Author: Dick Mangrum

During a budget discussion, Oconee County council members found no clear avenue to being able to afford the construction of a new hangar at the airport. There’s now a waiting list of between 60 and 70 airplane owners to park their craft. But the council heard an estimate in the neighborhood of $1 million to build a 10-bay hangar. District […]

In executive session next week, Oconee County Council is scheduled to “receive legal advice regarding potential property purchase at Oconee County Rock Quarry.” That executive session is set at the tail end of council’s next regular meeting—Tuesday night, February 20. Last night worried contractors filled chairs in the meeting room for a meeting of council’s budget, finance and administration committee, […]

The Oconee County administrator and the county attorney went behind closed door last night to give advice to the county council on the prospects of losing a piece of county property to the city of Clemson. The council returned to open session about 40 minutes later, but took no action. At issue, is whether Lot #8 at Hartwell Village Shopping […]

Oconee School District announced the appointment this afternoon of Lisa Simmons, the Blue Ridge Elementary principal, as assistant superintendent of education. The appointment is effective July 1. In that capacity, Simmons replaces Ginger Hopkins. According to Dr. Michael Thorsland, district superintendent, Hopkins will transfer to another position in the district, not yet specified.

When it comes to a couple of Walhalla jobs, David Hubbard of Hubbard Paving and Grading is in the catbird’s seat. He left City Hall this afternoon, knowing that his company is the lowest and only bidder to pave a parking area at Stumphouuse Tunnel Park and to pave and stripe seven streets in the Mill Hill area of Walhalla. […]

Illness among community members is the reason for the cancellation this week of the meeting of the Westminster PMPA Task Force.  It had been scheduled for Thursday.  Organizer Susan Ramey says the meeting will be re-scheduled.

Gas prices in the Carolinas have decreased of late, and so have pump prices in the rest of the country.  After a drop of three cents, South Carolina’s average today is $2.33.  The motor club AAA says South Carolina’s is still one of the top ten cheapest for gasoline in the country.  Today’s North Carolina average price was down by […]

Weekend after weekend of rain has helped ease the area’s drought. The Keowee-Toxaway basin has recovered to Stage 1 drought, the second of five drought stages in the drought management plan low inflow protocol. Still, voluntary water conservation continues to be recommended throughout the basin. Today’s announcement by the Keowee-Toxaway Management Advisory Group requests neighbors on lakes Keowee and Jocassee […]

The arrests of two Seneca residents bring to 10 the number of arrests in “Operation Avalanche”—the effort by the Oconee Sheriff’s Office to stop the transport of methamphetamine into the county. Jerry Scott Gibson, 48, is charged with conspiracy to traffic in meth; Ricky Lee Addis Jr., 33, is charged with trafficking in meth. Meantime, the Sheriff’s Office continues to […]