More than 50 cookers will be lining the tracks at this year’s Pig on the Ridge. | Barbara Ball
RIDGEWAY – The first weekend in November means one thing in Ridgeway: the Pig is back. Friday night’s “No Pigs allowed” runs from 6 – 10:30 p.m. with activities for kids, craft sales, a street party with DJ Doug Pauley, and delicious and different non-pork cuisine for sale.
Saturday kicks off with the BBQ judging contest at 9 a.m.
and the fun lasts until 1 p.m. There will be more of Friday plus a
Classic/Antique Car Display, hog-calling contest and a cruise-by with Town
Councilman Don Prioleau entertaining as he introduces and comments on the
vehicles.
With sunny skies and a slight fall chill, it should be the
perfect weekend for shopping at vendor booths or at the stocked-for-Christmas
shops along Palmer Street.
The Pig on the Ridge is manned by Ridgeway volunteers who
give hours of their time throughout the year to make the festival enjoyable for
the thousands barbecue lovers and shoppers who attend every year.
“We’ll have a new, younger steering committee running the
festival this year,” Rufus Jones one of the original four steering committee
members said. “We’ll be here to help,” he said of the members of the former
steering committee, but they are all experienced and with pit master Tony Crout
heading up the barbecue cookers, it’s going to be lots of fun with plenty of
good food and shopping,” Jones said.
Every year the steering committee holds a dinner prior to the festival for the volunteers. This year it was held at Purity Lodge and guests were catered by Doko Smoke barbecue.
POTR Volunteer Dinner
Larry Weldon
RIDGEWAY – About 50 volunteers who make the Pig on the Ridge
happen gathered at the Purity Lodge in Ridgeway for dinner, visiting and
getting ready for the big weekend starting Friday Nov. 5, and lasting through
about 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 6.
From left are the new steering committee: Deb Truesdale, Mack Miles, Belva Bush Belton, Tony Crout and Tony Jones; and the outgoing POTR steering committee, from left: Henry Dixon, Don Prioleau, Rufus Jones and Gloria Keeffe.
Below, the buffet barbecue dinner catered by Doko Smoke. At right, Larry Weldon, the train man who delivers the barbecue dinners to the train engineer during the festival when the train rolls through town.
BLYTHEWOOD/FAIRFIELD – Whether you’re buying or selling,
it’s time to mark your calendar for the annual 50-mile Big Grab community yard
sale – COVID-style.
The sale is set for Friday, Sept. 10, from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 11, from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The shopping crawl is a figure 8 loop that extends up
Hwy 21 from Blythewood to Ridgeway, then along Highway 34 to Winnsboro where
vendors will be set up along the Highway 321 Bypass, Highway 200 and through
downtown Winnsboro back to the Bypass and back to Blythewood via Highway 321 to
Cedar Creek and then to Blythewood Road.
“It started out at 25 miles as a way to bring people into
our communities and to enjoy small towns again, as well as a way to help our
citizens put a little money in their pockets,” Gene Stephens, president of the
Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce, said.
“The Big Grab has always been a successful weekend for the
Blythewood/Ridgeway/Winnsboro communities and this year, with the world opening
back up after losing more than a year to COVID 19, people are ready to get out.
So it should be bigger and better than ever.
We are, of course, asking everyone, both vendors and
shoppers to observe safety guidelines – wear masks, use hand sanitizer and
social distance,” Stephens said.
The event has been a boon to local churches, who have
capitalized on The Big Grab as a major annual fundraiser – not only selling
their own wares, but also renting out prime selling space to vendors who
otherwise would not have had a spot along the route.
To find the perfect spot to sell stuff, see the list
of available vendor spaces, costs, facilities, etc., at the Fairfield County
Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook Page.
“It’s not just about vendors setting up tables and selling
their wares,” Liz Humphries of Blythewood Consignment said. “It’s a time for
people to shop, eat, walk, talk and experience what the small towns of
Blythewood, Ridgeway and Winnsboro are really about.”
