Area Breaking News
McDaniel resigns from council to take HUD post
Hours after receiving a job offer Thursday from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Laurens County Councilman Garrett McDaniel announced that he would be resigning from county council. McDaniel, who represents District 3 on council, was hired as director of executive scheduling and operations at HUD, where he will help with newly appointed…
Read MoreLPD, SLED respond to bomb scare at Walmart
An early morning bomb scare Sunday forced the evacuation of the Laurens Walmart store. As the store was evacuated, customers with pickup orders began received calls telling them to refrain from coming to the store until told otherwise. The Laurens Police responded to the scene around 7 a.m. and called in the State Law Enforcement…
Read MoreA community mourns: Vigil takes life lessons from teens
A vigil held Sunday evening in Joanna for the two teens killed in an ATV accident on Thursday shone a light on race relations as friends, families and the surrounding communities attempted to come to terms with their grief. Jasmine Peake and Madison Simmons, both 14, died together when the ATV they were on was…
Read MorePerson killed in single-vehicle wreck in Cross Hill
A single-vehicle crash on Highway 39 early Saturday morning resulted in the death of one person, said South Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Hovis. Hovis said the driver of a 2011 Kia was traveling southbound on Highway 39 and ran off the right side of the road, overcorrected and then drove off the left side…
Read MoreYoung teens killed in Thursday afternoon 4-wheeler accident with 18-wheeler
Laurens County Coronor’s office staff responded Thursday afternoon to a 4-wheeler accident with an tractor-trailer in Joanna which resulted in the deaths of two 14-year-old girls from Laurens County. According to Trooper Joe Hovis of the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the tractor-trailer was traveling south on Milton Road and the ATV was traveling west on…
Read MoreChild abuse and foster care months reveal needs for action
April 28, 2021 Laurens County, S.C. – Partnering agencies are using two springtime months to spread the word that everyone needs to be working for the protection and safety of South Carolina’s children. Silver and blue pinwheels mark April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and it’s followed by National Foster Care Awareness Month in May.…
Read MoreNew sales tax for Laurens County starts Saturday
Starting Saturday, Laurens County consumers will begin paying a penny more on the dollar for many local purchases. The Capital Project Sales Tax, which passed with overwhelming support in November’s General Election, goes into effect Saturday, May 1. In the county, the sales tax will increase from 8% to 9% with the addition of the…
Read MoreNot so close encounter: CHS teacher takes memorable SpaceX photo
Clinton High School teacher Laura Fox was out for her usual morning run Friday when a bright light appeared in the sky overhead. It may sound like the beginning of a pulp science fiction novel from the 1950s featuring creatures from outer space in flying saucers, but the light in the sky was much more…
Read MoreAllegations of cronyism and ethical breaches sprout at SC’s newest governor’s school
By Tony Bartelme [email protected] EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was produced in collaboration with Index-Journal of Greenwood, an Uncovered partner. “Uncovered” is creating a series of investigative articles to look at how the lack of watchdog journalism in communities, combined with weak ethics laws, is a perfect storm for corruption in South Carolina. The stories are…
Read MoreCounty council contracts with headhunting firm
The Laurens County Council was expected to approve a contract with a Greenville-based headhunting firm to help fill the county’s top post. If approved, Find Great People, a staffing and talent-search firm, will be tasked with finding a new administrator for Laurens County. “If the contract is approved, we’ll meet with them and discuss a…
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