Author: Dick Mangrum

Candidate qualifying opens a week from tomorrow for South Carolinians who want to compete in their party’s June 12 primary election. In Oconee County, the two-week period of qualifying will open for those seeking various offices including Probate Judge, County Council, and State House of Representatives. It’s another story for those wanting to run for governor and other state offices […]

An Oconee deputy this week discovered a burglary scene at a highway 11, West Union business. Around 2 am Wednesday, the deputy saw the business gate and the roll up shop doors both in the open position. From the owner, it was determined that a white 1997 Ford F-250 single cab pickup, with Foothills Grading inscribed on the side, had […]

Investigation by Walhalla police and fire departments continues to find an explanation for the fire late yesterday afternoon at the apartment complex on Walhalla Gardens Circle. Chief Brandon Burton of the fire department says the origin of the fire started in a tenant’s unit on the first floor and damage resulted to a few nearby units. One person and a […]

A special meeting of Westminster City Council takes place at 6 tonight in the conference room at City Hall. The agenda promises much for the city leaders to hear and discuss. Among the items of business: a presentation by consultant Richard tucker on a study of the electrical system and future improvements. The mayor and council will hear about the […]

The removal in downtown Walhalla of an old, tall sign advertising the Oconee Heritage Center is indicaiton week that the Heritage Center is getting in step with Destination Oconee and its re-branding movement. Working in tandem city and county workers took down the sign that faced Main Street and advertised the Heritage Center which sits at the rear of Brown […]

Fire late yesterday afternoon damaged multiple units at the Walhalla Gardens Apartment complex, and there are reports this morning of one person hurt. According to Oconee Fire Dispatch, as many as four units were affected in the apartment complex on Walhalla Gardens Circle. Fire fighters and other responders encountered flames and black smoke and were at the complex until around […]

Lakes and mountains provide natural beauty in Oconee County. Unfortunately, some of the county’s beauty is marred by litter. To further public awareness of the problem, the Sheriff’s Office has released litter pickup totals for the first two months of 2018. Five thousand pounds were scooped up. Four thousand pounds of that total were picked up by Detention Center inmates. […]

Depositions are being taken today in Anderson in the civil lawsuit filed by a former Oconee County department head. And 101.7/WGOG NEWS has learned that one of those being deposed is Scott Moulder, the county administrator. The case pits David Stokes against Oconee County and two of its council members and alleges slander and wrongful termination from his job last […]

The preferred candidate for the Walhalla-Westminster code and zoning administrator has backed out of consideration. And now, says the Walhalla city administrator, they may have to re-open the search for applications. According to Brent Taylor, Walhalla administrator, the hang-up had to do with a loss of benefits to the preferred candidate had he retired from his job to accept the […]

South Carolina DOT has announced lane closures next week on I-85 in Oconee County. The lane closures will take place between Monday, March 12 and Thursday, March 22 and affect the first mile of travel inside South Carolina from Georgia to install traffic recorder equipment. In one instance, between March 15 and 16, the northbound entrance ramp lane will be […]