Oconee County, GA Politics

Apparently there are a lot (at least six as of 2 pm Friday) of gas stations in Athens completely out of gas and not going to be filling up their tanks again until Monday. Wonder what Gov. Sonny Perdue will do this time? Close the schools again? Blame it on Ike, blame it on Palin, blame it on Steve Spurrier. I hope Dawg fans don't get stranded in Columbia, South Carolina.

This is an update of the evolution of the Oconee County, Georgia work for the campaign for Barack Obama for President. Even though our period of work with a national campaign staffer may be over, it is time for the local folks to take command and make him win in Georgia. You can do a lot with a little. Bring a cell phone to the Sanctuary at Second and Barnett Shoals Road on every Tuesday and Thursday. Go get some yard signs in Athens or Lexington. Register voters this weekend at Krimson Kafe. Ask people in your neighborhood if they are registered to vote. Explain to people why you feel passionate about Barack Obama and how absurd the attacks of the right are. Thanks to Kathleen & Lawrence who graciously allow GA For Change gatherings in The Sanctuary where we've met since July and where we met last night.  Also thanks to Tiffany Kingery for her help over the past 6 weeks.  We are sad to say "bye" to Tiffany,...

The Watkinsville City Council met Wednesday and approved three businesses (Sells4URealty of Debbie McMillon Henry, Henry Norman for Realaware, LLC and David Weeks for Shishkabobby's) in a brief meeting. The most important and far reaching announcement from Mayor Jim Luken is the formal addition of the four municipalities to the list of beneficiaries of the SPLOST tax pie expected to be some $40 milion over the next six years, with Watkinsville potentially hauling in some $3.2 of that extra penny on purchases. This could mean sidewalks on Harden Hill Road among other places around town.

Grace's birthday is an important annual animal celebration we have enjoyed every year, and we welcome walking my black lab/pit bull mix Josephine some six blocks away to the lovely and spacious grounds of Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast to mingle with dozens of dogs and their owners. Mario Castro, Jim and Dave Shearron are always gracious hosts to their many guests, both canine and human. Thanks to Councilman Broderick for passing this along. Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Subject: Grace's Birthday Party in Watkinsville on 9/21 Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 17:46:20 -0400 From: BBrodrick@jacksonspalding.com To: BBrodrick@jacksonspalding.com Grace's Birthday Party in Watkinsville on 9/21 Oconee friends, media, b loggers and commentators – just a heads up that Grace ' s birthday party is around the corner (9/21) at Ashford Manor .  Hope you will all consider covering it, including in a post ( http://gracesbirthday.com/ ) , or just help spread the word by men...

Dear Dan, Today, I am honored to send you a copy of our first television commercial of the general election campaign, just as our race emerges as one of the most competitive U.S. Senate races in the country. Honored, because it contains a strong message from my friend, Max Cleland, who was the target of a shameless campaign attack in 2002 carried out by my opponent in this race, Saxby Chambliss. In the ad, Max and I take it directly to Chambliss for supporting economic policies that are wrong for America. We are launching our statewide television campaign with this ad today. We are doing so for two simple reasons:  First, we know that Saxby Chambliss is about to start spending his millions on television, and we do not intend to cede the airwaves to him as we head into the fall. Second, I know that I can count on you . Unlike Saxby Chambliss, I have not spent the past six years building a war chest with the support of the special int...

Thank you for getting something out at least. Everybody should attend her meeting. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 18:05:05 -0400 From: sherryjackson4senate@yahoo.com To: danmatt@hotmail.com Subject: FOR THE PEOPLE Update #1 FOR THE PEOPLE Update #1 Thanks from Sherry Friends, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone that helped make my recent fundraiser a tremendous success! First, thanks to everyone that attended and contributed to my campaign. Without you, this campaign would not be possible, but it's because I have your support I know that we can bring the people of our district the representation they deserve. Next, I would like to thank the Clarke County Democratic Committee for allowing us to use their headquarters to hold this event. The work that you do is...

Just goes to show idiots shop at Lowes as well as Home Depot. I would have dialed the Oconee County Sheriff's Department immediately or at least taken pictures of this poor fool and posted them on the internet. Myrna should have told the management at the store at the very least. I would well imagine that the Secret Service and the FBI would have wanted to know the identity of this man. Making a threat on a Presidential candidate's life is a felony. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. To: oconee@yahoogroups.com From: herbwest@bellsouth.net Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 19:59:25 -0400 Subject: [oconee] Frightening anti-Obama encounter in Oconee County All:   I wanted to share with you a very frightening encounter Myrna had this afternoon with an ardent anti-Obama individual.  She had stopped at Lowe's (on Epps Bridge ) to buy a few things, and the encounter happened as she was getting back into her car in the parking lot. ...

 Please attend this event if you want to help the Obama campaign here in Oconee County, Georgia.   From: Carl McGrath <carlmcgrath@yahoo.com> Subject: You're Invited! Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:23:18 +0000 Carl McGrath has sent you an invitation to 'Voter Registration Drive' -- click here to view the invitation and submit your response: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gs7bhw

Lee Becker never ceases to amaze me, taking a topic as dry as water and making it as moist and vital to every voter. Dear Friends, Unless you've been doing a lot of sprinkling of your lawn, you probably have not noticed that Oconee County increased its water rates on April 1. Under the guise of conservation pricing, the increase for those using more than 12,000 gallons per month was 30 percent. The head of the citizen committee that reviewed and approved these increases acknowledged, however, that it isn't clear these rate changes really will reduce demand for water–which is the stated goal of conservation pricing. Moody's Investors Service viewed the increase simply as an attempt by the county to increase water revenue as a run up to the sale of revenue bonds for the Hard Labor Creek reservoir in Walton County. The push for the rate increase came from Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis, but the other members of the Board went along with the increase with little d...

Although the last time I peered through the window and door of the former Gautreau's Restaurant location it looked weeks from being open, I eagerly anticipate the opening of the new Shishkabobby's Grille restaurant in my neighborhood where my son and I can go eat and enjoy our selection. I would imagine this will be one of those places where you can order your skewer with whatever meat or vegetable you want to and either watch it prepared or maybe even cook it at your table (although that would probably make the insurance bills skyrocket). Whatever the verdict, you can attend this week's Watkinsville City Council meeting and watch owner David Weeks, yes the same of the head of the Board of Education and owner of a Barberitos here in the county, come get his license for a new restaurant in town. Here is the rest of the agenda for the meeting: AGENDA CITY OF WATKINSVILLE September 10, 2008 CALL TO ORDER QUORUM CHECK WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YA...

Oconee County Young Democrats came to the regular monthly meeting of the Oconee County Democratic Committee Thursday evening in the Grand Jury room of the Oconee County Courthouse in Watkinsville. Here the future of the Democratic party listen to Robert Wyatt explain some of his experiences canvassing and calling voters in Oconee County about the Barack Obama Presidential campaign. I greatly appreciate these young folks coming to our meeting and helping to pick up litter on the mile we have on the Oconee Connector. Sara Jane Love has done a great job publicizing that important event. Get well wishes to Vice-Chair Jonathan Veit who has vertigo and an inner ear infection preventing him from doing another bike ride through the county in connection with the OCAF Pottery tour. Also good luck to chair Becky Vaughn's son William in his pursuit of a higher education in New York. While I support the idea of coordinating the arts and politics, it seems there are some people at OCAF who do...