Author: Dick Mangrum

Oconeean Frank Kuhn is calling attention to the display of white crosses on the lawn in front of the Seneca Family Restaurant.  They are there, Kuhn says, out of respect for Patrick Elswick, a marine scout sniper, who carried a 70-pound backpack on a walk along the Palmetto Trial, starting October 2 at the Patriot’s Hall Museum in Walhalla.

When you see veterans during this holiday weekend, you are asked by a military support group in Seneca to thank them for their service.  The request comes from Cleta Bryson, president of the American Legion Auxiliary of the Charles McGee Byrd Post 120 in Seneca.  Bryson says, “Military men and women risk life and limb every day so that we […]

At this hour, the ceremony is underway for the start of the exhibit of the Vietnam Moving Wall in Oconee County, and the turnout is tremendous.  So many cars and trucks made their way into the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative complex that traffic backed up both ways on nearby highway 11.  State Rep. Bill Whitmire called the crowd “unbelievable.”  There’s […]

A contact is to be made to help move that Oconee County proclamation of outrage against the Bowe Bergdahl sentence to ensure that the expression winds up in the hands of the military community in Washington.  Jerry Dyar, county director of veterans’ affairs, said Tuesday night he will ask the Air Force’s Chip Morton, a Walhalla native, for help in […]

The police in Seneca figuratively have thrown the book at a Walhalla man.  Timothy Moses Souden now faces a total of 27 charges after his arrest this week at the corner of S. Oak Street and Garrison Road.  Chief John Covington says, in addition to the charge of stealing a Mercedez Benz on Pinecrest Drive, 26-year old Souden faces 26 […]

A Clemson class project brought results beyond what was anticipated by students in Marketing 3020.  Their project opened eyes to the impact that telling one’s story can have on a person.  In this case, it was the telling of stories through videos of how the veterans’ support group Upstate Warrior Solution can enhance a veteran’s life.  Teaming students with veterans […]

ACT Incorporated’s report on the scores of 11th grade Oconee students shows the students scored at or above the state average on every sub-test.  In addition, the percentage of students who are college-ready exceeds the average in English, reading, and science.  Dr. Michael Thorsland, district superintendent, said, “These results show that many of our students are college ready before beginning […]

Brock’s Car Repair of Seneca has won the 2017 Ballenger Award, presented by the Rotary Club.  The Seneca Rotary Club presents the award each year to honor the late Grady Ballenger, long-time Rotarian and operator of a downtown hardware store.  At the award presentation yesterday were Tracy Brock and his father, Carlus.

At 11 this morning, the board that governs Oconee elections meets to certify the results in this week’s municipal elections in Salem, Walhalla, and Westminster.  Although some of the outcomes were close, a spokeswoman says she expects no issues standing in the way of declaring the results final.

Chief Magistrate Todd Simmons says he is calling a meeting this month of all Oconee County judges below the circuit level for a discussion of the Chief Justice’s recent directive that has caused ripples among those who wear the robe.  The county’s magistrates and the county’s municipal judges are being asked to congregate November 27 for a reading and understanding […]