To have input into the proposed rezoning of 15.14 acres for a housing development on Rimer Pond Road, emails must be received by Richland County Council by end of day, Wednesday, Dec. 16. Send emails to planningcommission@richlandcountysc.gov
COLUMBIA – Richland County Council will hold a zoning public hearing on Thursday night, Dec. 17, to hear what residents who live and travel along Rimer Pond Road have to say about a rezoning request that will bring more traffic to the already congested road.
At issue for residents who live and travel along the road is
that Richland County Council continues to approve more housing developments
along the road without addressing the increased traffic congestion these
neighborhoods bring to the road.
The latest rezoning-for-housing request on Rimer Pond Road was
made earlier this month by developer Kevin Steelman who wants to rezone 15.14
acres for approximately 40 new homes. Stillman has already developed several
neighborhoods with hundreds of homes to the Kelly Mill Road extension of Rimer
Pond Road. Those neighborhoods empty on to Rimer Pond Road.
The traffic from Steelman’s newly proposed neighborhood will
also exit onto Rimer Pond Road along with vehicles from approximately 500 homes
that are currently being built by Great Southern Homes behind Steelman’s 15.14
acres. Beside Steelman’s proposed neighborhood is Coopers Pond which already
sends traffic onto Rimer Pond Road from more than 100 homes. These three
neighborhoods are within a quarter mile of Highway 21 where, during drive times,
traffic can back up a mile or more down Rimer Pond Road. A little further down
the road, vehicles from another 150 or so homes in Eagles Glen empty onto Rimer
Pond Road. Lake Carolina homes and a myriad of neighborhoods along Hardscrabble
also travel down Rimer Pond Road to get to Highway 21 during high traffic hours.
And a number of other new neighborhoods under construction will also empty onto
the road.
Public Restricted
With restrictions on the public’s access to rezoning
meetings during the pandemic, residents say they have little meaningful input to
the county’s rezoning decisions that affect traffic on the road, leaving few if
any barriers to the council’s passage of developers’ requests for rezoning.
Earlier this month, when Steelman’s rezoning request went
before the Richland County Planning Commission, the public was not allowed access
to the meeting in person, nor were they able to view it virtually due to what a
county spokesperson said were technical difficulties. Instead of postposing the
vote until the public could have visual access to the meeting, the commission proceeded
to vote 9-0 to recommend that county council approve the developer’s request.
Media attorney Jay Bender termed the meeting illegal and
said a ‘Do-Over’ was warranted.
“While streaming did not allow for public viewing, the
meeting was recorded and all efforts will be made to have the
audio of the meeting…placed on the county’s YouTube channel,” Geonard Price, Division
Manager/Zoning Administrator, said following the meeting in a texted comment to
The Voice via Stephen Gilchrist, chairman of the planning commission.
More than a week after the meeting, however, neither video
nor audio of the meeting has been posted.
While citizens were allowed to express their opinions about
the rezoning in emails or letters to the planning commission, many expressed that
they were not aware of the rezoning and therefore didn’t know to send an email.
County officials said they posted signs and sent letters of
notification about the rezoning to property owners adjacent to the proposed new
housing development, However, the signs along Rimer Pond Road were posted
facing the roadway and not easily visible to passing traffic. After a photo
(below) was sent to the county showing motorists’ view of the signs, Price ordered
the signs re-staked to be perpendicular to the road so that they could be
easily seen by passing traffic.
Bender: The Meeting is Illegal and a ‘Do-Over’ is Warranted
COLUMBIA – In a meeting Monday afternoon that turned out not to be accessible to the public, the Richland County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend rezoning a 15.14 acre parcel on Rimer Pond Road from Rural (RU) to Low Density Residential (RS-LD) for a housing development proposed by developer Kevin Steelman.
Due to COVID restrictions, the public was not allowed to
attend the meeting, nor were they able to view it virtually due to what a
county spokesperson said were technical difficulties. But the fact that the
meeting was not accessible by the public didn’t stop the commission from voting.
