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WINNBORO – Fairfield County Council voted Friday night to bring former Assistant County Administrator Laura Johnson back as interim county administrator. The vote was 6 – 1, with Councilwoman Shirley Green voting against.

Council Chairman Douglas Pauley told The Voice that Johnson is under contract with the county from Jan. 16 – June 30, 2023.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Ms. Johnson return to the county as we search for a new county administrator,” Pauley said. “She has a broad knowledge of the county’s operations and her experience and dedication are going to be a great asset to the county in the coming months as we fill several key vacancies.”

Johnson served the county for many years as comptroller.

“In the 19 years that she worked for Fairfield County, she has demonstrated that she has both the necessary work ethic and integrity needed to serve the people of this county,” Pauley said.

Prior to being named assistant county administrator, she served as interim deputy county administrator.

Johnson was one of a number of top county officials and department heads who were either pushed out or left the county’s employ after the balance of power on council changed two years ago. Others who left include County Administrator Jason Taylor, County Attorney Tommy Morgan, Clerk to Council Patti Davis, Director of Economic Development Ty Davenport, Director of Community Development Chris Clausen and others. The County’s Director of Human Resources Brad Caulder and Comptroller Anne Bass left after being elected to public offices in the county – Caulder as Probate judge and Bass as county auditor.

Johnson is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has previously served in the South Carolina Auditor’s office as well as the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Her responsibilities as Assistant County Administrator included project management as well as operational and financial oversight.

Johnson is a graduate of Fairfield Central High and Winthrop University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Johnson is married to Otis Johnson and they are the parents of three adult sons.

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This story was updated Jan. 18, 2023 at 4:40 p.m.

COLUMBIA – Monday night’s Powerball drawing left one South Carolina resident $50,000 richer, and the winning ticket was purchased in Fairfield County.

It was sold at the Pops #550 on US Hwy 321 in Winnsboro. The ticket won in the Double Play drawing, which was held after the regular Powerball drawing.

The Double Play ticket matched four of the first five ball numbers drawn and the red Powerball® number at odds of 1 in 913,129.

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The Story of my Model ‘T’

by William (Bill) McLean; Excerpted from the Blythewood Garden Club’s ‘Blythewood Scrapbook’ with permission.

I got a job in the summer of 1936 measuring cotton by using aerial photo maps. I had no automobile, so I used a bicycle to travel to the different farms to outline various cotton fields to see if they were conforming to their allotment.

During one of these trips, I spotted an old Model “T,” belonging to, I believe, a Mr. Ballentine on Cedar Creek Road. It was a 1927 model and he told me he would sell it for $20. It was a four seater with no top, but it was beautiful.

At this time Frank Boney was running the Sinclair Filling Station on the corner of Blythewood Road and Highway 21 and it was the hangout for young boys and girls. We boys decided to take the old body off and to replace it with a “boat” looking body, still with no top. We decided to paint signs on the “Boat” such as “ALL YOU GIRLS WHO SMOKE, PUT YOUR BUTTS INSIDE.” We used this Model “T” to go the pond and swim, or just cruising.

Bozie Palmer, who worked for J.R. Creech, also, had a four seater Model “T”. One time I remember a race was arranged, going toward Columbia on 21. There was very little traffic in those days. I was driving my car with Charner Boney in the back as the look out; Bozie was in his car by himself. Bozie and I were side by side, both vehicles steaming like crazy, going about 25 miles an hour.

Charner hollered to me that a Highway Patrolman was behind us. I threw the spark and gas levers up, Bozie went past me just laughing his head off. Finally, the siren blew and he stopped Bozie. I was going right on past with a “tic, tic, tic,” sure that I wasn’t going to be stopped. Just as I was going to pass Bozie, the Patrolman held up his hand saying, “Where are you going?” He made no charges, but gave a stern warning that if we wanted to race to go into a nearby field.

I made many enjoyable trips into the low country, and drove that old car to Clemson. During my college days a crowd would pile in and away we would go to Anderson Junior College for Women. It never let us down; just a pair of pliers and a screwdriver was all we needed. I might say that when the right pedal (brakes) wore out, I just used the middle pedal (reverse) and it would stop.

