Sunday, April 19, 2026

Nonpartisan Candidate Forum, Two Party Meetings Provide Opportunities To Meet Candidates As Early Voting Gets Underway

***Voters Pose Questions Directly At Nonpartisan Forum***

Three opportunities for voters to meet with candidates whose names will be on the May 19 General Primary and Nonpartisan Ballot are scheduled for the week before or just as early voting begins on April 27.

Candidates for the contested Democratic and Republican primaries for Senate District 46 and the contested Republican primary for House District 120 have been invited to participate in the April 21 Candidate Forum at the Community Center in Oconee Veterans Park.

Oconee County School Board Rejects Offers For Purchase Of Surplus Property On U.S. 441 North Of Bishop

***Said Offers Not Reflect Market Value Of Property***

The Oconee County Board of Education has rejected two offers it received for 42.7 acres on U.S. 441 north of Bishop that the Board purchased in 2007 as a possible school site but that are now considered to be surplus property.

Board Chair Michael Ransom said on Thursday that the Board instructed Superintendent Melissa Butler to inform the two parties that had made the offers of the Board's decision after the Board’s work session on Monday night.

Friday, April 17, 2026

Large Crowd Turns Out For GDOT Open House To View And Comment On Three Alternative Routes For SR 15 Truck Bypass Of Watkinsville

***GDOT Does Not Identify A Preference***

More than 300 people turned out at the Oconee County Administrative Building on Thursday to get close-up views of the three routes the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is offering as alternatives for a truck bypass linking SR 15 with U.S. 441 south of Watkinsville.

The crowd started gathering at 4:30 for the 5 p.m. opening of the key exhibits in the Commission Chambers of the Administrative Building, and GDOT officials opened the doors to the Chambers 15 minutes early to accommodate the crowd.

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Oconee County Board Of Education Takes First Step Toward Issuing $12.1 Million In Bonds For New ESPLOST Projects

***Board Chair Said Decision On Actual Sale Not Yet Made***

The Oconee County Board of Education has decided to take the required legal step to issue $12.1 million in General Obligation Sales Tax Bonds to be retired by funds from the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) voters approved in November.

The bonds will be sold at interest rates not to exceed 5.5 percent per year, and principal is to be paid beginning in 2028 and running through 2032, or one year longer than the ESPLOST approved in November is scheduled to run.

Democratic Party Primary For Congressional District 10 Generating Attention In Oconee County

***Two Candidates Speaking Locally***

The contest for the Democratic Party nomination for Congressional District 10 has become quite visible in recent weeks in Oconee County, as both of the active candidates have appeared before groups, each making the case that she is better able to flip the traditionally Republican district in November.

Lexi Doherty, who represented the party in the contest with incumbent Mike Collins two years ago, appeared before a group organized by residents of Presbyterian Village Athens at the Oconee County Library on Thursday afternoon. Doherty is from Athens-Clarke County.

Friday, April 10, 2026

Oconee County Election Board Asks Gov. Kemp To Call Special Session Of General Assembly To Resolve Issue of QR Code On Election Ballots

***Resolution Went Out On Friday***

The Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration has asked Gov. Brian Kemp to call a special session of the General Assembly to address the unresolved problem with the QR Code used to tabulate election ballots.

Elections and Registration Board Chair Jay Hanley said a copy of a resolution approved by the Board went out on Friday by regular mail and by email.

Wednesday, April 08, 2026

Oconee County Commissioners Vote To Initiate An Emergency Medical Services Operation, Turn Down Appeal Of Staff Zoning Decision

***EMS Launch Likely By End Of Calendar Year***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night voted unanimously to create the county’s own Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operation.

In addition to formally making that decision, and in support of it, the Board also voted unanimously to spend $1.1 million for five F-350 Ford trucks and $0.8 million to equip those truck as ambulances.