“We hope to see vendors set up all over downtown
Blythewood and beyond. Some set-up areas will be free while there will be a
small charge for others,” Stephens said. “Secure your spot today so you’ll be
ready to sell on the Big (Grab) day.”
Those who have space for vendors to set up, contact the
Fairfield Chamber of Commerce in Winnsboro (803-635-4242) or Liz Humphries at
Blythewood Consignment in Blythewood (803-691-6808).
Candidates for Blythewood Mayor: former mayor Keith Bailey, councilman Bryan Franklin and councilman Malcolm Gordge answer questions from the audience during last week’s candidate forum. | Photos: Barbara Ball
BLYTHEWOOD – Annexation, traffic and striking a balance
between growth and preserving Blythewood’s rural character highlighted a
two-hour town hall forum featuring the town’s three mayoral candidates in the
first hour and four of five council candidates in the second hour Thursday
evening at Doko Manor.
Former Mayor Keith Bailey and incumbent council members
Bryan S. Franklin and Malcolm P. Gordge are all vying for the town’s top
elected post. Incumbent councilman Eddie Baughman, planning commission chair
Donald Beaton Brock, Jr., planning commissioner Sloan Jarvis Griffin, III and
former planning commissioner Marcus Taylor were featured in the hour for
council candidates.
Tracy Young Cooper moderated the mayoral town hall. Outgoing
Mayor J. Michael Ross moderated the town council debate. Councilman Barry
Belville, who’s also running for one of two available council seats, didn’t
participate in the panel.
The forum, hosted by The Voice newspaper, was conducted in a
town hall format with most questions coming from the audience. Two questions
for each group of candidates were prepared by the candidate forum committee.
Mayoral Candidates
During the mayoral forum, the candidates’ answers varied
when asked by Lenore Zedowsky to identify Blythewood’s biggest issue.
Gordge said addressing increasing traffic leads his list. He
said the town needs to be thinking 10 to 20 years in the future.
“Without a doubt, roads and road improvements are going to
be absolutely critical for safety and getting around town,” Gordge said.
Bailey said public safety is a growing issue. He identified
increasing breaking and entering and vandalism as the town’s top crimes, but
also thinks response times may be too slow, citing the Blythe Creek area as one
example.
“They expressed they had trouble with response times from
the County. We’ve got a substation less than two miles away,” Bailey said. “We
need to improve our relationships with the County Sheriff’s Department.”
Franklin said infrastructure is the town’s most pressing
need. He said while the state seems more preoccupied with building roundabouts,
he said as mayor he’d work to improve sports facilities, sidewalks and other
amenities.
The candidates were asked by Gena Dow, what plans the town
has to support youth football.
“I know there’s a big need for baseball but I feel youth
football gets forgotten – a lot. I feel like youth football is lost in this
town….Also, how can we bridge the disconnect between Blythewood and Westwood
high schools? My son will be going to that school and I see a definite deficit
in what the town does for Westwood as far as supporting athletics.”
All three candidates agreed that Westwood should be part of
Blythewood.
Franklin said he would like to see Blythewood annex all the
way down to Westwood.
“As we speak, I’m looking at 40 acres on Muller Road. The
county owns property adjoining Blythewood that possibly they would sell and
Blythewood could have its own park. Of course we would have to fund the
operating expenses. I’m all for that. We could put baseball, football, lacrosse
and soccer in there. If elected, I will do that.”
Gordge said that he, too, observes that Westwood High School
is not part of the town.
“But it makes perfect sense for it to be incorporated [into
the town]. We need to open the door. That should be part of our comprehensive
plan. Ball fields of all types are going to be featured in a major way in our
plans for the next decade. There’s not going to be anything overnight, but we
are following every possible avenue to bring that to life.”
Bailey said that particular subject [youth football] is near
and dear to his heart. He said he and another individual helped start the
Blythewood Youth Football and Cheer league several years ago.
“And we always had the same problems – where are we going to
play. We need to start having partnerships between the youth teams and the high
schools. In the past, the high schools actually sponsored some of our regional
playoffs. Youth sports is important to me, has always been important to me and
will continue to be,” Bailey said.
