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BLYTHEWOOD – Unmanaged water runoff from the Richland County Penny Tax funded Blythewood Road widening project between I-77 and Syrup Mill Road is causing worrisome changes to neighboring property, says Byron Dinkins, who says his two-acre pond has been fouled with silt, has turned brown, and may be permanently ruined as highway drainage from the construction project continues to pour onto his property.

“I don’t want the water drainage from a mile of four-lane highway draining into my pond for the rest of my life,” says Dinkins. “The county should’ve purchased more property from the adjoining landowners for the drainage to be disposed of as it should be, the proper way.”

Dinkins says the problem started last fall, when he says the construction crew hired by Richland County ran 50 or so feet of giant four-foot diameter concrete pipe from Blythewood Road onto a wedge of property purchased from one of Dinkins’ neighbors. County officials call the wedge of property a continuation of the highway right of way.

“They say the pipe and a retention pond beneath the mouth of the pipe are within the right of way,” Dinkins said. “But the way it’s installed, the drainage pipe is pointing in the direction of my pond and sending drainage water downhill right in to it.”

The highway runoff water is intended to pour from the concrete drainage pipe into a small five or six-foot deep retention pond. While the pipe and detention pond are situated within the county’s right of way, the pipe points towards Dinkins’ pond which is not more than a hundred feet away and downhill from the retention pond, allowing the highway drainage to pour onto Dinkins’ land and into his pond.

Neither the road contractor nor the county officials overseeing the project could be reached for comment. Project Manager Michael Green referred The Voice to the county’s public information office. The Voice emailed questions to the office, but has not yet received a response.

Dinkins says the assistant project manager was initially responsive to his complaint. That’s when the small gravel retention pond was constructed on the neighboring property. But the retention pond filled and overflowed quickly – within 24 hours of construction. And the problematic stream of drainage water continued to flow downhill, directly into Dinkins’ pond.

Dinkins describes it as a band-aid on a wound that continues to bleed – a problem that needs a larger solution.

In reality, he says, fixing the drainage issues caused by the road project will require a drainage plan and likely the acquisition of a little more of the neighboring land to properly handle the runoff.

Dinkins says finding a solution is important not just in this location, but for the project as a whole. He also owns property at the intersection of Syrup Mill and Muller Roads, where a future phase of the project is planned.

“I’m concerned that the lack of an effective drainage plan there will cause a similar problem, devaluing an otherwise excellent corner lot,” Dinkins said.

Other landowners adjoining the road may also be affected if the drainage issues are not handled.

“It’s very poor planning,” Dinkins says of the current problem.

“They should’ve acquired more property for this drainage system they’re putting in because all the drainage from this mile stretch of road is going to be dumped here into this pond, which is now brown and is going to be contaminated from here on out.”

WINNSBORO – On Saturday, December 30, 2023, Fairfield County Fire Service was dispatched to a residence on Durham Place Rd. in Winnsboro for a structure fire with an individual inside. Firefighters located the victim and Fairfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to the scene.

Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill has identified the individual as Mr. Frank Turner, 63 years old, from Winnsboro. According to Hill, an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of Mr. Turner’s death.

Fairfield County Coroner’s Office and SLED continue to investigate this incident. This was the second fire fatality in Fairfield County for the year of 2023.

WINNSBORO – On Tuesday, December 19, Fairfield County Fire Service was dispatched to a residence on Keyhole Dr. in Winnsboro  for a structure fire with an individual inside.

Firefighters located the victim and Fairfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to the scene.

Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill has identified the individual as Mr. Wardell Jeter, 83, from Winnsboro. According to Hill, an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of Mr. Jeter’s death.

Fairfield County Coroner’s Office and SLED continue to investigate this incident.

WINNSBORO – The Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce and several churches in the community are sponsoring a walking tour of the stained glass windows of five churches in downtown Winnsboro.

There will be five staggered 30-45 minute tours of the windows on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. Tour participants are reminded to wear comfortable shoes and to dress for the weather.

Each tour will accommodate from 20 to 25 walkers.

Churches on the tour include these five Winnsboro Churches:

1. Bethel ARP Church – 101 North Zion St.
2. First United Methodist Church – 109 West College St.
3. Sion Presbyterian Church – 116 West Washington St.
4.  Washington Street Baptist Church – 101 South Vanderhorst St.
5. St. John’s Episcopal Church – 301 West Liberty St.

Community fellowship and animal welfare are the target beneficiaries of the event. Cash donations for the tour and the donations of luminaries are greatly appreciated and will go to support Because of Roscoe’s spay/neuter (SNIP) program.

A matching donation of $5,000 is being generously offered by a Fairfield County resident. Donation boxes are available on site at the Bethel ARP church.

Luminaries are available for purchase from any merchant shop along Congress.

For information about the tour, email: tracy@chamberfc.com. To purchase luminaries from the Historic Winnsboro Downtown Merchants, call 803-519-6065.

While the tour is free, registration is required.

BLYTHEWOOD – After Mayor Sloan Griffin didn’t appear to be ready to fire any of the Town’s attorneys at Tuesday night’s special called meeting, he did just that two days later.

Griffin sent outside attorney Shannon Burnett of Shannon Burnett Law Firm in Blythewood a letter of termination on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Burnett was working closely with David Black, the Town’s lead attorney on the MPA legal issues.

“Per the motion and approval granted to my office at the Nov. 28, 2023, Town of Blythewood council meeting, I am hereby terminating the attorney client relationship with The Law Office of Shannon Burnett, Inc.,” Griffin wrote.

“Effectively immediately, you will cease all legal proceedings, filings, requests, depositions, and other actions not explicitly named regarding case numbers 2021CP4003205, 2023CP4000492 and case number 2018C4005647, if applicable.”

“Failure to comply with this termination,” Griffin wrote, “may result in a breach of contract and I have been authorized by council to seek any necessary remedies in the event of a lack of cooperation.”

Burnett was hired in November, 2020, as the town attorney to handle legal work on ordinances and other legal issues that cropped up in town hall. In September, 2021, Burnett submitted a letter of resignation, but that resignation was controversial since she submitted it to the town administrator instead of to her boss, the town council. But the resignation never materialized. Burnett was, instead, paid by the Town as an outside attorney and worked closely with Black on MPA issues.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY – A human skull was found off Highway 215 S. about 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 30, according to Fairfield County Sheriff Will Montgomery.

“A logging crew working in the area called our dispatcher about 3 p.m. to report they had come across a skull,” Montgomery said.

“Our deputies were on scene shortly after the call came in, and they reported the skull to the Fairfield Coroner’s office,” Montgomery said. “There were no other related items found in the area where the skull was found, and the skull appears to have been there for a long time.”

While one media outlet reported that a body was also found, Montgomery said that was misinformation.

“No body was found, just the skull and it appears maybe a couple of rib bones. We have no more information about that at this time,” Montgomery said. “Our office, along with the Coroner’s office, will be investigating, but right now we don’t know more than that it is a human skull.”

According to Fairfield Coroner Chris Hill, Dr. Bill Stevens, a forensic anthropologist with the Richland County Coroner’s office has the remains and will be identifying whether the skull belonged to a male or female and a time frame for how long the remains have been there.

The Voice will share more information as it becomes available.

This story was updated December 6, 2023 at 5:56 p.m.