Blythewood Online 691

Category: News

  • Final VC Summer executive sentenced

    COLUMBIA — Jeffrey Alan Benjamin, 62, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to causing SCANA, a publicly-traded company, to keep false records in connection with the failed V.C. Summer nuclear construction project in Jenkinsville, South Carolina.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that Benjamin served as senior vice president for new plants and major projects at the Westinghouse Electric Company and directly supervised all new nuclear projects worldwide during the V.C. Summer project.  Westinghouse was the primary contractor on the project, tasked with designing and building two new nuclear units in Jenkinsville.

    Evidence revealed that Benjamin’s failure to provide truthful information to SCANA enabled SCANA executives to deceive shareholders, regulators, and ratepayers about the schedule and costs of the new nuclear construction project.  In late 2016, confronted with information that the project was delayed and that up to $2.2 billion in federal tax credits were at risk, SCANA executives withheld that information from regulators in an effort to keep the project going.  Their false and misleading statements allowed SCANA to obtain and retain rate increases imposed on SCANA’s rate-paying customers.

    Benjamin is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in this multi-year investigation.  Three other executives were previously convicted and have served their respective sentences.

    Kevin B. Marsh, former SCANA Corporation chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors, was sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to pay a $5 million penalty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    Stephen Byrne, former executive vice president of SCANA and former chief operating officer of South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G) was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $1 million after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    Carl Churchman, former Westinghouse Electric Corporation vice president and the project director of the V.C. Summer Nuclear project, was sentenced to six months of home detention after pleading guilty to lying to federal investigators.

    In addition, in 2021 the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced an agreement securing Westinghouse’s cooperation in the V.C. Summer criminal investigation and payment of $21.25 million for low-income ratepayer relief.

    “The defendants in this case did not simply make a corporate error. They intentionally misled, and their dishonesty in the V.C. Summer project caused a great deal of harm to the people of South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “This sentence sends a clear message of deterrence to executives and corporations who believe they are above the law: deceit and fraud will be met with accountability and justice.”

    United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Benjamin to 12 months and one day in federal prison to be followed by a two-year term of supervised release. Benjamin was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.

    This case was investigated by U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI Columbia Field Office, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

    First Assistant United States Attorney Brook Andrews, along with Assistant United States Attorneys Winston Holliday and Emily Limehouse, Trial Attorney Bill Schurmann, and Special Assistant United States Attorney John O’Halloran prosecuted the case.

  • Helene assistance deadline is Nov. 22 for Richland County residents

     COLUMBIA – The last day for Hurricane Helene storm debris removal for residents of Richland County is Friday, Nov. 22. 

    Residents who still need help with debris removal should call the County Ombudsman’s Office at 803-929-6000 or email ombudsman@richlandcountysc.gov with their location and the materials needing collection.

    Residents also are reminded of the County’s limitations for yard waste collection:

    • Organic materials only
    • No dirt, sand, mulch or rock
    • No tree limbs longer than 4 feet and no larger than 4 inches in diameter
    • Quantities of waste no more than the equivalent of two 96-gallon roll carts or six yard waste bags each week

    Residents who work with contracted landscaping services to remove debris should ensure those contractors properly dispose of large quantities of yard waste. 

    Storm debris may also be dropped off at the Richland County C&D Landfill, 1070 Caughman Road N., Columbia.

    The Department of Public Works and crews contracted with Richland County have removed 1,282,000 pounds of storm debris so far. 

  • Teens swarm downtown Blythewood

     BLYTHEWOOD – When an estimated 100-200 teens flooded downtown Blythewood Saturday, Nov. 17, Facebook lit up and law enforcement was called by the businesses, but a PIO (public information officer) with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department told The Voice on Wednesday that the department did not issue an incident report.

    Posts began showing up on Facebook late Saturday night.

    Darren Craig posted: “What’s going on in Blythewood? Stopped by the BP and the cops pulled up and made everybody leave, asking if we were with some kids. I just came in for a drink and snacks. The cops are at the Waffle House now.”

    “Just saw the same thing …8 cop cars out there,” Hailey Gardner posted. 

    The event was caught on “On Patrol: Live.”

    “We did receive a call for service about the large gathering, and we did detain one juvenile,” the spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department said, “but a report was not needed. Once the group was dispersed and a conversation was had with the juvenile, he was released to an adult.

    “No charges were filed and there was no damage reported to  property,” the PIO said.

  • Scout unveils vehicles in Columbia

    Scout CEO Scott Keogh presented the vehicles during a reception at 701 Whaley.

    COLUMBIA – Scout unveiled its two Scout vehicles to South Carolina Friday night – The Traveler SUV and The Terra truck – before a crowd of about 150 state, county, and local elected officials, including Blythewood’s County Council Representative Derrek Pugh, Blythewood Mayor Sloan Griffin, Blythewood Councilwoman Erica Page, Fairfield County Senator-elect Everett Stubbs and Blythewood Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman Deb Dollarhide.

