Oconee County, GA Politics

From: "Lee Goodall, GA.BarackObama.com" < georgia@barackobama.com > Date: September 26, 2009 4:05:39 PM EDT To: Dan Matthews < danjmatt@bellsouth.net > Subject: Beginning to rebuild in Georgia Reply-To: info@barackobama.com Dan -- In the past week, record rainfall has devastated our state, causing major flooding and mounting losses to families, businesses, and governments. While the rain has ceased for now, the loss of homes and loved ones carved a wound that has only begun to heal. To help us rebuild, President Obama signed a disaster declaration for Georgia and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. Vice President Biden visited some of the most heavily affected areas on Friday with members of Georgia's congressional delegation to survey the damage and make sure we're getting the help we need. With so many Georgians displaced by the rain and reeling from loss, this is a time for us all to come together and do what we...

Even if you do not have a ticket consider going to the game and helping with the clean up DURING the game. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:55:51 -0400 From: ugasea@GMAIL.COM Subject: Fwd: Gameday Recycling Needs Your Help To: SEAUGA@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU -- Sheena ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mark Milby < markmilby@gmail.com > Date: Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 2:27 PM Subject: Gameday Recycling Needs Your Help To: GOGREENALLIANCE@listserv.uga.edu Friends of the environmental at UGA: Please consider coming out tomorrow to volunteer for the Gameday Recycling program - we've gotten so much press lately and we need a strong showing of support. Last weekend we had over 70 volunteers but we need over 100 this time. Our main volunteer shift starts at 11:30am on the new Georgia Quad by Tate II. You can find all the information you need at our website, www.ecology.uga.edu/r...

A quick drive through our town

Great organization with wonderful people - please consider contributing your time and effort. Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. From: HandsOn_Northeast_Georgia@mail.vresp.com To: danmatt@hotmail.com Subject: HandsOn Georgia Week 2009 Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:39:38 +0000 VerticalResponse Click to view this email in a browser September  2009   Pepsi Bottling Co. Employees volunteer at the Family Counseling Center for HandsOn Georgia Week HandsOn Georgia Week September 26- October 3 Projects include:   Bicycle Recycling with Bike Athens-     Sept 27th, 28th & 30th Game Day Recycling Sept 26th and Oct 3rd Mobile Food Pantry Oct 1st Morton Theatre Ushering Sept 24-Sept 27 and October 1- 4 ...

Kudos to Congressman Broun for holding a Town Hall in Athens Monday at the VFW Hall (and in Commerce as well). Broun to hold Athens town halls | Breaking News | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

Watkinsville is mentioned prominently in this press release published in Illinois, I believe. Georgia Antebellum Trail Plans April Pilgrimage Event - Group Travel Tours , Group Cruises Shared via AddThis

Wonder if there will be a challenger for Toby? Qualifying scheduled for council vacancy | News | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

What awaits us all in the near future for Oconee County? When will we pay our most deserving volunteer Firemen? When will the economy begin to effect more positive growth in our already overbuilt homes and subdivisons? Why do parents have to complain to the Board of Education to get comparably equal facilities for the high schools? When will we ever see sidewalks and bike paths in our county instead of the stubs of unbuilt developments? What will it take to get the police department of Watkinsville to work well (or at least better) with the Sheriff Department of Oconee County? When will the sanitary sewer be extended to either Bishop or Bogart? What will the next scandal be at the Board of Education? When are Oconee County voters going to decide they have had enough? How many dozens of kids will be pulled out of public schools to go to private schools or be home schooled? When are we going to start putting our public safety interests ahead of our fear of taxes? What will it t...

Now if the Georgia Democratic Party can find a credible candidate for the 10th District, otherwise there is a challenger to Broun on the GOP side named Cason Sisk. PAC to raise money against Rep. Broun | News | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

According to a post on Facebook post seen by some at lunch, Oconee County Republican chair and sometimes newspaper reporter Jay Hanley let the world know the Oconee Enterprise office on Barnett Shoals Road  had some minor flooding but evidently none of the equipment was damaged.  Also last night noted bicycle enthusiast Dr. Anthony Glenn posted that most of Simonton Bridge Road between First and Main was flooded. That may be the first and last post ever where Jay Hanley and Tony Glenn were mentioned in the same paragraph. Many awe inspiring shots of the roaring shoals at North High Shoals or the Bridge over the Oconee River at Simonton Bridge were taken in the minds (if not shutters or cell phones) of passing cyclists and motor vehicle drivers Tuesday or before. While anywhere in the countyy that was semi flat saw some standing water accumulate during the seven day deluge, so far Oconee County seemingly escaped most of the severe damage seen elsewhere in the state. Pleas...

26 (oops 24 - thanks Jay Hanley) year old UGA (and Stephens County HS) grad engineering student Cason Sisk will seek to unseat Congressman Dr. Paul Broun, Jr. in the 2010 Republican Primary in the 10th district race. This political neophyte cites J. Edgar Hoover as his political role model and does run a solar company called Southern Solar Solutions . He has a 912 area code phone number and grew up in LaGrange. This ~ at the very least ~ will make Dr. Broun spend more money in the primary rather than against an as of yet unknown Democratic challenger in November. (If there is going to be a Democratic challenger - which as of right now is dubious at best).

