FAIRFIELD COUNTY – Paige Crippen, of Blythewood is currently wanted by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office for charges including Financial Transaction Card Fraud and Financial Transaction Card Theft, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.
Surveillance footage used to identify Crippen. | Photos: Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office
On Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, the Fairfield County Sheriff’s
Office received a report regarding the fraudulent use of a citizen’s credit
card.
Following a review of financial records, investigators were
able to identify Crippen as the suspect.
Surveillance footage confirmed Crippen using the credit card for
unauthorized purchases.
According to the news release, investigators have obtained
an arrest warrant for Crippen and have made multiple attempts to locate her,
but these efforts have been unsuccessful.
Anyone with information on Paige Crippen’s whereabouts or
who has seen her is urged to contact the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office at
803-635-4141 or Investigator Robert Byrd at 803-815-4120.
WINNSBORO – Eddie Lamont Smalls, 48, of Winnsboro, was arrested in connection to a shooting incident that took place in South Winnsboro on Monday, Jan. 6, according to the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office.
Smalls
In a media release, the Sheriff’s office says the shooting
incident took place on Fagan Rd. near the intersection of Doty Rd. around 2:30
p.m.
An argument occurred between Smalls and the victim. As the
victim attempted to walk away, the suspect fired three shots, striking the
victim in the back three times, the release said.
Upon arrival to the scene, deputies rendered aid to the
victim until EMS arrived on scene. The victim was transported to Prisma Health
Richland Hospital and Smalls was taken into custody and later booked into the
Fairfield County Detention Center.
Investigators were able to locate and take in to evidence
the firearm that was used in this incident, according to the report.
Smalls has been charged with Attempted Murder and Possession
of a Weapon During a Violent Crime.
Everyone is talking about Friday and Saturday. Social media
is calling for a “big winter storm” with “a lot of snow”.
The potential of seeing any winter weather is gradually
diminishing, but it all depends on the exact track the low pressure system
takes.
This system working in is a typical winter low pressure
system. Snow/ice on the north side, rain and storms on the south side. Models
are hinting at a shallow area of high pressure at the surface setting up just
to our north/northwest this afternoon. For winter weather fans, that is good
news. What this will do is promote a northerly flow, bringing in colder air,
which is critical for any winter weather.
What’s the worry? The system itself is packed full of gulf
moisture, which holds a good bit of warm air. A warm front on the leading edge
will be the difference between rain and a wintry mix.
With the system advancing to the east-northeast, there is a
possibility that the warm front will make it close enough to the Blythewood
areas to increase temperatures before the bulk of the moisture arrives. This
would kill any chance of seeing snow and likely promote a mostly rain event
with some sleet mixing in at times.
Rain showers will start to push in early Friday afternoon.
At this point, temperatures will be well above freezing in the upper 30s and
low 40s. With that said, no snow or sleet is expected early in the day on
Friday.
By early to late evening on Friday, future radar likes the
idea of a few snow showers, mainly in Fairfield County.
In my opinion, this model is slightly overdoing the idea of
snowfall, simply because at this time, the low-pressure system will be to our
southwest. This would pull in warmer air out of the south along a southerly
breeze.
I am not saying this is completely out of the question, but
I don’t see that much snowfall across the northern half of the state. But it
could mix in with rain and sleet.
By 12 a.m. Saturday morning, future radar jumps on board
with the warm air being pulled in out of the south. This pushes the snow shield
north, and brings in heavier rain, with some sleet mixed in.
By 2 a.m. Saturday morning, the southerly flow becomes more
prominent causing a mostly rain event for the rest of the overnight period.
Another concern throughout the morning is the possibility of
freezing rain. Computer models do not depict freezing rain that well because it
is actually just rain. The variable that determines whether the rain is
“freezing rain” or not are the temperatures at ground-level and on the surface
it falls on.
