Oconee County, GA Politics

For those of you who have yet to digest the front page story of today's Oconee Enterprise newspaper, suffice to say I was shocked to read the City of Watkinsville will not take part in a 4th of July parade down Main Street as it is currently configured. Whether this will result in the municipality's complete lack of participation in the official holiday is anyone's guess at this point. I will always defer to Chief Lee O'Dillon when it comes to matters of public safety, but now it has entered  into the realm of public consumption and participation (otherwise known as politics), I would be taking a much different tact and direction to that of the current Mayor if the voters of this municipality had decided to hire me instead of my opponent. The patriotic parade is now looking at marching around Veterans Park in a somewhat antiseptic plan lacking shade and sidewalks. I love the Oconee County Parks and Recretation Department, but I do not think this is the best place to...

Be safe out there, especially around busy Butler's Crossing today Woven brightly,  Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Subject: Advisory Message: The Fire Department is dealing with a fire on Hog Mountain near Butlers Crossing. Please use caution. Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 16:51:14 +0000 Hi Dan Matthews, Advisory Message has been issued by the Oconee County Georgia Sheriff's Office. Monday April 4, 2011 12:50 PM EDT The Fire Department is dealing with a fire on Hog Mountain near Butlers Crossing. Please use caution. The Fire Department is dealing with a fire on Hog Mountain near Butlers Crossing. Please use caution and watch for firefighters and fire trucks. For full details, go to https://local.nixle.com/alert/4674103/?sub_id=496910 . Contact Information: Lee Weems Oconee County Sheriff's Office 706-769-3945 lweems@oconeesheriff.org

I would be in favor of restricting and regulating who is allowed to go on the road, but would not be upset by a total ban of selling doughnuts and firemen asking for donations. Oconee may restrict roadway fundraising | News | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

The clubhouse at at the Jennings Mill County Club was destroyed by fire early this morning and the website email blast by the Oconee Enterprise seemingly scooped all the other media in this town, although admittedly I have not scoured or scouted every newspaper and radio station in the area. The fire consumed the clubhouse on this Memorial Day weekend and involved fire departments from Athens-Clarke and the wonderful volunteers from Oconee County. Obviously it could have been much worse, say taking place during the recent golf tournament or during the day, but thank goodness no one was hurt. I am thankful that our fire departments can cooperate and coordinate in ways our governments have never even imagined. I hope the residents of Jennings Mill can enjoy the holiday weekend despite this major setback.

Watkinsville was nailed from two different directions with spontaneous summer storms. Some said inline winds, others said tornado, some thought wind shear. The damage to the trees was on both sides of the street in this gullywasher. My neighbor Tom Gwinn said it came in two bursts from different directions right at five o clock Thursday. I came upon a fire department truck working on a house struck by lightning at 1041 Taylor's Drive in Taylors Landing in the subdivision next to mine. Many limbs were down, trampolines blown away and basketball goals knocked over by the wind. Here are some photos.