Court Issues Stay of Execution

The Supreme Court of Georgia today issued a stay of execution for William Mark Mize. Mize was schedule to die by lethal injection at 7 tonight. The court issued the stay to give a trial court judge time to rule on Mize’s motion for a new trial. Mize was convicted of the 1994 murder of Eddie Tucker, one of his white supremacy followers, in Oconee County.

Board Members Want Raise

In northeast Georgia, Oconee County school board members want a raise. Board members voted Monday to increase their compensation from $1,800 to $6,000 a year, the first raise since 1999. The raise would put the board members in the northeast Georgia county on par with pay in school districts such as Forsyth County, which is often compared to Oconee in size and income. Board members say the district has enough money to afford the pay boost. The raises would have to be approved by state lawmakers.

(Associated Press)

Economy Won't Impede New Boat Ramp

Despite state budget cuts, the long-awaited Bear Creek Reservoir boat ramp will open this spring. The four counties that own the reservoir plan to pony up the money themselves. They are Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee. Gov. Sonny Perdue cut $125,000 for the project from the state Department of Natural Resources budget.

(Associated Press)

Oconee Co. offers deal to cut payroll

A central Georgia county is offering a deal to older workers in hopes of trimming payroll. Oconee County is hoping two dozen employees age 62-and-older will accept a retirement package including a $7,500 bonus, and comprehensive health benefits for at least a year. The proposal was approved by county commissioners yesterday. An Oconee County official says if all targeted employees accept the offer, the county can save more than $650,000 dollars. The employees would retire by the end of this year, and have until February to accept. The county is not planning layoffs.

NE Ga counties aim for shared public radio system

Five northeast Georgia counties hope to soon band together to share in a new regional public safety radio system. Oconee, Athens-Clarke, Greene, Morgan and Walton counties would be part of the communications system. Proponents say the 800-megahertz digital network would better link law enforcement agencies and officers in the five-county region.

Oconee County Sheriff’s office Captain Jimmy Williams says this system is critically needed:

"Northeast Georgia area does not have one...we’re the only one in the state that doesn’t have a system. Hall County’s doing the same thing with the northern part of our region, and hopefully in the future joins those two systems together and we’ll have seamless radio coverage throughout the whole region-one."

Williams says Oconee County has included more than three-million dollars in a list of sales tax funded projects for their part of the plan. He says the other counties are either ready, or close to moving forward with their financing.

Williams says if all falls in place, the system could be up-and-running by mid to late 2010.

Discrimination suit against sheriff's officials

In northeast Georgia, a discrimination lawsuit against sheriff's officials will go forward. The Athens Banner Herald reports arbitration has failed between officials with Oconee County's sheriff's office and the plaintiff, Michelle McClung. McClung's federal lawsuit claims she was passed over for three promotions because of her gender, and then faced retaliation after her lawsuit.

Landfill will eventually come to Walton County

Despite protests from neighbors, a new landfill will open this fall in Walton County along the Apalachee River.

People in nearby Oconee County fought the project, citing concerns over pollution and groundwater safety.

It is seven miles from a planned regional water supply reservoir set to open in 2014.

Total outdoor water ban in four NE Georgia counties

State officials have tightened water restrictions in four northeast Georgia counties, as the main reservoir for the area is running dry.

Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties draw their water from the Bear Creek Reservoir. It is running dry however, because of the ongoing drought.

The counties are all now under level-4 restrictions. That means a total ban for residences on all outdoor watering, 7 days a week—-24 hours a day.

Jeff Killip is Public Works Director for Jefferson in Jackson county.

"We’re going to have to ban substantially all outside use, even on the professional businesses. The water situation is worse than dire".

Killip says there is about a 14-day supply left in the reservoir.

In Jefferson as well as Athens, businesses must get a special permit and prove they are conserving water.