Author: Dick Mangrum

A large swath of Westminster area water customers for a second day remain under a boil advisory–the result of a six-inch line break on the Welcome Church Road.  Affected customers are urged to vigorously boil water one full minute before drinking or cooking purposes.  Any ice made from water that has not been boiled should not be used:  roads along […]

State health authorities predict impacts from western wildfires will linger into today.  But a ridge of high pressure building offshore should bring cleaner air into the region for the start of the weekend.  DHEC recommends those with respiratory health issues limit time outdoors to avoid the smoke. One grocery store shopper yesterday near Seneca said she felt especially sorry for […]

A bear paid a visit at midafternoon yesterday to the area of Walhalla’s Short Street.  At least two photographers captured the image of what appeared to be a small bear walking diagonally across from the Veterans Museum.

THIS UPDATE IS BEING COMMUNICATED TO CLARIFY THE AREAS AFFECTED BY HE BOIL WATER ADVISORY ISSUED THIS MORNING.  AFFECTED AREAS INCLUDE THOSE ROADS ON HWY 76 FROM RIVERSONG RD, ALL SECONDARY ROADS COMING OFF OF THIS AREA AND THE AREAS ALL THE WAY TO UNITY CHURCH RD. A “Boil Water Advisory” to certain customers of the City of Westminster is […]

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is happy to announce that, as of Thursday, 50 percent of eligible South Carolina residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.   The latest vaccination data shows that 816,007 South Carolinians have received at least one dose of the Moderna vaccine, and 1,189,885 residents have received at […]

In key categories, South Carolina is trending in the wrong direction when it comes to protecting the citizenry from COVID-19.  On today’s report (of the numbers that reflect Tuesday this week), 474 new confirmed cases of the virus in the state, including eight in Oconee County.  Statewide, there were seven new deaths–three of which were this week in Anderson County. […]

At the request of a board member from Westminster, the Oconee Joint Regional Sewer Authority will put on paper top project priorities—for both inside the grounds of the treatment plant as well as in the system of collector lines and pump stations outside.  Chris Eleazer, executive director, for him and his staff, accepted the request Wednesday and will go to […]

New faces will have a special welcome next month when the area’s newcomer club holds its first meeting of 2021.  The Newcomer Club of the Foothills has been serving communities in Oconee County and in parts of Pickens and Anderson for 50 years.  By joining the club, you can make new friends in the local area, explore culture, attend events, […]

Two of three people killed in an I-85 accident late last week in Cherokee County, South Carolina were Townville residents.  They were husband and wife, Thomas and Ruth Ann McElroy.  Both were members of Townville’s Oakdale Baptist Church and Mrs. McElroy was a frequent booth operator at the Oconee Farm Center near Seneca.  The third fatality in the accident was […]

  A “Boil Water Advisory” to certain customers of the City of Westminster is now being issued. Areas affected include the following subdivisions and secondary roads specifically and to any area that may have experienced loss of water this morning at approximately 4:00am. Welcome Church Rd Unity Church Rd Old Unity Church RD Elizabeth Cox Rd Johnny Cox Rd Holly […]