Oconee County, GA Politics

Damn good dawg. Wear black tomorrow in honor of UGA VII

Oconee County Democratic Committee's book club will be meeting 6 pm Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at Five Points Deli in on Epps Bridge Road. Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:01:21 -0500 Subject: [oconee] The Tipping Point   Two things: First, I wanted to let you know we raised $1,010.00 for local charities with our series of Saturday Strolls! Thanks to all of you who joined us to walk or share their expertise or enthusiasm for the town and its history! See more about the stroll scheduling for next year below if you're interested. Also wanted to let folks know that the December book for our book group is The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. It's an influential and entertaining book about how small things can tip trends forward toward success. We'll meet December 30th to discuss it. Perhaps you can find time just before the New Year to get together with us for a robust discussion. We'll meet at Five Points Deli on

The Oconee County Democratic Committee met once again this evening, and it is basically the same set of folks lamenting our lack of candidates for the same set of offices time and time again. Who would like to run against semi-permanently entrenched incumbents State Representative Bob Smith or Congressman Paul Broun? We will help you run, canvass, campaign and host events for your campaign. Many interesting names get tossed around at meetings such as these, and frustrations can sometimes bare fruit. All the yard sales and Adopt-a-Road clean ups cannot create one candidate if the local churches still shun us like lepers, so the idea of a church tour (or garden tour or home tour or history tour) was discussed well into the night. The more outreach in to the actual community, the better for all concerned. More than $1,000.00 was raised by some 16 people on both sides of the aisle during the successful Saturday Stroll series. Nearly than much again was raised during two soggy Saturda

Saturday Strolls Charities and Funds Raised 2009 Juvenile Diabetes (Mark Smith) $135 Extra Special People (Peggy Holcomb) $ 75 Oconee Relay for Life (Bethel Baptist) $ 60 OCAF (Joe Ruiz) $ 70 Extra Special People (Representative Bob Smith) $ 85 Nuci’s Space (Kevan Williams) $ 40 OCAF (Mayor Jim Luken) $105 Eagle Tavern (Commissioner Melvin Davis) $ 50 4-H (Mary Mellein) $ 25 Concerns of Police Survivors (Sheriff Scott Berry) $ 40 Athens-Area Resource Council (Commissioner Chuck Horton) $ 35 Veterans’ Relief Fund (Pat Priest) $100 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Geoff Seila) $ 75 Oconee River Land Trust (Dr. Robert Wyatt) $ 50 Georgia Voters’ Conservation Education Fund (Dr. Liz Kramer) $ 35 OCAF (Kathy and Jerry Chappelle) $ 30 Total: $1010

Wonkette : Saxby Chambliss Thinks Georgia Looks Like *This* Posted using ShareThis

A comparison of two farewell letters.  Jeff Thomas in blue, and Robert E. Lee in Gray Town of North High Shoals 108 Jefferson Road High Shoals, Ga. 30645 Jeff. D. Thomas Mayor November 16, 2009 Dear Council and Citizens of the Town of North High Shoals; After eighteen plus years of arduous service as mayor of North High Shoals, I have come to the decision that my presence is no longer desired or required .  "After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources. I have remained steadfast to the last concerning my duties, but I now feel that valor and devotion can accomplish nothing that will compensate for the loss of time to my family that would attend the continuance of my services. I need not tell the brave survivors of some many hard fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last that I have consented to this result from no

Former Oconee County G.O.P. chair Sarah Bell, who came 20 tantalizingly close to upsetting Chair G. Melvin Davis for the Oconee County Board of Commission chair seat in 2008, announced she is seeking the post in 2012 today on the Newsmaker Thursday program on NewsTalk 1340 WGAU AM local radio interview show hosted by Tim Bryant while discussing an animal shelter effort  ~ We Care Animal Haven group ~ 140 Rocky Drive in Athens. No word if current Chair Davis will seek a fourth term. She might be the first announced candidate, certainly in Oconee County, for the 2012 election cycle.

Any rush to judgment on the Oconee Veterans Park gym was strictly on my part, and I appreciate Jared Hightower getting back to me quickly about my perceived imperfections in the construction. Always appreciate getting feedback and correction from our well informed civil servants Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. From: jhightower@oconee.ga.us Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:50:29 -0500 Subject: details Dan, I was emailed the blog link about your visit to OVP gym on the day after Halloween.  To start - No complaints from me about  it,  because I fought for this country and its freedom of speech  and I cherish that liberty.  Therefore,  I  send this email purely as an informational reason to  help with a couple of details.  ·          According to your blog you arrived at the OVP gym on the day after  Halloween which was a Sunday. Since we opened the gym at OVP in February we have never had a sign that says 8am to 6pm.  Our sign has always stated Mon thru Sat  hours of 8am – 10pm and

The Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship fund is something I always support, and I may be able to get up early enough to enjoy coffee with them Friday morning and still make it to work on time. Jeannette Rankin is easily the most international famous political person with connections to Oconee County, Georgia. Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:48:58 -0500From: bentley@rankinfoundation.org To: danmatt@hotmail.com Subject: JRF's open house is this Friday Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship Fund's Open House and Preview Sale Enjoy coffee and doughnuts while being the first to shop! Date:  Description: Friday, November 20, 8am-5pm Enjoy free coffee and doughnuts from 8-11am. Browse holiday offerings that benefit JRF's program: Hope Mugs made by local potters and  Daring to Dream , a collection of JRF scholar storie

