Area Breaking News
County’s Higgs spars with state officials over Helene response
Laurens County Administrator Thomas Higgs made public this past Thursday the transcript of a phone call accompanying a release defending the county’s response to Hurricane Helene with state officials. Higgs, a South Carolina National Guard officer and member of a search and rescue team that responds routinely to disaster areas around the state, has contended…
Read MoreSCHSL votes to extend fall schedules by a week, teams return to action
The South Carolina High School League’s executive committee voted 9-5 to add a week to the high school football season and move the playoff schedule back one week. In separate votes, the committee also added a week to the volleyball and girls tennis seasons and adjust the playoff schedules accordingly. “I think (the SCHSL) did…
Read MoreSCHSL executive committee to consider schedule changes
The South Carolina High School League has called a meeting of its executive committee at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) to discuss extending its fall sports schedule due to the effects of Hurricane Helene across the Upstate. Athletic directors from several Upstate regions and the executive director of the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association have all…
Read MorePowering Up: Laurens, Clinton electric crews work to finish the job
Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 Laurens County, South Carolina – The state flags of Alabama, Missouri and Ohio are getting some attention in Laurens since a staff member of the Laurens Commission of Public Works decided to honor the crews that have been in the city so many days helping to get power restored. On Thursday…
Read MoreVoter registration deadline extended due to Helene
Staff Reports COLUMBIA — South Carolina voters will have an extra 10 days to register after a judge agreed to an extension in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, a once-in-a-generation tempest that slammed into the Upstate, killing at least 41 people in the state while unleashing unprecedented flooding and causing widespread power outages. The S.C.…
Read MoreSCACA head asks for 2-week extension to SCHSL fall season
The executive director of the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association has written an open letter to leaders of the South Carolina High School League asking that the fall athletic schedule be suspended for two weeks while residents across the state recover from Hurricane Helene. Scott Earley, who took over as executive director of the SCACA…
Read MoreLaurens County residents now eligible for FEMA individual aid
Laurens County has been added to the Major Disaster Declaration for the State of South Carolina. Laurens, Edgefield, and Union Counties are now eligible for Individual Assistance. Additionally, Laurens County is eligible for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance program. If you have been impacted, you can…
Read MoreDisaster Unemployment Assistance available to county residents
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd have announced that individuals living or working in Edgefield, Laurens, and Union counties may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) funds, which will be made available through the unemployment insurance benefits system. Individuals living or working in Aiken,…
Read MoreSupply distribution spot set up in Clinton for storm victims
A supply distribution center for victims of Hurricane Helene has been set up in Clinton at the former Bell Street School. The supplies will be available each day from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. beginning today (Thursday). The former Bell Street School, which is currently the USC Union-Laurens campus, is located at 600 Peachtree Street in Clinton.…
Read MoreCounty residents can still apply for FEMA funds, but will have to wait
Federal funds will make it to Laurens County through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), but county residents will not receive some of the aid that will be afforded to those of other counties. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s office did not include Laurens County for assistance under FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program, which would have…
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