Area News
I-26 crash leaves Piedmont man dead
A crash on I-26 in Laurens County Wednesday left a Piedmont man dead and three other people injured. According to Deputy Coroner Ashley Rushton, Anthony White of Piedmont was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred on I-26 east at mile marker 60 near Joanna and involved two tractor-trailers and three other…
Read MoreWrite-in candidate wins seat in Gray Court
A write-in candidate won Tuesday’s special election for an at-large seat on the Gray Court Town Council. Dylan Cook, a local real-estate agent, received 34 write-in votes to defeat registered candidates Brian K. Shumpert and Billy J. Pearson. Shumpert garnered 14 votes, while Pearson did not receive any votes. The special election was necessitated by…
Read MoreOne of two escaped horses dies in downtown Laurens
Laurens, South Carolina – The search for the second of two escaped horses ended sadly Wednesday afternoon when the horse passed away soon after it was captured in downtown Laurens. “We had been looking for the two horses that escaped Sunday, and the first horse was caught Monday in a pasture behind a fence, and…
Read MoreDeceased shooter identified by LPD as Laurens County man
The Laurens Police Department identified Wednesday morning the man who shot his ex-wife Tuesday afternoon in a downtown Laurens business and then turned the gun on himself. Justin Sherman Allen, 40, who lived on Neely Ferry Road in Laurens County according to an arrest report from the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, was pronounced dead at…
Read MoreHighway 221 closing for Enoree River bridge repair on Dec. 9
U.S. Highway 221 will be closed between Laurens and Enoree beginning Monday, Dec. 9 while repairs are made to the bridge spanning the Enoree River. The highway closure is expected to last well into the spring of 2025. A detour route for motorists using Highway 49, I-26 and Highway 92 (Parker Road) has been put…
Read MoreFormer Laurens auto dealership property on auction block
An online bankruptcy auction for the sale a Laurens property that was home to a local automotive dealership for over 70 years started at noon Tuesday. Smith Chevrolet, which sold a variety of vehicle brands during its long tenure along North Harper Street, was located on the 5.1-acre property from 1947 to 2020 when it…
Read MoreDomestic incident leads to shooting, one dead on Laurens square
Christmas carols were playing from the speakers on the Laurens Historic Square when gunshots interrupted an otherwise quiet downtown afternoon. An apparent domestic dispute ended with the alleged assailant dead and a victim transported by helicopter to a Greenville area hospital. According to Laurens Police Chief Heath Copeland, the female gunshot victim was conscious and…
Read More‘Unaware’ driver takes down three power poles, causes Laurens power outage
Laurens, South Carolina – After Hurricane Helene, the Laurens Commission of Public Works lost numerous power poles on Farley Avenue. Two months later, the street got hit again when about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, three of the brand new power poles were broken from a driver’s mishap. “This is a primary line so it…
Read MoreSouthern cuisine, downstairs lounge planned for downtown Laurens
Laurens, South Carolina – A new restaurant with a separate downstairs lounge is coming to 101 East Laurens St., filling the space vacated in late May by Rootimentary’s closure. Announced Monday evening, the street-level restaurant and a downstairs lounge are under a single business which is being opened by Jeffrey Ponder and Matthew Perkins, both…
Read MoreLaurens man charged in fatal drug overdose
Laurens Police have made a second arrest in connection with a fatal drug overdose in July at a residence on West Main Street in Laurens. Joseph Brian Johnson, whose residence is listed on West Main Street, was taken into custody on Wednesday, Nov. 21 and charged with involuntary manslaughter and distribution of methamphetamine. Johnson remains…
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