Author: Dick Mangrum

Some of those in Oconee in celebration of the country’s birthdate apparently got careless.  At least two grass fires, believed to have been caused last night by fireworks broke out on the Old Clemson Highway near Seneca and on the Pine Grove Road near Townville.  “Great event” is the way Seneca’s celebration at Gignilliat Field is being described.  Several thousands […]

Pro-Palestinians staged a protest yesterday morning at the Oconee County home of Senator Lindsey Graham.  And the senator has issued an apology to his neighbors and their families for the disruption to their July 4 caused by the protesters.  In a statement thru his office, Graham made further clear his position on Israel and Hamas:  “I am with Israel wholly […]

Crews have made repairs to a blown rural Walhalla water line; however, the following sections of the service territory are under a 24-hour boil advisory:  Avondale, Shrine Club, Albert’s and Dickard roads. If you need to reach the city after office hours, dial 864/499-4162.  Any issues related to water, sanitation, or the streets may be reported through a form on […]

A judge’s ruling settles a circuit court dispute among neighboring Oconee property owners.  Judge McIntosh has declared the rural Ellenburg Road that leads to Lake Keowee is a public road and, further, there’s no evidence the county abandoned the road.  Today’s ruling favors defendants Oconee County as well as two partnerships that include other property owners.  It follows three days […]

Indications are that the legal challenge to Oconee’s $25 million bond issue for capital projects, including wastewater, will make its way into a courtroom this month in the form of a pre-trial motion.  A Common Pleas Court docket indicates the moving party is defendant Oconee County, which will ask for a dismissal of the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction.  The […]

Not everything in the new South Carolina budget meets the approval of the state’s chief executive.  Governor McMaster today made known his vetoes of certain line items.  Still, however, he believes there’s much in the new spending plan that will advance the state.  Among what McMaster highlights as worthy:  $556 thousand to hire three additional “SLED” agents dedicated to animal […]

The brown water problem, the importance to conserve water, and where Walhalla’s utilities department goes now, as the city’s long-time director leaves for a job in nearby Westminster.  They are topics that Mayor Tim Hall addressed today to 101.7/WGOG NEWS.  Walhalla water customers remain under voluntary cutbacks and restrictions about outside watering, but the first-year mayor says the city’s tanks […]

At a young age, Tennessean Rod Stipe fell in love with the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River and he plotted how one day he might live locally.  He has been able to accomplish that and, now as a Long Creek resident, he finds himself leading the Oconee Democratic Party.  101.7/WGOG NEWS today polled Stipe on his stance on whether Joe […]

A search has ended in Toccoa, Goergia in the case of an officer-involved shooting on Monday.  Authorities say the suspect in the case, Montavious Cantrell Winkfield, surrendered yesterday afternoon to the police in Lavonia.  Thirty-seven-year-old Winkfield faces charges in an incident that began with reports of a kidnapping and an assault.  It further escalated, authorities allege, when Winkfield shot at […]