Category: News

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 […]

New figures released by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce show local unemployment rates on the rise while the state rate remained unchanged.  In the tri-county area of Upstate South Carolina, Oconee County saw its jobless rate climb from 7.4% in April to 8.3% in May.  Anderson County’s unemployment rate went from 6.8% in April to 7.3% in […]

KIOTI Tractor is excited to announce Dickson Tractor, Inc., in Westminster has received 5-Paw certification, one of 53 dealerships in North America to receive this honor in 2012. The certification is part of the unique KIOTI 5-Paw Dealer Excellence Program, which was created to honor dealerships that deliver outstanding overall performance. Each year KIOTI dealers are evaluated against stringent qualifications […]

Oconee County Emergency officials say they have located the body of the missing rafter on the Chattooga River. They say they have confirmed its location after using an underwater camera. The victim has been identified as Thomas Patrick Hill of Florida. Recovery crews are now planning the best way to get the body. Oconee County Fire Chief Charlie King says Hill […]

A $5,000 reward is now being offered for information in the recent vandalism of Howard’s Rock on the campus of Clemson University.  Police released video and still images of a pickup truck suspected to be connected to the vandalism to the iconic fixture Clemson University players rub prior to running down the hill during the football team’s entrance into Memorial […]

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has charged two teens with multiple charges related to recent thefts in the county.  Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jimmy Watt gives details.  “18-year-old Blake Christian Maness of 110 Lake Drive in Fair Play and 17-year-old Ahmed Nedal Mefleh of 188 Campbell Road in Westminster have been charged with two counts each of […]

Law enforcement officials are warning Upstate residents about an alarming and dangerous trend, making plastic soda bottles into bombs.  Kids are putting Drano, tin foil, and a little water in plastic drink bottles and capping it up.  They leave these bottles on lawns, in mailboxes, in gardens, on driveways etc. just waiting for you to pick it up to throw […]