Author: Dick Mangrum

On a number of holidays, the Oconee County Rock Quarry remains open, delivering piles of crushed rocks to the many contractors that do business there.  But not this holiday weekend.  Mickey Kerr, quarry manager, wants all quarry customers to know that the quarry is closed through Memorial Day and will resume at regular time Tuesday morning.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control  Friday announced 245 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 3 additional deaths. This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 9,638 and those who have died to 419. The three deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Spartanburg (2) and Jasper (1) counties. […]

An early Saturday morning Walhalla fire placed two people in hospitals. Chief Brandon Burton describes what happened on Morningside Drive (near Moore Ave) as a cooking fire that was reported to the fire department at 1:42 am.  Fire fighters discovered a male with 30% burns.  He wound up in a Greenville hospital.  Sent to the Oconee hospital was a female […]

A mistake by the office of Oconee elections has apparently cost a candidate the potential of three votes from supporters who were issued the wrong absentee ballots.  They should have been given ballots that would have allowed them to vote in the race for Seat Two,  County Council.  Instead they filled out ballots meant for a neighboring district.  Joy Scharich, […]

The public information officer for the Oconee Sheriff’s Office plans an announcement today on what’s believed to be the recovery of a stolen car.  Master deputy Jimmy Watt said this morning the announcement will come later today.  Apparently the investigation of the theft of a car brought county officers to a Westminster neighborhood.  One man, who appeared to be handcuffed, […]

Oconee sheriff’s officers, working a stolen car case, descended on a residential neighborhood last night in Westminster.  At the 5 o’clock hour, there was police action at the corner of Highland Avenue and Riley Street.  Westminster Chief Rory Jones says county officers retrieved a stolen car.  No other details were immediately available to 101.7/WGOG NEWS.

Westminster City Council wants officials of Music on Main and Apple Festival to be given copies of the state guidelines for events that attract large crowds.  Councilman Reid Adams brought the issue to the table during last night’s meeting and quoted Dr. Billy Campbell, the city’s only physician, as saying he has COVID-19 concerns for event that draw large crowds.  […]

Because of South Carolina coronavirus mandates, any gathering of large crowds has been forbidden.  Consequently, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative took a decidedly different path than had been the norm in the planning and conducting of its 2020 Annual Meeting of Members.   During the three consecutive days of May 19th through 21st, members participated in a drive-through registration process.  As […]

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Thursday announced 199 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 9 additional deaths. This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 9,379 and those who have died to 416. Six of the nine deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Clarendon (1), Darlington […]

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help today regarding a report of a burglary and vandalism yesterday at an Oconee County church.  The vandalism was reported to the complainant by a parishioner of the church around 8:30am yesterday.   A deputy responded to St. John’s Anglican Church on River Road near Westminster yesterday morning and began an […]