Local News

James "Junior" Jackson will receive more help following a vote of approval from the BOC to appoint another deputy coroner. (Jack Casey/The Oglethorpe Echo)

James "Junior" Jackson will receive more help following a vote of approval from the BOC to appoint another deputy coroner. (Jack Casey/The Oglethorpe Echo)

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New position to ease load for coroner

Ashley Balsavias
Thursday, January 5, 2023
James “Junior” Jackson is about to receive more help. Jackson, who was appointed as Oglethorpe County’s coroner in March, will be able to appoint another deputy coroner after the Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the position at their monthly meeting on Monday.

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Phil Sanders leaves the BOC

Ashley Balsavias
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Phil Sanders served Oglethorpe County as a commissioner for 16 years. His favorite part: “Just knowing that we were trying to keep the county going in the direction that people of the county wanted.” Sanders left the position as District 1 commissioner at the end of December.
Blake Arnold

Blake Arnold

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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)

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)

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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)

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)

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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)

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)

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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)

(Photo/Isabelle Manders)

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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)

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

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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)

(Photo/Megan Fitzgerald)

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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)

(Photo/Erin Kenney)

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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?