Blythewood Online 691

Category: News

  • Blythewood Town Council Makes Board Appointments without Open Solicitations

    In a unanimous vote at their regular meeting on Monday night, Town Council members voted to re-seat six current board and commission members whose terms have expired. Town Hall did not openly solicit for applications for the seats prior to the vote as required by town law.

    This is the second time in two months that Council has broken the town’s statute governing appointments to the planning commission.

    When asked in an email why Council had violated its own rules concerning the reappointments, Mayor J. Michael Ross replied, “Would we ask someone to step down and reappoint someone new? We contacted all of these that had served. (I think that is soliciting), and they asked to be reappointed. It is very hard to find interested people to serve. I have passed this [your email] on to our town attorney and John Perry [Town Administrator].”

    Aside from public scrutiny or someone bringing a legal action against Council for violating the town’s statute, there is no mechanism in place to force Council to abide by the town’s rules.

    According to the statute, Title XV, Chapter 150.02:

    (B) Open solicitation of Commission members shall begin no less than 30 days prior to the Town Council meeting during which an appointment, or appointments, are to be made.

    (D) A vacancy may be filled at any Council meeting providing that open solicitation began no less than 30 days prior to the Council meeting during which an appointment, or appointments, are to be made.

    The following town board members were re-seated by Council at Monday’s meeting: Mike Switzer and Marcus Taylor (Planning Commission), Cindy Nord and Bob Mangone (Board of Architectural Review), Tom Utroska and Sabra Mazyck (Board of Zoning Appeals.)

    Each member serves three-year staggered terms.

  • The numbers become human: Cancer and the fight for survival

    It is estimated that a total of 638,910 new cancer cases and 577,190 deaths from cancer are projected to occur in the United States by the end of 2012. These are mind boggling figures that amaze us and we sympathize with; but once you have walked into an oncology center, as many of you have, and seen the number of people fighting cancer or with a loved one who is fighting, these numbers take on a whole new meaning. I recently have had to spend a lot of time in such a facility and all of a sudden these numbers that I have read about over the years have faces. Some are covered with masks to prevent infection, some have oxygen over their nose, some in wheel chairs, walking with walkers and canes and many wearing scarves, turbans or hats of some sort to cover their hair loss. A few are in tears, maybe having just been given the news of their disease or from the pain, but just as many are still able to smile and greet you with a ‘hello, how are you?’ Where do they get the strength to smile and inquire as to how I am when I know what they are going through? If you talk to them, they will tell you that it is their faith in God in most cases.

    This particular facility is a three story building and it is bustling with people on every floor. This is just one center out of hundreds across the United States, each one just as busy. This oncology center has 20 doctors and with nurses and the technicians to operate the equipment for diagnosing and treating the patients I was told that 600 people are seen during a single day. When I questioned the head nurse about this number that seemed so high, she corrected me and said the number was closer to 800 people. It was shocking to realize how many people suffer with this terrible disease. Cancer has no age connected with it. It can affect a person in their 80s as well as small children. To think we are safe from it once we reach our senior years is not true. It can strike at any time.

    There has been a decline in deaths from cancer over the past five years. For men, death is down by 1.8 percent and 1.6 percent for women. The most rapid decline in death rates have been with Blacks and Hispanics. There are so many different kinds of cancer. The two most common are breast cancer and lung cancer. These cancers are a major public health problem in the United States and many other parts of the world. The four major cancer sites, lung, colorectal, breast and prostate are declining each year. The exact number of cases diagnosed each year is unknown because cancer registration is incomplete in some states. The overall estimate of more than 1.6 million new cases does not include carcinoma, basal cell and squamous cell cancers of the skin. More than 63,300 cases of carcinoma and melanoma are expected to be newly diagnosed this year. Those of you who frequent the tanning beds, you have to know that it is not good for you. Golfers, gardeners, fishermen and boaters may want to take note that being in the sun so much requires a good sun screen. Of course if you are a smoker, you have to have seen or read of the danger of lung cancer.

