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Category: Community

  • Dogs push Fairfield County shelter over capacity

    Bob Innes, Director of the Fairfield Co. Animal Shelter & Adoption Center, checks on dog crates stacked two-high in a back room of the shelter, which is housing 22 more dogs than it has capacity for. | Photos: Barbara Ball

    WINNSBORO – The Fairfield County Animal Shelter announced on Jan. 6 that it would be closing its doors for all non-emergency intakes until further notice.

    “We are so overcrowded right now that we can’t take any more dogs from people dropping them off for surrender,” said Fairfield County Animal Shelter Director Bob Innes. “We have to save what space we have for emergencies – dogs hit by cars, strays that have to be picked up, etc.

    “We have 65 dogs in here now and we only have capacity for 43,” he said. “At this point they have to go right into a crate when they come in, and we have to keep many of them outside during the day in their pens. We don’t have the space inside. But it’s so cold at night that we start bringing the dogs in about 4 o’clock in the afternoon.”

    “We’re bursting at the seams,” Innes said of the situation. “At night, they’re all over the place in here. We just don’t have enough space.”

    Space for these dogs was found in the shelter’s restroom between the toilet and the wall.

    By the time staff leaves for the day, Innes says dogs in crates occupy every open space inside the shelter – sometimes two crates high – in hallways, restrooms, the laundry room, the entry, the back room, everywhere.

    Innes’s passion for the animals he oversees has inspired a cadre of volunteers who not only help with the animals, but donate and fundraise for the shelter.

    Much of the funds the shelter operates on, especially for emergencies, are raised and donated by the Hoof and Paw Benevolent Society, the Friends of Fairfield County SC Animal Shelter, and from others in the community. Innes says much of the donations come from outside Fairfield County. In December, the Blythewood Artists’ Guild raised thousands of dollars in cash and products for the shelter during the Guild’s annual holiday market.

    The intake, across the street and next to the public works building, consists of a long narrow hallway with kennels along each side with no space for other offices. Only a few have outside runs.

    Besides not having adequate space to properly house the dogs as they wait for adoption or transfer, the inside of the intake facility across the street from the shelter is stark and cramped – a single, narrow hallway with kennels on either side. 

    Volunteers have been campaigning for and raising funds toward building a new, more adequate, up-to-date shelter. At the same time, the county has made cuts in funding to the shelter last year as well as cutbacks in temporary help, a blow to the shelter’s day-to-day operations.

    Almost all of the dogs the shelter takes in are Pit Bulls or a mix of the breed. Innes says they’re good dogs, they just need good homes.

    Under Innes’ guidance, the Fairfield shelter has been designated a no-kill shelter. He says euthanasia is not an option to overcrowding – that is only used for severe sickness or injury.

    “We’ve been able to transfer some of the dogs to rescue organizations,” Innes said, “but we need to move more.” 

    The shelter depends on volunteers to transport these dogs to other areas of the state and even across the country where their chance of adoption is better. But for the last month or so, transfers and adoptions have been slow.

    According to a post on the shelter’s website, adoptions from the shelter are not limited to residents of Fairfield County. Residents from surrounding counties are welcome to adopt, he says.

    To volunteer or donate to the shelter, call 803-815-0805.

    The shelter is located at 1678 U.S. Highway 321 Business North in Winnsboro. Hours are Monday – Friday, 12 noon to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment on Saturdays.

  • Town Hall set to address proposed rezoning on Killian Road

    Killian Zoning Map

    COLUMBIA – A town hall meeting is set for Thursday, Jan. 6 to discuss a map amendment request on Killian Road. The request seeks to rezone a 32-acre parcel in the 100 block of Killian Road from a rural district (RU) to a general commercial district (GC).

    Residents in nearby communities are encouraged to attend the in-person meeting, set for 6 to 7 p.m. at Parklane Adult Activity Center, 7494 Parklane Road, Columbia. Face coverings will be required, and physical distancing measures will be enforced. County Councilwoman Gretchen Barron is organizing the meeting.

    Barron, who represents District 7, and the county planning staff will advise residents and answer questions about the rezoning request.

    In order for Richland County Council to enact a rezoning request, an ordinance amending the official zoning map must pass three readings by majority vote.

