Author: Dick Mangrum

Oconee County has new budgets for a new government year that starts at the end of next week.  But the final vote required a two-and-a-half hour meeting, two cost-cutting amendments, and a great deal of back-and-forth with county council’s most vocal spending critics.  On some key issues, the five-member council remains in a three-two divide.  Paul Cain was able to […]

An 81-year old man is missing in Pickens.  His family is concerned because he’s been diagnosed with dementia and is an insulin-dependent diabetic.  Pickens County Sheriff’s Office during the night began actively searching for Merrill Arlin Owens, missing from the vicinity of Williams Drive and Gravely Road in Pickens.  Owens was last seen walking on Gravely Road around 3:30 yesterday […]

The cops have his car, they have his name, but they don’t have him.  There was police activity early today between Walhalla and Salem.  Chief Deputy Davis of the Oconee Sheriff’s Office says officers spotted a suspicious vehicle on the Camp Oak Road.  A chase then developed, but ended when the suspect car went down an embankment on the Flat […]

In today’s report from South Carolina DHEC:  Sunday saw 34 new cases of COVID-19 across the state.  None of those cases was an Oconee County resident.  Statewide, there were three additional deaths from the virus.  Of 2,585 test results received, the positivity was 1.7%.

The Methodists in Walhalla give away boxes of food Wednesday afternoon from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at the St. Luke Methodist Church on E. Main Street.

Much of what was a landmark department store building (formerly the anchor store for Harper’s 5&10) is no more today.  Demolition is underway, which will clear the way for green space, perhaps a fountain, and a splash pad.  As the new owner of the property, city of Seneca is the driving force in a continual remake of parts of the […]

A Seneca official told a county planning group that “disinterest” on the part of Walhalla and Westminster is impeding consideration of extending bus routes to the county seat and other areas un-served by free passenger service.  Seneca’s Ed Halbig was a guest presenter during last night’s meeting of the county planning commission.  Halbig made clear to the county planning commissioners […]

An Atlanta area woman lost her life in a one-car crash late Saturday afternoon on the I-85 side of Georgia near mile marker 171 not far from Fair Play.  The Georgia Patrol reports that 67-year old Lisa Hutto of Stone Mountain was killed when her southbound 2003 Ford Ranger crossed from the right lane to the left and then into […]

The first-ever doctoral address at Clemson University was given by a man born in Afghanistan who grew up as a refugee in Pakistan.  Tanin Haidary credits his success to his family which has a deep devotion to education.  Haidary’s father was a base commander in the Afghan military.  In Pakistan, the only job he could get was repairing television sets.  […]

Before the long desired vision of sewer pipe in the ground along I-85 in Oconee, there’s the matter of obtaining a remaining number of easements from property owners whose cooperation is needed for Sewer South II.  Seven easements belonging to individuals or groups, according to Chris Eleazer of the Joint Regional Sewer Authority, are either in the appraisal or negotiation […]