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Area Breaking News

Crusaders dominate returning Cougars, give Doolittle 100th win

GREENWOOD – Laurens Academy handed head coach Jolly Doolittle the 100th victory of his coaching career Friday night while spoiling host Cambridge Academy’s return to football after a 20-year absence. LA’s Spires McCameron and Garrett Murphy scored two touchdowns apiece, including McCameron’s 72-yard kickoff return for a score to begin the game, to lead the…

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LPD seeking help to ID robbery suspect

The Laurens Police Department is asking the public’s help in identifying a suspect involved in an armed robbery early Thursday morning at the Marathon Gas Station at 1013 North Harper Street in Laurens. The robbery occurred at 3:09 a.m. The suspect is believed to be a 5-foot-9 white male, who was wearing what appeared to…

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Students, staff become ill at Gray Court-Owings School

After-school activities were canceled Thursday after a mid-day illness swept through Gray Court-Owings School causing both students and staff to become ill. Laurens County School District 55 posted on social media that the sudden illnesses were probably caused by a stomach virus. Several cases had been reported at the school Wednesday. The illnesses were so…

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Morse remembered as mentor, lawman, ‘Chief’

Robin Morse, who served both Laurens and Clinton as police chief and spent more than four decades in law enforcement, was laid to rest Monday under cloudy skies with full police and firefighter honors as well as Masonic Rites. He died this past Thursday at the age of 71 after a long battle with cancer.…

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Laurens man charged with murder in courthouse shooting

Laurens County’s Hillcrest Judicial Complex parking lot was littered with two wrecked cars, discarded medical equipment, papers and a brown shoe belonging to the victim of a shooting Monday afternoon. Erin Lee Thomas, 34, of Woodruff clung to life as he was airlifted by helicopter to an area hospital, but later died at Prisma Greenville…

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Courthouse shooting leaves one man dead, one arrested

One man is in custody following a shooting at Laurens County’s Hillcrest Judicial Complex and offices that left another man dead. The identity of the suspect has not been released by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, which headed up the investigation. The victim was identified as Erin Lee Thomas, 34, of Woodruff, said Laurens County…

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Former private school teacher arrested by LCSO

The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office arrested a former Fountain Inn Christian School teacher accused of inappropriate relationships with some students at the school. Norman Jermaine Roberson of Piedmont is charged with eight counts of sexual battery with a student. The incidents allegedly occurred in Laurens County in 2015, while other encounters allegedly occurred in other…

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Morse, former Laurens, Clinton chief dies at 71

Robin Morse, who headed both the Laurens and Clinton police departments and spent 44 years in law enforcement passed away Thursday after a long battle with cancer. Morse, 71, worked as a patrol officer for the South Carolina Highway Patrol, and deputy for the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office before serving as Laurens Police chief and…

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State of Emergency declared for Tropical Storm Debby

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a State of Emergency for the state over the weekend in anticipation of heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby. As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Tropical Storm Debby had moved overland with its strongest rainfall and winds near Savannah, Georgia. The storm was expected to move back out to sea…

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County asks judge to reconsider lawsuit ruling

Laurens County Council and the Laurens County Planning Commission are asking an 8th Circuit Court judge to reconsider his ruling that found them libel for disregarding elements of South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act. The county is requesting that either the Judge Eugene C. Griffith Jr. reconsider his ruling or grant a new trial for…

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