Oconee County, GA Politics

Written by Lee Shearer - Athens Banner-Herald onlineathens.com Athens Technical College’s GED classes in Oconee County may need to be looking for a new home. County Commissioners at a Tuesday meeting seemed ready to balk at renewing the program’s lease for space in the county’s government annex on Greensboro Highway. With the government vacating rented buildings in downtown Watkinsville this week, there just may not be room for the GED program in addition to the government workers who now must move into the annex, some commissioners say. “I don’t think it wise to move forward with renting space when we don’t have enough space,” said Commissioner Jim Luke, who said he’d be opposed to signing a lease renewal for 2017 and 2018. “I don’t want anybody to think I don’t want them in the county. I do,” he said. Meanwhile, county workers are moving out of two rented buildings across the street from the county courthouse in Watkinsville. Administrative Officer Jeff Benko said...

Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. 1081 Katie Lane Watkinsville , Georgia 30677   (706) 372-1062 (cell phone) (706) 353-0503 (fax at work) September 1, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (for further information or interviews, please email danmatt@hotmail.com or above contact information) DAN MATTHEWS RUNS FOR POST 5 OF THE WATKINSVILLE CITY COUNCIL             Longtime Oconee County resident Dan Matthews launched his campaign for the Post 5 position on the Watkinsville City Council after paying the $72.00 qualifying fee Tuesday at the Watkinsville Community Center.             “I love the City of Watkinsville very much, and the way we are carefully growing,” said Matthews. “I want to continue in the tradition of former Mayor Jim Luken and work with people to make our city the best place it can be.” Dan Matthews       ...

TV series contract sabotaged, says local attorney : Attorney Howard Scott has sued a former California business partner, claiming that she sabotaged efforts to create a television series based on his life stories and those of his father, Guy Scott.

Secretary Kemp, please reconsider your intransigence of improved voter cyber security. Your lack of compromise will not serve you well in your forthcoming Governor's race. Sincerely, Everyone registered to vote in the State of Georgia Georgia, the firewall state, goes it alone on election security - SaportaReport

Mark Melvin Resigns As Oconee's Deputy Fire Chief

Challenger Dan Matthews was first to qualifying for the Watkinsville City Council on the second day where City Clerk Julie Sanders was receiving the $72.00 fee for such a contest. Matthews chose Post 5 again, potentially taking on Mike Link once more should he decide to run again (and all indications are that the Oconee County volunteer fire fighter who always votes no on restaurant and stores' alcohol applications, will run again for his umpteenth term on the town council). Matthews plans to give all municipal applicants an honest consideration instead of merely opting to impose his moral viewpoint like the incumbent currently and repeatedly does to the residents and business license holders in the City of Watkinsville. Link has never voted in the affirmative for any applicants ever for beer, wine, or liquor by the drink in the dozen-plus times he has had the opportunity to do so since former Mayor Jim Luken helped usher in the spirits era in Oconee County several years ago....

Investigators work to solve murder victim mystery

Please call the Oconee County Sheriff's office at 706-769-5665 if you have any guess as to who this young African-American male is. His body was found on Fambrough Cemetery Road in an extremely remote part of southern Oconee County Saturday night. Sincerely, Dan Matthews From: Oconee County Georgia Sheriff's Office <oconee-county-georgia-sheriffs-office@emails.nixle.com> Sent: Monday, August 29, 2016 5:32 PM To: danmatt@hotmail.com Subject: Advisory Message: forensic sketch of murder victim Message sent via Nixle | Go to nixle.com | Unsubscribe Monday August 29, 2016, 5:32 PM Oconee County Georgia Sheriff's Office A message from your Sheriff's Office. Advisory: forensic sketch of murder victim Dear Dan Matthews, This is a forensic sketch of the murder victim found on Fambrough Cemetery Road on Saturday, 8/27/16. If you have any inf...

