Author: Dick Mangrum

The South Carolina Forestry Commission is calling for a Red Flag Fire Alert for Wednesday and Thursday, April 21 and 22. The alert will go into effect Wednesday at 7 a.m. The alert is being issued to discourage people from burning  outdoors when weather conditions present an elevated risk of wildfire. The weather forecast statewide over the next two days […]

Walhalla’s elected leaders are on their way to find a place for tiny homes.  Last night they gave preliminary approval to permitting homes of up to 500 square feet in size by requiring a special exception to the zoning ordinance and restricting them to general- residential zones in the city.  For some prospective homeowners, tiny or container-type housing is appealing […]

Walhalla City Council seemed pleased to return to their natural meeting room in the City Hall.  The meeting room is small, but is well-lighted and there’s no problem hearing what’s being said.  The opposite was true for the community depot meeting across town, which became the city council’s temporary location when the pandemic was declared.  At the top of last […]

\Masks will be required in Oconee County government buildings one month less than originally planned.  In spite of the objections of one councilman, the mask requirement shall be sunsetted May 30.  The original ordinance, which was enacted as a temporary measure, was to expire June 30.  Councilman Julian Davis moved to curtail the ordinance, saying that with the speed and […]

Senator Tim Scott says there’s no question in his mind that the jury in Minneapolis reached the right verdict in the trial of the former policeman Derek Chauvin.  In a statement after yesterday’s guilty verdicts, Scott said, “George Floyd died because Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck and stopped him from breathing for more than nine minutes.  While this outcome […]

Fire yesterday damaged an Oconee Sheriff’s Office car during a pursuit near Westminster.  Sheriff Crenshaw says the fire damaged wiring and the vehicle was left partially damaged.

A young man was flown by medical helicopter to an out of county hospital this afternoon after falling about 20 feet at the Oconee Landfill at Seneca.  At the time, the injured man was off loading garbage from a truck and, according to Chief Skelton of the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department, got too close to the edge.  Chief Fabian Skelton […]

Amanda Brock, administrator for Oconee County, confirms an accident this afternoon at the landfill at Seneca.  We have an unconfirmed report that one person was hurt in a fall.  Brock says public safety personnel are responding to the accident.

Today’s COVID-19 report issued by the state health agency contains 362 new cases of the virus across South Carolina.  Eight of those cases are in Oconee.  The statewide death count increased by 2 for the 24-hour period ending at 11:59 Sunday night.  Of 7,756 test results, positivity percentage: 6.2.

Longtime no fan of South Carolina’s experiment with roundabouts, State Senator Thomas Alexander wants the DOT to consider other alternatives to make highway improvements at Oakway.  A proposed roundabout, or a circle way to move traffic, along SC 24 in the Oakway community has drawn opposition. And Alexander says he wants to solve the traffic safety concerns at 24, 182 […]