Local News

Cody Gibbs works nights and week- ends for Oglethorpe County Emergen- cy Medical Services, in addition to his full-time job (JULIANNA RUSS/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Cody Gibbs works nights and week- ends for Oglethorpe County Emergen- cy Medical Services, in addition to his full-time job (JULIANNA RUSS/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Behind the badge: Cody Gibbs shows commitment in times of tragedy, stress

Julianna Duennes Russ and Noor Abdallah
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Cody Gibbs responds to emergency calls at the Beaverdam Volunteer Fire Department almost daily. But no amount of first-response experience can prepare someone for a call like the one Gibbs received on April 3.
Virginia Sanders, far right, crochets as she engages in conversation with others at a Covered with Love meeting in March at Lexington Baptist Church. The members, who create and donate afghans, have been meeting for seven years, and this year, they are donating their work to Quiet Oaks Health Care Center. (ELIZABETH RYMAREV/FOR THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Virginia Sanders, far right, crochets as she engages in conversation with others at a Covered with Love meeting in March at Lexington Baptist Church. The members, who create and donate afghans, have been meeting for seven years, and this year, they are donating their work to Quiet Oaks Health Care Center. (ELIZABETH RYMAREV/FOR THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Crocheting with Care: Virginia Sanders serves others with her craft

Elizabeth Rymarev and Olivia Wakim
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Despite the thunderstorm crackling at 7 a.m. on a Saturday in late March, Virginia Sanders still packs her car with bags of food and coffee supplies, boxes of yarn and a tupperware of name tags before she heads over to Lexington Baptist Church.
Dink NeSmith, chairman of The Oglethorpe Echo Legacy, Inc., holds the awards that were given to The Oglethorpe Echo at the an- nual GPA Convention on June 9. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Dink NeSmith, chairman of The Oglethorpe Echo Legacy, Inc., holds the awards that were given to The Oglethorpe Echo at the an- nual GPA Convention on June 9. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

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Echo receives 9 awards in newspaper contest

News Staff
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
The Oglethorpe Echo earned nine section and individual awards in the Georgia Press Association's annual Better Newspaper Contest.   “The story of The Oglethorpe Echo was a highlight of the Jekyll Island event,” said Dink NeSmith, chairman of The Oglethorpe Echo Legacy Inc.
The Oglethorpe Echo

The Oglethorpe Echo

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News Roundup: Business Expo to highlight local services, products

News Staff
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo will be on Thursday, June 22 from 1-7 p.m. at The Depot, 1158 Athens Road in Crawford. The event will be an opportunity to learn more about local businesses as they showcase services and products available in and around the county.
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)

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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)

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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

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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)

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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

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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.