Category: News

The honor of Oconee Municipal Public Safety Officer of the Year belongs to Tim Rice of the Walhalla Police Department.  So awarded was Capt. Rice for a number of accomplishments. Since joining the department in 2019, Rice helped update the record system, investigated and resolved numerous cases.  He’s considered an important part of the department leadership.

Oconee sheriff’s investigators went to Oakway community Tuesday to investigate reports of stolen property at a home on Cobb Trail Road.  They arrested a 39-year old man on multiple charges.  The sheriff’s office announces that after their suspect ran, they caught him and have placed the following charges against Bradley Scott Cantrell:  resisting arrest; possession of controlled substance, possession of […]

  The School District of Oconee County “Oconee Schools SC” app is now available for download for both AppleTM and AndroidTM devices. The app will allow you access to news, events, and athletics for the district and individual schools. It also offers direct links to popular pages on the district website including breakfast and lunch menus, COVID-19 information, athletic ticket […]

For at least six months, there’ll be no bond for a young Westminster man charged with murder in a September shooting that killed one person and wounded another.  Judge McIntosh this afternoon rejected the request of a defense lawyer for a reasonable bond for defendant Charles Stephon Trapp Jr.  Trapp faces charges of the murder of Annalyssa Marie Biondolillo-Rodriguez, seated […]

A jury found Sage Hernandez guilty today on a lesser charge than that on which he stood trial this week in the Oconee General Sessions Court.  Hernandez, 29, stood trial on the charge of domestic violence high and aggravated; the jury found him guilty of what’s called a lesser included offense—domestic violence 2nd degree.  And, for that, assistant solicitor Beth […]

The lawmaker who represents Seneca and the southern end of Oconee County in the state House of Representatives says he was quick to take the COVID-19 vaccine, along with a follow-up booster shot.  Rep. Bill Sandifer, (R-Seneca), shared with 101.7/WGOG NEWS his and his wife, Sandra’s, experience with the virus.  “This whole thing (COVID) frightens me,” Mr. Sandifer said.  Having […]

Oconee sheriff’s records show a suspect fought deputies, ran across a cemetery into woods before being arrested yesterday in what started as an arson investigation near Salem.  Warrants accuse Autumn Renee Kiser of second degree burglary and malicious injury to personal property.  A deputy quotes a resident of N. Lake Drive as saying that, after being away for a few […]

An additional three Oconee deaths have pushed the county’s overall COVID-19 death toll to 215.  The new, confirmed county deaths are on today’s DHEC report that reflects the numbers counted at the end of the day on Tuesday.  They were among 50 new deaths across the state.  Statewide, there were 433 new cases (eight of them in Oconee County).  Of […]

Of late, the spread of COVID-19 to Oconee school children, teachers, and other staff has decreased.  And, even though the cumulative numbers of cases within the district recently topped one thousand for the first two and a half months of the year, district officials have detected a significant downward trend.  The following statement arrived this morning from Dr. Thorsland, district […]

Molly Spearman’s announcement yesterday means that starting in 2023, there’ll be a new South Carolina superintendent of education.  Spearman has decided she won’t be a candidate for a new term in next year’s elections.  Her departure gives thought that 2022 could be the time that a former Oconee educator could make a run.  However, Burke Royster, the 10-year superintendent of […]