    For more information, contact Zoning & Development Services at 803-576-2190 or email planningcommission@richlandcountysc.gov.

  • $50K grant helped cut Fairfield opioid deaths in half

    FAIRFIELD COUNTY – A $50,000 State Opioid Response (SOR) grant from South Carolina’s Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services has resulted in a 50 percent decrease in overdose deaths, a 65 percent decrease in the number of opioid and stimulant arrests and a 7.6 percent decrease in drug seizures in Fairfield County during the grant period from January, 2021 through Sept. 17, 2021 in comparison to 2019 and 2020.

    The grant award was made to the Fairfield Opioid Response Team in partnership with Fairfield Behavioral Health Services, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Winnsboro Public Safety Emergency Medical Services, Coroner’s Office and Fairfield County Emergency Management/911.

    The grant allowed the team, starting at the beginning of 2021, to gain access to the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program which gave members real time data of suspected opioid or stimulant overdoses or deaths in different jurisdictions.

    Upon reviewing the tracked data, the team was able to determine locations in Fairfield County that had the greatest need for substance use prevention. Targeting these hotspots, the team hosted six Community Take Back Days, collecting prescription medications from 26 residents; distributing 1,000 Deterra drug deactivation bags; and discussing the importance of proper medication disposal.

    Deterra bags were also distributed to Hawthorne pharmacy, 4 local physicians, and other organizations in the county.

    The SOR grant allowed the team to purchase and install a new prescription drop box at Hawthorne Pharmacy. Boxes are already located at the Sheriff’s office and the Winnsboro Public Safety office. With the installation of this third drop box and the Community Take Back Days, our county collected 146 lbs. of unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications this year

    The also grant enabled the team to raise awareness in the community through billboards, news articles, ads, and a direct mailer in hotspot areas. It also provided funds to give Botvin Life Skills Training, an evidence based prevention program with an opioid lesson, to 72 high school students.

    The Fairfield Opioid Response Team, in partnership with Fairfield Behavioral Health Services, Fairfield County Sheriff Department, Winnsboro Public Safety, Emergency Medical Services, Coroner’s Office, and Fairfield County Emergency Management/911, has now been awarded a second $50,000 SOR grant to continue their efforts to reduce the impact of opioid and stimulant use and abuse in Fairfield County.

    What Can You Do?

    • Learn more about the dangers and impact of opioid use at https://justplainkillers.com and  https://naxolonesavessc.org 
    • Request prescription drug deactivation bags (Deterra Bags) for your family, community, church or business etc.
    • Collect all unused prescription drug pain killers and place them in the prescription drug drop boxes located at Fairfield County Sheriff, Winnsboro Public Safety, and Hawthorne Pharmacy (1 new site to be announced soon)
    • Participate in Opioid Education and Narcan Distribution training through Fairfield Behavioral Health Services and receive free Narcan to prevent an overdose
    • Administer Narcan for someone you believe in good faith is experiencing an opioid overdose without being subject to civil or criminal liability
    • Participate in the Strengthening Families Program through Fairfield Behavioral Health Services
    • Start treatment and recovery for opioid and stimulant use at Fairfield Behavioral Health Services

    For more information contact Fairfield Behavioral Health Services: (803) 635-2335; www.fairfieldbhs.org

  • Duke enhances recreation at Lake Wateree

    Duke Energy and Fairfield County officials cut the ribbon on a new public recreation access area on Lake Wateree on Friday, Dec. 4. The enhancement makes Molly’s Creek the largest recreation access area in the company’s history.

    LAKE WATEREE – Duke Energy cut the ribbon on a new public recreation access area on Lake Wateree on Friday, Dec. 4.  It is the largest recreation access area in the company’s history and one of four planned for the Fairfield side of the Lake.

    These improvements are part of ongoing efforts to ensure quality recreation access areas are available for public use on Duke Energy-managed lakes. These investments are a result of commitments made by Duke Energy, Fairfield County and 69 other stakeholders in the Comprehensive Re-licensing Agreement signed in 2006 and required by the company’s hydroelectric operating license the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued in 2015.

    The Molly Creek Access Area is located at 604 Island Road in Fairfield.

