Jim Ivey, Fall Festival, Veterans Memorial and more
Pardon the stream of consciousness rambling here, but somehow these ideas all tie together somehow I promise:
Kudos to the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce and the army of volunteers for successfully pulling off yet another jam packed Oconee County Fall Festival, where some 15,000 people all pile in on Rocket Field and the surrounding area to sample crafts, corn dogs, BBQ, funnel cakes, sand candles and the like. I never understand why people torture their canines by insisting on bringing them to this gathering, but then again, I let my dog sleep inside at night (and during most of the day as well). Glad there were no neighbors foaming at the mouth this year.
The Watkinsville Police Department gets high marks for keeping the crowd flow going well but the Oconee County Sheriff's Department should have people at the various traffic lights over riding the normal pattern to customize according to the need of the moment during the peak congestion hours. I for one have never understood the lack of cooperation between Sheriff Scott Berry and Police Chief Lee O'Dillon. They are both consumate professionals who should work better together under these special event circumstances. For all I know the Sheriff's deputies may have indeed been assisting in traffic flow, but all I know is I almost went to Bishop to get to Bogart at 2 pm for a birthday party. What was normally a 10 minute trip became a 45 minute adventure.
Jim Ivey's defense team should realize he is not going to get a fairer treatment any where in the world than Oconee County for his embezzlement trial. Keep in mind the 70% Republican voter roles here, as compared with 70% Democratic in Clarke. I had it explained to me that if indeed Judge Stephens does move the December 3rd trial, it will go to somewhere like a Columbia or Whitfield County rather than Clarke in the same Western Judicial Circuit.
Again I suggest Ivey's sentence, should he be found guilty, should be to chip away at the bedrock under the Oconee County Community Center. He is the one to blame as to why the Veterans Monument fundraising gala has been postponed, but at the same token, I think Oconee County voters and people at large understand that this very deserving monument has been hijacked from the onset (and continues to be) politically for propaganda purposes by the G.O.P. to the point where even a hawk like Zell Miller wants nothing to do with it. Even though I salute Rev. Davidson and his son's continued duty to our country, he is the immediate past leader of the county Republican party, and that does not pass the stink test in most people's noses no matter how non-political he may be. Invite former Senator and real war hero Max Cleland to come instead of some Republican water carriers and perhaps the donations will start rolling in instead of the trickle from the folks at the bank.
No one questions the need for our Veterans to be honored. I would have opted to name the whole new park The Oconee County Veterans Park instead of the Oconee County Community Center. People would know what you are talking about if you said your soccer game is at the Vets Park or something similar to that. And also, I reiterate for the umpteenth time, use gray granite from Oglethorpe or Elbert counties instead of black polished rock (recalling and ripping off the Vietnam Memorial in DC?). The current plans have a cold, uninviting almost Stalinist look to them, not something inviting, warm and friendly where families could go picnic and hang out and have a fitting tribute to our nation's finest? Are you reading this, Ken Beall? Get Jerry Chappelle's plans and try to make something we can all tolerate aesthetically and every other way.
Kudos to the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce and the army of volunteers for successfully pulling off yet another jam packed Oconee County Fall Festival, where some 15,000 people all pile in on Rocket Field and the surrounding area to sample crafts, corn dogs, BBQ, funnel cakes, sand candles and the like. I never understand why people torture their canines by insisting on bringing them to this gathering, but then again, I let my dog sleep inside at night (and during most of the day as well). Glad there were no neighbors foaming at the mouth this year.
The Watkinsville Police Department gets high marks for keeping the crowd flow going well but the Oconee County Sheriff's Department should have people at the various traffic lights over riding the normal pattern to customize according to the need of the moment during the peak congestion hours. I for one have never understood the lack of cooperation between Sheriff Scott Berry and Police Chief Lee O'Dillon. They are both consumate professionals who should work better together under these special event circumstances. For all I know the Sheriff's deputies may have indeed been assisting in traffic flow, but all I know is I almost went to Bishop to get to Bogart at 2 pm for a birthday party. What was normally a 10 minute trip became a 45 minute adventure.
Jim Ivey's defense team should realize he is not going to get a fairer treatment any where in the world than Oconee County for his embezzlement trial. Keep in mind the 70% Republican voter roles here, as compared with 70% Democratic in Clarke. I had it explained to me that if indeed Judge Stephens does move the December 3rd trial, it will go to somewhere like a Columbia or Whitfield County rather than Clarke in the same Western Judicial Circuit.
Again I suggest Ivey's sentence, should he be found guilty, should be to chip away at the bedrock under the Oconee County Community Center. He is the one to blame as to why the Veterans Monument fundraising gala has been postponed, but at the same token, I think Oconee County voters and people at large understand that this very deserving monument has been hijacked from the onset (and continues to be) politically for propaganda purposes by the G.O.P. to the point where even a hawk like Zell Miller wants nothing to do with it. Even though I salute Rev. Davidson and his son's continued duty to our country, he is the immediate past leader of the county Republican party, and that does not pass the stink test in most people's noses no matter how non-political he may be. Invite former Senator and real war hero Max Cleland to come instead of some Republican water carriers and perhaps the donations will start rolling in instead of the trickle from the folks at the bank.
No one questions the need for our Veterans to be honored. I would have opted to name the whole new park The Oconee County Veterans Park instead of the Oconee County Community Center. People would know what you are talking about if you said your soccer game is at the Vets Park or something similar to that. And also, I reiterate for the umpteenth time, use gray granite from Oglethorpe or Elbert counties instead of black polished rock (recalling and ripping off the Vietnam Memorial in DC?). The current plans have a cold, uninviting almost Stalinist look to them, not something inviting, warm and friendly where families could go picnic and hang out and have a fitting tribute to our nation's finest? Are you reading this, Ken Beall? Get Jerry Chappelle's plans and try to make something we can all tolerate aesthetically and every other way.
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