Oconee County, GA Politics

Severe thunderstorms last night prevented play between our beloved Oconee County Warriors soccer team and the West Hall team in a match to decide who advances to the title tilt . Come cheer on the Warriors at 7pm this evening as they have yet to allow a goal this post-season.

Ted Nugent or Lynyrd Skynyrd probably won't be performing, but there is yet another attempt at raising anti-Obama fervor at an AthensTeaParty.com event in Oconee Veterans Park near Watkinsville this Saturday 1-3 pm. I wonder what these folks think about President Obama attempting to close loopholes in offshore investment havens to keep our money home here in the United States of America instead of in various islands with favorable tax rates. I am all for legal means of paying as little taxes as possible, but as usual it is those who cut corners to not pay taxes who hike the rates for the rest of us law abiding citizens.

Glad they did this without the beard as that was probably the first thing he lost post murders. HAVE YOU SEEN ME? Police release new Zinkhan sketches - News

I applaud the Oconee County Board of Commissioners for keeping wetlands and streams BEING EXCHANGED FOR other wetlands and streams in Oconee County and not Greene County or elsewhere.  Thanks to Lee Becker for reporting this as quickly as he did. From: Lee Becker < lbbecker@mindspring.com > Date: Tue, May 5, 2009 at 9:38 PM Subject: Mitigation Resolution To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Dear Friends, The Oconee County Board of Commissioners tonight sent to the Land Use and Transportation Committee for review a proposed resolution that would encourage the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to require mitigation in Oconee County for damage to streams and wetlands in the county. The citizen committee was asked by the board to consider the draft resolution and report back on any recommended action. See the blog posting < http://www.oconeecounty.com/Government/BOC/CVI-Assessment-Mar2009.pdf > of April 21 for details of the resolution. Lee -- Lee Becker Blog: www.oconeecou...

The Oconee County Historical Society will have a meeting Monday. I urge you to attend to hear the letters read by Mary Ruth Moore from her ancestors about Scull Shoals. Hi,             Our next meeting will be Monday the 11 th and we have a special treat in store.  Mary Ruth Moore read some more of her ancestor's letters at the festival in Scull Shoals over the weekend, much to everyone's delight.  She has promised to share the same stories with us Monday.             John and Richard have been working on wording and other information on signs for Central School house and we hope to have a report on that discussion also. Peggy

Here are a few photos of the goings on at OCAF's Southworks 2009

Update on the movement of the meeting from Chairman Jonathan Veit: Just a reminder that the Oconee County Democratic Committee has changed the date of its regular monthly meeting to the third Thursday of the month, rather than the first Thursday of the month. This means that we will not meet on Thursday, May 7th, but will instead meet on Thursday, May 21st at 7 pm at the Oconee County Government Annex. I just didn't want there to be any confusion. Thanks! Jonathan Veit

Took this while biking down to the First Friday with my son Lowell Friday in an attempt to get this sidewalk to curb smoothed out with a ramp instead of a dangerous chasm where tires get caught. The rest of Watkinsville has been improving greatly with the Streetscape program, and I just want this added to the list.

Everytime MSNBC's Keith Olbermann picks out our moronic Congressman as the Worst Person in the World, I keep thinking that voters in the 10th District will suddenly wake up out their collective doldrums and decide we could do a whole lot better and elect someone with a brain, but then the cruel hand of fate slaps me upside the head and reminds me that ignorance is sometimes bliss here. Congressman Broun has slipped to a new low even for him here, and I shake my head in sadness and pity. Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy

These people came from Walton County and found First Friday by happenstance after a previously pleasurable dinning experience at Mirko's Pasta. They came in to Sweet ReTreats while a waitress brought in a nice dinner to the owner's daughter from neighboring Mirko's while we dined on a pair of hot dogs and a scoop.

Begin forwarded message: From: Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation < info@ocaf.com > Date: May 1, 2009 11:16:23 AM EDT To: danjmatt@bellsouth.net Subject: SOUTHWORKS Arts Festival Is This Weekend Reply-To: info@ocaf.com   Annual SOUTHWORKS Arts Festival is this Saturday & Sunday! * Artist Market * Juried Art Exhibition * * Live Music * * Kids' Activities * Food & Beverages * Admission and Parking are FREE!     Featuring artwork by more than 60 artists, musical performances in jazz, rhythm and blues, folk, country, rock, soul, gospel, steel drums, salsa, oldies. Theatrical performances by the Rose of Athens Theatre Company.   For more information on the event, a list of artists and a schedule of performances   < Click Here >     Festival Hours: Saturday & Sunday  May 2-3, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM   L...

Although I am very tardy in reporting about it, the First Friday celebration is commencing right about now in lovely downtown Watkinsville. This is an attempt to put a spotlight on the businesses in downtown Watkinsville's business district with various family friendly activities to entice shoppers and keep the kiddies happy. If I get out of work and back to Oconee County in time, I will take a few photos of the goings on. It is going to be a ridiculously busy weekend with the Relay for Life (thanks Chuck and good luck to your wife at 3:00 am at Oconee County High School track) and tons of soccer and other activities and festivals. Enjoy and see you there if you go. Or see you at OCAF tomorrow.

Former Oconee Enterprise editor Billy Vaughn passed away at age 48 in Watkinsville yesterday. I always enjoying chatting with him at the various events where our journalistic paths would cross. His father and my father were buddies at the Red and Black newspaper in the late 1940s and early 1950s in Athens. It seems Billy and I were almost never employed at the same time and the same place at the same newspaper, but we both shared a zest for life and knew where a lot of the bodies were buried not just in Oconee County. I will miss him greatly and wish the best for his life. I hope the best for his family. May he rest in peace. Blake Giles wrote a great obit here .

Once again Lee Becker is on top of the ball about what is going on with the Oconee County Board of Commissioners From: Lee Becker < lbbecker@mindspring.com > Date: Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 10:45 PM Subject: Efficiency, Process and Civics Lessons To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Dear Friends, Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis would like the discussion of the proper relationship between the chairman and the other members of the board to focus on efficiency and effectiveness. Commissioners Jim Luke, Margaret Hale and Chuck Horton have made it clear that they are more concerned about process than efficiency and effectiveness. Each had stated strongly that Davis achieves his efficiency and effectiveness by withholding information from them, making it hard for them to make independent assessments of the issues before the county. The dispute should play out in public on May 6 and possibly on May 7 when Davis and the four commissioners are to meet to discuss the...

begin:vcard fn:Vicky Moody n:Moody;Vicky email;internet:vickymoody@charter.net tel;work:706-583-2859 tel;home:706-769-7966 tel;cell:706-338-9185 version:2.1 end:vcard Go see some good live music this weekend in Watkinsville and shop some funky art while you are at it. --- On Fri, 5/1/09, Vicky Moody <vickymoody@charter.net> wrote: From: Vicky Moody <vickymoody@charter.net> Subject: Athens Area Musicians - free performances To: Date: Friday, May 1, 2009, 9:58 AM Come join us at SouthWorks 2009, OCAF's 14th Annual Arts Festival. Treat yourself to a sampling of the finest musicians in the Athens Area. Parking is available and admission is free. Please share this with your friends. OUTSIDE STAGE                                                ...