Author: Dick Mangrum

The first day of February appears to have been a typical day of late for new COVID-19 cases, as reported by the Oconee public schools.  The district’s virus tracking page registered 13 new cases — three employees and 10 students.  Three more of the district’s early age classes were sent home and given February 9 return dates.

The Blood Connection has a critical need for donations especially the following blood types:  O-positive; O-negative; and B-negative types.  The baseball team Greenville Drive will host a blood drive from 10 am to 6 pm Friday at Fluor Field.  Appointment slots are still available through the Blood Connection website.  All donors receive a $20 VISA card.  You can donate convalescent […]

The complicated issue of how much Oconee’s three largest municipalities pay for wastewater treatment was left unsolved yesterday in a meeting where frustrations mounted as to what’s the fair share  Seneca, Walhalla, and Westminster pay to the county’s wastewater treatment plant at Seneca.  The matter is to be re-addressed in a meeting Friday between Scott Moulder of Seneca, board chairman […]

The state health agency called attention yesterday to a new national report that ranked South Carolina fifth in the country for how quickly the state is getting COVID-19 vaccine into people’s arms.  Becker’s Hospital Review released its daily “States ranked by percentage of COVID-19 vaccines administered” report.  However, the problem that South Carolina and other parts of the country face […]

Fire fighters are on duty this morning in the Utica Community near Seneca.  Shortly after 5:30 this morning, reports came about a single-wide trailer fire on E. Powell Street near Owens Road.

The state of Kentucky wants an Oconee County man to answer to the charges of rape and sodomy, in the first degree.  Last weekend the Oconee Sheriff’s Office, after learning that Kentucky intends to extradite, arrested Carlos Caron, 21-year old man with addresses in both Seneca and Westminster.  Caron Saturday afternoon surrendered at the Oconee Law Enforcement Center and was […]

Deaths from COVID-19 in South Carolina, including Oconee County, continue to escalate.  The report issued yesterday by DHEC showed 210 new confirmed deaths across the state, seven of those were elderly Oconeeans.  For the latest 24-hour period tally, there were 2,130 new cases in South Carolina, 42 in Oconee.  Of 9,870 test results statewide, the positivity was 21.6%.

A junior at Seneca High and DECA member at the Hamilton Career and Technology Center, Ryan Thomas, received fifth place out of 618 teams in the Southern region and 22nd in the country out of more than 4,700 teams during the DECA Stock Market Game.  Ryan and fellow DECA members were challenged with developing and managing a virtual investment of […]

101.7/WGOG has heard from a handful of Oconeeans that they, thru Prisma Health, have been able to acquire their first or second vaccines, or both, aimed at helping protect against coronavirus infections.  And today Prisma Health announces a milestone of having delivered 100 thousand doses of the Pfizer vaccine.  Prisma says that, according to DHEC data, that equates to 30% […]

A new deadline for Oconee property taxpayers arrives today.  For those who’ve yet to satisfy their 2020 bill, they can avoid an additional penalty by paying today.  The amount of penalty that applies to bills unpaid by tomorrow goes to 7%.