    Scout CEO Scott Keogh presented the vehicles Friday night during a reception at 701 Whaley in downtown Columbia.

    “This is a substantial endeavor,” Keogh said of bringing back the Scout. 

    “We will move quickly. We want to know that 200,000 cars and the factory construction is on time – three million square feet of building going up as we speak: the parts shop, body shop and assembly shop. Ideally, we’ll get all these shops sealed in the first quarter and start putting equipment in next year. Come see the plant,” he said. “It’s magical what’s happening there.” That was the first of several references Keogh made to Disneyworld.

    “We want to build a cool experience – call it Disneyworld, Scoutville or Scoutland – we want America to come here, drive these cars, take them off road, take them everywhere. We want to deliver these cars out of here and show them the Scout magic,” he said.

    Keogh talked about the size of the operation – 1,100 acres of facilities. But he said the most important thing is the jobs Scout will create – 4,000 real jobs directly in the plant, with real benefits: health care, child care, and access to 21st century training for jobs that he says will transfer in the future.

    “On top of that we have 5,000 jobs coming from the supply base,” he said. “We anticipate a big portion of these suppliers will be in South Carolina.” 

    Keogh said he wants to put Columbia and Blythewood on the map.

    “We want the world to see us as a really cool company doing really cool things in a really cool state.”

    With that, the black covers were pulled to reveal the two vehicles to the cheers and applause of the crowd.

    Keogh also talked about the addition of a gas generator to Scout’s EV SUV and truck.

    “We’ve been listening to the market and took on this super idea. First and foremost, you will get both these vehicles as electric vehicles with a 350-mile range. There’s a market for that,” he said. “Second, keep the dry unit battery, shrink it a little, and add a super cool engine off the rear axle.”

    The optional extended range system, called Harvester, will include a small gas-powered engine that will recharge the vehicle’s high voltage battery when needed, extending the 350-mile electric power range to more than an estimated 500 miles. That means drivers can refuel anywhere they can find a pump or a plug, without losing the packaging and performance benefits of a 21st-century electric vehicle.

    “You get everything you want in a Scout, off road and no compromise, and you still keep the EV,” he said.

    “No matter which way the future tides flow, we can go in either direction,” Keogh said. “We won’t be stuck if there’s a shift.”

    Following the presentation, those attending swarmed the two vehicles, snapping selfies standing next to them and behind the wheel.

    The vehicles were on display at the USC/Missouri game on Saturday.

    Read more about the vehicles unveiled Friday night in the Nov. 21 issue of The Voice. 

  • Fairfield sheriff seeks public’s help in homicide

    FAIRFIELD COUNTY – The Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office is reaching out to the community for assistance in solving a homicide that took place in May, 2024. Investigators are renewing their efforts to bring closure to the victim’s family and seek justice for the heinous crime.

    On May 23, 2024, at approximately 11:25 P.M., the victim Eric Maybin was shot and killed while at his home located on Comet Drive in Winnsboro.  Maybin succumbed to his injuries after an unknown subject fired into the victim’s home striking Mayben multiple times.

    Investigators believe there are individuals in the community who may have valuable information regarding this case. The Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office is now urging anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward and help solve this crime.

    Maybin’s family is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Maybin’s murder.

    Anyone with information related to this homicide, is asked to contact the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office at 803-635-4141, or submit tips anonymously through the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office email at: FCSOTipline@gmail.com. That information could be the crucial information needed to solve this heinous crime.

  • COG seeks input on traffic congestion

    COLUMBIA – The Central Midlands Council of Governments (CMCOG) is conducting a Congestion Management Processes (CMP) for Richland County residents.

    The CMP focuses on collecting and providing information to make informed decisions and allocate resources to manage current and future traffic congestion. According to COG, the CMP is a living document that continuously evolves over time as community priorities change, new congestion issues arise, and new data sources become available.

    This process will guide CMCOG and local efforts in evaluating congestion and determining strategies to deal with traffic congestion.

     The CMP does not identify specific projects, but rather it is used to identify actions and strategies that advance the goals to enhance system performance and reliability.

    Public information meetings have been scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Richland Library Sandhills, 763 Fashion Drive, Columbia, SC 29229 and at the Fairfield County Council Chambers Auditorium, 250 N Walnut Street in Winnsboro.

    The purpose of these meetings is to provide an opportunity to discuss initial findings from the CMP, as well as gather feedback from the public on potential strategy recommendations. The meetings will be held in a drop-in format and will include displays and handouts for viewing as well as the opportunity to discuss specifics of the Congestion Management Processes with the project team.

