administrative Building, 7635 Macon Highway, north of Watkinsville.

Listed as a First Alternative is a 1.76 mile route that is just south of the city limits of Watkinsville, involves 11 parcels, does not require the displacement of any structure, and has an estimated cost of $22.2 million.

Developer Of Shopping Center At Oconee Connector And Mars Hill Road Has Presented New, Smaller Concept Plan Without Publix

***Plan Is Before Board Of Commissioners On Tuesday***

Deferred Tax LLC will be back before the Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night with its latest plan for development of the 46.9 acres it owns on the Oconee Connector between Mars Hill Road and SR 316 stretching to Virgil Langford Road.

This time, Deferred Tax is proposing a two-building, 26,000 square foot retail center with a restaurant on a 6.8 sub-parcel at the northwest corner of Mars Hill Road and the Connector.

Owner of Walton Tribune Purchases The Oconee Enterprise

***Immediate Change In Staff ***

Patrick Graham, owner of the Walton Tribune, announced on Friday that he has purchased The Oconee Enterprise from Oconee County businessman Mark Martin.

The purchase will take place immediately, and Graham said the Enterprise will not miss an issue.

April 21 Candidate Forum Scheduled For Party Primary Races For State Senate District 46, House District 120 At Oconee County Veterans Park

***Citizens Ask Questions Directly Of Candidates***

A candidate forum for the contested state Senate District 46 and House District 120 races in the May 19 Party Primaries is scheduled for 5:30 to 8 p.m. on April 21 at the Community Center, Oconee Veterans Park, 3500 Hog Mountain Road, west of Butler’s Crossing.

Voters will have the opportunity to pose questions in one session to Republican candidates seeking the party’s nomination for Senate District 46 and in a separate session to the Democrats seeking the party nomination for Senate District 46.

Oconee County Schools Reports Slight Drop In Enrollments From October To March Of Current School Year

***Larger Drop From October To March Last School Year***

Oconee County Schools released its official March 6 enrollment report on Friday, showing a decline in enrollments of seven students from the count on Oct. 7 of 2025.

Enrollment on Oct. 7, 2025, had been down by 192 students from Oct. 1 of 2024, and enrollment on March 6 of 2026 was down by 134 students from March 5 of 2025.

Oconee County Commissioners Agree To Consider Proposal To Take Over Emergency Medical Services At Next Meeting

***Purchase Of Trucks And Equipment Also Put On Agenda***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night agreed to put on its agenda for next week discussion of a proposal that the county launch its own Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operation.

The Board also will consider purchasing five 2026 F-350 Ford trucks for a total cost of $1,124,000 and purchasing $768,279 in ambulance equipment for those trucks as the first step in establishing the county program.

Oconee County State Rep. Gisler, At Third Town Hall Meeting, Reviews Legislation As General Assembly Session Nears Its End

***Expresses Concern About QR Code Mandate On Ballots***

State Rep. Eric Gisler’s Third Town Hall meeting quickly became a conversation, and he exchanged ideas with the audience on topics including gun control, voting rights, education funding, property and income taxes, and the state budget surplus.

Gisler, representing Oconee County in House District 121, noted as the session at the Town of North High Shoals Town Hall got underway that he knew everyone in the audience, and many had been involved in his campaign leading up to the special election last December that put him in the General Assembly in January.