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(Last Updated at 9:00 am) Thursday, July 3, 2008 Thursday, July 3, 2008
As Seneca firemen made their way across town, they could see the smoke for miles! When they reached Sandifer Boulevard, they found an empty Ford Expedition in flames—in the parking lot of S-N-S South. No one was injured. Firefighter Brian Sheriff says the extensive damage leaves his department little clue as to how it started---except it apparently ignited from the front. One caller to 96.3/WGOG said the scene created a slow down in traffic in the vicinity of Wal-Mart---created by rubberneckers curious as to what was happening. Thursday, July 3, 2008
Oconee’s first-year district superintendent of education is due next week to be evaluated by the county school board of trustees---his employer. The evaluation of Dr. Michael Lucas is planned as a private proceeding---as part of the school board’s regular meeting 6:30 Tuesday night in Walhalla. After Dr. Valerie Truesdale departed for Beaufort last summer, the board heeded the advice of an outside consultant and moved away from selecting Truesdale’s successor in a nationwide search. Instead, it promoted from within----and elevated Lucas, then an assistant superintendent. Thursday, July 3, 2008 The mountains and the scenic waterways make for a big draw for weekend getaways. But unfortunately, according to highway patrol Captain Neal Brown, “This is also a time when impaired driving rises sharply around (the) lake areas.” Law enforcement is gearing for July 4th and plans to look for impaired drivers and speeders---especially in and around local summer hot spots, lake and mountain areas. Tomorrow afternoon troopers, along with D-N-R officers, will gather at Portman Marina near I-85 to discuss safe travel. The Office of Highway Safety “BAT” Mobile will be displayed to remind boat operators and motorists. And special enforcement will focus on the interstate, the primary highways including South Carolina 9, 11, 24, and 130.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Plenty of folks are spending the July 4th week in Oconee! Three days before Friday the 4th, the county’s director of Parks, Recreation and Tourism is reporting that nearly all campsites have been staked out at Oconee’s three parks. Director Phil Shirley said by last night, Chau-Ram near Westminster was the only one of the three still with spaces to rent. Wednesday, July 2, 2008
If you can’t find a spot at the park campgrounds, maybe a good old 4th of July parade will be just the thing to re-inject some pride of the U-S-of-A. The annual July 4th parade at Clemson Downs is unusual. It features old folks riding scooters---which is becoming more and more an economical way of getting around. But the Downs parade also features a police car, an ambulance, a fire truck and Larry Abernathy, Clemson’s long time mayor, now a Clemson Downs resident. If you’d like to witness the Clemson Downs Parade, gather in the Downs parking lot by 10 o’clock Friday morning. The parade follows a route of about one-half mile. Wednesday, July 2, 2008
One of South Carolina’s top 4th of July events is ready. The 49th Annual Hillbilly Day takes place 9 a-m to 3 p-m Friday on the community club grounds in the Oconee County hamlet of Mountain Rest.
As even more development begins to consume rural Oconee, events such as Mountain Rest Hillbilly Day are remindful of what seemed like simpler times. These days authentic hillbillies are hard to come by, but don’t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of a real hillbilly with rifle scooting thru the woods surrounding the club grounds.
Hillbilly Day offers fun, food, and music---demonstrations of soap making and basket making, a country store, old time barbecue, hot dogs, boiled peanuts, banjo and fiddle contest, pig chase, sack race, and greased pole. The object for those who try to climb the greased pole is to snatch the cash sticking to the top of the pole.
The community folks invite everyone to Hillbilly Day. As they say each year, free parking and it don’t cost nothin’ to get in.
