Author: Dick Mangrum

In remarks to a committee of the Oconee County Council, Sheriff Mike Crenshaw may have succeeded to create a consensus that his department needs as many as four or five new officers each year.  Even with an excess of 100 officers now, the sheriff’s office workforce gets stretched in a county where home construction is on the rise and the […]

For the newest 24-hour count, total COVID-19 cases in South Carolina fell below 1,000–to 868.  Of those 868, there were 16 Oconee County cases.  Statewide the new one-day death number was 16.  Of 21,315 test results results received, South Carolina positivity dropped to 5.9%.  Overall, according to the COVID Tracking Project, Monday’s case count was the lowest since October 18 […]

The speed limit drop from 45 mph to 25 mph on sections of Walhalla’s N. Catherine Street and Coffee Road during school traffic periods are taken seriously by the city police.  The times of 7:30 – 8:30 am and 2:30 – 4 pm are the times when children are on the move, and it’s important for drivers to ease off […]

Originally made under the name “Elbow Grease”, then re-named an “Innocent Kiss”, only to return to its original title, one of the last movies with Burt Reynolds is returning to the big screen…and will be shown starting Friday at Seneca’s movie theatre, among other South Carolina locations. Promoters of the comedy-romance that centers on a Southern family are making a […]

The extent to which a Walhallan may keep livestock on his property turned into a complex issue last night for the city’s planning commision.  The commission took up the city council’s request to decide whether a city law, last amended in 1990, should be changed to allow someone to keep and maintain animals such as swine on their properties.  In […]

Walhalla officials are in favor of a two-week period in which politicians may place campaign signs on city property and public rights-of-way.  The judgment of the city planning commission is in favor of allowing signs 15 days prior to election, in place of the 90 days currently permitted.  And the planning commissioners recommend to city council that candidates, win or […]

The Pickens County coroner said the body pulled from Lake Hartwell Saturday was that of a 28-year old Charleston area man who jumped to his death from a railroad trestle.  Coroner Kandy Kelley said Joshua Corey Savage was walking on the trestle from Seneca to Central when he jumped as a freight train approached at 7:45 Friday morning.  Savage lived […]

After more than one year of inactivity, Walhalla has a re-organized planning commission, with new officers and a strategy to go forward.  The planning commissioners last night re-formed by electing Chris Grant chairman and Rosemary Bailes vice chairman.  As they tackled a meeting agenda with several items, they resolved to hold quarterly meetings.  The city council was anxious for the […]

By late this afternoon, one person had signed up to run in Walhalla’s special April election.  The candidate is Gwen Owens, widow of the late Councilman Dennis Owens.  Today started a two-week period to qualify that is scheduled to end on February 26.

On President’s Day, DHEC reported 1,109 new COVID cases statewide, including 11 from Oconee County.  Statewide there were 31 new confirmed deaths.  Of 24,556 total test results received from the state, the positivity fell to 6.5%.