Sunday, April 30, 2023

Oconee County Sheriff James Hale Responds To Request To Put Deputies In Oconee County Schools

***Elaborates On Comments At Oconee GOP Meeting***

Oconee County Sheriff James Hale is not in favor of putting deputies in Oconee County Schools.

He does not rule out changing that position in the future, but he does not believe the current situation in Oconee County Schools warrants inclusion of a security officer.

Friday, April 28, 2023

Georgia Department Of Public Health Reports Slight Uptick In COVID Cases In NE Health District, Two New Confirmed Deaths From Disease

***Oconee County Added Only One New Case***

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported that the Northeast Health District added 76 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on April 26, based on the Department’s electronic tracking system.

The number of cases added a week earlier had been 67.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Local And State Young Democrats Offer Advice At Oconee County Democratic Party Meeting

***Suggest Issues That Need More Attention***

Young Democrats from Oconee County High School, North Oconee High School, the University of Georgia, and the state, in their meeting with Oconee County Democrats last week, had some tips for those in the audience less young than they are.

They said that the party should pay more attention to gun control, to climate change, to affordable housing, to issues facing the LGBTQ+ community--and to them.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

New Site Plan For Oconee Crossing Shopping Center Moves Grocery Store, Increases Buffer

***Grocery Still At Rear Of Shopping Center Near Residential Lots***

The new site plan released last week for the Oconee Crossing Shopping Center on U.S. 78 at Hog Mountain Road moves the proposed grocery store and increases the size of the buffer with the adjoining Oconee Crossing subdivision.

It also reduces the number of drive-through restaurants and moves the car wash.

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Oconee Commissioners Delay Decision On Renewal Of Agreement With Oconee County Schools For Joint Use of Sports Facilities

***Comprehensive Plan Sent To State For Review***

Oconee County Commissioners on Tuesday night delayed until next week a decision on and further discussion of an agreement with the Board of Education on the increased fees Oconee County Schools wants to charge the county for use of school sports facilities.

The Commissioners delayed the decision at the request of Commissioner Chuck Horton, who said he probably will support the agreement but he wants to discuss it further at the next Board meeting before doing so.

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Public Hearing On Comprehensive Plan Update On Agenda For Board of Commissioners Meeting On Tuesday

***Fees Charged For School Sports Facilities Also To Be Considered***

In preparing the five-year update to the county’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan, the Oconee County planning staff has conducted 11 focus groups, with five to 10 participants each.

The staff held a Kick Off Meeting at the June Town Hall Meeting, another Kick Off Meeting Public Hearing in July, and a Future Land Use charette in December of 2022.

Friday, April 21, 2023

COVID Case Count Drops In NE Health District After Slight Increase A Week Earlier

***Transmission Rate In Clarke County Now Low***

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported that the Northeast Health District added 67 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on April 19, based on the Department’s electronic tracking system.

That number of cases added a week earlier had been 80. The week before that it was 58.