Oconee County, GA Politics

To meditate on Iraq, I went to Oconee County. To the Washington Farms corn maze. I started with the corn cannon near the parking lot, a pneumatic tube that shoots half-ears of dried corn about 50 yards on a low arc. The two painted targets made a particularly Athenian axis of evil - Osama bin Laden and a Florida Gator. I picked Osama. He's still at large. I drove around to the corn maze entrance, parked. Being male, I didn't ask for instructions or directions or a map. I just walked right in, seduced by the ease of the first long, gently curving path. In most places, the corn was only about as tall as I am. Being large, I thought I had an advantage over the kids running and laughing in another part of the maze. But soon I realized the maze was bigger than even me. I don't have much hate in my heart, and I'm not violent, but I was ready to throttle the guy who cut this maze out of the cornfield. The person who took me in circles and drew me into dead ends. The one who ma...

After Pat’s Birthday Posted on Oct 19, 2006 Courtesy the Tillman Family Pat Tillman (left) and his brother Kevin stand in front of a Chinook helicopter in Saudi Arabia before their tour of duty as Army Rangers in Iraq in 2003. By Kevin Tillman Editor’s note: Kevin Tillman joined the Army with his brother Pat in 2002, and they served together in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pat was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. Kevin, who was discharged in 2005, has written a powerful, must-read document. It is Pat’s birthday on November 6, and elections are the day after. It gets me thinking about a conversation I had with Pat before we joined the military. He spoke about the risks with signing the papers. How once we committed, we were at the mercy of the American leadership and the American people. How we could be thrown in a direction not of our volition. How fighting as a soldier would leave us without a voice… until we got out. Much has happened since we handed over our voice: Somehow we...

I know some of our intrepid readers go ballistic every time I mention the name Wendell Dawson. I have had my fair share of arguments and disputes with the ex-chair of the Oconee County Commission. His endorsement of Mike Wiggins for State Supreme Court would be in the disagreement pile. Here is an article from today's AJC detailing some of the alleged crud and corruption with the Wiggins camp. And this might be the only time recently I have agreed with Zell Miller on anything except his party affiliation. Judge hopeful hit by ethics charge Wiggins denies donation complaint By JILL YOUNG MILLER The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 10/19/06 A complaint filed Wednesday with the State Ethics Commission charges that Georgia Supreme Court candidate Mike Wiggins, his campaign committee and a group called the Safety and Prosperity Coalition are "engaged in an illegal and coordinated effort to improperly influe...

28-acre business park gets thumbs up from council Bogart By Merritt Melancon | juliana.melancon@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 1:28 AM on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 BOGART - The Bogart City Council approved a 28-acre business park Monday near the Athens-Clarke/Oconee County line despite objections from homeowners who say the park will ruin the quaint aesthetic of their neighborhood. The park's owners, Bogart Business Park LLC, could begin construction early next year, and when it's finished, the park could hold as many as 24 businesses, said Steven Hooks, a engineer with business park designer Schmitt Engineering. The industrial park will be sandwiched between Landrum Drive and Thompson Street in an area zoned for intensive business uses. Many residents of Landrum Drive said they favor business development, but worry that the industrial park will turn neighb...

'Beginning of the end of America' Olbermann addresses the Military Commissions Act in a special comment SPECIAL COMMENT By Keith Olbermann Anchor, 'Countdown' MSNBC 18 October 2006 We have lived as if in a trance. We have lived as people in fear. And now—our rights and our freedoms in peril—we slowly awake to learn that we have been afraid of the wrong thing. Therefore, tonight have we truly become the inheritors of our American legacy. For, on this first full day that the Military Commissions Act is in force, we now face what our ancestors faced, at other times of exaggerated crisis and melodramatic fear-mongering: A government more dangerous to our liberty, than is the enemy it claims to protect us from. We have been here before—and we have been here before led here—by men better and wiser and nobler than George W. Bush. We have been here when President John Adams insisted that the Alien and Sedition Acts were necessary to save American lives, only to watch him use th...

Arise, Athenians! Appropriately for Athens, our legislative races seem drawn from a Greek drama in which the despicable act of a scheming man sets into motion an inevitable chain of events. Enter: Ralph Hudgens, a Christian. (Had St. Paul foreseen that his labors 2000 years later would give rise to a man like Hudgens, he would have thrown in with the pagans.) Hudgens is that oxymoron, a Christian politician, or rather he uses the religion of Peter and Paul to further his own political aims. This is the same Hudgens who was on the state steering committee of Christian Lt. Governor candidate Ralph Reed. The Plot: Athens traditionally votes Democratic. It is a small blue dot in a red state governed by a Republican Governor and a Republican legislature. The noble Hudgens is ambitious, and he is a Republican. He proposes a plan to cleave Athens-Clarke County in twain, affixing the sundered parts to heavily Republican Senatorial District 46 and to heavily Republican District 47, the...

