Friday, February 10, 2023

COVID-19 Cases In NE Health District Up Slightly; Transmission Rates In District Remain High

***Clarke Reports One Death From Disease***

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported three new confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in the Northeast Health District in its report on Wednesday, including one in Clarke County.

The Department of Public Health reported four confirmed deaths from the disease in the Northeast Health District on Wednesday of last week.

Oconee County Schools Received And Granted Large Number Of School Reassignment Requests Following Redistricting

***All Requests Approved***

Oconee County Schools has received and approved a whopping 379 applications for School Choice, meaning that the student requested and was granted transfer to a different school in the system than the one assigned as a result of redistricting.

Last year, by comparison, Oconee County Schools received 84 applications and seven of those were denied because the applications were made to schools, North Oconee High School and Malcom Bridge Middle School, where no space was available.

Wednesday, February 08, 2023

Three Bills In Georgia House Of Representative Directed At Operation Of District Attorney Office

***Oconee’s Representatives Playing Key Roles***

Three pieces of legislation introduced in the Georgia House of Representatives could have impact on the District Attorney Office serving Oconee County.

House Bill 48, introduced on Jan. 23, would make the election of the District Attorney of the Western Judicial Circuit consisting of Oconee and Clarke counties, and all other circuits in the state, nonpartisan.

Tuesday, February 07, 2023

Oconee County Board Of Commissioners Turns Down Again Proposal For Shopping Center With Publix On Oconee Connector

***Focus Shifted To Legal Arguments***

Attorney David Ellison, representing Deferred Tax LLC before the Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night, made it clear his client was not interested in any compromise over the rezone request for a shopping center with a Publix on the Oconee Connector at Mars Hill Road.

“You should approve the rezone as submitted,” he said several times.

Land Planner Ken Beall, also representing Deferred Tax, said the same.

The Board of Commissioners responded by voting unanimously to turn down Deferred Tax LLC, owned by Maxie Price, with no real discussion.

Sunday, February 05, 2023

Oconee County’s Two High Schools Are Not At Capacity, But School Board Told To Plan For Additional Classrooms Or Third High School

***Message At Retreat***

Both of Oconee county’s high schools currently are under capacity.

School administrators are projecting, however, that North Oconee High School will be over capacity by eight students next year, while Oconee County High School will be over capacity in 2032.

In eleven years, by 2034, North Oconee High School will be 94 students over its capacity of 1,500 students, and Oconee County High School will be 99 students over its capacity of that same number, the administrators project.

It is time to make decisions about how to accommodate the roughly 200 students the existing two high school currently are not designed to accommodate, Superintendent Jason Branch and Associate Superintendent Dallas LeDuff told the Board of Education at its retreat last month.

Saturday, February 04, 2023

Oconee County Schools Plans To Increase Its Charge To County For Use Of School Sports Facilities

***New Joint Use Agreement Proposed***

One of the issues that has divided the Oconee County Board of Education and the Oconee County Board of Commissioners–the joint use of athletic facilities–is about to surface again.

Oconee County Schools Associate Superintendent Dallas LeDuff told Board of Education members at their retreat last month of his plans to move ahead with charging the county’s Parks and Recreation Department the same user fee charged to nonprofits.

None of the Board members pushed back on that plan.

Friday, February 03, 2023

COVID-19 Cases In NE Health District Drop For Fifth Week; Confirmed Deaths From Disease Down As Well

***Clarke Again Reports Two Deaths From Disease***

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported four new confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in the Northeast Health District in its report on Wednesday, including two in Clarke County.

The Department of Public Health reported eight confirmed deaths from the disease in the Northeast Health District on Wednesday of last week, and seven the week before that.

The Department of Public Health also reported that the Northeast Health District added 384 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Feb. 1, based on the Department’s electronic tracking system.