Remember the Titans! Taylor Hicks, Joe Robinson And Austin Wheeler Sign With Georgia - Official Athletics Site of the University of Georgia Bulldogs

Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me From: jhightower@oconee.ga.us To: danmatt@hotmail.com Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:18:05 -0500 Subject: RE: details Just say yes to coaching!   Oh yeah,  I failed to list the other bullet to let you know that the one of the  main hoops is stored upward  for free play because it encourages full court play  when it is down and that too often has caused patrons to wait for a game verses playing  two games cross court. However, according to our policy  there is supposed to be one main goal down on the far end  so that there can be (3) goals open for free shooting if only one game is running cross court.  That would be our error if they were both stored upward.   Jared HT   From: Dan Matthews [mailto:danmatt@hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 3:57 PM To: Jared Hightower Subject: RE: details   Thanks - not sure yet about spring soccer - will let you kn

Now former Mayor Jeff Thomas of North High Shoals is a man of many cloths, and we wish him well in all his future endeavors. I think he will remain quite busy with his family's nursing home on the edge of the city limits, not to mention his church and family. He was always appropriately entertaining when participating in local politics, wearing red on Valentine's Day, that sort of thing. This process has been several years and multiple personalities ~ some even passed on now for several years ~ whose real estate, living situations, rental properties, hired help, scandals and assorted other skeletons in the closet are much the subject of gossip and whisper campaigns on all three sides of the big bubbling rocks on the Apalachee River at the confluence of Morgan, Walton, and Oconee counties. North High Shoals is a wonderful town full of interesting individuals, some well educated, others woefully ignorant, that will always occupy a place near and dear to my heart. Now that bo

Watkinsville/ Arnoldsville based contractor American Stadium Services is responsible for removing a small mountain of garbage from the sacred North Campus after University of Georgia welcomes 90,000 people to come watch some football games on Saturdays. Night has its obvious logistic limitations and seems to be the sole unifying factor when the trash talk starts coming from higher-ups than usual. Please be kind to my campus Saturday night against Kentucky and clean up after yourself as a responsible tailgater. Pack out what you pack in, and please place your refuse in a garbage bag and hopefully remove it when you leave. Editorial: It's past time to stop trashing North Campus || OnlineAthens.com

Town of North High Shoals 108 Jefferson Road High Shoals, Ga. 30645 Jeff. D. Thomas Mayor November 16, 2009 Dear Council and Citizens of the Town of North High Shoals: After eighteen plus years of arduous service as mayor of North High Shoals, I have come to the decision that my presence is no longer desired or required. I have remained steadfast to the last concerning my duties, but I now feel that valor and devotion can accomplish nothing that will compensate for the loss of time to my family that would attend the continuance of my services. I will take with me the satisfaction that proceeds from a consciousness of duty faithfully performed; and I earnestly pray that a Merciful God will extend to this council and the citizens of this town His blessings and protection. With an unceasing admiration for the constancy and devotion to this city shown forth by the many town councils which I have presided over, and with a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous

Athens Banner-Herald writer Blake Aued did not ask Congressman Broun to send the confusing healthcare mailer to his constituents at tax payer expense. The volume and ferocity of the comments are off the hook. Some say Broun mailing misleading || OnlineAthens.com

Woven brightly, Daniel J. Matthews, Jr. EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me From: oconee@yahoogroups.com To: oconee@yahoogroups.com Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:04:36 +0000 Subject: [oconee] Oconee Democrats Regular Monthly Meeting, 11/19/2009, 7:00 pm Reminder from:   oconee Yahoo! Group   Title:   Oconee Democrats Regular Monthly Meeting   Date:   Thursday November 19, 2009 Time:   7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Repeats:   This event repeats every month on the third Thursday. Location:   Oconee County Go

Local resident and HS football supporter John Berry is bringing his annual Christmas gig to the Oconee County Civic Center  8 pm Saturday, November 28th. Admission is $25.00 and may evidently be purchased by calling the toll-free number (877) 438-5646, according to the Oconee Enterprise newspaper. They say that less than a fifth of the capacity of the Civic Center's 500 seats remain for this two part performance. I would not confuse the local musician with this similarly named appointee to the Obama administration .

I just found out a limited number of general admission tickets are available at $45.00 for the game this Saturday night at 7:45 pm. Not quite sure where we are going to sit or if we are able to sit at all..... To think I was looking for an online .pdf file for the $5.00 coupon for cheap seats for the Men's basketball game Tuesday night.....

I am a geek like this but probably could not find myself around without a map: The many Adventures of GeocacheGeek: Old School Navigating aka Orienteering

Finally someone who agrees with me. What are the best cities to live in Georgia and Florida?

The Oconee Veterans Park gymnasium basketball court appears to be in a whole lot better condition today despite the dozen or so dust bunny clumps I picked up by hand. Also my son has a better jump shot than me in the game of H-O-R-S-E, and I had to resort to the Troy Brewer two handed set shot to even stay close. He convinced himself he could not do a Dr. J reverse spin from one side of the hoop while your body is on the other side shot, but he made it. It is the basketball equivalent of magic, and you do feel truly like a wizard the first time you use it successfully on a drive. * * * Glad the Watkinsville Town Council unanimously approved the new beer and wine pouring license for Mirko Pasta, presenting a positive profile for any potential restaurant owner looking at the old and huge Maison Bleu space. I would think this would make a perfect location for a caterer/restauranteur needing to make tons of pastries, cakes, hors d'oeuvres,  et cetera for your special event at the n