“While streaming did not allow for public viewing, the
meeting was recorded and all efforts will be made to have the
audio of the meeting…placed on the county’s YouTube channel,” Geonardo Price,
manager over zoning for the county, said following the meeting in a texted
comment to The Voice via Stephen Gilchrist, chairman of the planning
commission.
At press time on Wednesday, the audio had not yet been made
available to the public.
While the inaccessible meeting may satisfy Richland County
officials, Bill Rogers, Executive Director of the S.C. Press Association, said
it sounds like an illegal meeting.
“If the public doesn’t have access to the meeting, then
posting the audio later would not solve that problem,” Rogers said.
“The public has to somehow have access to the meeting at the
time it is happening. They must be allowed to either be present or have access
online,” Rogers said. “If not, the county has two problems. If anyone wanted to
challenge that vote, they’d probably win. Another problem is that it dilutes
public confidence in the government.”
Media attorney Jay Bender, who represents the S. C. Press
Association, said the meeting should be rescheduled and the rezoning request
re-voted.
“If the public had no access because the doors were locked
or the technology failed, I believe the meeting was in violation of the law,”
Bender said. “The FOIA says all meetings shall be public. If there is no
contemporaneous public access, the meeting is not public. A ‘do over’ is
warranted.”
Price told The Voice on Tuesday that the county does not
plan to re-do the meeting.
He said the process will move forward to the next regularly
scheduled meeting which will be the zoning public hearing to be held in county
council chambers via zoom at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 17. At that meeting, county
council members will take the first of three votes on the rezoning request.
Residents can submit written comments to council that will be read into the
record by a county employee. Those
comments must be emailed to planningcommission@richlandcountysc.gov It is the
only other meeting concerning the rezoning where the public will be allowed to
have input.
While some residents along Rimer Pond Road have spoken out
against more residential development along the road, many say the more
worrisome issue is that there are already two large neighborhoods exiting onto
the two-lane Rimer Pond Road within a stone’s throw from where the road
intersects with Highway 21.
“Traffic is a nightmare now at drive time,” Rimer Pond Road
resident Trey Hair said. “The line of traffic sometimes backs up on Rimer Pond
Road from Highway 21 for almost a mile. What will it be like when traffic from
the additional 1,000 or so Great Southern Homes neighborhood and the 40 homes
from the new neighborhood also enter onto Rimer Pond Road in the mornings?
Traffic will be at a standstill. Council needs to solve the traffic congestion
problem in that area before it creates more traffic,” Hair said. “But since we
couldn’t hear the meeting, we don’t know if they addressed the issue or not. We
were told that they unanimously voted to recommend the rezoning.”
Information about the meeting is listed on signs posted at
167 Rimer Pond Road. The signs were reposted on Wednesday by the county to be
more visible.
A packet of complete information about the rezoning can be
requested from Richland County Planning and Zoning at 803-576-2172.
Written comments must be received by county council
(planningcommission@richlandcountysc.gov) on or before Wednesday, Dec. 16.
RIDGEWAY – When Fairfield County Sheriff’s deputies
responded to a call about a gunshot victim on Jewel Drive in Ridgeway on
Sunday, Dec. 6, they entered a residence and found Christopher Antonio Curbeam,
49, lying on his back. The woman who reported the incident was kneeling over
him with blood on her face and hands, the sheriff’s report stated. Deputies
said the woman told then she had been attempting to give mouth to mouth resuscitation
to the victim.
Deputies cleared the residence and escorted the woman
outside.
The victim appeared to have at least one gunshot wound to
the chest, and when EMS personnel arrived, they confirmed that the Curbeam was
deceased, the report stated.
Deputies reported damage to televisions and to a bedroom
door as well as what appeared to be a gunshot hole in the wall above where the
victim was lying.
The woman was escorted to the Fairfield County Sheriff’s
office for questioning. She was later turned over to the Chester County Sheriff
who arrested her on unrelated charges.
The Fairfield County Sheriff’s office continues to
investigate the incident.
GREENBRIER – Christopher Rontavious Martin, 32, has been identified as the person who died after his car crashed into a tree on Hinnants Store Road in the Greenbrier area of Fairfield County, according to Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill.
