Local News

Community Christmas of Oglethorpe County co-director Shirley Dillard and toy coordinators April Moore and Tina Welch-White stand with volunteers and donated toys. (Submitted Photo)

Community Christmas of Oglethorpe County co-director Shirley Dillard and toy coordinators April Moore and Tina Welch-White stand with volunteers and donated toys. (Submitted Photo)

Community Christmas gears up for holidays

Jalen Beckford
Friday, October 28, 2022
Community Christmas has adopted a donation-focused model since the pandemic, accepting toy donations from toy drives hosted by the schools across the county, Toys for Tots and donation centers at Dollar General in Lexington and The Commercial Bank in Crawford.
Bus driver trainer Felicia Dellaria (left) and Brandi Hokanson, a new bus driver trainee, watch a driving safety video last week. The trainees spent the morning completing a portion of the 12 hours of required class time for a CDL license. (Photo/Megan Fitzgerald)

Bus driver trainer Felicia Dellaria (left) and Brandi Hokanson, a new bus driver trainee, watch a driving safety video last week. The trainees spent the morning completing a portion of the 12 hours of required class time for a CDL license. (Photo/Megan Fitzgerald)

Schools face bus driver shortage

Megan Fitzgerald
Thursday, October 27, 2022
The Oglethorpe County School System is in need of more full-time and substitute bus drivers.    Become a bus driver Those interested in becoming a school bus driver can contact transportation administrative assistant Mamie Holliday at 706-743-5751.
(Submitted Photo)

(Submitted Photo)

Explainer: Amendments, referendum on 2022 ballot

Erin Kenney
Thursday, October 27, 2022
Practically everyone headed to the polls knows about the high-profile races on the ballot, such as the gubernatorial race between Gov. Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams, and the U.S. Senate race between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker.
Artist Dortha Jacobson stands beside several of her oil paintings. Jacobson is the first artist to have a gallery at the Winterville Library. (Photo/Lily Baldwin)

Artist Dortha Jacobson stands beside several of her oil paintings. Jacobson is the first artist to have a gallery at the Winterville Library. (Photo/Lily Baldwin)

Winterville library turns lobby into gallery

Lily Baldwin
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Artists from Oglethorpe and Athens-Clarke counties have the chance to display their work publicly at the Winterville Library as a part of a new initiative to increase artist visibility in the community.
Halloween decorations at the Watson Mill Bridge State Park Haunted Campground in 2018. (Submitted Photo)

Halloween decorations at the Watson Mill Bridge State Park Haunted Campground in 2018. (Submitted Photo)

Festive fundraiser raises money, spirits

Caroline Embleau
Thursday, October 20, 2022
A demon clown named Mr. Jingles greets visitors each year at Watson Mill Bridge State Park's Haunted Hayride.   Scotty Beck, who dresses up as the character, said it can be scary — but it’s also popular with the kids and other hayride attendees.    "I discussed Mr.
This year's OCHS Homecoming court includes (back, from left): Samantha Amos, Landon Fields, Naeshon Wilson, KB Bonds, Michael Fleming, Juan Delgado-Cortez, Haiden Ashworth, Cooper Mattox, Landon Faust, Will Sampson and Andi-Grace Moore; (front, from left): Denim Goddard, Vonkeria Jenkins, Peyton Lewis, Claire Gabriel, Jenna Fleming, Aniah Miller and Lizzie Wadsworth. (Photo/ Andy Johnston)

This year's OCHS Homecoming court includes (back, from left): Samantha Amos, Landon Fields, Naeshon Wilson, KB Bonds, Michael Fleming, Juan Delgado-Cortez, Haiden Ashworth, Cooper Mattox, Landon Faust, Will Sampson and Andi-Grace Moore; (front, from left): Denim Goddard, Vonkeria Jenkins, Peyton Lewis, Claire Gabriel, Jenna Fleming, Aniah Miller and Lizzie Wadsworth. (Photo/ Andy Johnston)

OCHS Homecoming Week preview

News Staff
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Homecoming festivities will be in full force in Oglethorpe County next week and culminate with the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, Oct. 29.
Firefighters place numbered stickers on large pads of paper to indicate their station's priorities during a meeting in the Oglethorpe County courthouse in Lexington, Georgia, on Monday, Oct. 17. (Photo/Emily Garcia)

Firefighters place numbered stickers on large pads of paper to indicate their station's priorities during a meeting in the Oglethorpe County courthouse in Lexington, Georgia, on Monday, Oct. 17. (Photo/Emily Garcia)

Fire departments take first step

Emily Garcia
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Members of Oglethorpe County’s 15 fire stations took a first step on Monday to what Emergency Medical Services Director Jason Lewis hopes will culminate in a plan for cooperation and standardization.    The firefighters met at the Courthouse in the first of three planned gatherings.
Beverley Levine, superintendent of Oglethorpe County Schools, was selected as one of four finalists for the Superintendent of the Year Award at the Georgia School Superintendents Association Semi-Annual Conference in Athens on Wednesday.

Beverley Levine, superintendent of Oglethorpe County Schools, was selected as one of four finalists for the Superintendent of the Year Award at the Georgia School Superintendents Association Semi-Annual Conference in Athens on Wednesday.

Superintendent Levine among four finalists for state honor

News Staff
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Beverley Levine, superintendent of Oglethorpe County Schools, was selected as one of four finalists for the Superintendent of the Year Award at the Georgia School Superintendents Association Semi-Annual Conference in Athens on Wednesday.
The Oglethorpe County softball team enjoys a snack to help refuel for a game. Oglethorpe County Family Connection’s “Nutrition Hydration” helps take some of the burden of feeding athletes off their parents. (Submitted Photo)

The Oglethorpe County softball team enjoys a snack to help refuel for a game. Oglethorpe County Family Connection’s “Nutrition Hydration” helps take some of the burden of feeding athletes off their parents. (Submitted Photo)

Family Connection’s ‘Nutrition Hydration’ program fuels students-athletes

Andrea Gutierrez
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Combining community wellness with local athletics, former Oglethorpe County Elementary School paraprofessional April Moore has started a program to help collect snacks and lunches for Oglethorpe County High School sports teams.
OCMS band director Erin Serrian leads the jazz ensemble through a portion of its concert on Tuesday. The sixth-grade band and a combined band of seventh- and eighth-graders also performed. (Photo/Emily Rose Hamby)

OCMS band director Erin Serrian leads the jazz ensemble through a portion of its concert on Tuesday. The sixth-grade band and a combined band of seventh- and eighth-graders also performed. (Photo/Emily Rose Hamby)

School bands shine in concerts, competitions

Emily Rose Hamby
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Oglethorpe County Middle School band students debuted their musical ability and refined playing technique for friends and family at their first concert of the school year on Tuesday night.