Category: Featured

Two Oconee workers at the state’s DOT maintenance office competed in this year’s Equipment Operators’ RoadEO State Finals May 24.  Having won competitions at their respective districts, Chuck Sasscer and Whitney Hayes were among 81 participants on this year’s roster.  Sasscer competed in single axle; Hayes, in motor grader. According to DOT, the RoadEO is a great opportunity for operators […]

A wire service photograph depicts Oconee’s state senator, Senate President Thomas Alexander, with a dour face as he and other top state leaders emerge from a budget conference committee meeting this week in Columbia.  Last week, while home, 101.7/WGOG NEWS asked Alexander to project how much it’ll take to operate a new year of state government starting July 1.  His […]

A goose that lays a golden egg for Oconee County was the subject for concern during last night’s county council meeting, with the outcome an agreement on the part of council to authorize what Chairman Durham called “a root cause analysis” of recent failures with the county quarry operations near Walhalla, including yesterday’s shutdown of the rock-crushing equipment.  Amanda Brock, […]

Today shapes up to be a red-letter day for Oconee County economic development.  An announcement is expected from Columbia that a mainstay Oconee manufacturer, identified as a West Coast manufacturer, will expand its Oconee operations to the tune of a capital investment of nearly $29 million, and the creation of 100 new jobs.  

The new conservative majority on Oconee County Council brought out the paring knife and cut the size of the next budget to a $60 million level.  After last night’s budget hearing, Chairman Durham succeeded in a package of individual department cuts and received support from Hart and Mize – enough to win a 3-2 vote on final reading.  The vote […]

A 20-year-old man placed in police custody Monday in Seneca has been arrested by the sheriff’s office in assault investigation on Pondersoa Drive.  Law enforcement records identify Ezekiel Isaiah James Cheeks arrested and charged with first degree burglary, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and assault and battery high and aggravated.  A deputy learned that an intruder in […]

A wooded area near I-85 in Oconee was the scene of criminal activity on Sunday, an investigation by the county sheriff’s office shows.  The sheriff’s office today reported the arrest of a 35-year old North Carolina man, Taylor Judson Hutcherson.  He’s accused of public disorderly conduct, indecent exposure, assault and battery 3rd degree, and criminal sexual conduct 3rd degree.  According […]

“Beautiful” is the word that Denise McCormick uses to describe her impressions of the first time inside Seneca’s new middle school, under construction on the Wells Highway.  Chairwoman McCormick and her fellow trustees toured the construction project yesterday.  They probably wore comfortable walking shoes.  From one end to the other is an estimated two-tenths of a mile.  That’ll be a […]

An Oconee domestic violence victim is speaking about her ordeal and her hopes that better attention paid to victims can lead eventually to making a dent in a problem which appears pervasive in the types of crimes in society today.  Crystal Campbell’s husband, Demetrius, received a three-year prison sentence last week after his plea of guilty to domestic violence first […]