Martin was traveling north on Hinnants Store Road in a 2000 Honda when his car went off the right side of the road, over corrected, then went off the left side of the road and hit the tree.
The crash occurred at about 11:48 p.m., Nov. 11. Martin was
not wearing a seatbelt according to the S.C. Highway Patrol, and was pronounced
deceased at the scene.
The crash is under investigation by the Fairfield County
Coroner’s Office and the S.C. Highway Patrol.
This a developing story that will be updated as information
is available.
WINNSBORO – A Fairfield county motorcyclist, Benaiah Lawson, 23, was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Sunday at about 4:30 p.m., according to Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill.
The crash occurred at the intersection of 9th Street and
U.S. Highway 321, according to Hill in Winnsboro, across the street from
Fairfield Central High School.
Lawson was heading north on U.S. 321 when he crashed into a
vehicle that was turning off 9th Street onto the bypass, Hill said.
Lawson was taken to a Prisma Health hospital in Richland
County, where he died.
The crash is being investigated by the Winnsboro Department
of Public Safety, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the coroner’s office.
This is a developing story and will be updated as
information is available.
COLUMBIA – Richland Two School Board Chairman James Shadd, lost not only his board chairmanship Tuesday night, but his seat on the board as well. Newcomer Lashonda McFadden bested Shadd with 2,831 votes to his 2,404.
The two other incumbents, Monica Elkins with 3,454 votes and
Lindsay Agostini with 3,148 votes retained their seats. Shadd finished fourth
in the race for the three open seats.
A strong supporter of Richland 2 Superintendent Baron Davis,
Shadd was admonished publicly last week and given an NI (Needs Improvement)
score by the Black Parents’ Association (BPA) in their annual Richland School
District Two Report Card review of the three school board incumbents running
for office.
The BPA give Agostini high praise and an A+ for her service
to the district, Elkins a B+ and asked what Shadd stood for.
“Mr. Shadd seems to exalt himself as a community leader and
he’s actively involved in many community activities which led us to question if
he was actually going to seek office again. Mr. Shadd’s ‘mission’ work seems to
be more important to him than guiding and really leading a premier school
district like Richland Two,” the BPA wrote. “It’s our opinion that Mr. Shadd
should exert more of a voice that challenges the district rather than rubber
stamp all its actions.”
The Association left it to the voters to decide if they felt
Shadd deserved to be re-elected to the board.
In contrast, the BPA lauded Lindsay Agostini for, “boldly
and rightfully questioning the policies of the administration,” saying that,
“she undoubtedly deserves four more years” on the board.
Dee Williams received the fifth highest number of votes
(1,889) followed by Maryann Wright (1,820) and James Mobley (1,716).
Rhonda Meisner of Blythewood, a frequent critic of the school’s administration and a first-time candidate received 1,300 votes; Deon Jacobs received 987 and Lawrence Terry, 640.
Rene Green defeats 2-term school board incumbent Paula Hartman.
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County voters changed the balance of power of the county government Tuesday night, turning out two of three county council incumbents.
Voters also narrowly rejected the capital project sales tax referendum (Penny Tax) with a 4,758 to 4,438 vote. The tax had been placed on the ballot to raise additional funds to pay for a proposed $32 million wastewater treatment plant.
With a razor thin margin of 6 votes, challenger Shirley
Greene, with 956 votes, defeated District 2 County Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas
with 950 votes. Director of Fairfield County Voter Registration Debby Stidham
said the less than one percent difference in the two vote totals will trigger
an automatic recount which will be conducted on Friday. There are also 30
provisional votes that will be looked at by the county’s election commission on
Friday as well.
In County Council District 4, former county employee Tim Roseborough
defeated District 4 Councilwoman Bertha Goins with 796 votes to Goins’ 539.
Cynthia Parnell-Rivers received 401 votes, and there were 19 write-in votes.
County Council Chairman Neil Robinson (District 6) easily retained his seat by defeating challenger Bob Prather in a landslide vote of 836 to 297. There were 89 write-in votes.
Senator Mike Fanning (D), with 7,550 votes defeated
challenger Erin Mosley (R) with 4,472 votes.
