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.

No Kings Rally Draws Crowd At Center Of Watkinsville On Saturday

One Of 10 Local Sites For National Rally***

More than 230 people turned out on a sunny but cool Saturday afternoon in front of the historic Eagle Tavern and in front of the Oconee County Courthouse on Main Street in downtown Watkinsville to join the national No Kings rally.

Protesters carried hand-created signs with the No Kings theme, but also protesting the war in Iran, the cost of gasoline, President Donald Trump’s cabinet appointments, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, and the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chair Says State Of County Is Strong, Recommends Avoiding Major Road Construction Sites

***Offers Updates On Dawson Park***

Oconee County Commission Chair John Daniell waited until about 12 minutes into his 40-minute-long State of the County address on Wednesday to talk about what he said he knew his audience was most interested in hearing: his annual transportation project update.

Daniell reviewed the status of 11 Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) projects in the county and eight county funded projects.