Opinion

Opinion Column: ‘Ain’t no right way to do the wrong thing’

Dink NeSmith
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Entitlement: “The condition of having a right to have, do, or get something.”  — The Britannica Dictionary.   If you’re wondering why Georgia Power is so determined to have its way with toxic coal-ash disposal, reread the definition of “entitlement.” In a dozen words, that’s why.
“Mr. NeSmith, can you tell the class the difference between quantity and quality?” — James E. Bacon, principal, Jesup Junior High School

“Mr. NeSmith, can you tell the class the difference between quantity and quality?” — James E. Bacon, principal, Jesup Junior High School

Opinion Column: A quantity of quality teachers

Dink NeSmith
Thursday, May 5, 2022
Our seventh-grade teacher, Mrs. Nanelle Bacon was absent one day. Her husband, the Jesup Junior High principal, stood in front of the blackboard. I was daydreaming and busy watching the dust motes dance in the sultry September air.   That’s when I heard a rich baritone voice, “Mr.

Editorial: Study and vote

News Staff
Thursday, May 5, 2022
The bell has sounded, and the 2022 election season is off to the races. Early voting started Monday morning, May 2. May 20 is the last day that you can vote early in the general primary slated for May 24.   The polls at 41 Fairground Road in Lexington will be open two Saturdays, May 7 and May 14.
Trash and debris litter the area around Rocky Drive in the northeast part of the county. (Photo/Dink NeSmith)

Trash and debris litter the area around Rocky Drive in the northeast part of the county. (Photo/Dink NeSmith)

Editorial: Keep Oglethorpe beautiful

News Staff
Thursday, May 5, 2022
Whether you are a newcomer or a fifth-generation resident of Oglethorpe County, there’s much in which we can share pride.   Most weeks, there’s a testimonial in this newspaper from a resident who extols, “Why I love Oglethorpe County.

Editorial: Safety reminder: keep out of quarries

News Staff
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
The rumblings in the Veribest Community are more than granite-laden big rigs running up and down Rocky Road. There are also rumors rumbling about what might be in the bottom of a long-since abandoned quarry.   Could it be the missing body parts of a murdered man, Jimmy Lee Anglin?
In celebration of Earth Day, the Oglethorpe County Landfill is hosting an opportunity for local residents to dispose of unwanted passenger-vehicle tires. Scale house operator Heidi Tidwell, left, and public works di- rector Adam Nation, right, pose to promote this Friday (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and Saturday’s (8-11:30 a.m.) event at 882 Athens Road in Crawford. (Dink Nesmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

In celebration of Earth Day, the Oglethorpe County Landfill is hosting an opportunity for local residents to dispose of unwanted passenger-vehicle tires. Scale house operator Heidi Tidwell, left, and public works di- rector Adam Nation, right, pose to promote this Friday (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and Saturday’s (8-11:30 a.m.) event at 882 Athens Road in Crawford. (Dink Nesmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Editorial: Get rid of those old tires

News Staff
Friday, April 22, 2022
Ahhhhhhhhchooooo!   Yes, indeed, it is sneezing season. Wash your car, and the next day it’s dusted with yellow pollen, again. The rain helps, but the water causes another problem.     Ouchhhhhh!   It’s also mosquito season.
Chris Thomas, a resident and parent who lives on Bunker Hill Road, urged county commissioners to investigate the possibility of a traffic light at the intersection with Highway 68. (Dink NeSmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Chris Thomas, a resident and parent who lives on Bunker Hill Road, urged county commissioners to investigate the possibility of a traffic light at the intersection with Highway 68. (Dink NeSmith/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Editorial: A second traffic light?

News Staff
Friday, April 8, 2022
Oglethorpe County has 442 square miles within its boundaries. If you have lived here long, you know our community of approximately 15,000 residents has many unique features.   One of its most prized attributes is the rural atmosphere.

Opinion Column: New clue more than likely solves family mystery

News Staff
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Big Dink went to his grave never knowing the names of two Georgia state patrolmen who came to his aid. That bothered me for more than 60 years. A pair of telephone calls — 14 years apart — have solved the mysteries.    One for certain. The other, most likely.   Go back to Sept. 27, 1958.