Holiday Toy Train exhibit to open at Historic Camden Saturday

At the close of the 19th century, a German named Marklin introduced several series of gauged toy trains sets that included ready-to-use track sections, locomotives, cars and accessories, plus enticing add-on pieces for future Christmas and birthday gifts. Within two years, Lionel's first electric train was chugging around its track in holiday store windows beckoning all to the magical world of toy trains.

My Thanksgiving story

I am a 66-year-old senior lady who lives on Social Security and a small check from my past husband. I am thankful all the time, not just Thanksgiving. I try my best to help someone or touch someone if it is only a smile. I've always rather give than receive, but this story really touched heart and it happened to me.

Miss Chick, Mr. Kreisman plan spring wedding

Ms. Debra L. Chick of Camden and Mr. Terence P. Chick of Pasco, Wash., announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Erin Lynne Chick of Sherman Oaks, Calif., to Todd Kreisman of Sherman Oaks, Calif. He is the son of Mr. Dan Kreisman, of Woodstock, Ill., and Mrs. Donna Kaye of Schaumburg, Ill.

Wayne Rhodes

Funeral service for Rev. Wendell Wayne Rhodes, 78, of Ventura, Calife., will be held Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at Powers Funeral Home, Lugoff, with burial to follow in Ridgeway Cemetery in Centerville, S.C. The family will receive friends Tuesday 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to American Heart Association.

Local educators honored with reading awards

The Kershaw County Reading Council (KCRC) recently held its annual Reading Teacher of the Year banquet at Pine Tree Hill Elementary School. Each school in the district had the opportunity to nominate a Reading Teacher of the Year who created portfolios and displays to be critiqued by an external judge.

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.

Demons lose Radcliff, game in same day

Things started on an ominous note for the Lugoff-Elgin baseball team on Thursday and they would not get better that evening.

Focusing on finding the best healthcare outcomes

Recently, I attended the Congress on Healthcare Leadership presented by the American College of Healthcare Executives, and I was most impressed by one presentation: Building the New Healthcare Delivery System. In particular, I was struck by the fact that healthcare executives from across the country were focused almost exclusively on this new world of healthcare and its impact on how the organizations they lead are designed.

Beautiful in a different way

She was not a pretty woman in the days of her youth. Her lips were too thin, her forehead too high and her eyes so round that they seemed to bulge into the lens of the glasses she wore.

The road diet boon-doggle mistake

The road diet -- what a mistake. Even the mayor admits it could be a mistake. When the mayor was running for office he led me to believe that he was against the Broad Street diet. Two years later, he has flipped his opinion about the diet project. The mayor's vote, along with two of the previous council members, is what placed this mistake in motion. The urgency for the vote was to apply for a grant. A grant is federal tax dollars and not free money as some believe. This type of attitude is one of the reasons our ...

Elliott feature speaker at KC Gamecock Club celebration

The Kershaw County Gamecock Club will hold its annual "Great to be a Gamecock Gathering" on Tuesday, April 29 at the Old South Restaurant in Camden at 6:30 p.m.