Music and tax-free retail sales will be combined this weekend in Historic Downtown Laurens, where Main Street Laurens and its partner retailers are planning a Tax-Free Weekend Sidewalk Sale. “Several businesses asked if we could do a sidewalk sale for the weekend,” said Main Street director Jonathan Irick. “It will run from 10 a.m. to…
A Ware Shoals man was killed just after midnight Sunday morning as the result of a head-on collision with another vehicle in Waterloo. According to the Laurens County Deputy Coroner Robin Morse, Jeffrey Lee Olivier, 29, died of blunt force trauma at the scene of the accident. The two-car accident occurred at 12:10 a.m. on…
Eighth Circuit Court in Laurens County is hosting the first jury criminal trial in South Carolina since state courtrooms were shuttered in April due to COVID-19. The murder trial of Lutavious Denard Elmore, 32, of Laurens, got underway Monday with 8th Circuit Judge Donald B. Hocker presiding. Elmore is charged with the 2018 stabbing death…
UPDATE: Victim identified A person drowned Monday afternoon on the Laurens County side of Lake Greenwood. The victim has been identified as Patrick Webb, 30, of Laurens. According to the Laurens County Coroner’s Office, no cause of death has been determined. An autopsy is pending, according to Laurens County Chief Deputy Coroner Patti Canupp. Emergency…
In a Wednesday afternoon press conference, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster presented an executive order that makes mandatory the measures which had previously been only recommended for restaurants, venues and other gathering places. They will go into effect Monday, Aug. 3. Then starting Aug. 5, McMaster said his executive order requires face masks be worn in…
Laurens, South Carolina – COVID-19 has claimed another casualty this year with the cancellation of the 2020 Squealin’ on the Square, the barbecue festival which serves as the primary fundraiser for Main Street Laurens. “Our steering committee made the decision,” said Main Street director Jonathan Irick. “With the guidelines on social distancing, we just didn’t…
A recent fire at the Laurens County Safe Home required staff of the shelter to relocate their clients to safe locations, and now staff are hoping a recently-announced 2-to-1 matching grant by Silent Tears, SC provides the opportunity to alleviate some of the financial burden which the agency had felt even before the fire. “The…
A transition season as a Football Championship Subdivision independent between memberships in the Big South Conference and non-scholarship Pioneer League is proving to be a challenge for Presbyterian College during COVID-19. Conferences at all levels of college football are adjusting their schedules as they attempt to cope with COVID-19. Many of them have opted to…
A referendum for a 1-cent Capital Project Sales Tax for Laurens County will be on the ballot in the November General Election. The Laurens County Council approved third reading of an ordinance that will send the proposal to the voters at its Tuesday night meeting. The “yes” or “no” question will now go to the South Carolina…
The Laurens County Magistrate’s Office is experiencing a high number of pending cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be holding criminal and traffic court hearings at The Ridge in Laurens. The move is designed to alleviate overcrowding at the Hillcrest Judicial Complex, which is also the home of several county administrative offices. The…