    Photo provided by Duke Energy

  • County seeks input at Sept. 2 BW meeting

    BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood 29016 residents will have the opportunity to have input into recently updated county land development rules with county staff on Thursday, Sept. 2 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Palmetto Citizens Amphitheater in Doko Meadows Park, 100 Alvina Hagood Circle in Blythewood.

    The meeting, hosted by Richland County Council member Derek Pugh (District 2 Blythewood), will focus on the revamped Land Development Code (LDC).

    The LDC is a set of regulations governing land use and development in unincorporated Richland County. The code covers standards for zoning districts and dwelling units allowed per acre, along with building location, permitted uses, signage, landscaping and other rules.

    County officials say the updating is a process to develop regulations that implement a vision for where and how the county grows in the 21st century.

    The updated LDC will be viewed in two separate sessions – one for viewing the text portion of the revision and a later session for viewing the map portion of the revision.

    The updating began in 2017 and was touted as offering the residents an opportunity to have input. The public sessions, however, were poorly advertised and were not widely attended,” Pugh said.

    Shortly after the first of the year, the planning staff asked council members to pass the updated version of the LDC. Council, the majority of whom had recently been elected to office, pushed back saying they needed more time to look at the revisions.

    “We couldn’t just pass it without familiarizing ourselves with the new code,” Pugh said.  “We also wanted to be sure our constituents were familiar with the rewrite and were happy with it. We didn’t want to just push it through. After all, it effects people’s properties.”

    A series of drop-ins was scheduled earlier this spring and summer, but with little publicity about the drop-ins, few people showed up for the meetings.

    The Voice received no notification about the meeting from the county. It was sent to the chamber for distribution to its approximately 146 members.

    Pugh asked county to reschedule the meeting for Thursday, Sept. 2.

    The public can view the draft of the revamped LDC at weplantogether.org. Find out more at www.richlandcounty sc.gov and navigate to the Planning Department page.

  • No bidders for construction of new Lake Wateree fire station

    FAIRFIELD COUNTY – The new fire station that’s planned near Lake Wateree came out of its initial bid process with disappointing results: Not a single company bid on the project.

    Fairfield County Fire Chief Jason Pope says he isn’t sure why no bids came in, but the details of the design and the surprising recent increase in the price of construction materials may have been factors.

    His plan is to redesign the project with the goal of making it simpler and, perhaps, easier to bid on.

    We didn’t have anyone really call us or say why they didn’t bid.

    Jason Pope, Director
    Fairfield County Fire Service

    “As to the exact reason I couldn’t tell you. We didn’t have anybody really call us and tell us why they would or would not bid,” Pope told the Fairfield County Council at Monday night’s meeting. “However, what I can tell you is that our plan going forward [is that] we’re going to revisit the architectural drawings… and we’re going to make it a little bit simpler.”

    Then, he explained in an interview Tuesday, they will actively seek bidders.

    Given the high price of lumber, he says he’s not sure if the building can still be constructed for the budgeted $375,000, which was approved by the council in February. But he won’t know until he gets some bids.

    “That’s definitely going to be a challenge,” he says of current building material costs, which he’s been told make the cost of constructing a building with wood comparable to the cost of a metal building.

    “We put this bid package together last fall, and then the money was approved in February of this year, and during that time is when the lumber price spike happened, and so we’re not sure how that’s going to affect it,” he says.

    “What we budgeted for the building – the price is going to be higher than that obviously, but without getting bids you don’t know what it’s going to be.”

    If the bids come in a lot higher than expected, he says, then the county will have to consider its options – whether that means allocating more funding, delaying the project, or further simplifying the design to cut costs. But first, they need some bids.

    “We want the fire station built,” Pope says. “It’s going to help protect the citizens and the residents of the county, so we’re going to do everything we can to get it built.”

    The new fire station would be the 15th in the county’s mostly-volunteer system, which staffs five stations during business hours and relies on volunteers to cover the rest of the time and the rest of the county.

    Pope says new volunteer firefighters are always welcome; the number today – roughly 165 countywide – is slightly more than half of what it was 25 years ago.

    When the county’s volunteer fire departments opened beginning 50 years ago in 1971, he says, they relied on a strong base of community support. A decade ago, in 2011, the independent departments were consolidated under the county fire service as a core function of local government.

