This year has been filled with news that helped shape the county and fill the pages of The Oglethorpe Echo. So The Echo’s staff decided to take a look back at the five most newsworthy stories in Oglethorpe County in 2023.
Broadband grant awarded
The hope for better broadband received a boost in January, when Gov. Brian Kemp’s office awarded $7.9 million to Oglethorpe County as part of Georgia’s Capital Projects Fund Grant Program.
Spectrum, in partnership with the county, must use those funds to provide internet access to 2,972 locations by Dec. 31, 2026. Work has started on the project, mainly in the western part of the county.
“This is the biggest thing to ever happen to Oglethorpe, as far as internet,” Oglethorpe County Economic Development chair Will Brown said at the time.
Kinetic by Windstream also has installed optical fiber to hundreds of homes in the Crawford and Lexington areas this year.
New school construction
Work on the county’s new K-5 elementary school started behind the current primary and elementary schools on Comer Road.
Cost for the project is expected to be $44-45 million, but the county has up to $49 million to spend, $22 million of which will come from the state and $27 million from bonds.
The school is scheduled to open in January 2025.
Superintendent Beverley Levine said in August that the new school is being built for 1,400 students and should serve the system for 20 years. There are 1,021 students enrolled at OCPS and OCES this year.
B&T’s buys Bell’s
B&T’s Food Fresh Market, a five-store chain based in East Georgia, finalized its acquisition of Bell’s Food Stores in October.
Bell’s, which has five locations, is the only grocery store in Oglethorpe County, and has had a presence in the county since 1973.
B&T’s retained the staff and has kept the Bell’s name, but customers should expect changes in 2024. Plans include renovations and updates, introduction of digital coupons and a direct deposit payment system for employees, among others.
“We know that change is hard, especially for someone that’s been doing the same thing for 20 years,” B&T’s co-owner John Triplett told The Echo in November. “It’s hard. But the bulk of what we do hasn’t changed.”
Bobcat attacks children
Two children suffered injuries from a bobcat attack in October.
The attacks were separate incidents at residences near the intersection of Melton Road and Williams McCurley Road in Winterville.
Crystal Yamasato, who was 3 years old at the time of the attack, and a 14-year-old boy, required treatment at hospitals after the attacks.
Anita Scoggins, Yamasato’s grandmother, said her granddaughter suffered a fractured pinkie finger, multiple wounds on her hand, scratches on her body and a bite mark on her back. She also underwent rabies shots.
Oglethorpe County authorities never located the bobcat.
Lexington’s ongoing battle
The Lexington City Council met last January determined to take action against the owner of six derelict downtown buildings.
Richard “Rick” Hawkins has owned the buildings at 110, 112, 114, 116, and 118 Main Street, and one structure on North Gilmer Street, for almost 30 years.
Building inspections last spring revealed structure damage, so the city put warning signs on the doors and windows, and closed the sidewalk in front of the buildings.
Lexington also has gone the legal route to force action, but city officials can’t comment about the ongoing litigation.
Hawkins accepted bids this year to repair the buildings and offered the five storefronts for sale for $350,000, more than twice their estimated value, according to public records. The buildings are not for lease.