Sunday, October 31, 2021

Oconee County Commissioners To Consider Contract With Charter Communications To Expand Broadband Services

***Turnout For T-SPLOST Light in Early Voting***

Oconee County is preparing to enter into a $1.4 to $1.7 million agreement with Charter Communications to use federal American Rescue Plan monies to provide broadband service to 1,377 addresses in the county currently without access.

In addition, Charter already has been awarded federal funds that will be used to provide broadband to an additional 754 addresses.

As a result, an estimated 98 percent of the addresses in the county are expected to be passed by broadband when the project is completed.

Friday, October 29, 2021

COVID-19 Cases Continue To Drop In Oconee, Clarke, Entire Northeast Health District; Deaths From Disease Also Decline

***Cases In Schools, Hospitals, Also Down***

The 10-county Northeast Health District added 459 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday, down from 631 added a week earlier, and 21 new confirmed deaths from the disease, down from 25 last week.

One of the confirmed deaths was in Oconee County, and five were in Clarke County.

The average number of added cases in the District was 65.6 per day, compared with 90.1 per day in the week ending Oct. 22.

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Trump And Charges Of Election Fraud Dominate Oconee County Republican Candidate Forum For 10th Congressional District

***Candidates Hold Conversations With Tim Bryant***

Andrew Alvey stood out among the 12 candidates seeking the Republican Party’s nomination for the 10th Congressional District seat at the Oconee County Republican Forum on Monday night.

At 25 years of age, he was the youngest.

By the luck of the draw, he was the final candidate to speak.

He alone among the speakers said firmly that Donald Trump did not win the election with Joe Biden in 2020.

Saturday, October 23, 2021

Early Balloting Suggests Small Number Of Voters Likely To Decide Oconee County Transportation Tax Referendum

***Few Voters In City Races As Well***

Turnout for the Nov. 2 referendum on the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax continues to be light with only five days of early voting remaining.

After the 11th day of early voting on Saturday, only 491 of the county’s 32,066 voters–or 1.5 percent--have participated in in-person voting at the Civic Center on Hog Mountain Road west of Butler’s Crossing.

Friday, October 22, 2021

COVID-19 Cases In Northeast Health District Decline For Seventh Week; Confirmed Deaths From Disease Increase

***Both Oconee And Clarke Added Confirmed Deaths***

The 10-county Northeast Health District added 631 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday, down from 739 a week earlier, and 25 new confirmed deaths from the disease, up from 22 last week.

One of the confirmed deaths was in Oconee County, and one was in Clarke County, as had been the case a week ago.

Both counties also added two “probable” deaths from the disease.

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Oconee School Board Approves Application For State Construction Funding At Three Schools, Spending For Chromebooks

***Citizens Request Different Uses Of Federal Relief Funds***

The Oconee County Board of Education on Monday approved a $1.4 million Capital Outlay Project Application with the Georgia Department of Education for renovations and modifications at three of its schools.

The state Department of Education already has approved the application, and the Board action was necessary to meet the condition of committing Oconee County Schools to spend local matching funds on the projects.

Sunday, October 17, 2021

Early Voting Turnout In Oconee County Transportation Tax Referendum Running Behind March Education Tax Referendum

***Democratic Meet And Greet Set***

In the first five days of early voting, 177 Oconee County voters have cast a ballot for the Nov. 2 election that has a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax up for approval.

In the first five days of early voting for the Education Local Option Sales Tax in March, 244 persons had cast a ballot.

The 177 votes cast last week represents less than a percent of the 32,066 eligible to cast a ballot.

The 244 votes case in February represented a slightly larger percentage of the 31,965 eligible voters in that election.

Friday, October 15, 2021

COVID-19 Cases In Oconee, Clarke, Northeast Health District Continue To Drop; Deaths From Disease Down Too

***Hospital, School Cases Also Decline***

The 10-county Northeast Health District added 739 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday, down from 959 a week earlier, and 22 new confirmed deaths from the disease, down from 37 last week.

One of the confirmed deaths was in Oconee County, and one was in Clarke County.

The average number of added cases in the District was 105.6 per day, compared with 137.0 per day in the week ending Oct. 8.

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Early Voting Underway For Nov. 2 Referendum On Sales Tax Increase, City Races

***Democrats Plan Non-Partisan Meet And Greet***

Only 54 voters had cast a ballot at the end of the second day of early voting on Wednesday for the Nov. 2 elections.

