Oglethorpe Echo

Seven candidates are eligible to run for six posts in the Maxeys Georgia election on Nov. 5. Qualifying for the 2024 race took place last week at city hall. The positions include mayor, and only Edward Toledano has qualified to run.

For the city council posts, the candidates are:
Post 1: Daniel Gorman
Post 2: Shirley Callahan
Post 3: Carrie Hayes
Post 4: Carrie Hyatt
Post 5: Brian Miller and Warren Gilson

Elsewhere in the county, Lexington has had an empty city council seat since the resignation of Cindy Haynes in December 2023.

City clerk Kim Bradford said she will reopen the process at city hall from 9 a.m to noon and 1-4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday. If no one shows up, the seat will remain open until next year

Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/toledano-only-candidate-maxeys-mayor

While most of the world watched from their couches as Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky and Stephen Nedoroscik competed for gold, Jane and John Robertson of Smithonia were in the stands at the Olympics cheering them on.

“We had a chance to really understand the Olympic spirit,” John said. “Here were young people from all over the world, and all they were doing was their very best in what they chose to compete in.”

Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/smithonia-couple-has-dream-trip-paris-olympics

🍻 Crawford’s City Council passed a restaurant pouring license ordinance on Aug. 13 that enables restaurants within city limits to sell malt beverages and wine.

This will be the first time in city history that restaurants are permitted to sell alcoholic beverages.

“We’re going to try to give businesses as many opportunities as possible to profit and stay afloat,” Crawford mayor Seavy O’Neal said. “Anybody in the restaurant business will tell you there's a huge markup on alcohol sales. So that’s a good way to help sustain some revenue.”

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/city-oks-alcohol-ordinance

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🚴 🐱 -- A couple of unexpected visitors stopped through Oglethorpe County last week.

Caleb Werntz and his cat Marilyn Monroad are in the midst of their fifth cross-country cycling trip. The two passed through the county on Aug. 14, stopping to spend the night at the Vesta Volunteer Fire Department.

Despite this being his fifth cycling trip across the country, this is Werntz’s first time riding through this part of Georgia. Being from New Hampshire, he said perceived cultural differences had kept him from exploring the more rural parts of the South.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/cycling-trip-brings-adventurer-cat-through-county

🏈 Darius Heard rushed for three touchdowns and Jordan Johnson returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, but Oglethorpe County dropped a 48-41 season-opening decision to Social Circle last Friday night.

The Patriots had 330 yards of offense behind Heard, who rushed for 111 yards on 19 carries, and Payton Prince, who had 94 yards rushing and a touchdown on nine carries.

OCHS will play at East Hall tonight at 7:30 p.m. East Hall defeated Banks County 16-14 on Aug. 16.

🔗 Read the full game story from last week here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/sports/patriots-drop-opener-social-circle-48-41

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📚 The school year is in full swing as the Oglethorpe County School System welcomed back thousands of students for their first day of school on Aug. 8.

Teachers and administrators, including 21 new teachers, welcomed their students into the classrooms ready to teach.

“I can’t wait to meet them,” paraprofessional Jeremiah Stephens said on the first day at Oglethorpe County Primary School. “I can’t wait to see how they’re going to grow from here to the end of the school year.”

🔗 Read the full story: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/schools-welcome-back-children-new-year

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🏈 Oglethorpe County is gearing up for its season opener against Social Circle at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

“It’s a big game, a rematch, and they beat us three years in a row since I’ve been here,” senior receiver/defensive back Darius Heard said. “We’ve gotta get that get-back.”

The Patriots ended the summer with a 48-7 scrimmage loss against Lincoln County last Friday. Despite the score, they’re confident about their abilities when the season starts this week.

“We’re gonna patch some things up and get better,” said Jordan Johnson, who will see action at running back, receiver and defensive back. “We’ll have a great next week against Social Circle.”