AboutForsyth.com • View topic - Complaint against Captain Henry Anthony “Tony” Wooten

Jennings Mill’s Seth McCain in chase for player of year

Family ties make win against Clarke Central special to Oconee County QB Sam Middlebrooks

Oconee County Observations: Oconee County Getting A Brand New 8-Foot-By-12-Foo... : 35 Feet Above Ground A crew began work yesterday (Friday) on the large sign Oconee County permitted for just south of the intersection of ...

Sheriff Scott Berry is asking for the publics help in identifying the murder victim discovered last night on Fambrough Cemetery Road off Hwy 15 South last night. The victim is a young black male, estimated in age to be between 17-21 years of age. He is approximately 5-9 and 140 pounds, with a small chin goatee. He has no tattoos and was wearing a black, unlabeled t-shirt over a white tank type t-shirt. His pants are black nylon pants over shorts. His shoes are grey and r ed high end athletic style shoes. He has no jewelry, he appeared to be neatly groomed and well kept.  He has no identification and no cell phone.  Traditional means of identification, such as fingerprints have met with no results.  If you know of or have information about the victim, or any information regarding his death contact the Oconee County Sheriff's Office immediately and ask for Sergeant Kevin Nolley or Investigator Vic Green at 706-769-5665 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Clinton says Trump running racist campaign | Jamie Dupree - AJC

Three men vying for a vacant seat on the Oconee County Commission will answer questions for the public in a forum Sept. 15 at the community center in Oconee County’s Veterans Park. Ben Bridges, 50, a business manager, Marcus Wiedower, 40, a construction manager, and Chuck Horton, 61, director of parking services for Athens-Clarke County, are running for the Post 2 seat left vacant when John Daniell stepped down to run unopposed for chairman of the board of commissioners. The election is officially a special election, but voting will be on Nov. 8, the same day as the general election. Current chairman Melvin Davis announced earlier this year he would not run again. His term expires at the end of the year. Also scheduled to appear at the forum is Oconee County School Superintendent Jason Branch, who will talk about another ballot item, the special purpose local option sales tax. The school board is asking voters to extend the 1 percent sales tax an additional five year...

I live on Jeremy Drive and Katie Lane, and I hope the crew that resurfaces the street will do so a little more thoroughly and or carefully as when they did Katie Lane last year (two years ago?), they pretty much plowed right over manhole covers and left a noticeable ridge remaining near the curbs (not to mention a lot of asphalt debris in the nearby yards). I know we are not getting a golden road paved for all our delights, but uneven pavement however well intended can be a hazard if not properly flattened and or cured.  Thank you Mayor and Council for considering the cratering and "spider webs" on the break up of our aged street surface in Morgan Manor Estates. And for the record, I am pro-curved mirror at numerous curved areas (Depot Street) including Third Street at Rocket Field and possibly even the elbow of Katie Lane. Jeremy Drive, Depot Street getting work : Jeremy Drive and Depot Street will get new surfaces.

Remodel concept for Community Center OK’d : The Watkinsville Community Center is getting a new floor plan.

Watkinsville cuts its property tax rate : Taxpayers in the city limits of Watkinsville will not see an increase in their taxes.

Tight campus will test skills of UNG interim CEO : UNG’s new interim CEO has a shorter commute to the campus, but a longer walk to his office.

OK Blake, I know we all make mistakes in the hurry to get the story out, but the restaurant named Girasoles is always going to be called "Girasoles" and when given a possessive apostrophe, it would be Girasoles' or perhaps Girasoles's  Under no circumstances should it ever be referred to as "Girasole's." Same possessive apostrophe rules apply to the city of Athens (always Athens' and never ever "Athen's") or perhaps my last name of Matthews (always Matthews' or perhaps Matthews's and for me never "Matthew's"). That said, why do I think that City Council member Mike Link will vote against beer and wine Sunday sales in Watkinsville, and why do I think there will have to be a municipal referendum to follow this up despite it happening once already. Sunday sales on agenda in Watkinsville too : Mayor Charles Ivie said that Watkinsville will take up the matter of Sunday sale of alcohol at its September meeting.