Author: Dick Mangrum

The motor club AAA Carolinas projects that two million Carolinians will journey 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving.  The projection breaks down to 1.4 million North Carolinians and 670 thousand South Carolinians.  The holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday to Sunday.  This year’s projected increase of 1.9% is spurred by improvements in the economy, including rising wages, […]

Oconee’s three-member state “C” Fund Committee authorized funding on Friday to improve two Fair Play roads which feed into Interstate 85.  The vote approves funds for work on both SC 59 and 243.  One committee member, however, said he thought at least three other heavier traveled state roads in the county were in worse shape and more deserving.  Dick Cottingham […]

The agenda is set for a meeting tonight of the Westminster Planning Commission.  At 6 o’clock at City Hall, the planning commissioners will take up zoning issues referred by the city council, as well as communication tower regulations.

Until at least the noon hour today, Pinnacle Mountain evacuees are requested to stay out of the area.  The request, thru Pickens County Emergency Management, applies to evacuees from Back Park Road, Country Creek Drive and the west side of South Saluda Road. “We understand the significance of prolonged evacuation and its inconvenience but this decision is always made in the […]

All Manned Recycle Centers in Oconee County will be open Wednesday November 23 from 7am-7pm but will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday November 24th and Friday November 25th.  All centers will reopen on Saturday November 26th.

Fire fighters and related personnel are noticing better visibility today near the Pickens County Pinnacle mountain fire.  But the toll there is increasing–now at 5,095 acres.  Crews are taking hand tools to clear areas at the edge of the fire, turning over smoldering logs to allow the spraying of water from ATVs to cool off what is smoldering, according to […]

Unemployment in the county, the state, and the country is spiraling downward.  In the report for October, the Oconee jobless rate fell to 4.5%, from September 4.9%.  At 4.5%, Oconee’s rate is lower than both those of the state (4/7%) and the U-S (4.9%.) Oconee’s workforce in October was pegged at 35,371.  All but 1,594 were reported to be gainfully […]

The Oconee state “C” Fund Committee approved an Oconee County road department request today to provide funds for 11 projects across the county.  The work will range from simple overlay to road widening to road construction.  To be funded are projects on Lepcrechaun Lane, Robinhood Drive, Charter Oak, Henry Avenue, Beaty Creek Court, Spruce Drive, E. Camelia Lane, Island Pine […]