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  • Doko Park vandals truck ID’d

    BLYTHEWOOD – Following an incident of vandalism in Doko Meadows Park on Saturday, July 31, Mayor Bryan Franklin and Town Administrator Carroll Williamson said during the Aug. 2, town council meeting that the incident had been captured on park cameras.

    Williamson said he didn’t know if the incident had been reported to the Richland County Sheriff’s office, that he had so far been working on gathering information on the incident and would report it soon. “We’ve been figuring who it was and capturing it,” Williams said.

    On Tuesday, Aug. 3, Steve Hasterok, Director of the Conference and Event Center (Doko Manor and Park) filed a report with the Richland County Sheriff’s office about a pickup truck caught on the park cameras doing ‘donuts’ in the backfield of the park leaving deep ruts that damaged the grass.

    The incident, according to the Sheriff’s report, occurred in the daytime at about 6 p.m., July 29. According to Hasterok, the incident may have been associated with a group picnicking in the park.

    Hasterok told The Voice that the pickup truck license plate was caught on camera and identified, but the suspect has not yet been contacted or arrested. He said Franklin and town attorney Shannon Burnett are waiting for Williamson to come back from vacation later this week when they will discuss what action to take on the matter.

    Talking about the vandalism at the Aug. 2 council meeting, Franklin said the town has been far too lenient on park vandals and promised to start enforcing the law to the fullest extent for vandalism of town property.

    Time to Enforce Law

    “I’ve instructed the town attorney to prosecute that individual to the full extent of the law,” Franklin said. “If the barricade doesn’t work and Richland County can’t assist us in enforcing it, then we’ll do a security force of our own.

    “We’ve been far too lenient and far too patient and now it’s time to enforce the law,” he said. “And we plan to do that.”

    Hasterok said there have been at least 15 incidents of vandalism in the park over the years.

    It was similar to another ‘donut’ vandalism during the winter when a Blythewood teenager was identified after digging deep tracks and ‘donuts’ in the grass in the park with his pickup truck, causing approximately $1,500 in damage.

    The incident was captured on the town park’s surveillance cameras in conjunction with a group of teens who were using the park as a nightly hangout, according to Hasterok.

    Hasterok told Richland County Sheriff’s deputies that the problem had been ongoing.

    While the town did not take that ‘donut’ case to court, the town’s attorney, Shannon Burnett, working with Town Administrator Carroll Williamson and Mayor Bryan Franklin, reached a settlement that Burnett called ‘stiff,’ with the teen’s attorney.

    “He was required to pay $1,500 for the damages and must work 40 hours at the park. Except for his required work there, he is banned from the park for two years,” Burnett said. “If he completes these requirements, the issue is settled. If not, we have the option to prosecute, and we will.

    “We’ve also had vandals breaking lights along the walking trails and ladies have complained about harassment as they go on morning and evening walks,” Franklin said. At least one man has been prosecuted for harassment in the park.

    New Security Options

    Town council has in recent months discussed taking steps to stop the vandals, including upgrading surveillance cameras so they will pick up greater detail, keeping a closer eye on park goings-on after dark, and town hall is currently installing an additional gate just past the town Christmas tree in front of Town Hall. That is the only remaining road open to the park after hours.

     Franklin said Monday night that “the Eagle scouts are coming to put a fence along Freeway Music and then on the south side of the farmers market.

    “That will be a physical barricade, physically impossible to get in unless they violate the ordinance,” he said.

  • Vandals strike Doko Park again

    Steven Hasterok, Director of the Conference and Events Center, examines damage from large ‘donuts’ cut into the park’s athletic field. | Barbara Ball

    BLYTHEWOOD – After the latest in what has been years of varying degrees of vandalism in the town park, Town officials say they’ve had enough.

    During Monday night’s town council meeting Mayor Bryan Franklin announced that the park was struck again over the weekend by vandals who dug deep ruts in the grass, making 20- to 30-foot diameter ‘donut’ circles into the park’s large athletic field on the McLean Road side of the park.

    Teen Arrested

    It was similar to another vandalism during the winter when a Blythewood teenager was arrested after digging deep tracks and ‘donuts’ in the grass in the park with his pickup truck, causing approximately $1,500 in damage.

    The incident was captured on the town park’s surveillance cameras in conjunction with a group of teens who were using the park as a nightly hangout, according to Steve Hasterok, Director of the Conference and Events Center for Doko Manor and Doko Meadows Park.