    The new fire station, a project initiated and pushed into reality by former County Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas, is to be built on River Road between the Lake Wateree Presbyterian Church and the recycling center.

    The plan includes four bays to house a fire truck, tanker, boat, and EMS vehicle, as well as restrooms, showers, a kitchen, and living quarters to accommodate firefighters who might man the facility in the future.

    Originally proposed in 2007, the project began in earnest about four years ago, Pope says. It took roughly two years for the county to obtain the 2.4-acre site to build it on, and site work has been completed by county public works employees; it’s now ready for the building.

    In the area where it is to be located, Pope says, there are approximately 300 homes that are currently more than five road miles from the nearest fire station – a distance that means homeowners have increased insurance premiums and, more importantly, increased risk in the event of a fire.

    “This fire station will put fire trucks in their back yard available to respond,” Pope says, “and it will significantly reduce their homeowners’ insurance.”

  • Lake Wateree enhancements underway

    LAKE WATEREE – Major improvements to recreation and picnic areas around Lake Wateree that have been in the planning stage since 2006 are now underway full steam, according to John Crutchfield, a representative from Duke Energy, who updated county council members Monday night on the construction process.

    Among 89 sites to be improved by Duke Energy from Lake James to Lake Wateree over a 20-year span, at least three sites located on Lake Wateree in Fairfield County will be completed in the first five years and another one in the second five years, Crutchfield said.

    While the improvements are primarily in Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas’s District 2 and some in Councilman Moses Bell’s District 1, Douglas told The Voice after the meeting that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission required Duke to develop the recreation improvement/management plan.

    “While we assisted in offering any information we could to Duke officials,” Douglas said, “They actually came to us with the plan. We were just happy to assist them in any way. The improvements will add a lot to the enjoyment of the lake.”

    The plan, Crutchfield said, is very detailed featuring construction timelines, operations and management.

    “All four of the first Fairfield sites we are improving will be completed by 2022 and include: Wateree Creek accessory which was completed last year,” Crutchfield said, “and it is now open to the public; Molly’s Creek a new access area, is under construction, and we’re underway with the engineering and design phase for Colonel’s Creek access area. Taylor’s Creek – in another five years,” Crutchfield said.

    “We’re legally bound to implement these plans,” Crutchfield said.

    Improvements for the Wateree Creek site include a fishing pier, picnic facility, restrooms and approximately 10 gravel parking spaces.

    Currently undeveloped, Molly’s Creek is under construction and will have a swimming area, paved parking, restrooms, trails, bank and pier fishing, picnic facilities and boat trailer parking. We started construction in late 2019 and we’ll will have that site completed in the late June, early July timeframe.

    “We are currently working on the fishing pier, the swim beach and the boat ramps. We’ve done the grading for the area, laid down the base coat for the parking and started on the curbing for the parking. We’ll also install three restrooms and an attendant storage building,” Crutchfield said.

    “As far Colonels Creek, we are currently in the engineering design and permitting phase. We expect to start construction in late April or May of next year and go through the next recreation season. We anticipate the swim beach will be open during the recreation season of 2022. We’re building the swimming areas, restrooms, picnic shelter and additional paved parking.

    Once Colonels Creek is completed, we will offer the county the opportunity to lease it through our Access Area Improvement Initiative lease program.

    Taylor’s Creek is a new site and will be constructed in the second five years, to be completed by 2027.

    “We plan to build a parking area for about 10 vehicles, and then a trail down to the lakes edge with a fishing trail for bank fishing opportunities,” Crutchfield said.

  • Fairfield citizens to benefit from paramedicine program

    FAIRFIELD – Residents in Fairfield County will soon be able to receive health assessments and non-emergency medical care at home from specially trained paramedics, rather than traveling to a distant emergency department, thanks to a community paramedicine (CP) initiative of the South Carolina Office of Rural Health (SCORH). Lee and Calhoun counties will also be included in the program.

    Community paramedicine is a healthcare model that allows paramedics go out into the community on routine appointments to assess and treat patients in their homes under doctors’ orders. Paramedics go through extensive training beyond their paramedic certification to receive a CP endorsement.

    Fairfield was selected for this training because it is one of eight counties in South Carolina that do not have a hospital within their counties.