🔗 Read the full story: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/sports/pats-ready-get-season-underway

🚨 GAMEDAY 🚨

🆚 Banks County Football
📺 bit.ly/3X1IE9O
📅 14th August
⏰ 5:30 PM
🏟️ OCHS Stadium

Let's do This Boys Patriots 🔥

🏅 Eight former Oglethorpe County High School athletes and coaches will be inducted in the school’s sports hall of fame on Saturday, Oct 26.

The year’s group includes Harold Benson, Nicole Bonner-Grant, George Gresham, Michael Goolsby, James Haynie, Craig Mathews, Nichole Raines and Latange Wise.

The induction banquet will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Oglethorpe County High School cafeteria.

🔗 More information here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/eight-be-inducted-ochs-sports-hall-fame

Our summer Echo staff worked hard to report on the issues and people of Oglethorpe County, but it's time for them to pass the baton to the fall 2024 reporters. Come meet the new staff at our Echo Open House from 3:30-5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16 at 121 N. Main St. in Lexington.

James Bennett’s latest project started with the deconstruction of an abandoned house from the mid-1800s on private property in the Sandy Cross area. Then he discovered an even older structure hidden in the woods right behind it.

“We were just tearing down that house and we found this one,” Bennett said. “They don’t look like much now, but when you look on the inside, the logs look pretty good.”

Bennett lives in Carlton and owns Jeb Reclaiming, an antique store in downtown Lexington, but the real joy in his life is working with abandoned historic structures and log cabins.

He said he believes the structure is a corn crib that predates the Civil War. The owner gave Bennett permission to take the material he removed and any other buildings he found on the property.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/saving-history-log-time

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It's Gameday Patriots 🏈

Lincoln County vs Oglethorpe County
📺 🔗 bit.ly/3YFunkq
🏈 Scrimmage Football
📅 Friday, August 9
⏰ 7:30 PM

Let's do this Boys Patriots 🔥

🏈 Oglethorpe County must replace one of its most decorated running backs in program history this season.

Jake Turner’s 1,318 rushing yards in 2023 set an OCHS single-season record and earned him the title of Region 5-A Division 1 Offensive Player of the Year. As Turner sets to suit up for Berry College this fall, his heirs in the backfield are hoping to etch their names beside similar lofty accomplishments.

Instead of a singular replacement pulling the weight of Turner’s absence, coach Mike Holland aims to restore his backfield by committee. Junior O’Maury Huggs, senior Jordan Johnson and junior Payton Prince are all poised to play substantial roles at the position.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/sports/patriots-plan-fill-running-back-committee

Pictured: O'Maury Huggs, Jordan Johnson

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A man was arrested about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to end a standoff at a house on Poplar Creek Road in Maxeys.

The man had released an unspecified number of hostages before he was arrested.

“There was an individual having a mental episode and it involved threats and guns and shots fired,” the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office posted on its page. “The family was safely removed from the home and the subject was taken into custody after a standoff and some chemical persuasion.”

This year, high expectations are high for the Oglethorpe County girls cross country squad. The Patriots finished ninth at the Class A Division 1 state championship in 2023 and return a bulk of production from last season.

“(The girls team) should be better this year,” assistant coach Darius Tompkins said. “We should get a trophy and I’ll be very disappointed if we don’t.”

Senior Sydnie Henderson finished sixth overall at the state meet last year and will shoot to break 20 minutes this fall.

Juniors Elin Turner and Mylee Nimmons, who both turned in top 60 finishes at the state meet, will also front a strong girls roster

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/sports/henderson-leads-deep-group-girls-runners

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📚 Oglethorpe County High School is on a streak of academic excellence.

Not only did its graduation rate increase from 94.2% in 2022 to 95.8% for 2023, but five recent OCHS graduates — one from each of the past five classes — are students at Georgia Tech.

Elizabeth Palmer, who graduated from OCHS in 2022, Nathan Wilson, who graduated in May, Jacob Mixon, who graduated in 2020, Kyle Nguyen, who graduated in 2021, and Aidan Abrams, who graduated in 2023, are pursuing degrees at the Atlanta school.

