Category: News

No one last night had a word to stand in the way of two Oconee County municipalities from receiving their share of monies through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.  After public hearings, Oconee County Council gave final pass-through for Westminster to obtain $1.3 million and for Salem to receive $2 million.  Westminster officials have indicated they’ll use their […]

From the public to the private sector.  After five years on the job, Katie Smith is leaving her post as clerk to the Oconee County Council to take a job in the private sector.  The council accepted Smith’s resignation last night and authorized the county administrator to advertise for a replacement.  Council members praised Smith for her work.  

Matthew Durham, the District Two county councilman, was in his seat for last night’s August meeting of the Oconee County Council.  A public comment speaker’s remarks in support of the troubled councilman drew what was described as quite a bit of applause from the meeting room audience.

The Blood Connection (TBC), a local non-profit, community blood center, is offering COVID-19 antibody screening to all blood donors starting Wednesday, August 18.  The antibody screening will test each donor’s blood to see if it contains antibodies from the COVID-19 vaccine and/or antibodies from exposure to the COVID-19 virus.  TBC will be offering this testing for all donations for a […]

A federally funded program, administered in the state, is designed to help renters in Oconee, Pickens, and 37 other South Carolina counties stay safely in their homes during the pandemic by providing payments directly to landlords and utility companies.  The CDC recently extended a federal moratorium on evictions until October 3 for counties still battling the spread – which includes […]

During this afternoon’s tornado warning, all Oconee public schools went on Code Black.  During such, all students and staff seek safety in halls, closets and bathrooms, away from flying glass.  Jennifer Dodd, district spokeswoman, said the weather alert code started around 12:30 and lasted for just under 30 minutes.  Because the warning area was extended to highway 11 and West […]

A 29-year old West Union area man remained jailed today, charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor.  The crime alleged against Efren Contreras Jr. was an incident reported to a school resource officer to have occurred on or about New Year’s Eve in Walhalla.  According to the Oconee Sheriff’s Office, the school resource officer learned of the incident on […]

During a four-hour period today, Walhalla’s official weather watcher, Barbara Wilson, measured a little more than two-and-a-half inches of rain.  The rain, steady and pounding at times, created a good bid of anxiety throughout Oconee County, especially when an area of northern Oconee was placed under a tornado warning early this afternoon.  At times, the rain was heavy at the […]

For the first time in one week, new South Carolina COVID cases fell below two thousand for a 24-hour count.  The DHEC report case number of 1,991 reflected the count made at the end of the day Sunday.  Of that number, there were 42 new Oconee County cases.  Statewide, the virus death toll increased by six persons.  Of 21,096 test […]

Because of a technical issue, the toll-free call center telephone line normal to help customers of with the sale of SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR)-issued hunting and fishing licenses or watercraft registration renewals is unavailable for an indeterminate time. Recreation hunting and fishing licenses, tags, and permits can still be purchased on line at https://wwwdnr.sc.gov/legallicense.html.  A small convenience fee […]