Area News
1 killed in motorcycle accident Saturday
UPDATE: Crash victim identified. A Simpsonville man was killed in a motorcycle accident Saturday in northern Laurens County. The Laurens County Coroner’s Office identified the victim Monday as Dakota Pridmore, 27. According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the accident occurred around 5 p.m. on S.C. Highway 101. The SCHP said Pridmore, who was the…
Read MoreStray cat in Gray Court tests positive for rabies
Columbia, South Carolina The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed that a stray cat in Laurens County tested positive for rabies. The stray orange cat found near Geddy and Millrock Church roads in Gray Court, S.C., exposed six people and they have been referred to their health care providers. Two vaccinated dogs…
Read MoreFerqueron graduates from Economic Development Institute
Columbia, S.C. (November 20, 2025) – Dozens of professionals graduated from the 2025 South Carolina Economic Development Institute (The Institute), a premier training program advancing economic development leadership across the state. Among this year’s graduates is Melissa Ferqueron with Laurens County. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association (SCEDA), which,…
Read More103-year-old veteran Paul O’Dell: ‘I was going to give it my all’ during WWII years
Laurens, South Carolina – At 103 years of age, Paul O’Dell has celebrated lots of great birthdays, but none as memorable as the one on Aug. 14, 1945 – the day TEC 4 Sgt. Paul O’Dell learned the Japanese had surrendered and World War II was finally close to an end. O’Dell observed Veterans Day…
Read MoreNeighborhood shopping encouraged this week on Pink Friday
Laurens County, South Carolina – This Friday Laurens County residents are being encouraged to visit local independent retailers for the county’s first Pink Friday shopping event. “I think it’s been common in larger cities but it was new to us,” said Laurens County Chamber of Commerce President Dabs Davis, adding that the Nov. 21 small…
Read MoreState leadership seeks ‘ownership transition’ for Martha Franks, Bethea
Laurens, South Carolina – After 40 years of service under the South Carolina Baptist Ministry of Aging, Martha Franks Retirement Community may soon be under different ownership due to a decision during the annual meeting of the South Carolina Baptist Convention on Nov. 10-11 at Taylors First Baptist Church in Greenville County. There the SCBMA…
Read MoreLaurens County Farm Bureau Women are in A League of their Own
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Melanie Birchmore, Marilyn Easter, Shirley Glancy, Joan Moore, Lynda Penland and Merry Roberson of Laurens County joined women from across the state in Columbia, September 28-30, for the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference. With the theme “A League of our Own,” some 75 ladies took to the field…
Read MoreTribble-Daniel – Lander ROTC, Public Health Alumna – Committed to Helping Others
GREENWOOD, S.C. — Trinity Tribble-Daniel joined Lander University’s ROTC program and discovered camaraderie, leadership opportunities and a sense of purpose. She also found her future – a career in the U.S. Army where she is currently training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. “ROTC helped me to become less reserved,” she said. “I was shy and…
Read MoreTHRIVE Laurens County Invites Joanna Residents to Free Community Listening Session on Nov. 18
Joanna, S.C. — THRIVE Laurens County, a local coalition dedicated to fostering health, connection, and wellness in rural communities, will host a free Community Listening Session on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Christ Central Mission Station, located at 710 Magnolia Street, Joanna, SC 29351. (Note: This address may appear…
Read MoreTomlin crowned Miss Lander 2025
GREENWOOD, S.C.— Haleigh Tomlin, the new Miss Lander 2025, arrived on campus last year as a transfer student. Unsure of how the new campus might be a fit for her and her interests, the media and mass communication major has found her niche at Lander University, her community and a sense of belonging that shines…
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