Oglethorpe Echo

Austin Gabriel (holding the trophy) helped the University of North Georgia's Ranger Challenge Team win its fourth consecutive Spartan Ranger Challenge (Submitted Photo)

Austin Gabriel (holding the trophy) helped the University of North Georgia's Ranger Challenge Team win its fourth consecutive Spartan Ranger Challenge (Submitted Photo)

Oglethorpe County grad helps win Spartan Ranger Challenge

Oglethorpe County High School grad Austin Gabriel helped the University of North Georgia’s Ranger Challenge team win its fourth consecutive Spartan Ranger Challenge at Fort Knox, Kentucky, last month.

Former commission chairman loses finger, flown to hospital

Former Oglethorpe County Commission Chairman Robert Johnson, 84, suffered the loss of the ring finger on one hand on Monday during a firewood-cutting excursion with friend Thomas Wheless.    Reportedly, no surgeon was available to try and reattach Johnson's finger in Athens.
Estelle Lloyd

Estelle Lloyd

Obituary: Estelle Lloyd

  Estelle Free Lloyd, 102, passed away peacefully on Nov. 6, 2021.    Born in Madison County, Georgia on Sept. 11, 1919, Estelle was the daughter of the late Charley Eldridge Free and Minnie Lawson Free.

Holland looks to build on his first football season

The Oglethorpe County football team, under first-year head coach Mike Holland,  concluded its season with a 24-7 loss against Westside-Augusta on Friday to finish 3-7 and 3-4 in Region 4-AA. They finished fifth in the final 4-AA standings, falling just short of the playoffs.
(Submitted Photo)

(Submitted Photo)

Lady Patriots fourth at state meet

Lizzie Wadsworth was 10th overall to lead the Oglethorpe County girls cross country team to a fourth-place finish at the Class AA state meet at Carrollton High School on Nov. 5.   Wadsworth, a junior, had a time of 21:21.13 as Oglethorpe County finished with 169 points.
Ralph Maxwell, former owner and editor of The Oglethorpe Echo, poses for a portrait outside of The Oglethorpe Echo building on Oct. 29, 2021. Maxwell had been the owner, publisher and editor of the Echo since 1981. (Photo/Sarah White)

Ralph Maxwell, former owner and editor of The Oglethorpe Echo, poses for a portrait outside of The Oglethorpe Echo building on Oct. 29, 2021. Maxwell had been the owner, publisher and editor of the Echo since 1981. (Photo/Sarah White)

A new era for the Echo

For 40 years, Ralph Maxwell Jr. has served his community as editor of the Oglethorpe Echo.   However, the Echo’s inability to generate revenue and Maxwell’s health issues made it difficult for him to continue to operate the newspaper.
The staff of The Oglethorpe Echo has a combined 188 years of service to the county.  From left, Brenda Norman, Jessica Colquitt, Ralph Maxwell, Elaine McGarity and John Harold Williams, say they leave behind strong connections to each other. (Submitted Photo)

The staff of The Oglethorpe Echo has a combined 188 years of service to the county. From left, Brenda Norman, Jessica Colquitt, Ralph Maxwell, Elaine McGarity and John Harold Williams, say they leave behind strong connections to each other. (Submitted Photo)

Echo staff built tight relationships

“It’s been wonderful!” Brenda Norman exclaimed when asked about her job at the Oglethorpe Echo.   Norman has been the Echo’s bookkeeper for the past 36 years, after one day impulsively quitting her previous job at the local bank. She hasn’t wanted to leave since.