Blog Topic: Government

In the Loop: Oconee County's Bridge to Nowhere

By Lee Becker | June 23, 2014 10:31am

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

In March of 2009, voters in Oconee County overwhelmingly approved a 1 percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum setting aside $1.1 million for spending on “recreational, historic and scenic facilities” in the county.

More than three years later, in May of 2012, the Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to spend $90,000 from that “recreational, historic and scenic facilities” category of SPLOST 2009, with most of that money going to replacement of a damaged “bridge” in Northwest Woods.

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In the Loop: Bakery, Cell Tower on Oconee Agenda

By Lee Becker | June 16, 2014 3:11pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

The Oconee County Planning Commission is set to take up tonight a request for an industrial rezone in the urban north of the county and a request for a new cell tower in the county’s rural south.

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In the Loop: UPDATE: Authority Votes Down Tax Breaks for Hotel

By Blake Aued | June 12, 2014 5:21pm

Tax breaks—they're not just for Caterpillar anymore.

An Athens development authority is set to approve millions of dollars in tax breaks for a new downtown hotel this afternoon.

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In the Loop: ACC Officials Outline Options for Prince Avenue

By Blake Aued | June 11, 2014 10:58am

The Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission decided on Tuesday to wait until the state Department of Transportation conducts a safety audit of Prince Avenue in September before making any changes to the street to improve pedestrian safety.

The state audit will cover the state-owned portion of Prince from Milledge Avenue to the bypass and will include recommendations on ways to make the corridor safer for cyclists and pedestrians, such as improved crosswalks and pedestrian refuges.

Local officials will participate in the study, ACC Transportation and Public Works Director David Clark told commissioners at a work session Tuesday. At the same time, Mayor Nancy Denson and commissioners told Clark to prepare short- and long-term recommendations for the local stretch of Prince between Milledge and Pulaski Street. They will consider both at the same time after GDOT submits a report in October or November.

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In the Loop: Developer Gets Free Pipeline in Oconee County

By Lee Becker | June 9, 2014 2:57pm

The Georgia Public Service Commission will spend more than half a million dollars to run a gas pipeline under Highway 316 to Resurgence Park, the commercial subdivision being created by Nichols Land and Development Company on Virgil Langford Road.

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In the Loop: Oconee Officials Propose Fee Hike

By Lee Becker | June 2, 2014 11:42am

Oconee County citizens will get their second and final chance to comment on the Fiscal Year 2015 budget on Tuesday night just before the Board of Commissioners takes final action on the $36.6 million spending plan.

The budget was outlined to the public for the first time in a 26-minute PowerPoint presentation by county Finance Director Wes Geddings last Tuesday night.

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In the Loop: Oconee Voters Oppose Redistricting

By Lee Becker | May 30, 2014 12:09pm

The Oconee County Republican Party Executive Committee’s attempt to assist in reuniting Oconee County in a single district in the Georgia House of Representatives is likely to have the reverse effect.

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In the Loop: Mayor Denson Will Name Steve Martin Auditor

By Blake Aued | May 29, 2014 4:19pm

Steve Martin (no, not that Steve Martin, unfortunately) is Mayor Nancy Denson's hand-picked choice for Athens-Clarke County auditor.

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In the Loop: Can People Carry Guns at UGA or Not?

By Blake Aued | May 29, 2014 11:42am

Photo Credit: Andrew Hyde/Flickr

Even though Georgia's new gun laws don't explicitly allow firearms on college campuses, you might be able to carry heat at UGA as of July 1 anyway.

A debate is brewing over the (unintentional?) consequences of two laws the state legislature passed and Gov. Nathan Deal signed this spring.

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In the Loop: Police Report Rash of Lawn Mower Larcenies

By Blake Aued | May 28, 2014 12:47pm

The Lawnmower Man could be breaking into your shed as we speak.

It's 10 p.m. Do you know where your lawn mower is?

Sometime last week, a motor, some push mowers, bed frames and a toolbox turned up missing from a garage on Harve Mathis Road.

Over the weekend, a weed eater, riding mower, push mower, edger, padlock and trailer were reported stolen from Dekle Road.

Athens-Clarke County police say there's been a rash of lawn-care equipment thefts in the area and put out an alert Tuesday offering tips on how to keep your John Deere out of the hands of criminals.

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