Author: Dick Mangrum

The director of South Carolina Employment and Workforce is hailing a milestone.  First-time claims came in last week under 6,000.  That was a decrease of nearly 3,000 claims from the prior week.  But Dan Ellzey says it’s important to keep in mind that fewer than 6,000 new filers is three times higher than the weekly totals before the pandemic.  Oconee’s […]

  The push is on to ensure that all Americans are counted in this year’s census.  By ignoring your responsibility to be counted, you not only hurt yourself but your community as well—including hospitals, schools, public transportation, and other parts of the fabric of our lives.  An undercount is likely to cost your community a slice of the dollars that […]

DHEC has new data that show mask laws help slow the spread of COVID-19. As of this week, according to the state’s health agency, nearly 40%, or about two million South Carolinians, live in jurisdictions that have local mask requirements.  Those jurisdictions with mask requirements have seen an overall decrease of 15.1% of total cases for the four weeks after […]

Seneca’s Blue Ridge Community Center and the Clemson Area African American Museum are among South Carolina non-profits to benefit from employee-directed grants committed for social justice and racial equity.  Each will get $5 thousand from yesterday’s Duke Energy Foundation announcement that there’s as much as $200 thousand for non-profits statewide.  Overall, the $200 thousand is part of a $1 million […]

Walhalla learned yesterday of the approval of a $500 thousand grant for the first phase of the city’s Greenway project.  The money was awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission.  This money will allow for 4,250 linear feet of pedestrian and bicycle paths in the downtown.  Overall, Greenway is about 3.25 miles running along North and South Broad streets.  The trail […]

DHEC yesterday announced 712 new confirmed cases and 19 new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 45 additional confirmed deaths and one new probable death.  Three Oconee County cases were included in the latest count. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 102,143, probable cases to 831, confirmed deaths to 2,057, and 87 probable deaths. By Tuesday, […]

Here’s an update on an earlier 101.7/WGOG NEWS story.  The Oconee Sheriff’s Office has learned that a Winnebago RV stolen in Oconee County last week has been found in Greenville County.

The state police made this announcement this morning: “Agents of the S.C. Law Enforcement Division are investigating an incident from Tuesday night in which gunfire was exchanged during a confrontation between two suspects and deputies from Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. One male suspect was killed and one female suspect was injured. An Anderson County Sheriff K-9 was also injured during […]

A long-time city hall worker in Westminster has the job of interim administrator, as the city’s search for a permanent administrator enters a third month.  Mayor Ramey believes Rebecca Overton is well suited for the appointment, as in her long city career, she’s familiar with all city departments.  The city’s inability to land Chris Carter’s successor is a point of […]