Today is a great day, we finally got some good rain to help stop the fires that are engulfing Pickens County.

So glad that they are getting the rain needed to stop the fire. This will help immensely I am sure.

Here is the current weather forecast:

Based on the current weather information for Oconee County, South Carolina (as of Monday, March 31, 2025 at 12:45 PM EDT):

• Current conditions: It is currently raining, with light thunderstorms occurring in the area.
• Expected Rainfall: Approximately 0.27 inches of rain is forecasted for today.
• Timing: There is a good chance of rain continuing until about 5:00 PM EDT today.

$3,200. That’s the cost of renting a 3-bedroom, 2-bath house in West Union, South Carolina—plus a $2,000 security deposit. With most landlords requiring tenants to earn 3x the monthly rent, that means an income of $9,600 per month is needed just to qualify. For many of us, that’s simply unattainable.

Wages in the area have barely risen, yet investors continue to pour money into rural, undeveloped land, often backed by government grants. Northerners are drawn here by the promise of lower property taxes, while longtime residents—those who built these towns and communities—are being pushed out. Homelessness is on the rise.

After coming to these conclusions myself, I decided to ask questions and speak with local county officials. What I learned was sobering. They shared that the goal is to make Keowee Key—the cookie-cutter retirement community—the centerpiece of Oconee County.

As a single mother of two, this is my worst fear coming to life. The town I grew up in no longer feels like home. Right now, my kids and I are homeless, temporarily staying with family. I work hard as an independent insurance agent, but it’s simply not enough to keep up with skyrocketing rent, rising utility bills, and the cost of living.

Am I the only one? Are others in our community facing these same challenges? I’d like to hear your stories and work together to find solutions. Let’s bring attention to what’s happening before more families are displaced.

At around 1PM there was a shooting at the Burger King in Seneca.
At first it was unknown what had happened, but after an investigation it was later determined that it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident happened in the restroom area of the Burger King.
The man was taken to the Prisma Health hospital in Seneca where he later passed away.
The man is from Pickens County.
The death has been determined to be a suicide.
The Oconee County Sheriff Department is still investigating the matter.

You can dial 988 if you need to speak to someone immediately if you are feeling suicidal. ;

There has been important motions being made on behalf of Mr. Duham by his attorney on the matter of the legal matter.

When you view the file you will see that the attorney outlines the political corruption as well as the legal misconduct that went on in this case.