Author: Dick Mangrum

A further loosening of the hold that COVID-19 has taken was made last night with an announcement by a Walhalla city council member.  Sarai Melendez, chairwoman of the city’s recreation committee, announced that city pool on W. Main Street will open for the season Monday, June 1.  Typically, the pool operates through the summer months, until it’s time for public […]

During a meeting last night, the Walhalla mayor made clear that, as the city’s new budget stands, there will be no fee required of the owners of vehicles registered to Walhallans.  News of an option given the city leaders to help generate monies to pay for transportation and infra-structure projects apparently has already struck a nerve among some of the […]

As storms approached northern Oconee last evening, the Salem Rescue Squad took action to warn a group of Lake Jocassee paddle boarders of potential imminent danger.  Scott Krein of Oconee Emergency Services says the rescuers were successful in carrying out their warning and clearing the lake of the adventurers to avoid a possible tragedy.

Westminster’s Steve McGuffin retires this week as one of the area’s longest serving law enforcement officers.  In recent times, Senior Deputy McGuffin carried out his assignment with the security detail provided by the Oconee Sheriff’s Office at the county courthouse.  And, for anyone frequenting, the courtrooms, the hallways, and the front desk, McGuffin was a familiar figure.  In all, he […]

Sassafras Mountain observation tower in Pickens County and Bald Rock Heritage Preserve in Greenville County, two of the Southern Appalachians’ most popular and iconic tourist destinations in South Carolina, will reopen to the public on Wednesday, May 20. Both natural areas have been closed since Mar. 28 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was made to close both areas initially […]

An infusion of $2 million into the public schools as the result of action from a Duke tax appeal is going to help the Oconee public schools with their deficit spending, but it won’t be enough to cover the shortfalls that the trustees are anticipating for the rest of this year and next year. Jerry Lee, the chairman of the […]

The numbers of Oconeeans taking advantage of the permission to vote absentee in next month’s primary elections are growing, as concerns remain over the potential for the COVID-19 virus to spread.  Many who make up the senior citizen segment of the county electorate already routinely swell the absentee voting numbers, but many others are opting to avoid the election day […]

Gas prices in the Carolinas are inching higher as most of the region pushes towards re-opening, causing a growing number of people to hit the road. Gasoline demand is now only 30 percent lower than a year ago and even with prices expected to push more expensive this month, motorists will still see some low Memorial Day gas prices. “Gas […]

The drivers in a two-car highway 28 accident near the Oconee Memorial Hospital were sent to the hospital, but their injuries last evening were unknown to the Seneca police. The highway 28 accident at the traffic lights at Memorial Drive occurred during the noon hour yesterday and involved a Honda Pilot and a Toyota Corolla. According to Capt. B-J McClure, […]

In both Columbia and Greenville, a Prisma Health task force has partnered with local entrepreneurs to rapidly develop and manufacture large quantities of protective face shields for Prisma Health’s front-line healthcare workers. Face shields, which are full-face visors worn by workers to help protect their faces from potentially infectious substances, was early-on identified by Prisma Health as a critical-needs manufacturing […]