Oconee County, GA Politics

The weather was near perfect Saturday morning for a large contingent of people to perform the back breaking work of picking up a sadly amazing amount of garbage both on the sides of Elder Mill Road and in both branches of Rose Creek in far southern Oconee County, thanks to organizer Melissa Steele.   The fine folks of Antioch Church allowed us to gather in their fellowship hall and hear from Steele as well as people from the Altamaha Riverkeeper and locals organizing a forum later in the month.  After signing a waiver and receiving instructions, we headed out to pick up garbage. It was astonishing the amount of crap people carelessly toss out the window of their passing vehicles. We found coolers, tires, bottles and cans of every kind, large pieces of metal and the requisite cigarette wrappers and coffee cups. We filled up two large black plastic garbage bags, one with recyclables and others with generic trash of the un-recyclable variety. Equally astonishing is the fact...

Interesting editorial and I am not too familiar with Rep. Ron Stephens, but I agree with his sentiments 'Buck a pack' cigarette tax would benefit Georgia || OnlineAthens.com

So if you want to see Congressman Paul Broun's birth certificate, medical license or ask him anything else, here is your chance in the hinterlands of the 10th district Congressional staff to hold meetings || OnlineAthens.com

Congressman Paul Broun cannot resist opening mouth and inserting foot no matter what the topic of discussion. What Broun wouldn't say generates a buzz || OnlineAthens.com

Friend -- After Wednesday's bold announcement about the path forward on health reform, President Obama recorded a message specifically for Organizing for America supporters. I hope you'll watch it. And once you watch, please add your name to the growing list of volunteers committing to work with the President during the final march for reform. Watch the video here: http://my.barackobama.com/PresidentsMessage Thanks, Mitch Mitch Stewart Director Organizing for America Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to: oconeedemo.crats@blogger.com Update Address / Email | Unsubscribe

AGENDA CITY OF WATKINSVILLE March 10, 2010 CALL TO ORDER QUORUM CHECK MINUTES 1. February 10, 2010 APPEARANCES 1. Jan & Heather Weisenborn – business license – Generations Montessori – 26 School Street 2. David Sparr – business license – Oconee Sports Center – 1260 Greensboro Highway 3. Tamara Maddox – business license – Zion Skate Park LLC – 1051 Business Boulevard 4. Tamara Maddox – business license – Zion Skateboarding LLC – 1051 Business Boulevard 5.Tamara Maddox – business license – Zion Skate Shop LLC – 1051 Business Boulevard ADMINISTRATION 1. February 28, 2010 Reconciliation Report MAYOR’S REPORT CITIZEN’S COMMENTS OLD BUSINESS 1. Public Hearing #2 & Consideration: Bird Sanctuary Ordinance 2. Crosswalk repair update 3. SPLOST Management update NEW BUSINESS 1. Public Hearing #1: Subdivision Regulations Amendment EXECUTIVE SESSION 1. Personnel Matter

Raising taxes is not something I support very often, but given the crisis that the State of Georgia is in, something has to be done, and this is merely a beginning. Woven brightly,  Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Subject: Join us: Rally for Georgia kids March 8th Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Please join us as we call on the state legislature to raise Georgia's tobacco tax! 9am Rally Monday, March 8th Central Presbyterian Church 201 Washington St. SW Downtown Atlanta Across from the Capital Also, check out the radio ad we currently have running: How Many Reasons Do We Need? Hope you can make it on Monday! Melinda Little Regional Director    Click here to contribute www.tobaccofreekids.org • 202.296.5469 1400 Eye Street, NW, Suite 1200 • Washington, D.C. 20005 nonprofit software

Carol Porter: Georgia a great state and has everything -- except leadership | savannahnow.com

Perdue slams lawmakers over higher education cuts  | ajc.com Posted using ShareThis

The Party of No is now the Party of Fear Exclusive: RNC document mocks donors, plays on 'fear' - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com

So in other words, Nathan Deal is a lying sack of shit much in the vein of John McCain.  Citing health care vote, Deal delays departure from Congress | Political Insider Posted using ShareThis

To me the solution to the Republican manufactured Budget Crisis is simple, raise all taxes and fees across the board, no discrimination, no favoritism. Then start with the top 5% of the wage earners on the state payrolls, and eliminate 5% of their salary. Again, do this across the board, no choice except early retirement. Yes we will lose some of our top wage earners on the State of Georgia payroll, but so be it. Also a $2.00 tax on packs of cigarettes is another good place to start. Representative Bob Smith of Oconee County wants to cut books to the library and it seems like he is using this budget crisis as a means to go after other programs like tenure and projects that are an anathema to the G.O.P. (I wish Georgia voters would wake up and end the tenure for the people who got us into this mess). Label us tax and spend liberals if you must, but Democrats are not afraid to raise taxes when the ship is sinking. Universities' plans called scare tactics || OnlineAthens.com