Hillbilly grounds are located along South Carolina 28 near 107.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Two persons are reported to have been sent for treatment from the collision of a car and a motorcycle this morning near West Union. From the wreckage, it appeared the collision occurred in the westbound lanes of South Carolina 28 and the West Union Road. State troopers, who investigated, clocked the collision at 1 minute past 8 o’clock. Sheriff’s officers helped with traffic control. For about 30 minutes, highway 28 traffic headed toward Walhalla was diverted onto the West Union Road. West Union firefighters helped clean up debris. The motorcycle was loaded onto a wrecker.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Oconee and four other counties have been moved to the classification of extreme drought. Besides Oconee, the state’s drought committee now applies extreme drought to Cherokee, Greenville, Pickens, and Spartanburg. The committee acknowledges that conditions around South Carolina have worsened and drought is causing major adverse impacts to forestry and agriculture. Across much of the state, streamflows are extremely low. And everyone needs to increase efforts to save water. Seneca firefighters wish everyone a wonderful 4th of July, but to be safe if shooting fireworks. Because of the drought, a small spark could ignite into a catastrophe. Some tips to follow if shooting fireworks: always read and follow label directions, have an adult present, and use the outdoors only. The City of Seneca sponsors a professional fireworks display shortly after 9 o’clock Friday night at the Gignilliat’s football/soccer field. Just in case, brush units from Seneca, Friendship, Keowee, and Corinth-Shiloh will be available on a stepped-up basis.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Today, the first of July, starts a new year in county government. In Oconee, that means it’s going to cost more to do business with parts of county government. By action of the county council, fee increases apply starting today at solid waste facilities. Tipping fees at the transfer station rise from 38 dollars, 50 cents a ton to 45 dollars a ton. Tipping fees at the landfill increase from 25 dollars a ton to 30 dollars a ton. Mulch goes from 10 dollars, 60 cents a scoop to 15 dollars a scoop. There are new and higher fees at the county’s parks that continue to prompt criticism from Susie Cornelius, the Mountain Rest woman who is running this fall for county treasurer. Cornelius has supplied copies to us of lease agreements between the county and Duke Power which, by letter and spirit, Cornelius maintains, guarantee the public the right to free boat launching at the county’s two Lake Keowee parks: South Cove and High Falls. Speaking to County Administrator Dale Surrett, Cornelius says she was told that despite the new fees the boaters can still launch at no charge. Cornelius says if you look elsewhere, you can find a Duke Power boat launch area where the county park fees won’t apply.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Late yesterday’s downpour made only the briefest of stops in Walhalla. The Official Weather Observer at Hickory Hollow Farm reports point-zero-one-hundreths of an inch on the ground at Walhalla. For all but the last day of June, this month’s Walhalla raindrops measured only 2-point-46-inches. Weather Observer Barbara Wilson says that’s about the same as last June---which was the first month of another summer drought. The one difference between last year’s drought and our current dry conditions is that this year’s drought, for parts of Oconee, is “exceptional.” The next update should come today. The state drought committee meets this morning. Monday, June 30, 2008
A second wave of a stop high-risk driving effort is expected to turn up the heat this week on motorists who break the law along the I-85 corridor. Law enforcement authorities have named their effort the “Summer H. E. A. T.” July 4th campaign. A gathering Friday kicked off the combined effort covering South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina.
The strategy is to catch speeders, drivers under the influence, and those who violate seat belt and child safety restraint rules. And the end result is to reduce injuries and fatalities over the holiday period. Monday, June 30, 2008
A piece of artwork submitted by a 2008 Saluda High School student is considered the best in competition this year across South Carolina’s Third Congressional District. Saluda High graduate Lauren Jones’ “Back Porch in Saluda” was selected by Congrssman Gresham Barrett from 16 entries in this year’s competition. Laura’s winning work will remain on display in Washington thru next spring, where it can be seen by lawmakers, staff, and visitors who tour the Capitol. Thursday, June 26, 2008
Walhalla City Hall soon will have a new look! Crews from J. Davis Construction plan to start renovations Monday, July 14th. And, according to the city administrator, that’s going to mean some temporary changes affecting the public and the conduct of city business. The work calls for the re-arrangement of the customer counter and moving the city council meeting table to the back of City Hall. City Administrator Nancy Goehle says the work will also provide a drive-thru window on the parking lot side for bill-paying. The renovations are to take about three months. In the meantime, all city meetings, including the July 15th city council meeting, will take place at the Community Depot at Kaufman Square, College Street. Thursday, June 26, 2008
