Author: Dick Mangrum

Borg Warner guard Jack Harvill lost his life in the EF3 tornado, but a company spokeswoman says the death toll could have been worse. Besides the security guard, there were four Borg Warner workers present in the complex when the tornado blew apart the guard shack and caused major damage to the large manufacturing building. But Borg Warner spokeswoman Michelle […]

Oconee public schools are approaching the county council for help in plugging their budget deficit—brought on by drawing down the district’s multi-million dollar fund balance. Chairman Jerry Lee says it now looks like it’ll be September before the schools know what they’ll receive in state aid for 2020-21. Lee says unless adequate state aid is forthcoming, the district will have […]

Walhalla is part of a state that is trying to emerge from the lockdown piecemeal, and part of the relaxation will start tomorrow with the re-opening of some of the city’s recreation offerings.  Walhalla’s Brandon Burton says the Stumphouse Mountain Bike Park and surrounding facilities will open tomorrow morning, and personnel will be monitoring those facilities to try to ensure […]

The executive director of the Oconee Parks, Recreation and Tourism Commission, Phil Shirley, is announcing today that day use areas at all three county parks, along with the boat ramp at High Falls Park, will open Friday, May 15 at 50% capacity.  That capacity percentage will be the limit until June 1 when, according to Shirley, the PRT will allow […]

The state police are warning South Carolinians that scammers are liable to try to exploit South Carolinians during the pandemic, especially targeting the elderly, those who’ve been separated from families.  The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division alerts everyone to watch for the following COVID-19 fraud:  economic impact scams, supply scams, provider scams, charity scams, phishing scams, mobile app scams, investment […]

Oconee County personnel will be available to assist residents with applications for FEMA Individual Assistance, starting Thursday, May 7, 2020. Not all residents are able to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance by phone or online on their own. Therefore, staff will be available at Blue Ridge Elementary School Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to walk residents […]

Clemson’s Clarendon Drive is currently blocked. A large tree is down across the road. Public Works has a crew working on it, but it will likely take most or all of the day. Please avoid this area if you can, and exercise caution if you have to be nearby.

The National Day of Prayer is being held across the nation with planned observances in all 50 states and a live streamed service from Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. In Seneca, SC, a special Oconee County -wide service will be held at 7 pm at Full Gospel Temple, 10099 Wells Highway. Participants include state and local officials and a number of local […]

As a base, Oconee County Public Library will take into account state and national benchmarks as it re-opens library branches in various ways over the next two months.  Starting Monday of this week, the book returns were re-opened at all branches.  Materials may be returned to any branch, but will be subject to a three-day quarantine, so those items, for […]

Today there will be the release of new jobless numbers to reflect the latest picture of the extent to which the virus has wreaked havoc on the workforce. And Jamie Suber, chief of staff at the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, speaking yesterday to an Oconee County audience, intimated that it’s likely the numbers of new claims filed […]