Dear Democratic Colleagues: It is an honor to be the Democratic nominee for Secretary of State. I am proud of the dedicated way that our statewide ticket is working together and I am so excited about how energized our local Democrats are around the state. Everyone is working so hard to make this a Democratic year! Every Democrat should win because the Republicans have proven repeatedly over the last four years that it is Democrats who truly know how to lead in Georgia ! Campaigns can often get side tracked with distorted issues and plain-old nonsense ( http://www.jasonpye.com/files/pr_buckner.pdf ) And, it is with great disappointment that I am writing today to set the record straight on an item that has been totally blown out of proportion. What makes this so unfortunate is that a fellow Democrat who should be helping our ticke...

All: I’m serving as co-director for the Scarecrow 5K (presented by Zaxbys ) again this year. I’d love it if any of you could come to the race, or if you can’t, share the link below to the entry form with a friend or family member who would like to run or walk in the event. It will be this Saturday in Watkinsville, Ga. just 10 minutes from Athens, and will be on a nice rolling course. Race start is at 8 a.m. Most importantly, we will have a festive, long sleeved t-shirt (let me know if you want to see what it looks like in advance) and wonderful pottery awards by John Winterhawk (www.winterhawkpottery.com). Please send this along to other local runners and walkers if you don’t mind. Hope to see you Saturday for the race and the Oconee County Fall Festival. Brian http://www.occoc.org/forms/scarecrow.pdf All proceeds from the race go to support education in Oconee County. Thanks to all of our sponsors Race Presented by Zaxby’s BellSouth *...

Cheney Understands ... Sometimes You Just Need To Strangle the Bitch « previous post next post » Remember Don Sherwood, the 65-year-old Pennsylvania congressman who got busted for reportedly trying to strangle this young gal he was fucking? Dick Cheney raised $180,000 for the Pennsylvania Strangler at a fundraiser held in some mansion in Centermoreland Township last month. Bush even did one of those “Vote for the Strangler” phone messages. Democrat Chris Carney is leading in the race, mostly because of Sherwood’s bizarre sex scandal. “Sherwood Denies Choking Woman” was the first hilarious headline in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader. The next day’s headline is just as good: “Republicans rallying to help Sherwood get past report.” More fun, after the jump. It was eventually revealed that Sherwood started fucking the girl shortly after he came to Washington — when she was just 23. He picked her up at some Young Republicans party. The strangling incident...

MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE October 11, 2006 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Purcell, Brodrick, Walsh and Walter and City Attorney Reitman. VISITORS: See attached sheet. QUORUM CHECK: Mayor Luken acknowledges a quorum is present. Mayor Luken also asks those with non-emergency cell phones to turn them off or down. All speakers are asked to approach the lectern and address Council. WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD: Councilwoman Samantha Purcell announced Marvin and Amy Williams of 151 VFW Drive as receiving the Watkinsville Beautiful Yard Award for the month of October. The selection was made by Girasoles. MINUTES: Councilman Link moved and Councilman Walter seconded the motion to approve the minutes of the September 13, 2006 Council meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. JOHN MARTIN: Councilwoman Purcell moved and Councilman Brodrick seconded the motion to approve a building permit for...

Congressman John Barrow Just thought you should know about some of the sleazy tactics being used to try and swift boat John Barrow

Arguments on districts heard today Georgia Supreme Court By Allison Floyd | allison.floyd@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:01 PM on Sunday, October 15, 2006 The Georgia Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments today in the legal fight to overturn a 2006 redistricting that split Athens into two state Senate districts. The General Assembly, at the request of state Sen. Ralph Hudgens, shifted district lines for three state Senate districts early this year. The change unified Madison County into one district, but split Athens' Democratic-leaning voters into two Republican districts. A handful of local voters sued dozens of election officials to try to stop them from following the new maps during July primaries, though a visiting Superior Court judge dismissed their claim in June. Attorneys for the voters appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, arguing that the G...

• Jane Kidd to meet Oconee County Teachers and Educators - 3-5 p.m., Oconee County Library, Experiment Station Road; share your professional concerns, questions and goals with Jane; learn why Jane has been endorsed by GAE and environmental organizations in Georgia.

