Author: Dick Mangrum

Murals have helped brighten downtown Westminster.  And today the artist behind those murals received the thanks of her city.  Westminster Rotarian Glenda Duvall announced Melody Davis is Westminster’s Citizen of the Year for 2024.

By January, there’ll be a ban on students having personal cell phones in their classrooms.  It’s a promise delivered today in Westminster by the state’s boss of public education.  Superintendent Ellen Weaver, speaking to a crowd of 150-plus, said the prohibition against students having cell phones in class is part of a strategy to bring up scores, as well as […]

A 14-year-old student at the Hart County, Georgia Academy is charged with felony terroristic threats and acts, after the police in Hartwell received information yesterday afternoon on the social media site Snapchat.  The threat warned of violence at Hart County schools.  The boy’s name has not been released.  Hart County schools remain in session, but there is increased law enforcement […]

An apparent warning on a social platform about a possible shooting in Franklin County, Georgia schools led today to the closing of schools today in the northeast Georgia county.  The county sheriff believes the threat traced to Snapchat could be a prank, but the threat is taken seriously — until proved otherwise.

Oconee’s no longer needed, old courthouse building still sits at the corner of W. Main and S. Church in Walhalla … and it has been one year since the county fathers decided to seek bids on what it would cost to demolish.  The 1956 building was closed in the early 2000s, and since has been a much-talked about subject as […]

Law enforcement officials told media outlets that Apalachee High School at Winder, Georgia received a Wednesday morning warning that there would be shootings at five schools, and that Apalachee would be the first.  The identity of the caller has not been released.  All schools in the Barrow district went on lockdown, and schools across the region, including Stephens County schools, […]

The United Way of Anderson County announces a grand retirement celebration to honor CEO Carol Burdette, to recognize her for outstanding commitment to her community and tireless service to others.  The event will be 6:30 pm Thursday, November 7 at the Anderson Civic Center.  The retirement event will serve a dual purpose, as all proceeds will benefit health, education, financial […]

A first-of-its-kind Community Workday will take place, as a way to help the Oktoberfest Committee and the city of Walhalla prepare Sertoma Field for this year’s Oktoberfest — the weekend that Walhalla holds its annual outdoor festival as a tribute to the city’s Germanic founding in the mid 19th century.  Stacy Jackson, president of Oktoberfest, says the committee has often […]

Residents of Oconee’s Cleveland community near the Georgia line take pride in 60 years of operating a volunteer fire department, an accomplishment of no small standing considering the difficulty these days to recruit volunteers.  But Travis Collins, the current fire department chief, said many a young man was reared in his community with the expectation that eventually he’d volunteer to […]

Sydney Olsen flew from Los Angeles to Clemson to be graduated in the university’s May ceremonies.  On arrival, she learned of an offer of work at the entertainment company Miramax.  Olsen told Clemson officials her job as manager of Miramax’s intern program is a passion project for her.  She has adjusted to California life.  At Clemson, she wrote stories about […]