Oconee County, GA Politics

Lock your car doors people. Or at least do not leave valuables in your cars. Teens arrested in thefts | News | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

Lee Becker posted this edited video of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners' deliberations on the QuikTrip coming to the Oconee Connector near Highway 316. Oconee County BOC Meeting on QuikTrip Variances July 7, 2009 from Lee Becker on Vimeo .

And after (or before) you fetch some fresh produce from behind Eagle Tavern, please consider going on the inaugural Saturday Stroll with Mark Cooper Smith of Full Moon Studios leading the walking tour of Watkinsville at 9 am at the Courthouse. The cost is $5.00 with kids under 12 accompanied by an adult for free with 100% of the money raised going to the charity of the choice of the walk leader, this time being the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:51:01 -0700 From: oconeefm@yahoo.com Subject: Saturday's Market To: oconeefm@yahoo.com Hello, Hope everyone is well. This week we will have: many different kinds of pound cakes, banana bread, assorted pies, including blueberry, fresh eggs, blueberries, peaches, jams, jellies, handmade soaps & lotions, tomatoes (Maryanne Simmons will have lots of tomatoes), eggplant, green onions, sweet onions, cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes, several kinds of squash, green beans,

And after (or before) you fetch some fresh produce from behind Eagle Tavern, please consider going on the inaugural Saturday Stroll with Mark Cooper Smith of Full Moon Studios leading the walking tour of Watkinsville at 9 am at the Courthouse. The cost is $5.00 with kids under 12 accompanied by an adult for free with 100% of the money raised going to the charity of the choice of the walk leader, this time being the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation . Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:51:01 -0700 From: oconeefm@yahoo.com Subject: Saturday's Market To: oconeefm@yahoo.com Hello,  Hope everyone is well. This week we will have : many different kinds of pound cakes , banana bread , assorted pies, including blueberry, fresh eggs,  blueberries, peaches, jams , jellies, handmade soaps & lotions, tomatoes (Maryanne Simmons will have lots of tomatoes), eggplant, green onions , sweet onions , cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes, several kinds of

Oconee County teenagers will have a new place to hang out and litter for the Oconee County Democrats to pick up after on the Oconee Connector.  I think Lee Becker should apply for one of the two openings I read about on the Oconee County Planning Commission in yesterday's Oconee Enterprise advertisement from the county government. Everyone should apply for something. From: Lee Becker < lbbecker@mindspring.com > Date: July 16, 2009 11:04:12 PM EDT To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Subject: QuikTrip is Coming After All Reply-To: lbbecker@mindspring.com Dear Friends, QuikTrip is going ahead with plans to build a gas station and convenience store at the corner of Daniells Bridge Road and the Oconee Connector even though Oconee County refused to grant a variance to its tree ordinance that the representative of QuikTrip said was essential for the project. As should have been obvious, QuikTrip was blowing smoke when it said it could not accept the restrictions imposed by the county's

Thursday is the day for the weekly newspapers to come out in Oconee County. For some reason the local newspapers seem to never want to mention that we have our Oconee County Democratic Committee meetings at the Government Annex on Highway 15 in the southern part of Watkinsville. Let me spell it out and maybe it will help the local newspapers. I just sent them an announcement or press release for the rest of the meetings of 2009. I hope they will at least call if not include us in their calendar listings. We learned a lot about continuing efforts of the Oconee County Democratic Committee this evening. For instance, the Mayor of North High Shoals Jeff Thomas has postponed his long promised resignation until the pending re-election of city council members Violet Dawe and Fred Johnston in November. We also learned all about a book being written by a North High Shoals journalist resident about her murdered attorney husband "Memoirs of a a Dead Lawyer's Wife", the sign in th

This advertising was copied from the Oconee Enterprise newspaper in hopes of spreading the word about the Watkinsville Mayor and City Council conducting a day long review of topics such as the location for a new Courthouse and which streets will be repaved or widened. PUBLIC NOTICE The Mayor and Council of Watkinsville will conduct a strategy planning session on Wed., July 22 from 8:30 a.m. to about 5:00 p.m. at the Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast. Topics for discussion will include SPLOST, roadways, historic preservation and the courthouse. This is a public meeting. Jim Luken, Mayor

Next door to the YWCO property and down the road from the HS and Rec Department, the Butterfly Dream Farm provides a great service to those in need with Horse therapy. Watkinsville farm a sanctuary for special needs kids, parents - News

Spring Hill Suites to open soon - Will Benson from Bulldawg Illustrated on Vimeo .

