The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) last week released detailed plans for construction of the SR 316 and Oconee Connector interchange to show SR 316 flying over the Connector rather than the Connector flying over SR 316.
GDOT announced on Thursday (Oct. 1) that bridge foundation work on the future east bound SR 316 bridge is scheduled to begin next week.
All four of the candidates in state Senate District 46 and state House District 121 spoke out in opposition last week to the plans currently under consideration by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for a truck bypass linking SR 15 and U.S. 441 south of Watkinsville.
Speaking at a Candidate Forum organized by the Oconee County Farm Bureau, Democrats Ray Smith and Eric Gisler and Republicans Marc McMain and Mack “Dutch” Guest IV took nearly identical positions, saying that the routes under consideration would damage farmland important to the county.
The seven candidates seeking to represent Oconee County in the General Assembly in Atlanta and in Congress in Washington interacted cordially in a Candidate Forum on Thursday, sometimes agreeing in response to questions from an audience of more than 90.
At many times in each of the four sessions in the Forum, however, the candidates took very different positions on issues raised by an audience member.
Discussion of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) and of the Peach Education Tax Credit program dominated the Oconee County Board of Education meeting last week.
Superintendent Melissa Butler, in her report to the Board, said she had recently toured both of the system’s high schools to explore options for growth in CTAE instruction.
In response to the first question at his Town Hall meeting last week, Republican House District 121 candidate Mack “Dutch” Guest IV said he is opposed to current plans for the truck bypass connecting SR 15 south of Watkinsville to U.S. 441.
Guest also said he was opposed to the state incentivizing data centers, wants the state to help address homelessness in Clarke County, was in favor of a cap on property taxes, and supported cuts to the state income tax. He also said the 4 percent state sales tax should be reviewed.
Citizens will have a chance on Thursday to pose their questions directly to candidates seeking to represent Oconee County in State House District 120, State House District 121, State Senate District 46, and U.S. Congressional District 10.
Moderators at a candidate Forum sponsored by The Oconee Enterprise and Oconee County Observations will ask citizens wishing to ask a question to identify themselves and state a question for the candidates.
The Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration agreed on Monday (9/14/2026) to add an extra hour at the end of the day in the final week of early voting for the Nov. 3 elections.
The Board took the action on the recommendation of Sharon Gregg, Director of Elections and Registration for the county, who said extending the voting day in the week of Oct. 26 through 30 would accommodate voters who work until 5 p.m.