All three mayoral candidates said they feel annexation of
the outlying areas around Blythewood is important.
Bailey said he would like to see the town annex the existing
neighborhoods outside the town.
Franklyn said that if he is elected mayor, he will send
annexation information to all residents of the unincorporated 29016, “and make
it a voluntary decision.” But he said he favored forced annexation on the
Blythewood Farms subdivision, “before they put a stick in the ground,” just
outside the town limits.
Gordge said he would hold a series of town hall meetings to
sound out what the businesses and residents want concerning annexation. He said
he would also suggest working to build better relationships with the county in
making annexation plans.
Candidates for town council, from left, incumbent Eddie Baughman, Planning Commissioers Donald Brock, Sloan Griffin III and former Planning Commissioner Marcus Taylor.
Town Council
Candidates
Growth and infrastructure were common themes during the
council candidates’ debate as well, with most of the candidates wanting to
boost business without allowing residential growth to overrun the town.
Baughman said as a 35-year resident of the town, he’s in
touch with the community. He also touted his leadership and lifetime of
service, which includes serving as a petty officer in the U.S. Navy and also a
battalion chief in the Columbia Fire Department.
“I think I bring leadership to this council, I’ve been a
leader all my life,” Baughman said. “I love Blythewood. I’m vested in the
community.”
In the next five to 10 years, he said he wants Blythewood to
encourage business development while maintaining its small-town charm.
“We have opportunities to preserve the rural areas, our
historic areas,” he said. “But there are threats to that plan. Those threats
are poor planning and development that can destroy Blythewood’s sense of
identity and sense of purpose we have here in the community.”
Brock touted his experience on the planning commission as
well as his financial background working on Wall Street and also the S.C.
Retirement System.
He said Blythewood is at a crossroads and that the town
needs leaders with experience.
“You need someone with experience, someone who works every
day in a field that has an attention to detail. I am that candidate,” he said.
“Numbers is what I do. No one is going to work harder for this town to make
sure we are fiscally responsible.”
Griffin thinks the town should revamp its comprehensive and
master plans, particularly as it relates to public safety partnerships. The
town, he said, needs to find ways to improve police, fire and EMS response
times.
He also voiced support for “conservation subdivisions,”
which preserve greenspace by blending environmental elements into residential
developments.
“We need to have smart growth. We need to study these
traffic patterns,” he said. “Moving forward, we can have a plan on paper, but
we really need to start studying traffic patterns during the right time of the
year.”
Taylor touted his previous 13 years of service on the
planning commission, which he said would serve him well on the council.
In matters of public policy, Taylor said he’s a good
listener and would generally be deferential to what Blythewood residents want.
“The only changes are only what the community comes to us
and asks us to change,” Taylor said. “The community has to come out and tell us
what they want.”
Vance Sharp provided the sound system/microphones and patriotic music.
Abhi Sailesha, Blythewood High academic standout, served as timekeepper.
Gina Dow was one of eight audience members who asked questions of candidates in the town hall format.
With the evening’s moderator Mayor J. Michael Ross, Kesha Bolt – $100 of fuel from Blythewood Oil
Christy Coggins – $100 of plants from Reese’s Plants, Frankie McLean – $100 of groceries from IGA & Food Lion
Dave Clark – $100 for High Tea for 4 from Laura’s Tea Room, State Constable Mike Norris – $100 of service plus oil change from Pope-Davis Tire Service and Buddy Price – $100 Pizza party from Papa John’s. The prizes were donated by the merchants and several exceeded the $100 value.
The candidate forum committee included Jamie Harkness, left, Michael Watts and Traci Cooper. Committee members were chosen for their backgrounds in community activism.
Listening intently to the candidates are town hall employees Hazel Kelly and Julie Emory. Behind them are Mayor J. Michael Ross and (standing) Craig Plank.
Audience members posed questions to the panel of candidates.