What do you do when you must temporarily close an airport for runway-related work? For one thing, you notify the F-A-A and give local pilots a chance to move their planes to alternate locations. Monday is the day a North Carolina contractor starts work at the Oconee Regional Airport to remove a mound of dirt to alleviate a line of sight problem for pilots. Airport manager Kevin Short says this work is in advance of a larger project to extend the runway. After a pre-construction meeting last week in Wilmington, North Carolina, Short says, the contractor is ready to go. The hope is that the B-M-C-O company of Lumberton will complete the job in 60 to 65 days---in time to re-open the runways for the Clemson football Tigers first home game of the season. Wednesday, June 25, 2008)
A copper theft at an Oconee construction work site is being investigated by the county sheriff’s office. A representative of Trehel general contractors reported the theft of copper from the High Pointe construction site on West Cherry Road. That’s the spot of a major townhouse project---across from the former West Point Stevens complex. Copper lines were cut from a half dozen air conditioner units and several places inside the building. The cost to repair the damage is estimated at five thousand dollars. And Crime Stoppers at 638-STOP offers a cash reward for information to help solve the crime. 25 June 2008
Fast food restaurants have been returning to 123 in Seneca. Wendy’s on the By-Pass has re-opened following an office fire. Now the replacement McDonald’s is set for a grand opening tomorrow morning. The restaurant is offering prizes including free coffee for a month for the first 50 people to go thru the drive-thru. The flag at McDonald’s will be raised at 11 in the morning. Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Oconee’s public schools are closing the books on one year. As they proceed toward the start of a new school year, the administration is in a borrowing mood. At Friday’s special meeting, the board trustees are to be asked to approve a general obligation bond of up to six million dollars and a tax anticipation note up to 12 million dollars. Some last minute changes are being proposed to what’s projected to be a 2008-2009 local education budget that will spend nearly 84 and a half million dollars---based on revenues of that identical amount. According to the revised plan e-mailed to the trustees, the equivalent of one tax mill for technology purposes is being switched to the district’s debt service fund. Travel budgets are being cut 10 percent. The hiring of a literacy coach is being deferred. School repairs in the amount of 20 thousand dollars are being deleted from the budget. And the district proposes to cut more than 77 thousand dollars in department legal fees. Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Agendas are set for separate meetings this week for both the Oconee County Council and the Oconee School Board. At 5 tomorrow evening, the council holds a one-hour workshop with the sewer commission. Agenda items are sewer-water agreement and status report on the Golden Commerce Park at Fair Play. The council will follow a workshop with a council meeting for final action on new budgets for general and education purposes. The school board is being called into session Friday morning at 7:30 to act on a capital project resolution and vote on operational and food service budgets. Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Lori Sons says if you drive by her Victorian home inside the Seneca design review district, you’re likely to not notice the vinyl siding. The point Sons made to Seneca’s Board of Architectural Review last night was that tastefully done, vinyl can be the right material for some homes considering cost and maintenance. Last night the board voted 5 to 0 to grant Sons a certificate to install vinyl windows at 107 East South Fourth Street---known in the old days as the Livingston-Stribling home. Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Work zone signs signify that Oconee’s busiest intersection is about to receive the first major work since the intersection was re-done in the 1990’s. Ryan Miller, construction engineer for the South Carolina D-O-T, says, Ashmore Brothers Incorporated of Greer has acquired a 375 thousand dollar contract to re-surface Miracle Circle---where highways 28 and 123 meet at the Seneca city limit. Miller says the job will include other improvements, but likely won’t begin until August or September. Because of Miracle Circle’s heavy traffic volumes, Miller says, the work will be concentrated at night---between the hours of 8 p-m and 6 a-m.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Autopsies have been ordered in two Oconee County deaths. One is in the death of Tammy Diane Guynn of Westminster---killed in the Friday morning crash of a car and a van on the Shiloh Road near Seneca. The other is in the death of a 22-year old man who died at the Oconee Medical Center. Deputy Coroner Donnell Hornsby says Jorge Velazcomalvaez is reported to have fallen from a raft Friday evening at High Falls County Park. Monday, June 23, 2008
When trouble brews, ham radio people are often the first to provide critical information and communications. Local “hams” will test their emergency capabilities Saturday and Sunday in downtown Seneca. And the public will have the chance to meet and talk with local ham radio operators and see what Amateur Radio Service is about. Starting at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon from the parking area in front of City Hall, members of the Keowee-Toxaway Amateur Radio Club will show the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications, and historical Morse code. Monday, June 23, 2008
A 12-year old girl has returned to Westminster with five titles in the weekend Young Miss South Carolina competition at Hartsville. The titles won by Brooklyn Garrett include Young Miss South Carolina and Overall Queen. She went into Saturday’s competition as Young Miss Anderson County. She’s the daughter of James and Bonnie Garrett of Westminster. Friday, June 20, 2008