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Blythewood’s history in a book

by Barbara Ball

BLYTHEWOOD – Most small towns never have their histories recorded, much less published. Blythewood’s history has not only been recorded and published, but it’s practically a best seller in the town.

Compiled and published by the Blythewood Garden Club, there have been three editions published – 1976, 1994 and 2004. The books are sold to raise money for the Club’s civic beautification projects, like the seasonal flowers that grow in planters at the entrance to the post office on McNulty Street.

While all the editions offer a pleasantly written history of the town, the first two editions include more of the town’s early families. The short-essays are written by some of those families’ descendants who still live in the community, including the Boneys, Wilsons, Blumes, Creeches and Levers, and are laced with personal memories and handed-down information.

Some of the early homes pictured in the Scrapbook are still lived in by descendants of the families who built them. Ann Joy Mullins’ children, for example, were the seventh generation to be raised in the Allen House on Mullis Road.

The Scrapbook is full of anecdotes about Indians, Robert Frost, Winthrop Rockefeller and others who spent time in Blythewood. There’s a little romance, some intrigue and fascinating insights into what the town was like in its early days.

The 2004 edition adds newer information including the fine horse farms that came later – Farewell Farm, OneWood Farm and others that are credited with helping to preserve and enhance the rural charm that has long distinguished the Blythewood community.

Whether you’re a scout looking for facts about the town in your quest to earn a badge or a newcomer wanting to learn more about the history of your new community, you’re going to enjoy reading the Blythewood Scrapbook. You’ll gain insight into the town, its landmarks, and even the names of streets.

All three versions of the Scrapbook are available to peruse at the Blythewood branch library and the Blythewood Historical Society (Langford-Nord House.) Reading them will make you feel a closeness to the community you live in and an appreciation of those who so thoughtfully recorded the town’s history.

 The 2004 edition of the Scrapbook sells for $10 and is available in paperback at Blythewood Pharmacy, the Langford Nord House, Blythewood Consignment and town hall.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY – Steven M Huot, 27, of Conway, SC has been arrested for two separate arson investigations.

In connection with these investigations, Huot has been charged with 2 counts of Attempted Murder, Attempted Arson, Arson 2nd Degree, and Burglary Second Degree and is currently being held at the Fairfield County Detention Center.

During the early morning hours of Jan. 3, an incident occurred at a residence on W. Eleventh Street in Winnsboro where a fire was intentionally set while two occupants were asleep inside of the residence, according to Fairfield County Sheriff Will Montgomery.

On the same day, a deputy was patrolling the US Hwy 321 South area and spotted a fire at the Winnsboro Concrete Company. Huot was identified as a suspect in both incidents and was arrested immediately.

These investigations are ongoing and anyone having any information about these incidents or Mr. Huot are asked to contact the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office at 803-635-41414. 

“We are thankful that no one was injured in either of these incidents,” Fairfield County Sheriff Will Montgomery said. “This could have been a very tragic situation. I am pleased that our deputies observed the fire so quickly and we were able to identify and arrest Mr. Huot before any more damage could be done.”

FAIRFIELD COUNTY – A Winnsboro woman and her 2-year-old son lost their lives New Year’s Eve in a crash on I-77.

Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill identified the woman as Ashley Hawkins of Winnsboro. Hawkins was the driver of the vehicle.

According to Hill, the accident occurred at about 11:45 p.m., Dec. 31. The vehicle was traveling north on Interstate 77 near Exit 32 when it went off the right shoulder of the highway and then over corrected, striking several trees. The vehicle then overturned ejecting Mekia Simmons, age 2, who was identified as the son of the deceased.

An autopsy to determine the cause of death is scheduled for this week in Newberry.

No further information about the accident is available at this time.

The Fairfield County Coroner’s Office and the South Carolina Highway Patrol continue to investigate this accident.

