KCSD audit results positive

The Kershaw County School District received "unqualified opinions" -- the top results possible -- during its annual financial audit as completed by an external independent CPA firm.

A ‘followership’ crisis

When somebody complains about how politicians are a bunch of corrupt, lazy, no-account bums, Rep. Barney Frank has been known to reply with a wry grin: "Y'know, the public is no bargain, either."

Robert Ariail -- Dec. 5, 2011

Dec. 16 to be half day for KCSD students

The Kershaw County School District will have a half day for students Dec. 16, the last day of student attendance before the holiday break. Staff will work a regular schedule. Students in 3-and 4-year-old developmentally delayed and 4-year-old kindergarten classes will not attend.

Miss Moore, Mr. Gardner engaged

Ms. Gina Munoz Ward of Boiling Springs, S.C. is pleased to announce the engagement of her daughter, Jennifer Moore of Clemson, S.C. to William Graham (Gray) Gardner of Clemson, S.C. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Graham Gardner of Camden, S.C.

A 1799 Camden letter and postmark

In 1989 Robert J. Stets and Harvey S. Teal completed and published "South Carolina Postal History and Illustrated Catalog of Postmarks, 1760-1860." Included in this work were six different postmarks and 14 different rate markings used by Camden postmasters during antebellum times. An illustration of them accompanies this article.

Lighting up the holidays

Camden Mayor Jeffrey Graham gets help in flipping the switch to light the Christmas tree in front of Camden City Hall Thursday night. The Camden Community Concert Band and Chamber Choir of Kershaw County performed at the gathering, and the Downtown Camden Guild served hot chocolate. Donations of canned goods were also accepted to benefit Christian Community Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Mt. Moriah Soup Kitchen, United Way, Food for the Soul and New Day on Mill. City officials said the goods will be donated during the Camden Arbor Day celebration Friday.

Montessori School welcomes grandparents

The 82 children of the Montessori School of Camden anxiously awaited the arrival of their grandparents and extended families for the annual celebration of Grandparents' Day.

Noted and passed

• Rep. Barney Frank has been one of the most unabashed liberals in Congress for more than 30 years, advocating all things left and marking business -- nearly any kind of business -- as the enemy of the people. Frank now says he won't run for another term, saying redistricting will put him at a disadvantage. The Massachusetts Democrat is well-known for his irascible nature, and during campaigns, his aides often tried to keep him away from voters, knowing he would offend them with his personality. The New York Times reported, "Those who admire him say Mr. Frank served up his sourness ...

L-E girls fall to A.C. Flora

Aneka Dixon led the Lugoff-Elgin girl's basketball team with 16 points, but no other teammate reached double figures as the Lady Demons fell to host A.C. Flora, 63-47, in Tuesday's season opener in Columbia.

Coke Family Festival will bring racing fun to CMP on Saturday

Carolina Motorsports Park in Westville is hosting a Coke Family Festival on Saturday.

Demon wrestlers open up with a sweep in Rock Hill

Some of the faces may have changed, but the results remain the same for the Lugoff-Elgin wrestling team which kicked off its season with a sweep of York and host Rock Hill on Wednesday night.

Rotary donates dictionaries to local children

Rotarian Matt Irick helps deliver dictionaries to the third-grade classes at Camden Elementary School. Both Camden and West Wateree Rotary Clubs distributed dictionaries to all third-graders in Kershaw County.

Dr. Tommy Joseph

I am certain that many people in the city of Camden and in Kershaw County are saddened to learn that Dr. Tommy Joseph is retiring. He has practiced pediatrics in Camden for over 35 years. I have had the privilege of knowing Tommy my entire life; he is my brother.

United Way of Kershaw County participates in Dr. Energy Saver Columbia charity competition

This holiday season, Dr. Energy Saver Columbia is committing to dividing a $10,000 donation among three prominent charities: The American Red Cross, SC Mountains to Midlands Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and United Way of Kershaw County.

Hank Cannon (Henry, Jr.)

Funeral Services for Henry Cunningham "Hank" Cannon, Jr., 60, will be held Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Powers Funeral Home. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 1-2 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to your local no-kill animal shelter, or the ASPCA.