Freezing rain occurs when those surface and road
temperatures are at or below the freezing point (32°F). When the rain hits this
cold surface, it will start to freeze on contact, causing a layer of ice to
form. I am forecasting a low temperature of around 28-30° for the
Blythewood/Fairfield County area, so it is not out of the question.
With this event, I don’t see a major ice accumulation
because of the warmer air pushing in. This will not only bring warmer
temperatures at the ground-level, but also at around 3,000-5,000 ft above our
heads. The warmer air will actually move in at a much quicker rate above our heads.
This would mean the precipitation will melt through this
layer, but since surface temperatures could be below freezing, they will
re-freeze as sleet if they have enough time to do so. If they do not have
enough time to re-freeze before reaching the surface, that would also mean the
possibility of freezing rain, assuming the temperature of the surface it hits
is at or below freezing.
After a few hour toss-up between rain, freezing rain and
sleet, our cold front starts to move in around 6 a.m.
Since low pressure looks to be northeast of it, it will toss
in some colder air out of the north. This could mean a few more rain and/or
snow showers for us around sunrise Saturday morning. But it will quickly come
to an end by 7-8 a.m. as the cold front passes by.
At the end of the day, it would be a good idea to prepare
for ice, but it will only be a concern between 7 p.m. Friday night until noon
on Saturday afternoon. If you have to travel between these times, allow
yourselves an extra 15-20 minutes to get to your destination. Most importantly,
take it slow on the roads in case there is some minor ice accumulation.
In terms of snowfall, little to no accumulation is expected.
If there does happen to be a period of snow showers, then it could briefly accumulate.
Then when the rain works in, that very light snow accumulation turns into an
ice concern.
After noon Saturday, temperatures will be in the middle 40s,
so anything that is left over whether it be ice or snow will start to melt.
With sunshine also returning, it will accelerate the melting process through
Saturday morning and afternoon.
Richland Two Reschedules After-School Events
In a weather update on Monday, Richland School District Two
announced that all athletic events scheduled for Friday have been rescheduled
for Thursday, Jan. 9. As of the release, no changes are planned for the school
day and after-school care programs.
Fairfield County Prepares
In a release from the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office,
Sheriff Will Montgomery urged residents to use good judgement this weekend.
“If there’s any type of accumulation, please stay off the
roads unless absolutely necessary,” he said. “If you do need to
travel, let someone know your route and arrival time, and check in once you’ve
reached your destination. Look out for your family, friends, and neighbors—especially
the elderly—and call us if we can be of assistance. Stay safe!”
A shallow area of high pressure at the surface is setting up just to our north/northwest Thursday morning. For winter weather fans, that is good news. This will promote a northerly flow, bringing in colder air. That’s why I am forecasting slightly cooler temperatures for Thursday afternoon, compared to yesterday.
As far as winter weather is concerned, there is a very fine line between snow/sleet and cold rain. There is the potential for a wintry mix late Friday and into Saturday morning, mainly for Fairfield County. (Read about the potential here.)
By Saturday, the cold front on the backside of our system will slide through, giving way to clear skies, and a brief period of cooler temperatures by the end of the weekend. A southerly flow returns by early next week which will allow temperatures to climb Monday, but no precipitation chances are expected after Saturday Morning for this forecast period.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 42.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25.
Friday: A chance of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow mix after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday Night: Rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow mix likely. Low around 28. Chance of precipitation is around 90%
Saturday: Wintry mix early, then sunshine. High near 44.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 44.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 50.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 48.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY – Due to the National Day of Mourning for
President Carter, the National Regulatory Commission (NRC) is rescheduling the
Jan. 9 public meeting about the V.C. Summer plant. The NRC will provide the new
meeting details as soon as possible.
The NRC is seeking public comment on the draft supplemental
environmental impact statement for a second, or subsequent, renewal of the
operating license of Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Unit 1, in Jenkinsville.
The draft report contains the NRC staff’s evaluation and preliminary conclusion
that no environmental impacts would preclude extending the license from 60
years up to 80 years.
