Category: News

One of the largest commercial property insurers has sent Oconee County a grant to bolster fire prevention. Representatives of FM Global presented $2 thousand to Shane Gibbs, assistant county fire chief. The money is to be used to help with pre-fire planning to efficiently collect and track data related to community buildings. This information is intended to better help fire […]

Two recent children fire fatalities in Pickens County prompts the Oconee Emergency Services to urge all Oconeeans to ensure that they have working smoke alarms in their homes. Each year it is reported that more than 2,400 children age 14 or younger are injured or killed in home fires. By having a working alarm in your home can dramatically reduce […]

More than 40 young musicians took part in the annual Traditional Arts and Music Day Camp for Young Appalachian Musicians. Many of the campers, and camp counselors, as well, showcased their music skills at the week-long event’s finale – a talent show held July 19 at the new Pickens Downtown Amphitheater. The camp is designed to expose youngsters – grades […]

Clemson University police have arrested a Seneca man in an investigation of the theft of an employee’s wallet from a campus office. Richard Clayton Sr. was charged Tuesday with three counts of felony financial transaction card theft, along with petty larceny less than $2 thousand and trespassing after notice. According to a university statement, the 43-year old Clayton was on […]

A rural road near Westminster is closed while a contractor dismantles an old bridge over the railroad. A spokesman for the contractor company says the closing means only local traffic is being allowed access to the Clearmont Road—until likely tomorrow morning.   In a separate incident, an electric power pole fell on Clearmont Road and caused an outage for several […]

A lengthy motion hearing yesterday in the Oconee Common Pleas Court may have succeeded in thinning out, to some extent, the parties involved in what could wind up as a two-week trial. Attorneys for defendants in the civil lawsuit Stoneledge at Lake Keowee Owners Association against IMK Development Company asked Judge Alex Macaulay to throw out the parts of the […]

A 24-year old Seneca apartment resident has been arrested on three charges of kidnapping and other domestic offenses. And the police arranged for a safe location for a woman and two children. Law enforcement reports show the midnight hour arrest yesterday of Justin Lee Lucio of Fair Oaks Circle apartments. The police responded to two welfare checks at the apartment—one […]

Yesterday Oconee announced a new job-creator for the Seneca area. Today it’s nearby Hart County, Georgia that’s in line for new jobs. The Georgia Department of Economic Development announces that Field Service Engineering is moving its corporate headquarters from Oakland County, Michigan to a new building in the Gateway Industrial Park, at exit 177 on I-85. The company is adding […]

Third District Congressman Jeff Duncan voted with the minority as the House of Representatives yesterday defeated an attempt to stop the secret collection of millions of Amercians’ phone records.  The Laurens Republican, on his Facebook page, said, “It’s my sad duty to report that a battle in defense of the Constitution failed on the House floor by a vote of […]

South Carolina Department of Education has released a report that complies with federal reporting requirements on the state’s dropout rate. Dr. Mike Lucas, Oconee Superintendent of Education, comments this week on the dropout rate which is calculated by the percentage of students who leave a school for any reason, other than death, prior to graduation and without transferring to another […]