Local News

The Oglethorpe County Library staff includes (from left): Nicole Hensley, Katherine Ratcliffe, Jessica Ellis and Laura Lindsey. They recently received the Athens Regional Library System 2024 Most Valuable Team Award. (Submitted Photo)

The Oglethorpe County Library staff includes (from left): Nicole Hensley, Katherine Ratcliffe, Jessica Ellis and Laura Lindsey. They recently received the Athens Regional Library System 2024 Most Valuable Team Award. (Submitted Photo)

Oglethorpe County Library rewarded for hard work, creativity

Kendall Kelly
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
 A petting zoo, a snowstorm in July and a sushi-making class have all brought people to the Oglethorpe County Library over the past year.  “I’m kind of a pioneer personality type,” Oglethorpe County Library manager Katherine Ratcliffe said.
The event promoting local businesses will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 on Main Street in Lexington. Contact Linda Parish at 706-340-1049 or lindaparish1012@gmail.com to be a vendor or with questions.

The event promoting local businesses will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 on Main Street in Lexington. Contact Linda Parish at 706-340-1049 or lindaparish1012@gmail.com to be a vendor or with questions.

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Lexington’s local businesses are in spotlight on Saturday

Chloe Beaver
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Small business owner Linda Parish urges local residents to shop small and support the community during the annual Small Business Saturday this weekend.
The Oglethorpe County marching band performs their halftime routine at the football game against Washington-Wilkes on Aug. 30. The band had only about 30 members this season. (SAYLOR WILLIAMS/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

The Oglethorpe County marching band performs their halftime routine at the football game against Washington-Wilkes on Aug. 30. The band had only about 30 members this season. (SAYLOR WILLIAMS/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

OCHS marching band ends strong despite low numbers

Ashby Booth
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
 The Oglethorpe County High School Marching Band concluded its season with a second-place finish at the Tiger Town Throwdown Marching Competition in Commerce on Nov. 2.   The band, under the direction of Lee Jones, performed its 2024 show titled “The Golden Spike” at two competitions this season.

MOAS, county work on deal

Alex Perri
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Oglethorpe County officials and the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter (MOAS) are in talks to renegotiate the terms of their contract to house Oglethorpe County animals at the shelter. The parties met Nov. 22 and Nov.
Chef Paulette Cade prepares food at Carrie's Corner Store & Cafe on Monday. Cade, who has worked at Carrie's for nearly two years, creates the menu of hot lunch specials each day. (Ella Kroll/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Chef Paulette Cade prepares food at Carrie's Corner Store & Cafe on Monday. Cade, who has worked at Carrie's for nearly two years, creates the menu of hot lunch specials each day. (Ella Kroll/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Carrie's serves home cooking, community

Ella Kroll
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Carrie’s Corner Store & Cafe in Stephens has it all — a menu spanning from breakfast plates and biscuits to boiled peanuts, buttermilk pie and everything in between. But what owner Carrie Faris is most proud of about her store is the community it has built since it opened in 2022.
Will Stevenson said he’s enacted several changes since he was hired as the executive director of MOAS in September. He said MOAS has cut the number of animals from about 300 to 181. (Submitted Photo)

Will Stevenson said he’s enacted several changes since he was hired as the executive director of MOAS in September. He said MOAS has cut the number of animals from about 300 to 181. (Submitted Photo)

Q&A: MOAS’ new director strives for stability

Alex Perri
Thursday, November 21, 2024
The Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter (MOAS) hired William Stevenson as its executive director in September. Stevenson has spent the past several years of his career in animal control for Gwinnett and Barrow counties, working his way up from kennel tech to animal cruelty and neglect investigator.
Sgt. Johnathan Duke gives a church safety presentation to members of the Sonlight Baptist Church at the Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office. (Alex Perri/The Oglethorpe Echo))

Sgt. Johnathan Duke gives a church safety presentation to members of the Sonlight Baptist Church at the Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office. (Alex Perri/The Oglethorpe Echo))

To worship and protect: New class leads churches through security training

Alex Perri
Thursday, November 21, 2024
ALEX PERRI/THE OGLETHORPE ECHOSgt. Johnathan Duke assists Aaron Reynolds, pastor of Sonlight Baptist Church, with a virtual reality headset during the church safety class. The class also included time on the gun range.  ALEX PERRI/THE OGLETHORPE ECHOSgt.
Kathleen deMarrais, president of Historic Oglethorpe County, introduces speaker Linda Bishop before her presentation on the history of Oglethorpe County at the library on Tuesday. It was the group’s final meeting of the year.

Kathleen deMarrais, president of Historic Oglethorpe County, introduces speaker Linda Bishop before her presentation on the history of Oglethorpe County at the library on Tuesday. It was the group’s final meeting of the year.

Meeting highlights county’s key historical figures

Avni Trivedi
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Elijah Clarke, Wilson Lumpkin, William Harris Crawford and David Crenshaw Barrow have last names most Oglethorpe and Athens-Clarke County residents recognize.  That’s because “it almost always leads back to Oglethorpe County,” Tom Gresham said.

County hires first two SROs

Makenzy Wolford
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Two school resource officers (SROs) have been hired for Oglethorpe County School System and are expected to begin in January.  Robert Kline and Kevin Wright were selected in a nearly unanimous decision.
Tracy Norman, District 5 commissioner, responds to emails regarding the county in his office at Boehringer Ingelheim in Athens, Ga. This is where Norman works full time when he is not serving Oglethorpe County. On a slow day of being a board member, Norman might only do as much as respond to emails from residents. (Photo / Mary Catherine Dodys)

Tracy Norman, District 5 commissioner, responds to emails regarding the county in his office at Boehringer Ingelheim in Athens, Ga. This is where Norman works full time when he is not serving Oglethorpe County. On a slow day of being a board member, Norman might only do as much as respond to emails from residents. (Photo / Mary Catherine Dodys)

Norman stays busy in role as commissioner

Mary Catherine Dodys
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Tracy Norman always keeps a yellow safety vest on hand.  Depending on the day, Norman might wear his yellow vest while visiting animal health sites in North Carolina, Puerto Rico or Connecticut.