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Cyclists participating in the Ticket to Ride fundraiser approach the first stop on the Firefly Trail in Winterville. Firefly Trail Inc. uses the annual event to raise money to complete the 39-mile path from Athens to Union Point. (Photo/Gray Jones)

Cyclists participating in the Ticket to Ride fundraiser approach the first stop on the Firefly Trail in Winterville. Firefly Trail Inc. uses the annual event to raise money to complete the 39-mile path from Athens to Union Point. (Photo/Gray Jones)

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Annual Firefly Trail fundraiser brings in $15,000

Gray Jones
Thursday, March 30, 2023
  Specks of color appeared over the horizon as the jackets of the first wave of cyclists inched closer to a stop on the trail in Winterville. Bicycle tires cut through puddles left by the storm that delayed the event’s start time by an hour, unimpeded by Saturday’s gloomy weather.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Large corral-style traps have been identified as the most effective tool to manage the population of feral swine in Oglethorpe County, as opposed to other methods of shooting and hunting the animals.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Large corral-style traps have been identified as the most effective tool to manage the population of feral swine in Oglethorpe County, as opposed to other methods of shooting and hunting the animals.

Experts: Trap, don’t shoot, feral swine

Morgan Quinn and Jack Rhodes
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Kendall Strickland has known about feral swine since 2015. Yet, it wasn’t until connecting with local communities through his business in Lexington, Strickland Pride Produce, that he understood their devastating effect on local farmers and landowners.
Turkey shoot information

Turkey shoot information

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Vesta Fire Department hopes to hit mark with first turkey shoot

DeAnthony Moore
Thursday, March 30, 2023
County residents will have a chance to attend a turkey shoot this weekend, although the name may be misleading.  Instead of hunting live turkeys, the event is a chance to show off precision shooting skills as participants shoot shotgun pellets at a target.
Jacob Dake, right, and mother Rhonda Pilgrim are returning to a new normal after Dake's motorcycle accident in October. EMILY DOZIER/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO

Jacob Dake, right, and mother Rhonda Pilgrim are returning to a new normal after Dake's motorcycle accident in October. EMILY DOZIER/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO

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Back On His Feet

Ryland Goede
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Jacob Dake is grateful for support from the community after an accident last fall changed his life.    “I’m just glad I can be a part of a community like this,” he said.   Last Sept.
BROOKE STEWART/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO

BROOKE STEWART/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO

Officials find body of missing woman

Brooke Stewart
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office and a Georgia State Patrol aviation unit found the body of a missing Gwinnett County woman in a vehicle that had been set on fire off of Black Snake Road on Friday morning.
STAR student Charlie Brewer and STAR teacher Penny Miller attended a banquet at the University of Georgia’s Continuing Education Center, where he spoke about his achievements, interests and Miller’s impact on him. (Submitted photo)

STAR student Charlie Brewer and STAR teacher Penny Miller attended a banquet at the University of Georgia’s Continuing Education Center, where he spoke about his achievements, interests and Miller’s impact on him. (Submitted photo)

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Brewer selected STAR student, picks Miller as his STAR teacher

Viktoria Kangas
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Charlie Brewer has developed his academic dossier while collecting albums from the 1970s and indulging in old horror movies.
GARRETT KICKLIGHTER/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO

GARRETT KICKLIGHTER/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO

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County weighs livestock burial fee

Garrett Kicklighter
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Oglethorpe County workers have buried more large animals than usual this year.    As of March 1, the county had buried 30 cows, six horses, one pig and two goats since the beginning of the year, Public Works director Adam Nation said.   “That’s unusually high,” he said.
Macie McDaniel, a junior at Oglethorpe County High School, is all smiles after winning the title of Miss Oglethorpe County High School. (Shelby Wingate/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Macie McDaniel, a junior at Oglethorpe County High School, is all smiles after winning the title of Miss Oglethorpe County High School. (Shelby Wingate/The Oglethorpe Echo)

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Miss Oglethorpe Pageant: Confidence Shines on Stage

Shelby Wingate and Gianna Rodriguez
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
In front of the judges who wear tall, bejeweled crowns, 17 contestants take the stage in extravagant tulle dresses and jumpsuits that perfectly reflect the light.   The sequins and hairsprayed hair caught people’s attention, but it wasn’t the highlight of the night.

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Sheriff: Beware of online, phone scams

Sydney Bishop
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Lexington resident David McGee spends a lot of time on Facebook, often at night when the yard work is done.    What he’s not used to is playing online detective — a job he took on when he noticed that a user in the “Rant & Raves of Oglethorpe County” group was looking to scam residents.
The 2023 Miss Oglethorpe contestants are (top row, from left) Kallie Jackson, DemiRae Faust and Allie Gibson; (second row, from left) Adalyn Tanksley, Mae Mathews, Amelia Ligouri and Kendall Morgan; (third row, from left) Sydney Sniff, Kaylee Wade, Malia McCalla, McKenna Wells and Mylee Nimmons; (bottom row, from left) Macie McDaniel, Macayla Hull, Carlee Gibson, Gracelyn Ramey and Montana Barner. (Submitted Photo/Kimberly Pettit)

The 2023 Miss Oglethorpe contestants are (top row, from left) Kallie Jackson, DemiRae Faust and Allie Gibson; (second row, from left) Adalyn Tanksley, Mae Mathews, Amelia Ligouri and Kendall Morgan; (third row, from left) Sydney Sniff, Kaylee Wade, Malia McCalla, McKenna Wells and Mylee Nimmons; (bottom row, from left) Macie McDaniel, Macayla Hull, Carlee Gibson, Gracelyn Ramey and Montana Barner. (Submitted Photo/Kimberly Pettit)

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Miss Oglethorpe pageant to benefit schools, clubs

Shelby Wingate
Thursday, March 23, 2023
17 contestants will take the stage at the seventh annual Miss Oglethorpe Pageant this Saturday. This is the most participants since 2016, when 18 competed in the first pageant.