The NRC staff held a webinar on Dec. 17 to gather
information. The rescheduled meeting will be in-person. As part of these
meetings, the staff will describe the environmental review process and accept
comments from the public on the draft report.
Members of the public can also submit comments on the draft
report online at regulations.gov, under Docket ID NRC-2023-0152; by email to
SummerEnvironmental@nrc.gov; or by U.S. mail to Office of administration, Mail
Stop TWFN7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
The deadline for submitting comments is Jan. 21, 2025.
Summer Unit 1 is a pressurized-water reactor about 26 miles
northwest of Columbia, S.C. It was initially licensed in 1982 to operate for 40
years, until 2022. The NRC approved a first license renewal in 2004, extending
operation for 20 years until 2042. The plant owner, Dominion Energy South
Carolina, submitted the subsequent license renewal application on Aug. 17,
2023, seeking to extend the license to a total of 80 years of operation, until
2062. The subsequent license renewal application can also be viewed at the
Fairfield County Library located at 300 West Washington Street, in Winnsboro.
The draft report is part of the NRC’s environmental review,
and is available on the NRC’s website. A final supplemental environmental
impact statement is anticipated to be issued in June 2025. General information
about reactor license renewal is also available on the NRC website.
For more information, contact Scott Burnell at 301-415-8200.
Settlement Ends Approximately $1M in Payouts and Legal Fees
In June, 2021, newly hired Ashley Hunter, owner and CEO of MPA Strategies, announced a $10K International Paper Company grant to the Town. Shown here are, from left: Councilmen Sloan Griffin, Donald Brock, Hunter, Eddie Baughman, Mayor Bryan Franklin and then-Councilman Larry Griffin. Less than a month later, council voted 3-1 to terminate her contract with the Town. | Barbara Ball
BLYTHEWOOD – The last of two lawsuits filed by Ashley Hunter, CEO of MPA Strategies LLC, against the Town of Blythewood has been settled, all but closing the door on the Town’s almost four-year soap opera that one columnist described as the Town “making a mountain of public debt out of a molehill of personal spite.”
Another lawsuit filed by Hunter and a countersuit filed by the Town against Hunter had already been settled.
How It All Started
The most protracted and expensive legal battle in the Town’s history set sail on Feb. 22, 2021, after town council voted 3-2 to contract with MPA Strategies LLC instead of the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce to provide marketing services and grant writing for the Town.
Mayor Bryan Franklin, who cast one of the two losing votes, and the Chamber leadership, which lost the bid for the contract, sallied forth in an almost four-year effort to bring Hunter, and those they accused of conspiring with her, to their knees.
During those years, Councilman Donald Brock, The Voice publisher Barbara Ball, and to some extent, then-Councilman Sloan Griffin – Hunter’s alleged co-conspirators – suffered a steady barrage of unsubstantiated accusations, withering public tirades, and myriad other attempts by some members of the Town and Chamber leadership to intimidate.
Defamation Settlement
According to the settlement agreement, signed Dec. 20, 2024, the South Carolina Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund, on behalf of the Town of Blythewood, agreed to pay $122,000 to Hunter in exchange for releasing the Town, its elected officials and employees from all claims concerning a defamation lawsuit Hunter filed against Franklin in January, 2023.
The settlement included a further stipulation that the Town of Blythewood re-issue (to Hunter) a check in the amount of $6,400, which had been tendered to MPA Strategies, LLC in August of 2021, for work Hunter had performed for the Town. That check was never negotiated because the Town placed it into escrow after it abruptly terminated Hunter’s contract on Aug. 28, 2021, in violation of the contract’s stipulations, according to Hunter’s attorney Paul Porter with Cromer, Babb, and Porter law firm. After a year in escrow, the original check was no longer negotiable.
