Oconee County, GA Politics

TSA Chief Disputes ‘Thousands Standing Around’ Jab at Agency - Businessweek

Coca-Cola moves formula for 1st time since 1925 | ajc.com

Oconee County parks will be tobacco free in 2012 | Online Athens

New vending machines go organic | Online Athens

GHSA releases new regions | Online Athens

Get well soon Senator Fort State Sen. Vincent Fort battling cancer | ajc.com

Oconee County Observations: Commissioners To Be Asked to Grant Variances to Se... : Hearing a Formality The Oconee County Board of Commissioners will hold its official public hearing tomorrow night on a variance request by ...

Athens Academy hosts Robotics Tournament | Online Athens

If you support Civil Rights in Oconee, Clarke or Walton County, I am sure you would be welcome. Just let Rich Rusk know what you are bringing to this Christmas gathering. Sincerely,  Dan Matthews From: richrusk@charter.net To: ; Subject: PLEASE ATTEND 15th Annual MFMC Xmas party Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2011 07:03:27 -0500 Please Attend Dec. 10 Moore's Ford Christmas Party To reply, please use richrusk@charter.net Dear Moore's Ford members and Friends,    Preparations are underway for our 15th Annual Moore's Ford Christmas Party, set for 6 p.m. this coming Saturday, December 10.    Thanks to Susan Tate, we are gathering at her lovely home on the Oconee River, 140 River Oak Way, Athens, GA 30605. See directions below.    Whether coming or not, PLEASE RSVP. Our November 17 email invitation elicited exactly one RSVP. That is a little spooky, folks. I did make some phone calls, and yes, there are Moore's Ford people h...

This is a holy war and religious holiday for me - please attend Sincerely,  Dan Matthews To: danmatt@hotmail.com Subject: Special Ticket Offer - Men's Basketball vs. Georgia Tech Dec. 7 Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2011 11:02:58 -0800 From: reply-84@pacmail.em.marketinghq.net ORDER Tickets Now Promo Code Deadline: Dec 7 at Noon Use promo code GODAWGS to order your $10 tickets for Men's Basketball vs. Georgia Tech Dec. 7! Men's Basketball Special Ticket Offer - Only $10 Men's Basketball vs. Georgia Tech at 7:00 PM Use promo code GODAWGS online for $10 tickets ($5 off regular price) to watch your Georgia Bulldogs take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Tickets ...

Everyone knows I am a big proponent of the Oconee County Parks and Recreation Department. I have also been very critical of some of the aspects of the Oconee Veterans Park facilities in terms of some design and execution, and to the OCPRD's credit, they have generally responded favorably of at least taking my suggestions into consideration if not out and out remedying the situation. Somehow on the north end of the new gym, when we would receive a particularly ferocious storm coming in from just the right angle, water and rain would seep in under the doors and got under the wonderful wooden basketball court. Now the swollen water-logged basketball court was a long time in developing with the precipitation and a short time in correcting, but why on a Sunday during the first attempt at the new Carlos Strong Basketball Academy? A former NBA player and McDonald's All American should not have to be pushing a broom around the court mid-session to remove the sawdust from the basketba...

And then there is this race. And I thought I was being unfairly questioned about my yard in the mayor's race after being assured there would be no personal attacks or weird questions by the host of the forum, and having unnamed people call up my ex-girlfriends to get dirt on me, and having rumors spread about my supposed sexuality (or lack thereof), or having local people in power tip off others in the local GOP about a letter I got seven years ago about my unkempt car port from the Watkinsville Code Enforcement officer (you know how long it has been since my son rode a big wheel?), or having an elderly blogger demonstrate her ignorance about me in public multiple times, I guess it is what we have devolved to in the attempt at electing our peers to represent us in government. Stick to the issues, people. Stay out of my recycling and my yard. In the good news from Morgan Manor Estates, I am glad my neighbors are finally removing the Camaro in their backyard that had been there for ...

Does anyone wonder why politics is such a turn off for the vast majority of the electorate? It is largely because of reactions and over-reactions like this. There is a run-off election tomorrow in Hall County and it reads like both candidates are boobs. I just listened to Tim Bryant avoid asking too many relevant questions to both of these candidates on his new Monday edition of his radio show on NewsTalk 1340 WGAU. Boob #1 wanted to do away with the EPA, then he didn't. Brother-in-law of outgoing State Rep./good old boy James Mills in boob#2 did not seem all that much more clued in as to why people should want to elect him either. Something about questions and notes (and those being ripped out of his hands) and personal attacks and being tipped off about questions or not. This article sheds a little more light on it. Seems when Lieutenant Governonr Lowell "Casey" Cagle and Georgia governor Nathan Deal began appointed all their local friends to all the political prestige...

Coffee-table books explore far-flung, close to home | ajc.com

The Watkinsville Christmas parade is always an entertaining experience for all those involved. I had the pleasure once again to ride my semi-recumbent bicycle with my neighbors the Marbuts who own Sunshine Cycles in Athens and Watkinsville. This is my third year with them in the parade. Their son Seth and my son Lowell are good friends and almost the same age. They play basketball together when they are not tearing down goals or otherwise doing things that pre-teen boys do to get in trouble. Honestly they are both great kids and very well behaved and conscientuous. My buddy Chris Bartenfeld from Bartenfeld Electricians in Athens came over and rode as well. We were coming from a Premier League pre-season basketball game and were quite lucky to make the parade with some 10,000 people and all their cars along the parade route. I was very proud to set my son out with his newly refurbished Raleigh bike (thanks Howie) sans helmet (yes I know) at Lawanna and Wilson and told him to find ...