Council was also planning to consider a separate ordinance that would have placed a countywide referendum to suspend blue law restrictions on the hours during which certain products and services can be offered on Sundays. Plans to do so were scrapped when the city learned it does not have the legal authority to impose a countywide referendum for the permanent suspension of that portion of the blue laws.

Council decided to place the alcohol ordinance on the agenda during a special Wednesday work session.

If passed on second and final reading two weeks from now, the alcohol-related referendum question would read as follows:

"Shall the South Carolina Department of Revenue (DOR) be authorized to issue temporary permits in this city of Camden, South Carolina, for a period not exceed 24 hours to allow the possession, sale and consumption of alcohol liquors by the drink to bona fide non-profit organizations and business establishments authorized to be licensed for consumption-on-premises sales and to allow the sale of beer and wine at permitted off-premises locations without regard to the days or hours of sales?"

"2009 was a great year for United Way of Kershaw County, and we're here tonight to celebrate each one of you," said Matt Irick, 2009 board chair of the United Way. "Without your hard work and dedication, our United Way would not be what it is today."

Feliciane Green, the keynote speaker, also reminded the group that although they have worked hard on behalf of those who are in need, their work is far from over. Green is the nurse manager for the Homeless Recovery Center of Mental Illness Recovery Center Inc. and an ordained minister.

According to the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform's Web site, Schools to Watch are academically excellent, developmentally responsive and socially equitable. National Forum judges also attributed Lugoff-Elgin Middle's award to its student-centered focus and strong ties to the community.

The Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) replaced the 10-year-old Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests (PACT) as the state's accountability measurement of student achievement for grades 3-8.

McGowan, 38, is making his first bid for public office because he said he believes the people of South Carolina deserve better than what they've been getting from DeMint.

"First off, I'm not a politician," McGowan said during an interview Jan. 27. "I'd be a citizen legislator ... I may or may not be good at this job, at politics, but I can guarantee I'll work for the people."

Cassidy, who turned himself around noon Monday, has been charged with committing a lewd act on a minor under the age of 16 and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He is accused of inappropriately touching a 15-year-old CHS student after "courting" her for nearly a month through the MySpace social networking site and cell phone text messages. On Jan. 26, Cassidy allegedly instructed the girl on how to cut class so that they could be alone together in his classroom during a free period.

Two Kershaw County School District-issued laptop computers were seized from Cassidy's home Jan. 28 after the victim confirmed the allegations to school officials and law enforcement. Floyd said his department is still awaiting the completion of computer forensic work being conducted by the S.C. Law Enforcement Division.

Floyd also said the investigation into Cassidy's actions didn't end with his arrest. He said investigators will be speaking with officials in other school districts where Cassidy has worked.

The Republican primary is June 8. No opposition has announced thus far.

Jones, chairman of council's finance committee, is wrapping up his first term after being elected in 2006. He said he believes the county needs to get a better handle on its spending.

Taxpayer pocketbooks are not bottomless pits, Jones said. He immediately listed Central Carolina Technical College as a project that has eaten up a lot of funding.

Another project Jones opposed was the West Wateree sewer system.

Sitting in the lecture hall at Camden High School, the board members voted unanimously to have administration create a proposal that would set up a fee schedule for the Kershaw County School District, which would include extracurricular activities. The board's decision to look at this option comes as it attempts to preserve programs while battling a dwindling budget during the next school year.

"One of the things we heard loud and clear was that parents are willing to step up, help out and do different things," said Trustee Mara Horton Jones. "So we're trying to look and think out of the box of different things we can do..."

Last week, KCSD Chief Financial Officer Donnie Wilson provided the facilities and finance committee with fee schedules that several other school districts have used in an attempt to preserve programs at their respective schools.

Trustee Andy James acknowledged that some parents may not be able to pay the fees for their children to participate in the activities.