Forum Committee: Traci Cooper, Jamie Harkness, Michael Watts
Emcee: Mayor J. Michael Ross
Sound/Music: Vance Sharp
Time Keeper: Abhi Sailesha
Lobby volunteers: Hazel Kelly, Margaret Kelly, Saralyn Yarborough
Blythewood Gloriosa Florist – floral
$100 Gift Card Sponsors
Blythewood Oil, Reese’s Plants, Laura’s Tea Room, Pope-Davis Tire Co., IGA/Food Lion and Papa John’s
BLYTHEWOOD – The Voice of Blythewood will host the 2019 Blythewood Candidate Forum at Doko Manor Thursday, Oct. 24 from 7 – 9 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The forum will feature four of five candidates for town council and three candidates for mayor. Council candidate Barry Belville will not be in attendance.
Town Hall Format
In a departure from formats used for candidate forums in
years past, this year’s forum will follow a town hall format that will include
questions for candidates asked by members of the audience. Those in the
audience who plan to ask questions will need to submit them between 6:30 and 7
p.m.
Council and mayoral candidates will answer questions in two
rounds. Candidates for council will answer questions first, followed by the
mayoral candidates.
Candidates for mayor are former Blythewood Mayor Keith
Bailey and Town Councilmen Bryan S. Franklin and Malcolm P. Gordge. Candidates
for council are incumbent Town Councilman Eddie Baughman, Barry J. Belville,
Planning Commission Chairman Donald Beaton Brock, Jr., Planning Commissioner
Sloan Jarvis Griffin, III and former Planning Commissioner Marcus Taylor.
Door Prizes
An added feature this year will be drawings for six door
prizes to be awarded to members of the audience. Each door prize will be a $100
gift certificate provided by the following six merchants: Blythewood Oil (fuel
from a Blythewood Sharpe Shoppe), IGA/Food Lion (groceries), Papa John’s (a
pizza party), Reese’s Plants (plants), Laura’s Tea Room (High Tea for four) and
Pope Tire Company (products or service).
Free door prize tickets will be available at the door,
beginning at 6:30 p.m. Three door prizes will be drawn following the council
candidate forum and three will be drawn following the mayoral candidate forum.
Mayor J. Michael Ross will serve as master of ceremonies,
and Vance Sharpe will provide sound. Blythewood High School student Abhimanyu
Sailesh will be the time keeper.
Refreshments will be provided. The Manor is located at 100
Alvina Hagood Circle adjacent to Town Hall.
For information about the forum, contact The Voice at
803-767-5711 or email voice@blythewoodonline.com.
RIDGEWAY – The SC Career Works career coach is headed for
Ridgeway to assist residents with job placement on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
“The green bus is a mobile extension of the statewide SC
Works centers. The mobile unit is geared toward helping residents of rural
communities create resumes and search for jobs. It also helps assess the
applicant’s skills and offers other employment assistance,” Mark Wuest,
regional manager for SC Works in the Midlands, said.
“While this isn’t a job fair as such, we will also have a
number of employers on site that will be conducting interviews and providing
employment information,” Wuest said.
The coach will be parked at Ridgeway Town Hall (Century
House) at 170 Dogwood Avenue, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The employment vendors will
be set up inside the Town Hall.
The mobile unit is equipped with 10 work stations for job
seeking activities, on-site assistance, Wi-Fi and printer capabilities and is
wheelchair accessible.
According to postings in the South Carolina Works Online
services portal, there are more than 300 employment opportunities within 10
miles of Ridgeway. Fairfield County’s August unemployment rate was 4.4 percent,
compared to July’s rate of 4.9 percent.
According to S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce
data, 9,421 Fairfield County residents are employed. Statewide, South
Carolina’s unemployment rate was 3.2 percent in August compared to 3.4 percent
in July
For more information about the career coach, contact
803-297-2264.
Mountain Top Polka Band will perform at the Oktoberfest in Doko Park on Saturday.
BLYTHEWOOD – Talk about a German invasion! This weekend will have that and more, much more in Doko park – a mountaintop polka band, an authentic German oompah band, yodeling, cows pooping money and many other fun activities.
