Wednesday, June 08, 2022

Oconee Commission Agrees To Ban Truck Traffic From Mars Hill Road, Section of Connector, Astondale Road

***Update To Truck Traffic Ordinance Lists 56 Roads***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners passed an updated Truck Traffic Ordinance on Tuesday night that bans through trucks on Mars Hill Road in its entirety, on the Oconee Connector from Daniells Bridge Road to SR 316, and on Astondale Road.

The ordinance lists 56 roads in the county on which through truck traffic is forbidden, up from the 47 on the list when the ordinance was given first reading on May 24.

Tuesday, June 07, 2022

Oconee School Board Post 3 Republican Candidates Agree On Many Issues, Offer Support For, Criticisms Of Current Board Policies

***Disagree–Of Course–On Who Is Better Candidate***

The two candidates seeking the Republican Party nomination for Post 3 on the Oconee County Board of Education in the June 21 runoff election agree that School Board openings should be filled by voters, not internally by the Board, as is the case at present.

They also think older citizens should get a break on their school taxes and that School Board elections should remain partisan and at-large, rather than by district.

And both said that the School Board should hold Town Hall meetings, which it has refused to do, and that they are in favor of live-streaming Board meetings, which it does not do at present.

Sunday, June 05, 2022

Oconee County Commission To Consider Making Newly Widened Mars Hill Road, Astondale Road, Truck Routes

***Public Asked To Give Feedback***

Oconee County Public Works Director Jody Woodall’s recommendation that trucks continue to be banned on Astondale Road and on Mars Hill Road between Butler’s Crossing and SR 316 ran into opposition from two members of the Board of Commissioners last month.

Commissioner Amrey Harden said he thinks Mars Hill Road and the section of the Oconee Connector from Daniells Bridge Road to SR 316 should be removed from the list of roads on which through truck traffic is prohibited in a revised Truck Traffic Ordinance.

Friday, June 03, 2022

COVID-19 Hospital Case Count In Area Hospitals Up Just Slightly From Week Earlier

***One Confirmed Death From Disease Added In Health District***

The Georgia Hospital Association and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported on Friday that area hospitals had 11 COVID-19 patients, up just one from the 10 reported on Friday of last week.

The number of ICU beds in use was 66, up from 60 as a week earlier, and the number of adult ventilators in use was 36, up from 19 a week earlier.

Thursday, June 02, 2022

Oconee Election Board Certifies May 24 Vote, Outlines Plans For June 21 Runoff

***Only 11.9 Percent Of Votes Cast Were With Democratic Ballots***

The Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration certified the results of the May 24 party primaries and nonpartisan election on May 31, setting the stage for the party runoff elections on June 21.

Rebecca Anglin, director of Elections and Registration for the county, told the Board that the May 24 election had run smoothly, though there were long wait times on election day at all eight of the county’s polling locations.

The wait times ranged from 30 minutes to an hour and 45 minutes, she said.

Monday, May 30, 2022

Questions About Planned Roundabouts At Jimmy Daniell Road/SR 316 Interchange Dominate GDOT Virtual Public Information Open House

***Noise Barriers, Meriweather Drive Also Topics***

A team from the Georgia Department of Transportation responded to exactly 50 questions from citizens regarding the planned upgrade for the Jimmy Daniell Road and SR 316 interchange in a two-hour virtual session on May 26.

Many of the questions focused on the planned roundabouts at each of the exits from SR 316 to Jimmy Daniell Road, which will fly over SR 316 in the planned multi-grade intersection.

Friday, May 27, 2022

Hospital Association Reports Stability of COVID Indicators For Area Hospitals; Department Of Public Health Reports Local Case Increase

***Clarke Reports Confirmed COVID Death Of 27-Year-Old***

The Georgia Hospital Association and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported on Friday that area hospitals had 10 COVID-19 patients, up just one from the nine reported on Friday of last week.

The number of ICU beds in use was 60, the same as a week earlier, and the number of adult ventilators in use was 19, down from 20 a week earlier.