Three Of Four Candidates For Oconee Board Of Education Posts Limit Campaign Contributions, Expenditures To $2,500

***Hammock Reports Raising $8,765 In Contributions***

The campaign signs for Republican Ryan Hammock spread around the county are unlikely to be matched by those for any of the three other candidates seeking the two Board of Education Posts on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Melissa Eagling, running as an Independent with Hammock for the open Post 3 on the Board of Education, has filed an affidavit stating that she does not intend to exceed $2,500 in contributions and/or expenditures in the campaign.

Both incumbent Republican Amy Parrish and Independent Ryan Repetske, running for Post 2, also have filed that affidavit limiting contributions and/or expenditures to $2,500.

Oconee’s Two Republican State House Representatives Took In More Than $300,000 In Campaign Funds In Last Three Months

***Gaines And Wiedower Have Huge Surpluses***

Incumbent Republican Houston Gaines, who represents part of Oconee County in the Georgia House of Representatives, raised $177,190 in campaign contributions in the three months ending on Sept. 30.

Incumbent Republican Marcus Wiedower, who represents the bulk of the county in the Georgia House, raised $142,675 during that same period.

COVID-19 Cases At Area Hospitals Decline For Fifth Week In Row; Department Of Public Health Case County Down Slightly

***Oconee Transmission Rate Rated High Again***

The Georgia Hospital Association and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported on Friday that area hospitals had 14 COVID-19 patients, down from the 17 cases reported last Friday. The 14 cases are the lowest since June 17.

The number of ICU beds in use on Friday was 72, down from 73 a week earlier, and the number of adult ventilators in use was 28, down from 29 on last Friday.

Oconee County GOP Candidate Forum For School Board Races Provides Record Of Candidate Stands On Range Of Issues

***Candidates Give Different Reasons For Running***

Tim Bryant, News Director for Cox Media Group Athens, asked the two candidates seeking Post 2 on the Oconee County Board of Education 17 questions over a 45-minute period in the Republican Party sponsored debate last week.

In the next 45 minutes, Bryant asked six of those same questions and five new ones of the two candidates seeking Post 3 on the Oconee County Board of Education.

Oconee County Commissioners Reject Rezone Request For Shopping Center On U.S. 78 At Hog Mountain Road

***Revised Plans Opposed By Oconee Crossing Residents***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night, in a 3 to 1 vote, rejected the rezone request of Donald Hammett for a shopping center at U.S. 78 and Hog Mountain Road abutting Oconee Crossing subdivision.

The vote came after a lengthy discussion by the Board following presentations by representatives of Hammett and by representatives of the Oconee Crossing subdivision.

Rezone For Publix At Oconee Connector And Mars Hill Road Back Before Oconee County Planning Commission, Board Of Commissioners

***Requesting Entrances On Oconee Connector, Mars Hill Road***

Rezone signs have appeared again on the undeveloped acreage on the northwest corner of the Oconee Connector and Mars Hill Road as the county considers new plans for a Publix Shopping Village and 10 additional commercial lots on the site.

The plans differ in one significant way from those rejected by the Board of Commissioners in May of 2021 when property owner Maxie Price sought to rezone the property for a Publix and a large commercial complex surrounding it.

COVID-19 Cases At Area Hospitals Decline For Fourth Week In Row; Oconee Community Transmission Rate Now At Moderate

***Six Confirmed Deaths From Disease In NE District***

The Georgia Hospital Association and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported on Friday that area hospitals had 17 COVID-19 patients, down from the 23 cases reported last Friday and back to the levels in June.

The number of ICU beds in use on Friday was 73, down from 76 a week earlier, and the number of adult ventilators in use was 29, up from 24 on last Friday.