Local News

A&B Emporium co-owner, Bret Williamson, stands at the front of the store. Alice Williamson said they plan to retire and have sold the space to Blake Arnold. (Grace Mains/The Oglethorpe Echo)

A&B Emporium co-owner, Bret Williamson, stands at the front of the store. Alice Williamson said they plan to retire and have sold the space to Blake Arnold. (Grace Mains/The Oglethorpe Echo)

A&B Emporium closes doors

McCain Bracewell
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Alice and Bret Williamson look forward to visiting their grandchildren and taking more cruises with their newfound time. The Williamsons, who live in Lexington, are closing A&B Emporium in downtown Crawford on Thursday, July 18.  “My husband’s health is not the best,” Alice said.

Nimmons says ‘prayers’ help daughter’s recovery

McCain Bracewell
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Heather Nimmons said her daughter Mercee Nimmons is doing well two weeks after returning home from the Children’s Hospital of Georgia in Augusta.  Mercee even made it out to see fireworks on the Fourth of July. “The doctor told us, I don’t know how she was healing as well as she is,” Heather said.
Trey Miller (right) speaks to four players in his Dungeons & Dragons game held at the Oglethorpe County Library. The library will hold its final D&D session of the summer at 11 a.m. on July 20. Also pictured, from left: Jayla Andrews, Pam Mitchell and John Lombardi. (Zeke Palermo/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Trey Miller (right) speaks to four players in his Dungeons & Dragons game held at the Oglethorpe County Library. The library will hold its final D&D session of the summer at 11 a.m. on July 20. Also pictured, from left: Jayla Andrews, Pam Mitchell and John Lombardi. (Zeke Palermo/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Dungeons & Dragons players gather at library for games

Zeke Palermo
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
A ragtag team of adventurers from across the Forgotten Realms defeated three gelatinous cubes aboard Captain Gill’s pirate ship before it was shattered by a kraken.

BOE sets 24.5% increase for out-of-district students

Zeke Palermo
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Students who live outside Oglethorpe County must pay $3,374 to attend Oglethorpe County schools during the 2024-25 school year. This amount, a 24.5% increase from last year’s rate, was made official at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.
Spencer Sato and Paul Thiel look at the unfinished gymnasium in the new Oglethorpe County Elementary School. Thiel said the project is on-time and on-budget. (McCain Bracewell/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Spencer Sato and Paul Thiel look at the unfinished gymnasium in the new Oglethorpe County Elementary School. Thiel said the project is on-time and on-budget. (McCain Bracewell/The Oglethorpe Echo)

New school moves ahead on schedule

McCain Bracewell
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Paul Thiel estimates that 65-70% of construction in phase 1 for the new Oglethorpe County Elementary School is complete.  Thiel, the school system’s director of operations, said the project is on schedule for Dec. 4 and on budget for $41.5 million.
Volunteer Delsia Summerall (left) and Amanda York, the home delivery meals coordinator visit their first house on a recent Tuesday. The Oglethorpe County Senior Center delivers meals to residents throughout the county Monday through Wednesday every week. (Sarah Coyne/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Volunteer Delsia Summerall (left) and Amanda York, the home delivery meals coordinator visit their first house on a recent Tuesday. The Oglethorpe County Senior Center delivers meals to residents throughout the county Monday through Wednesday every week. (Sarah Coyne/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Meals on wheels: senior center makes special deliveries

Sarah Coyne
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Amanda York and Oglethorpe County Senior Center volunteers filled their van with meals and goodies on a recent Tuesday. They drove off with a plan to drop off meals to residents ages 60 and up all across the county.
Fred Gretsch, who opened G Brand BBQ in Crawford in 2018, has opened a second location in Watkinsville. He said he wants to make sure that restaurant is stable before future expansion. (Sarah White/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Fred Gretsch, who opened G Brand BBQ in Crawford in 2018, has opened a second location in Watkinsville. He said he wants to make sure that restaurant is stable before future expansion. (Sarah White/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Gretsch opens G Brand location in Watkinsville

Jack Keys
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
G Brand BBQ’s success has led to a second location.  Owner Fred Gretsch opened another restaurant on Hog Mountain Road in Watkinsville in March, joining the original in Crawford, which opened in 2018. “It did immeasurably more than I could have ever thought,” he said. “It’s just been a blessing.
Jeff Welch, longtime educator and former superintendent of Oglethorpe County School System, is the new president of the Oglethorpe County Rotary Club. Recruitment will be a focus in Welch’s year in office. (Wyatt Meyer/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Jeff Welch, longtime educator and former superintendent of Oglethorpe County School System, is the new president of the Oglethorpe County Rotary Club. Recruitment will be a focus in Welch’s year in office. (Wyatt Meyer/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Welch to focus on growth as Rotary president

Wyatt Meyer
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Jeff Welch is the Oglethorpe County Rotary Club’s new president, but he is anything but new to Oglethorpe County.
Cody Gibbs, assistant chief of the Beaverdam VFD, said the decision to leave Oglethorpe Consolidated Fire and Rescue won’t impact the automatic aid agreements the station has with surrounding stations. (Andy Johnston/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Cody Gibbs, assistant chief of the Beaverdam VFD, said the decision to leave Oglethorpe Consolidated Fire and Rescue won’t impact the automatic aid agreements the station has with surrounding stations. (Andy Johnston/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Beaverdam makes move to lower ISO

Zeke Palermo
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
The Beaverdam Volunteer Fire Department will go independent, likely later this month, with the aim of reducing homeowner insurance costs in the area. Beaverdam leadership notified Oglethorpe Consolidated Fire and Rescue of its plan to separate from the then-six-station alliance in June.