Category: News

The Oconee Sheriff has given Walhalla the county’s official request for the city to make a zoning exception that would allow a new jail—just to the north side of the existing detention center. At City Hall this morning, Sheriff Mike Crenshaw gave City Administrator Nancy Goehle five pages of completed forms to start a process that likely will end with […]

The defendant took the stand this morning in the Oconee Common Pleas Court and started to answer questions from his attorney, in defense of the medical malpractice allegations against him. Dr. Frank Rao gave an explanation of the complications in the 2009 thyroidectomy to remove a cancerous gland from patient Cassie Sweenor. Rao told the jury during surgery Sweenor encountered […]

The one bid received to build bathrooms at Walhalla’s Old St. John’s Meeting House project came in too high. The city is now re-opening the work. Interested contractors should get in touch with Scott Parris at the City Hall. In the meantime, according to an announcement by Old St John’s supporters Maxie Duke and Frank Strickland, a six-month extension of […]

Thieves in search of copper to re-sell have struck once again in Oconee County. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft this week of 500 pounds of bare bright copper from HHH Recycling near Westminster. The stolen copper has an estimated value of $1,550. The thieves are also suspected of inflicting $5 thousand worth of damage at the business location […]

A civil trial alleging medical malpractice moves into day five today in the Oconee Common Pleas Court. For the defense, more doctors yesterday testified in favor of Dr. Frank Rao, saying the Oconee surgeon, in their review of the medical records, rendered proper care and made correct decisions in treating a 26-year old woman who later died. One of yesterday’s […]

A four-year investigation by state authorities has led to the arrests of seven men for illegal black bear activities. DNR officers served warrants across the Upstate charging the seven with the illegal taking of bears such as baiting bear, killing an under-sized bear, killing a bear sow with cubs, trespassing, wildlife land abuse, hunting license violations, distribution of marijuana and […]

The published trial docket for this month’s term of Oconee General Sessions Court makes official a trial date for James Bartee, the former Secret Service agent who ran for Sheriff but was arrested. The docket shows Deputy Solicitor David Wagner will call to trial the solicitation to commit a felony case against James Bartee the week of August 26-30. Bartee […]

Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says he’ll file the county’s official request this morning to build the new jail. Crenshaw says he’ll present the county’s application for a special zoning exception at 9:30 this morning at the Walhalla City Hall. From there, it’s likely to wind up in the hands of the city’s board of zoning appeals.

A national chain of coffee restaurants sees possibilities in West Union. The Washington-state Starbucks chain has submitted plans to the Oconee County Building Codes Department to place a restaurant inside the West Union’s Ingle’s supermarket.

More doctors are giving testimony in defense of Oconee surgeon Frank Rao. An ear, nose, and throat specialist from the Medical University Hospital in Charleston testified today that Dr. Rao rendered the appropriate care to thyroid cancer patient Cassie Sweenor. The patient, 26 years old at the time, developed post-surgery difficulties and was supposed to be air-lifted to MUSC, but […]