Author: Dick Mangrum

At a time of high growth across Oconee, a citizens’ organization will again pursue development standards and further performance standards in the county. And Gary Owens, the president of AQD, Advocates for Quality Development, confirmed today that he and others will return to Oconee Planning Commission on Monday night.  Specifically, AQD will propose that the county make an RFP–request for […]

Twenty-six people who show promise of becoming Oconee’s future leaders are signed up for the next Leadership Oconee class, sponsored by the Oconee Chamber of Commerce.  The class assembles Tuesday at Clemson University.  The 26 come from a variety of professions, including education, economic development, banking, manufacturing, non-profit and entrepreneurs.  It’s a seven-month course to include sessions on topics such […]

Ignition time is 10 o’clock this morning for a new prescribed burn inside the Andrew Pickens District of the U-S Forest Service.  Five-hundred acres of Forest Service land near Battle Creek Road, southwest of state road 37, is the burn location for today.  Wind today from the southwest.

A source close to the scene tells us to watch for a renewed push for Oconee  development standards, likely to come during the county planning commission meeting.  Monday night’s agenda calls for continued discussion.

Senator Tim Scott says inflation, high interest rates, and burdensome regulations are keeping many Americans from the dream of home ownership.  In a Washington hearing this week, the South Carolina Republican pushed for new approaches to federal housing policy.  He blames what he calls burdensome regulations by the departments of Agriculture, Energy and Housing and Urban Development that limit consumer […]

The City of Walhalla will be performing water system maintenance on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. The work is expected to begin at 8:00 AM, and continue until approximately 3:00 PM. During this time, customers will experience low water pressure, and possibly a loss of water service. Areas that may see the effects of the outage include: -Winstead Rd. -North HWY […]

Our day began sunny and blue sky but, like yesterday, that’s apt to change as the U-S Forest Service resumes burns today in both Oconee County and adjoining Stephens County, Georgia.  Starting at 11 this morning, this will be day two for resuming yesterday’s 1,600-acre burn near the South Carolina-North Carolina line in the vicinity of 107 and the Wigington […]

WCFiber and Upcountry Fiber, a partnership between Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and West Carolina Rural Telephone Company believes it is in position to help bridge the digital divide in underserved sections of Anderson County.  Credit goes to a $32 million-dollar federal grant designated by the South Carolina Broadband Office.  Nearly three thousand Anderson County addresses have been identified as having […]

Jeff Richardson is the West Union police chief.  But who was the town’s first?  Mayor Linda Oliver believes she can find the answer, by researching old issues of the former Walhalla-based weekly newspaper, the Keowee Courier.

Seneca’s city administrator, Scott Moulder, wants city council to delay by two weeks a vote on whether an Atlanta outfit may use EN 1st Street property to build an affordable housing project.  City planning commission last month recommended against allowing Mercy Housing Southeast a zoning change to build 74 units, which Mercy’s representative predicted would be ideal for teachers, fire […]