    Hasterok told Richland County Sheriff’s deputies that the problem had been ongoing.

    While the town did not take that ‘donut’ case to court, the town’s attorney, Shannon Burnett, working with Town Administrator Carroll Williamson and Mayor Bryan Franklin, reached a settlement that Burnett called ‘stiff,’ with the teen’s attorney.

    “He was required to pay $1,500 for the damages and must work 40 hours at the park. Except for his required work there, he is banned from the park for two years,” Burnett said. “If he completes these requirements, the issue is settled. If not, we have the option to prosecute, and we will.

    “We’ve also had vandals breaking lights along the walking trails and ladies have complained about harassment as they go on morning and evening walks,” Franklin said. At least one man has been prosecuted for harassment in the park.

    New Security Options

    While Williamson said Monday evening that he did not know if the current vandalism has been reported to the Richland County Sheriff’s office, he said he has so far been working on gathering information on the incident.

    “We’ve been figuring out who it was and capturing it,” Williamson said. He said it would be reported shortly.

    Town council has in recent months discussed taking steps to stop the vandals, including upgrading surveillance cameras so they will pick up greater detail, keeping a closer eye on park goings-on after dark, and town hall is currently installing an additional gate just past the town Christmas tree in front of Town Hall. That is the only remaining road open to the park after hours.

     Still the vandals persist.

    Franklin said Monday night that the Eagle scouts are coming to put a fence along Freeway Music and then on the south side of the farmers market.

    “That will be a physical barricade, physically impossible to get in unless they violate the ordinance,” he said.

    “I’ve instructed the town attorney to prosecute that individual to the full extent of the law,” Franklin said. “If the barricade doesn’t work and Richland County can’t assist us in enforcing it, then we’ll do a security force of our own.”

    “We’ve been far too lenient and far too patient and now it’s time to enforce the law,” he said. “And we plan to do that.”

  • Doko Meadows Park rules revised to allow children of all ages

    BLYTHEWOOD – As the original rules for the use of the park and Manor were adopted in 2017, the use of these facilities has grown, making security a critical issue, Town Administrator Carroll Williamson told council at Monday night’s council meeting.

    To that end, the rules are being updated and adopted, Williams said, to ensure that they reflect the best interest of the park and those who enjoy it.

    Most of the changes have to do with what park visitors are allowed and not allowed to do in regard to fishing, swimming, grilling, bringing dogs to the park, noise, trash disposal, the use of fireworks, firearms and other weapons. The new rules also address peddling, parking, hunting, alcoholic beverages, driving, and the protection of the grounds and facilities.

    A controversial item on the list of do’s and don’ts concerned the age of children who use the playground.

    The first reading stated that: “The playground is designed for ages five to 12 years of age. Children over 12 are prohibited.”

    That stipulation restricting children of certain ages was removed Monday night.

  • Doko Meadows walking trails open; park, Manor, playground, restroom closed

    BLYTHEWOOD – During a two-hour zoomed town council meeting Monday night, council spent an hour discussing whether or not to re-open the park’s walking trail before voting 4-1 to open it. Councilman Larry Griffin voted against.

    At issue was the fact that the trail has been used steadily since it was officially closed by a vote of town council on March 16.

    Councilman Larry Griffin said he was not against the trail being open, but he felt opening it would be an invitation to citizens to use the entire park.

    Mayor Bryan Franklin disagreed.

    “We opened the Farmer’s Market on Wednesday afternoons until November. If we open the walking trail, and then a bunch of kids show up down at the [park’s] rugby field, now they’re violating the governor’s executive order [for social distancing] and they can be prosecuted. So, when you say if the trail’s open, the whole park’s going to be open, that’s not true,” Franklin said. “We are allowing only for the walking trail to be open. But if someone wants to get out of their truck and walk their dog, get back in their truck and go home, to me that’s common sense. They’re doing what the governor has mandated in his executive order. I trust the people to use common sense. But if a crowd gathered in the park and I found out about it, I would call Deputy Kevin Dukes and have him go over there and break the crowd up because they would be violating the law.”

    Councilman Donald Brock said he didn’t believe access could be restricted to just the walking trail.

    Franklin again said that if people are congregating in the park, a law was put in place by the governor that can be enforced to break up crowds. He said separate families have been seen picnicking in the park and people have been using the walking trail, but he doesn’t see that as a violation. But he reiterated that a bunch of people congregating is a violation of the law that is enforceable.