Annie McDaniel (D) retained her seat in House District 41
with 7,458 votes to challenger Jennifer Brecheisen (R) with 4,566. Eleven
write-in votes were cast.
School board trustee incumbent Joe Seibles fended off
challenger Carrie Suber-O’Neal in a 1,112 to 600 vote. There were five
write-ins votes.
Two-term school board trustee incumbent representing
District 2, Paula Hartman was defeated by challenger Rene Green 1,045 to 716.
There were 8 write-in votes.
In other local races, Fairfield County Sheriff Will
Montgomery (D), with 9,830 votes, defeated Ed Eddie Jenkins with 1,854. There
were 42 write-in votes.
Fairfield Clerk of Court Judy Bonds (D), unchallenged, took
10,905 votes over 114 write-in votes.
Fairfield County Coroner Chris Hill (D) was unchallenged and
received 10,891 votes. There were 101 write-in votes.
According to voter registrations officials, there was an
unprecedented 70+ percent turnout for all county races.
The results are preliminary and will be certified on Friday
at 10 a.m. in the Voter Registration office.
An updated story will appear in the Thursday issue of The
Voice.
The Voice has provided space for each of the local candidates to talk about their candidacy, and here is what they had to say. These comments are unedited.
Erin Mosley, SC Senate Dist. 17 Candidate
Mosely
My name is Erin Mosley and I am the Republican candidate for SC Senate District 17. I am a lifelong conservative Republican and believe in accountability, transparency, trust and integrity in all elected officials. I believe in limited government, less taxation, school choice and being a voice you can trust for all citizens of District 17.
I am pro life, pro law enforcement, pro education, and pro
veterans issues. We need representation
at the state level to defend life. We
should always support the precious gift of life and continue to be a voice for
the voiceless.
Law enforcement officers are vitally important to the
preservation of our communities in maintaining safety and building
relationships with citizens. I would not
support defunding the police. I will
always support our law enforcement across South Carolina.
I believe in all avenues of the education system. I believe that parents should always be able
to decide where their child should attend school. Parents should always have the choice to
ensure their child’s educational success no matter if it is a virtual, private,
charter or public school. I am the
daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, my dad served 2 tours in Vietnam and was a
Purple Heart recipient. We owe every
liberty and freedom we have to our veterans. They will always have my
attention, support and I look forward to better meeting the needs of our
veterans.
I am a resident of Chester County and graduated from
Lewisville High School in 1994. I went
directly into the workforce from high school and soon after graduated from
Cosmetology school. I worked as a hair
stylist until my husband and I started a family. I am founding member of the Progressive
Association of Chester County Communities a non-profit 501 (c)3 that serves all
of Chester County communities. There I
served as secretary, board member, and now the current president until
2021. In 2016, I became Chairman of the
Chester County Republican Party. In
2018, I was appointed to the Chester County Zoning Board of Appeals. One of my favorite quotes is, “If we ever
forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under,”
by Ronald Reagan.
I would appreciate your vote and I look forward to serving
District 17.
Senator Mike Fanning, District 17 Incumbent, did not submit any comments.
Annie E. McDaniel, SC House Dist. 41 Incumbent
McDaniel
I know District 41 and will fight tirelessly for it because I have lived here virtually all of my life. I am a lifelong resident of Fairfield County and have been educated by our public schools. I am a proud alumna of the University of South Carolina (UofSC) where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, major in Accounting. I later returned to UofSC and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and completed two Ph.D. level education administration courses in Finance.
I served 18 years on the Fairfield County School Board which
provided awesome preparation for my next journey.
In November of 2018, I was elected to the SC General Assembly
to represent District 41. My 2018 bid was historic because I became the first
African American since reconstruction, and the only African American woman to
ever hold this seat and represent District 41. Our destiny as a State and
District are truly tied together as one and I am committed to ensuring that our
destiny is bright!