Holli T. McEachern, of Crooked Pine Lane, Elgin, was convicted Jan. 27 of trafficking 100-200 grams of powder cocaine, trafficking more than 10 grams of crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Fifth Circuit Assistant Solicitor Ron Moak said the 2007 case marked the second time McEachern had been arrested for trafficking crack cocaine.

"This was in the parking lot of the old Domino's on West DeKalb Street in Camden," said Moak.

In their first year, the ACT/SAT Performance Improvement Awards (ASPI) were created to showcase schools that showed high performance on the ACT or SAT and those that have had rapid or continuous improvement in their scores.

Superintendent Frank Morgan said the meetings are open to the public and will allow citizens to review two proposals developed by demographer Jerry McKibben. Morgan and other district officials will be present to answer questions and receive feedback.

Sean Cassidy never hid the fact that he was 32 years old from the 15-year-old girl he was wooing. But he did hide, at least at first, that he was a Camden High School (CHS) American Government/Economics and U.S. History teacher and the head coach of the Lady Bulldogs varsity girls basketball team.

As the online romance moved to the realm of cell phone text messages, Cassidy revealed who he was. The contacts continued until Tuesday, Jan. 26. Some time that day, Cassidy sent the girl a text message instructing her on how to cut class so they could meet in the privacy of his classroom during one of his free periods.

No one else would be there.

That, said Camden Police Department (CPD) Chief Joseph M. Floyd, was the culmination of a month-long series of communication that has landed Cassidy in jail, charged with committing a lewd act on a minor under the age of 16 and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

CPD Chief Joseph M. Floyd expressed concern Monday about the fact that while a friend of the 15-year-old victim told a teacher about the encounter near the end of the school day Tuesday, Jan. 27, his department was not informed of the alleged crime until 9:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 29.

"Our investigation concluded Tuesday and we have determined there was no wrongdoing on the part of employees," Floyd said during an interview in his office Tuesday afternoon with Kershaw County School District (KCSD) Communication Director Mary Anne Byrd present.

Tuesday afternoon at the Kershaw County Detention Center, Kershaw County Magistrate Judge Rick Todd set bond on the lewd act charge at $60,000 and $10,000 on the contributing charge. Todd is not allowing Cassidy to post 10 percent of the bond to be released from jail, meaning Cassidy must come up -- either in cash, some form of surety or through a bonding company -- the entire $70,000.

Fifth Circuit Deputy Solicitor John Meadors divulged some new facts in the case against Cassidy. He said Cassidy's contact with the 15-year-old victim, a 10th-grade honor student at CHS, began in December through a MySpace account. Cassidy used an alias, said Meadors. The contact then escalated to texting each other via cell phone. By that time, said Meadors, the victim knew who Cassidy was.

Morgan said that the attendance proposals involve moving approximately 260 students from Doby's Mill Elementary School to Blaney Elementary School. Doby's Mill Elementary has six mobile units and currently serves close to 800 students. Blaney Elementary currently serves close to 500 students and is undergoing a six-classroom addition that will be ready next school year.

The proposals do not involve any changes to the attendance zone lines for Lugoff Elementary or Wateree Elementary.

Morgan, who arrived at the meeting Monday night at Blaney Elementary with pen and note pad in hand, told the crowd their contributions during the discussion had put many of their problems "on his radar" to be brought up during the next school board meeting.

Of the topics addressed, most parents were interested in what steps would be taken by the school district regarding grandfathering.

King recently announced that he will not seek re-election to the school board this year. Instead, he has officially thrown his name into the hat for Kershaw County Council chairman. He is the first candidate to announce for the post.

King will run as a Republican.

While still below the statewide number of 12.6 percent, Kershaw County increased from November's 10.9 percent, and that was up from October's 10.5. The highest unemployment month in 2009 was June at 11.6 percent.

That's the first time unemployment has been in double digits since 1994, according to Economic Development Director Nelson Lindsay, who's primarily responsible for recruiting new industry and retaining current businesses. He said he wasn't surprised with the most recent numbers.