Category: News

A new law signed by Gov. Nikki Haley this month bans minors from buying a tobacco substitute known as electronic cigarettes, or “e-cigarettes.” E-cigarettes are increasing in popularity, especially amongst smokers trying to kick their habit. They resemble traditional cigarettes, but work by vaporizing a liquid mixed with nicotine. Water vapor is released from the end of the device, like smoke from cigarettes, and […]

South Carolina ranks better than just five states in the overall wellbeing of its children. That’s according to a new Kids Count survey released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. South Carolina’s overall ranking slipped two spots from last year’s report, to 45th overall in children’s ability to succeed. The report ranked the economic well-being of the state’s children at 44th […]

Two former deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office have pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance. The Anderson Independent reported Saturday that 32-year-old Mark Miller and 35-year-old Shane Thompson were each sentenced to a year of probation.  They were both fired last year. A state investigator testified Thompson had regularly purchased methamphetamine while on duty and that Miller […]

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help regarding a suspicious fire on June 20th near Walhalla. According to investigators, deputies responded to 122 Warner Mill Road in regards to a structure fire.  When deputies arrived, they were notified by firefighters that when they arrived on scene, there was no one in the house and they had noticed […]

The search for a missing rafter on the Chattooga River has entered its fifth day. On Sunday, four divers from Oconee and Pickens counties joined the recovery crew, which also includes 18-trained responders from Anderson, Pickens, Oconee, Rabun and White counties. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is providing air support and six commercial river guides and U.S. Forest Service personnel are aiding […]

A man died from a coronary problem after a boating incident on Lake Hartwell Saturday afternoon.  Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis announces that 58-year-old Carl Dickerson of Simpsonville died at AnMed Health Medical Center as a result of a coronary event. He was pronounced dead at 3:45pm, an hour after a boating incident in which the boat he was on capsized at Martin Creek on Lake Hartwell. Dickerson was […]

A recovery crew spent more than six hours Saturday ruling out several locations on the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River for the body of Thomas Hill. “We searched several parts of the river today with a dive team, side-scan sonar and an underwater camera without finding Mr. Hill’s body,” said Incident Commander Keith Wilbanks. “As a result, we’ve been able […]

Four divers from Oconee and Pickens counties have joined the recovery crew on the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River. The team is searching for the body of Thomas Hill, a Florida resident who fell from a raft on Wednesday and is presumed drowned. “Today we have added four highly skilled divers to the river-based team,” said Incident Commander Keith Wilbanks. “Even though […]

Oconee County has the dubious distinction of being the county in the state with the highest rate of domestic violence.  Safe Harbor is a nonprofit organization that provides safe shelter, counseling and advocacy for victims of domestic violence.  Amanda Callahan, Relationship Education Project Educator for Safe Harbor in Oconee County gives details.  “When we talk about the highest domestic violence […]

A new report is warning of a looming leadership crisis in America’s community colleges. Nearly half of community college presidents are expected to retire in the next five years and the Aspen Institute report says new leaders are needed who can deal with challenges in funding, increasingly diverse student populations, and academic success, explains the Aspen Institute’s Josh Wyner.  “If […]