Keeping a stepdad at a comfortable distance

Dear Annie: My mother passed away two years ago. She had been with "Biff" for about 13 years. Biff is a jerk. Most of the family discontinued all contact with my mother because no one could stand him. I tolerated him, but he made me uncomfortable. When I was a teenager, he made sexual comments to me, and I moved out of the house as soon as I could. He was also verbally abusive of ...

Theo Branham

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Theodocia "Theo" Hearon Branham, 81, of Elgin will be held Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 3:00 PM at Refuge Baptist Church. Rev. Tim Broughton will officiate. The family will receive friends Tuesday, December 28, 2010 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Kornegay Funeral Home, Lugoff-Elgin Chapel. The burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Mrs. Branham's memory to Refuge Baptist ...

County education leaders off course

If our school board and the superintendent of education spent as much time on education as they do on acquiring property, maybe we would be able to do a more credible job of education.

Phyllis W. Bedenbaugh

Services for Phyllis Williams Bedenbaugh, 60, of Lugoff, will be private. Memorials may be made to St. Johns United Methodist Church Building Fund.

County government shut down for five days

It's the holidays and everyone enjoys being off of work and spending time with their family. So naturally the courthouse and Kershaw County offices were closed for five days straight. What? Yes, they were closed Dec. 23-27. Let me think … what holiday is the 27th? Oh yeah, it's the Monday after Christmas. Everyone celebrates that holiday, right? Even the banks can't close for more than three days in a row.

BOA donates $5,000 to FAC

Bank Of America (BOA) made a $5,000 donation to the Fine Arts Center (FAC) of Kershaw County in December. (From left) Sherry Wescom, BOA consumer market executive; Kristin Cobb, FAC executive director FAC; Eric J. Will, Camden branch BOA managerl; and Joe Dunat, BOA consumer market manager were in attendance for the check presentation.

County Births -- Dec. 29

NATALIE MARIE BRAGG Mr. and Mrs. Randy Bragg of Lugoff announce the birth of a daughter, Natalie Marie, on December 5, 2010. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Mrs. Bragg is the former Brandy Catoe. The maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell Catoe of Camden. The paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Bragg of Cassatt. KAILEY NA'SHAY PRIMES Alicia Rivers and Katrell Primes, both of Elliott, announce the birth of a daughter, Kailey ...

Trevor holding out hope for bowl edition ruling to go his way

Now that the pre-season is over, it is time to crown the true champion of the Fearless Forecast.

For Biden, mission accomplished

WASHINGTON -- The vice president calls, more than an hour after the appointed time but with an impeccable excuse: He was presiding over the Senate's vote to ratify the New START treaty.

William J. Boone

Funeral services for William Jackson Boone, 92, of Camden will be held Monday, December 27, 2010 at 4:00 PM at DeKalb Baptist Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Rev. Keith Coates and DeWitt Atkerson will officiate. The family receivef friends Sunday, December 26, 2010 from 3:00 – 5:00 PM at Kornegay Funeral Home Camden Chapel. Memorials may be made in Mr. Boone's memory to DeKalb Baptist Church, ...

KCSD's three high schools honored for SAT/ACT scores

All three Kershaw County high schools were among 72 high schools in the state to be recognized for achievement on either the ACT or SAT college entrance exams, according to the S.C. Department of Education.

Guild named Infection Preventionist of the Year

PaulaGuild, MN, RN, CIC, has been awarded the Infection Preventionist of the Year award by the Palmetto Chapter of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC). She serves as the infection prevention and control director for KershawHealth.

Noted and passed

• The new census brought good news for South Carolina, as the Palmetto State's population growth over the past decade will result in an additional Congressional seat, bringing the state's total to 7. As expected, most states which will pick up seats are in the South and the West, and most which will lose states are in the industrial Midwest and the Northeast. The new Congressional map amounts to an obstacle for national Democrats.

Bruce Beattie -- Dec. 27, 2010

'Alcopops' a high-risk potion

As we continue to celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year this weekend, it is important to be sensible about our merry-making. In addition to the well-known dangers, there is a new one -- alcoholic energy drinks, otherwise known as "alcopops." These drinks have recently gained national attention after a rash of student hospitalizations in other states.

Music City finish mimics 2012 Colonial Cup

NASHVILLE -- On a spectacular afternoon of racing at the 72nd annual Iroquois Steeplechase, Jacqueline Ohrstrom's Demonstrative edged past Divine Fortune at the finish line to win Saturday's $150,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1) by a head.

CHS 4 x 100-relay team third in AAA state meet

Led by a third place finish from its 4 x 100-meter relay team, the Camden High boys' track team finished in 12th place at last weekend's South Carolina High School League State Championships held at Lower Richland High School in Hopkins.

The IRS

There are jokes aplenty about the Internal Revenue Service, but the latest revelations about that agency's conduct in targeting conservative groups is no laughing matter. In reality, it's not about conservative groups or liberal groups or apolitical groups. It's about the abhorrent idea that the IRS would single out any kind of organization or individual to harass -- and indeed it is harassment. <p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="text-align: left; text-indent: ...

Deacon Marion Jenkins

Deacon Marion Jenkins, 68, of 5545 Pisgah Road, Rembert, died Sunday. Friends may call at the residence. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced at a later date by Brown's Funeral Home, Camden, who is serving the family.

Josephine G. Warner

Mrs. Josephine G. Warner, age 90, of Lugoff, SC, (formerly of Clarksburg,WV) passed away Saturday, May 11, 2013 at Myrtle Beach Manor in Myrtle Beach, SC, following an extended illness. She was born in Philippi, WV, August 14, 1922, a daughter of the late Herbert Edward Golden and Grayce Booth Golden.

Alfred H. Rohrig

Teresa Lynn Hough

Jak Smyrl collection purchased by USC library

The University of South Carolina (USC) Libraries is now home to a collection of more than 5,000 images, plus correspondence, sketchbooks, and even early elementary-school artwork Camden's Oscar Jackson "Jak" Smyrl, The State newspaper's first staff artist, who passed away in 2007.