Oconee County, GA Politics

Subject: April book: Voltaire's classic, Candide Hello! Could you please help us get the word out to people about our book group's discussion date and topic? We'll be reading Voltaire's classic, "Candide" - and we've moved our meeting date to Wednesdays. Thank you! Pat Priest 353-8310 Member, Oconee Democrats FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The community-wide book group sponsored by the Oconee Democrats will discuss Voltaire's quick-to-read and wryly humorous classic, "Candide," for their April selection. The book is available for just $3.75 at Books Galore in Watkinsville. The group chooses first-rate and affordable books about history, politics, and the natural world.  While Candide was first published in 1759, Voltaire's satire still resonates today.  The full title (though versions differ) is "Candide: Or, the Optimist."  Some scholars have pointed out that President Reagan evinced an optimism quite similar to that of one of the cent...

Hi! I just sent a message encouraging my U.S. Representative to protect the Flint River. You can do the same by following this link: http://www.protectgeorgia.net/                 What You Can Do to Protect the Flint River Dear Friend, This week, American Rivers released "America's Most Endangered Rivers: 2009 Edition." This report identifies ten rivers facing uncertain futures and Georgia's Flint River is # 2 on the list. Well loved by anglers, boaters and Georgia families, the Flint River is one of the state's most valuable natural treasures. But a two-year drought has revived calls to dam the Flint, even though more effective water supply solutions would save Metro Atlanta as much as $700 million. Congress m...

Dr. Glenn is a friend and an inspiration for his perspiration and drive (by pedaling!) I would urge everyone to donate what they can afford for this amazing endeavor. Trip of a lifetime indeed! Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Subject: Tony is cycling from Athens to Savannah Date: Thu, 9 Apr 2009 10:30:55 -0400 From: Anthony.Glenn@ARS.USDA.GOV To: aglenn@uga.edu As many of you know, I will be cycling from Athens to Savannah on May 1st and 2nd.  212 miles in two days......all by bicycle ! This trip serves two functions.  Personally, it is one of those "life" trips.....the kind of thing you do as a mental and physical challenge.  But most importantly, I'm doing this as part of a fundraiser for Clarke Middle School in Athens.    See the attachment for more details on this fundraiser, including how donations have aided a wide array of programs at CMS. I'm asking my friends to "join" me on this journey, but yo...

Son of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson's Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Rich Rusk just sent this letter collection of articles from the Walton Tribune newspaper: Dear Moore's Ford friends, In an April 5, page one story, the Walton Tribune published news that a letter from Walton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kevin Little has "called for justice in the Moore's Ford lynching." "The proclamation is believed to be the first such action for any governing body in the county," wrote the Tribune. Managing Editor Brian Arrington also wrote a column calling upon other Walton County leaders to step up, and thanking Mr. Little for having done so. Both stories are attached below. This action came one week after our March 28 film screening/public forum in Monroe. Remember the name of our event? "When justice rolls down..." Folks, I am thinking of the hundreds of phone calls and emails over the years, personal visits and pleas, urging ...

This is a worthy activity and event for you to investigate and contribute to if you are able to do so. The Jeannette Rankin Foundation provides no-strings-attached scholarships to women over the traditional age of college students and is named after the first female member of the U.S. Congress who hailed from Montana but had a summer and retirement home here in Oconee County, Georgia. D Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 10:04:19 -0400 From: andrea@rankinfoundation.org To: danmatt@hotmail.com Subject: Save the date! JRF High Hat Tea, April 19, 2009 You're receiving this email because of your relationship with Jeannette Rankin Foundation. Please confirm your continued interest in receiving email from us.   You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails. ...

Former Oconee County coroner and recent failed candidate for the office again Dr. William Mayberry is hosting a tea party in a tax payer funded venue in Oconee County on tax day. The Republican party seems intent on protesting President Barack Obama's attempts at spending our way out of the recession. I do not like to pay taxes anymore than any one else, but I also want our economy to get better without mortgaging our children's future. Until someone else can offer up a better prescription to what ails our country, I will continue to support our President and wish him success in our economic efforts to rebuild our country's infrastructure.

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners are to be commended for at least realizing the status quo of getting things done behind closed doors is no longer acceptable . It is just a little late to regain a lot of the public's trust on this or any other issue. So the Board of Education's David Weeks is turning the old Shishkabobby's in Town Center location into a Barberitos? Now there's a stretch. It was already built like one, and the food tasted like one, so I guess he hopes families will come buy beans and gas from him. Time for former Oconee County High School principal Mark Channell to be let go by the Central Office of the Oconee County Board of Education in the wake of the Brian Dickens sex scandal while at the head of the softball team. There needs to be a sacrificial lamb in this case before the public is satisfied.

Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me    Hey Young Dems,    Join us this Wednesday, April 8 at 6:00 p.m. in room 250 of the Miller Learning Center for guest speaker Doug McKillip! Doug is the Democratic State Representative for District 115, which encompasses much of Athens and includes the University of Georgia campus. He'll be speaking to us about this past legislative session as well as politics under the Gold Dome. We will have PIZZA, so be sure to bring your friends!    UGA YD elections are coming up soon (April 15 unless there's a conflict) and listed below are the currently declared candidates for office. We'll go over election procedures at this week's meeting.    PRESIDENT  Glenn Stegall  Stephen Pettigrew    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR  Carter Bates    POLITICAL DIRECTOR  Alex Foster    COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR  -No Declared Candidate-   ...

Thanks to Pat Priest for letting us know about the goings-on at UGA.  To: oconee@yahoogroups.com> From: ppriest@charter.net  Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 14:45:52 -0400  Subject: [oconee] Campus lectures of interest    Here are some interesting lectures -- about politics, nature, the  financial crisis, and more -- taking place in April at UGA that you  might find interesting!    Pat Priest  Member,  Oconee Democrats    Tuesday, April 7, 2009    Getzen Lecture on Government Accountability: Effective American Policy  in a Dangerous World. Sponsored by the School of Public and  International Affairs and the Department of Public Administration and  Policy. Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt  Gingrich gives the talk. 3:00 p.m. University Chapel. Contact 706-410-5182      April 9, Thursday    Annual Holmes-Hunter Lecture. Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court  Leah Ward Sears delivers this year's lecture. The Holmes-Hunter Lecture  honors Charlayne Hunter-Gault...