    SCORH was awarded the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program – Emergency Medical Services (Flex-EMS) Supplement in 2019 to help EMS providers in rural counties develop a CP program. This was a competitive cooperative agreement through the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). SCORH is one of only six grant recipients nationwide.

    The Flex-EMS Supplement will also allow SCORH to develop two other innovative models of care that will allow rural EMTs greater flexibility when responding to a 911 call – Alternative Destinaton and Treat-No-Transport or Telehealth.

    Alternative Destination will allow ambulances to transport patients to a more appropriate care facility (such as a primary care office) when transportation to an emergency room isn’t warranted.

    Treat-No-Transport or Telehealth will allow EMTs to provide onsite triage and treatment to patients through telehealth with a physician when transportation to an emergency room isn’t warranted.

    “Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provide transportation and life-saving care to patients during their times of most dire need,” said Sarah Craig, director of health system innovation for SCORH. “But transportation to an emergency department in a neighboring county when it is not medically necessary puts a tremendous strain on our rural EMS providers. The community paramedicine model will provide faster and more appropriate care.”

    Through the Flex-EMS Supplement, SCORH aims to advance community paramedicine efforts already established in the state. By the end of 2022, SCORH hopes to have these innovative models of care approved by the state for use by any qualified EMS agency.

    “By providing EMS agencies the ability to sustainably treat patients in the location most appropriate for the patient’s needs, it will create a more efficient and responsive healthcare delivery system,” Craig said.

    With 27 percent of the state’s residents living in rural areas, SCORH believes in preserving the unique character of rural communities without compromising their opportunities and access to critical services.

  • Alston trailhead improvements to promote western Fairfield

    Palmetto Trail hikers stop at the Alston trailhead in Fairfield County to promote the trail and publicize improvements at Alston that were made possible by a grant from Fairfield Forward. Standing next to the new information kiosks purchased with some of the $5,000 grant are, from left: Chair of Palmetto Trails Dr. Tracey McPherson, expedition leader and attorney Tom Mullican, Fairfield County Community Development Director Chris Clauson and Fairfield County Administrator Jason Taylor.

    FAIRFIELD COUNTY – A hike Tuesday on the part of the Palmetto Trail that runs through western Fairfield County and ends at the Alston trailhead, brought together several partners in an effort to enhance the trail and to encourage people to come out and enjoy the outdoors with their families.

    The hiking event from Peak to Prosperity, totaling about 10.7 miles, included leaders from Fairfield county; the Palmetto Conservation Foundation, which manages the trail system; the Kids in Parks program, which is expanding into South Carolina; and hike leader Tom Mullikin, a local adventurer who’s hiking trails around the state this month (www.southcarolina7.com).

    Not far from where the trail ended at Fairfield’s Alston trailhead, is an impressive bridge across the Broad River. The historic railroad trestle built in 1890 features scenic views and is a popular spot with photographers. The railroad has a long history in the area. An earlier bridge in the same location was burned during the Civil War.

    “There are different small efforts being made to enhance the trail, and our partnership with Fairfield County in this is growing,” said Mary Roe, executive director of the Palmetto Trail. “I think we’re very aligned in how we would like to bring people out to the Alston trailhead in Fairfield.”

    Chris Clauson, who is both Fairfield County’s community development director and chairman of local nonprofit Fairfield Forward, said the plan going forward is to make even more improvements for the benefit of county residents and to encourage them to use the trail for enjoyment and improved health.

    A $5,000 grant from Fairfield Forward helped fund some of the current Alston Trailhead improvements, including new park benches, two new information kiosks that offer brochures about plants and animals native to the area and other things. Clauson said these improvements are part of a larger effort the county is working on for the area.

    “We have a larger process we’re going through to master plan that entire tract, but we’re still in the early stages, and we’re kind of trying to find [additional] partners as well,” he says.

    “We’re working with the Palmetto Conservation Foundation to do more there, to basically make the Alston Trailhead area a real destination, more so than it already is, for all sorts of people – not just from the county, but from outside of the county and, hopefully, even from the state.”

    County officials see the area as a potential tourist attraction that could benefit the county, especially the western part.

