An old manufacturing plant in the heart of Westminster has closed.  City residents and officials fear the latest closing of the Beacon Blankets is final: 

The closing of a plant that made American blankets appears to have been gradual, ending for some workers in the last couple of weeks.  The plant has a long history---known as Oconee Mill in the old days and later Beacon Manufacturing.  In recent years, the blanket plant was operated by a Minnesota woolen mill company under an energetic entrepreneur named Michael Harris.  But a Minnesota television station is reporting that parent company Faribault Woolen Mills is now hanging by a thread.  Throughout Westminster history, it was a plant that employed many in the local population.  If you were from Westminster and didn’t work there, someone you knew or were related to did.

Westminster residents Rolann Lee and Ruth Brown remember the whistle---a sound that it was time to get to work!

The Upper Piedmont Heritage Corridor Committee has awarded a grant for $3,800 to the Walhalla Civic Auditorium to completre the kitchen for the Bowers/Cantrell Reception Hall.    The Heritage Corridor Committee has been a long time supporter of the auditorium and many of the improvements made to the early 20th century building.

A national survey by researchers at Clemson University and Virginia Tech shows that when it comes to summer travel plans, nearly half of Americans intend to make no concession to the poor economy.  And more than 15% actually plan to travel more---by taking advantage of special vacation offers and gas prices that comparatively are lower.

Stimulus money at work!  A South Carolina DOT official says a pair of road projects in Oconee County are evidence of federal stimulus money at work.  Both are resurfacing projects:  one along Chattooga Ridge Road, Mountain Rest; the other, Walnut Street in Seneca.

The state police are going to announce tomorrow the results of their review of the travel records of Governor Mark Sanford.  The announcement is to be made by Reggie Lloyd, director of “SLED,” at 2 p-m at “SLED” headquarters.  Meantime, State Senator Thomas Alexander tells 96.3/WGOG NEWS he supports and will work for a bill in January to require a sitting governor to accept a security detail.

Amateur radio operators, known as “hams,” embrace the slogan, “When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works.”  Members of a local club report a field day last weekend was successful beyond their expectations.  Bill Savage and Don Chamberlain of the 17^th District Amateur Radio Club say in a 24-hour period club members made more than 700 contacts---reaching stations across the U.S. and Canada.  The farthest was a station in Hawaii.  In a letter to Richie Caudill, the Keowee fire chief, Savage and Chamberlain say:  “While the Upstate is relatively immune to widespread disasters (hurricanes, floods, large wildfires,) the possibility always exists.  And it’s during those kinds of disasters that conventional communication systems are likely to be stressed, overloaded, or event lost.  The Amateur Radio community stands ready to support organizations such as yours by filling communications ‘gaps’ if such an event ever occurs.”

                A man and his wife were slightly hurt in southern Oconee when the brakes on a parked pickup released and the truck rolled down a steep hill----and struck a parked camper.  Responders to yesterday morning’s mishap at Carolina Landing RV Park say the couple declined a trip to the emergency room.  The two were hurt when they tried to stop the pickup.  State troopers are investigating.  The damage to the pickup truck appeared moderate.  Heavier damage resulted to the un-occupied camper.  Responding were Oconee EMS, Fair Play Fire Department, and Oakway Rescue Squad.

Thomas Alexander, the Oconee-Pickens senator, has joined the call for Governor Sanford to resign.  The Republican senator confirmed as much in a voice mail message yesterday afternoon left for 96.3/WGOG NEWS.  Internet chatter lists Alexander as one of seven GOP senators who issued a statement that, in part, reads:  “We must have strong leadership from a Governor who is focused and trusted.  Governor Sanford is neither.”  Meantime, according to the state Department of Education, progress has been reached in the stimulus funding issue about which Sanford took a controversial stand.  State Superintendent Jim Rex announced approval by Washington of South Carolina’s application for federal stabilization funds---including $185 million for K-12 public schools.  Rex stresses, however, that the infusion of federal money is no cure-all for the ill that state budget cuts have inflicted.  Since the recession grabbed hold, according to Rex, the state’s public schools have been impacted by state cuts---the result of a precipitous drop in revenues for a system that relies largely on sales tax revenues.