Early voting continues from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday until Oct. 29 at the Civic Center, 2661 Hog Mountain Road, west of Butler’s Crossing.

Saturday voting, also at the Civic Center, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 23.

Monday, October 11, 2021

Oconee County School Board To Be Asked To Spend Pandemic Relief Funds On Chromebooks For Future Use

***County Commission Approves Solid Waste Plan***

Oconee County Schools Superintendent Jason Branch, in a brief work session last week, asked the Board of Education to spend $357,408 in federal emergency pandemic relief funds for purchase of 876 additional Chromebook computers.

The new computers will be distributed to new students and will be used as loaners during repairs of already issued devices, according to the request.

Friday, October 08, 2021

COVID-19 Cases Continue To Drop In Northeast Health District, But Deaths From Disease Up Sharply

***Oconee School Cases Decline***

The 10-county Northeast Health District added 959 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday, down from 1,367 a week earlier, and 37 new confirmed deaths from the disease, up from 25 last week.

Four of the confirmed deaths were in Clarke County.

The average number of added cases in the District was 137.0 per day, compared with 195.3 per day in the week ending Oct. 1.

This is the fifth week in a row that the average number of cases per day has dropped.

Wednesday, October 06, 2021

Oconee Chamber Of Commerce Program Offered Insights On Public And Private Schools In Oconee County

***Students Were Featured Presenters***

With 8,434 students and a governing body elected by the citizens, Oconee County Schools dominates K through 12 education in the county.

In a program organized by the Oconee Chamber of Commerce last month, however, Oconee County Schools was one of four equal presenters.

Westminster Christian Academy, Athens Academy, and host Prince Avenue Christian School, all private schools with fewer than 1,000 students each, had equal time at the podium.

Monday, October 04, 2021

Oconee County Commission To Vote On Solid Waste Management Plan

***County Says It Has Capacity For 10 Years***

Oconee County commissioners on Tuesday night will be asked to give final approval to a Regional Solid Waste Management Plan that requires Oconee County to provide assurance that it has solid waste handling capability and capacity for at least 10 years.

The plan covers the 10-county jurisdiction of the Northeast Georgia Regional Solid Waste Management Authority and includes a facility inventory, an analysis of land designated as not suitable for solid waste handling facilities, a report of accomplishments, and a community work program for the next 10 years.

Oconee County Joint Board Of Education, Board Of Commissioners Meeting Mostly Dodged Conflicts

***Residential Growth Only Open Controversy***

Mostly, it was a very polite affair.

Kim Argo, chair of the Oconee County Board of Education, thanked the members of the Board of Commissioners at the beginning of the joint meeting of the two boards on Wednesday night “for coming and breaking bread with us and sitting down to have a conversation.”

Facilitator Keith Everson, executive director of the Northeast Georgia Regional Educational Service Agency, said “you all should be commended for getting together like this and talking about what you do. This doesn't happen everywhere.”

The two Board avoided the many topics that have divided them over the last several years, such as the construction of the entrance to Dove Creek Elementary School, roundabouts at Malcom Bridge Middle School, and fees the school system is charging the county for use of its athletics facilities.

Saturday, October 02, 2021

Oconee County Citizens Show High Level Of Interest In Proposed Truck Bypass Linking SR 15 And U.S. 441 South Of Watkinsville

***Impact On Bishop A Concern***

Sixty people participated in two public informational meetings this week held by the federally-mandated local metropolitan planning organization MACORTS as it considers a request to launch a scoping study of a truck bypass link between SR 15 and U.S. 441 south of Watkinsville.

The first of these meeting was on Monday evening and was virtual, with 12 people participating.

On Thursday evening, 48 people turned out at the community center in Oconee Veterans Park to ask questions of MACORTS transportation planners.

Friday, October 01, 2021

COVID-19 Cases Drop In Oconee And Clarke Counties, Northeast Health District; Confirmed Deaths From Disease Drop In District

***Hospital Cases Continue To Decline***

The 10-county Northeast Health District added 1,367 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Friday, down from 1,904 a week earlier, and 27 new confirmed deaths from the disease, down from 35 last week.

Five of the confirmed deaths were in Clarke County.

The average number of added cases in the District was 195.3 per day, compared with 272.0 per day in the week ending Sept. 24.