Category: News

On a day when the state reports jobless claims continue to drop, Oconee’s top economic development recruiter said local business is good and the addition of even one new job on Main Street is something to relish. The state Department of Employment and Workforce reports the adjusted unemployment rate statewide in April fell to 8%. In Oconee, it fell to […]

Senators from South Carolina and Georgia are warning the federal government that budget cuts affecting a Savannah River Site project portend a worsening relationship between the states and Washington. The Republican senators this week sent the Obama administration a letter calling for continued funding, and Lindsey Graham, South Carolina’s senior senator, took to the Senate floor. Graham complained that the […]

A Crimestoppers alert has been posted for a Seneca area man who, authorities say, eluded deputies yesterday morning near the SC 188-Biggerstaff Road intersection. Deputies attempting to serve arrest warrants on Ronnie Joe Patterson Jr. say Patterson ran. He was last seen near Shoreline Drive. The 34-year old Patterson was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. He’s 5’ 11”, 180 […]

Water chiefs from Washington and Columbia came to Clemson University today to look at technologies for monitoring and protecting clean water. Nancy Stoner of the Environmental Protection Agency and Catherine Templeton of South Carolina DHEC toured campus components of Clemson’s Intelligent River research. The project uses small, data-gathering sensors linked to a computer network that can send environmental conditions in […]

An Oconee attorney whose license has been suspended by the state’s Chief Justice entered a plea of guilt yesterday in federal court at Anderson to making false statements as part of a real estate investment scheme. Easley resident Scott Allmon’s license to practice law was suspended by order of Chief Justice Toal in January. According to the U-S Attorney’s Office, […]

Some of the discord between South Carolina leaders and a federal agency over Boeing spilled over today during a congressional hearing. The Senate hearing was held to consider nominees to sit on the National Labor Relations Board. For his part, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott directed a question to Mark Gaston Pearce, NLRB board chairman, and their comments are being […]

A Governor’s School for Art and Humanities student from Oconee County is set to receive an award during an event at the end of the month at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. The hallowed music hall is to be the venue for an awards ceremony for Walhalla’s Cina Noel and other Gold Medal Scholastic Art and Writing winners. Cina takes […]

The police in Walhalla say the capture of a suspect, they believe, will resolve two crimes—-a home burglary yesterday and an auto theft last night. That individual, a young man, was being held in county lockup this morning, awaiting formal charges. Chief Ronald Wilbanks says a Plymouth van, stolen last night from a home on North Pine Street was found […]

A state agency’s evaluation finds logic in Pioneer Water District’s intent to build its first treatment plant. As required by legislation signed into law by Governor Haley last year, Pioneer Water authorized an accountant to conduct an independent audit. In turn, as required by law, that audit was forwarded for review by the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff. The […]

The South Carolina House once again passed a bill to re-structure government. Today’s 91-23 vote went along party lines. Oconee’s two members, Republicans Bill Whitmire and Bill Sandifer, voted with the majority. Supporters of the bill claim it places Executive Branch functions directly under the Governor’s control, breaks up the quasi-Executive/Legislative Budget and Control Board, and would save taxpayers’ money. […]