Author: Dick Mangrum

In items to be acted during next week’s meeting, Oconee Parks, Recreation and Tourism commissioners will decide whether to fund two improvement projects at two lakes.  At Mullins Ford, Lake Hartwell, a $10 thousand allocation is recommended to reach ADA compliance in the parking area; at High Falls Park, Lake Keowee, $37,700 is to be spent to enlarge the launch […]

This morning Tropical Storm Henri was a little too close for comfort, according to the South Carolina DNR weatherman.  It was 450 miles southeast of Charleston.  But, so far as South Carolina is concerned, an upper-level trough is settling in over the eastern part of the U-S, and that should steer the storm to the north starting today.  This will […]

Property along Seneca’s N. Fairplay Street near Mountain View Cemetery is being graded for what could be as many six, single-family homes in a section of the city zoned R-10, according to information received by 101.7/WGOG NEWS today from city hall.

With one week left for qualifying, the ballots are taking shape for five municipal elections this year in Oconee County.  By 10:15 this morning, according to Kristi Burr of county elections, the field shaped up this way: For mayor in Seneca, one candidate—the incumbent Dan Alexander; for the four available council seats:  incumbents Al Gaines, Dana Moore, Ronnie O’Kelley, and […]

An apparent late night arrest led to charges against two Chicago, Illinois men in the small town of West Union.  Authorities say the charges and arrests were made Wednesday night during a highway 11 traffic stop.  Oconee jail records show the two Chicagoans—Jovante Devon Cole and Kendall Antonio Ward—were booked into the jail between midnight and 1:30 yesterday morning.  Jail […]

Pickens County School District announces that face-to-face instruction will return on Monday for all students not enrolled in virtual options.  Monday is the 15th day of the Pickens County school year, a year that has been marred by a quick spread of the delta variant in the community.  The district intends to monitor conditions closely and update protocols every three […]

Seneca police records confirm the arrest of a West Union area man on the charge of voyeurism.  An arrest warrant issued by city judge Susan Harris alleges Andrew Ballenger Johns committed the crime August 14 of “knowingly video record the victim, a 26-year old female, without her knowledge or consent while she was in a place that she had reasonable […]

Chuck Fowke builds homes in Tampa, Florida and David Gully builds them in Oconee County.  But the two homebuilders see eye to eye on today’s climate in the home-building world.  Supply issues, the price of lumber are impacting the craft, along with the nationwide difficulty of finding people willing to work.  It was a joyous occasion last night at a […]

Many know Oconee County’s James Singleton for his law enforcement career.  But if your memory is long you might remember that, as a young man, the retired county sheriff was a distinguished army soldier in some of the worst Vietnam War fighting.  His Bronze Star and Purple Heart help tell that story, but so does an additional honor bestowed on […]