    “Don’t go down this road of ‘We can’t enforce it,’ Franklin said. “If someone steps off the trail, should they go to prison? That’s not what we’re saying. We’re saying, ‘Come out and walk in this public area, walk your dog, walk your kids, push a stroller, and then get in your car and go home. Don’t congregate.’ I think people are using common sense.”

    Franklin suggested the town could install signs stating that the walking trails are open, but the rest of the park, restrooms, playground, Manor and town hall remain closed to the public.

    After making several attempts to call for a vote during the almost-hour-long discussion of the trail closing, Councilman Eddie Baughman made a motion to open the trail only. Even then, there were questions from other council members about whether coronavirus germs might be lurking on areas of the amphitheater that could infect park visitors and whether or not the germs could live on concrete surfaces.

    “The bottom line,” an exasperated Franklin said, “is that many, many public areas are open now that are known as grocery stores where the public congregates. You get my point.” Baughman’s motion passed just before the clock struck 9 p.m

  • Blythewood Council closes Manor, park, playground indefinitely

    PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Blythewood town council held an emergency council meeting at 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 18, at Town Hall and voted to:  1) close all town government facilities to the public indefinitely, 2)- lock the doors on town hall to the public (staff may work in office or telework, but will return phone calls and emails),  3)cancel all public government meetings indefinitely

    These changes were to take effect immediately.

    The story below appears in this week’s paper and is a review of the two special called meetings March 12 and March 16 that were held prior to the final emergency meeting on March 18 meeting.

    The Voice will follow up online and in print with more information as it becomes available.

    BLYTHEWOOD – A special town council meeting was called on March 12, to discuss how the town government should move forward with regard to public events in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Council members voted unanimously to go ahead with two events scheduled over the next two days that they said were on course to draw thousands of visitors to Doko Park, pointing out that the two Fests’ attendance numbers could swell over estimates after many other events in the area had been cancelled.

    Four days later, on March 16, after an estimated 2,000 people attended the Doko Rib Fest and Doko Film Fest, Council held a second special called meeting at the Manor and voted to close all town facilities with the exception of town hall until March 31. The park, playground and Manor (that had several scheduled weddings in March) would be closed. Town hall would be open, continuing to provide services. Walk-ins, however, would be discouraged in favor of phone calls and emails. Town hall employees would be allowed to work from home at the discretion of Town Administrator Brian Cook.

    That vote also required all town hall facilities, including the playground, to be professionally cleaned and sanitized after the closing. The playground would be cleaned and sanitized again prior to being reopened to the public.

    There was also some consideration during the March 16 meeting about the possibility of closing town meetings to the public in the future if the COVID-19 crisis worsened and providing live stream video with an option for the public to call or email/text questions to council during the meeting.

    At the prior March 12 meeting, Mayor Brian Franklin said he had some concerns about allowing the Rib Fest and Film Fest to go on in the park. Council had awarded a total of about $20,000 to both events.

    “So we thought it prudent to come together with precautionary measures, learn a little bit about this virus and how it may or may not affect Blythewood and area citizens, but more importantly to alleviate any fears we may have about gatherings,” Franklin said. He said he was following the Governor’s lead in calling on citizens to not cancel their events.

    “I agree that I don’t see the need to have a knee jerk reaction and immediately cancel events,” Councilman Donald Brock said. “I’m the least concerned with the outdoor events. It seems like common sense should prevail. If you’re sick, stay home. Let everyone make their own decisions.”

    Councilman Eddie Baughman agreed. “If you’re sick, stay at home. We’re asking people to just take care of yourself. That’s about all we can do,” Baughman said. “We’re grown adults. We know we can either go or stay at home.”

    Councilman Larry Griffin said he leaned toward erring on the side of caution – to shut the events down.

    “In the beginning I was willing to roll with it, but now I’m torn. Do we want to put ourselves in position to have a rash of COVID-19?”

    Newly elected Councilman Sloan Griffin, Emergency Manager with the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), was given the lead by Franklin in presenting the health and safety ramifications of leaving open or shutting down the festivals.  Franklin pointed out that, as part of (Sloan) Griffin’s work, he meets with the Governor regularly for COVID-19 updates.

    “We need to follow the heartbeats of the folks around us,” (Sloan) Griffin said. Besides bringing council up to speed on the virus and the constantly changing effect it’s having on the Midlands, (Sloan) Griffin explained DHEC’s strategy in preventing the spread of the virus and encouraged council to follow suit, noting that the Governor, at that time, had encouraged communities to not cancel events.