    Some cancers require radiation, some require chemo and some require both at the same time. In 1898 the discovery of radium began as a source of a possible cure, by exposing the tumor directly to the radiation by placing the radium in a body cavity with a needle implant. This is known as brachytherapy. Over the years this procedure has been improved and the radiation is now centered on the tumor cells while sparing many of the normal tissues. The body’s cells, including cancer cells, are continually in a state of repair and reproduction. The cancer cells are always dividing while normal cells do not. With radiation, cell division is interrupted and cell death occurs.

    This oncology center has close to 100 chairs for treatment. For those who receive the chemo in the form of a shot, it takes a half hour for the solution to be made up for you after you arrive but after the shot you are free to go. For those patients undergoing the drip chemo, it can take two or three hours. Some sleep, talk on their phones, watch videos, read books and Kindles and one man even had his laptop set up and continued to work. There are so many people undergoing treatment, it is a sight you would not soon forget.

    I cannot stress enough the importance of seeing about any unusual nodule that might appear on your body. It may be nothing or it could be a tumor, many of them fast growing, or a dark spot that does not go away for a long period of time. Ladies, get those mammograms and gentlemen have that prostate checked. Your medical doctor will know what procedure is recommended and who you should see. Putting it off could make the condition worse.

    Researchers all over the world are looking for new and better ways to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat cancer. They are learning more about what causes cancer and are conducting many types of clinical trials. So many are fighting this fight that it is a blessing for support groups such as the one Bonnie Myers and her friend started many years ago in Winnsboro for the people of Fairfield County and surrounding areas. If you have already been diagnosed with cancer, it is important that you join such a group of survivors that share your experience.

    Remember this quote by an unknown “at any given time you have the power to say this is NOT how the story is going to end.” Live to win.

  • Them Dogs Could Hunt: Brown Enters SCSU Hall of Fame

    David L. Brown (right) with fellow inductees Joseph “Ross” McConahey of Mt. Vernon, Wash. (center) and Gregory J. Holden of Raleigh, N.C.

    South Carolina State University (SCSU) held its 2012 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Sept. 7 at the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center in Orangeburg. Inductees into this year’s class of the Hall of Fame comprised nine individuals and two teams. The teams included the 1976 National Black Champion football team, of which Fairfield County resident David L. Brown was member and for which he was honored. Brown was a sophomore offensive guard that year.

    “This team went 9-1 during the regular season and ended up with a postseason win in the Bicentennial Bowl,” Brown said.

    The Bulldogs averaged 28 points per game while allowing only an average of 3.78 points per game on defense that championship season. The team had 10 of 22 first-team selections to the All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Team. Although only in his second year on the team, Brown played a prominent role in the team’s accomplishments. Over eighty percent of the former players of that era returned to participate in the Induction Ceremony. There were players present who had not seen each other since the ’76 – ’77 academic year ended. Brown gave the invocation at the Induction program. There were tears of joy and laughter and the crowd erupted in applause as each name was called. Teammates shared stories of the adventures that made them into the revered powerhouse they were known as being.

    “It was an event I will always cherish for the rest of my life, to see Bulldogs of old coming together and reconnecting,” Brown said.

    Mr. Brown is Associate Pastor of Old Hope Station Baptist Church in Blair. He is married to Shryll Brown, and they have three children and six grandchildren.

