Author: Dick Mangrum

After a closed session, Seneca City Council voted last night to add two more years to the contract of its long-time administrator, Greg Dietterick. Mayor Dan Alexander says Dietterick had three years left on his contract. He’s now being extended an additional two years. After last night’s meeting, Alexander told 96.3/WGOG NEWS that further negotiations with Dietterick will also determine […]

Investigators say they have determined arson as the cause of the fires yesterday morning on the Blackjack Road near Westminster. According to county fire chief Charlie King, investigators for Oconee Emergency Services and the Oconee Sheriff’s Department are working leads to determine who set the fires. Anyone with information about the case or anyone who may have seen something in […]

At Salem, Russell Patterson out tallied Ray Cameron 36-6 to be the unofficial winner of yesterday’s special election to fill a vacancy on the town council. The seat opened when Tony Moore resigned and moved to Michigan.

The U-S Capitol Christmas Tree is coming to Asheville, North Carolina and will be displayed Wednesday, November 21 from 1:30 p-m to 4:30 p-m at the Asheville Mall. Traveling on the back of a large truck, the tree is making an Asheville stop as it makes it way across country from Colorado. The Engelman Spruce Tree was harvested November 2 […]

The current issue of National Geographic includes the Jocassee Gorges as one of the world’s 50 “last great places.” Ken Sloan, the executive director of Mountain Lakes CVB, says he had no idea the magazine was going to include the Blue Ridge foothills property as a great destination place but, in his opinion, it’s going to be a great help […]

Walhalla Fire Department is alerting home insurance policyholders of improved ISO ratings received by the city. According to Chief Doug Kelley, it sets the stage for a break to the homeowners in the cost of their policies. Inside the corporate limits, the Insured Services Office rating fell from a 4/9 to a 3/9 which means, Kelley said, anyone within 1,000 […]

Oconee County public schools are receiving their latest report cards, as part of an era of increasing accountability. And Dr. Mike Lucas, county superintendent, predicts that his employers, the county school trustees, will like what they see from the state Department of Education and the state Education Oversight Committee. Most county schools maintained or improved on their rating in 2011. […]

Exactly one week before Thanksgiving, Oconee County’s farm interests are going to gather for their annual celebration of agriculture. Eddie Martin, district manager for the Soil and Water Conservation District, says you do not have to be an active farmer to attend and enjoy the catered meal. The night begins at 6:30 Thursday at South Union Baptist Church Hall. Tickets […]

The cause for fire in two structures this morning near Westminster, on the Blackjack Road, is being investigated by Oconee Emergency Services and the county Sheriff’s Office. County Fire Chief Charlie King says, within six minutes of being called, fire fighters found the fires well underway. According to King, the home was unoccupied and is considered a “get away” home […]

A contractor is getting the go ahead to dismantle the old West Union school and clear the property. But where to put a marker depicting the history of the small town’s one and only public school? Alice Wald and Martha Moore, leaders of the former schoolhouse preservation group, appear at tonight’s 6 o’clock meeting of the West Union Town Council. […]