Georgia Tech’s acceptance rate for in-state students was 33% for the 2024 cycle; 13% of students accepted in 2023 came from rural counties in Georgia.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/ochs-georgia-tech-pipeline

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Change of venue for Community Day! Due to the potential extreme heat on Saturday, Community Day will take place at the middle school this year.

Bring your chairs and blankets for Orion and the Dark which will be shown at 8:30 pm!

🏞 Summer programming is in full swing at Watson Mill Bridge State Park.

From outdoor art classes to night hikes in search of nocturnal critters, naturalist Sarah Ratcliffe has been in charge of formatting a summer schedule for many ages.

Kayaking sessions on the South Fork Broad River are among the newer activities the park offers.

Once or twice a month, the park hosts guided history hikes, where Ratcliffe walks visitors through the history of the Watson Mill Bridge and the park at large.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/watson-mill-more-just-bridge

🎺 🥁 Members of the Oglethorpe County High School marching band have been working on this year’s show at a two-week camp at the school.

Nine hours a day, band members have been learning basic techniques and going through conditioning to prepare for the upcoming season.

The long days don’t damper the band’s spirit.

“They got such positive attitudes and willingness to learn,” said Jeanne Jones, color guard director and wife of band director Lee Jones.

Members of the band, ranging from rookies to vets, are getting back into the groove of things. After beginning with stretching and running, band members also practice their marching technique.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/camp-isnt-drag-ochs-marching-band

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🗓 Oglethorpe County’s softball team is nearing its season opener on Aug. 1, with practice beginning this Monday.

While a beginning to mandatory practices marks the official start of the season, girls have been attending optional summer sessions since June.

“We’ve had a good turnout,” said coach Brianna Dickens, who is entering her sixth season at OCHS. “Every practice we’ve probably had at least 13 or 14 of the 17 total girls all summer long, which can be challenging.”

In addition to summer practices, the Patriots have played a slate of exhibition games against nearby competition, including Thomson, Madison County and Washington-Wilkes, who OCHS will play twice this season.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/sports/ochs-softball-gears-season-opener

📚 🎊 Students can have one last celebration before heading back to school at the annual Oglethorpe County Community Day, which will be held 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3 at the Oglethorpe County Recreation Department.

The Community Day Committee will provide a free pair of headphones that can plug in to the tablets used by the schools to each student in attendance, thanks to donations from sponsors and vendors. The baseline sponsorship otherwise known as Community Partner allows organizations to have a spot with just a $50 donation.

Jeanne Jones, the event’s coordinator, wants to “celebrate” the students before they start another school year. The high school and primary substitute teacher, as well as preschool teacher at Winterville First Baptist, wants to connect residents to their community.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/community-day-helps-mark-end-summer-start-school-year

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Paul Thiel estimates that 65-70% of construction in phase 1 for the new Oglethorpe County Elementary School is complete.

Thiel, the school system’s director of operations, said the project is on schedule for Dec. 4 and on budget for $41.5 million. Teachers will move in mid-December and classes are set to begin Jan. 10.

“Since they’re doing the finishes, it kind of looks like progress isn’t moving as quickly, but it really is still moving as fast because really, it was only June 19 last year that they actually started moving the dirt, and look where we are in 13 months,” Thiel said during a tour of the facility on July 12. “So, it’s moving really rapidly.”

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/new-school-moves-ahead-schedule

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🏈 The Oglethorpe County football team’s season opener is less than a month away.

Acclimation begins Monday, July 22, and practice with pads begins Monday, July 29 in preparation for the Aug. 16 home opener against Social Circle. Coach Mike Holland said optional Monday through Thursday summer practices on allowed weeks have been a success.

“It’s been really good,” said Holland, who is entering his fourth season at OCHS. “We've averaged probably about 50 kids (per session), which is more than we’ve had in the past.”

OCHS is coming off a 4-7 season, in which it placed third out of four teams in Region 5-A Division I and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/sports/football-players-staff-ready-start-practice

A ragtag team of adventurers from across the Forgotten Realms defeated three gelatinous cubes aboard Captain Gill’s pirate ship before it was shattered by a kraken.

