Local News

Claudia Reit moved to Oglethorpe County last year to open Countryside Manor, an event venue in Winterville. She also wants to start a women’s leadership group. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Claudia Reit moved to Oglethorpe County last year to open Countryside Manor, an event venue in Winterville. She also wants to start a women’s leadership group. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Exclusive Subscriber Content

New resident makes her presence felt

Jesse Wood
Thursday, July 20, 2023
Claudia Reit is not only one of Oglethorpe County’s newest residents, but also one of its most ambitious. Reit has already pitched the idea of a leadership group for women in Oglethorpe County.   “This is my place, I feel like a piece of the puzzle that finally found the right place,” she said.
Oglethorpe County Public Works Department crews worked late Saturday night and into the early morning hours of Sunday, July 9 to clear trees and debris in several locations after storms blew down trees. There were no injuries, but crews estimated between 75-100 trees fell and needed to be cleared from Melton Road and William McCurley Road in Winterville, and Center Church Road and McWhorter Road in Stephens, said Adam Nation, the public works director. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Oglethorpe County Public Works Department crews worked late Saturday night and into the early morning hours of Sunday, July 9 to clear trees and debris in several locations after storms blew down trees. There were no injuries, but crews estimated between 75-100 trees fell and needed to be cleared from Melton Road and William McCurley Road in Winterville, and Center Church Road and McWhorter Road in Stephens, said Adam Nation, the public works director. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Long night: Storm damage

News Staff
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Sarah Collins, who lives on Harris Drive, stressed the poor condition of Harris Drive, which includes paving in need of repair and overgrown trees and brush, which need to be trimmed. (SARAH COLLINS/FOR THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Sarah Collins, who lives on Harris Drive, stressed the poor condition of Harris Drive, which includes paving in need of repair and overgrown trees and brush, which need to be trimmed. (SARAH COLLINS/FOR THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Exclusive Subscriber Content

BOC approves school zone speed limit changes on Highway 22

Garrett Kicklighter
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved speed limit changes on Highway 22 as a part of the On System List of Roadways at Monday’s meeting.
Pageants are a family affair for the Raines family. The support for Madalyn (front left)), who is 11 years old, and Isabella (front right), who is 5, includes (from left) Brandy, Grayson and Chris (Madalyn’s mom, brother and dad), and Ian and Megan (Isabella’s mom and dad). (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Pageants are a family affair for the Raines family. The support for Madalyn (front left)), who is 11 years old, and Isabella (front right), who is 5, includes (from left) Brandy, Grayson and Chris (Madalyn’s mom, brother and dad), and Ian and Megan (Isabella’s mom and dad). (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Raines duo adds national pageant titles to resumes

Jesse Wood
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Madalyn Raines’ age as 12. Also, Amber Poindexter, her pageant coach, doesn’t buy or store her costumes. This version has been edited to include the correct information as provided by the Raines family.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Coroner caseload on par with past

Avni Trivedi
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Summer usually results in a lighter caseload for Oglethorpe County Coroner James Jackson, with the winter and spring being the busiest times of the year.    “Especially for the older generations that have health problems, weather really plays a factor in that,” Jackson said.
Arthur Burt works in a Kinetic by Windstream truck in Oglethorpe County earlier this month. Kinetic workers are installing optical fiber in Crawford and Lexington. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Arthur Burt works in a Kinetic by Windstream truck in Oglethorpe County earlier this month. Kinetic workers are installing optical fiber in Crawford and Lexington. (DINK NESMITH/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Broadband installation slowly expanding

Julianne Akers
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Broadband internet installation in Oglethorpe County — deriving from the $7.9 million in funds Spectrum received in January — is in the “very early stages of engineering,” said Oglethorpe County District 4 Commissioner Will Brown, who is chair of the county’s Economic Development Authority.
The Oglethorpe Echo

The Oglethorpe Echo

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Holtzclaw hired as transportation director

McCain Bracewell
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Board of Education approved Zachary Holtzclaw as the new transportation director at its board meeting on June 15. This came after Collin Cherry’s recommendation to take the position was withdrawn on June 13.
Bags filled with hate messages and weighed down by wood pellets have been found in driveways around Lexington and other parts of the county. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Bags filled with hate messages and weighed down by wood pellets have been found in driveways around Lexington and other parts of the county. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Sheriff’s Office investigating baggies with antisemitic notes

Julianne Akers
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Lexington’s Bob Henkel was on his morning walk where Old Stephens Road becomes Gilmer Street on July 4, when he saw the first bag.    “Then, I turned left onto Boggs Street, and I saw another one there. And then as I wandered up and down Church Street, I saw them over there as well,” he said.