Thomas Alexander, the Oconee-Pickens senator, has joined the call for Governor Sanford to resign.  The Republican senator confirmed as much in a voice mail message yesterday afternoon left for 96.3/WGOG NEWS.  Internet chatter lists Alexander as one of seven GOP senators who issued a statement that, in part, reads:  “We must have strong leadership from a Governor who is focused and trusted.  Governor Sanford is neither.”  Meantime, according to the state Department of Education, progress has been reached in the stimulus funding issue about which Sanford took a controversial stand.  State Superintendent Jim Rex announced approval by Washington of South Carolina’s application for federal stabilization funds---including $185 million for K-12 public schools.  Rex stresses, however, that the infusion of federal money is no cure-all for the ill that state budget cuts have inflicted.  Since the recession grabbed hold, according to Rex, the state’s public schools have been impacted by state cuts---the result of a precipitous drop in revenues for a system that relies largely on sales tax revenues.

The transportation secretary for South Carolina, Buck Limehouse, is letting all members of the state’s federal delegation know \he is concerned about the highway authorization bill that is being drafted in committee.  And Limehouse has sent a letter to Senator Lindsey Graham requesting a meeting this month in Washington.  Chief among the concerns is the fact that South Carolina is regarded as a “donor state”---meaning the state gets less than the actual revenue collected from federal fuel taxes in the state.

A signed agreement has ended the Oconee County legal dispute that arose over who should be allowed to keep the photograph of a Civil War soldier.  An attorney for Jack Hunt, the retired Westminster newspaperman, presented the agreement today to a representative of a woman’s estate . . . and it was approved by Probate Judge Sandra Burgess Orr.  Moments after Judge Orr acted, Hunt’s attorney Julian Stoudemire told reporters the agreement means Hunt is out from a pending lawsuit.  Hunt looked and sounded relieved. The tin type photo is reputed to be that of Manse Jolly who even today enjoys legendary status as a Confederate solider who had a propensity to take out Union soldiers.  Local buffs of the War Between the States believe the remains of Northern soldiers killed by Jolly have been buried in Oconee County and other parts of the upstate.

State troopers are asking this, “Did you know….the largest retail day for beer sales is July 4.”  They are making that statement to stress the importance for everyone to drive sober over the 4^th of July weekend.  South Carolina ranks number two in the number of traffic fatalities---as the result of someone under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  A statewide DUI team of 31 members is now in place.  Of those, five will be assigned to the upstate.

Recent changes in Oconee land use rules make for a meeting this morning at Pine Street.  Staff of the Oconee Planning Department holds an information seminar for realtors, appraisers, and others who deal with real estate.  The seminar begins at 10 this morning in County Council Chambers and should last about two hours.  The seminar is open at no charge.

A nearby manufacturing company is providing Walhalla Elementary School money to meet technology needs.  The Timken Company sent a grant of $17,110 to buy wireless connection SmartBoards for as many as ten classrooms.  The grant also is to provide Tangrams---math manipulatives that promote problem-solving.  Local Timken manager Jim McCoy and assistant plant personnel director Rhonda Kilby notified Principal Steve Hanvey the grant can be used for the new school year

A month and a half ago, we told the story about a scare at Oconee Regional---when on approach a Beech jet 400 struck and killed a white-tailed deer.  No one was reported hurt, though the plane required repairs.  Three people were aboard, but not until last night was it disclosed that one of those aboard was Tommy Bowden, the former Clemson football coach.  Airport manager Kevin Short says at the time, the night of April 14, Bowden was returning from a speaking engagement.  Short again mentioned the incident to illustrate to the County Council that Oconee's rural airport has a deer problem . . . and a need to fence wildlife away from the runways.

A new face today at Pine Street!  Ken Nix this morning assumed his duties as the new Oconee County Auditor.  The former hospital vice president began his first day with his staff at a breakfast.  No staff changes are planned.  Besides Nix, six others work in the county Auditor’s office.  Ken Nix won election last fall.  But his four-year term didn’t start until today.  That means he has had a lot of time to contemplate his career change

If the name Nix sounds familiar, the reason is that Nix is the brother-in-law of his predecessor, Linda Nix, who has now retired.