Author: Dick Mangrum

One of the factors that lead people to consider Walhalla a pleasant place is its low crime rate.  There are numbers circulating on the internet to bear this out. Police Chief Brinson calls attention to the website safewise.com which lays out crime numbers assembled by the FBI.  The latest year reflected by the numbers is 2020, and Brinson says they […]

The next couple of weeks are all that’s left for Oconee property owners who’ve procrastinated making good on their 2021 Oconee County property obligations.  Greg Nowell, county treasurer, says January 18 is the deadline to pay without penalty.  The bills have been payable since they went out in the mail a few months back.  Many taxpayers wait until January to […]

Seneca’s Ed Halbig says the city will mark a milestone in its history.  Oconee’s largest city, laid out in the late 1800s on opposite sides of the railroad track, is scheduled to turn 150 years old in the year 2023.  And Halbig, the planning and community development director, says consideration of how to observe the 150th is already being given.  […]

The official news publication of the South Carolina DOT congratulates John M. Adams on his promotion to Crew Leader in the DOT’s Oconee Maintenance Division.  Adams promotion rated a mention in the fall/winter edition of the SCDOT Connector.

Seneca officials believe an amphitheater is the logical answer to the city’s efforts to expand arts and entertainment opportunities in the county’s largest municipality.  Late yesterday afternoon they announced work is finishing on an application to request a $500 thousand matching funds grant through the government service agency Appalachian Regional Commission.  If approved, the grant will allow for an outdoor […]

For a second year, John Elliott retains chairmanship of the Oconee County Council, although Glenn Hart received one vote having been nominated by Matthew Durham.  The county council held a quick organization meeting for 2022 and re-filled council offices, as well as re-appointed committees and designated county representatives to three outside government service agencies.

“We certainly expect some disruption with the new COVID variant, but we hope to have a great semester with students eager to be back.”  That’s the comment from Dr. Thorsland yesterday, as Oconee schools welcomed the students back from the mid-year holidays.

A former Pickens County school teacher is under arrest, as part of an investigation into the teacher’s relationship with a former student.  Records released by the county sheriff’s office show the arrest Monday of Katherine Folger Pelfrey of Clemson.  Thirty-four year old Pelfrey is charged with sexual battery with a student 16-17 years of age and contributing to the delinquency […]

The stage average for a gallon of gasoline the past two weeks increased by two cents, according to AAA, the motor club that tracks prices.  Tiffany Wright, spokesperson AAA in the Carolinas, said, “The pandemic has caused a rollercoaster ride for prices at the pump.”  The disappointing news, she reports, is that it appears higher prices will hang around well […]