Category: News

The Department of Justice has favorably resolved three actions it filed in Arizona, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, to seize and condemn dietary supplements containing the unsafe food additive 1, 3-dimethylamylamine, commonly known as DMAA, an amphetamine-like stimulant that has been linked to at least 86 adverse health events.  According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and federal law, […]

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act to prohibit the federal government from bailing out municipalities like Detroit, which are facing bankruptcy. Several Members of Congress have suggested the federal government should step in an assist Detroit.  In addition, just last week President Obama’s former ‘car […]

A company plans to invest $1 million and create five new jobs in the City of Seneca.  COE Optics, LLC, a leading provider of optical research and development solutions, announced plans to establish its new research manufacturing operations in Oconee County. This decision represents a $1 million investment and is expected to generate five new highly-skilled research intensive jobs. “We […]

Members of four rural Oconee County fire departments took part last weekend in a training exercise in which they shuttled water from one location to another. Having the ability to quickly transport water, according to Oconee County Fire Chief Charlie King, is essential in areas where no or few hydrants exist. The focus of last Saturday’s training for the Fair […]

The police have arrested and charged a 31-year old woman with telephoning two bomb threats to the Seneca branch of South Carolina Bank and Trust. Melissa Ann Barksdale of the Shiloh Road was arrested yesterday on warrants charging her with telephoning the bank twice the morning of May 28 and claiming a bomb was in the By-Pass 123 bank. According […]

Oconee libraries are uncomfortable with a new duty that the chairman of the county board of trustees describes as having been suddenly put to them. It’s that role of being a connection point for those applying for state unemployment benefits. The matter came up during this week’s meeting of the library trustees, according to Chairman Danny Day. The problems the […]

Members of Oconee County Council now have a timeline for a capital project one-cent sales tax proposition to land on next year’s General Election ballot. Art Holbrooks, county strategic planner, gave the members of the council’s budget and finance committee a list of dates to meet to qualify a one-cent sales tax as a referendum in November 2014. Look for […]

During a committee meeting last night, Oconee County Councilman Reg Dexter complained about what he sees as a further delay in extending sewer service to the Golden Corner Commerce Park. Dexter made no secret of his displeasure after County Administrator Scott Moulder reported that the state Department of Commerce won’t release funds for one portion of the project until another […]

Now is the time to start preparing to go back to school.  With only a month left before school starts back in Oconee County, Superintendent Dr. Mike Lucas is encouraging parents to begin preparing their kids now.  “They need to start now getting back into the routine.  One thing I would encourage parents to do and I did put on […]