Newspaper Page Text
Index
Inside
News 3,5,6,8
Obituaries 3
Opinion 4
Around the County 7
Calendar 9
Legals 10-11
Sheriff's Report 12
Sports 13-14
The
Oglethorpe Echo
Darius Heard had a strong
all-around game with four
catches for 44 yards, eight
tackles, a sack and an in
terception in a 14-7 loss to
Greene County last Friday.
... Page 13
To start your subscription or to donate to The Oglethorpe Echo, see Page 11.
Volume 149, Number 51
September 21, 2023 ??? Oglethorpe County, Georgia
$1
'Family Feud'
frenzy
NBA star Howard
brings laughter
to senior center
SIDNEY CHANSAMONE/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO
Dwight Howard, who owns a farm in Oglethorpe County, cheers on the teams in his role as "Family Feud" host at the Senior
Center on Friday. His parents, Dwight Sr. and Sheryl Howard, live in the county.
SIDNEY CHANSAMONE/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO
Sonja Armour and Vivian Sparks listen to the question from eight
time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard, who hosted a game of "Family
Feud" at the Oglethorpe County Senior Center on Friday morning.
By Sidney Chansamone
and Caleb Rollins
The Oglethorpe Echo
Longtime NBA star Dwight How
ard, measuring 6 feet, 10 inches tall, had
to duck beneath the door frame as he en
tered the Oglethorpe County Senior Cen
ter, which was packed with residents, mu
sic and cheers.
Howard was a surprise celebrity guest
at the center on Friday to host a game of
???Family Feud.???
Dressed in a gray suit and fake mus
tache to imitate Steve Harvey, the show???s
host, Howard smiled and waved as he
made his way to the front of the room. He
said Harvey couldn???t be there, but he was a
taller, younger ??? and more handsome ???
replacement.
???All the people here are all my family
and friends,??? Howard said.
And even if not friends, they are neigh
bors.
Howard owns a 700-acre farm in
Oglethorpe County, where his parents live.
He said he has owned the farm, which is
home to donkeys, cows, deer and more, for
about six years.
Howard???s mother, Sheryl Howard, is the
activities coordinator for the senior cen
ter and arranged the event, center Director
Corie Robinson said.
???It was a big secret until today,??? Robin
son said. ???Even the staff didn???t know.???
The Georgia native was a three-time
NBA defensive player of the year and
played for the Orlando Magic, Los Ange
les Lakers and various other teams dining
his 18-year career. After leaving the league
following the 2021-2022 season, Howard
played for the Taoyuan Leopards in Tai
wan in 2022.
See FEUD, Page 6
BOC votes
to approve
millage rate
By Jay Reece
The Oglethorpe Echo
The Board of Commissioners unani
mously approved a new millage rate, part
of which was previously approved by the
Board of Education, in a called meeting on
Monday that lasted less than 2 minutes.
In addition to the Board of Education de
creasing its rate, the Board of Commission
ers lowered its millage rate by 0.85 mills.
In total, the millage rate will decrease from
25.62 to 23.83 mills.
While the rate was lowered from last
year, taxes will increase due to an increase
in home prices. The rate was approved by
the four commissioners in attendance and
District 5 commissioner Tracy Norman on
Zoom.
Chairman Jay Paul said there was no
room for adjusting the millage rate once
it was created by the Board of Educa
tion. Paul said there is precedent that
the commissioners uphold the proposed
rate.
The new rates will mean a 9.99% in
crease in property taxes. Paul said it wasn???t
the BOC???s desire to see taxes increase, but
rising costs have left no options.
| See BOC, Page 5
After hearings, BOE
goes with lower rate
By Caleb Baldwin
The Oglethorpe Echo
The Oglethorpe County Board of Educa
tion approved a lower millage rate of 15.824
for the 2024 fiscal year.
This is a 0.826-mill decrease from 16.650
in 2023. Though this is a decrease, residents
will see a 9.99% increase in property taxes
due to the tax digest, which is affected by
higher property values.
A rate of 2.490 on school bond obliga
tions was also approved in the meeting on
Sept. 15. These bonds can be used to fund
school projects or developments, such as
building of a new school or purchase of
capital equipment, such as buses or tech
nology.
Although there was no public comment
at the Sept. 15 meeting, previous hearings
brought questions to better understand the
new millage rate and, for one resident, ex
press concern about a senior citizen exemp
tion.
See BOE, Page 5
Hay fever: Rainy year leads to abundance of cash crop
By John Henry Hammond
The Oglethorpe Echo
Oglethorpe County???s unexpect
edly wet hay season is coming to a
close, bringing a bountiful harvest
to farmers like Travis Legg.
???I???ve been doing this for a long
time, and this is one of the wet
test years I???ve seen,??? said Legg, a
third-generation farmer and owner
of Windy Hill Ranch in Smithonia.
Hay season hinges on a delicate
balance between rainfall and sun
shine. This season, which ran from
May to September, saw a week
ly average of 1.21 inches of rain.
While excess rain fuels strong hay
harvests, it also presents unique
challenges.
Legg said farmers must ensure
the moisture content of the hay
drops to 20% before it is rolled, or
they risk damaging the hay???s qual
ity.
Hay farming is a cornerstone of
Oglethorpe County???s economy.
According to The University of
Georgia Center for Agribusiness
and Economic Development???s
2021 Farm Gate Value Report,
Oglethorpe County was the 10th
largest producer of hay in the state.
The farm gate value, market
value of a product minus its selling
cost, of the hay was $5.04 million.
Hay???s bulk and weight make it
difficult to transport, meaning it is
typically sold locally. During wet
seasons where an abundance of
hay is produced, it is more difficult
for sellers to find potential buyers
for their expanded hay inventories.
???If I???ve got extra hay that I may
not typically have, I mean, there???s
just not that many people out there
that need it because everybody???s
got hay,??? said Danny Sanders, the
owner of Oglethorpe Feed and
Hardware Supply.
Despite the oversupply is
sues farmers may face, hay plays
a crucial role in feeding livestock
through the winter. Many hay
farmers grow hay with the sole
See HAY, Page 3
Hay production varies widely in Georgia
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's data for Georgia's hay production from 2013 to 2022 shows
significant annual fluctuations. Weather conditions, particularly rainfall and sunshine, heavily
influence these changes.
Chart. John Henry Hammond * Source USOA * Created with Datawrapper
JOHN HENRY HAMMOND/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO
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