Author: Dick Mangrum

High above the County Seat this morning the U-S Forest Service plans a controlled burn for 250 acres.  The acreage is to be burned along the Whetstone Road, and a USFS spokesman says the purpose is improving wildlife habitat and reducing the fuels that can lead to wildfires.  Based on weather projections, the smoke from today’s burn will head toward […]

Walhalla has interviewed applicants for a new city job—director of the city’s Main Street program. Mayor Edwards included the creation of a Main Street program director as one of several projects that he would like in 2020,  The mayor envisions the person hired will help better promote events downtown, serve as a coordinator for such events, and help attract new […]

Oconee school leader Jerry Lee has been recognized by the South Carolina School Boards Association for more than 30 years of board service. Lee joined 22 others from across the state in reaching at least 20 years of service to their local school board. For that, Lee gets a certificate of appreciation and a 30-year lapel pin. As the District […]

At the first regular meeting of 2020, the Walhalla mayor announced about one dozen projects for which he will carry hope through the year to see accomplished or, at the least, progress to completion. One of those projects is a drive-thru window at the City Hall. Mayor Edwards says a drive-thru would be especially useful to senior citizens who could […]

Nebo Church Road will see some changes as an airport improvement project will now move forward. Oconee County Council last night approved projects totaling $357.000 that will solve two longstanding problems of the airport: Concerns over the height of the landing approach and take-off vector over the Nebo Church Road and the need for space to park planes near the […]

The new Oconee comprehensive plan may be a citizen-generated document, in the words of county planning commissioners, but one county councilman thinks it falls short. District 2’s Wayne McCall last night said he doesn’t believe the over 400-page visionary guide for the county’s next 10 years gives enough weight to recycling and the need for county health clinics. Likening the […]

In the event there comes a time when Danny Edwards is unable to handle his mayoral duties, Walhalla will turn to an educator who sits just to the right of the mayor at city council meetings. The city council last night signaled their approval of Edwards choice of Danny Woodward as Walhalla mayor pro-tem. In other personnel actions, the city […]

A group representing Walhalla departs this morning for Columbia. Their visit to the capital city will focus on the pervasive problem of infiltration into the city’s sewer pipes, and the Walhalla representatives will have their hands out for money to address the problems that beset the Cane Creek basin inside Walhalla’s collection system. The state’s Rural Infrastructure Fund typically doles […]

Oconee County will change its building codes to deal with safety concerns for construction of multiple-occupant dwellings. It’s now just a matter of how. After a special called meeting, County Council directed the planning building codes and legal staff to look into what impact fees, changes in the county code will best address concerns and how these can be implemented. […]

A Westminster man sits in the Oconee jail this afternoon, without the possibility for bail. According to an announcement from the Sheriff’s Office, Lee Scott Smith is wanted by authorities in Gwinnett County, Georgia on the charge of aggravated child molestation. The 35-year old Smith is also known by the name Wren Lee Hewitt. He was escorted by a deputy […]