Saturday, February 10, 2024

Oconee School Board Asked To Approve $2.6 Million Bid For Construction At Rocky Branch Elementary School

***Last Of Planned ELOST Construction Projects***

Oconee County Schools Superintendent Jason Branch on Monday will ask the Oconee County Board of Education to award a $2.6 million contract to Amacher Bros. Construction Company of Atlanta for modifications and renovations to Rocky Branch Elementary School.

Branch also will ask the Board to spend $732,954 for purchase of five 48-passenger buses and one 72-passenger bus from Thomas Peach State Freightliner, based in Norcross.

Friday, February 09, 2024

Georgia Department Of Public Health Reports Five Confirmed Deaths From COVID IN NE Health District As Cases Decline

***One Of Deaths In Oconee***

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported that the Northeast Health District added 485 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Feb. 7, based on the Department’s electronic tracking system.

The Department of Public Health reported the Northeast Health District had added 544 cases in the week ending Jan. 31, 406 cases in the week ending Jan. 24, 481 cases in the week ending on Jan. 17, 403 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Jan. 10, and 278 cases in the week ending on Jan. 3.

Oconee County Elections Board Gets Report On Upcoming Presidential Primary, Hears Request From Citizens For Public Comment Opportunity

***Only 12 New Voters Added To Roll In Last Month***

Oconee County picked up only 12 new registered voters in the last month, with Monday (Feb. 12) being the final day of voter registration before the March 12 Presidential Primary.

As of Tuesday, when the Oconee County Board of Elections and Voter Registration met, the county had received only 77 absentee ballot applications for the Presidential Primary.

Wednesday, February 07, 2024

Watkinsville Attorney Organizing A Slate Of Candidates To Challenge Republican Incumbents In Oconee County Party Primary

***School Board Particular Target***

Watkinsville Attorney Pamela Lohr Hendrix is working with a group to organize a slate of candidates to run against all of the Oconee County Republican incumbents in the Republican Primary on May 21.

Hendrix said she has decided to run for the Board of Education, but she hasn’t decided which of the three Posts up for election in November she will seek.

Tuesday, February 06, 2024

Speakers At Oconee County Democratic Party Meeting Differ In Their Concerns About AI Chatbots

***Partisanship Also Discussed***

Politicians have had many ways to mislead the public in the past, but the advent of AI chatbots is making political deception even more effective, communication researcher David Clementson said at a meeting with Oconee County Democrats last month.

Clementson said AI can be used to improve campaign solicitations, create better tailored campaign messages, tell implausible lies, and manipulate visuals.

Sunday, February 04, 2024

COVID Cases In Northeast Health District Increase To Highest Level Reported In Month

***Cases Increase In Oconee And Clarke***

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported that the Northeast Health District added 544 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Jan. 31, based on the Department’s electronic tracking system.

The Department of Public Health reported the Northeast Health District had added 406 cases in the week ending Jan. 24, 481 cases in the week ending on Jan. 17, 403 new cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Jan. 10, and 278 cases in the week ending on Jan. 3.

Saturday, February 03, 2024

Enrollment In Oconee County Schools Increased In October Of 2023 From 2022 Because of Nonresident Enrollees

***Enrollment In County’s Four Private Schools Also Down***

Oconee County Schools enrolled 8,535 students in October of 2023, an increase of four students from October of 2022, according to data the system reported to the Georgia Department of Education.

Only 8,459 of those enrolled students were residents of Oconee County, however, and the enrollment of Oconee County students fell by 16 from October of last year.