Oconee County, GA Politics

The 25 th Georgia Blog Carnival is up over at Marketing Through the Clutter . Many thanks go to our hostess, Sandi, and to everyone who submitted a post. If you would like to link to the carnival and alert your readers about it the url is : http://sandisolow.blogspot.com/2007/12/25th-georgia-blog-carnival.html

The following is from Pat Priest of the Oconee County Democratic Committee. She should be the chair, but is not. I have walked the long trails of Harris Shoals Park many times with Lowell and have seen huge snakes and birds and fish among many other creatures. I am afraid my son will not be able to make this event but I strongly urge anyone and everyone else to do so if they can. Hi, Fred and others! I've scheduled it for Friday instead -- at 2 PM. I hope you can join us that day! December 28th Naturalist-led walk for families The Oconee County Democrats are sponsoring a free walk in the woods led by a local naturalist at Harris Shoals Park on December 28th, a Friday, at 2 PM. The park is just outside the city of Watkinsville, at Highway 53 and VFW Drive. Families from Oconee and nearby counties are encouraged to join us outdoors for an hour or so to explore the lovely creek and wetlands of Harris Shoals. Dress warmly! For more information, contact Pat Priest ( ppriest@char...

This Saturday, December 22nd, Kroger in the Alps Shopping Center is holding a special event to help raise money for Sgt. Courtney Gale, the ACCPD officer that was brutally attacked last week, and who remains in ICU at St. Mary's Hospital. The details are below. Blood Drive from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Cook-out from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm - hot dogs, chips, drinks Silent Auction from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm - we have numerous UGA related items including: an autographed football from Mark Richt, autographed photographs of Dennis Felton and Andy Landers, a warm up suit from the UGA basketball team, numerous items from the UGA Gymdogs, a football commemorating the 700th victory of the UGA football team dated November 11, 2006 versus Auburn, and many other items. We are trying to secure more items from UGA including some camp passes from the different athletic teams provided they do not violate NCAA rules. Bulldog 103.7 will be here from 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm doing a live remote. Do me a favor and pass...

Better put away those pitchforks and torches people. Seems North High Shoals won't be wiped out this evening after all due to a sickness and a lack of quorum and legal advice to Fred Johnson. Dontcha just love small town politics?

People have tons of stuff to get rid of at this time of year. Normally I put a lot of items on Athens Freecycle for the first person to claim, but this is a time for donating good quality used items to the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation OCAF Thrift Sale The OCAF Annual Thrift Sale 2008 fundraiser will be held on March 14-15. We will be ready to accept your tax deductible donation of items beginning this Fri. Drop off dates - Dec 21-22 & 28-29 from 10 am - 2 pm Drop off location – Rocket Hall on School Street, Watkinsville Please share this information with your neighbors and co-workers. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact Cindy at the OCAF office (706) 759-3903 or email info@ocaf.com .

Tonight at 7:30 pm (thanks Steve) - Thursday, December 20th, 2007 - there will be a special called meeting of the North High Shoals city council prompted by the paranoia of two of the old school members of the city council: Eddie Cape and Mayor Jeff Thomas. They are pushing for a referendum to dissolve the town charter. Their fear seems to stem from the recent election of one new council member Steve Holzman. Thomas, the owner of the Family Life Retirement Home - ran several elections past against Gaynor Bracewell, who ran on a dissolve the town platform. The late Bracewell, who owned a couple of homes near his Paradiso Falls water recreation and beach, lost by a large margin to Thomas in that election. Please attend this meeting and let your feelings be known about the attempt at wiping out the municipality of North High Shoals. Even though the local city government would not have much direct authority over it, there is a new Elementary School being built in the city. There are lots ...

This is a great small city with a strong local contingent of active parents, homeowners and folks looking for the quiet, secluded, rural life. Seems some people are upset over recent election activity and are not real happy with the new person elected to the city council. Now let me be the first to admit, newest city council member Steve Holzman and I are friends and serve on the Oconee County Democratic Committee together, but this irrational fear of him on the part of some previously elected officials is irrational, unwise and cowardly. I would strongly suggest that Mayor Jeff Thomas need not resign unless he is actually tired of working for the city. I would also suggest that Council member Eddie Cape need not attempt to dissolve the city unless there was some other reason that a little bit of discontent over three registered Democrats being on the city council at the same time. It takes much more than one upset city council member or a resigning Mayor to dissolve a city council. It...

There are a whole lot of good people who have come together to try and help Sgt. Courtney Gale's recovery from that brutal attack last week at the Alps Bridge Krogers grocery store. The nurse deserves a heroes congratulations for her brave role in immediately providing life saving first aid at the scene. I wish our officers, hell all officers, were paid and insured well enough where any attack like this would be covered and no fund raisers were needed. I also pray for Courtney Gale's family and loved ones in their time of need, as well as the family of the culprit in this heinous attack. It is a shame that the Judge could not have locked this loser away or given him the treatment he so obviously needs. There are many people who deserve a THANK YOU all that they have done. I could not possibly thank everyone involved but the fine folks at the A/CC Police Department have shown the utmost professionalism and courtesy to their injured comrade in her time of need. I do not know S...

I wish the Oconee County Board of Commissioners would vote on beer and wine pouring in our non-Watkiinsville restaurants. I resolve to spend some money there at the new restaurants like the Taco Stand coming to Butler's Crossing soon. Too bad DePalma's won't be there across the street or the BBQ place now shut down at Manders Crossing. I wish the US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan will be home by next Christmas. I resolve to support our troops in as many ways as possible without abandoning peace sentiments for Iraq and Afghanistan. I think we should not be bombing the Kurds in northern Iraq or helping the Turks do it. I wish the Georgia Bulldogs beat the snot out of Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl, although I hope the score is something like 45-33. I resolve to attend more free UGA events in the next 12 months. I wish that the Oconee County Democratic Committee would elect Pat Priest as chair. I resolve to attend more events if she is appointed/elected. She practically runs everyt...