Local News

Gwen & the Retro Kats will close out the Downtown Development Authority Concert Series at 7 p.m. Saturday at Platt Brooks Estate. The group is a combination of two Atlanta acts, Gwen Hughes and the Ruby Red’s, performing swing, jazz and dixieland. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Gwen & the Retro Kats will close out the Downtown Development Authority Concert Series at 7 p.m. Saturday at Platt Brooks Estate. The group is a combination of two Atlanta acts, Gwen Hughes and the Ruby Red’s, performing swing, jazz and dixieland. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Gwen & the Retro Kats wrap up Lexington concert series

Avni Trivedi
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Gwen & the Retro Kats will return to Lexington to close out the Downtown Development Authority Concert Series at 7 p.m. Saturday at Platt Brooks Estate.     Gwen Hughes and the Ruby Red’s, both Atlanta-based musicians, join forces to create a ’20s, jazz sound intended to get the crowd dancing.
Kate Spearing, a 2023 Oglethorpe County High School graduate, stands with a county ambulance in her emergency medical services uniform. Spearing has logged more than 200 clinical hours as an EMT and will compete at HOSA’s International Leadership Conference in Dallas starting June 21. (McCain Bracewell/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Kate Spearing, a 2023 Oglethorpe County High School graduate, stands with a county ambulance in her emergency medical services uniform. Spearing has logged more than 200 clinical hours as an EMT and will compete at HOSA’s International Leadership Conference in Dallas starting June 21. (McCain Bracewell/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Spearing’s county EMT experience leads to spot in international competition

McCain Bracewell
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Kate Spearing’s first time responding to a medical emergency was for a patient in cardiac arrest. It also happened to be the 17-year-old’s first time in the back of an ambulance.
The Oglethorpe Echo

The Oglethorpe Echo

BOE rescinds director approval

McCain Bracewell
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Former District 1 Board of Education member Collin Cherry will no longer be the incoming director of transportation for the Oglethorpe County School System.   The Board of Education approved withdrawing the recommendation to hire Cherry at its June 13 meeting.
Music director Chase Cooper leads the cast of Matilda the Musical during a rehearsal on June 10 at the Historic Crawford School. Left to right are Ellie Roman, Hazel Hogan, Allie Spurlin, Thalia Smoot and Kassie Mathews; obscured are Jenna Grace Burt, Clover McGovern and Sophia Priest. Arts!Oglethorpe director Bly Hartley said the production’s actors have a wide range of ages, and the show is family-friendly. (JESSE WOOD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Music director Chase Cooper leads the cast of Matilda the Musical during a rehearsal on June 10 at the Historic Crawford School. Left to right are Ellie Roman, Hazel Hogan, Allie Spurlin, Thalia Smoot and Kassie Mathews; obscured are Jenna Grace Burt, Clover McGovern and Sophia Priest. Arts!Oglethorpe director Bly Hartley said the production’s actors have a wide range of ages, and the show is family-friendly. (JESSE WOOD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

From age 9 to age 70

Jesse Wood
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Thirteen-year-old Thalia Smoot said the most challenging part of the upcoming Arts!Oglethorpe production has been speaking Russian.   “At the end, there’s a part where I have to learn two lines of Russian,” she said about her lead role in Matilda the Musical.

Rayle Electric to hold annual meeting of members

News Staff
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Rayle Electric Membership Corporation’s Annual Meeting of Members will be on Thursday, June 15.   Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. and the business session will begin at 2 p.m.   The event will be at The Pope Center, 48 Lexington Ave., in Washington, Georgia.
The Oglethorpe Echo

The Oglethorpe Echo

News Roundup: Chamber’s Expo set for June 22

News Staff
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Staff Reports   The Oglethorpe Business Expo will be held from 1-7 p.m. Thursday, June 22 at The Depot in Crawford.   Exhibit space will be available and 2nd Chance BBQ will be on site by noon. Set up time is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Mr. Keith the Magic Man performed his Magical Acts of Kindness show at the Oglethorpe County Library on May 30, one of many events scheduled there this summer. (BABS DeARMOND/FOR THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Mr. Keith the Magic Man performed his Magical Acts of Kindness show at the Oglethorpe County Library on May 30, one of many events scheduled there this summer. (BABS DeARMOND/FOR THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Summer Reading Challenge among library’s summer programs

Avni Trivedi
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Library is hosting summer programs every week for families throughout June and July. The library also has a summer reading program for children, teens and adults, with a prize if you complete it.
Owen Bullard, who was named the chairman of the Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce in February, has made it a priority to reinvigorate the organization. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Owen Bullard, who was named the chairman of the Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce in February, has made it a priority to reinvigorate the organization. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

He’s all business

Jesse Wood
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Owen Bullard, the new chairman of the Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce, has several ideas to revamp the chamber, including establishing a women’s networking group.
Papa’s Pizza To Go, which was in the space on the corner, closed in May. Noah Shealy and Blake Arnold bought the building with plans to turn it into Crawford Pizza. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Papa’s Pizza To Go, which was in the space on the corner, closed in May. Noah Shealy and Blake Arnold bought the building with plans to turn it into Crawford Pizza. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Crawford Pizza in the works

Jesse Wood
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Noah Shealy and Blake Arnold, two local realtors, are business partners in many endeavors, such as their newest one, Crawford Pizza.