Local News

Blake Arnold

Hot dog restaurant in works for Crawford

Hannah Yahne

Thursday, January 5, 2023

They say it’s the simple things that make life great. If that’s true, life in Oglethorpe County just got better. Blake Arnold and business partner Noah Shealy, who are both real estate agents, bought 2.

The Bugg house on October 5, 2022. Shown through various spots of decay and preservation as well as a cemetery in the backyard, the house holds years of memory. It has been passed down through the Bugg family for generations. Now, it is used for a hunting cabin. “I just want to make sure it stays in the family,” Perry said. (Photo/Christa Bugg)

Home Grown: Stepping into the past

News Staff

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

By Christa Bugg Oconee Forest Road, and the roads connected to it, are gravel. As I rode from Athens with my dad on a sunny October day, I was surprised that so many homes and farms lined the gravel road, hidden from the rest of Oglethorpe County.

Ranger Lori Higgs led the First Day Hike at Watson Mill Bridge State Park on Jan. 1. About 30 people attended the event. (Erin Kenney/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Watson Mill Bridge kicks off 2023 with First Day Hike

Erin Kenney

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Lisa Nash was beginning 2023 on a high note. Hiking boots on and walking stick in hand, she looked ready to hit the trail as she greeted visitors for the First Day Hike at Watson Mill Bridge State Park. For Nash, who works in the park office, the First Day Hikes are a New Year’s Day tradition.

Katy Wilkins (left) and Braelynn Neely snap a selfie in front of the College Game Day set at the Peach Bowl. Neely and Wilkins work for the Redcoat Band Auxiliary Unit. (Submitted Photo)

Peach Bowl provides lasting memories

Erin Kenney

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

As Warren Gilson sat in the stands at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, he felt like he couldn’t lose. As a Georgia fan who attended Ohio State for graduate school, he was just happy to be watching the teams’ second-ever match up.

(Photo/Isabelle Manders)

Home Grown: Beautiful blooms

News Staff

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

By Lily Baldwin and Isabelle Manders Jenny Derevere creates elegant and colorful arrangements with blooms from her flower farm, Jenny’s Garden and Design (jennysgardenanddesign.com), in Stephens.

The home, called White Oak Plantation, was built in the early 1900s. It is located in Lexington. (Photo/Emma Bennett)

Home Grown: Piece by piece

Sarah Donehoo

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

By Sarah Donehoo and Emma Bennett Kathleen deMarrais steps onto her front porch and motions toward a stone path leading to the door that’s slightly overtaken by grass.

(Photo/Megan Fitzgerald)

Home Grown: An artist’s haven

News Staff

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

By Shelby Israel A mix of colorful hues and rich earth tones fill artist Rebecca Wood’s Lexington home, reflecting the outdoors she grew up loving.

(Photo/Erin Kenney)

Home Grown: The star treatment

News Staff

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

By Erin Kenney Anyone who has shopped for window treatments knows the options are endless. Roman shades or pleated drapes? Minimalist blinds or chunky shutters? What about swags, valances and cornices?

(Ashley Balsavias and Sydney Hood/Home Grown)

Home Grown: Porch perfect

News Staff

Monday, January 2, 2023

By Ashley Balsavias and Sydney Hood Create the perfect welcome for guests with inspiration from these three porches across the county. Simple and serene Joanne Maki’s wraparound porch is her favorite part of her Smithonia home.

After renovations, 2022 (Photo/Alden Lisse)

Home Grown: A new season

News Staff

Monday, January 2, 2023

By Alden Lisse and Avery Householder Winston Brown envisioned a hunting cabin when he offered to buy an unused house from friend Bill Cunningham for $1. The 1920s house had been uninhabited for years on Cunningham’s property across the street from Brown’s farm in Lexington.