July 7, 2026
Portrait of Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jay Paul
From left: Deacon Edgar Alexander, Bishop Calvin Turner, Reverend Clarence Burgess, and Deacon L. M. Echols sit in the front row of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Stephens, Georgia as Reverend Dr. R. A. Hunter gives acknowledgements at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Program sponsored by the Concerned Men of Oglethorpe County on Jan. 20, 2025. Reverend Dr. R. A. Hunter is the president of the Concerned Men of Oglethorpe County. (Photo / Lux Corrona)
There's been a sharp increase in the number of birds infected with HPAI, or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, since 2022. A positive case was detected in Elbert County Friday.
Harper Bondie (left) and Colton Hansford (right) with their new bikes that were purchased with the help of Leisha Shipp and Steve Fields. These bikes replaced Christmas presents that went missing on Dec. 26. (Submitted Photo)
Steven King, Oglethorpe County Middle School gifted science teacher, said he hopes “Science in Action” will “give people ideas of how to structure things and to make it where science becomes more relevant.” (Bridget Goodman/The Oglethorpe Echo)
Snow covered Mt. Pleasant Community Church provides a picturesque setting in Crawford on Friday. The Athens area received about 1.5 inches of snow on Jan. 10, according to the National Weather Service. The weather forced businesses to close and the cancellation of schools and athletic events throughout the area. (Submitted Photo)
Artist Marisa Mustard adds the finishing touches to the mural that she painted on the side of Rowdy Rooster in Lexington. The mural includes pies, moon flowers, hummingbirds and a ladybug. (Dakota Meeks/The Oglethorpe Echo)
Renee McCannon, a mentor at the Oglethorpe County Foothills, poses with graduation robes. McCannon also is a mentor coordinator and REACH scholarship coordinator for Madison County Schools. (Bridget Goodman/The Oglethorpe Echo)
Virginia Sanders, far right, crochets as she engages in conversation with others at a Covered with Love meeting at Lexington Baptist Church in 2023. The members, who create and donate afghans, plan on giving their work to the Oglethorpe County EMTs on Saturday. (Elizabeth Rymarev/The Oglethorpe Echo)