Oconee County, GA Politics

I do my best to respect people's privacy. I am in no way condemning the Oconee Enterprise newspaper for disclosing that she has Lupus, especially if she is OK with them disclosing it. I guess I am a little sensitive to the sharing of medical information after working in the University Health Center for a number of years.  I hope Margaret Hale battles and defeats Lupus and gets her discs in her back worked on to the point where they are no longer bothering her.

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The following link is to the comments from Georgia 10th district Congressman Paul Broun concerning the attempts to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act Stop legislation to repeal DOMA (Rep. Paul Broun) - The Hill's Congress Blog

someone makes a video that has nothing to do with anyone intended in the original, but hey thanks for trying - Lee can you fill me in on "hot topix?"

Coach Mark Richt of the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team will talk about his faith this evening at the Oconee County High School football stadium. Richt to address FCA rally || OnlineAthens.com

In house editorial supporting historic preservation efforts in Oconee County. The kindness of the two people involved to the tune of $23,000 is very kind and considerate. I am glad we can share the past with those in the future. Editorial: Credit Oconee for preserving sharecropper cabin || OnlineAthens.com

Half dozen Oconee County public schools make the grade 34 area schools win state honor || OnlineAthens.com

Should your child want to shoot hoops with others their age in an organized manner, they have less than 24 hours to do so either in person or online. Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Subject: Last Day OCPRD Youth Basketball Registration Parents, A reminder that today (November 4th) is the last day to register for the Oconee County Parks and Recreation Department's Youth Basketball Leagues.  To register please stop by Oconee Veterans Park, Herman C. Michael Park, or go online to www.oconeecounty.com . For more information please contact the Oconee County Parks and Recreation Department at 706-769-3965. Thank you! Herman C. Michael Park PO Box 55 Watkinsville, GA 30677

I know a few of my more literate and internet savvy neighbors in the lovely Morgan Manor Estates subdivision read this blog, so I ask of them, did anyone see any people in my open car port yesterday (November 3) afternoon between 11 am and approximately 4 pm? My son and his mom came over right after that time of day yesterday to get the coat and book and discovered someone had set a fish wire booby trap across the corner of my lawn. This was nothing out of Apocalypse Now or Full Metal Jacket variety, but just about 40 yards of fishing line tied twice with a surprising strong series of knots from a small magnolia tree back to my car port tied just about the perfect height to trip were it not for the perfectly bright full moon reflecting off the twin lines last night. My son tried to break it to no avail, and I thought about calling Watkinsville Police Chief Lee O'Dillon to let him know about this childish stunt, but they have much more important things to concern themselves with...

Council member Brian Brodrick reports on the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile whistling up the Oconee Connector/Mars Hill Road tomorrow to the Athens Area Humane Society's new location. Suddenly I am craving a chili dawg! Maybe after work if I did not have to run around teaching fourth graders to box out at the Athens Academy lower school gymnasium at 6:45 pm where I can say we have a solid team. Voice of Moderation: A First for Oconee?

HULL Mayor Paul Elkins (I) / unopposed City Council Paul Cook (I) / 6 Paige Phillips / 23 (works in Watkinsville Post Office) OCONEE COUNTY BOGART City Council Four-year term (top two vote-getters win) Pam McNair / 38 Michael Ward / 70 John Larkin / 59 Weymand Steed / 40 Two-year unexpired term T.L. Turman / unopposed NORTH HIGH SHOALS City Council Post 3 David Lawrence / 110 Scott Wilson / 78 Post 4 Stephen Arnold / 98 Sarah Donegan / 88 Post 5 Violet Dawe (I) / unopposed

The always contentious municipal election in North High Shoals continued the recent trend of repudiating the do-nothing tenure of Mayor Jeff Thomas with narrow victories for political newcomers Steve Arnold and David Lawrence Tuesday in the quaint picturesque town at the juncture of Walton, Morgan and Oconee Counties.  Lawrence defeated Scott Wilson and Arnold edged Donegan in the first races for all of the participants. Accusations flew of conflicts of interest, sweetheart sidewalk placement, illegal home businesses, and assorted mischief and malfeasance from both sides. These results sent from outgoing council member Fred Johnson Post 3: David Lawrence 110 & Scott Wilson 77 Post 4: Steve Arnold 98 & Sarah Donegan 88 Thanks for everyone for voting. The results would seem to solidify and recertify the reform bloc started most recently by council members Steve Holzman and Violet Dawe. They have redone the charter, hired local attorneys and clerks, hosted forums, a...

