Crime Report - Sept. 12, 2012

The Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) reported that a man saw two people in a white Ford truck and a third in a green Dodge car driving down the street with his washer, dryer and stove in their vehicles.

Small explosion reported at Elgin WeylChem plant

A small vessel, or container, "over-pressurized and ruptured," at WeylChem US Inc.'s Elgin plant Friday causing "a very loud noise." Several Elgin residents called the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office after they heard the explosion around 3:45 p.m.

Restoring Carolina

Each September, the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) conducts its Restorings Carolina Through Youth Service program.

County among lowest third for school district funding

The Kershaw County School District (KCSD) is among the lowest third group of South Carolina school districts in terms of combined state and local funding.

The investigation in the reporting

Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews offered me an investigator position at the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office last week.

Crime Report - Sept. 5, 2012

An Elgin man and his girlfriend came home to find a man sleeping on their couch. The victim said the man ate about $20 worth of food from their home and left the kitchen "a mess."

CPD chief helps reunite owner with special dog

A woman whose Greyhound ran off during a walk has Camden's top cop to thanks for helping reunite her with the dog. Camden Police Chief Joe Floyd helped Barbara Loury find her missing Greyhound this week after it got loose from its collar on East DeKalb Street.

Fort Clark Pastor recalls Grant, wife attending church

Freddie Grant was married, baptized and elected as a trustee of Ft. Clark Baptist Church, in Elgin, long before he became a suspect in the kidnapping of 15-year old Gabrielle "Gabbiee" Swainson. Grant, being held in Lexington on a federal gun possession charge, is a suspect in Gabbiee's disappearance, the September 2011 disappearance of a Florida woman who once lived with him and is ...

Oh, the questions I would ask

Besse Berry Brown Cooper celebrated her 116th birthday on Sunday, Aug. 26. The Georgia woman is the eighth person in the world to reach the tender age of 116, and she is the fourth American.

Crime Report - Aug. 29, 2012

Three men held a woman at gunpoint and hit a man so hard that several of his teeth were broken after they "forcibly" entered a home on Marion Street in Lugoff early Monday morning.

A love of Fords

A love of Ford cars and trucks, which grew with their love for each other, recently landed a Liberty Hill couple in the pages -- and one of their antique cars on the cover -- of a national Ford V-8 magazine.

School board reviews, expands goals

With the first day of school now past, the Kershaw County Board of School Trustees used part of its meeting Tuesday night to review and expand goals they set a year ago.

What is legitimate rape, Mr. Akin?

Rep. Todd Akin made some frankly repulsive comments this week about rape and the female body. The U.S. Senate contender responded with the following after he was asked about his ideas on abortion on a Missouri TV station:

Crime Report - Aug. 22, 2012

The Camden Police Department (CPD) is looking for a man who allegedly robbed a convenience store more than a week ago. The store is identified in a CPD report as being at the corner of U.S. 521 South and Black River Road.

KCSD updates tech as ninth graders get first iPads

School has begun and students are waking up to alarm clocks set on their new Apple iPads.

Pine Grove Residential student found dead in swimming pool

A 15-year-old teen with a developmental disorder was found dead on Friday after he walked away from the school he attended in Elgin for the second time, according to authorities.

McCaskill settles lawsuit against KCSO for $75,000

Kershaw County's insurance carrier will pay former Kershaw County Sheriff Steve McCaskill $75,000 to settle his defamation lawsuit against the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO). The lawsuit and four others were originally directed against current Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews as an individual over comments he made soon after taking office in 2011. However, Matthews has maintained he was speaking as a county official, so all the lawsuits were redirected against the KCSO. <p ...

KCSD helps parents to lead by example

KCSD celebrates adult ed graduates during ceremony

More than 70 adult students received their GEDs or high school diplomas from the Kershaw County School District (KCSD) Adult Education program this year.