Great to have Julie Sanders back. I can comment that I meant the trash near Morgan Manor adjacent to Farmview, but no matter. MINUTES OF MEETING OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL CITY OF WATKINSVILLE July 8, 2009 PRESENT: Mayor Luken, Council members Link, Brodrick, Purcell, Walsh, Walter and City Attorney Reitman. VISITORS: See attached sheet. QUORUM CHECK: Mayor Luken acknowledges a quorum is present. Councilwoman Purcell is out of the country at this time. All speakers are asked to approach the lectern and address Council. PRESENTATION OF THE WATKINSVILLE BEAUTIFUL YARD AWARD: Councilwoman Purcell announces the winners of the Watkinsville Beautiful Yard Award as Patrick and Susan Kennedy of 1011 Christian Court. Chicken Express sponsored this month’s beautiful yard award. MINUTES: Councilman Brodrick moved and Councilman Walsh seconded the motion to approve the June 10, 2009 Minutes as presented with corrections noted from Councilman Link. Opportunity for discussion. Motion carried unani

New Hotel Springhill Suites in Oconee County latest in Motel Enteprises' dominance in local large chain lodgings is fixing to open at busy Daniells Bridge Road area near High Tech area at By-Pass and Hwy. 316 Oconee County's first hotel set to open next week | News | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

Mark Cooper Smith of Full Moon Studios leads the first Saturday Stroll for the Oconee County Democratic Committee 9 am this Saturday morning. 'Saturday Strolls' begin this week | Oconee | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

What: A Going Away Party For Becky Vaughn When: Sunday, August 9th, 5:30 pm Where: Home of Ann Stoneburner and Robert Wyatt 1090 Apalachee Trace, Lane Creek subdivision on Cole Springs Rd. (between High Shoals and the UGA Plant Science Farm) As many of you know, Becky Vaughn is cutting down on her commute to Washington, D.C. by actually moving there for the foreseeable future, though Oconee County will continue to be her primary residence. As a result, Becky has been forced to resign her position on the Oconee County Democratic Committee. As I'm sure you all agree, we are hard-pressed to think of an individual who has been more important to our Committee and Democratic politics in Oconee County and beyond. With this in mind, we want to celebrate Becky's contributions and say "farewell and thanks." There will be finger-foods, beer, wine and soft drinks. We are asking three things of all who have been contacted: 1) Come and join us. After all, it wouldn't be a party

So far no cases of H1N1 or Swine Flu have been confirmed, but several cases of some strain of the Influenza virus and cases of Strep Throat have been diagnosed to attendees of the Oconee County Recreation Department's Summer Day camp, typically meeting daily at Herman C. Michael Park in the John T. Brannen building gymnasium. The fine staff at Oconee Rec are doing everything they can to defeat staph and all the other nasty infections with hand sanitizer and Lysol. Leigh Vail, the Youth Program Director of the Oconee County Parks and Recreation Department, sent a note home with the kids warning parents and asking them to watch out for any signs of sickness in their kids. Tomorrow morning the kids will be going to the New World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta and have to have their bright green shirts at the park by 7:30 am to get on the bus to go to the Big City with permission slips in hand (or already left with the staff). The OCRD kids do a great job with the youth of Oconee, and I hope

Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me Subject: Select Sustainable Tree Trust Contributes $1 Million of Trees to UGA Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:34:30 -0400 From: BBrodrick@jacksonspalding.com To: BBrodrick@jacksonspalding.com Select Sustainable Tree Trust Contributes $1 Million of Trees to UGA I have talked with many of you about the Select Sustainable Tree Trust based in Oconee County .  The T rust announced its first major contribution today -- $1 million worth of sustainable trees over 10 years to the University of Georgia .  Details can be found at the link and in the press release below. As a n informal advisor to the organization, I am very pleased that the Tree Trust has decided to make a contribution that will create a lasting impact on all who visit our state ' s flagship institution of higher learning.   Feel free to share this news with others who are passionate about the environment and susta

The NewsTalk 1340 WGAU AM Monday radio program "Liz Talk" (9:06 am to 9:58) featured an interview by host Elizabeth Dalton with the Oconee County Democratic Committee member Dr. Robert Wyatt about the Saturday Strolls series in Watkinsville. You can listen to it here if you scroll down to the Liz Talk section The first $5.00 stroll at 9:00 am this Saturday will feature talented engineer and muscian Mark Cooper Smith and his Full Moon recording studio on School Street to inaugurate the series. People will gather across the street from the Farmer's Market to take this walking tour around Watkinsville.

This is just some of the garbage I found on a brief trespass across one backyard in Taylor's Landing and over to Farmview Drive on a brief Sunday stroll with my son. I completely respect the railroads and want to know what we can do to clean this up together with them. I also know that railroads are an imposing entity which governments such as Watkinsville cannot always cope with, but I think we can work with them to try to find a solution to keep our backyards beautiful. The litter is primarily caused by the people tossing garbage and not necessarily anything to do with the locomotives on the Norfolk Southern leased to Benny Anderson line. He has every right to park his cars anywhere he wants. I also realize there is a great deal of garbage generated by the railroads such as with old cross ties and spikes themselves but that also people whose property abuts the tracks use them as a place to dispose of their unwanted belongings. I hope we get it removed as painlessly as possible. R

Wonder what will be the outcome of this challenge? State Supreme Court hears challenge to voting machines | Breaking News | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

Oconee County Democratic Book Club gets some love in the media. Spotted®: The focus is on you! | Living | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

Heard through the grapevine that a certain NYU drama frosh is serving at this place. Welcome back WIlliam. Brief Cases: Italian eatery in Oconee | Business | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

Jonathan McGinty composes his typically tight contrast and comparison of the economic needs of both counties. McGinty: Oconee officials split on economic partnership | Opinion | OnlineAthens.com Shared via AddThis

Oconee Democrats Regular Monthly Meeting Date: Thursday July 16, 2009 Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Repeats: This event repeats every month on the third Thursday. Location: Oconee County Government Annex Street: Greensboro Highway City State Zip: Watkinsville, GA Notes: Conversation & socializing starts at 7:00 pm; the meeting begins at 7:30 pm. COMMITTEE MEMBERS: If you have to miss this meeting, let Secretary Rita Bennett (bonanzagirl@hotmail.com) know in advance so your absence can be counted as "excused." See the Town of Watkinsville as you've never seen it before! The series of "Saturday Strolls," organized by the Oconee County Democratic Committee, begins on Saturday, July 18th at 9 a.m. The strolls will leave from the front of the Oconee County Courthouse, right across Main Street from the Oconee Farmers Market and the historic Eagle Tavern. The "Saturday Strolls" are a great way to stock up on fresh produce and baked goods at

Watkinsville City Council member Brian Brodrick talked about connectivity in passing Wednesday evening when taking homeowner Dwayne Wilkes to task for an ill fitting sketch plat designed by Ken Beall and Associates to shoehorn seven houses on a private drive in a narrow farm field. Connectivity is something sorely lacking in a lot of neighborhoods and subdivisions in many areas of Oconee County. Necessity being the mother of invention, the children and young drivers of my neighborhood have taken the problem into their own hands and wheels, driving in between the elbow curve in the road of my street Katie Lane and the cul de sac of the neighboring Taylor's Landing subdivision, right past the cement sewer cover and kind of in between at least four different tracts of property. The tire tracks are visible right there in the sod, but I do not think this is a very heavily traveled road, but given the fact that kids hang out with kids in the adjoining subdivisions, it makes sense that t