Local News

Emily Thomas recently began soap making as a hobby and set up a table at the second annual Art Bazaar and Book Sale, which was held on Saturday at No. 3 Railroad Street in Arnoldsville. "Peggy (Hroma) convinced me to come out here and sell my soap and it has been really successful so far." (RAMON ELORTONDO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Emily Thomas recently began soap making as a hobby and set up a table at the second annual Art Bazaar and Book Sale, which was held on Saturday at No. 3 Railroad Street in Arnoldsville. "Peggy (Hroma) convinced me to come out here and sell my soap and it has been really successful so far." (RAMON ELORTONDO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Art Bazaar and Book Sale

Ramon Elortondo
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Chris Wrenn, the administrator of Quiet Oaks Health Care, and his staff have planned a week of festivities for National Skilled Nursing Care Week. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Chris Wrenn, the administrator of Quiet Oaks Health Care, and his staff have planned a week of festivities for National Skilled Nursing Care Week. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Quiet Oaks to celebrate National Skilled Nursing Care Week

Avni Trivedi
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Quiet Oaks Health Care will celebrate National Skilled Nursing Care Week with several festivities from May 14-20.
Miss Marigold — Roma Ellenberg, a 2021 Oglethorpe County High School graduate — rides in the Marigold Festival parade last year. This year’s festival is scheduled for Pittard Park on Saturday, May 13. (JACK CASEY/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Miss Marigold — Roma Ellenberg, a 2021 Oglethorpe County High School graduate — rides in the Marigold Festival parade last year. This year’s festival is scheduled for Pittard Park on Saturday, May 13. (JACK CASEY/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Day of activities set for annual Marigold Festival

Jesse Wood
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Winterville Marigold Festival organizers always make sure the event lives up to its name.   “We start planting (the marigolds) in April,” said Mary Barrett Yancey, the Festival Board of Directors secretary.
The Digital Atlas of Historic Oglethorpe County team of Elaine Collier Neal (from left), Ashley Simpson, Greg Yoder, and Tom Gresham have been working together to map historic sites since 2020. (MADDIE DANIEL/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

The Digital Atlas of Historic Oglethorpe County team of Elaine Collier Neal (from left), Ashley Simpson, Greg Yoder, and Tom Gresham have been working together to map historic sites since 2020. (MADDIE DANIEL/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Building a map into the past

Maddie Daniel and Gray Jones
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Between bouts of rain on a recent Friday afternoon, the sun was out just long enough for Ashley Simpson, Tom Gresham and Joe Baughns to meet outside St. John AME Church in Crawford.
(BROOKE STEWART/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

(BROOKE STEWART/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Data: Victims of county’s violent crimes know their assailants

Brooke Stewart
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Local crime data shows that violent crimes are mostly committed by those who know their victims — at least in Oglethorpe County.    Chief Magistrate Judge Megan Coile confirmed the numbers.   “There's always a connection between the victim and the accused,” Coile said.
Caution tape surrounds the remains of a storage trailer that burned at Oglethorpe County Elementary School on Monday morning. The trailer contained paper and decorations for themed celebrations. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Caution tape surrounds the remains of a storage trailer that burned at Oglethorpe County Elementary School on Monday morning. The trailer contained paper and decorations for themed celebrations. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

OCES storage trailer 'total loss' after electrical fire

McCain Bracewell
Thursday, May 4, 2023
An electrical issue was the cause of a fire that destroyed a storage trailer at Oglethorpe County Elementary School on Monday morning.    A bus driver for the school system noticed the fire, and Superintendent Beverley Levine received a call around 6:15 a.m.
Trava Barnett not only owns and runs Trava’s Dog Gone Good Cafe in Lexington, but also a hot dog cart that she operates on the weekends in Downtown Athens. She’s one of several county business owners who have found ways to attract new audiences for their products. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Trava Barnett not only owns and runs Trava’s Dog Gone Good Cafe in Lexington, but also a hot dog cart that she operates on the weekends in Downtown Athens. She’s one of several county business owners who have found ways to attract new audiences for their products. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

Sarah Donehoo and Alex Bavosa
Thursday, May 4, 2023
A kitchen fire caused Trava Barnett to take her cafe food on the road with a hot dog cart.   Chris Hart faced a demand so high Cafe Racer had to move to online ordering.
OCMS science teacher Steven King is headed to Disneyland this week after being selected as one of the Disney100 Teachers Contest. He came out of retirement to teach in Oglethorpe County. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

OCMS science teacher Steven King is headed to Disneyland this week after being selected as one of the Disney100 Teachers Contest. He came out of retirement to teach in Oglethorpe County. (LANDEN TODD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

OCMS' King one of 100 winners in Disney contest

McCain Bracewell
Thursday, May 4, 2023
Steven King, who teaches sixth, seventh and eighth grade gifted science at Oglethorpe County Middle School, is one of 100 teachers across the U.S. who has been named a winner of the Disney Imagination Award — a contest with over 10,000 entries.