An Oconee sheriff’s investigator says a household near Westminster was flim-flammed out of an un-determined amount of cash. And Sergeant Mark Lyles is sounding a warning to other Oconeeans not to fall prey to the scam perpetrated Wednesday morning in the Clearmont Community. Two persons posing as employees of the tax assessor approached the homeowners with a promise that they would help the couple reduce their tax bill. Lyles says one of them got out a measuring stick and used that to divert the homeowners’ attention. The other person then stole money from inside the home. The sheriff’s officer says legitimate tax assessor workers wear badges and do not go inside your home. Officers have a lead in this case, but they want the public to be on the lookout and to report any suspicious activity. Thursday, June 19, 2008
One prosecutor says his office plans to run a number of inmates thru court next week in Walhalla in an attempt to reduce the over population in the county jail. At one point yesterday, the director of Oconee Law Enforcement Center, Major Steve Pruitt, counted, 191 inmates in a 30-year old facility designed for 122. Of the 191, more than one-hundred were being held for court. A one-week term of General Sessions Court opens Monday morning in Walhalla. Over-crowded jails have been an issue for years in both Oconee and Anderson counties and it made its way into the recent campaign for circuit solicitor won by the incumbent Chrissy Adams. Thursday, June 19, 2008
A moment of silence was observed over the Oconee County fire communication channel last night to honor the Charleston firefighters killed while fighting a warehouse. A county dispatcher says that moment of silence occurred around 7 p-m---about the time the fire occurred a year earlier. Wednesday, June 18, 2008
A bag full of pipe bombs has been destroyed near the City of Westminster. The detonation of the pipe bombs by members of the Anderson Bomb Squad occurred during the night in a law enforcement operation that involved Oconee sheriff’s officers and members of the federal government’s A-T-F, Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco.
While investigating a fight reported between two brothers, deputies say they learned of the pipe bombs buried under rocks nearby. A sheriff’s report of the operation also says deputies and A-T-F officers confiscated guns and ammunition that filled the room of a house. Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Walhalla residents will not see property taxes
go up, but they will
see water rates rise. The Walhalla City Council approved a $3.1 million dollar general budget to pay for everything from police and fire services to Stumphouse Tunnel and the city swimming pool. The amount, which represents a small increase over last year's budget includes a 5 percent cost of living raise for city workers but will not necessitate a tax hike. The 15 percent water rate hike will help to pay for water system improvement to keep up with anticipated water needs and system expansion. Along with a rise in water rates, recreation fees will go up $5 for uniforms and trash pick up fees per container will increase by 50 cents inside the city and by $1 per container outside the city limits. In other action, Council approved a county-city sewer authority to replace the old agency. Council members also gave the city workers the go-ahead to tear down the blue building on East South Broad Street between the two feed and seed stores downtown. The building has become a public hazard and the council voted unanimously to clear the lot. Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Seneca’s new budget provides for three percent employee pay raises, but the city will need an extra garbage pickup charge and the first modern day property tax increase to balance their general spending document for the next year. It’s also going to cost mom and pop more to register Johnny and Jane in the recreation programs. All Seneca budgets, including utilities, were approved last night despite a couple of no votes and citizen protests that the city is spending too much in tough economic times. The utility budget calls for six percent increases in water and sewer rates. The big kicker in so far as debate last night turned out to be the creation of a special events planner---how to pay for the planner and when he or she should be hired. In the end, a 6 to 2 vote established, with councilmen Warren Bright and Ernest Riley opposed. The planner will relieve Recreation Director Rick Lacey when it comes to planning events such as the holiday weekend celebration and he or she could wind up with a role with the Lunney Museum, if the city succeeds in acquiring the old bungalow home from county government. Tuesday, June 17, 2008
By the cut of his flat top haircut, Bob Conley has won the Democratic nod to contest for United States Senate in the South Carolina November General Election. The un-official results of yesterday’s statewide recount gave Conley 50-point-36 percent of the vote---compared with opponent Michael Cone’s 49-point-64 percent. Oconee County totals in that race remained un-changed from the original vote a week ago. Conley, who made an Oconee campaign appearance, won the county with nearly 55 and a half percent of the vote. In November, his task is to try to un-seat the first-term Republican senator from Oconee County, Lindsey Graham. A former Oconee County lawyer, Graham won his party’s re-nomination with nearly 67 percent of the vote statewide and 76 percent in his home county. Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Candidates books open for a two-week period Friday, August 1st for seats as watershed directors and members of the Keowee Fire Commission.
