Category: News

  U-S Rep. Jeff Duncan applauds President Trump on another reversal of  Obama administration actions.  Starting today, Americans may not do business with Cuban businesses connected to the Cuban government.  And Duncan, the Republican from Laurens, said, “We should not be traveling to Cuba and conducting business with Cuban controlled or military entities when they are persecuting their own people.”  […]

Gun shots rang out from a vehicle yesterday on W. Halfway Branch Road between Seneca and Walhalla.  And a 22-year old man was in jail today.  Authorities say Angel Silva-Mendez has been charged with attempted murder.  Anger at another man’s kissing a girl, according to sheriff’s officers, was the apparent motive for four shots fired from a black truck.  The […]

One year ago tomorrow is the anniversary of a wild fire that burned more than 10,000 acres of mountain forest in Pickens County.  The Table Rock Mountain fire was the largest. longest and costliest in the Upstate’s history.  The South Carolina Forestry Commission is calling attention to what happened.  The fire threatened homes across the state line in North Carolina.

By Skype, Jerry Barlow took part in yesterday’s meeting of the board of Pioneer Rural Water.  Barlow offered greetings to his colleagues from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, where he is now working.  Barlow said the forecast today in Lock Haven calls for 18 degrees.

A home attached to a church sustained heavy damage late last night in a home fire at 1007 Coneross Creek Road.  According to Dylan Long of the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department, there was a roof collapse, but no one was hurt.  Those who lived there were not present, according to Long.  For now, he says, the cause of the fire […]

Now near the halfway mark in construction, the newest water treatment plant in Oconee County is about “to go vertical,” in the estimation of Terry Pruitt, general manager of the Pioneer Rural Water District.  It’s an indication that, for the first time, what’s being built next to the Golden Corner Commerce Park will become visible from nearby SC 59.  In […]

Sources say “Project Omega” translates to the potential for a new printing plant in Oconee County, and county leaders have signified their interest in assisting.  Last night County Council amended its agenda and gave 4-0 approval to a memorandum of understanding to direct economic incentives to the project that include the availability of  22 acres in the Information and Technology […]

In advance of Veteran’s Day, Oconee County leaders proclaimed their support for veterans of the U-S Armed Forces and their families.  A proclamation to that effect was read into the record by Councilman Wayne McCall in front of a large turnout of local veterans.  A piercing bite in that resolution was the county’s position in opposition to the reduction in […]

A late night home fire in southern Oconee County, on the Coneross Creek Road.  No injuries were reported.  The response at 11:15 last night was led by the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department.

In three municipal elections across Oconee, it was a mixed bag for incumbents.   One incumbent lost in each election–in Salem, Walhalla, and Westminster.  Long-time Walhalla elected leader Lamar Bailes trailed the four-man race for three council seats.  The Walhalla council winners were Roberts, Burrell, and Owens.  Dennis Owens appeared to have gained the third seat by a three-vote margin over […]