Author: Dick Mangrum

An unwelcome blue-green substance has again penetrated Pioneer Rural water, and the district board of directors this afternoon addressed a customer’s complaint about quality.  The board was told that to avert algae intrusion, Pioneer has begun re-purchasing water from Seneca and blending the Seneca water with its own treated water before distributing it to the district’s Oconee and Anderson customers.  […]

A bomb squad discovered an I-E-D with a charge in a car at Mountain Rest, and the Oconee Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 39-year old man.  Law enforcement records show Klayton Marshall Seavey arrested on the charge of violating the South Carolina Explosives Control Act – 1st offense.  Two addresses are listed for Seavey:  Easley and Elmira, Michigan.  Seavey was […]

The arrival to office of three new Westminster councilmen in January brought new ideas to city government.  At the same time, however, one of the three says there’s perception the three ran as a group.  Which is something Councilman Cater says he recognizes but doesn’t agree with, and he understands why others might think that.  Cater has come to the […]

There’s talk in Westminster that two city councilmen who abruptly vowed to step down from their council terms after only one year have thought it over and will remain, and one of them has confirmed that in an interview with 101.7/WGOG NEWS just moments ago.  That’s Rusty Cater.  And it means, at least in Cater’s case, there won’t have to […]

The emotional well-being of a student these days is as important as his physical being.  And this is the month that Oconee public schools are showing middle and high school students age-appropriate videos on depression and suicide awareness.  The videos are produced by Erika’s Lighthouse, a non-profit focused on educating and raising awareness about adolescent depression, encouraging good mental health […]

In the estimation of reporters, the feeling in places such as Walhalla and Myrtle Beach is that with dropping case numbers the wearing of facial coverings may not be as important as before.  Phooey says the state’s epidemiologist.  Dr. Linda Bell, responding to a question yesterday by a Myrtle Beach TV reporter, said case numbers will re-surge if people stop […]

The South Carolina lieutenant governor, Pamela Evette, has contracted COVID-19.  In a tweet yesterday, she announced that she began to feel unwell Thursday and immediately self-quarantined.  Her test came back positive, but she reports minor symptoms only.  Evette, 53, recommends tests for anyone showing symptoms.  CDC has updated the clinical symptoms for diagnosing the virus.  New symptoms added are nausea, […]

Progress reported today on a project to demolish a former Seneca school building and convert the property to green space recreation.  Scott Moulder, city administrator, told 101.7/WGOG NEWS this afternoon, “We have finally cleared the environmental review process through the S.C. Department of Commerce.  I received my letter today as a matter of fact.”  Moulder sees this as final clearance […]

  South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced 525 new confirmed cases of the  coronavirus COVID-19 and 7 additional confirmed deaths.  Nine new Oconee County cases are reported. This brings the total number of SC confirmed cases to 130,256 and confirmed deaths to 2,922. The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC yesterday statewide was 5,357 (not […]

What Oconee schools call a small cluster of COVID cases will require the 8th grade at Seneca Middle School to move from face-to-face learning to distance learning for 14 days starting tomorrow.  Unless under quarantine for another reason, they are to return to face-to-face Tuesday, September 29.  According to the school district, meantime no Seneca 8th graders are allowed in […]