Local News

Willie Torres stands in front of the counter of his restaurant, Town and Country Kafe, that he co-owns with his wife, Amy Delfin-Torres. The couple decided to put the restaurant on the market after three years to pursue other personal opportunities like traveling. (photo/Emily Adams)

Willie Torres stands in front of the counter of his restaurant, Town and Country Kafe, that he co-owns with his wife, Amy Delfin-Torres. The couple decided to put the restaurant on the market after three years to pursue other personal opportunities like traveling. (photo/Emily Adams)

Torreses opt for new path, put restaurant up for sale

Emily Adams
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
The sale of Town and Country Kafe in Crawford will mark a new chapter for owners Willie Torres and Amy Delfin-Torres. After three years of owning the restaurant, the couple is selling to “pursue new opportunities and personal growth.
Oglethorpe County FFA officers prepare flowers for the floral design contest Thursday in the high school cafeteria. From left, sophomore Katherine Horsley, senior Daisy Brown and senior Andee Dellinger organized vases and flowers before students arrived to compete. (Photo/Ella Jones)

Oglethorpe County FFA officers prepare flowers for the floral design contest Thursday in the high school cafeteria. From left, sophomore Katherine Horsley, senior Daisy Brown and senior Andee Dellinger organized vases and flowers before students arrived to compete. (Photo/Ella Jones)

FFA competition brings hundreds of students to Oglethorpe County

Ella Jones
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
For senior Callie Bridges, the floral design competition at Oglethorpe County High School was both a test and an opportunity to showcase her small business. The contest required a timed arrangement, an identification exam and a written exam.
The bridge over Big Creek on Wolfskin Road is scheduled to be replaced, starting in April 2029. It was built in 1959 and is weight-restricted. (Submitted Photo)

The bridge over Big Creek on Wolfskin Road is scheduled to be replaced, starting in April 2029. It was built in 1959 and is weight-restricted. (Submitted Photo)

Wolfskin Road’s Big Creek bridge to be replaced in 2029

Grace Burnett
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Another bridge replacement will change traffic patterns in Oglethorpe County, but this time, residents will have a few years to prepare.
The Oglethorpe Echo

The Oglethorpe Echo

Local Roundup

News Staff
Friday, September 26, 2025
Firefly Cruise returns to Lexington on Sunday The 14th annual Firefly Cruise In will be held from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 at Courthouse Square in downtown Lexington.  Music will be provided by Tommy Landrum’s ‘Cruzin to the Oldies’. There is a $10 registration fee for vehicles.
Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, Georgia's on-time delivery for single-piece, first-class mail trailed behind the national average for both two-day and three-to-five day service. Nationwide, 81.9% of two-day mail was on time compared with Georgia's 61.6%, highlighting regional performance gaps. (Kimberly Thomas/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, Georgia's on-time delivery for single-piece, first-class mail trailed behind the national average for both two-day and three-to-five day service. Nationwide, 81.9% of two-day mail was on time compared with Georgia's 61.6%, highlighting regional performance gaps. (Kimberly Thomas/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Mail delivery continues to be an issue

Kimberly Thomas
Thursday, September 25, 2025
On some evenings in Oglethorpe County, the mail doesn’t arrive until after dinnertime. Residents say they’ve waited as late as 8 p.m. for delivery, a far cry from when letters and bills once showed up by early afternoon.   The delays reflect a broader shift in how the U.S.
Ventilation system used poultry facilities in Oglethorpe county. Various ventilation systems are needed to cool poultry houses in the summer (Submitted Photo/Hog Slat, Inc).

Ventilation system used poultry facilities in Oglethorpe county. Various ventilation systems are needed to cool poultry houses in the summer (Submitted Photo/Hog Slat, Inc).

Technology helps fill gaps as poultry industry shifts

Jacob Harper
Thursday, September 25, 2025
New technology is filling the gap as labor shortages have reshaped poultry operations in Northeast Georgia. Billy Farmer, regional manager at Hog Slat Inc., the parent company of the Georgia Poultry Equipment Co. in Lexington, said the shift toward automation is picking up speed.
Philomath Presbyterian Church has been a prominent structure in Philomath since the mid 1800s. In the early 2000s, the Philomath Church Preservation Association was created to restore the church and its preserve its longstanding history. (Photo/Ansley Gavlak)

Philomath Presbyterian Church has been a prominent structure in Philomath since the mid 1800s. In the early 2000s, the Philomath Church Preservation Association was created to restore the church and its preserve its longstanding history. (Photo/Ansley Gavlak)

Beloved Philomath Presbyterian Church preserves history, unites community

Ansley Gavlak
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Driving along state Route 22, it’s hard to miss the historic buildings and Southern architecture on the two-lane road.  Stretching for just a mile in the southeastern corner of Oglethorpe County, the unincorporated community of Philomath might be small, but it carries a large history.
The Crawford City Council Sandra Sheridan (from left), Brenda Butler, city clerk Amy Wall-Lance, Mayor Seavy O’Neal, Kathy Little, Carol McGrath and Johnny Shedd met on Nov. 12 , 2024 for its monthly meeting. Sheridan stepped down last month after serving on the council for nearly 15 years. (Photo/ Sarah Coyne)

The Crawford City Council Sandra Sheridan (from left), Brenda Butler, city clerk Amy Wall-Lance, Mayor Seavy O’Neal, Kathy Little, Carol McGrath and Johnny Shedd met on Nov. 12 , 2024 for its monthly meeting. Sheridan stepped down last month after serving on the council for nearly 15 years. (Photo/ Sarah Coyne)

Sheridan steps down from Crawford City Council

Mia Fishman
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Crawford City Council member Sandra Sheridan, who has served on the city council for nearly 15 years, announced her resignation last month.  After moving forward with selling her house and moving out of the county, Sheridan said “it was time to resign.” “It was fun,” Sheridan said.