2023 Settlement
The Dec. 20, 2024 settlement came a year to the week after The Town paid out $36,000 on Dec. 28, 2023 for Hunter’s legal fees to settle a Freedom of Information lawsuit that she filed against the Town on June 28, 2021, seeking declaratory relief for Franklin’s alleged Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) violations. State Statute 30-4-110(E) states that a settlement or conviction awarded for the prevailing person or entity in an FOIA lawsuit is restricted to reasonable attorney’s fees or other costs of litigation.
In addition to the payout to Hunter in the 2023 settlement, the Town also agreed to drop 10 counterclaims it had filed July 20, 2021 against MPA and that it (the Town) had paid at least four attorneys to aggressively prosecute.
The counterclaims accused Hunter of, among other things, fraud, civil conspiracy, SC Unfair Trade Practices, Federal False Claims, and Gross Negligence. The counterclaims did not include any supporting evidence, but they did include numerous inuendoes and significant inferences that Brock, Griffin, and Ball were co-conspirators in Hunter’s alleged scheme. According to Porter, the counterclaims were highly unusual and had serious legal and factual problems from the outset.
Who Won? Who Lost?
In the end, the Town gained nothing.
It is estimated the Town and its insurance provider paid out approximately $1,000,000 over the MPA legal war, including total payouts of $164,400 to settle Hunter’s two lawsuits and the Town’s countersuit and at least $800,000 in legal fees. The total of the Town’s fees and costs associated with the lawsuits has never been released to the public by the Town.
At the forefront of Franklin’s 2023 re-election bid for mayor, was his promise to keep stoking the fire under the MPA lawsuits. He lost the election in a landslide defeat to then-Councilman Sloan Griffin who promised to fire the Town’s attorneys and settle the lawsuits.
The Town’s former lead attorney in MPA’s FOIA lawsuit and the Town’s countersuit, David Black, was ultimately fired by the new town government. Prior to Black’s firing, the two powerhouse law firms he was affiliated with, Nexsen Pruet that later became Maynard Nexsen, were paid approximately $500,000 by the Town with public money from the general fund.
Blythewood Attorney Shannon Burnett, who served on the Town’s legal team, was also fired by the new government and was paid $238,753 of the public’s money from the general fund, according to documents released by Town Hall.
David Black
Phil Frye
Bryan Franklin
Hunter Files for Sanctions Against Black
The last remaining remnant of this legal debacle is a motion that Hunter filed in January, 2024 – which is still pending – calling for the court to sanction Black.
Hunter’s call for sanctions stems from Black’s refusal to withdraw from the case even after he was fired on Dec. 11, 2023 by the Town’s newly elected Mayor Sloan Griffin. Black also refused to file the December, 2023 MPA/Town of Blythewood settlement agreement with the Court after it was agreed to and signed by both parties. Black’s delay caused Hunter to lose a high-level crisis communication certification that, she said, impacted her earnings significantly.
Black argued that the MPA lawsuits should continue – against the wishes of the current majority council – in order to protect the Town’s best interest.
Porter countered that [The Town’s] “best interest” is lawfully determined by council [town council], not their counsel [attorney] or a special referee.
“This is how democracy works,” Porter wrote in a motion in opposition to a motion filed by Black to Appoint a Special Master to oversee the lawsuits, a move that the current mayor and council said could effectively block them from making decisions for the Town concerning MPA.
“This case was heavily covered by the local media in Blythewood,” Porter wrote in his Jan. 2, 2024, Motion to Enforce Settlement.
“Constitutional provisions vest [the Town’s] citizens with the right to select their government and representatives. The Town’s citizens did so in November, 2023 when they elected a new mayor and town council,” Porter wrote. “In doing so, the Town’s citizens rejected elected officials who supported the continuation of this legal action in favor of candidates who opposed it.
“Maynard Counsel (Black) does not have any authority to disregard the will of the voters and their elected council,” Porter said.
