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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Oconee County Schools Install Preventative Alert System, Amp Up School Security
The Oconee County school system has implemented a new safety measure, the Centegix alert system, amping up security in elementary, middle and high schools. All employees are provided a badge, and at the press of a button, local law enforcement is alerted in cases of emergency. Capt. James Hale of…
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Drivers May Want to Start Pumping the Brakes: Analysis Finds High Speeds, Ticket Volume on College Station Road
Hundreds of Athens drivers were caught going over the speed limit in 2018 on College Station Road. If you were one of the ones caught speeding, chances are, you were going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, it was in the afternoon, and you were pulled over by…
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24 Years After Death of Edward Wright, What Does Public Think of Police Now?
Nearly a quarter century ago, Edward Wright, a 20-year-old unarmed black man, was shot and killed by police in Athens-Clarke County. His crime? Indecent exposure. Police officials were called after Wright was seen nude around Martin Circle in East Athens, which then led to a brawl and ultimately six shots…
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Can Foster Homes Keep up with the Increase of Children Entering the Foster Care System?
Dr. John DeGarmo lost his first child 23 years ago. This loss fueled a passion in Dr. DeGarmo to help children who are suffering. He and his wife Dr. Kelly DeGarmo opened their doors to more than 60 foster children. Nationwide the increase in the number of children in need…
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Reviewing the Immense Power of Prosecutors
The official who holds the most power in the criminal justice system may not be the judge or the jury, but the prosecuting attorney who represents the state, charges defendants and negotiates pleas. According to Edward Brumby, staff attorney under Judge Lawton Stephens and former prosecutor in District Attorney Ken…
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UGA Student Launches Cookie Business From Scratch
At 4 a.m. on a weekday, most University of Georgia students are still asleep, but Baylee Marsh might still be putting the finishing touches on custom cookie orders. Marsh is the owner of Baylee Bakes, an organically grown (and lovingly baked), custom cookie decorating business in Athens, Georgia. Her success…
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Emergency Medical Service Shortage Affects Northeast Georgia
A nationwide shortage of Emergency Medical Service personnel has swept the nation, including counties all across Georgia. Because of these shortages, EMS workers in affected areas have had to work a lot of overtime, and in extreme cases, ambulances have had to stop operations for lack of employees. In Madison…
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Use of Death Penalty in Georgia is Declining
Georgia jurors have not handed down a death sentence in the past five years as the prevalence of capital punishment in the state continues to decrease. Not only are juries supporting the death sentence less often, prosecutors aren’t seeking it nearly as much either. Over the past two decades, prosecutors…
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Athens Masonic Association to Host Event to Help Restore Historic Reese Street School
Marvin Nunnally, the chairman of the Athens Masonic Association, is working with the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation to raise money for the restoration of the 105-year-old Reese Street school building. The Athens Masonic Association bought the building in 1968 and uses some rooms in the building to hold meetings. They have…
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Oconee County Community Gathers to Remember Life of Sam Elsner
Prior to last night’s game, the Oconee County High School baseball team held a ceremony to honor former student and second baseman Sam Elsner. Elsner was killed in a car accident on July 12, 2018. He had graduated from OCHS two months earlier. Everything a warrior is supposed to be,…