Category: News

By Rep. Alan Powell  The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Monday to approve a $20.8 billion state budget plan for fiscal year 2015, which begins July 1.  HB 744 reflects an overall increase of $916 million, or 4.6 percent more than the fiscal year 2014 budget as originally approved. Year-to-date revenues for the first seven months of the current fiscal year show an […]

Members of the Hart County Water and Sewer Authority are expected to hear recommendations tonight from a subcommittee formed to study whether to allow a South Carolina utility to piggyback on Hart County’s water withdrawal permit.  Pioneer Rural Water District is planning to build a new water treatment plant near Fair Play in Oconee County, SC but they have not […]

The civil trial of Lavonia pastor the Rev. Jonathan Ayers, who was shot to death during an undercover investigation in Toccoa five years ago, continues this week in U.S. District Court in Gainesville. Court proceedings were cancelled last week because of the snow storm.  The trial will resume on Tuesday.  Ayers’ widow, Abigail Ayers, claims in her lawsuit that the […]

Franklin County High School will continue on the block schedule when the new core building opens in the fall. At their regular meeting last week, the school board heard from school superintendent Dr. Ruth O’Dell who  recommended the school continue with the block program, after reviewing research conducted by a special high school subcommittee. “Without reservation, I recommend we remain […]

An aftershock from the earthquake that shook a large part of South Carolina and north Georgia Friday night rattled a smaller area Sunday afternoon. The U.S. Geological Survey’s website reported a 3.2 magnitude earthquake at 3:23 p.m. Sunday in Edgefield County, just a few miles from the 4.1 magnitude quake on Friday. Sunday’s earthquake was only felt about 35 miles […]