The party, which included a half-bird, half-man named Ugluk and a religious gambler called Grimlokk, washed ashore on the Isle of Giants before their allotted time in the Oglethorpe County Library ran out.

These adventurers don’t exist. Neither do the Isle of Giants nor the driftwood remains of Captain Gill’s ship.

They instead came from the imaginations of Trey Miller and six people from Oglethorpe County and surrounding area at the second of three beginner Dungeons & Dragons gaming sessions at the Oglethorpe County Library.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/dungeons-dragons-players-gather-library-games

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🍖 G Brand BBQ’s success has led to a second location.

Owner Fred Gretsch opened another restaurant on Hog Mountain Road in Watkinsville in March, joining the original in Crawford, which opened in 2018.

“It did immeasurably more than I could have ever thought,” he said. “It’s just been a blessing. The community has supported it so well.”

And it hasn’t just been the local community. Over the years, Gretsch has seen people come from far and wide to try G Brand’s barbecue.

🔗 Read the full story here:
https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/gretsch-opens-g-brand-location-watkinsville

🎆 🇺🇸 Families, vendors and plenty of familiar faces gathered around the rec football field at Bryan Park at the Oglethorpe County Rec Department’s biggest Fourth of July celebration yet.

Vendors’ tents and trucks surrounded the perimeter of the field last Thursday. Some of this year’s 34 attractions included food trucks, bounce houses, local arts and even a dunk tank for the Arnoldsville Volunteer Fire Department.

Rec Department director Michael White said 34 vendors signed up, the most in the six years of the celebration. The previous high was 20, and the 2023 event had only 18. White said he thinks the increase in vendors is due in part to more new businesses popping up around the county.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/local-news/fourth-july-celebration-has-record-numbers

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Four of Polly Fleming’s students — Claire Kelly, Bailey Wray, Peyton Lewis and Mya Jewell — will compete at the National Baton Twirling Championships at Notre Dame on July 16-19 in South Bend, Indiana.

Wray, Lewis and Jewell are from Oglethorpe County; Kelly is from Jackson County.

Lewis and Jewell will compete in the Junior Beginner National Pageant, Wray will compete in the Senior Intermediate National Pageant and Kelly will compete in the Senior Beginner National Pageant.

“It’s a dream come true,” Kelly said. “It’s something I always wanted to do.”

The girls will compete in an array of events, including their title event, which is a pageant.

🔗 Read the full story here:
https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/sports/twirlers-take-shot-national-championship

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🚧 The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners unanimously rejected the rezone request for the proposed dimension stone quarry on Lexington-Carlton Road on July 1.

A vote on the rezoning was tabled at BOC meetings in May and June, but the result in Monday’s meeting received applause from many of the standing-room-only audience of about 60 people.

“If I hadn’t voted to deny (the rezone), I felt like I was betraying the people I represent,” District 2 Commissioner Andy Saxon said after the meeting.

🔗 Read the full story here:

Board rejects quarry rezone The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners unanimously rejected the rezone request for the proposed dimension stone quarry on Lexington-Carlton Road on Monday night.

⚾ Young baseball and softball players splashed around and cooled off on makeshift slip-n-slides on June 26, celebrating the end of baseball and softball camps at Oglethorpe County High School.

The camps started at 9 a.m., and the temperature reached 93 degrees by the time they ended at noon.

The coaches beat the heat throughout the day, making sure campers stayed hydrated with plenty of water and electrolyte drinks, as well as taking well-timed popsicle breaks.

“Once they get moving they’re fine,” OCHS softball coach Brianna Dickens said. “It’s one of those things when they get here you say, ‘It’s gonna be hot today, and we’re all gonna be hot, but it’s gonna be all right.’”

🔗 Read the full story here:
https://www.theoglethorpeecho.com/sports/players-coaches-beat-heat-ochs-camps

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