Author: Dick Mangrum

Cases of COVID-19 are being discovered and added incrementally to the list kept by the Oconee School District.  Since Friday the following cases are noted:  four students at Seneca Middle School, one student at Walhalla High, and one employee at West-Oak Middle School.

The larger the crowds, we’re told, the greater the chance for the spread of COVID-19, so it’s no longer a secret that the pandemic will likely prompt some urban residents to flock to the country.  Oconee County home sellers are aware of this potential market.  But those who re-locate often want to be assured that their new home will be […]

This is the week that Westminster officials are to confer with South Carolina DHEC about the nagging problem of infiltration in sewer lines.  But Mayor Brian Ramey says he doesn’t believe the city has anything to be overly worried about because his city has done most of what Health and Environmental Control has asked of it to keep the lines […]

Indications this morning that Walhalla will back off its mandatory mask law.  The agenda for tomorrow’s city council meeting includes items to end the emergency ordinance and a resolution to encourage the wearing of masks or face coverings in public places and settings where there is risk of exposure.  On the public input part of the agenda are comments from […]

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced 515 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 AND  24 additional confirmed deaths, including one additional death of an Oconee County resident.  That Oconeean was elderly and died August 17. Yesterday’s report included 17 new cases of the virus among Oconeeans. This brings the total number of SC confirmed cases to 129,484 […]

A college educator living at Toccoa, Georgia died Saturday of complications from COVID-19. Dr. Mark Ivester was 57 years old and the president of North Georgia Technical College at Clarkesville, according to WNEG Toccoa.  The college released the following statement:  “With incredibly heavy hearts, we are so sad to say that Dr. Mark Ivester passed away around midnight (Saturday) after […]

A car driver near Seneca was charged last night with driving under the influence in an accident that involved a sheriff’s deputy.  According to law enforcement, the accident occurred as the deputy, Buddy Joe Duncan Jr., had slowed down his Chevy Tahoe to make a U-turn on the Sheep Farm Road. According to the highway patrol’s Matt Southern, a collision […]

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced 827 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and  17 additional confirmed deaths.  In today’s report, there are 17 new Oconee County cases, but no additional deaths. This brings the total number of South Carolina confirmed cases to 127,646 and confirmed deaths to 2,891. The total number of individual test […]

The Seneca police say a person of interest has been determined and is being sought for questioning in the shooting death early today of a 35-year old man.  Coroner Addis says the victim at the Fair-Oak apartments was Charles Antonio Clark.  Shortly after 2 am, the police found Clark lying at the doorway to one of the units in the […]