  • Fairfield County Restaurant Reports

    29055

    Country Mart, 16683 Highway 21 N., Aug. 3 (F) – B

    Country Mart, 16683 Highway 21 N., Aug. 8 (F) – A

    29065

    Ride and Dine, 8150 Highway 215 S., Aug. 31 (R) – A

    29130

    Waffle House #1382, 6169 Highway 34 E., Aug. 8 (R) – A

    29180

    Anna’s Inn, 136 N. Congress St., Aug. 16 (R) – A

    Grand Central Restaurant, 11351 Highway 200, Aug. 3 (F) – B

    Grand Central Restaurant, 11351 Highway 200, Aug. 8 (F) – A

    J’s Stop and Go, 1147 Kincaid Bridge Road, Aug. 1 (R) – A

    Road Runner, 1153 Kincaid Bridge Road, Aug. 1. (R) – A

    Strawberry Patch, 602 Columbia Road, Aug. 1 (R) – A

    Subway #1542, 867-B Highway 321 Bypass S., Aug. 10 (R) – A

    Swamp Fox, 1534 Highway 321 N., Aug. 31 (R) – A

    Sweet Treats Express, 159 S. Congress St., Aug. 1 (R) – A

    Wendy’s #965, 10959 Highway 200, Aug. 3 (F) – A

     R=Routine Inspection. F= Follow-Up Inspection

     Source: S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control

  • Ridgeway Beefs up Police Force

    In addition to throwing their $5,000 hat in the water authority ring last week (see related story, page 1), Ridgeway Town Council voted near the close of their Sept. 13 meeting to hire a new part-time police officer. Council said the hire would be in addition to, and not as a replacement for, their current single part-time officer.

    The hire apparently could not have come at a more opportune time, as during the public comment portion of the meeting Ridgeway resident Andrew Kusko voiced his displeasure with how security was being handled in the small Fairfield County town.

    “We need a full-time police officer,” Kusko said. “Not a part-time officer. We’ve got to do something about security in this town. We’ve got two patrol cars that aren’t being utilized.”

    Council voted unanimously to begin the hiring process.

    Council also voted unanimously to approve the final reading of an ordinance to regulate how local restaurant dispose of fats, oils and grease, in an effort to prevent those materials from entering the sewer system. Council also OK’d the purchase of six new “Welcome to Ridgeway” signs from Sign-O-Rama at a cost of $10,409.59. Money from the Pig on the Ridge festival will help pay for the signs, which Council said could be completed and up before this year’s festival next month.

    Mayor Charlene Herring said the Town had explored the possibility of a grant from the Department of Transportation to pay for the signs, but new grant rules would have required the Town to hire an individual just to manage the grant funds, which ultimately would have cost the Town more than purchasing the signs outright.

    Council was unable to move forward on repairs to windows on the old Town Hall building downtown, having received only two bids for the project. Council tabled the matter until a third bid could be acquired.

    In the Mayor’s report, Herring noted that recent storms had damaged several trees on Dogwood Drive near the intersection of Highway 21. Herring said as many as three trees along Dogwood Drive are dead and may have to be removed. The Town will follow normal procedures of replacing the trees once they are removed, Herring said.

    Council also honored a pair of Ridgeway residents during their Sept. 13 meeting, beginning with their 2012 Citizen of the Year, Virginia Q. Lacy.

    “Ridgeway would not be the little town it is without the help of everybody,” Herring said as she presented Lacy with the award. “It’s not about the council, it’s not about the mayor. It’s about the people who live here.”

    Lacy, who has called Ridgeway home for more than 11 years, has served on and been the chairwoman of the Town’s Arts Committee, which launched the annual Arts on the Ridge festival, as well as the Mystery on the Ridge event.

    “It’s wonderful to get this honor,” Lacy said. “It’s a great committee and the Town of Ridgeway, Town Council, has sponsored it every single year. No one ever said, ‘I don’t know, that’s not such a good idea’.”

    Council also honored Sara Tucker, a Ridgeway native recently recognized by the Fairfield County School District as their Teacher of the Year.

    “I enjoy what I do, so this is a great honor for me,” said Tucker, who teaches at the Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science.

  • Fairfield County Property Transfers

    29065

    Aug. 1

    279 Bob’s Point Lane. From: Mickey L. Mincey and Susan H. Mincey; To: William J. Smith and Sheryl A. Colley. For: $265,000.

    Aug. 8

    325 Treesdale Lane. From: Timothy B. McGinn and Sherri B. McGinn; To: Charles M. Steele Jr. and Teresa K. Steele; For: $250,000.

