Category: News

The McDonald’s Restaurant chain has announced that six of their high school employees from the local area have earned college tuition assistance in its program to increase access to education for employees across the country. Six high schoolers from Seneca, Daniel, Pendleton, and Walhalla are eligible to receive up to $2,500 toward their tuition bill for any accredited college or […]

The longest day of the year is going to be a long one for the South Carolina governor. Henry McMaster and his running mate, Pamela Evette, will make bus stops across the region—the first of which will be an appearance this morning in Seneca. Chairman Bill Jerome of the Oconee Republican Party says the public is invited to see and […]

A 40-year old man running a moped near Seneca was taken off the streets last night and lodged in jail. There, he faces multiple charges—including drug offenses, weapons charges, and resisting arrest. According to the Oconee Sheriff’s Office, Millard Jerome Strickland Jr. refused the command of a deputy in a parking lot on Wells Highway at Shiloh Road to get […]

The trial of a Westminster man charged with grand larceny and breaking into pickup trucks four years ago ended today when the judge granted the second of two defense motions for acquittal. A court officer quoted trial Judge Cordell Maddox of the Oconee General Sessions Court that, although the prosecution did its best, there just wasn’t enough evidence. So Maddox’s […]

Information on a stolen all-terrain-vehicle in Oconee County has been entered into the database of the National Crime Information Center. In the meantime, the Oconee Sheriff’s Office has posted a Crimestoppers alert which means, in exchange for the right information, you’ll be eligible to receive a cash reward if your information helps solve the crime. The black-colored 2016 Yamaha Wolverine, […]

After votes at City Hall last night, Seneca property taxes and utility charges will increase the next 12 months. The city council approved budgets that spend $44.5 million. Utility service will account for $31 million dollars of that number. Seneca will add 2.2 mills to its property tax rate; an increase on the base rate of water and sewer charges […]

Dr. Michael Thorsland has once again won the confidence of his employers—the five-member Oconee School Board of Trustees. As the result of the district superintendent’s annual evaluation, Thorsland is being rewarded with a pay raise of four percent, along with another year on his contract. Although Thorsland has yet to officially sign the new deal, he can expect to see […]

A long Oconee County Council meeting drew a close last night, as the council approved in open session three motions that were discussed in a preceding executive session. Among the actions taken: the county will post for 30 days the job of county administrator and designate the government service agency South Carolina Appalachian Council of Governments to vet the first […]

One dissenting voice was heard last night as the Walhalla City Council made final its new budgets for the year starting July 1. Councilman Tjay Bagwell, appearing frustrated, tried to amend the spending measures, in part, to set aside $500 thousand for a water reserve fund, but his motion died for the lack of a second. Walhalla is in the […]

A budget change at final reading has raised the anticipated Oconee County property tax increase to approximately 3.3 mills. David Root, the county attorney, estimated it’ll be necessary for the county auditor to levy an extra 3.3 mills to generate the additional budget money which the council approved 3 to 2 last night at the urging of Edda Cammick, the […]