Author: Dick Mangrum

The afternoon of June 2 in Seneca is being reserved for an accounting of what the county sewer authority is doing to bring itself back into the good graces of state regulators when it comes to overflows in the service area.  That Wednesday afternoon, in a three-hour meeting, the Joint Regional Sewer Authority’s outside attorney and consultant are to explain […]

Over the weekend the state health agency reported test positivity below 2.5%.  Yesterday’s was 2.4%; Saturday’s 2.3.  Those results came from thousands of tests statewide.  Other DHEC numbers for the 24-hour count that ended Friday night:  192 new confirmed cases, including four in Oconee.  Statewide, there were 10 more deaths.  For the count that ended the previous night, Thursday, there […]

A tip received enabled Oconee investigators on Thursday to arrest a man from the Pickens County town of Central on eight Oconee County charges.  The sheriff’s office identified the arrested man was Jerrico Roshean Fruster and lists the following charges:  second degree burglary; malicious injury to real property; assault and battery third degree; first degree burglary; pointing and presenting a […]

Confirmed new cases of COVID-19 on the report this afternoon from South Carolina DHEC:  281.  Five were in Oconee County.  Statewide, the virus is known to have caused two more deaths.  Of 12,665 test results from the state, the new positivity was 3.7%. These numbers reflect data at the end of the day Wednesday.

Here is an announcement today from the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) : “The South Carolina Department of Education announced today it is seeking input from educational stakeholders and the public to inform the development of the state plan for use of $211,205,148 in funding received through the American Rescue Plan’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER). […]

In fast-growing Oconee and increasing vehicle traffic, where might the state locate the next set of traffic lights as a way to slow traffic and enhance safety?  According to what Sam Dickson of Westminster said yesterday, it could well be on Wells Highway in front of the large Borg Warner manufacturing plant.  Dickson chairs the county’s state “C” Fund Committee […]

Volunteers will assemble tomorrow morning for the Second Annual “Team Up to Clean Up” in the Utica Community near Seneca.  Everyone who would like to pitch in to help beautify a former mill village hit hard by last year’s EF3 tornado is invited to assemble at 8 o’clock in the morning at the Ann Hope United Methodist Church.  The cleanup […]

Reduced demand for the COVID-19 vaccine, among other developments, has prompted Prisma Health to change hours of operation at vaccination sites, such as its Oconee Memorial Hospital at Seneca.  Starting Monday, Oconee Memorial will offer the vaccine between the hours of 8 am and 4:30 pm Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Playing into this also is the available of the vaccine […]

The road and bridge manager for Oconee County says the largest contract in his 12-year time with the county is to be released in the next two weeks.  Kyle Reid made the announcement at yesterday’s first in-person meeting of the county’s state “C” fund committee since prior to COVID-19.  And the committee chairman, Sam Dickson, said there are to be […]

A Townville man has been arrested by Oconee sheriff’s officers in a case that originated from what’s called a controlled buy from a confidential informant working at the direction of law enforcement.  According to the sheriff’s office, Mitchell Montrell Weston allegedly distributed between 100 and 200 grams of methamphetamine last summer in Oconee County.