Author: Dick Mangrum

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 543 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 7 additional confirmed deaths. New Oconee cases numbered 14. There were no additional Oconee deaths. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 111,202, probable cases to 1,349, confirmed deaths to 2,387, and 124 probable deaths. Testing […]

Main Street Walhalla is taking advantage of the Dog Days of Summer this week.  The downtown promotion program invites the public to the downtown Saturday to shop stores, dine at restaurants, and stop by the Humane Society’s booth.

101.7/WGOG NEWS learned this afternoon that an empty restaurant building on the 123 Seneca By-Pass will be transformed into a Moe’s Southwest Grill.  A principal involved in the project has confirmed that Moe’s will expand to Seneca and locate in the building vacated recently by Captain D’s.  There’s a J-Davis Construction sign in front of the location.  Further project details […]

First word from Oconee School District is that the start of the delayed school year this morning is running smoothly.  Spokeswoman Jennifer Dodd says, “District administrators are out and about visiting schools this morning.  They have said things are running smoothly across schools — students are excited to see their teachers; they are wearing masks without issue.  Our teachers and […]

The Seneca City Hall and other city public buildings re-opened for business this morning, after being closed late last week for deep-cleaning.  Four city employees tested positive for COVID-19, and the city instituted the closings out of caution.  But it’s back to business now.

  Court sources say nothing is yet official, but there’s some belief that the State Court Administration might direct Oconee County to schedule its first week of jury trials since the pandemic was declared in March.  That would be a General Sessions Court week now scheduled to start September 21.  In the meantime, 101.7/WGOG NEWS has learned, the Clerk of […]

A weekend caravan of automobiles followed a tri-angular route connecting Oconee’s three largest municipalities, and an organizer says things went well.  The Saturday evening caravan sought to raise attention to the idea of an Oconee County Commission on African-American Affairs as well as the Say the Names campaign that calls names of African-American victims of police brutality.  Betty Jo Smith […]

  David Underwood says had he been present for last week’s meeting, he’d have voted against the Walhalla ordinance that, starting today, requires facial coverings while in public, when social distancing can’t be followed.  But Councilman Underwood said he and his wife were celebrating their anniversary.  Had he voted, the ordinance, he notes, would still have passed by a vote […]

In a two-car accident yesterday near Walhalla, three people were reported hurt.  According to Walhalla Fire Department, one of the injured in the Picket Post Road accident suffered trauma and required a med helicopter flight to Greenville.  The two others injured were sent by ground transport to the Oconee hospital.