The Georgia Water Coalition this (Tuesday) morning named the planned withdrawal of water from the Apalachee River for an expanded Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir to its 2018 Georgia’s Dirty Dozen list.
The Coalition labeled the proposed Apalachee River water intake “an exercise in overbuilding” and called on the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to turn down the current requests for the intake.
In terms of number of registered voters, Oconee County is smaller that all four of the counties with which it shares legislative districts for the General Assembly in Atlanta.
In last Tuesday’s elections, however, a higher percentage of Oconee County voters cast a ballot than in any of those other four counties.
Parents and community members are concerned about how Oconee County Schools assess student performance and see a need for greater support services in the schools to help with mental health, stress, and social skills issues.
That was one of the key findings of researchers for the Georgia School Boards Association, who examined responses to an online survey and input from a community engagement meeting last month.
Republicans Tuesday reclaimed House District 117 and House District 119, held by Democrats since a special election a year ago.
Republican Houston Gaines defeated incumbent Democrat Deborah Gonzalez in House District 117 and Republican Marcus Wiedower defeated incumbent Jonathan Wallace in House District 119.
Republican incumbents today easily defeated their Democratic challengers in the two Oconee County Board of Education races, and incumbents in the three nonpartisan Watkinsville City Council races held off challengers as well.
Oconee County voters favored Republicans in statewide races, with 69.8 percent selecting Republican Brian Kemp for governor versus 29.0 percent voting for Democrat Stacey Abrams and 1.2 percent selecting Libertarian Ted Metz.
The Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir Management Board last week agreed to purchase 3.48 acres on the Apalachee River at High Shoals for an intake facility and pump station for future expansion of the reservoir in southeastern Walton County.
The Walton County Water and Sewer Authority, meeting with the Management Board, also approved the $1.3 million purchase agreement with Victoria Bracewell Presley that includes both temporary and permanent easements at the site as well as water rights.
The three Republican candidates seeking to be elected tomorrow to represent Oconee County in the Georgia General Assembly in January spent nearly twice as much as their Democratic counterparts in the crucial first 25 days of October.
The three Republicans also raised nearly twice as much money as the three Democrats during that time period.