Friend -- Last Thursday's first-of-its-kind summit capped off a debate that has lasted nearly a year. Every idea has now been put on the table. Every argument has been made. Both parties agree that the status quo is unacceptable and gets more dire each day. Today, I want to state as clearly and forcefully as I know how: Now is the time to make a decision about the future of health care in America. The final proposal I've put forward draws on the best ideas from all sides, including several put forward by Republicans at last week's summit. It will put Americans in charge of their own health care, ensuring that neither government nor insurance company bureaucrats can ration, deny, or put out of financial reach the care our families need and deserve. I strongly believe that Congress now owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. Reform has already passed the House with bipartisan support and the Senate with a super-majority of sixty votes. Now it dese...

This is an Athens Area Democrats meeting I would really like to attend, and may actually be able to do so. Reservations need to be made by Monday. Woven brightly,  Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 07:25:50 -0500 Subject: [oconee] CCDC FW: AA Dems Breakfast - 13March   Dear CCDC members and friends, Please read the email below about the next AAD (Athens Area Democrats) breakfast on Saturday, March 13. Hope you can attend. Sincerely, Karen Solheim CCDC Vice Chair for Communications From: anitabarney@ charter.net To: Subject: AA Dems Breakfast - 13March Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 08:38:35 -0500 ATHENS AREA DEMOCRATS BREAKFAST SATURDAY, March 13  AT 9:00AM TRUMPS 2026 S. MILLEDGE AVENUE  * ATHENS, GA TOPIC: MEDIA AND POLITICS IN A POST- JOURNALISM WORLD SPEAKER: BARRY HOLLANDER , Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication Reservations must be made by: Monday, March 8.  Cost: $14. Pay at the door cash or check made ...

Dear Voter, As you may know, Republican lawmakers in Georgia are targeting higher education in an attempt to hide their fiscally irresponsible ways. You can read more about these violent cuts to our state colleges and universities at the Macon Telegraph , Georgia Public Broadcasting , the Rome-News Tribune , and the Gainesville Times . Proposed changes include: Over 4,000 lost jobs for college faculty and staff. Termination of college majors, even as students are currently enrolled. 50% of county extension agencies closed. Closing the State Botanical Gardens and the student radio station at UGA, reduce GA Tech library hours by 42%, close GA State library on weekends. Removal of 5 undergraduate programs at the Medical College of Georgia. Elimination of 4-H programs statewide. Closing some satellite campuses; rejection letters for previously accepted new students. State Senator Seth Harp even suggested that a 77% tuition increase, effective this calendar ...

Here is the proposed $60 million Georgia budget carnage for those who care to seek it out. Thanks to Dr. Tony Glenn for providing it. From: Tony Glenn Sent: Wed, March 3, 2010 3:04:09 PM Subject: [oconeedemocrats] $60 million in proposed cuts for UGA alone   Here is a link to a PDF outlining the proposed cuts to the state's university system.  The PDF outlines cuts for each institution.   http://www.usg. edu/fiscal_ affairs/document s/summary_ of_reductions. pdf UGA is the first school outlined, with $60 million in proposed cuts.  Unless the yahoos under the Gold Dome wake up, there goes 1418 currently filled positions.  There goes the State Botanical Gardens.  There goes 4H.  There goes WUGA.  There goes the Griffin Campus.  There goes half of the County Extension offices.  There goes entire academic programs. Of the proposed $60 million in cuts, the great majority of that will be felt right here in the Northeast Georgia r...

 The Georgian Republican lawmakers have heard the roar of the masses, and people are not too happy with the idea of shutting down the State Botanical Gardens, 4H and County Extension offices, among other ill advised ideas. Our own Representative Bob Smith finally makes a comment about the current situation, the first time we have heard from him since the new Speaker of the House David Ralston switched him off the chairmanship of some powerful committees. Colleges, lawmakers seek ‘balance' in dealing with cuts  | ajc.com Posted using ShareThis

People dressed in Revolutionary War period wear will highlight the Daughters of the American Revolution's dedication of the pocket park where the 441 Business Route meets Highway 15 at the 5 points style intersection in the heart of Watkinsville 2:00 pm Sunday. Patriot Park dedication scheduled this weekend || OnlineAthens.com