The Blythewood Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a
traditional German Oktoberfest, the first festival of its kind in the town.
Admission is free.
The event, set for Saturday, Oct. 5, in Doko Meadows Park,
will open at 1 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m.
There will be live music all day on the Palmetto Citizens
Amphitheater stage: Stampede (southern & classic rock) will perform from 1
– 2 p.m.; Ramblin’ Road from 2 – 3 p.m.; the Stuebenville Tootlers from 3 – 5
p.m. and the Mountaintop Polka Band from 7 – 10 p.m.
Games and activities will include a yodeling contest,
traditional German trachten dress contest, balloons, face painting, a photo
kiosk and games, games and more games for the kids.
German cuisine will be plentiful. Food trucks with ice
cream, sweets and ‘fair’ food will line the park and two biergarten tents will
be open all day.
An Almabtrieb cow parade through the park will begin at 5
p.m., and the highlight of the day’s festivities will be cow patty bingo from 5
to 7 p.m., in the Farmers Market field next to Town Hall. Raffle prizes include
1st cow patty dropped – $250, 2nd – $500, 3rd – $750 and the grand finale cow
patty will earn a lucky ticket holder $1,000.
Raffle tickets ($5 each) for cow patty bingo and Bavarian
beer mugs can be pre-ordered at blythewoodoktoberfest.com or purchased at the
event.
Sponsors for the event are McNulty’s Taproom, Mekra Lang
North America, Founders Federal Credit Union, Buck, McDaniels Volkswagon,
Constantia Flexibles, JTEKT, Koyo, TOYODA and Watercrest Senior Living Group.
For more information about the event, contact the Greater
Blythewood Chamber of Commerce at 803-403-6769. Or blythewoodoktoberfest.com.
BLYTHEWOOD – The Voice newspaper will host the 2019
Blythewood Candidate Forum at Doko Manor on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. The
forum will feature five candidates for town council and three for mayor.
In a departure from formats used for candidate forums in
years past, this year’s forum will follow a town hall format that will include
questions for candidates submitted by members of the audience who will be
identified when their questions are asked.
Council and mayoral candidates answer questions in two
rounds. Candidates for council will answer questions first and, after a
refreshment break, mayoral candidates will take the stage.
An added feature this year will be the awarding of six door
prizes, each in the amount of $100 for a specific item. Three will be awarded
prior to the council candidates’ session and three will be awarded prior to the
mayoral candidates’ session.
Candidates for mayor are former Blythewood Mayor Keith
Bailey and Town Councilmen Bryan S. Franklin and Malcolm P. Gordge. Candidates
for council are incumbent Town Councilman Eddie Baughman, Barry J. Belville,
Planning Commission Chairman Donald Beaton Brock, Jr., Planning Commissioner
Sloan Jarvis Griffin, III and former Planning Commissioner Marcus Taylor.
For information about the forum, contact The Voice at 803-767-5711 or email voice@blythewoodonline.com.
BLYTHEWOOD – The Town of Blythewood will host its fifth annual July Fireworks bash on Wednesday, July 3 from 4 – 11 p.m. with music, food and a park full of thousands of fireworks fans from Blythewood, Fairfield and beyond.
The Fireworks, Food and Music event will feature about 25 food vendors, five on-stage music groups and a full half hour of fireworks that will light up the sky over Doko Meadows Park beginning at 9:30 p.m.
Featured artists include Eboni Ramm, Blues Deluxe, A.J. Sanders and the DB Bryant Band. This year, there will be something new on the program – an after-fireworks performance featuring local musicians Ramblin’ Road from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Food and drink vendors will include Doko Smoke BBQ, McNulty’s Taproom, Scotties, The Haute Dog Lady, Sweet Peas Ice Cream, The Donut Guy, Bessie’s Sweet Delights, Brain Freeze, Kona Ice, Fishin’ Fellas, and others. Beer sales will be available. No coolers please.
The event is free. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on and show up with the kids.