“Defendant’s record counsel (Black) was not elected. Defendant’s town council was. Whether or not to settle a case is the choice of the client, not their lawyer,” Porter wrote. “The ethical rules of professional conduct make this clear,” he said, quoting: ‘A lawyer shall abide by a client’s decision whether to make or accept an offer of settlement of a matter.’”
“Maynard Counsel wants to disregard the instructions of its client’s democratically elected decision-makers in order to continue this costly and unnecessary litigation over the objection of the Defendant (Town), who presumably will continue to be billed [by Maynard Counsel] for time spent on continuing this litigation,” said Porter. “This is shocking.”
The Voice reached out to former Mayor Bryan Franklin, Councilmen Donald Brock and Rich McKenrick, and former Chairman of the Chamber Phil Frye for comment. Only Frye responded (after press time), but declined to comment.
Who is Ashley Hunter?
Ashley Hunter is the owner and CEO of MPA Strategies LLC, a full-service marketing and grant writing business that was named the 2024 Best Marketing Firm in South Carolina by the Guide to South Carolina.
Located in Cayce, MPA’s clients have included the cities of Rock Hill, Florence, Camden, Mullins, Westminster, Batesburg-Leesburg, and Lake City, as well as the Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce, the SC Bar, and a number of law firms, political candidates, associations, businesses and individuals.
Prior to starting MPA Strategies in 2011, Hunter, a South Carolina native, spent six years working for the largest association management and lobbying firm in the state. She was selected for The State Newspapers “Top 20 Under 40ʺ in 2012 and named one of the 2018 Women of Influence by the Columbia Regional Business Report. In 2021, Hunter was named an SC Phenom by the Columbia Regional Business Journal.
Hunter is the former Chairman of the Board for the Healing Families Foundation, and a volunteer Guardian ad Litem for Richland County. She served as a lobbyist for the Municipal Association of SC, and is certified by FBI-LEEDA in Media and Public Relations (MPR).
Hunter, a single mom, resides in the City of Cayce with her two daughters.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY – Just before 11 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 23, the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a missing 83-year-old man with a heart condition in the Lake Monticello area. The man’s daughter reported that she had last seen her father around 9 p.m. the previous evening.
When deputies arrived at the residence, they began a preliminary search of the area. Shift Lieutenant McLemore found several concerning signs: the front door was open, the man’s hat was in the yard, and a piece of clothing was discovered at the edge of the woods. A perimeter was quickly set up, and investigators, along with the Sheriff’s K-9 units, were called to assist in the search.
With temperatures dropping to the mid-20s overnight and only reaching around 40 degrees this morning, time was of the essence. The K-9 team, led by Sgt. Alan Cox, began a detailed search of the area. Investigators also worked with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to track the missing man’s cellphone. Additional K-9 units and drones were dispatched from the Chester County Sheriff’s Office to assist.
After about an hour of searching, a breakthrough came when one of the K-9 officers spotted a figure at the bottom of a 20-foot ravine. The officer descended into the ravine and confirmed it was the missing man, who was alive but weak. Lt. McLemore then carried the man out of the woods for much needed medical care. EMS was notified, and the man was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Despite the cold temperatures and the man’s heart condition, he is expected to make a full recovery.
WINNSBORO – The National Weather Service has confirmed three tornadoes swept through Fairfield County Sunday morning.
The most significant of the three tornadoes was the last one to hit the county and was rated an EF-1 with peak winds of 95 mph. It began just south of Winnsboro near a manufacturing plant on Highway 321 and Guardian Way around 8:56 am. As the tornado ripped through, it overturned four empty trailers and snapped multiple utility poles along Highway 321.
As the tornado advanced eastward, it caused damage to industrial facilities, snapping numerous trees along Industrial Park Road, and crossing Highway 34 East.
The tornado then traveled a total of 4.89 miles with a maximum width of 250 yards before dissipating near Horse Creek Road.
Two other tornadoes had already touched down, both less severe EF-0s.
