Author: Dick Mangrum

A laid-back judge who cares for those who stand before him in court is the way Todd Simmons came across during a talk today to the Seneca Rotary Club.  The Rotarians saw a judge in a relaxed role, without his formal dark robe.  In this instance, it was Todd Simmons, one of three full-time magistrate judges serving Oconee County and […]

  West Union residents have an invitation for this year’s public hearing on the next town budget.  Town of West Union is expecting revenue of about $540 thousand dollars during 2017-18—-against planned expenses of the same amount.  The current tax mill rate is 48.8 and the plan is to hold the millage rate to that number.  West Union residents may […]

Walhalla will place ads thru the state’s Municipal Association and Association of Counties to attract applicants to become the next city administrator.  But Mayor Danny Edwards says his city will accept applications from within the city and elsewhere to pick the replacement for the retiring Nancy Goehle.  The goal, he said, is to have a replacement effective April 28, Goehle […]

Oconee Sheriff Mike Crenshaw has introduced a new tool to apply to the war against drugs and addiction.  With Dale Colegrove, co-owner of DCT Detection Services in West Union, Crenshaw is promoting a patch that some non-violent and first time offenders can wear.  In some circumstances, parents could use the patch to test teenagers for narcotics and drugs.  The patch […]

A work session and and special meeting of the Seneca City Council is planned for 6 o’clock tonight at City Hall.  Agenda items include a presentation by the county school district and an unspecified personnel matter reserved for executive session at the end of the night.

There’s a revised agenda for a special Westminster meeting that starts at 5 o’clock today in the conference room of City Hall.  The city council has invited the Westminster Economic Development Commission to be guests for a presentation by the Oconee Economic Alliance.  Special emphasis is to be placed on what the county’s economic development efforts can do for Westminster. […]

If the bill approved by the House of Representatives becomes law, South Carolina’s gas pump tax will increase gradually over five years.  And, for that, the state’s transportation chief will be grateful.  Christy Hall’s reaction to the approval of House Bill 3516 is that additional and re-curring money will be available for the state’s crumbing roads and bridges.  Deferred maintenance […]

Lightning is believed to have struck the remains of the former textile mill last night at Newry.  Oconee 9-1-1 reported the fire at the tail end of the storm and it attracted fire fighters from several county stations.  We have an unconfirmed report that the fire occurred in the elevator shaft of the old building last used as a textile […]

Lane closures are required the next three weeks at Clemson for the railroad bridge project for the purpose of placing drilled shafts.  Affected will be SC 133 traffic starting at Lakeview Circle toward U-S 123.