Local News

MORGAN QUINN/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO John Fortuna, a retired graphic designer, enjoys peace and quiet in his dome home off Crawfordville Road in Lexington. It’s the second one he’s built. The first one was in Orlando, Florida, in the 1970s.

MORGAN QUINN/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO John Fortuna, a retired graphic designer, enjoys peace and quiet in his dome home off Crawfordville Road in Lexington. It’s the second one he’s built. The first one was in Orlando, Florida, in the 1970s.

Home sweet Dome

Morgan Quinn
Thursday, March 2, 2023
WATCH: Tour John Fortuna's Geodesic Dome House in Lexington   Camouflaged down a dirt path off Crawfordville Road are three dome-shaped structures around an acre-wide pond.    One holds three chickens named Pancake, Sausage and Bacon. Another shelters two peacocks.
Mayor Warren Gilson

Mayor Warren Gilson

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Maxeys’ radiation filters to be replaced

DeAnthony Moore
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Maxeys will have the radiation filters on their existing well replaced after the city council voted unanimously to approve a contract on Feb.14. The initial payment has been made and the contract totaled $29,817.50.  The radiation filters will be used to remove radiation from the water.
OCHS teacher Elaine Kitchens guides her ESOL students through their common literature questions. ESOL students make up 4% of the district’s student body. (Photo/Viktoria Kangas)

OCHS teacher Elaine Kitchens guides her ESOL students through their common literature questions. ESOL students make up 4% of the district’s student body. (Photo/Viktoria Kangas)

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Multilingual students equip themselves with ESOL program

Viktoria Kangas
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Students' eyes are drawn to the board. They listen, internalize and interpret the lesson there — both in the language they hear and language they know fluently.
Tobacco offered by Community Cigar in downtown Lexington. (Photo/Alex Bavosa)

Tobacco offered by Community Cigar in downtown Lexington. (Photo/Alex Bavosa)

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Cigar lovers find community at Lexington shop

Alex Bavosa
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Glynn Segars, president of Community Cigar and director of sales and marketing at Big Country Cigar Brokers, decided to start hosting events on the first Friday of every month to bring folks into his store and to build a community that shares the same simple passion — cigars.
Kathleen deMarrais (left) and Alice H. Hughes (right) moments after Hughes received an award from Historic Oglethorpe County. (RAMON ELORTONDO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Kathleen deMarrais (left) and Alice H. Hughes (right) moments after Hughes received an award from Historic Oglethorpe County. (RAMON ELORTONDO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

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Hughes honored for efforts to preserve history

Ramon Elortondo
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Alice H. Hughes spent time serving the Georgia Historic Markers program. She contributed to three of the 10 historic markers in Oglethorpe County and has been a meticulous recorder of history and dedicated genealogist.
JACK RHODES/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO

JACK RHODES/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO

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HB 477 would assist counties in sludge battle

Jack Rhodes
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
County leaders throughout Northeast Georgia, like those in Oglethorpe, are concerned about the lack of regulation for soil amendments and have pushed for more local control.

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Rezoning, roads on BOC’s agenda

Garrett Kicklighter
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners will address rezoning items, the introduction of Vanguard Renewables to the county and a no-thru-truck road list as part of the tentative agenda for its meeting on Monday, March 6.
Luke Snyder holds an unfinished chef knife featuring a single bevel at Bloodroot Blades in Arnoldsville. There’s a 52-month waiting list for the knives handcrafted by Snyder and partners Katy and David Van Wyk. (Sarah Donehoo/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Luke Snyder holds an unfinished chef knife featuring a single bevel at Bloodroot Blades in Arnoldsville. There’s a 52-month waiting list for the knives handcrafted by Snyder and partners Katy and David Van Wyk. (Sarah Donehoo/The Oglethorpe Echo)

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Cutting edge: Bloodroot Blades enjoys immense popularity

Sarah Donehoo
Thursday, February 23, 2023
WATCH: Bloodroot Blades Knife Crafting Light pours into the front of the Bloodroot Blades workshop, where Oglethorpe County natives Katy and David Van Wyk sit next to Luke Snyder. A rustic wooden table and shelves full of different types of wood for blade handles occupy the sunlit room.