Area Office Closures for Good Friday and Easter

Multiple municipal offices in Oconee and Pickens Counties, including Seneca, Salem, Walhalla, Westminster, Central, and West Union, will be closed on Friday for Good Friday, while Oconee County administrative offices and Clemson city offices will remain open; Oconee County Library branches will be closed Friday for staff training and Saturday for Easter weekend, but the landfill will operate normally, and […]

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Professor Charged for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material

Anderson County detectives arrested 46-year-old Jeffrey Douglas Townsend, a Clemson University professor and Anderson County resident, on 10 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Second Degree after a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) tip in February initiated an investigation. Jeffrey Douglas Townsend The Criminal Investigations Division’s inquiry revealed Townsend allegedly used an app to access a […]

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Oconee’s Miniature Masterpieces: Tiny Art Takes Over Westminster Library

This April, the Westminster Library has been transformed into a unique art gallery, showcasing an enchanting collection of miniature artworks created by local community members. Inspired by the growing trend of Tiny Art Shows in libraries, the Westminster branch of the Oconee County Public Library proudly presents its inaugural Tiny Art Show. Westminster Branch Manager Leah Price expressed her enthusiasm, […]

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Arrest Made in 2021 Homicide

The Lyman Police Department has charged Douglas Hilton Gilbert, 47, of Salem, with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in the August 2021 shooting death of 29-year-old army veteran Connor Lloyd at his home; Gilbert was denied bond and remains in custody at the Spartanburg County Detention Center. Douglas Gilbert – Spartanburg Co SO His arrest […]

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Oconee County Council Approves OEA Recommendations for Lift-Tek, Recognizes Golden Corner Food Pantry Anniversary

The Oconee County Council convened Tuesday, approving the Oconee Economic Alliance’s recommendations to enter a grant agreement with the SC Coordinating Council for Economic Development and authorizing a Fee-In-Lieu of Ad Valorem Taxes and Special Source Revenue Credit Agreement with Lift Technologies, Inc., along with establishing their property within a joint industrial park with Pickens County, all aimed at facilitating their […]

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West Union Man Arrested for Involuntary Manslaughter in Brother’s Homicide

On Friday, April 11th, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office arrested 46-year-old Matthew Scott Chastain of West Union for Involuntary Manslaughter in connection with the death of his brother, 45-year-old William Jamie Daniel Chastain. Deputies initially responded to a cardiac arrest call on Welborn Road on January 23rd and found William Jamie Daniel Chastain deceased with multiple bruises. An autopsy determined […]

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Walhalla Freezes Hiring as Budget Takes Shape Amid Fire Funding Shift; Residents Voice Concerns Over Future Annexation Ordinance Tied to Water Service Applications

To navigate financial headwinds caused by Oconee County’s impending termination of a $550,000 fire service agreement, the Walhalla City Council took action Tuesday, approving a citywide hiring moratorium until the end of June as they commence work on the 2025-26 fiscal year budget. City leaders acknowledged the increased financial ambiguity during their regular meeting, prompting City Administrator Celia Myers to […]

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SDOC Announces New Orchard Park Elementary Principal

At its regularly scheduled board meeting held Monday,  April 14, 2025, the School District of Oconee County Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Mrs. Lindsay McKay as principal of Orchard Park Elementary School for the 2025-2026 school year. Lindsay McKay Dr. Thorsland, superintendent, said, “Mrs. McKay brings a wealth of experience with her to our district. We look forward […]

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