Local News

Ronnie Boggs (left) looks on as Tom Gresham uses a soil probe at Beth-Salem Presbyterian Church and cemetery last week. The probe helps determine whether a burial may be present in a specific location. (Photo/Molly Moore)

Ronnie Boggs (left) looks on as Tom Gresham uses a soil probe at Beth-Salem Presbyterian Church and cemetery last week. The probe helps determine whether a burial may be present in a specific location. (Photo/Molly Moore)

Gresham’s work with grave sites helps unearth history, culture

Molly Moore
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Tom Gresham has devoted his life to uncovering the hidden histories of Georgia, spending nearly four decades at grave sites and historic cemeteries to document lives that might otherwise have been forgotten.  His work bridges science, history and ethics, offering insights into the state’s past.
Landon Howard, owner and founder of Howard’s Detailing, has been detailing cars since early 2023. A junior at OCHS, Howard balances academics, club and leadership involvement, church involvement and running his business. (Submitted Photo)

Landon Howard, owner and founder of Howard’s Detailing, has been detailing cars since early 2023. A junior at OCHS, Howard balances academics, club and leadership involvement, church involvement and running his business. (Submitted Photo)

Howard balances OCHS, car detailing business

Grace Burnett
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
When he’s not serving as an FFA officer, attending club meetings or maintaining his 4.0 GPA, Landon Howard can be found cleaning and detailing cars for Oglethorpe County residents and beyond.
Alan Erwin, Crawford’s incoming mayor, poses at the Crawford Depot on Nov. 14 2025. Erwin will replace longtime Mayor Seavy O’Neal, who is stepping down, when he takes office Jan. 1, 2026. (Photo/Mia Fishman)

Alan Erwin, Crawford’s incoming mayor, poses at the Crawford Depot on Nov. 14 2025. Erwin will replace longtime Mayor Seavy O’Neal, who is stepping down, when he takes office Jan. 1, 2026. (Photo/Mia Fishman)

Love for Crawford leads Erwin to mayor’s office

Mia Fishman
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
When current Crawford Mayor Seavy O’Neal announced he wouldn’t run for office again after serving for seven years, Alan Erwin told his wife he was ready for the challenge. Crawford City clerk Amy Wall-Lance later called Erwin, who ran unopposed, to let him know “he was in.” “You ready?” she asked.
Prep Roundup: Cross country finishes 12th at state

Prep Roundup: Cross country finishes 12th at state

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Prep Roundup: Cross country finishes 12th at state

News Staff
Sunday, November 16, 2025
Cross country finishes 12th at state The Oglethorpe County boys cross country team finished 12th in the Class A Division I state meet in Carrollton on Saturday.John Adams was the top finisher with a time of 18:39.94, followed by Cory Tillman at 19:23.31.
Local Roundup: Quiet Oaks to hold cake fundraiser

Local Roundup: Quiet Oaks to hold cake fundraiser

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Local Roundup: Quiet Oaks to hold cake fundraiser

News Staff
Sunday, November 16, 2025
Quiet Oaks to hold cake fundraiser Quiet Oaks Health Care will hold its annual Cake Bingo fundraising event at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13. Quiet Oaks is looking for large turnout in part because the Halloween Festival fundraiser was canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak last month.
Dr. Thomas McNair (left) and Cynthia Altman from Wilkes County Veterinary Services conduct a breeding soundness exam on a herd bull at the Northeast Georgia Livestock haul-in facility in Rayle on Monday, October 20, 2025. These exams should be conducted yearly to determine the fertility of bulls before breeding season. (Makenna Reavis/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Dr. Thomas McNair (left) and Cynthia Altman from Wilkes County Veterinary Services conduct a breeding soundness exam on a herd bull at the Northeast Georgia Livestock haul-in facility in Rayle on Monday, October 20, 2025. These exams should be conducted yearly to determine the fertility of bulls before breeding season. (Makenna Reavis/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Bull breeding exams are key as prices rise

Makenna Reavis
Thursday, November 13, 2025
Some animals were less than cooperative when farmers from around Oglethorpe County loaded their herd bulls in the crisp morning air late last month.  The process was quite a feat for many, but they said the trek was worth it for valuable information about their bulls’ fertility.
Kathleen deMarrais poses for a photo outside the Rowdy Rooster, which she owns with Jamie Lewis, in Lexington on Nov. 4, 2025. DeMarrais has won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Educational Studies Association (AESA), a research organization for educators she has been involved in since the 1980s. (Photo/Susanna Johnson)

Kathleen deMarrais poses for a photo outside the Rowdy Rooster, which she owns with Jamie Lewis, in Lexington on Nov. 4, 2025. DeMarrais has won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Educational Studies Association (AESA), a research organization for educators she has been involved in since the 1980s. (Photo/Susanna Johnson)

Rowdy Rooster owner honored for lifetime of teaching, research, service

Susanna Johnson
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Some residents may have noticed the Rowdy Rooster was closed last weekend.  That’s because Kathleen deMarrais was heading home from New Mexico with a new honor —  the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Educational Studies Association (AESA).
Superior Court Clerk Kelli Paradise Smith (center) works with bailiffs Mike Haler, Olin “Smiley” Taylor, Joe Williams and Dave Williams in the Oglethorpe County Courthouse in Lexington. About 150 people can be summoned for a criminal trial in the county. (Katherine Davis/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Superior Court Clerk Kelli Paradise Smith (center) works with bailiffs Mike Haler, Olin “Smiley” Taylor, Joe Williams and Dave Williams in the Oglethorpe County Courthouse in Lexington. About 150 people can be summoned for a criminal trial in the county. (Katherine Davis/The Oglethorpe Echo)

An inside look to navigating the courthouse

Gabrielle Gruszynski and Katherine Davis
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
On any given weekday, the Oglethorpe County Courthouse hums with steady activity — civil filings, property records and jury selections all pass through its doors. From marriage licenses to mortgages, most residents will interact with the local court system at some point.
Retired University of Georgia entomology professor and former extension specialist Dr. William Hudson reaches for a female Joro spider on Nov. 4, 2025, in Winterville, Ga. Known for their docile nature, Joro spiders have never been recorded harming humans. (Gabrielle Gruszynski/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Retired University of Georgia entomology professor and former extension specialist Dr. William Hudson reaches for a female Joro spider on Nov. 4, 2025, in Winterville, Ga. Known for their docile nature, Joro spiders have never been recorded harming humans. (Gabrielle Gruszynski/The Oglethorpe Echo)

A sticky web they weave

Gabrielle Gruszynski
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Big, brightly colored and impossible to miss, Oglethorpe County residents are spotting Joro spiders everywhere this fall.  “It’s just a crazy density,” said Elmer Gray, University of Georgia entomologist and Arnoldsville resident.