Blake Aued of the Athens Banner-Herald demonstrates the worst kept secret in the Byzantine world of G.O.P. politics: nobody likes Ralph Hudgens (very much). If he is getting his ass kicked in Oglethorpe now, he is going to need a lot more than the Coffee County Hustle Award to win on a statewide basis. Never too late to change your mind once again, Ralphie babe. Oglethorpe County to Hudgens: Drop dead | Blogs.OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

The City of Watkinsville had scheduled a clean-up of their lovely Harris Shoals Park, but a deluge kept all but the hardiest out of stream and playground area litter gathering Saturday morning. Mayor Jim Luken and a few stouthearted council members including Samantha Purcell braved the ultra humid elements to find a tiny turnout. Just after Purcell suggested they reschedule the park clean up, a Scout master and a trio of Boy Scouts appeared and Luken stayed around to battle the rapids and pick up the bricks and trash in the stream. "We made a lot of progress," said Luken. "Not as much as I would have like to had with double digit numbers, but it was a good start. With all the rain the stream was way up over the shoals making it somewhat difficult to pick out the garbage. We are going to reschedule another clean up at a later date." The outgoing Mayor has yet to select the date, but made it clear that the cleaning of Watkinsville remains a priority in his remai...

It was interesting to see how far this story made it across the state on a slow rainy Sunday. From my rather jaded point of view, we do not have a huge feral car problem in Oconee County. There are a pair of cats that evidently belong to a neighbor who also owns five or six big dogs. The cats would rather hang on my small front porch and take chances with my elderly black dog/pitbull in the few moments a day we let her out. My dog is too old to chase cats like she used to, and I think the cats know this and tell each other that by in large the coast is clear at Casa Matthews. Anyhow take care and responsibility of your pets and none of this would be necessary. Oconee law to differentiate feral from pet cats | News | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

As long as I have the imperial power to do as please with the public transportation of this county, my next two targets would be the Oconee County campus of Gainesville State College and the Athens Academy access. The two parts of Bishop Farms Parkway shall be joined immediately, with proper work assuring the wetland control and possible bridge or other way to maintain the ecological integrity of the area. Secondary access to the 441 By-pass possibly involving the connected Bishop Farms Parkway or at least out of the parking lots. This would do wonders for Experiment Station and Government Station Roads after classes let out. Hagood Lane will be built out across to Summit Circle to supply the Congressman Paul Broun's backdoor to connect with Athens Academy so parents like me won't have to drive 70 on 441 to get to LaVista or Spartan Lane via Mason Mill or any other cut throughs. All neighboring subdivision shall be immediately available to have connectivity with the next ...

Sorry to have impugned the integrity of Books Galore. In the classic words of Emily Littella, never mind Woven brightly, table style="border-top: 1px solid black; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Segoe UI',Tahoma,san-serif;"> EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me  To: oconee@yahoogroups.com From: ppriest@charter.net Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:28:13 -0400 Subject: [oconee] Book group info and Tour of jail Hi! Two things: Books Galore IS still carrying the books for the book group the Oconee Democrats sponsor. Someone gave Cara some incorrect information. They have 3 paperback copies and 1 hardback copy of "The Devil We Know," the book about Iran we're reading this month (and discussing on the 30th at Five Points Deli on Epps at 6:15). The book is important -- and utterly sobering. Also, this Saturday's Stroll in Watkinsville (a series of walks sponsored by the Oconee Democrats) should be especially interesting: we'r...

Why should you want to fill out this survey? Because you might care about what local governments do with their roads, sidewalks and bike paths. Please take the time and fill out this survey sent to me by Dr. Anthony Glenn of Farmington. Subject: 2010 Northeast Georgia Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan   The Northeast Georgia Regional Commission (NEGRC; www.negplanning.org ) has created the first in a series of two online surveys to help guide the planning process for the 2010 Northeast Georgia Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan. This first survey is at this link: http://tinyurl.com/mn3vam .  It should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete and is available until Friday, October 30, 2009.     The Northeast Georgia region includes the following counties: Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton. Please help us gather as many responses as possible by sending the survey link to...

The rains we have received lately are a blessing as an inch below the top soil it is still bone dry in our Oconee County soil, but it has taken its toll on our Fall Soccer program with cancellations Thursday already. The Picture Day tomorrow will go rain or shine at the Oconee Veterans Park. width="12" height="12"> Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:00:18 -0700 Subject: Picture Day, Punt Pass & Kick and Soccer Attention OCPRD Football, Flag Football, Cheerleading, and Soccer Parents:   Soccer games  for Saturday are still on as scheduled. Please check the weather hotline for cancelation updates. 706-769-2965   Pictures are still a on as scheduled  - rain or shine . If it rains you will go inside the building  located in the Park where you were scheduled.   Please review the schedule or check with your coach   about   which park to report to for pictures and for the game. Picture Locations: OVP ? Oconee Veterans P...

PRESS RELEASE - SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 William t. “toby” smith, cpa/cva Contact: Toby Smith 1121 Christian Terrace Watkinsville , GA 30677 Phone (706) 705-1305 Work (706) 546-1422 SMITH TO RUN FOR WATKINSVILLE CITY COUNCIL SEAT WATKINSVILLE , Ga , SEPTEMBER 18 :  Toby Smith announced today that he will run for the Watkinsville City Council Post 3 seat, being vacated by Joe Walter. “Watkinsville has a distinct character and culture of its own, which makes me proud to be a resident” said Smith.  “I’ve been very encouraged and appreciative of the progress and hard work of Mayor Luken and the City Council.  Continuing that work while maintaining the unique quality and traditions of Watkinsville are top priorities.” Smith, 33, was raised in Watkinsville after his family relocated to Oconee County from Atlanta in 1977. Toby attended Oconee County schools and graduated from the University of Georgia earning a B.B.A. in Business Adminis...

Paul Broun was only ‘one thin door’ away from…. Posted using ShareThis