Author: Dick Mangrum

A Pickens County celebration will take place Tuesday when a ribbon is cut to open the extension of a major highway.  A 4.5 mile extension of SC 153 from the current terminus at 153 and U-S 123 near Easley to the Saluda Dam Road area is scheduled to be ready for the motoring public around 4 pm Tuesday, after years […]

“Quarantine Guidelines Update Due to updated information from the CDC, the School District of Oconee County has adjusted quarantine guidelines for schools. These guidelines were effective as of Thursday, December 3rd.  Students and staff will now be required to quarantine for 10 days, instead of 14 days, from the last exposure to an individual who tested positive. For those currently […]

Here is a statement this afternoon from South Carolina DHEC: “Today, South Carolina reported the highest number of daily cases than at any time throughout the pandemic, with more than 2,500 new cases of COVID-19. Our state’s hospital systems are becoming increasingly burdened in caring for all of those who are severely suffering from this deadly virus. Nationally, case counts, […]

Some grim numbers today from South Carolina DHEC:  2,470 new cases and 29 new deaths statewide.  Of the new cases, there were 58 from Oconee.  Other numbers show South Carolinians are flocking to be tested.  Total test results reported statewide:  11,569; the positivity was 21.4%.

The police in Seneca have arrested two people in the investigation of home burglaries on opposite sides of the city. Both were arrested Thursday on charges burglary first degree.  According to law enforcement records, 37-year old Allie Marie Hoover is charged with burglary Wednesday on Lindsay Road; and 28-year old Keith Antwane Jackson is charged with burglary November 24 on […]

  Here are today numbers from Oconee public schools.  By this morning, the district had counted 293 COVID-19 cases among both students and employee since the start of the school year. We asked the district spokeswoman to contrast those numbers with total student and employee numbers.  And here’s the statement from Jennifer Dodd, district spokeswoman:  “We have approximately 8,000 face-to-face […]

One dozen additional COVID-19 cases are reported by the Oconee public schools.  The new cases, dated Thursday, are 10 students and two employees.  The district’s tracking page breaks down the cases this way:  two students at West-Oak High School; three students at Walhalla Middle School; two students at Seneca High School; one at James Brown Elementary; one at Seneca Middle […]

You can imagine that come New Year’s Eve officials of Seneca will wish good riddance to a turbulent year.  Like everyone else, the city is dealing with the pandemic.  Added to that are the expensive difficulties Seneca in recovering from an EF3 tornado and fire that nearly destroyed the city’s fleet of garbage trucks.  One or more has impacted an […]

A meet and greet and support event for Tamassee and Salem businesses will take place 11 am to 2 pm tomorrow at Keowee Towne Market on n. highway 11.  The day will include a classic car and Jeep show. The 2020 Salem Christmas parade will travel Main Street at 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon.  The lineup will form at the Eagle […]

In his winning bid for a new term, Senator Lindsey Graham’s campaign raised more than $109 million, which the campaign states was more than any incumbent senator in history.  Not all of the money was expended to help persuade voters to make the Oconee Republican the choice over his Democratic opponent, Jamie Harrison.  According to the Graham campaign, $6.6 million […]