Oconee County, GA Politics

Oconee County: The Future Is Here - Georgia Trend

Local wire manufacturer Southwire has suffered layoff of half their workers at the largest factory in Watkinsville. The Oconee Enterprise > Latest Updates > Southwire reducing workforce Posted using ShareThis

Oconee State Bank, four others in state, rapped by regulators  | ajc.com I do not know the particulars of this banking problem locally, but I do not think it would warrant a run on their assets or anything like it. I do think it is of great local concern that foolish real estate developments have come back to bite us all squarely in the ass. Wendell Dawson's blog has done a great job of naming names, streets and locations of the poorly executed ghost towns littering our landscape. It is no big secret, these stubbed out incomplete assemblages of legitimate living space. Look next to Publix, on the way to Oconee Veterans Park or Herman C. Michael or any number of other spaces near to our schools. Maybe that will become my new photographic obsession. Posted using ShareThis

The Watkinsville merchant location shuffle continues to ebb and flow with the announcement that long time local framing business Art Masters will be moving up Main Street to the old Cherokee Connection location at 18 N. Main Street. This is the fourth location of Art Masters in the last ten years, and moves the business almost across the street from their original location in downtown Watkinsville. Owner Geoff Seila has plans to even add a small vinyl record business in a back room of the new location. Seila in once again renting from Joy Elder after talking extensively with Miss Vinnie Williams of the Oconee Enterprise and outgoing Mayor Jim Luken of Watkinsville into moving the business instead of closing down. His move leaves Jimmy Marbut and Sunshine Cycles as the only tenant in the small strip mall between the restaurants Chicken Express and Floyd's Grill.

Adam Thompson of the Athens Banner-Herald wrote me an email today to ask if everything is all right, and I replied that I have been very busy and bummed out massively about the death of guitarist Randy Bewley of Pylon. I need to add more content to this blog and keep people posted on my rather narrow viewpoint of what is going on in Oconee County, Georgia. Truth is not a whole lot has been happening in my neck of the world. About the most exciting thing I have done recently is buy a glow in the dark 28.5 gram basketball for my son. Lowell decided not to play soccer this spring and also asked not to be talked into playing on either the Oconee Recreation Department or Oconee Futbol Club traveling teams. With the economy the way it has been lately, that was not a difficult decision to swallow. Some parents would make their little soccer prodigies play even if they did not want to, but honest to goodness I could tell he was not that into it the last season we played on the big field. I am...

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Here is a post from a realtor I do not know about how home sales have slowed even here in Oconee County, Georgia. Time for some new leadership and direction locally? I think so

UGA field goal kicker Brandon Coutu nailed a long field goal toward the end of the Georgia Bulldogs game today with the Kentucky Wildcats. I was sitting with a physically challenged friend of mine in the handicap access area. My friend Steve said "you guys should move over toward the center for the field goal attempt" and we did. The kick was true, bounced right in my arms, I held it aloft and gave it to my son to throw back, which he did with a tight spiral. We had also caught one during the halftime that Coutu kicked from about the 50 yard line in the prelude to the second half. Many fans were throwing the ball back up further in the stands when the Wildcats warmed in the the start of the second half. We decided that it would be better sportsmanship to throw it back. I do not know if I had ever held a special kicking football before. It felt good. Lowell was very well behaved at the Georgia football game and thanks to all those who work to make the football season come of...