Oconee County, GA Politics

Biodiesel finds home in backyards By Stephanie Schupska University of Georgia The biodiesel topic is hitting the lips of those working in places ranging from labs to government regulations offices. As fuel prices continue to mount, many Americans have started hunting ways to make transportation more economical. And that includes the production of biodiesel. "Biodiesel has true scale-ability," said Rob Del Bueno of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. "It can be made in a multimilliongallon tank or in a 2-liter bottle in a kitchen if done carefully." Del Bueno knows this firsthand. After college, he promoted a band that played gigs wherever they could get them. To save money, they converted the tour van to run on vegetable oil taken straight from the fryers at the bars where they played. Del Bueno was hooked, not on the band, but on the fuel they used. He started tearing apart engines, making his own biodiesel and running his car on it. He then started making it f...

As some of you may know, I worked as an assistant to Bonnie Murphy in Eagle Tavern when it was still the Welcome Center. So I will be happy to do so again in a volunteer capacity as I read in the Enterprise today. Eagle Tavern should not go unattended. I wish volunteer my services, but contingent upon one very important request. I must again insist on trying to get Eagle Tavern open on the Bicentennial of the city of Watkinsville Nov. 24, 2006. I know Anita has graciously offered us the use of the front lawn of Eagle Tavern and a tent, but given the chance for inclement weather that day, I would like to ask all parties to please reconsider their intransigence on this issue. This can be a win-win situation for everybody. I have worked for the Oconee County Government before as the assitant to the Welcome Center director. I will be glad to do so again, but if and only if I can receive assurances that I can open Eagle Tavern on the day of Watkinsville's Bicentennial - yes the day afte...

This article might not answer that hot button issue, but this is about the man who has been selected to be the new tax man here in Watkinsville: Board chooses likely appointee for chief tax appraiser position Oconee County By Merritt Melancon | juliana.melancon@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 12:24 AM on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 WATKINSVILLE - The Oconee County Board of Assessors has chosen former Greene County Chief Tax Assessor Allen Skinner as the likely appointee to fill the vacant chief tax appraiser's post. Todd Paschal, the county's long-time chief tax appraiser, resigned from the post in March to take a higher paying job as chief tax appraiser in Morgan County. Assessors Chairman James Miller said Skinner's depth of experience as both a county tax assessor and in the real estate business set him apart from the three other candidates the board interviewed for the position. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's degree in busi...

New York Times May 21, 2006 NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES Honoring a Rich Past While Moving Forward By ANNE BERRYMAN Madison, Ga. DURING the Civil War, Maj. Gen. Henry Warner Slocum ordered his troops to spare Madison from destruction. He did so at the pleading of the mayor, Joshua Hill, a former congressman who opposed secession and who resigned when the Confederate States of America seceded from the Union. Today, the leaders of this city of 3,781, with its array of well-maintained Greek Revival, Victorian and Craftsman-style houses, continue to fend off any challenge to its historic character. "We're threatened by growth," said Michael J. Naples, a Madison city councilman who moved here six years ago from Egg Harbor Township, N.J., where, he said, "the builders descended upon us like locusts" after changes in zoning. Mr. Naples said he shudders to think of Madison developing as rapidly. "There's a certain beauty to this town," he said. "There's ...

Recent polls show that Georgia Lieutenant Governor candidates Ralph Reed and State Senator Casey Cagle are running neck and neck, with seven short weeks to go until their primary election. Shockingly, more than 50% of Republican voters haven't decided who to vote for yet. Help us educate voters about the real Ralph Reed with a contribution today. We have very little time. In today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution, pollster Matt Towrey summed up what what's going to happen: "This is a race that's up for grabs for whoever wants to spend the most money on television and claim it." With Reed leading the money chase, everyone expects a typical Reed smear campaign any day, like the charges he made against decorated vet Senator Max Cleland being soft on terrorism and the love-child he claimed Senator John McCain had. We need your support right now to introduce Reed as a typical, hypocritical politician who doesn't practice what he preaches. Both candidates know e...

Each side of the political spectrum loves to hurl insults at the other. Both extremes want to frame the arguments with labels and names marketed carefully to bring out the strongest response. It is with this in mind I launch the Save America First campaign. This movement will shift focus from foreign intervention to domestic tranquility. We need to make sure our country prospers in face of economic and terrorist threats. We love our country, we support our soldiers, we rejoice when they come home alive

I am trying to help the City of Watkinsville celebrate their bicentennial with a photo stamp, postal cancellation and cachet envelope commemorating the 200 years. The postmaster Dayna Mahaffey and the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce have been very helpful in the process. Today Charles Grimes gave me a colorful John Gholson print from Fall Festivals long gone past. I think it was number 486 of 600. They have a fantastic treasure trove of historic area prints in that place. I took the large Gholson print down to Pritz Plus so they can scan and print it on the envelope. Anita Ford at Eagle Tavern has graciously offered us the opportunity to cancel mail with the special Eagle Tavern Station commemorative cancellation the day after Thanksgiving day in the front of Eagle Tavern in a tent. Does anyone have a large weather proof tent I could borrow in late November? I would bet between OCAF and Ashford Manor we can scare one up by Halloween at least. The Oconee County Democratic Committee do...

Jay Hanley kindly replied to my query about Cowsert's companion, and I was wrong about him being his son. I have seen Doc Eldrige and apparent son eating at Foodworks recently with the younger one wearing a Cowsert shirt. Here it is Dan, Thank you for your attendance at Thursday's Oconee GOP meeting and for your comments about the well-run meeting. I am glad you felt welcome. That is our aim. On your blog, you pose a question to me as to who the young man was with Bill Cowsert. That was his campaign manager, Chris Herdner. As you observed, no local government officials were present for Ralph Reed's speech. Sheriff Berry is on Casey Cagle's list of endorsers as are Commissioners Luke and Horton. I don't know where the other commissioners stand on the LG race. Chairman Melvin Davis was out of town so that is why he was not present at the meeting. Again, thank you for your attendance. Jay Hanley Secretary, Oconee County Republican Party The topic that echoes th...