Author: Dick Mangrum

County auditors in South Carolina have been notified by the state Department of Revenue of decisions made in Duke Energy’s appeal of its 2019 property tax assessment. The outcome has implications for Oconee County’s treasury, as Duke is the county’s highest taxpayer. A memo to the county auditors from Taylor Ingram at the DOR states, “Duke is ready and willing […]

Nearly 53,000 Oconeeans are eligible to vote in the June 9 primaries, and now every voter in South Carolina is qualified to vote absentee in both the primaries and runoffs.  Governor McMaster today signed into law legislation passed yesterday by the General Assembly that authorizes any voter to vote absentee in any election in June 2020.  The provision expires on […]

Prisma Health is offering community screenings in Seneca for COVID-19.  The tests will be offered from 10 am to 2 pm Saturday at the Blue Ridge Elementary School, 995 S. Oak Street. Only those with COVID-19 symptoms will be tested.  You do not need a doctor’s order.  Tests will be given regardless of ability to pay.  No appointment is needed.  […]

A brand new fire engine was “wetted down” this morning at the Walhalla Fire Department and, through a long-standing fire service tradition, was slowly pushed into its bay to take its place alongside other fire fighting vehicles.  Built in Sumter, this new fire engine cost Walhalla $384 thousand, but well worth it according to Chief Brandon Burton.  “It’ll be a […]

The quick response by U-S fire fighters to the airplane attacks of 9-11 led years later to cancer disease for some of the heroic responders. A South Carolina state senator wants to assure that his state doesn’t neglect fire fighters who, through their service, contract cancer. State Senator Thomas Alexander reports progress in the last 24 hours to a bill […]

A Pickens County man was being held in a Greenville jail yesterday, charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death. Highway trooper Brandon Bolt said Michael Shore, 42 years old, was arrested in the investigation of a death May 8 on U-S 123 at Bryson Street. Bolt says Shore was also charged with driving under suspension first offense. […]

A Friday afternoon parade at Prisma’s Lila Doyle facility at Seneca is designed to lift the spirits of both residents and family members. The parade will feature fire trucks, law enforcement vehicles, and EMS and take place 2 to 4 o’clock and loop in front of Lila Doyle and through the adjacent parking lot. Lila Doyle residents will be seated […]

Buildings that surround a Seneca intersection are part of a wave of re-development downtown.  The intersection is E. Main and N. Walnut.  And the address of 403 E. Main is to be renovated for a new pizza restaurant that will be a neighbor to the corner location of the Keowee Brewing Company.  Last night city council passed a resolution that […]

Seneca is contracting with a private company to help it expand the city’s historic district downtown. The city council last night voted to employ the company Preservation South to assist. City Administrator Scott Moulder says the end game will be qualifying Seneca for tax credits to help restore the former Harper 5 and 10, one of the city’s oldest buildings […]

Two women in Travelers Rest are sending trees to Seneca to help replace some of the trees that were casualties of the EF3 tornado. April Bapties and Dede Godsey, who works at a nursery, brought a vehicle loaded with small Japanese red maples and went door-to-door and gave residents the trees, along with a note of encouragement.  In part, the […]