Author: Dick Mangrum

Block parties are being planned this summer in Walhalla as gestures to create goodwill among city residents and to promote good causes.  Amy Welch and Lorelai Swanson, representing the city’s diversity and inclusion committee, filled in the mayor and council on the plans that call for the next block party to be an evening of fun Friday, June 25 at […]

The body of Terry Hawkins has arrived at the Davenport Funeral Home, which is handling arrangements for the former Seneca man who enjoyed a notable career at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.  The mission of that lab is solving national security challenges through scientific excellence.  Not long after the start of the 21st century, Hawkins became a […]

Here’s a short question-answer interview that 101.7/WGOG NEWS held with Billy Birdwell, spokesman for the U-S Army Corps of Engineers, about the corps’ managed Lake Hartwell: “Please tell me how many public comments received on the update to the Hartwell Lake master plan.” A1:   We have received 13 comments regarding the Hartwell Lake Master Plan Update. Q2:   “And can you […]

In the anticipation of money to arrive locally from the American Rescue Plan, Oconee County Council has voted to commit up to $3.3 million of that money to two of the county’s municipalities for water infrastructure work.  On the receiving end are to be Westminster, to the tune of $1.3 million, and Salem, for $2 million.  In Salem’s case, the […]

Oconee’s second largest municipality is no longer a sleepy, quiet town.  At least, new developments suggest that is the case.  Brandon Burton, interim city administrator, says, of late, there’s enough new development for the city to begin to consider ending its arrangement with Oconee County in which the county permits new construction.  According to Burton, Walhalla is missing out on […]

A new company will take operating control of the approximate 255-mile Oconee County-owned fiber optic network.  County Council last night approved Upcountry Fiber, subsidiary of the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, to take over the county’s long-term lease with OneTone Telecom.  Seneca-based One Tone has operated the network since January 2017.  The Blue Ridge entity seeks to extend fiber optic access […]

At a home near the Shiloh Road, a group of individuals committed burglary and, according to the Oconee Sheriff’s Office, the homeowner shot at his intruders, apparently wounding one of them.  The incident was reported shortly before 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon on Timber Ridge Lane in the vicinity of Nebo Church Road.  The sheriff’s office released this account:  “After being […]

Whoever is chosen to be the next city administrator for Walhalla that individual will work under a contract.  At its meeting, city council last night repealed all existing ordinances covering administrator, on the understanding that a written contract will ensure that he or she cannot be fired at will, for example, can’t be dismissed by a sudden vote if enough […]

“Inadvertently spent” was the term used by a Walhalla councilman to explain what happened to a portion of the city’s sewer refund from the Joint Regional Sewer Authority.  In making that announcement last night, Councilman Keith Pace spoke in his capacity as chairman of the city budget and general government committees.  Pace says an investigation by the interim administrator and […]

Senator Tim Scott, South Carolina Republican, says he’s proud to take the lead on a bi-partisan bill to encourage female entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses.  Scott announces the Interagency on Women’s Business Enterprise Act that would coordinate federal resources to the cause.  He’s joined by Senator Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Democrat, Senator Ben Cardin, Maryland Democrat; and Senator Susan Collins, Maine Republican.  […]