Author: Dick Mangrum

  Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today questioned Ms. Neera Tanden, President Biden’s nominee to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). And Graham’s office released the transcript of the q-and-a.  The following pertains to the:     MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE:   GRAHAM: “Do you believe raising the minimum wage to $15 […]

All of the new homes occupied of late in West Union have become a little too much for the small town’s one employee who runs the garbage truck.  He is now faced with picking the trash left by about 200 customers.  And that’s too much to do in one day.  So West Union will create two separate routes, to run […]

South Carolina’s Tim Scott is now a ranking member of the U-S Senate Special Committee on Aging.  Senator Scott sees this as a chance to lead fellow Republicans to ensure that seniors and their families have every tool to get through the coronavirus pandemic and also build a financially sustainable retirement.  The top priority, according to Scott, is to ensure […]

Turns out, there was no medical emergency after all yesterday morning inside the office of the Seneca Magistrate.  Police Chief Casey Bowling explains that the reason a number of police officers and EMS personnel flocked to the office was the belief that a visitor to that office reported a medical emergency.  Bowling says it was a misunderstanding in communications with […]

In the opinion of Frankie Pearson, Oconee planning commissioner, public safety is part of the responsibilities for the county’s planning commissioners.  At the commission’s February meeting, Pearson urged the commission to agree to send a letter to the Oconee County Council expressing its opinion that the approximate 100 officers of the sheriff’s office are not enough to protect the population.  […]

The number of Oconee women who have disappeared mysteriously has reached the point for local investigators to request an outside set of eyes to figure out why.  Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says he has contacted the state police to try to determine if any of the cases could be connected.  Among those who remain missing from a year or so:  Laura […]

Years ago a project was started to build a nuclear plant in Fairfield County, for which some South Carolina electric power customers were charged but never received benefit because the project was eventually scrapped.  This has led to what the state should do about the South Carolina Public Service Authority, commonly called Santee Cooper.  It’s a major asset of state […]

The theft of packs of cigarettes was accomplished last week at a Mountain Rest store.  One of thieves used the guise of being a cigarette vendor; the second suspect is believed to have entered the Mountain Rest Dollar General and distracted the cashier.  The crime occurred Saturday afternoon.  The Oconee Sheriff’s Office seeks to identify the criminals, and Crimestoppers is […]

In the latest 24-hour count period, four deaths from COVID-19 were recorded in South Carolina.  There were 1,372 new confirmed cases of the virus in the state–12 of them in Oconee County.  Of 19,498 test results received statewide, the positivity was 10.10%.

Mike Smith is the new chairman of the Oconee Planning Commission, following the resignation last month of Gwen McPhail.  At times, planning commission meetings have run for hours, but Smith will try to limit them to no more than two hours at a time.  “I’m aware of attention spans, so hopefully I will plan accordingly.  Two-hour meetings we tend to […]