Category: News

The public alert notification sirens around the Oconee Nuclear Station will be tested for the first time in 2015 around 11:50 the morning of Wednesday, January 14. And, as usual, the test will last about three minutes. To your ears, the sirens may sound like a lot of squawking, but their reliability is important. The 65 sirens are within 10 […]

Nearly four years ago, a Japanese nuclear plant withstood a large earthquake, but sustained severe damage from a tsunami that accompanied the quake. Since then, the U-S Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Duke Energy have been engaged in study and discussions about the potential for damage to the dams and dykes around the Keowee-Toxaway Project. Specifically, the consequences for flooding in […]

American Red Cross disaster volunteers responded to at least seven home fires in the Upstate this week, providing emergency assistance to the 21 people affected. The incidents were the latest in a series of fires that have recently occurred and tragically there were injuries and fatalities associated with many of these fires. It is not just the Upstate experiencing home […]

A home near Westminster was the scene last night of the shooting death of a 54-year old woman. It’s a case under investigation by the Oconee Sheriff’s Office and the Oconee County Coroner’s office. However, in a statement this morning, Coroner Karl Addis said, “The public should not be concerned for their safety regarding this incident.” At 9:20 last night, […]

A 54-year old Oconee County man has been released from jail on a personal recognizance bond after his arrest yesterday on charges of presenting false claims to insurance companies. According to law enforcement sources, Timothy Mark Mize of the Earles Grove Road, Westminster was released on personal recognizance bonds totaling $45 thousand dollars. Warrants issued by Magistrate Todd Simmons and […]

At least three police chases have taken place in parts of Oconee County, since Monday. The latest being apparently the one this morning that started in Westminster and ended near Seneca. According to Chief Dean Awalt, his officers identified a small car and its driver as driving with a suspended license. The chase started near the city limits, proceeded on […]

  In the lexicon of the Oconee County tax world, Decermber 31—the last day of the calendar year—is a deadline for some taxpayers. If you are paying your 2014 property tax in person, this is the last day you can pay at Pine Street and be eligible for a deduction on your 2014 tax return. At one point this morning, […]

John Powell once went to the expense of moving an old Walhalla house down Main Street—partly to save it from the wrecking ball. So, the question as 2014 winds down for the start of 2015, will the realtor be among the bidders next month to buy 502 E. Main Street? It’s the old house that Oconee County has placed on […]

The court docket set by the office of 10th Circuit Solicitor lists a murder case as the first trial for the New Year in Oconee County General Sessions Court. Atop the docket for a week of court, January 12-15, is the State’s case against Shane Adam Burdette. The Westminster resident was arrested in the summer of 2013 and charged with […]

A surveillance operation by Seneca police narcotics officers paid off with the arrest of a drug suspect, but not before a chase ensued through city streets and ended with the suspect’s car hitting a tree near the Wells Highway. During the noon hour yesterday on South Sixth Street, the police spotted an Acura automobile driven by Devin Samuel Prater. According […]