Local News

The interior of one of the new 72-passanger Blue Bird gas-powered route buses Oglethorpe County School System received. The bus is equipped with air conditioning, bus two-way communication and crash mitigation. (Submitted Photo/The Oglethorpe Echo)

The interior of one of the new 72-passanger Blue Bird gas-powered route buses Oglethorpe County School System received. The bus is equipped with air conditioning, bus two-way communication and crash mitigation. (Submitted Photo/The Oglethorpe Echo)

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New school buses are first two with AC

Lee Short
Thursday, April 25, 2024
The Oglethorpe County School System has received two of the three new buses with air conditioning that were ordered as a part of the system’s yearly bus replacement rotation.
(Photo/Sidney Chansamone)

(Photo/Sidney Chansamone)

Library system to review book in question

Michael Johnson
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Controversy has surrounded the book “All Boys Aren’t Blue” since the Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners’ meeting on April 2. Valerie Bell, director of the Athens Regional Library System, said the library is taking the concerns seriously.
Commission chair Jay Paul

Commission chair Jay Paul

Candidates to address questions at forum

News Staff
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Commission Chair Jay Paul, Sheriff David Gabriel and state representative Trey Rhodes are among the elected officials and candidates who have committed to participate in the candidate forum at the Historic Crawford Depot on Thursday, April 18.   A meet and greet will start at 5:30 p.m.
Sarah Rutherford, who said her previous flock of more than 30 chickens was nearly wiped out by a neighborhood dog, has a new flock with 42 birds, thanks to donations from folks throughout Oglethorpe County. The Lexington resident holds the only chicken to survive the recent attacks. (Dink NeSmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Sarah Rutherford, who said her previous flock of more than 30 chickens was nearly wiped out by a neighborhood dog, has a new flock with 42 birds, thanks to donations from folks throughout Oglethorpe County. The Lexington resident holds the only chicken to survive the recent attacks. (Dink NeSmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Residents express dog concerns

Zeke Palermo
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Read more about the laws about dogs here. Sarah Rutherford woke up to the sound of her dog barking on the morning of March 24. Grimm, a blue heeler mix, wanted to go outside.  “I thought maybe there was a possum or something on my front porch,” she said. “So, I let him out to go chase it.
Screenshot of the Oglethorpe County Code of Ordinances, available online.

Screenshot of the Oglethorpe County Code of Ordinances, available online.

Explainer: What laws say about dangerous dogs

Zeke Palermo
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Concerns from residents about the county’s responsibility for stray or dangerous dogs have been expressed both at Board of Commissioners meetings and through letters to The Oglethorpe Echo, including in last week’s edition.  The Echo took a look at the Official Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.
Will Brown (right) chats with fellow Oglethorpe County Commissioner Howard Sanders during a meeting. Brown is running unopposed for his second term from District 4. (ASHLEY BALSAVIAS/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Will Brown (right) chats with fellow Oglethorpe County Commissioner Howard Sanders during a meeting. Brown is running unopposed for his second term from District 4. (ASHLEY BALSAVIAS/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

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Q&A: Broadband access important for Brown

News Staff
Thursday, April 18, 2024
William Brown, who is in his first term, is running unopposed for reelection to the District 4 Commissioner seat. The Oglethorpe Echo spoke with Brown to learn more about his plans for his next term.    Comments have been edited for length and clarity.
Andy Barrs proposes a mixed-use development project in Arnoldsville at the Oglethorpe County Economic Development Authority meeting last month. The Arnoldsville City Council voted to turn down the project. (Photo/Margaux Binder)

Andy Barrs proposes a mixed-use development project in Arnoldsville at the Oglethorpe County Economic Development Authority meeting last month. The Arnoldsville City Council voted to turn down the project. (Photo/Margaux Binder)

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Arnoldsville turns down development project

Tyler Lary
Thursday, April 18, 2024
The Arnoldsville City Council voted not to annex Andy Barrs’ commercial and residential development plan in March, leading Barrs to say he’s ending the project.    Arnoldsville Mayor Danny Morcom said the city is too small for a project of that size, and it doesn’t have the funds for it.
Oglethorpe County zoning board members Janet Hill (from left), Robert Drew, Jimmy Shealy and county planner McKenzie Spooner call the April zoning board meeting to order. The board approved two rezoning requests and discussed the 90-day moratorium on minor subdivisions. (Sarah Myers/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Oglethorpe County zoning board members Janet Hill (from left), Robert Drew, Jimmy Shealy and county planner McKenzie Spooner call the April zoning board meeting to order. The board approved two rezoning requests and discussed the 90-day moratorium on minor subdivisions. (Sarah Myers/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Zoning Board OKs rezone for quarry

Sarah Myers
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
The Oglethorpe County Zoning Board unanimously approved the rezoning of land along Lexington-Carlton Road to reopen a quarry to mine dimension stone and granite at Monday’s meeting.    The board approved the zoning change from general agriculture to heavy industrial for the 70.93-acre plot.