Fine Arts Center to host SC Arts Alliance board meeting

The Fine Arts Center (FAC) of Kershaw County is proud to announce that it will be the location for the meeting of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Arts Alliance (SCAA) beginning today. The meeting will be held in the historic Douglas Reed House. The FAC welcomes the SCAA, along with members of the Wateree Outdoor Life Festival (WOLF) of Camden. WOLF will be holding their first annual festival on the FAC campus this weekend.

Sarah P. Drakeford

Mrs. Sarah Presley Drakeford, 88, of Camden, entered into eternal rest on Monday, March 3, 2014. Born in Lafayette, Alabama, she was the daughter of the late Eugene P. and Alverta Willis Presley and the wife of the late Anderson Drakeford. A celebration of Life and Homegoing Services were held Sunday, March 3, 2014 at 2 p.m. at Sander Creek Baptist Church, Camden, with burial in Fort Jackson National Cemetery, Columbia. Mrs. Drakeford was placed in the church at 1 p.m. for viewing. Brown's Funeral Home, Camden is serving the Drakeford Family.

Jeanette P. Gardner

A graveside service for Jeanette Peach Gardner, 79 of Kershaw will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, March 7, 2014, in Lancaster Memorial Park, Lancaster.

Anderson 50th anniversary

Jeanette and Tommy Anderson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary March 1 with their family. The Andersons were married March 1, 1964 at Highway Pentecostal Holiness in Elgin by the late Rev. N. D. Sellers. They remain active and devoted members of the Highway Church.

Once upon a moonbeam

WASHINGTON -- In matters cultural, California has always been America's petri dish. Whatever happened in California usually infiltrated the rest of the country.

Ariail for March 7, 2014

Fighting AIDS

The last couple weeks have brought astounding new developments in treatment of babies born with AIDS, raising for the first time the hope that perhaps a treatment has been found that will eradicate the disease in newborns who are born to mothers infected by the HIV virus. The first such case was reported last year, but there was skepticism among many in the scientific community. Earlier this week, a second similar case was reported. The first child, dubbed the "Mississippi baby," is now 3 years old and still virus-free; the second one shows no signs of HIV nine months after ...

Ernest Lee Turner

Mr. Ernest Lee Turner, 26, of 923-A Cheraw Road, Cassatt, South Carolina, passed on Monday, March 3, 2014. Funeral services will be conducted on Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 2:30 PM at Red Hill Baptist Church in Cassatt, SC

Recognizing the Lenten season

As a child I will never forget getting the opportunity to participate in the worship service on Palm Sunday. For most congregations it is customary to have the children of the church come into the sanctuary waving palm branches at some point during the service to help give everyone a visual of the great celebration that Jesus experienced as he made His entry into Jerusalem the week of his crucifixion. As much as I love the celebration that surrounds Palm Sunday and Easter, we as believers do ourselves a disservice if we don't also understand just what it is ...

An adorable kitty and dog need great homes

Among the animals available for adoption at the Walter M. Crowe Animal Shelter are Mr. Green Jeans, a one-year-old Norwegian Forest mixed male cat and Brady, a 3-year-old male Siberian Husky with one blue eye and one brown eye. He is friendly, playful, and very energetic. The adoption donation includes spaying or neutering. The shelter, located at the south end of Fair Street and managed by the Kershaw County Humane Society, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The shelter is closed Sunday and Monday ...

Camden Garden Club meeting Monday

The Camden Garden Club will hold its next meeting on Monday at Proctor Hall. This will be a business meeting so there will be no speaker or program. Elections will be held for new officers for the upcoming year.

King Haiglar Garden Club March meeting

The King Haiglar Garden Club will meet on Monday at 3:30 p.m. Mary Acken, Nancy Wylie and Carolyn McKittrick will provide refreshments. The meeting will be held at the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County in the Performing Arts Wing.

Life is what happens

"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." John Lennon

Sarah Presley Drakeford

Mrs. Sarah Presley Drakeford, 88, of 2208 Pickett Street, Camden died Monday. Family Friends may call at 1310 Old River Road, Camden. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced at a later date by Brown's Funeral Home, Camden, who is serving the Drakeford Family.