    29130

    July 31

    2669 Deer Run Road. From: Bobby Glenn Johnson and Tashla C. Johnson; To: Ronald D. Finlayson and Janet E. Finlayson. For: $175,000.

    Aug. 16

    230 S. Dogwood Ave. From: Amy Renae Madaris, a.k.a. Amy Neely; To: Taylor R. Jordan; For: $129,000.

    Aug. 27

    Lot 27 & 28, Doko Farms. From: Smoak Property Holdings, LLC; To: Zachary Philip Kiker and Casey Marie Kiker; For: $90,000.

    Aug. 28

    1253 Westshore Drive. From: Edna P. Ruff; To: Alan E. Jones; For: $275,000.

    Aug. 29

    2227 Old Brick Store Road. From: White Oak Ridge, LLC; To: Wright-Gray Partnership; For: $395,000.

    361 Rocky Point Circle. From: Lawrence S. Windham and Mary M. Windham; To: David McKeithan and Joan McKeithan; For: $212,000.

    29180

    July 31

    206 Parklane Drive. From: Kathryn M. Williams; To: Sara W. Williams and Wesley Williams; For: $155,735.

    Aug. 1

    2275 Shangri-La Drive. From: William Nelson Hall and Lillian Elizabeth Hall; To: Sidney Leonard Fail and Cassa Manship Fail; For: $189,900.

    686 Pinehurst Road. From: William Dixon; To: Windy Hills North, LLC; For: $280,000.

    Aug. 7

    506 N. Zion Street. From: Charles R. Renwick and Susan R. Odumi; To: Pamela W. Renwick and Lee W. Renwick; For: $50,000.

    Aug. 21

    115 Walnut Street. From: William F. Pope Sr., Lewis C. Pope Jr. and John P. Pope; To: William F. Pope Jr.; For: $90,000.

  • Developer Seeks Winnsboro Water

    At Tuesday night’s Winnsboro Town Council meeting, Joey Phrommer, representing Land Tech Inc., presented the council with a request to be placed on the agenda at the next Water Advisory Committee.  Land Tech Inc. is interested in purchasing and developing a 60-acre tract of land to develop a residential sub-division.  The lot is located on Langford Road in Richland County.  Land Tech intends to build approximately 100 lots in four phases of 25 lots apiece, and would seek water service from the Town of Winnsboro.

    Mayor Roger Gaddy voiced concern about supplying the water with Winnsboro already in state of water restriction.  Phrommer attempted to compromise with the Mayor by offering an alternative solution.

    “We can accept permits in several phases,” Phrommer said.

    The council has yet to accept or deny Land Tech’s request.  Council will vote at a later date after Land Tech has been approved by the Water Advisory Committee, which meets twice a month.

    In new business, the council officially swore in three new judges: Vanessa Hollins (Chief Judge), Jonathan Goode (Municipal Court Judge) and Trey Spong (Judge).

    In addition, a capital expense request by Jesse Douglas, Director of Gas, Water and Sewer, was approved.  Douglas requested $4,812 for parts to the lift station duplex pumps and $6,175 for a new “Weil” brand pump, totaling $10,987.

    The grand opening ceremonies for the Town’s new annex building has yet to be set, but the offices will be officially opened for business on Monday.

    “The new annex is where citizens will pay their utility bills using a convenient drive-through,” Gaddy said.

    Hours will remain the same as the Town Hall (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.); however, Town Council will continue to hold their meetings at Town Hall.

