Author: Dick Mangrum

In spite of a few questions generated from the audience, Oconee County Council gave the second of three required readings last night to an ordinance to authorize up to $25 million dollars in general obligation (taxpayer-backed) bonds for sewer purposes.  The heading of Ordinance 2023-13 reads:  “….for the purpose of designing, acquiring, constructing, installing, equipping, or rehabilitating various capital projects, […]

Two months into a new government year, Oconee County is on its way to an amended budget.  The county council last night gave its approval to financial changes, explained in detail by Amanda Brock, the county administrator, during a late afternoon meeting of the council’s budget committee, attended by three council members.  Brock explained a shuffling of dedicated tax millage […]

A new filing by Duke Energy with the South Carolina Public Service Commission contains a range of generation options to reflect what the utility calls an “all of the above” approach to power the needs of a growing region.  And the Duke Integrated Resource Plan includes doubling peak hour capacity of Oconee’s Bad Creek pumped storage facility near the North […]

Salem’s mayor willing to put his name in front of the voters once again.  A town official says, since qualifying opened yesterday, Lynn Towe signed up to run for a new term as mayor.  Salem voters in November also fill two council seats.

“A Deputy from the Uniform Patrol Bureau of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, while on routine patrol early this morning along Highway 123, observed a South Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper attempt to initiate a traffic stop on a motorcycle being operated by an adult male. The driver of the motorcycle did not pull over and drove past The Deputy as […]

The following four Seneca council members are bidding for new, 4-year terms:  Scott Durham, W-C Honeycutt, Denise Rozman, and Joel Ward.  There’s also Westminster political activity.  Mayor Brian Ramey qualified for a new term, so did current council members seeking re-election:  Adam Dunn and Daby Snipes.

The name of Kenny Johns will appear twice on the November ballot, according to an Oconee election official.  In the first flurry of candidate qualifying, Kenny Johns signed up for the General Election for a four-year Walhalla city council term.  He has already qualified to be a candidate in the special November General Election that’ll decide who fills Tyler Jordan’s […]

A proposal to eliminate one of the routes (the Oconee Connector route) that “CAT” bus service follows from Seneca will be the subject this week of a public hearing.  At noon on Thursday, affected riders and the general public may comment on the proposal during a city hall hearing.