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Laurens County Fire Services awarded $500k grant for safety equipment

Laurens County Fire Services welcomed nearly $500,000 worth of safety equipment for its firefighters Monday morning at its Watts Mill Fire Station. The department received a 2023 Assistance Firefighters Grant worth $495,000 for the purchase of 52 new air packs, which are called self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs), and 104 new air cylinders – or air…

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Person dies in crash on Highway 221 South

A person died as the result of a wreck Tuesday near Highway 221 South and Cedar Grove Church Road in the Cold Point area of Laurens County between Laurens and Waterloo. According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, a pickup truck was driving southbound on Highway 221 when it struck an 18-wheeler turning off of…

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United Way seeks Bags of Love volunteers for county’s seniors

Laurens County, South Carolina – For more than 15 years now, the United Way of Laurens County’s Bags of Love have made sure that elderly residents of Laurens County have received helpful and thoughtful gifts for Valentines. As a special day, Valentines is a time when love is on the mind, but many older residents…

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Partnerships, YMCA child care center helping address shortage

Laurens, South Carolina – Parents with children and teachers joined in the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce’s recent ribbon cutting for the Laurens YMCA’s recently opened YMCA Child Development Center (YCDC). Together with board members, county and state-level leaders, Laurens YMCA and Lakelands YMCA Director Brian Harlan said the YMCA’s partnerships are the crucial factor…

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District 55 MLK contest winners present essays

Following are the First Place essays for Elementary, Middle and High School divisions from the 2025 MLK Essay Contest. Winners won $100 for first place, $75 for second place and $50 for this place. First place winners were Elementary – Serenity Terry, Middle School – Christian Hart and High School – Alaina Martinez. (Scroll Down)…

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Essay contestants help carry King’s legacy forward

Laurens, South Carolina –  In front of a large group of District 55 students, parents, teachers and Sanders High School  Alumni Association members, Harold Ligon explained that while he did not have the opportunity to shake hands with Martin Luther King Jr., he did follow King’s civil rights work and heard King speak while he…

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Laurens home destroyed by fire, no injuries reported

A residence on East Hampton Avenue in Laurens was completely destroyed by fire Monday as plumes of smoke rose high above the downtown area. City of Laurens firefighters were on the scene of the blaze four minutes after being dispatched at 11:09 a.m., and found the house heavily consumed with fire, said Laurens Fire Chief…

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Warming stations set up around county

  Several warming stations have been set up in Laurens County as residents brave freezing temperatures this week. Overnight shelters include the Laurens Police Department and Christ Central Mission Station in Joanna. Daytime warming stations are located at the Laurens YMCA on Anderson Drive in Laurens and at the Clinton YMCA on YMCA Drive in…

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Wreck involving 18-wheelers injures 2 at rest area

An accident at an I-385 rest area in Laurens County involving four vehicles, including a pair of 18-wheel semi trucks, sent two people to the hospital Wednesday morning. The accident occurred around 8:30 a.m. when an 18-wheel tanker truck carrying animal remnants attempted to pull into the rest area at Exit 6. The tanker rammed…

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