Author: Dick Mangrum

Tri-County Technical College at Pendleton has new federal money to spend to help students with child care issues.  A grant of more than $378 thousand has arrived and is to be spent to help low income students by giving them access to affordable and flexible child care.  In Oconee, Anderson and Pickens, Tech serves more than nine thousand students a […]

  The new man temporarily in charge at the Seneca Police Department is talking about the scourge of illegal drug activity in his city … and an arrest that one of his officers made at night over the weekend.  Law enforcement records show the arrest of Sarah Kathleen Collinsworth.  According to Casey Bowling, interim police chief, the police went to […]

In case anyone has forgotten, covering your face is still the law anywhere in Clemson. The city has put out a reminder that everyone, residents and visitors, must wear a mask outside when six feet of social distancing can’t be maintained from people not in the same family or household.  Included but not limited to sporting events and waiting in […]

Kindergartners at the Westminster Elementary School have been sent home for two weeks–the result of COVID-19 cases there.  The virus continues to play havoc at Seneca High School.  There, one math and one physical education class are now on distance learning.  The Bobcats’ have called off their next two scheduled football games, meaning the team won’t play again until October […]

  The first Oconee General Sessions jury trial in the pandemic era has ended with a conviction and a lengthy prison term.  According to a court officer, defendant Gary Martin Wirtz was found guilty of trafficking methamphetamine third offense and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.  Judge Verdin’s sentence sends Wirtz to prison for 25 years. Wirtz, 41, […]

While supplies last, boxes of food will be given away next week in Westminster.  “Farmers to Families Food Box” will be 11 am to 3 pm Wednesday, October 21 at the Community Depot, 129 Main Street.  They’ll offer one free box of food to one family.  Inside will be fresh produce, meats, and dairy products.  The distribution is designed for […]

Two Beaufort, South Carolina residents have embarked on their fourth hike of the Palmetto Trail.  They are Bernie and April Hester.  We have word that the Hesters hiked the area of Stumphouse Tunnel near Walhalla today and are planning to spend the night at the Oconee State Park at Mountain Rest.  The husband and wife were named Palmetto Trail Ambassadors […]

New, 24-hour period COVID-19 case numbers are 629 and 14 additional deaths.  Of the 629 new cases, nine of them are Oconee County residents.  There were no COVID Oconee deaths on today’s report.  The total number of individual test results reported to DHEC Monday was 6,149 and positivity was 10.2%.

Three men with connections to the upper part of Oconee District 1 are the finalists for the open seat on the county board of school trustees.  The district announced Dean Bare, Steve Smith, and Richard Blackwell as the three who have been granted interviews, before the Jerry Lee replacement choice is made.  All three have existing backgrounds in the public […]

Three men with connections to the upper part of Oconee District 1 are the finalists for the open seat on the county board of school trustees.  The district announced Dean Bare, Steve Smith, and Richard Blackwell as the three who have been granted interviews, before the Jerry Lee replacement choice is made.  All three have existing backgrounds in the public […]