RIDGEWAY/WINNSBORO – Plans are underway by citizens in Ridgeway and Winnsboro to show the communities’ appreciation to Winnsboro water technicians Veshawn Owens, Jesse Self, Mikey Bunting, Jawarin Jones and Kaelen Fee, Meter Reader Isaac Boyd, and Winnsboro Gas Water and Sewer Director Tripp Peak, who worked around the clock Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and part of Monday in sub-freezing temperatures and icy winds to repair breaks in water lines in Winnsboro. Ridgeway Water Director Robert Arndt was pretty much a one-man act taking care of resulting water problems in Ridgeway.

Winnsboro’s Water Plant Director Jeff Cisney and his crew worked long hours as well trying to keep water in the tanks and lines through it all.

“I don’t know when they slept Saturday and Sunday nights,” Peake said. “Every time I call over to the plant, Jeff answered.”

Sarah and George Pierce of Sarah ‘n Geo’s are spearheading the appreciation drive.

“We’re donating meals here at the restaurant to the men and their families,” Sarah said, “and other donations have also come in. It’s just a way for the community to show their appreciation for these men getting the water pipes repaired under unimaginable circumstances.

“Residents of the two towns and even in the county have been bringing gift cards, food, hand warmers, and even cash to show their appreciation. Carol Allen of Laura’s Tea Room in Ridgeway brought over a large gift basket,” Sarah said.

 “These guys were out there Christmas Eve and Christmas day, away from their families, working hard in miserably cold weather, in freezing water and with only about two hours rest Saturday night, then back out. It was really bad,” Peak told The Voice. “We couldn’t get any contract workers because they were on other jobs. Towns all over the state had the same problems. Some even worse than ours.”

Drop off point for both the Winnsboro and Ridgeway workers is at Sarah ‘n Geo’s restaurant, 170 S. Palmer Street in Ridgeway until 8:30 tonight and from 11 a.m. until 8:30 Wednesday night. For more information about the appreciation drive, call Sarah at 803-337-0520.

BLYTHEWOOD – A Blythewood Middle School teacher has been placed on leave after having been charged in connection with a recent fatal hit and run.

Aja Raevon Adams, 27, of Blythewood, was charged Dec. 14 with four counts, according to court records.

The charges as listed in the Richland County Public Index include:

Hit and run, duties of driver involved in accident with great bodily injury

Hit and run, duties of driver involved in accident with death

Felony driving under the influence, great bodily injury results

Felony driving under the influence, death results

Additional details about the nature of the charges were not available as of press time.

A spokesman with the S.C. Highway Patrol said the charges stem from a fatal collision that occurred before Thanksgiving, but the agency wouldn’t release the responding trooper’s report unless The Voice submitted a Freedom of Information Act request.

Police agencies usually don’t require FOIA requests for police reports. State law doesn’t require FOIA requests for reports for incidents occurring within the past 14 days.

In a recording, Lance Cpl. Tyler Tidwell with the Highway Patrol said the collision occurred Nov. 29 around 10:30 p.m., on Hard Scrabble Road near Clemson Road, about six miles north of Columbia.

According to the recording, a 2016 Honda Accord and a moped carrying two people were both traveling south on Hard Scrabble Road when the Honda struck the moped from behind.

One person died and a second person was taken to Prisma Health-Richland with undisclosed injuries. There was only one occupant in the Honda, Tidwell said.

The recording referred inquiries about the person who died to the Richland County Coroner’s Office. A representative with the coroner’s office couldn’t be reached as of press time.

Richland Two spokeswoman Ish Tate said Adams is a teacher and was hired Aug. 8, 2019.

The Blythewood Middle School website lists Adams as a 7th and 8th grade science teacher. Adams is currently on paid administrative leave per district policies, Tate said.

When a district employees is arrested, “the superintendent or his/her designee to take appropriate employment action with regard to an employee who has been arrested, consistent with state law,” according to the district’s employee handbook.

Employees are required to notify their supervisor within three days of an arrest and also must keep administration updates on the continued status of pending charges, according to the handbook.

Adams’ next court appearance is scheduled for January 27, 2023, according to court records.