Author: Dick Mangrum

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will begin distributing COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments in the next few weeks. IRS – Criminal Investigation and the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of South Carolina warned South Carolina taxpayers today to be alert about possible scams relating to these payments as well as other malicious attempts to defraud […]

Here’s an announcement from the Walhalla fire chief, Brandon Burton:  “Effective immediately there will be no burning within the city limits of Walhalla. We also encourage people out in the unincorporated areas to refrain from burning. Conditions are conducive for fire spread. If you must burn please do so responsibly.”

Through the internet this morning, members of the South Carolina business community are getting advice from Senator Tim Scott about how the federal government is able to help business weather the coronavirus storm. Up for particular discussion is the newly-approved nationwide relief package that’ll contain money and other assistance for the various segments of the economy. In the case of […]

The Oconee Chamber of Commerce calls attention this morning to a handful of county assistance programs: Emergency financial assistance for paying rent, energy bills, medications and more There are a few primary organizations that you can turn to for help or grants to pay bills and expenses. They include those noted below. Sunbelt Human Advancement Resources, Inc. – Oconee County […]

West Union has been awaiting the construction of a new Waffle Hut on SC 28, the Blue Ridge Boulevard, but the mayor says the timetable has been changed.  Mayor Oliver this morning said the new restaurant is “on hold till late July.”

On the orders of the governor, Georgia this evening will implement a stay-in-place order as an attempt to hold down transmissions of the virus that is created worldwide havoc.  For South Carolinians driving to Georgia this morning, there’s a sign at the Tugaloo River crossing that urges them to abide by social distancing guidelines while in Georgia and to pay […]

The chairman of Pickens County Democrats, Richard Byrd, has announced the filing of a complaint with the state election commission and says county Democrats are considering legal options as the result of the resignations of the entire Pickens County election board and staff. Byrd traces the upheaval to the night that votes were counted in his party’s presidential primary and […]

Prisma Health has added in-house COVID-19 sample testing at the end of last week in both the Midlands and Upstate. Even though in-house testing is still being done on limited basis, , according to Prisma, it is already quickly reducing the number of patients awaiting COVID-19 test results at the hospitals. That helps reduce the use of personal protective equipment […]

According to the Department of Employment and Workforce, 1,025 Oconeeans for the week that ended March 28 filed first claims for unemployment compensation.  Statewide for the week the number was 64,856–a nearly 109% increase from the previous week.  This means, the DEW explained, that there were 64,856 persons across the state who both live and work in South Carolina who […]

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today reported 261 additional cases of COVID-19. That brings the statewide total cases to 1,554 in all 46 counties*. “There are now documented cases of COVID-19 in every county across our state,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC physician. “The level in which it continues to spread will hinge on all of […]