If you are a resident of the burgeoning border cities of North High Shoals or Bogart, Georgia here in Oconee County (with a tiny slice of eligible voters in Clarke County for Bogart), please go to the polls and cast your votes in the municipal elections for city council members in a couple of posts in both towns. Here are the eligible candidates in a list purloined from the Athens Banner-Herald. I believe both polls are open until 7 pm OCONEE COUNTY ► BOGART • City Council Four-year term Pam McNair Michael Ward Four-year term John Larkin Weymand Steed Two-year unexpired term T.L. Turman ► NORTH HIGH SHOALS • City Council Post 3 David Lawrence Scott Wilson Post 4 Stephen Arnold Sarah Donegan Post 5 Violet Dawe (I)

the power of water at North High Shoals

Stay tuned for the latest episode in the ongoing saga that is the North High Shoals town council and mayor. Will they actually meet with a quorum? Will Mayor Jeff Thomas ever resign like he said he would? Will the current Mayor ever actually attend a meeting with the current council members? Will this election tomorrow be binding? And what about Naomi? The following have been pilfered from Small Town Politics blog: Here is the latest from the Mayor: Wow Steve, I love the way you spin things around. Are you seriously wanting me to believe that a public hearing concerning city business -an official meeting of the council - a meeting that requires a quorum - would not need to be set by the council? As to the expressed language of the attorney, the question is one of availability. Your previous statement is incorrect meaning either the attorney did not understand the question or you did not understand the reply. I was never 'not available' by phone to discuss the issue of...

Isn't it odd how some schools expand quicker and less noisier than others? --- On Mon, 11/2/09, Athens Academy <pmyers@athensacademy.org> wrote: Dear Athens Academy Parents, I am pleased to announce that on October 29, 2009, at the direction of the Board of Trustees, the school purchased approximately 49 additional acres contiguous to the existing school property. The property is located at the east end of the campus near the new Arts and Preschool Center site. While the Board of Trustees has not yet developed a specific use plan, this unique purchasing opportunity provided by the Ivy family ensures many future possibilities.  The funding for this purchase was not from sources available for the Arts and Preschool project and the acquisition in no way diminishes the Board's efforts and res...

Reminder: The Oconee Democrats will clean up our adopted roadside this Sat., Nov. 7, 2009. Meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Barber Creek Fire Station. Bring work gloves and any empty aluminum cans that you want to put in the firefighters' collection bin. We have had a long string of Saturday activities, with the Strolls and the Yard Sale. This one doesn't take too long if we have enough bodies, and it really improves the appearance of one of our major roads. So suck it up and come out one more Saturday, hope the weather cooperates, and you can enjoy the rest of your fall weekends! Thanks! Sarajane

On the eve of municipal elections in North High Shoals, once again this tiny town (where 13 votes can win or lose an election) proves to be the center of political intrigue and discontent for Oconee County 2009. The matter of an absentee mayor has festered slowly over the last several year period, as first the silent brother lost his council seat.then the Mayor himself repeatedly threatened and promised to resign, only to constantly change the scenario in which he would consider stepping down. Meanwhile he continues to avoid attending meetings quite successfully blocking a quorum to establish anything. Now would-be outgoing Mayor Jeff Thomas broke his own code of silence to post in the blog of city council member Steve Holzman, which is not anything even attempting to masquerade as official. The following does not constitute an official communication of the Town of North High Shoals for the Town of North High Shoals or anyone acting in the interest of North High Shoals, or does it?...

Good luck to Paige Phillips, who works at the Watkinsville Post Office with her first run for political office (tomorrow) in Hull. Meet the Candidates - MadisonJournalTODAY

Now we have rules for standing in the middle of busy intersections with open boots, and we will hopefully know how to use them. I am glad that non-profits only can do this at all in Oconee County, Georgia. Yes we are and were an affluent county but people are handing out a whole lot less cash in general around these parts. I hope this is safe for all parties concerned. My poorly written ABH comment about wanting to pay the firefighters for training and certification stands. These people save our lives for free daily, and we need to reward them for their continued heroism. Oconee sets rules for soliciting | News | OnlineAthens.com

OK, so it was the day after Halloween and with the time change, I am always willing to cut a little slack to the fine folks at the Oconee Parks and Recreation Department. As the fourth grade basketball season starts in earnest tomorrow evening, I took my son up to a familiar haunt for me, and that is the Open Gym session where basically anyone can shoot hoops. Now admittedly not that many people are going to work on their three-point shot at noon on a Sunday, but I was raring to go and wanted to give my son a taste of what big boy basketball is going to be all about. So when we got there the gym was locked tight as a drum and no signs to contradict the previously posted 8 am to 6 pm posting. Maybe there was something online, but I was too damn stubborn to look (not to mention tired too). So we drove around the remnants of Autry Road as there was a very major girls softball tournament going on and that obviously had the attention of the parks and rec staff. We drove all the way to the...