  • Good Food, Great Cause –

    Phyllis Nichols Gutierrez, Foundation event chairperson (center), with George King, pit master (right) and “Can’t Quit Smoking” barbecue team member, Gary Freeman. King and Freeman will be serving up the barbecue at the Oct. 13 Barbeque, Bluegrass & Blue Jeans hospital benefit at The Farm in Ridgeway. Proceeds from the event will go toward the purchase of equipment, such as a treadmill for the Rehabilitation Services department at Fairfield Memorial Hospital. Tickets are $30 each or $50 per couple. Children 10 and under are $10 and children under 6 are free (with an adult), and are available at the Blythewood Visitor Center, (Thursday-Saturday); Cotton Yard Market, Ridgeway; Prices Drugs, Winnsboro; Fairfield Memorial Hospital lobby, or by mail from the FMH Foundation, P.O. Box 1156, Winnsboro, S.C. 29180. Patrons should make their donation checks to FMH Foundation. The Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. For more information, call 803-608-5510.

  • Fairfield County Incident Reports

    FCSO

    29015

    Rocky 2 Road, 100 block, between 10:10 a.m. and 12:17 p.m. Sept. 7. Someone broke into a home and stole video game equipment worth $174.

    29065

    Calico Farms Road, 100 block, between 11:35 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Sept. 5. Someone stole scrap metal worth $100 from the yard of a burned-out home.

    29130

    Bishop Squirewell Road, 300 block, between 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Sept. 7. A man was arrested after deputies recovered a 2001 Ford Crown Victoria worth $4,000 and stolen out of Spartanburg County parked outside a home.

    Highway 21 S., 4100 block, between 4:07 and 4:45 p.m. Sept. 7. Deputies recovered a Ford Crown Victoria of undetermined year, worth $3,000 and stolen out of Spartanburg County, from the driveway of a home.

    Bellfield Road, 4600 block, between 3:54 and 4:30 a.m. Sept. 8. Someone broke into a home and stole a television and other items worth $2,700.

    Macedonia Church Road, 400 block, between 7:52 and 8 p.m. Sept. 9. Someone vandalized the inside of a home causing $100 in damage.

    29180

    Pumphouse Road, 1500 block, between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. Aug. 16. Someone vandalized the inside of a home and a car parked outside the home causing $300 in damage.

    Winter Street, 100 block, between 11 a.m. Aug. 16 and 10:30 a.m. Aug. 17. Three juveniles and an adult male were arrested after someone broke into a home and a car parked outside the home and stole video game equipment and other items worth $1,000.

    Taylor Creek Landing, 100 block, between 10:37 p.m. Aug. 17 and 11:15 p.m. Aug. 18. Someone broke into a Jeep parked at a boat landing causing an undetermined amount of damage and stole a purse and other items worth $31.

    Reservoir Road, 5800 block, between 6:08 and 6:20 p.m. Aug. 24. Deputies recovered a 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity of undetermined value and stolen out of Richland County from the driveway of a home.

    Cherry Road, 100 block, between 10:54 and 11:19 a.m. Aug. 25. Someone stole two rocking chairs worth $150 from the front porch of a home.

    Columbia Road, 300 block, between 2:20 and 2:28 p.m. Aug. 25. Someone broke into a pickup truck parked at a recreation facility causing $200 in damage and stole a purse and other items worth $30.

    Old Chester Road, 100 block, between 8 p.m. Aug. 25 and 7:21 a.m. Aug. 26. Someone stole a 2012 Toyota pickup truck worth $25,000 from outside a home. The keys had been left inside the truck, which was later recovered after being involved in a hit-and-run on the Highway 321 Bypass in Winnsboro.

    Cedar Street, 200 block, between 3:13 and 3:15 p.m. Sept. 1. Someone stole a cell phone worth $100 from a home.

    Eighth Street, 200 block, between 9:29 and 9:33 p.m. Sept. 1. Someone broke into the crawl space underneath a home and stole a bicycle and other items worth $115.

    Highway 321 Bypass, 100 block, between 5 and 10:40 a.m. Sept. 5. Someone broke into a restaurant and stole $250 in cash.

    Newberry Road, 1000 block, between 9:30 p.m. Sept. 5 and 12:53 p.m. Sept. 6. Someone stole an air conditioning unit worth $1,000 from outside a home.

    Hudson Street, 600 block, between 6:15 and 6:21 p.m. Sept. 6. Someone vandalized a car parked outside a home causing $250 in damage.