The first of the three tornadoes hit around 8:52 a.m. with peak winds of 80 mph, touching down near Highway 269 and Mockingbird Lane south of Rion in Fairfield County. It traveled 3.72 miles with a maximum width of 200 yards.
This tornado caused minor shingle damage to homes, snapped some tree limbs, uprooted at least one tree, and crossed several roads, including Bundrick Road and Greenbrier- Mossydale Road, before dissipating near Highway 321.
The second of the three tornadoes, also rated an EF-0 with peak winds of 75 mph, began in Richland County near Old Hilton Road, east of Chapin, and moved northeast into Fairfield County around 8:35 am.
This tornado had a path length of 11.2 miles and a maximum width of 150 yards. It caused sporadic tree damage, crossing I-26 and Bush Mill Road, as it continued over the Broad River into Fairfield County before dissipating near Highway 269.
These poles and generators (left) were
downed at the Palmetto Imaging Technology
building on Hwy 34. | Photos: Fairfield County
WINNSBORO – The Fairfield County Sheriff Office recognized Sergeant Brandy Caldwell as the 2024 Officer of the Year for Fairfield County.
Sgt. Brandy Caldwell with Sheriff Will Montgomery | Contributed
Caldwell serves as a School Resource Officer (SRO) at
Fairfield Middle School, where her leadership and commitment to the well-being
of students have been transformative.
“Sgt. Caldwell’s influence extends beyond Fairfield County.”
Says Fairfield County Sheriff Will Montgomery.
‘She has held positions on the South Carolina DARE Association Executive
Board and currently serves on the Executive Board of the South Carolina
Association of School Resource Officers (SCASRO). Through her statewide
connections, Sgt. Caldwell has become an invaluable resource for SROs across
South Carolina, ensuring best practices in school safety and student
engagement.
A graduate of Fairfield Central High School’s Class of 2002,
Caldwell began her distinguished career with the Fairfield County Sheriff’s
Office in 2008.
Sheriff Montgomery commended Sgt. Caldwell, stating, “Sgt.
Caldwell is a well-trained SRO who works tirelessly to bridge the gap between
our youth and law enforcement. Her dedication fosters a positive impression not
only within our schools but throughout Fairfield County. She exemplifies the
core values of our office and is a vital asset to our team. She is the first
one in the door every morning and the last to leave,” Montgomery says. “Her
personal motto, ‘Children First,’ reflects the heart of her work.”
“To be a school resource officer, you have to have a passion
for children,” Caldwell says. “It’s got to be inside your heart that you want
to make a difference in your community. It’s beyond just the school doors that
we can help them. They know that if something’s happening in the community,
they can come to the school resource officer, and we’ll work to make sure that
we’re supporting them as well.”
“Sgt. Caldwell’s selfless dedication, proactive mindset, and
ability to connect with students have made her an irreplaceable part of the
Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office,” Montgomery says. “Her work ensures that students feel
supported, valued, and safe, both within their schools and in the broader
community.”
FAIRFIELD COUNTY – December marks changes in the college
football world, and those have trickled down to The Voice… but the cash prize
remains.
Capitalize on your chance for some extra Christmas cash by
entering in The Voice’s College Football Playoff Bracket Challenge, which can
be found on page 4B in the Dec. 12 and Dec. 19 issues of The Voice.
The winner of the contest will be presented two $100 bills
after the Jan. 20 National Championship game. Make sure to fill out the tie
breaker!
The Rules
The person with correct bracket will be crowned the Champ
for 2024. Don’t forget to fill out the tie-breaker (predict the total score of
the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Game between the University of South Carolina and the
University of Illinois). That could be the difference between winning $200 or
$0.
Photocopies of the entry form will not be accepted. The
Voice will count only one entry per person; all mailed entries must be
postmarked by midnight Thursday, Dec. 19.
How to Enter
Clip the dotted box out of The Voice’s U Pick ‘Em page and
list the team you think will win each game of the playoffs.
Mail your picks to The Voice at PO Box 675, Blythewood, SC
29016.