DOUG GROSS Associated Press ATLANTA - Roughly three weeks before the Nov. 7 elections, the state Supreme Court on Monday will hear a challenge to an Athens Senate district redrawn by Republican lawmakers after a Democratic representative announced plans to seek the seat. The redrawing - which was the only major map change by the Legislature this year - divides the Democratic stronghold of Athens into two Republican-dominated districts. State Rep. Jane Kidd, D-Athens, is facing Republican Bill Cowsert to win the seat, which was vacated when incumbent Sen. Brian Kemp, a Republican, left to make an unsuccessful run for state agriculture commissioner. A federal suit, in which Kidd was a plaintiff, has been thrown out. But the state case, filed by constituents in the new district, remains alive on appeal after an Athens Superior Court judge sided with the defendants. Emmet Bondurant, the lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the lower court judge was wrong when he ruled the Legislature has a lega...

Good evening everyone, Below is a message from Russ Page regarding the Plum Creek and river walk issues. If you have received your Oconee Leader and Oconee Enterprise, you will see related articles in both papers this week. Mark your calendars and try to attend: Planning Commission (again!) on Monday, October 16th (I’m out of town, so do me proud and fight hard to preserve our beautiful south Oconee!) Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, November 7th Both meetings at 7 p.m. in the County Courthouse, Main Street, Watkinsville. Many thanks, Tony _____________________________________________ Here’s the update from Russ: To those following the river walk saga...two significant items on the agenda for Oct 16 Planning Commission meeting. Plum Creek Timberlands 2 rezones are back...I have submitted a Grant Proposal to Plum Creek Foundation, at Plum Creek headquarters in Washington State. I have discussed with Fernando Arias (Plum Creek Timberlands representative for land sales in North Georgia)...

Oconee County Candidate Forum Wednesday, November 1, 2006 Oconee County Library Auditorium 7:00-9:00 p.m. Candidates running for Georgia Senate District 46 (Jane Kidd and Bill Cowsert) and Georgia House District 113 (Becky Vaughn and Bob Smith) will be taking questions from the audience. If you have questions you’d like to ask the candidates, here’s your chance. As of now this is the only question & answer type forum to be held in Oconee County for these two races. To inquire more about this event, contact Lee Becker (lbbecker@mindspring.com) or Tony Glenn (southoconee@yahoo.com). This event is being sponsored by the following organizations: Citizens for Oconee’s Future Citizens for South Oconee County Friends of Barber Creek Friends of the Apalachee Oconee Citizens for Responsible Growth

WE'RE IN HIGH GEAR AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP UP THE PACE!!! $10,000 will finish our mail and radio plans. click here to go to our website and contribute today. We're so close, help us reach the finish line. Opportunities coming this weekend: √ Saturday! 10:00 -1:00: We’ll be canvassing in Watkinsville. We’ll meet at Jittery Joe’s and go from there. Let us know if you can come so that we’ll have enough materials. 2:30 – 6:00: Office jobs at 1030 Meriweather Dr.If you missed our previous “stuffing” parties you won’t want to miss this one! Come for all or any part to * Stuff invitations for an Atlanta event next week * Write postcards to your friends (bring your address book!) * General office work: Thank you letters, database entry, etc. …and anything else we can think of between now and then! √ Sunday! 2:00-6:00: We’ll be driving to Atlanta to make use of a wonderful calling system. It skips all of the unanswered , answering machines, and busy signals so that you are spendin...

October City Council Meeting Oconee Living section Athens Banner-Herald October 12, 2006 American clothing company chooses Watkinsville as world headquarters By Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Correspondent Athens Banner-Herald Watkinsville was announced as the world headquarters from the fledging fashion line run by Mynk Corporation, whose American-made clothes have graced the pages of Glamour and been worn by the likes of Kelly Clarkston on the television show The View. Donald Harrison, Jr. told council members at the regular monthly meeting his company’s business shows signs of “tripling or quadrupling” in the very near future. He selected the clothing manufacturer office on 22 Barnett Shoals, running a Southern-themed jeans and other garments line. He will distribute clothes in nearby Winder. His was one of a half dozen businesses approved by the City Council in a relatively brief meeting. John Impeduglia received a pair of approvals for another apparel manufacturer as the t-shi...

Tim is a great guy who works with Community Connection and a lot of other important groups. The following is in no way indictative of any official endorsements, but instead one person's opinion and input of whom I have the highest and utmost amount of respect. I hope it enlightens some of you as to the vagaries of some of the judges' races and referenda: n the non-Commission, non-mayoral nonpartisan races (please note that all opinions are my own and are not on behalf of any organization): David Sweat (incumbent Superior Court judge) is an outstanding public servant. He is highly intelligent and has impeccable integrity. His entire legal career, he donated immeasurable pro-bono work to nonprofit organizations (including incorporation for Community Connection, Athens Area Homeless Shelter, Rape Crisis Center [now Sexual Assault Center], Project Safe, Georgia Options, and others). He continues to participate actively in volunteer work, including Partners for a Prosperous Athens, ...

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