    Smith Branch Road, 100 block, between 9:41 and 9:47 p.m. Sept. 7. Someone stole a 1993 Nissan pickup truck worth $400 form the yard of a home.

    Kennedy Road, 100 block, at 11:56 p.m. Sept. 8. Someone stole a 1999 Honda Accord worth $4,000 from the driveway of a home. The car was later recovered in a ditch in the 100 block of Old Camden Road.

    WDPS

    29180

    Palmer Street, 400 block, between 9 a.m. July 23 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22. Someone vandalized a car parked outside a home causing $100 in damage.

    Highway 321 Bypass, 700 block, between 12:01 and 1:12 p.m. Aug. 23. Two women were arrested after someone shoplifted a swimming pool worth $150 from a business.

    S. Congress Street, 200 block, between 9 p.m. Aug. 23 and midnight Aug. 24. Officers recovered a 2000 GMC U-Haul truck worth $5,000 and stolen out of Florida parked behind a business.

    Peays Ferry Road, 500 block, between 4:30 p.m. Aug. 23 and 6:10 a.m. Aug. 24. Someone stole copper worth $9,500 from two air conditioning units outside a business.

    S. Vanderhorst Street, 400 block, between 11:46 p.m. Aug. 27 and 8:35 a.m. Aug. 28. Someone stole tools worth $2,000 from utility trucks parked outside a Town of Winnsboro building.

  • Ridgeway Casts its Lot with Water Group

    The Town of Ridgeway became the third official charter member of the proposed Fairfield County regional water authority Thursday night, as their town council voted unanimously to pony up the $5,000 fee to sit on the organizational committee. The vote came after an executive session during council’s regularly scheduled meeting at Town Hall. Last week, following a work session on the water authority hosted by County Council, Ridgeway Mayor Charlene Herring said the town would have to dig into its savings account to cover the entry fee.

    Ridgeway joins the towns of Blythewood and Winnsboro on the list of those who have committed, monetarily, to joining the water authority’s charter committee. With $5,000 paid in by each entity, John Fantry said the water authority has met its $15,000 minimum capital requirement. Fantry is special counsel to the Town of Winnsboro on utility matters.

    “Winnsboro is delighted,” Fantry said. “We have reached our threshold and now, this body, when it comes together, will have the resources to get the work done. We have reached our minimum, although we still have some out on the edges.”

    Those still ‘out on the edges’ are Mid-County Water and Fairfield County. County Councilman Dwayne Perry, who represents the Ridgeway community in District 1, was at Thursday’s meeting and told town council that the County has been focused almost entirely on the water issue.

    “I still think there’s a lot of information that I need to have, but I do think that we need to continue to move forward, because really it’s going to drive economic development – or not, if we don’t get water,” Perry said. “It’s all about water.

    “We have until the 30th of the month to make that $5,000 donation,” Perry said. “I’m sure the County will probably make it just to stay involved with this water authority process. That’s just my feeling. We’ll vote on that.”

    Mid-County, while verbally committed to being at the table, has not submitted its $5,000 contribution to the water authority, according to Herb Rentz, who heads the water company. One hurdle Mid-County will have to overcome is a transition from their current status as a 501(c)(4), not-for-profit, organization to a special purpose district. Doing so would make them a political subdivision, something attorney Margaret Pope said at the Sept. 5 county work session would be necessary for Mid-County to join a water authority.

    “That has been done by a number of entities like us,” Rentz said of the conversion. “I have been calling a lot of those entities and I haven’t received any negative comments. They experienced no significant rate increases.”

    Rentz said Mid-County plans on sending their money in by the Sept. 30 deadline. Fairfield County Administrator Phil Hinely said County Council planned to have the item on the Sept. 24 agenda.

    Fantry said that even though the water authority has met its minimum requirements to move to the next stage of organization, there was still a place at the table for late-comers.

    “The door is open,” Fantry said. “But at some point, we’re going to start doing some work.”