Author: Dick Mangrum

A scheduled Westminster event Thursday is one of the latest public get together to fall asunder to the surge of COVID-19 cases.  Westminster Seniors Outreach announces that, until further notice, Thursday evening’s meet-and-greet featuring two new city officials has been cancelled.

Oconee School District announces the closing of an early childhood class.  A class for kids ages three and four has been temporarily closed at Walhalla Elementary School.  The pupils in that class may return to school December 9.  According to policy, when the district becomes aware of a positive individual in an early childhood class that classroom is moved to […]

The tradition of a parade on Walhalla’s Main Street will be carried out Saturday evening, in ways to help avoid anyone catching or spreading COVID-19.  Parade time will be 5 o’clock.  Here are some things to know before you go.  This year no candy will be distributed, as parade watchers are requested to keep safe distance from the procession.  This […]

Here are numbers from the report issued this afternoon by South Carolina DHEC:  1,297 new cases; 13 deaths including that of a middle-aged Oconeean who died November 26, Thanksgiving Day.  Of the newest cases, 39 have been documented among Oconee County residents.  Total test results received by the state health agency statewide Monday:  7,375; the positivity, 17.6%.

  New cases of COVID appear to be exploding within the Oconee School District.  For the first day back after Thanksgiving, the district registered 20 new cases, 18 of which are students.  The other two are employees.  The breakdown is as follows:  one student each at Westminster Elementary, Seneca’s Northside Elementary, West-Oak Middle, and Walhalla’s James Brown Elementary; two students […]

From the standpoint of the Seneca police, the city’s 2020 Christmas parade went smoothly.  No incidents, says Casey Bowling, and the interim police chief added that, “Everyone tried their best to social distance.”  He described last night’s crowd as good and said the largest numbers gathered on Main Street and Ramcat Alley.

Mike Crenshaw, now in his 33rd year in law enforcement, looks to the start January 1 of a new four-year term as Oconee County sheriff.  He appears to have no regrets, even though he once earned more money as a part-time mail carrier than he did when he was a rookie cop in Westminster. Law enforcement work is in his […]

Due to a cluster of COVID-19 cases, SDOC has made the decision to move Walhalla Middle School 6th grade face-to-face students to distance learning for a period of 14 days beginning on Tuesday, December 1st. Sixth grade students will not go to the school building during this time. Students will be able to return to the school building on December […]

Three members of the six-member city council in Walhalla are ill, and city officials have canceled tonight’s regular December meeting of the council committees.