Author: Dick Mangrum

An Oconee sheriff’s officer will go to work Friday as the new captain of the Walhalla Police Department. Police Chief Sean Brinson says the job will go to Tim Rice who, in a long career with the sheriff’s office, shouldered several roles. With the Walhalla police, Rice will fill the opening created by the recent retirement of Paul Harris.

An opponent to the proposed Chestnut Street home development questions whether Walhalla Planning Commission violated city law when it recommended a zoning change to allow the project. Henry Brown voiced his complaint during the public comment session of last night’s meeting of Walhalla City Council committees. Brown gave copies of what he says is city law that he does not […]

Walhalla city council candidate Charles Morgan says he also has taken down signs promoting his campaign in the November 5 election.  At the City Hall meeting last night, there were indications that, at least so far, there will be no official vote to forbid candidate signs until two weeks before Election Day, although both Morgan and a second candidate have […]

Walhalla leaders came out of their meeting last night agreed that they will make no change to their rules covering political candidate signs on public property—at least for this election season. But it’s not out of the question that, starting with local, state and national elections next year, they won’t re-institute a law that restricts candidate signs until two weeks […]

The Oconee Planning Commission and the county’s Economic Alliance will take up the issue of a possible moratorium or prohibition on future billboard construction in the county. Following an executive session to receive legal advice on the matter during Tuesday’s Council meeting, the Council voted unanimously to refer the issue for recommendations. In July, the Council asked county attorney David […]

Improving traffic safety on U-S 123, especially with deceleration lanes and improved access points, must be addressed as the corridor between Seneca and Clemson continues to be one of the county’s hottest areas for new development, according to county officials. The SC DOT has already indicated that any policies the county adopts will be strongly considered as the state makes its […]

A judge signed off today on a $50 thousand settlement that will cover a mishap involving a five-year old boy and an Oconee school bus. Judge Maddox was told the boy, a special needs student, fell while getting off a bus on January 10, 2018 and broke an ankle. His mother says the boy has been left with anxiety including […]

On a statewide grading system of the quality of public education, the Oconee School District scored a 52 on a scale from zero to 100. The student achievement gradings under the framework of a federal law are designed to provide an accounting of the public schools. The school report card data are available today on the School Report Card page […]