Author: Dick Mangrum

Gas prices in the Carolinas are still reflecting summertime levels when demand was higher, seeing a very small decline on the week. The big culprit being higher oil prices which is keeping the pressure on at the pump. “Motorists should soon see the usual relief at the pump that comes with the fall season,” said Tiffany Wright, spokesperson, AAA – […]

Free STD/HIV testing and educational webinars are part of PrEP Awareness Week initiatives aimed at increasing awareness about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a pill that can help greatly reduce HIV infection if an individual is exposed to the virus. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012, PrEP is a daily pill for use by people who don’t have HIV but […]

A young Westminster man must answer to charges of criminal exploitation of a minor in the second degree.  Oconee Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of Bradley Jadon Neely, 18 years old.  The sheriff’s office released this statement:  “Based upon evidence that was gathered during the investigation, and according to arrest warrants, it was determined that Neely had distributed material that […]

Those individuals who received first COVID-19 vaccination shots September 8 in Walhalla are due back tomorrow for their second and final shots.  Their appointments are automatically set between noon tomorrow and 8 o’clock tomorrow night at the Walhalla Library on WS Broad Street.  This vaccination event is arranged by Healthy Me/Healthy SC.

A spokesman for the U-S District Court in South Carolina says a former Oconee school resource officer, John Towery, pleaded guilty two weeks ago to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.  Towery is a former SRO at the Fair-Oak Elementary School.  As part of the normal process in federal court, a defendant must await sentencing while a pre-sentence […]

Three days of new COVID-19 numbers are reported today by South Carolina DHEC.  On the counts made Thursday:  2,277 new cases statewide, including 65 in Oconee County. The count Friday showed 2,339 new cases, including 56 in Oconee.  Saturday’s count:  1,827 new state cases, including 33 in Oconee.  New, confirmed deaths Thursday:  33 in the state, including one Oconee resident; […]

A forest ecologist who has been making foliage predictions for nine years from Clemson University believes there will be brilliant colors this fall in the higher elevations.  Don Hagan paid a visit to the western edge of the Pisgah National Forest, 5,500′ in the air, and saw no evidence of drought-caused stress.  Instead he found a full canopy of leaves […]

Oconee public schools are partnering with DHEC to increase the availability of tests for county students and staff.  Drive-thru tests will available Monday through Friday at the Bountyland Education Campus from 8 am to 2 pm.  The PCR test specimen will be collected by a nasal swab, and those tested may, for the most part, expect results within 24 hours.  […]

A van carrying four people went out of control and overturned this morning on I-85 at Fair Play.  The Fair Play Volunteer Fire Department reported minor injuries to those involved.  The accident occurred around 7 o’clock this morning I-85 northbound on the bridge over the Fair Play Creek section of Lake Hartwell.  The left northbound lane was blocked to traffic […]