Author: Dick Mangrum

COVID-19 detection has resulted in a new Oconee school class sent home for health protection purposes.  A K-5 class at Walhalla’s James Brown Elementary was sent home effective yesterday and given a return date of January 4.  Student and employee COVID-19 numbers are occurring most days, but the latest view from the district is that it’s content with where things […]

At the top of South Carolina DHEC reporting yesterday:  2,364 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths.  Of the new cases, 56 are reported in Oconee County.  Of a total of 11,633 test results received, positivity was 20.3%.

City of Seneca continues to get large traffic numbers for their downtown Christmas light and displays, with last weekend’s numbers described as incredible.  City officials are hopeful, with some luck, their displays will be ranked among the most popular. Over the weekend, one restaurant did so much business that it ran out of food.  One Seneca resident recently complimented Councilman […]

An Oconee deputy investigated a parked car in the lot of a closed Fair Play business and wound up arresting the sole occupant of the Ford Expedition on drug charges.  Carrie Renee Porter, 30-year old resident of Anderson County’s highway 187, is accused of possessing 32.13 grams of methamphetamine.  Porter was jailed Sunday morning and, according to the sheriff’s office […]

Oconee school trustees showed appreciation last night to their employees who are working through the difficulties posed by COVID-19.  A motion to allow a one-time bonus of $300 for full-time employees and a pro-rated bonus for all part-time workers was made by Dr. Sloan and seconded by Dr. Ketterman and approved unanimously.  District employees should receive the bonus this month.  […]

Many of Oconee’s fire fighting resources were devoted to a late night fire near Westminster.  Rural Fire Dispatch received the first report around 10:30 to a home in the vicinity of 1100 Doyle Street, not far from Oconee’s Five Points community.  No injuries reported.

Detectives with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office have identified a possible suspect vehicle in a hit-and-run incident involving a motorcycle rider that occurred yesterday afternoon on White Street Extension near Shockley Ferry Rd.   The vehicle is identified as a late-2000s (2006-2010) Ford Explorer pulling a small utility trailer containing various, unknown items. The SUV is a dark color over […]

Two pro-environmental groups are assuring that the Stumphouse Mountain Heritage Preserve in Oconee County will triple in size.  Last Thursday the Nature Conservancy transferred 791 acres, known as “Turnip Top”, to the South Carolina DNR.  This after, TNC closed on 791 acres named for the 1,600-foot-high mountain preserve north of Walhalla.  The property is to be managed for public access, […]

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced that South Carolina received its first COVID-19 vaccine. Today through Wednesday, the state is receiving its first allocation of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine; nearly 43,000 doses are anticipated by Wednesday. Several health care facilities in the state are receiving allocations directly from the federal government and may begin vaccinating […]