Category: News

State health authorities have documented 63 new Oconee County cases of COVD-19.  Those 63 are included in an additional 2,413 South Carolina cases that showed up in yesterday’s DHEC report.  New deaths statewide totaled 12.  Total test results received:  12,452 for a positivity of 19.4%.

A robber, with his face covered by a mask, pointed a gun at the Key Mart store clerk Friday night and got away with money—the amount not disclosed by the Oconee Sheriff’s Office.  The robber left the store clerk with her hands tied around her back.  The holdup occurred just after 8 o’clock Friday night at the highway 130 convenience […]

Authorities have narrowed the time of theft near Walhalla to a five-minute window.  Between 3:40 and 3:45 Monday morning, the high school band trailer containing thousands of dollars worth of equipment was stolen from the highway 11 school campus.  There’s the potential of a cash reward through Crimestoppers if you can provide the information that helps the sheriff’s office catch […]

The longest serving technical college president in South Carolina will be remembered in a service this weekend at Walhalla.  Tom Barton died at the start of the pandemic in March, and his family, until now, has delayed the farewell service.  Barton started served as the first president of Greenville Technical College in 1962 and held the job for 47 years […]

Eleven cases of COVID-19 have been added to the tracking page kept by the Oconee School District.  The numbers reflect Saturday and Sunday case entries. Eight of the 11 are employees; three others are students.  Employees are:  three at Walhalla’s James Brown Elementary; one at Seneca’s Blue Ridge Elementary; one at the district warehouse; one at Walhalla High; one at […]

As the states’ human population increases, and more people move to the country increasing commuting traffic, so does deer-vehicle collisions. Drivers throughout the state should be cautious of roaming white-tailed deer throughout the year, especially during the rut or breeding season, typically from October to November. Studies show that about 45% of deer-vehicle collisions occur during this time as deer […]

In this pandemic season, more people took in Walhalla’s Christmas parade by a live Facebook video than did in-person.  Numbers of Saturday’s parade watchers, we’ve gathered, indicate 1,800 people watched on Facebook and an estimated 600 watched the parade in-person over a six-block area of Main Street. About one-half of the in-person parade watchers are believed to have worn facial […]

Two of Oconee’s most prominent waterways were re-stocked with trout last month and that, according to the South Carolina DNR, should provide the fisherman and the fisherwoman ample opportunity to reel in rainbow, brook and brown trout newly-stocked in both the Chauga and the Chattooga rivers. Each year, a partnership between the DNRs in South Carolina and Georgia, the U-S […]

With Clemson University’s semester already finished, the university is in position to provide free COVID-19 tests for a limited number of community residents.  Starting today and continuing through Friday, December 18, free PCR saliva tests will be offered daily.  Registration is mandatory before arriving.  The online registration portal, along with more information, is available at tig.rs/community-testing.  At first, 150 tests […]

Weekend reports from the state health agency normally reflect smaller COVID-19 numbers.  That’s not the case as the latest surge of the virus appears to be continuing unabated.  In South Carolina’s report yesterday, DHEC noted 2,538 new cases; 43 additional deaths.  The added case count showed 49 new Oconee County cases.  The new deaths included two from Pickens County and […]