    At the second special called meeting on March 16, however, council members leaned more quickly toward closing the town’s facilities to all gatherings, including weddings at the Manor.

    “We may turn some brides into bride-zillas,” (Sloan) Griffin said, “but I think we need to close things down for at least two weeks. We need to provide for town hall staff to work at home and take care of their families while we continue to provide their pay and benefits.”

    Council will not meet for its regular monthly meeting on March 23. There will be no town government meetings until further notice.

  • Council gives go-ahead to open-air style market

    BLYTHEWOOD – A 7,300 square foot open air market structure proposed by the Doko Meadows Park Foundation for construction was approved by Council Monday evening. The facility will have associated storage and restroom facilities.

    Equip Studio provided council with a schematic of what the market structure will look like. The cost to move forward to design the structure will be $6,200, Town Administrator Brian Cook said. The market that will be located in the park between the Town Hall and the Sandfield Road entrance to the park.

    During council’s retreat last month, there was discussion about constructing the market so that it could be closed in, possibly with roll up doors to provide indoor settings for craft and other vendors and events such as the town’s annual holiday market since these kinds of events have difficulty finding affordable indoor accommodations.

    Councilman Eddie Baughman, who also serves on the park foundation, explained that the foundation committee has put lots of time coming up with a design for the market.

    “It’s been a long time in the making,” Baughman said. “Our idea was that this was going to be an open air farmers market first. This is the concept that the park foundation would like to go with,” he said, referencing the schematic. “While this market project is a collaboration between the town (council) and the foundation, it is the foundation that is going to be tasked with raising the funds to get this built.

    “When you handcuff the foundation in a sense where you’re going to change the concept, you’re going to make it more difficult for the foundation to raise that $300,000,” Baughman said.

    “We’ve met with Mr. Cook and I think he will tell you that every member of the foundation would like to see this concept go forward. If there are events that need to be able to lock their wares up, I think we can make other accommodations for those events,” Baughman continued.

    Baughman said, again, that an open air market is what the people want.

    Councilman Donald Brock said he was the one who had spurred the idea for a structure that could be closed or open.

    “I just wanted to make sure we weren’t being short sighted. I was not aware of the fact that the farmers market has been a two year project,” he said. “If this is the type of design that the park foundation wants, who am I to stand in their way and say ‘no? ‘ And if the foundation has potential donners lined up to fully finance the project, who are we to stop them?”

    Council voted unanimously to move forward with the park foundation’s open air market plan.

  • Oktoberfest set for Saturday

    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.

  • Council prioritizes park projects

    BLYTHEWOOD – After meeting recently with the Doko Meadows Park Foundation, Town Administrator Brian Cook suggested Monday evening that council might want to discuss priorities for additional park features.

    Constructing an area in the park for a farmer’s market, Cook said, would most likely be the top priority and a close second might be sound baffling for the back of the amphitheater. Council generally agreed on both points, but the sound baffling received more discussion than the market.

    “Wasn’t the number for sound baffling something like $7,500?” Mayor J. Michael Ross asked Steve Hasterok, Events Director for the Manor.

    Councilman Eddie, who is a member of the Park Foundation, answered the question.

    “I don’t know about the price,” Baughman said, but he questioned the need for sound baffling at all. “Other than being outside, down by the lake, I was in here (the Manor) Saturday night and there was no issue in here with the music that was going on in the park. I couldn’t hear it.”

    Baughman also suggested that instead of the baffling being something that the park foundation pays for, perhaps the town would take on that cost.

    “After all, the town would benefit from the baffling because we would be able to rent both venues out at the same time – the amphitheater and the Manor – if we had the baffling,” Baughman said.

    “Actually, I would think that the greater problem we would have with two events at the same time would be parking more than the sound,” Ross said. “And are you saying that we put up the baffling and if the band was playing in the amphitheater, that you would not be able to hear it from outside the Manor?” Ross asked.

    No one on council was sure of the answer.

    “Maybe we’ll try to come up with a dollar figure for the baffling and see if we think that it’s worth the cost,” Cook said.

    “Whoever provides a bid, let us go and see exactly what they’ve done in the past and is it working.” Councilman Brian Franklin said. “If it doesn’t block enough of the sound, then that’s a lot of money to spend for nothing. You’re going to have a very angry bride when she hears that banjo playing.”

  • Fireworks set for July 3

    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.

    For more information, call town hall at 754-0501.

  • Ramblin’ Road to wind down July 3 Fireworks

    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.