Ramblin’ Road band members, from left, Ethan McChesney, Evan Purday, Andrew Moak, and Jonathan Douglas, will take the stage following the July 3 Fireworks in Doko Park.
BLYTHEWOOD – When four guys from Blythewood, Ridgeway and Winnsboro signed up separately over the last five years for music lessons at Freeway Music, little did they expect to eventually become a locally popular southern rock band.
But, sure enough, that’s what happened.
Performing under the name Ramblin’ Road, the four will play their biggest gig yet at the July 3 Blythewood Fireworks bash in the Palmetto Citizens Credit Union Amphitheater in Doko Park. While they aren’t the headliner or even the opener, they have a place on the stage as the ‘after-fireworks’ performance – and they’re getting paid.
When the fireworks end at about 10 p.m., Ramblin’ Road will take the stage. If the crowd sticks around for the after-show, it’s likely the group could be performing in front of 4,000 to 5,000 people.
“Things are moving much faster than we ever imagined,” Jonathan Douglas, one of the group’s guitarist/singers, said.
The band first consisted of Douglas and Ethan McChesney, a bass guitarist from Blythewood.
“Then a little while later, Evan Purday, a drummer from Ridgeway, joined us. About a year and a half ago, Andrew Moak of Blythewood, also a guitarist and vocalist, became our fourth member,” Douglas said.
The group’s music is a mix of southern rock and country.
“Not a lot of people our age play stuff that was good way back and continues to be good,” Douglas said. “We play everything from Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash to Charley Daniels and Lynyrd Skynard.”
While everyone in the group is in or just out of high school – Moak is 16, Douglas is 17, McChesney is 18 and Purday is 20 – Douglas said they all have a background in music.
“I mean, all of us at some time picked up a guitar,” he added. The group is an unabashed advertisement for Freeway Music, and Douglas is quick to give the music company credit for Ramblin’ Road’s burgeoning success.
“A lot of kids go to Freeway to learn music,” Douglas said. “We went there to get better. After we started performing as a group, we still depended on the studio for a place to practice and for equipment for performances, but we now practice at each other’s homes and we have enough equipment that we can pretty much roll out an entire show with our own stuff.”
Douglas said the group performs about twice a month, and he and Moak handle the bookings.
“We have a pretty good following of people who enjoy what we play. We love to perform. We play till they make us stop,” Douglas said with a grin.
Douglas said the group hopes to make a career out of their music.
“If it happens, it happens,” he said. “If not, we’ll be fine.”
For now, Douglas said the band is enjoying what they do and are looking forward to performing in the town’s amphitheater.
“We hope everyone will stay and hear our music,” Douglas said.
The park opens at 4 p.m., Wednesday, July 3, with Eboni Ramm performing from 5 – 5:45 p.m., A. J. Sanders from 6 – 6:30, Blues Deluxe from 6:45 – 7:30 p.m., DB Bryant from 8 – 9:30 p.m. (fireworks from 9:30 – 10 p.m.) and Ramblin’ Road from 10 – 11 p.m.
More than 20 food vendors will be on site. Bring the kids, lawn chairs, a blanket and enjoy.
BLYTHEWOOD – Three Blythewood area farms will participate in Richland County’s inaugural AG + Art Tour, June 26-27.
The tour will feature not only working family-owned farms and their produce, but local artisans and musicians as well, many of whom will be performing at the various farms.
The tour features some of the beautiful farms and products that the Richland County rural area has to offer, according to tour officials.
Eleven farms throughout the county will be open for touring on Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 – 5 p.m. The tours are free.
Visitors can begin their self-guided tour at any of the farms. The day is meant to be leisurely and enjoyable, so it will probably not be possible to see all the farms in one day.
Bring a cooler with an ice pack and pick up some fresh veggies, let the kids enjoy a hay-ride and barnyard animals, watch artists at work, and enjoy a day in the country!
Food, drinks and treats will be available for purchase at many of the farms.
At the first site they tour, visitors can register and pick up a tour booklet that will serve as a guide to the various farms and their offerings.
