Tri-County Upstate experiences rise in Unemployment

In January, South Carolina broke yet another record for the number of people working as the total grew to 2,080,031, an increase of approximately 10,841 people. Despite that, the tri-county area of the Upstate experienced slight gains in unemployment. Oconee County’s jobless rate for January is 6.5%, up from 6.2% in December. Pickens County posted 6.4% in January compared to […]

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SDOC Spring Break nears

Schools in the School District of Oconee County will be closed for spring break from March 30-April 3, 2015. School will resume on a normal schedule for students on April 6, which will be used as a make up day for one of the snow days used in February.

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March Madness is underway for Weather Observation

March Madness conjures images of college basketball, but it also means recruiting for weather observation. It is a contest between all 50 states to see who can recruit the most new volunteers during March. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network is always in need of a greater number of observations. Due to the variability of precipitation, amounts measured […]

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Prescribed Burn in Long Creek

As you stare up in the sky today on St. Patrick’s Day looking for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, you may see smoke. The Sumter National Forest conducts a controlled burn today in Long Creek, near Damascus Church Road. The National Forest Service plans to burn about 155 acres. Prescribed fire operations are conducted each […]

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Residents warned about Answering Doors to Strangers

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to use caution when answering their doors to strangers after a man was charged in a February incident. “We received a report of an incident where an individual came to a citizen’s home and items were taken,” says Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jimmy Watt. “While residents of Oconee County […]

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Teen arrested for Felony DUI

A Walhalla teenager stands charged with felony driving under the influence resulting in death and felony driving under the influence causing great bodily injury. The South Carolina Highway Patrol reports that 17-year-old Jordan Scott Tilson faces the charges after a single vehicle accident Saturday night in Westminster that killed 18-year-old Autumn Charissa Jordan of Walhalla. Tilson’s bond was set at […]

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Utica Home Fire

Fire burned a home late Monday afternoon in the Utica Community near Seneca. Neighbors alert authorities around 4:45pm to the fire on Brown Street. Oconee County Fire Chief Charlie King says firefighters were able to suppress the blaze within five minutes of arrival. No one was injured in the home fire. According to Chief King, the fire is under investigation.

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Graham comments on Administration possibly slowing down Afghanistan Withdrawal

U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and John McCain (R-Arizona) released the following statement on media reports that the Obama Administration may slow down its withdrawal from Afghanistan. “We are encouraged by media reports that the Obama Administration may slow its withdrawal from Afghanistan, potentially allowing a greater U.S. force to continue critical counterterrorism and training missions together with our […]

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New Standards to replace Common Core in SC

The South Carolina Board of Education recently voted to replace the Common Core Standards now being used in math and English. The board adopted new standards, which teachers will start using this fall. Oconee County Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Thorsland says he is glad to have resolution to the matter. “It wasn’t so much Common Core getting voted down as […]

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