solutions journalism

Firefighters from the Vesta Volunteer Fire Department demonstrate how to use the tankers and pools during a training session. The tankers help firefighters throughout the county fight fires where there’s a shortage of hydrants. (Photo submitted by Mike Moravek.)

Firefighters from the Vesta Volunteer Fire Department demonstrate how to use the tankers and pools during a training session. The tankers help firefighters throughout the county fight fires where there’s a shortage of hydrants. (Photo submitted by Mike Moravek.)

Tanker task force helps with lack of hydrants

Frankie Hennessy
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Cody Gibbs was the first one to reach the scene of the fire that day, and he knew it was massive. “I could see the glow of the fire as I left my driveway, which was about a mile, mile and a half away,” Beaverdam’s assistant fire chief said.
The Cabaniss Dairy farm is seen on Nov. 6, 2023. The farm exports organic milk from Stephens, Georgia, in Oglethorpe County. (Sidney Chansamone/The Oglethorpe Echo)

The Cabaniss Dairy farm is seen on Nov. 6, 2023. The farm exports organic milk from Stephens, Georgia, in Oglethorpe County. (Sidney Chansamone/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Farm-to-table: An inside look at the Cabaniss Dairy operation

Sidney Chansamone and Caleb Rollins
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
At the same time every day, seven days a week, Jim Cabaniss can be found at work on the organic dairy farm he owns and operates along with his brother, Jon, in Stephens.   “We run 24/7.
Laura Pallas, who co-owns Buffalo Creek Berry Farm and has a doctorate in food science from the University of Georgia, holds her son Arthur James Phillips in February 2022. Pallas uses leftover produce in a manner of ways, including syrups and jams. (Kate Hoffman/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Laura Pallas, who co-owns Buffalo Creek Berry Farm and has a doctorate in food science from the University of Georgia, holds her son Arthur James Phillips in February 2022. Pallas uses leftover produce in a manner of ways, including syrups and jams. (Kate Hoffman/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Farmers find ways to reduce produce waste

John James
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Produce farming is hard. It’s a year-round industry, filled with long hours, intensive labor, and fruits and vegetables that go out of season at a moment’s notice. Even when farmers can produce a bountiful crop, it’s impossible to sell everything.  Inevitably, goods are left over.
Katie Hammond climbs on a tractor during her class at the UGA Extension’s Southern Women in Agriculture workshop on Aug. 25. Hammond has served as a research superintendent for UGA's College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences since 2018. (John James/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Katie Hammond climbs on a tractor during her class at the UGA Extension’s Southern Women in Agriculture workshop on Aug. 25. Hammond has served as a research superintendent for UGA's College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences since 2018. (John James/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Women lead, learn at farming workshop

John James
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Amanda Walter returned to Georgia one year ago with a background in computer science and virtually no experience in agriculture.   Walter, 41, had become desensitized with the hustle and bustle of the cybersecurity industry in Utah, and she wanted a fresh start for her and her family.
Kelli Paradise Smith, the Superior Court Clerk of Oglethorpe County, said the Filing Activity Notification System (FANS) could help a property owner avoid scams that could cost them their home. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Kelli Paradise Smith, the Superior Court Clerk of Oglethorpe County, said the Filing Activity Notification System (FANS) could help a property owner avoid scams that could cost them their home. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

New alert system designed to protect property owners

Emily Lupo
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
The Oglethorpe County Superior Court Clerk’s office is promoting a new system to help protect local property owners from deed theft — a system even the clerk is using herself.
Debbie Winsett, who transcribes and translates textbooks for the visually impaired, received her Braille Transcriber certification in 2010. (OLIVIA SHAPIRO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Debbie Winsett, who transcribes and translates textbooks for the visually impaired, received her Braille Transcriber certification in 2010. (OLIVIA SHAPIRO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

In high demand

Molly Linder and Olivia Shapiro
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
At the bottom of every email Crawford resident Debbie Winsett sends, she includes a quote from Helen Keller’s book “Light in My Darkness”: “There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark.
Seven couples engage in an activity about maintaining strong connections in an Elevate class last month. Elevate is an eight-week program focused on reconnecting couples. (Gianna Rodriguez/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Seven couples engage in an activity about maintaining strong connections in an Elevate class last month. Elevate is an eight-week program focused on reconnecting couples. (Gianna Rodriguez/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Free relationship education program reconnects couples

Gianna Rodriguez and Shelby Wingate
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Seven couples fill the small space that will be their classroom for the next hour and a half. Everyone is used to the routine: they sign in, grab dinner for the whole family and the couple then takes a seat at the large, square table while kids go to child care.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Large corral-style traps have been identified as the most effective tool to manage the population of feral swine in Oglethorpe County, as opposed to other methods of shooting and hunting the animals.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Large corral-style traps have been identified as the most effective tool to manage the population of feral swine in Oglethorpe County, as opposed to other methods of shooting and hunting the animals.

Experts: Trap, don’t shoot, feral swine

Morgan Quinn and Jack Rhodes
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Kendall Strickland has known about feral swine since 2015. Yet, it wasn’t until connecting with local communities through his business in Lexington, Strickland Pride Produce, that he understood their devastating effect on local farmers and landowners.