Local News

Lexington City Clerk Kim Bradford stands at the door of the new Lexington City Hall, which is being remodeled. Mayor Craig Snow said the renovations and a new parking lot are nearly complete. (Dink Nesmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Lexington City Clerk Kim Bradford stands at the door of the new Lexington City Hall, which is being remodeled. Mayor Craig Snow said the renovations and a new parking lot are nearly complete. (Dink Nesmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

New Lexington City Hall, parking lost almost ready

John James
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
The new Lexington City Hall is nearing the end of its renovation process.   Mayor Craig Snow said the new location — which is the same building as the old county probation office — should be done with renovations soon, complete with an all-new parking lot.
Danny Sanders, owner of Oglethorpe Feed and Hardware Supply, stands next to the store's pecan cracker-sheller. It can process 10 pounds of pecans a minute. (Dink Nesmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Danny Sanders, owner of Oglethorpe Feed and Hardware Supply, stands next to the store's pecan cracker-sheller. It can process 10 pounds of pecans a minute. (Dink Nesmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Go nuts: Sanders adds pecan cracker-sheller

Jared Smith
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Oglethorpe Feed and Hardware Supply has added a pecan cracker-sheller — just in time for pecan season.    The machine is available during store hours and until the end of the season. It costs 75 cents per pound to use and can process 10 pounds of pecans per minute.
The Oglethorpe Echo

The Oglethorpe Echo

New Ace owner, store settle into transition

News Staff
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Tripp Strickland, the new co-owner of two local Ace Hardware stores, has rebranded the Crawford store to Oglethorpe Ace Hardware, signaling a new chapter for the store and its role in the community.
Sharon Crawford (left) and Delbra Kendrick (right), hosts of the "War Room Show" work with the Oglethorpe County Senior Center’s Christy Kearns (front left) and Sheryl Howard (center) to spread gifts at the center earlier this month. The “War Room Show” worked with other organizations to buy and donate presents to those in need. (Meadow Barrow/The Oglethorpe Echo))

Sharon Crawford (left) and Delbra Kendrick (right), hosts of the "War Room Show" work with the Oglethorpe County Senior Center’s Christy Kearns (front left) and Sheryl Howard (center) to spread gifts at the center earlier this month. The “War Room Show” worked with other organizations to buy and donate presents to those in need. (Meadow Barrow/The Oglethorpe Echo))

A season of giving

Meadow Barrow
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Sharon Crawford, co-host of the “War Room Show,” said she knows the value of receiving gifts during the holiday season.    “I remember the time when I was the person on the other side who needed encouraging words,” Crawford said.

BOE starts work on drainage at track

Cassidy Hettesheimer
Sunday, December 10, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Board of Education is moving forward with grounds and facilities improvements.   Sod and track drainage work started this week with the goal of having everything complete in time for the Gary Matthews Invitational, the first track invitational in the spring.

BOC OKs additional payment to company

Jay Reece
Thursday, December 7, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners approved a payment of $217,000 to C.W. Matthews Contracting at its meeting on Monday.    C.W. Matthews was hired to resurface Hargrove Lake and Smithonia Roads. C.W. Matthews also restriped nearly every county road as a part of the project.

Oglethorpe part of rising budget trend

Jay Reece
Thursday, December 7, 2023
Property taxes will increase by 9.99% in 2024, despite a lower millage rate in Oglethorpe County. Rising home values drove the increase, but the trend is not unique to property.
Mary Ann Cox, a Lexington artist, created a poster called the "Twelve days of a Dog Gone Christmas" (pictured) to give to donors who donate to the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter and other shelters. She has raised over $500 in donations for the shelter. (Lily Reid Aldrich/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Mary Ann Cox, a Lexington artist, created a poster called the "Twelve days of a Dog Gone Christmas" (pictured) to give to donors who donate to the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter and other shelters. She has raised over $500 in donations for the shelter. (Lily Reid Aldrich/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Local artist gives back to shelters

Lily Reid Aldrich
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Local artist Mary Ann Cox is giving back to the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter and others by giving posters she created to those who donate to animal shelters.    The “Twelve Days of a Dog-Gone Christmas” is Cox’s adaptation of the song “Twelve Days of Christmas,” but themed around dogs.
Meadow Barrow/The Oglethorpe Echo

Meadow Barrow/The Oglethorpe Echo

Fewer speeding tickets given in school zones

Evan Smoak
Friday, December 1, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office has seen a reduction in speeding in school zones since ticketing started on Nov. 9.    “We are now down to 100-150 violations a day,” Sheriff David Gabriel said.