Author: Dick Mangrum

At the least, it makes for a good conversation piece.  A large, low-flying airplane was seen once again in the sky over Oconee by those in the Seneca to Keowee to Walhalla areas.  It appears to be some type of military aircraft.  One theory has been that the military was practicing in advance of the military recognition day during a […]

Pickens County Sheriff’s Office hopes someone will come forward to help identify a burglar who struck on Tuesday on the Earls Bridge Road in the Dacusville Community.  The intruder knocked on the front door of the home several times and then drove to an attached shop building and tried to kick open the door.  He then tried to get thru […]

Illegal tire dumps are the target of a new statewide initiative by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), PalmettoPride and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). “While advancements in the management of scrap tires continue, we recognize that there is more to be done,” said DHEC Environmental Affairs Director Myra Reece. “The ‘See It, Report It’ […]

Oconee and Pickens are among 14 South Carolina counties removed from incipient status–the first level of drought–as conditions have improved,  in the estimation of the state Drought Response Committee.  According to Hope Mizzell, state climatologist, most of South Carolina received normal to above normal rainfall over the last 60 days.  The marketing specialist for the agriculture department, Katherine Helms, reports […]

A new organization that is striving to erase the hopelessness that has befallen the once proud Utica Community near Seneca has announced a major accomplishment. At a luncheon meeting, Phillip Kalchthaler announced that 18 acres of land are under contract for a future youth center that will specialize in tutoring, mentoring, Bible study, life skills, and community outreach. The $62 […]

The Oconee Economic Alliance’s Morgan Holcomb was one of 49 state and community leaders to graduate from a statewide economic development training program. A collaborative effort between the South Carolina Commerce Department and the state Economic Developers Association, the program is designed to arm participants with innovative development approaches to implement in local communities. Attendees gained insight into issues relating […]

The Oconee Economic Alliance’s Morgan Holcomb was one of 49 state and community leaders to graduate from a statewide economic development training program.  A collaborative efforts between the South Carolina Commerce Department and the state Economic Developers Association, the program is designed to arm participants with innovative development approaches to implement in local communities.  Attendees gained insight into issues relating […]

Social Security offices across the country, including those in Anderson, South Carolina and Toccoa, Georgia, will open to the public on Wednesday afternoons.  The change, effective January 8, restores Wednesday public service hours that were last in place in late 2012.  “I don’t want someone to come to our office at 2:30 on a Wednesday only to find our doors […]

In recent years, Westminster’s over-worked electric power infrastructure has caused multiple trips and, at times, long outages—both in winter and summer. But, of late, according to the city’s outside consultant, Westminster and its leaders are to be commended for investing in much needed maintenance that includes tree-trimming to keep limbs and trees from dropping on overhead lines. Richard Tucker of […]

The Salem branch of the Oconee Public Library will be closed tomorrow for building maintenance. The work will take place in the lobby and the restrooms of the Town Hall building, which doubles as town offices and the public library. The Salem library branch will return to normal hours on Friday. Other library branches will be open as normal, except […]