Fixing a dysfunctional tax structure

When people talk about the tax structure in South Carolina, "dysfunctional" is the word most often used to describe it. This is especially true in terms of the way in which K-12 education is funded in our state. The revenue structure used to fund K-12 education is a morass of provisos, special legislation and conflicting statutes. It is complicated, confusing and arbitrary; it just doesn't work. (A metaphor related to duct tape comes to ...

Margaret E. Dotson Worthy

Margaret Elizabeth Dotson Worthy, 86, of Spartanburg, passed away on Friday, February 11, 2011, at A. Sam Karesh Long Term Care in Camden, SC. Born May 31, 1924, in Spartanburg, SC, she was the daughter of the late Robert Jason and Mary Sue Fulbright Dotson and widow of the late William Harley Worthy.

Willie Mae Neal

Funeral services for Willie Mae Neal, 70, of 2378 Baron DeKalb Road, Camden will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Scott Hill Baptist Church, Flint Hill Road, Camden with burial at St. John Baptist Church Cemetery, John G. Richards Road. Mrs. Neal died Thursday, Feb. 10. Collins Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Sweet treats

The hardworking teachers and staff at Midway Elementary School have been putting forth extra effort to make adjustments for their interim principal, Theodore Jackson. School Resource Officer Michelle Cobb (left) helped him show his appreciation by handing out sweet treats. The candy brought a smile to the face of third-grade teacher Teri Davis (right).

Grace R. Neal

Funeral services to celebrate the life of Grace Carolyn Rhoden Neal, 89, of Camden were held Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church of Camden with burial following in Lugoff First Baptist Church Cemetery. Pastor Bruce Hancock officiated. The family received friends Saturday, February 12, 2011 from 6:00 – 7:30 PM at Kornegay Funeral Home Camden Chapel. Memorials may be made in Mrs. Neal's memory to the A. Sam Karesh Long ...

Back row view to state government's spending problems

We sit on the back row of the state senate with a fairly good view of the good, the bad, and the ugly in our state's government. One of us is a Democrat and one of us is a Republican. But more important than party affiliation is a commitment to responsible and honest government in our state. That's why we have joined together to condemn the recent action of the Budget and Control Board ...

Camden drops pair to Darlington

Catching league-leading Darlington at the wrong time, Camden saw the fate of its season come down to Thursday night's regular season finale against Hartsville.

Chamber board meeting rescheduled to next week

The Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce rescheduled its monthly board of directors meeting from Thursday to next week after a forecast of possible inclement weather.

KCSO Employee of the Month

Beverly Brevard was selected as January's "Employee of the Month" for the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office. Brevard has worked in law enforcement for 22 years, beginning in 1989 as a 911 dispatcher. She began working directly for the sheriff's office in 1995, and now works in the records and sex offender registry.

Pets of the week - Feb. 11, 2011

Among the animals available for adoption at the Walter M. Crowe Animal Shelter are a 1-year-old female tortoiseshell cat and a 10-week-old male shepherd-mix puppy 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 1 p.m. Saturday. The ...

Julia Frierson

Funeral service for Julia James Frierson, 52, of Lugoff, will be held Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Powers Funeral Home with burial to follow in Hardshell Cemetery, Lugoff. Rev. Richard Cameron will officiate. The family will receive friends Saturday 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Richland County Sheriff's Department.

Rev. Charles H. Rabon

Funeral services for Reverend Charles Henry Rabon, 80, of Charlotte, will be held Saturday, February 12, at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church, Kershaw. Rev. Bryant D. Fersner and Rev. Bob Deaton will officiate. Burial will be at 4:00 p.m. Saturday at Lugoff First Baptist Church Cemetery, Lugoff, SC. A memorial service will be held in Charlotte at Providence Baptist Church on Sunday, February 13, at 2:30 p.m. The family will receive friends following ...

Robert Ariail -- Feb. 11, 2011

Less is more

Republicans gained a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in last November's elections, but the GOP is finding that binding all its members together to produce clear policy isn't an easy task. House Republicans earlier this week proposed cutting about $35 billion in spending, slashing such programs as Americorps, family planning assistance and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. But many newly elected members say that's ...

Happy in the Palmetto State

Those of us who are lucky enough to live in South Carolina are accustomed to reading all those quality-of-life surveys that usually place us among the dregs of society.

William Collins

Funeral services for William Burnett Collins, 74, of Lugoff, SC will be held on Friday, June 14, 2013 at 4:00 PM at Lugoff First Baptist Church, with interment to follow in the church cemetery. Dr. Albert Allen and Rev. Dave Robinson will officiate. The family will receive friends Thursday, June 13, 2013 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Kornegay Funeral Home, Lugoff-Elgin Chapel.

CMA hazing trial continues in Columbia

A federal jury is hearing testimony this week as the trial begins of a lawsuit brought against Camden Military Academy (CMA). In the trial's first days, attorneys for a former cadet have brought forward testimony and evidence they say show that, in 2008, other CMA students raped the then 13-year-old boy, according to news reports. The former cadet, listed in the lawsuit only as "JBC," is now 18.

L-E softball, NC tennis players rack up awards

Following a season in which a young Lugoff-Elgin softball team finished third in Region 4-4A play, post-season honors came the way of four members of the Lady Demons' program.

CHS honors student-athletes at annual banquet

For the 60th consecutive year, student-athletes at Camden High school were honored by The Bulldog Club at the organization's annual awards banquet on May 21.

Getting in some heavy lifting

Springdale 5K at Sunset set for Aug. 17

Registration is open for runners and walkers for the 5th Annual Springdale at Sunset 5K Run & 1-lap walk to be held on Saturday, Aug. 17 at the Springdale Race Course in Camden.

IRS reform

People in this country -- no doubt many right here in Kershaw County -- are angry with the Internal Revenue Service and its heavy-handed methods. Of course, the IRS has never been popular, and probably wouldn't be if the agency did everything by the book. But its recent targeting of conservative groups has spotlighted the venom with which overzealous bureaucrats can operate. Adding to it are recent revelations about ...

Youth summer sports camps season cover all bases in the county

With the school year coming to a close, it is time for summer sports camps in Kershaw County.