VSU's GOLD Standard VALDOSTA -- The VSU Alumni Association presented three alumni with the Graduate of the Last Decade Award (GOLD) -- an honor bestowed upon graduates who excel within 10 years of graduation. Philip Brown, Kenneth Grant and Steve Pugh were recognized amid the record crowd of 4,616 Blazer fans during halftime of the men’s basketball game against West Georgia Saturday, Feb. 27, at the P.E. Complex. Meet VSU’s Gold standard! Philip Brown , ’03, ’05 and ’06 Philip Brown decided long ago that he would not stand on the sidelines of life, but be a player -- battling for positive change. The principal of Oconee County Middle School in Watkinsville, Ga., is passionately committed to serving the 800 students on his campus as well as the educational interests of the state. “As a principal, I view the chance to work with kids as one of life’s greatest opportunities, but with opportunity in life, comes great responsibility,” said Brown, who graduated from VSU with d...

Borrowed directly from the Oconee Enterprise webmail blast: County government offices closing early BOC meeting cancelled Published: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 12:35 PM EST Due to inclement weather and hazardous driving conditions the Oconee County government announced an early closing for today. Government offices will close at 1 p.m. The county commission meeting scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. has been cancelled. The two items scheduled to be acted upon at tonight's meeting will be rescheduled for action at the April 6 regular meeting.

Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. From: Altamaha_Riverkeeper@mail.vresp.com To: danmatt@hotmail.com Subject: James Holland retirement party Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 17:16:22 +0000 Click to view this email in a browser             You are invited to honor James Holland's 10 years of service as the Altamaha Riverkeeper on May 1, 2010 at a reception from 4-6:30 p.m. at Open Gates Bed and Breakfast in Darien .   Please participate and show your support for James Holland and the Altamaha Riverkeeper's evolution into the next decade.  All contributions will be matched dollar for dollar by an anonymous donor. Learn ways to participate at: http://www.altamahariverkeeper.org/ The reception features Randall Bramblett , singer, songwriter and musician http://www.randallbramblett.com...

Please consider signing this petition to ask the Oconee County Board of Commissioners create an Elder Bridge Park around our crowned jewel Elder Mill Covered Bridge. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. To: oconee@yahoogroups.comFrom: jveit@bellsouth.net Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 03:32:13 +0000 Subject: [oconee] Online Petition to Create an Elder Bridge Park   At our last meeting, we discussed efforts to advance the creation of an Elder Bridge Park surrounding the Elder Covered Bridge. One of the things we decided to do was create an online petition where people could sign up to support the idea. I created this petition tonight. http://www.ipetitio ns.com/petition/ elderbridgepark/ I tried to find a petition site that wasn't too filled with advertisements. Unfortunately, that isn't very easy. Please send the link to this petition to as many people as you know who are supportive of the idea of creating and Elder Bridge Park. We also decided that we would host...

Oconee County Democratic Committee members and Republicans, and every political stripe in between ought to be part of Melissa Steele's Rose Creeks clean ups this Saturday morning down Highway 15 at Antioch Church Fellowship Hall on Antioch Church Road some eight miles south of Watkinsville. I do not have the waiver attached but I am sure Melissa will bring some on Saturday morning. To: Oconee County Democratic Committee  Sent: Mon, March 1, 2010 8:47:32 AM Subject: [oconeedemocrats] Creek clean-up   Did the committee talk about the creek clean-up that Melissa Steele is organizing? I sent out information about it some time ago to Karen to pass along to high school-aged Young Dems -- and to Kelly Manley, who oversees the Young Dems at GSU, but the date has crept up on me to talk about it among ourselves. I meant to bring this up at the monthly meeting -- If you guys will let me know if you'll attend, I'll pass along a rough count to Melissa. I...

Please consider signing this important petition and coming out the clean up this weekend Create an Elder Bridge Park

NASCAR, team note driver's alcohol citation in Vegas - Racing - NewsObserver.com

Any athletic competition at even a semi-elite level is now basically year-round for kids from about sixth grade on. Ask any parents of an aspiring gymnast, cheerleader, swimmer or soccer player when the seasons end and you might get a smile and a response of "never." The same might be said for tennis and baseball players and we all know of spring football to go with the regular seasons. Here in Oconee County we have the Georgia Aquatics Center now propelling water athletes toward the levels of the Athens Bulldog Swim Club or SwimAtlanta. Will there ever be more of a local Oconee County based team ~ besides the neighborhood swim teams ~ to take the best swimmers to compete on a state wide level? The Walton Tribune