Area News
County health department closed for renovations
Laurens County Administrator Thomas Higgs said Monday that the county-owned building housing the local South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and the Department of Social Services is closed temporarily due to needed renovations and repairs to the building. According to a post on the Laurens County Health Department’s Facebook page its offices…
Read MorePrimary runoffs set for Tuesday, early voting through Friday
Local candidates in this past week’s Primary elections were able to avoid runoffs scheduled for Tuesday, June 28, but two statewide races – one Democratic and one Republican – are still up for grabs. Polls for the runoffs will be contested Tuesday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Early voting starts today (Wednesday) and lasts through Friday…
Read MoreClinton approves budget reading, hears concerns of missing funds
Clinton, S.C. – In a special called meeting Monday night, Clinton City Council held a public hearing for its 2022/23 fiscal year budget of $31,598,373. It’s a decrease of 4.09% from last year’s budget of $30,305,165, yet includes an increased tax millage rate of 119.10 compared to last year’s 113.78 millage rate. “This is due…
Read MoreTown Rhythms brings Beach Music back to Clinton Thursday at 7 p.m.
Clinton, S.C. – Main Street Clinton is bringing beach music back to The Depot, as the city’s traditional Thursday Night Town Rhythms returns this week, June 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. The classic beach music sounds will be performed by The Barker Duke Band, which is a subset of the popular and large North…
Read MoreLaurens planning commission hears of potential 221N development
Laurens, South Carolina – The City of Laurens Planning Commission held a public hearing last week to allow Scott Gillespie of Deep River South Development to explain about a 44-acre area he’d like to develop on Highway 221 N. The wooded property outside the city limits is below Vern Cora Road and near the city’s…
Read MoreFresh waters will finally flow for Lower Eastern Cherokee Nation
Gray Court, S.C. – On Thursday morning last week, Dexter “Yellow Hawk” Sharp got the final approval from a visiting DHEC engineer on a well which will finally provide quality drinking water for the PAIA Tribal Grounds of the Piedmont American Indian Association (PAIA) Lower Eastern Cherokee Nation S.C. in Gray Court. It’s a process…
Read MoreCity of Laurens presents its first Juneteenth Festival Saturday
Laurens, S.C. – The City of Laurens is presenting its inaugural Juneteenth Festival, which is planned for Saturday, June 18, on the Historic Downtown Square and features entertainment, speakers and a commemorative candlelight ceremony remembering those who suffered under slavery. The festival wraps up with a performance by The Band LevelZ from 7 to 9…
Read MoreJones, Gilliam handily win GOP Primary races
Incumbents Doug Gilliam and Stewart Jones won landslide re-election bids for the state House of Representatives in Tuesday’s Republican Primary Election. Jones earned the GOP nomination for District 14 in a three-way race with retired teacher and U.S. Army officer Joe Benson and Waterloo businesswoman Cole Kazmarski. Jones garnered 61.5% (2,258) of the votes in…
Read MoreCompton returning to LDHS as principal
District 55 makes other moves at Waterloo, GCO Lewis Compton, who taught 19 years and began his career at Laurens District High School, is heading back there as the school’s principal. “It’s amazing, the circle of life that has brought me back to Laurens District High School,” Compton said. “I appreciate (District 55 Superintendent) Dr.…
Read MoreCouncil sees options on portion of Whitten Center property master plan
Clinton, S.C. – The undeveloped and heavily wooded areas which the City of Clinton acquired from Whitten Center could eventually include areas set aside for industrial uses, large parcel residential areas and a small commercial area if council adopts and begins working toward WK Dickson’s tentative master plan. Clinton City Council and residents of the…
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