Little bits about three things

OK, first off, shame on the Oconee County Board of Commissioners for ruining LaVista Drive off Hwy. 441 in the small sliver of the Athens area of Oconee County near Athens Academy by approving the rezoning despite massive neighborhood opposition near the Chaddwyck subdivision for some ill-conceived grocery store chain, and I urge everyone to boycott this store once it is built some months from now.

Second off, Acting Superintendent Jackson of the Oconee County Board of Education may be a fine man and decent administrator but the mere fact that he was at the helm during the Dickens gets to keep his job during softball state title while banging and stalking his former player scandal pretty much disqualifies him from consideration for the permanent position in my book. I hope the guy from Banks County does a good job.

Third, go see an Oconee County Recreation Department basketball game now that the regular season has started. My son Lowell played very well in his opener Monday and even though they do not keep score, his team ~ coached by yours truly ~ did very well and I think all eight players scored. I think they have games Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays at almost every basketball gymnasium in the county.

Epps Bridge Centre Update

Once again Lee Becker scoops the mainstream media with details of the environmental devastation that could be wrought by this massive development behind Lowe's at the By-Pass. Please consider writing the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to voice your opinion of the environmental impact of this development and the lack of wetlands set-asides in Oconee County.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lee Becker <lbbecker@mindspring.com>
Date: Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 11:15 PM
Subject: Epps Bridge Centre Update
To: lbbecker@mindspring.com


Dear Friends,

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division has given those interested in commenting on an application by the developer of the proposed Epps Bridge Centre until Jan. 19 to file statements about the environmental impact of the development.

Developer Frank Bishop wants the state to set aside its requirements that streams on the site of the proposed development be protected by a 25-foot buffer. He wants to pipe and fill 2,678 feet of five unnamed perennial tributaries to McNutt Creek.

Before Bishop can get his variance, he also needs a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Before he can start building, he needs the state to let a contract for the roadway to his shopping center. At present, he has no permit, and the state has not let the bid.

Despite these problems and the difficult economic times, Bishop is pushing forward.

Details are on my blog, as is the address for those who want to write to the state indicating whether it is better to buffer or bury streams in Oconee County.

The posting is at www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com.

Lee

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Lee Becker

Blog: www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com

Web: http://lbbecker48.googlepages.com/

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Sincerely,

Dan J. Matthews, Jr.

Adopt-a-Road clean up for the Oconee County Democratic Committee Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009

I will be coaching basketball at the time, but would strongly urge and forever be grateful if you would to help the local Democratic party pick up trash and cigarette butts from the side of the Oconee Connector next Saturday.

Woven brightly,

Daniel J. Matthews, Jr.

Subject: [oconee] Adopt-a-Road clean up Jan. 10

The Oconee Democrats will clean up our adopted mile of the Oconee Connector/Mars Hill Road on Sat., Jan. 10, 2009. Meet at the Barber Creek Fire Station at 9:30 a.m. and bring a pair of work gloves (and empty aluminum cans for the firefighters' recycling project). Be sure not to park in front of the fire station's bay doors.   I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year! Sarajane Love

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