Author: Dick Mangrum

A Seneca man received a sentence this afternoon amounting to 20 years in prison for sex crimes involving a young girl four years ago. Robert Keith Morgan pleaded guilty this afternoon in the Oconee General Sessions Court to sexual exploitation of a minor, obstruction of justice, and criminal sexual conduct with a minor second degree. At the time of his […]

An approach to the Walhalla corporate limits may soon see patrolling city police vehicles. Councilman Tjay Bagwell broached the idea of an intergovernmental agreement in which the county Sheriff’s Office would surrender jurisdiction for a stretch of SC 28/the Blue Ridge Boulevard—from Zaxby’s to the Kountry Kupboard. Some of the area is already part of the corporate limits. The 28 […]

The Seneca Events Committee is entertaining the idea of food trucks being a regular part of downtown Seneca, not just on Jazz on the Alley nights. Discussion centered yesterday on where to place the food trucks in the downtown area, one location that was mentioned was under the covered sheltered area along Main Street. That area is the former pickup […]

In two years time, 11 Walhalla businesses have benefited from a city government program that grants money for building façade work in the downtown. Brent Taylor, city administrator, recommends the mayor and council see fit to allocate $10 thousand for the budget of the Downtown Development Corporation. The following businesses received grants from a previous pool of $20 thousand: Building […]

Walhalla’s elected leaders are being told that the Oconee Chamber of Commerce is changing to a more county-wide approach to promoting and developing business and will phase out its local office at the Earle House. Brent Taylor, city administrator, sees an opportunity for the city to step in and hire a Main Street coordinator as part of a program through […]

Walhalla state representative Bill Whitmire has worked with three South Carolina governors.  He says the easiest one to work with is the current governor, Henry McMaster.  And that’s partly why Whitmire supported McMaster’s request that the state apply some of the $60 million dollars of lottery proceeds to a taxpayer refund.  All South Carolina taxpayers can expected to receive checks […]

Oconee deputies went into the classroom this summer to improve their skills at interviews and interrogations. The advanced training was offered by Salem Training and Consultancy. The Sheriff’s Office explains the need for the training this way: “It is of utmost importance that for Oconee County deputies to receive the most intensive and up to date training possible, to ensure […]

A long-time Walhalla business is taking an old W. Main Street building and fixing it up…and adding color to it. And last night O’Kelley Heating and Air and its supporters received an apology from members of the city council for a city action that halted the painting of a mural on the side of the building. Someone had complained that […]

Questions and reactions to the postponement this week of a hearing to consider a proposed home development on Walhalla’s Tyre B. Mauldin Street. From his seat at the council meeting table, David Underwood asked why the hearing had been called off. The councilman took the position that it was a public hearing that should have taken place. He was told […]

Besides his political bombshell, David Underwood held court for much of the start of last night’s Walhalla City Hall meeting. Reading from a long, handwritten statement, Underwood deplored what he said is unruly behavior by a small number of disgruntled utility customers who come to City Hall to pay their bills. Yelling and cursing are uncalled for, he said. Bearing […]