Author: Dick Mangrum

In the opinion of a Walhalla city councilman, the city has an underage drinking problem. At last night’s council meeting, James Powell announced that, to curb the problem, the city police have asked for help from the Oconee Sheriff’s Department and the S.C. Law Enforcement Division.

If you are disappointed by Walhalla’s decision to change its outdoor Christmas light display, don’t blame James Moore at the Public Works Department. The 22-year department head says the decision to no longer drape the Bradford pear trees with lights along the Main Street sidewalks, as well as no longer wrap lights around the tree trunks in the grass medians, […]

The Washington state-based parent company of West Union’s Itron manufacturing plant has welcomed a new president/chief executive officer. The elevation up the ladder of Itron’s Philip Mezey was announced during November 19 in a conference call. Mezey played a large role in a program the previous month when Itron leaders came to West Union to celebrate that plant’s 50th anniversary.

At this time of Thanksgiving, Duke Energy is remembering all who were affected by superstorm Sandy for their patience, understanding, kindness and generosity. To help the recovery, Duke sent crews to the affected area. But what the utility workers experienced were heartfelt emotions. They found notes on their trucks, email on local media websites, hundreds of positive messages sent to […]

Any last minute glitch a cook might face in making that Thanksgiving meal turn out just right can be overcome by a toll-free call to experts at the U-S Department of Agriculture. They’ll be manning a hotline from 8-am and 2 p-m EST tomorrow. The number to call is 1/888-MPHOTLINE.

Tri-County Technical College is closed two days for the Thanksgiving holiday. The college will be closed tomorrow and Friday and reopen Monday. Oconee public school and Clemson University students are on a Thanksgiving break. All university offices are closed today and tomorrow. Oconee County convenience centers are open today and Saturday, but closed Thursday and Friday.

State troopers are reporting a motor vehicle accident, shortly after 6 this morning, at 4167 Toccoa Highway between Westminster and the Georgia line.

Walhalla’s tradition of a super-bright outdoor Christmas light display up and down Main Street apparently will be less spectacular this year, according to city officials. At last night’s meeting, Councilwoman Jennifer Woodward Crawford, saying change is difficult, announced that there will be no lights in the Bradford pear trains on Main Street. She says the problem is that the trees […]

Without any dissent, Walhalla leaders are turning to the number two man in charge to lead their police department. On a motion by Councilman James Powell, the city council last night appointed Ronald Wilbanks as the successor to Tim Chastain. In a report of the latest police department activities, Powell complimented Wilbanks for the manner in which he has served […]

Oconeeans who own vehicles and boats are meeting their obligation to pay their property taxes, but the county auditor says airplane owners are falling short. Auditor Ken Nix asked the County Council last night for a determined effort to collect more than $267 thousand in back taxes that Nix says is owed on nine of the 62 planes kept by […]