Author: Dick Mangrum

The coroner says autopsies yesterday showed the two Oconeeans who died in their home fire last weekend near Walhalla died of smoke and soot inhalation, along with thermal injuries, in Saturday night’s fire at 140 Hidden Valley Road in the Picket Post Community.  But, as the fire’s cause remains an open investigation, Coroner Karl Addis says his ruling on the […]

Once again, Walhalla’s Stumphouse Tunnel Park will be closed for today.  By closing the popular recreation area, according to City Administrator Brent Taylor, crews will be able to fix the road damaged by recent hard downpours.

As the clock struck 20 minutes past 7 last night, the South Carolina DOT re-opened a section of closed US 123, the Toccoa Highway.  Alan Adams, resident construction engineer, said, “There will  still be a few sporadic lane-shoulder closures due to some finishing touches and utility work, but for the most part everyone will be good to go.”  Good to […]

It’s taking too long for the county to repair weather-damaged roads, District 2 County Councilmember Wayne McCall said Tuesday, and he wants to see the work done faster. His ideal, McCall said, is that within 30 days of a road or bridge being damaged, the bids for repairs are in and the work ready to start. Some Oconee County roads […]

The county administration complex will get its own Oconee County deputy sheriff on duty to beef up security. In pitching the new addition to the Pine Street offices County administrator Amanda Brock cited studies showing that a law enforcement officer onsite and a law enforcement vehicle parked outside decrease the likelihood of violence at a government building. The County Council […]

Does Oconee County have enough billboards? Or maybe too many? District 3 County Councilmember Paul Cain thinks so. At Cain’s instigation the County Council on Tuesday authorized county attorney David Root to research the legal implications of a moratorium on any new billboards. Root agreed with Council members Wayne McCall and Glenn Hart that the question involves complicated legal issues. […]

An elderly Fair Play man has been jailed in Oconee County on multiple charges of ill treatment of animals. Tyce Ronald Cobb, 71, of the Dobbins Bridge Road was arrested Monday afternoon on warrants signed by animal control officer Shaun Honea. Cobb is accused of depriving three-week old male and female mixed boxer canines of necessary sustenance and shelter by […]

A road paver is about to start on a 123 re-surfacing contract in Pickens County that is considered unique to South Carolina and, as a result, will attract observers from the state DOT and out of state, as well. The work will concentrate on a near eight-mile 123 stretch between Clemson and Liberty. “The big thing is that it’s going […]

U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) introduced legislation today to increase investment in American small manufacturers. The Strengthening Investment to Grow Manufacturing in America (SIGMA) Act would support American manufacturers through increasing affordable loans, incentivizing operation growth, and expanding financial resources and education assistance to small manufacturers. A companion bill was introduced in the […]