    Comments will be accepted through Dec. 31, 2024. For more information, email Reginald Simmons at rsimmons@centralmidlands.org or call 803-744-5133.

  • Scout to showcase Traveler SUV and Terra truck at USC game Nov. 16

    • Scout’s Terra Truck | Photos: Scout Motors
    • Scout’s Traveler SUV

    COLUMBIA – On Saturday, Nov. 16, Scout Motors will display its production-intent concept vehicles, the Scout® Traveler™ SUV and Scout® Terra™ truck, at Williams-Brice Stadium before the “Battle of Columbia” football game between the University of South Carolina and the University of Missouri. 

    The community is invited to observe Scout’s vehicles in person outside the stadium, receiving an exclusive glimpse into the vision for the brand’s future. The vehicles will be on display outside the stadium’s Northwest Gate (Mitchell Gate) by the Lloyd Family Courtyard at the corner of Bluff Road and George Rogers Boulevard. Scout Motors’ representatives will be standing by the vehicles to provide more details and answer questions about the company. 

    In addition to the day-long display, Scout Motors will participate in the football game’s halftime show.

    The South Carolina reveal follows the national showcase that took place on Oct. 24 and represents a significant milestone in the brand’s story.

    “Scout Motors is excited to bring the energy closer to home by celebrating with the South Carolina community,” according to a media release on Wednesday.

    The new Scout vehicles will be manufactured at the company’s Production Center, which is currently under construction in Blythewood. Scout Motors is making a $2 billion investment in South Carolina to launch the manufacturing facility, which Scout officials say will create more than 4,000 jobs and produce up to 200,000 vehicles per year at peak capacity. Initial production is targeted to begin in 2027.

    Vehicle reservations are open now at ScoutMotors.com. 

  • Blythewood Tennis falls to Spartanburg

    BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood High School girls tennis team’s third round match with Spartanburg was decided by just a few points, but the Vikings took a 4-2 win to advance in the SCHSL 5A playoffs.

    River Bluff bumped Spartanburg out in the fourth round to advance to the title match against Wando.

    The loss puts the Bengals at 16-5 on the season.

  • Blythewood Road night work to resume Nov. 17

    BLYTHEWOOD – After road construction was halted as Blythewood’s traffic was brought to its knees on Oct. 31, Richland County officials say that night construction is set to begin Sunday, Nov. 17 between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

    County Councilman Derrek Pugh said he understands that the construction should continue for about four days.

    WLTX-TV reported that, “While the change will make things easier for drivers, Richland County Public Works Director Mike Maloney said it will increase the project’s cost.”

  • Goldbach, Stubbs wins confirmed by Election Commissions

    WINNSBORO – At 10 a.m. Friday morning, the Fairfield County Election Commission reviewed 24 provisional ballots and one fail safe ballot (that were cast on election day) to determine their validity. The result of that review and determination failed to change the results of Tuesday’s election.

    Don Goldbach, who had a 10-vote lead over Ann Corrao in the race on Election Day for Dist. 2 county council seat, gained one provisional vote, and Carrao gained two, solidifying Goldbach’s win with 617 votes to best Corrao’s final vote count of 608.

    Goldbach told The Voice that he received a phone call from Dist. 2 County Councilwoman Shirley Greene after the election offering any help he might need to help acclimate into her council seat.

    “She was very gracious in her offer, and I plan to take her up on that. I thanked her for her service this past four years and look forward to talking to her in depth about the county’s business,” Goldbach said.

    In Dist. 4, top vote earner Carl Bell, maintained his win over incumbent Tim Rosborough. Bell gained one provisional vote while Roseborough gained two. The final vote count was 670 for Bell and 494 for Roseborough.

    In Dist. 6, Oren Gadson, with one provisional vote to bring his total votes to 459, bested Sarah Bryant who received two provisional votes for a total of 433.

    Stubbs wins Dist. 17

    In the Dist. 17 senate race, Winnsboro Attorney Everett Stubbs bested incumbent Mike Fanning on Election Day with Stubbs earning 27,914 votes to Fanning’s 27,882. Late in the afternoon on Friday, after more than 100 provisional votes (cast on Election Day) were counted and verified as to their validity in the four counties represented by Dist. 17 – Fairfield, Chester, Lancaster, and York.

    Stubbs maintained his win after that verification review with 27 provisional votes added from York County, 12 from Fairfield County, 1 from Chester County, and 6 from Lancaster County, for a total of 27,960 votes. Fanning added 49 provisional votes for a total of 27,931 votes.

    According to Stubbs, Senator Mike Fanning called him following the election to extend congratulations on his win. Fanning submitted in writing a waiver of a recount, saving the election commissions in all four counties a lot of time and money to count almost 60,000 votes.

    “I called him back to say I appreciated his call, the way he did this and for his service to the citizens in Dist. 17 for the last 8 years,” Stubbs said.