Those wishing to be candidates for those positions on the November ballot will have until Friday, August 15th to file with the office of Oconee Registration and Elections in Walhalla.
Monday, June 16, 2008
6/16/08 0630
Friday, June 13, 2008
A Tri-County Tech student from Walhalla, Jessica Smith, has been awarded the “Keys to the Future.” The award goes to Smith from the South Carolina Society of Clinical Laboratory Science for scholastic achievements, hard work, and dedication. She’s one of the recent Tech graduates in Medical Laboratory Technology. They received 100 percent passing scores on the National Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathology. (Friday, June 13, 2008
A Boston company hired by Duke Energy has taken what was described as a snapshot of recreation use on Lakes Keowee and Jocassee. The results are to be made part of a plan to be submitted to “FERC”---the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission. At a forum last night, Duke’s Scott Jolly says there’s an important tie-in between the recreation study and the effort that’ll be made to be re-licensed by the federal government. At last night’s forum, the audience reacted to what Boston’s Louis Berger Group found when it surveyed lake users. Most of those who filled out questionnaires expressed satisfaction with the activities the lakes offer, though they recommend improvements such as additional bathrooms and boat launch areas. For the most part, they don’t feel the lakes are over-crowded, but they are worried about what might happen in the future. Throughout the audience last night there was a palpable sense of fear that the lakes will see large commercial marinas---such as the Warpath project proposed on the Pickens County side of Keowee. And they worry that’s only going to increase boat traffic. Ben Turetsky, executive director of “FOLKS,” took note that the study showed a 44 percent lake use on holidays. Other members of the audience pressed for a count of current boat slips and a projection on how high the number will go.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Highway 182 near Feltman Road was blocked for about 15 minutes yesterday morning, as firefighters put out a van fire. Fair Play firemen say the young driver of that vehicle reported he smelled gasoline and then the van began to smoke. Firefighters applied foam to smoke the fire. No one was hurt. Thursday, June 12, 2008
West Union Mayor Sharon Nunnery is praising the South Carolina Legislature for passing a bill signed by the governor that provides guidelines as to how local governments can legally offer prayer before meetings.
From the act there is this language: “A religious leader is free to offer an invocation according to the dictates of his own conscience, but, in order to comply with applicable constitutional law, the (name of the deliberative public body issuing the invitation) requests that the public invocation opportunity not be exploited to proselytize or advance any one, or to disparage any other, faith or belief.”
Nunnery says she believes her town is the first in the state to take advantage by designating a Baptist pastor as the town’s chaplain for the next six months.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The speaker for today’s Seneca Rotary Club meeting believes teenagers should have un-restricted access to information on any questions of interest to them. The speaker is to be William Leonard, science professor at Clemson and author. Leonard will address the 20 most frequent questions asked by a survey of 25-hundred U-S teenagers and the purpose of his talk is to help teachers and guide parents as their children approach the teens.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Fire consumed a barn and a mobile home near Seneca. Yesterday afternoon’s fire along the James Carver Road near Cross Creek Plantation property is traced by firemen to a previous day controlled burn which flared back up without the homeowner’s knowledge. Seneca, Friendship, Corinth-Shiloh, Crossroads, and the state Forestry were deployed to halt the fire that covered one acre of land not served by fire hydrant. All units remained at the scene for three and a half hours. During the call, Seneca firemen responded to two calls along By-Pass 123: a brush fire behind the bowling alley and a vehicle collision near Applebee’s.
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