Oconee County
Reporting about Oconee County, Georgia. Some stories will be republished in The Oconee Enterprise as part of a news-academic partnership with Grady Newsource.
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When Newspapers Fail, Communities and Big Business Must Fill the Gap; Northeast Georgia Is No Exception
Click through the slides to see the story or scroll below. From 2008 to 2019, almost 27,000 journalists lost their jobs due to newsroom closures. With less people creating content for daily and weekly papers, residents are turning to broadcast and digital sources to inform themselves about their community. Broadcast…
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Oconee County Prepares for Increase in Absentee Voting
Absentee voting has always been a practical means of voting in statewide elections. Now, in 2020, it’s essential. Claire Vogel will be one Oconee County resident voting through an absentee ballot in the November general election. Vogel, a third-year student at the University of Michigan, will send in her absentee…
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Another Option: Broadband Internet Plan Coming to Oconee County
The issue of spotty internet in Oconee County is not a novel concept to Kelley Buttrick, a professional voiceover talent working from her home in Bishop, Georgia, in the southern portion of Oconee County. She said her ability to communicate with her clients is often hindered by the unreliable internet…
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Oconee Sheriff’s Deputy Honors Childhood Friend With Cycling Challenge for Cancer
Daniel Ellis began long-distance cycling as a way of getting more exercise during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. But when he takes to the road in the month of September, he does so in honor of a dear friend. Ellis, an Oconee County Sheriff’s Deputy, is taking…
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Watkinsville May Lower Speed Limits, Add Stop Signs
The City of Watkinsville began the process of making wholesale changes to the traffic signs within city limits during the city council’s monthly meeting on Wednesday. Shannon Brock, chief of police at the Watkinsville Police Department, brought forward a proposal that would set the maximum speed limit within the city…
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Athens-Area Churches Transition to Online Services
There are two holidays in which Christian churches can count on peak engagement—Easter and Christmas. But this year, due to imposed social-distancing measures, church buildings across Georgia remained empty. Athens-area churches have adapted, using online services to engage remotely. Although they are thankful to meet, conducting services and congressional communication…
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Shelter-in-Place Due To Coronavirus Causes Decreasing Crime Rates in Oconee County
COVID-19 has caused a lot of problems, but one result that’s not so bad — a reduction in crime rates in at least one Northeast Georgia county. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Department said they take quarantines and safety seriously. They are expected to use all of the safety procedures recommended…
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Local Church Doubles Attendance Without Seating a Single Person
Now more than ever, people have been turning toward their faith during these uncertain times. Local churches like the Watkinsville First Baptist Church has you covered when it comes to online service. Pastor Carlos Sibley said they were quick to respond to the mandatory quarantine in early March. They switched…
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RUOK? Watkinsville Offers Call Program During Coronavirus Quarantine
When quarantine hit the city of Watkinsville, Georgia, City Police Chief Shannon Brock was quick to implement a program to keep residents safe and connected to one another during the COVID-19 pandemic. The city’s “Are You Okay?” (RUOK) program is for anyone who lives in Watkinsville and would like someone…
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Concussions Lead to A National Decline in High School Football, But Not in Georgia
Whistle. Break. Whistle. Break. The sound of helmets clashing against full pads fills the air until the whistle is blown and it’s time for the next two players’ strength and game-like skills to be put to the test. This is the sound of the Oklahoma drill in football practice. As…