    Other projects being considered are the improvement of an existing rudimentary kayak launch to make it more accessible for families, as well as improvements to picnic areas and camping facilities.

    Across the river in Newberry County, the trail on the former railroad bed passes the towns of Peak, Pomaria, and Prosperity; along the way, it has 14 wooden trestles over a creek meandering through the area, which was settled by German immigrants in the 1730s.

    “It’s one of our most popular trail systems,” Roe said, noting that in addition to the draw of its scenic views, the former railroad bed is wide and open, and lends itself to social distancing.

    It also lends itself to a variety of different hiking options, she said. The one-mile stretch that includes the bridge is a good option for a leisurely family walk, while those interested in a longer hike might walk 3.5 miles to Hope Station. An even longer option is the 6.5-mile hike to the Pomeria trailhead. The full trail distance, which is just shy of 11 miles, is more popular among bicyclists.

    “A lot of people, what they might do is park a car at Alston and park a car at Pomeria Station so they could walk the 6.5 miles and then go to the other trailhead and get the other car,” she says. “We encourage people, if they want to do a longer hike, to stage cars.”

    As a whole, the Palmetto Trail system includes around 370 miles, which stretch from the mountains in South Carolina’s upstate to the coast in Charleston County. The goal is to ultimately link them all together, with a total trail mileage of around 500.

    Maps of all the trail segments, which are officially referred to as passages, can be found on the Palmetto Conservation Foundation website at www.palmettoconservation.org. Both viewable online maps and downloadable offline maps are available for free. Peak to Prosperity is the local one.

    For families in particular, the TRACK Trail program has recently been implemented at the Alston trailhead in Fairfield, providing informational brochures for families about plants and animals along the trail. The program also has an online component, which has interactive features for kids and offers prizes through the mail.

    “Kids can track their trail adventures through our website,” said Jason Urroz, director of Kids in Parks, which oversees TRACK Trails and is a program of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. “They can kind of collect their locations and their different prizes along the way, and hopefully that encourages them to want to go on more and more adventures.”

    Urroz says the program, which currently has about 120 trail locations in North Carolina and 207 in a dozen states, will soon be adding its program to nine more trails in South Carolina’s midlands and upstate regions.

    More information on TRACK trails can be found at www.kidsinparks.com. Urros said the program has been around for more than a decade – and it’s all about helping kids and families get past the “unknown” factor in outdoor adventures and have a great time.

    Roe said the trail is a worthwhile destination for anyone in the local area.

    “It’s steeped in history. You can walk across an amazing bridge,” she said. “You can have a simple one-mile hike in and one-mile hike out, get some great exercise and see some amazing turtles when you’re looking down from the bridge. There are some amazing sunsets and sunrises – it’s just a pretty special place.”

  • Council considers citizens review board

    WINNSBORO – During county council time Monday evening, a time when council members speak their mind, Councilman Clarence Gilbert suggested council should look into a review committee for certain situations that might occur between citizens and local law enforcement.

    “Considering what’s going on in our country now, I’d like to propose that our council look into forming a citizens’ review board,” Gilbert said. “It would review situations [that might arise] in our local law enforcement departments.”

    Council Chairman Neil Robinson agreed, saying council should take a proactive approach to initiate a citizen’s advisory board to give citizens a voice.

    “We actually had a meeting with the Sheriff today,” County Administrator Jason Taylor said. “The Chairman and I had kicked this idea around earlier. We thought we need to do something to be proactive, to give people a voice with the sheriff’s department if needed. It’s a way to address issues citizens may have,” Taylor said.

    “The Sheriff said he had already started reaching out to some people for this. And we – the Chairman, Sheriff, Ms. [Assistant County Administrator Laura] Johnson and myself – are looking to develop that further,” Taylor said.

    Gilbert asked if the county would have a say in who is appointed to the review board.

    “Or is it something the sheriff does?” he asked.

    “With the sheriff and you all being elected officials, we’ll see how we can put that together,” Taylor said. “It makes sense for it to be a joint effort.”

    “Not to say (Sheriff) Will (Montgomery) would be impartial about who he might put on the board,” Gilbert said, “but I just think the county or the citizens should have a little say in who sits on the board.”

    Taylor agreed and said he would look into such a proposal.