Tuesday, March 04, 2025

Oconee County Schools Now Has Resource Officers In Five Of Its 12 Schools, Board Of Education Informed At Monday Work Session

***High Schools And Middle Schools Have SROs

Only a little more than a month after approval of an agreement setting up a School Resource Officer (SRO) program for Oconee County Schools, officers have been assigned to five of the system’s 12 schools.

Kevin Yancey, Director of Student Services at Oconee County Schools, told the Oconee County Board of Education at its work session on Monday (March 3) that, as of that day, the third officer had been assigned to the system’s three middle schools.

Sunday, March 02, 2025

Number of Oconee County Students Enrolled At Private Schools Increased This School Year; Home Schooling Intentions Also Up

***Prince Avenue, Westminster Report Increases***

Nearly 1,000 students who live in Oconee County were attending private schools last October, up by 85 students from October of 2023.

The largest number of those Oconee County students in private schools in October were attending Prince Avenue Christian School, Athens Academy, and Westminster Christian Academy.

Saturday, March 01, 2025

Oconee County Superior Court Judge Condemns Two Properties For SR 316 Interchanges at Virgil Langford Road, Oconee Connector

***$35,600 and $69,300 Offered For Less Than One Acre***

Oconee County Superior Court Judge Eric Norris last month issued orders condemning two pieces of property owned by Deferred Tax LLC that are needed by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for construction of the interchanges of Virgil Langford Road and the Oconee Connector at SR 316.

Norris also granted GDOT additional easements and access rights needed during the construction of the two interchanges.

Friday, February 28, 2025

Pro Costco Rally Draws Crowd Carrying Signs In Support of Wholesaler

***Hour-Long Rally Outside Epps Bridge Centre***

Twenty eight people, one with a dog on a leash, turned out around noon on Friday at the intersection of the Oconee Connector and Parkway Boulevard to show their appreciation to Costco, which has been steadfast in its support of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program.

The rally, which began at 11:30 a.m outside Epps Bridge Centre and lasted an hour, resulted from the initiative of Pam Davis of the Oconee County Democrats and Karen Covi of Indivisible 10.

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Legal Challenge To Oconee County Elections Board Continues With New Request Filed With Georgia Supreme Court

***Motion For Recusal Filed***

Oconee County resident Suzannah Heimel has filed a motion asking Georgia Supreme Court Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren to recuse herself from the Court’s dismissal of Heimel’s appeal of a lower court decision regarding an action of the Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration last August.

The state Supreme Court on Feb. 18 dismissed Heimel’s appeal of an Oct. 24 ruling by Oconee County Superior Court Chief Judge Lisa Lott denying Heimel’s request for a writ of mandamus directed at the Oconee County Board of Elections and Registration.

Oconee County Republicans Told To Take Seriously Upcoming Election Of Precinct Chairs As Way To Win Elections

***Democrats, Indivisible, Planning Pro-Costco Rally***

Oconee County Republican Party Vice Chairman Colby Baker opened the party’s meeting on Monday with a review of the schedule for the upcoming county, district, and state conventions.

Guest speaker Jason Thompson, one of three Georgia members of the Republican National Committee, took the cue.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Oconee County Searching For Cause Of Two Nearby Sewer Spills On Major Force Main Line

***Problem With Pipe Joints Seems Likely***

Oconee County experienced two major spills in the last nine months on its major force main sewer line servicing the county’s commercial hub due to problems during installation of the pipe joints or with the pipe itself, county leaders now believe.

The two breaks occurred about 100 yards apart at joints on the line, which runs along an unnamed tributary to McNutt Creek that separates Tanglebrook subdivision and the Pinewood Estates South mobile home park.