Camden featured on NLC website

The National League of Cities (NLC), which offers a variety of programs to its members cities -- including Let's Move! and a prescription drug card program -- recently began featuring the city of Camden on its website.

Camden earns ‘Let’s Move!’ medals

The National League of Cities (NLC) has recognized Councilmember Alfred Mae Drakeford for recent completion of key health and wellness goals for Let's Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC). LMCTC is a major component of First Lady Michelle Obama's comprehensive Let's Move! initiative, which is dedicated to solving the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation.

Camden’s Ariail honored with national award

Syndicated cartoonist and Camden resident Robert Ariail has been named a recipient of the Berryman Award, a national honor recognizing excellence in editorial cartooning. A cartoonist since 1981, Ariail said he was truly surprised after hearing he won the award. "You enter these things, but you don't really expect to win," Ariail said. "Considering some of the cartoonists ...

Kershaw County Christmas Parade Royalty

Retiring archives director to focus on personal projects

Howard Branham stood in front of an exhibit cabinet in the museum wing of the Camden Archives and Museum Friday morning as about 40 people stopped by to wish him well on his retirement. They included fellow members of city staff, members of the Friends of the Archives and Museum and members of the Camden Archives and Museum Commission.

Council focuses on audit, BAR proposal

Aside from moving forward with its search for a replacement for outgoing City Manager Kevin Bronson, Camden City Council focused on finances and whether or not to create a board of architectural review during its work session Dec. 11. The 2012 fiscal year ended nearly six months ago on June 30.

City holds corridor public meeting

The city of Camden held a public drop-in meeting for citizens input on proposed enhancements for key entryways. Areas that are being considered for improvements include entrances located on West DeKalb Street (U.S. 1) and the north and south ends of Broad Street U.S. 521. There are also plans to further develop the South Rutledge Street parking lot (behind Broad Street, south of Rutledge Street) and the Commerce Alley parking ...

Archives director retires; Richardson named successor

Howard Branham is retiring today as director of the Camden Archives and Museum. Branham began working at the archives in March 1998 and became its director in 2008 following the death of the previous director, Agnes Corbett.

Council tables procurement policy on 3-2 vote

Camden City Council voted Tuesday to table first reading of an ordinance that would reaffirm and amend a procurement policy written into the city's employee handbook. Tuesday night's vote is the latest chapter in a nearly two-year-old struggle over the policy.

Our place in history

Midlands residents watching Steven Spielberg's latest film, Lincoln, may not know that there is a Camden connection to the 16th President of the United States. The fact that his brother-in-law, Dr. George Rogers Clark Todd, is buried in Camden's Quaker Cemetery is likely nothing new to long-time residents, however. With the debut of Spielberg's movie, recollections of the past have reemerged, and Todd is part of that past. <p class="MsoNormal" ...

Heavy agendas to greet new council members

Newly elected Camden Mayor Tony Scully and Councilwoman Laurie Parks will be greeted at their first work session and regular meeting with thick agendas Tuesday. Council will not meet again until January.

Camden corridor/gateway meeting tonight

The city of Camden will hold a drop-in public meeting Monday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to seek public input regarding corridor and gateway improvements. The public meeting will be held at Camden High School's Media Center, 1022 Ehrenclou Drive. The meeting will provide opportunity for interested individuals and groups to actively participate in the planning and design process.

Camden Christmas tree Lighting

Candlelight Tour returns Dec. 8

Break out your mittens and winter jackets and experience the "the historic charm of South Carolina's oldest inland city" at the 36th annual Candlelight Tour of Homes on Dec. 8 from 3 to 8 p.m.

Emotions run high at last council meeting for Graham, Partin

Some drama, a "sermon" and a tearful good-bye highlighted Mayor Jeffrey Graham and Councilman Pat Partin's last Camden City Council meeting Tuesday night. Emotions ran high during both actual business and in the parting words Partin, leaving council after 12 years, and Graham, as outgoing mayor, spoke at meeting's end.

Jungle Safari delights some, rankles others

The appearance Wednesday of a small traveling zoo in Camden provided some residents the chance to see, close up, certain animals they might only ever encounter on television or the Internet. Other residents, however, expressed dismay that such an exhibit was allowed to come to Camden much less exist at all.

Smith named State Transport Police 2012 Employee of the Year

The South Carolina State Transport Police (STP) held a ceremony on Friday, May 3 to recognize its top employees for 2012. LaShaune Smith, resident of Camden, was named State Transport Police 2012 Employee of the Year. Ms. Smith has been with STP for nine years. She serves as the CMV Statistician and Administrative Assistant to Captain J.D. Price.

Beard collection opens Thursday at Archives

Visitors won't be able to help but stop and stare at the giant rifle at the Camden Archives and Museum. At 6 feet long and 90 pounds heavy, the training rifle features an 8-inch bolt for .50 caliber armor piercing rounds. Fashioned at Pearl Harbor, the rifle's barrel is actually from the USS Arizona sunk during the Japanese attack of Dec. 7, 1941, that catapulted the United States into World War II.

Invista Camden helps out SC jobs

According to a study completed in 2012 by Harrah Analytics, INVISTA's Camden site supports more than 3,000 jobs and more than $145 million in compensation and benefits. The independent economic research firm found each INVISTA job generated, on average, about six other jobs in the state. Nationally, INVISTA's nearly 4,500 full and part-time employees in the United States indirectly resulted in an estimated 22,000 additional jobs and more than $1.3 billion in compensation and ...