Leader Of Better Georgia Told Oconee County Democrats Georgia Citizens Are Progressive

Dogs And Guerrillas

Most Georgians are more progressive than their elected state leaders, Bryan Long, executive director of Better Georgia, told a small group gathered for the Oconee County Democratic Committee meeting on Aug. 15.

Long didn’t define what he meant by progressive, but he said Georgians are in favor of better funding for education, are opposed to laws severely restricting a woman’s right to decide on matters of her health, in favor of funding needed government services, and in favor of infrastructure investment.

Oconee County Has Not Yet Investigated Zoning Issues Raised by Garrett Family Rezone Request

EPD Received Complaints

When the Garrett family sought local and state permission to convert its recovered materials processing facility on Dials Mill Road into a materials recovery facility earlier this year, it invited both public and government scrutiny of its current operations.

As a result of that scrutiny, four citizens filed complaints with the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources about the recovered materials processing facility at 1441 Dials Mill Road or about Roll Off Systems, headquartered nearby on B. Garrett Drive.

Oconee County Issued Building Permits For Three New Stores In Epps Bridge Centre

Central Cluster Taking Shape

The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office issued permits earlier this month for construction of stores to house Lane Bryant, Sleep Number and Alumni Hall, all to be located in the new Epps Bridge Centre.

Lane Bryant and Alumni Hall will be in the central cluster of the strip mall, between the now-open University 16 Cinemas and the Oconee Connector.

Patch Web Sites In Oconee County, Athens, Retain Editors

Turmoil In Evidence

The editors of Oconee Patch and Athens Patch survived the first round of terminations yesterday by parent AOL.

The Oconee Patch web site today continues to list Stephanie Gross as editor, and she filed stories today on the site with that title. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Oconee County Could See Big Changes In Media Landscape

Patch And Leader

The Oconee County media scene could change dramatically as early as tomorrow.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that AOL, the owner of the local Oconee Patch web site, plans to close or find partners for 400 of its 900 sites. The Georgia sites, including the one in Oconee County, could be on the list of those cut.

The New York Times reported today that the closings are expected to be announced internally as early as tomorrow or Friday. The story focused on an apology for an awkward firing at Patch on Friday. (Click on the picture to enlarge it.)

Implications Of U.S. Supreme Court Decision For Oconee County House Redistricting Unclear, Representatives Say

Voting Rights Act Ruling

While the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a section of the 1965 Voting Rights Act makes it easier for Georgia to revisit redistricting in the 2014 session, Oconee County’s two representatives to the Georgia House of Representative say they are unsure the General Assembly will take up the issue.

If it does, however, they think their plan to bring all of Oconee County back into a single district stands a good chance of being approved.

Oconee County Commissioners Rezone Land For Assisted Living Facility, Appoint Farmland Committee

Hotel A Possibility

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners tonight rezoned 23 acres at the corner of SR 316 and the Oconee Connector, making way for a medical and office complex that will include an assisted living facility to be developed by Thrive Senior Living.

The rezone included two additional parcels at that intersection, one of which is being developed for a dermatological medical center. The other is being developed speculatively for a hotel.