Area News
2 arrests made in Dodge murder case
Two Gaffney men have been arrested in connection with the July 20 execution-style murder of a woman in Laurens County. Brandon Lee Phillips, 34, and Billy Wayne Ruppe, 53, face accessory and conspiracy charges related to the murder of Michelle Marie Dodge. Dodge’s body was found in a rural area off of McDaniel Road near…
Read MoreDistrict 55 to require clear bags for events
A new policy requiring clear bags for athletic and other events at some Laurens District 55 schools will be in place when the academic year begins later this month. In a release, District 55 officials said the move to require the clear bags is over safety concerns. “The new procedure is similar to those already…
Read MoreCounty bond proposal passes first reading
The Laurens County Council voted unanimously at its July 23 meeting to approve first reading on a $4 million bond to finance repairs at the Historic County Courthouse and the county offices and judicial complex at Hillcrest. In addition to the $4 million for those projects, County Attorney Sandy Cruickshanks recommended to council members that…
Read MoreMissing Hickory Tavern man found deceased
The search for an elderly Hickory Tavern man ended sadly Sunday near his home. Eugene “Gene” William Reed, known as “Mr. Gene” to many of his Hickory Tavern neighbors, went missing Saturday morning. His body was discovered around noon Sunday a short distance from his home on Highway 76 West, according to the Laurens County…
Read MoreFamily friendly Friday activities downtown Laurens tonight
Laurens, South Carolina – Main Street Laurens is offering two more Finally Fridays! this summer, and the July session starts off tonight, July 26, from 6 to 9 p.m., with children’s bicycle safety classes offered by the Laurens Police Department right on the Public Square, Laurens. There will also be free watermelon slices until they last,…
Read MoreLaurens Main Street hosts Finally Friday, national representatives
While Main Street Laurens has been busy this summer with the Downtown Farmers Market and its Finally Friday! summer series, its pivotal role is economic development of the historic district and its acceptance for a pilot program in South Carolina will help that happen in Laurens. There are two more Finally Fridays this summer, and…
Read MoreGeosmin woes: Laurens CPW offers water quality update
Laurens, South Carolina – High levels of geosmin in Lake Rabon are still affecting the smell and taste of water for Laurens Commission of Public Works and Laurens County Water and Sewer Commission customers. While Lake Rabon is owned and maintained by LCWSC, the CPW water treatment staff is tasked with identifying a process to treat the geosmin,…
Read MorePlea deal reached in 2007 Clinton killing
The suspect in the 2007 killing of a Clinton teenager pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Friday in 8th Circuit Court at the Hillcrest Judicial Complex. Maurice Jermaine Langford, 31, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the shooting death of Sylvester Brown, 18, in 2007. Brown and Langford grew up together in Clinton. Langford was 19 at…
Read MoreMurder victim’s car found in Cherokee County
The vehicle sought by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office in connection with a murder investigation was found Tuesday night in Cherokee County. The 2006 Dodge Charger was discovered abandoned in a wooded area around 7:20 p.m. Investigators from Cherokee County said they believe whoever abandoned the vehicle along Wolf Den Lane was trying to either set it…
Read MoreFake lawyer arrested for fraud, practicing without license
A Laurens man may need a lawyer because he wasn’t one. Agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) arrested Michael V. Diago Tuesday for practicing law without a license. He was also charged with breach of trust with fraudulent intent with a value of $10,000 or more. According to arrest warrants, Diago, 76,…
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