Local News

Judge Tyler Arnold talks to Scarlett Harris about her breeding doe during the Oglethorpe Area Winter Livestock Show on Saturday. The event included a contest between six local "celebrities." (Photo/Sara Micale)

Judge Tyler Arnold talks to Scarlett Harris about her breeding doe during the Oglethorpe Area Winter Livestock Show on Saturday. The event included a contest between six local "celebrities." (Photo/Sara Micale)

Brubaker, students winners of livestock show

Sara Micale
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Oglethorpe County youth weren’t the only ones competing in the Oglethorpe Area Winter Livestock Show on Saturday — six Oglethorpe County celebrities also competed for the title of Champion Celebrity Showman.
New Bethlehem Baptist Church is located in Carlton, Georgia. It is surrounded by farmland and contains a small school behind the church building. (Photo/Izzy Wagner)

New Bethlehem Baptist Church is located in Carlton, Georgia. It is surrounded by farmland and contains a small school behind the church building. (Photo/Izzy Wagner)

Church’s Black history celebration lasts entire month

Izzy Wagner
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Cows grazed silently in the vast fields outside of New Bethlehem Baptist Church in Carlton on Sunday. But within the church walls, the pastor’s voice boomed, filling every corner of the sanctuary.    Despite feeling under the weather that morning, the Rev.
Nikki Hughes, the owner of Camp Critter Wildlife Rescue, pets two recently orphaned piglets. The baby pigs are believed to be the offspring of a domesticated pig and a wild boar. (Photo/Sara Micale)

Nikki Hughes, the owner of Camp Critter Wildlife Rescue, pets two recently orphaned piglets. The baby pigs are believed to be the offspring of a domesticated pig and a wild boar. (Photo/Sara Micale)

Camp Critter welcomes baby wild pigs into fold

Sara Micale
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
  Camp Critter Wildlife Rescue, the only licensed wildlife rehabilitation center in Oglethorpe County, recently took in two baby wild pigs.     The piglets were found next to their deceased mother by a couple in Waynesboro, Georgia.
Debbie Winsett (right) and Rosanne Iturrian (left) make their way down the soul train line in a dance to Love Train by The O'Jays. This dance was a crowd favorite during the Valentine's Day event. (Lily Murphy/Oglethorpe Echo).

Debbie Winsett (right) and Rosanne Iturrian (left) make their way down the soul train line in a dance to Love Train by The O'Jays. This dance was a crowd favorite during the Valentine's Day event. (Lily Murphy/Oglethorpe Echo).

Seniors build bonds during annual Valentine’s Day dance

Lily Murphy
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
The Oglethorpe County Senior Center provides a community for seniors, especially during days like Valentine’s Day.    For some, it’s an opportunity to not be alone during a time of celebration.
Kassie Hodges, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty, stands in front of a model home at The Pines at Grove Creek in Crawford. This home isn’t in the 29-lot development, but homes in The Pines at Grove Creek will be built using this plan. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Kassie Hodges, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty, stands in front of a model home at The Pines at Grove Creek in Crawford. This home isn’t in the 29-lot development, but homes in The Pines at Grove Creek will be built using this plan. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Bunker Hill Road development opens to buyers

Margaux Binder
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
The Pines at Grove Creek, a 29-lot development off of Bunker Hill Road in Crawford, has homes ready for purchase.   Construction has started on the first of three stages, with 10 homes expected to be completed by early summer, said Alexander Purcell, the listing agent for the development.
Todd Smith (from left), Mark Atkins and Katie Armour welcome folks to Nature Harvest Meat Company’s grand opening celebration for its custom processing/in-store meat counter season on Feb. 10. Atkins, the owner of Second Chance BBQ, collaborated with Nature’s Harvest to cook meat for customers at the event. (Gianna Sandy/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Todd Smith (from left), Mark Atkins and Katie Armour welcome folks to Nature Harvest Meat Company’s grand opening celebration for its custom processing/in-store meat counter season on Feb. 10. Atkins, the owner of Second Chance BBQ, collaborated with Nature’s Harvest to cook meat for customers at the event. (Gianna Sandy/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Second Chance BBQ, Nature's Harvest team for grand re-opening

Sarah Myers
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
From the farm to the butcher to the barbeque, it takes a collaboration of local farmers and business owners to bring custom-processed meat to Oglethorpe County.
From left to right: Kelli Smith, Megan Coile and Kayla Grier. (Submitted Photos)

From left to right: Kelli Smith, Megan Coile and Kayla Grier. (Submitted Photos)

Incumbents Smith, Coile, Grier to run

News Staff
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Oglethorpe County’s judicial incumbents plan to defend their positions in this year’s election.   Kelli Paradise Smith, the clerk of superior clerk, Megan Coile, the chief magistrate judge, and Kayla Grier, the probate judge, all told The Oglethorpe Echo that they plan to run again.
86 pounds of methamphetamine along with a Springfield 9 mm handgun and $32,000 seized. (Submitted Photo)

86 pounds of methamphetamine along with a Springfield 9 mm handgun and $32,000 seized. (Submitted Photo)

Former Stephens resident arrested in drug seizure

News Staff
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Jose Macias-Garcia, who recently lived in the Sims Cross Road area in Stephens, was arrested as part of a drug bust at several properties in Athens-Clarke County on Friday, according to a release from the Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office.
Members of the Maxeys Community Club had supper and listened to guest speaker Sheriff David Gabriel at their meeting on Feb. 1. About 35 members and guests attended this month’s meeting, the club’s first with a speaker since the pandemic. (Photo/Tyler Lary)

Members of the Maxeys Community Club had supper and listened to guest speaker Sheriff David Gabriel at their meeting on Feb. 1. About 35 members and guests attended this month’s meeting, the club’s first with a speaker since the pandemic. (Photo/Tyler Lary)

Maxeys builds community through monthly meetings

Tyler Lary
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Members of the Maxeys Community Club ate, chatted and listened to guest speaker Sheriff David Gabriel at its meeting on Feb. 1. About 35 members and guests attended this month’s community club meeting, its first with a speaker since the pandemic.