Noteworthy accomplishments include: first freshman
legislator to get a bill passed (E-Rate expansion) and my appointment as the SC
State Director for the National Women in Government Organization. I proudly serve on the Medical, Military,
Public, and Municipal Affairs Committee and COVID-19 Employment, Workforce and
Business Recovery Committee. Endorsements
include: SC Education PAC Council, Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO, Realtors
Association and Care in Action. I have
written several press releases, the latest was published in The State Newspaper
“On Health Care Training” which emphasizes the need for the state to offer free
or reduced education cost for Health Care New Hires and Health Care
Education. I assisted constituents with
various matters due to the Pandemic. I
awarded scholarships to assist students with pursing their educational goals. I was the first to expose House District 41
to the Food Boxes. Please contact me to
discuss additional accomplishments or other issues.
I assisted with exposing House District 41 in many ways, to
include representation and state and national conferences and conventions and
ensuring that several of the Presidential Candidates visited SC. The Lt. Governor and I have worked on several
projects to benefit House District 41 and the State.
I am proud of the work I have accomplished thus far and am
dedicated to continuing to fight for you and your families. I would be honored to receive your support on
November 3rd.
Jennifer Brecheisen, House Dist. 41 Candidate
Jennifer Brecheisen
I am an artist, a mother, and a Christian-not a politician. I am running, because in this time of uncertainty we need people in office that know the needs, fears, and struggles of the working class in SC. I believe a Congresswoman should be humble but also assertive and bold to be able to fight for her constituents. My slogan is Progress the Right Way – that means we need a foundation as a starting point from which to progress. That foundation is our Constitution. I believe taxes should be low, we should feel safe, our children should have good educations, and we should have the infrastructure in place to be able to live our very own American Dream right here in SC.
I would like to lead District 41 and South Carolina to
freedom. My plan to achieve this is very
specific. Here are just a few points
within that plan.
Introduce legislation to ban all city and statewide mask
mandates. As a person with Lupus, RA,
and Sjogren’s Syndrome, I understand the fears of those with compromised immune
systems. I believe anyone that feels they need a mask for protection should be
able to wear them. I also know there are
people with health issues that prevent them from wearing masks; therefore, I
believe South Carolinians should have medical freedom to choose what’s best for
them.
Reduce Crime by restoring Constitutional Carry to SC. Our 2nd amendment is paramount to being able
to protect ourselves not only from criminals, but also from any dictatorial
regime and even our own government. In
SC the violent crime rate is 4.9 which is much higher than the national average
of 3.7. By definition, a criminal won’t follow the law, but they WILL practice
self-preservation. They will be less
likely to offend if they know their own life is at stake.
Work to ensure each school district has an in person 5 day
per week option and introduce legislation to let you put your child’s
educational money where you want it. You
do not need any group indoctrinating your children with values you don’t agree
with no matter what side of the political spectrum you are on.
Liberty can ONLY be protected by we the people. No one
should be dictating to us whether we can breathe or protect ourselves. We don’t want the government in our lives,
our wallets, or our children’s minds.
Will Montgomery, Sheriff Incumbent
Will Montgomery
In the time that I’ve served as the Sheriff of Fairfield County we’ve made many positive changes to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Fairfield County. Some of our accomplishments from the past 6 years are listed below.
Crime rate is down.
Drug arrest are up.
We’re more involved with our communities.
We’ve added 6 new School Resource Officers.
More training available to all employees.
More deputies on patrol in our communities.
Updated technology.
Added a Gang Task Force.
Added a K-9 position.
We’ve built stronger relationships with other agencies. (Local, State and Federal)
A complete fitness gym to help keep employees in good physical shape.
We reorganized our rank structure to improve order in our chain of command.
We reorganized all call signs to improve communications.
We improved our communications with our citizens with social media and the use of Reverse 911.
We’re one of the first law enforcement agencies in the United States to issue body cameras to all of the deputies on patrol.
We’ve improved the way we investigate all internal complaints.
We’ve built a good relationship with all media outlets.
Open door policy in place to improve availability.
More community meetings conducted across the county.
A good working relationship with our County Council.
We’ve received over $1.5 million dollars from grants. (Equipment and training)
Pay increases and added benefits for all employees.
Church security program.
Citizen’s Advisory Committee.
Security check program.
New evidence room.
We’ve never gone over budget to make these changes.
These are just a few of our accomplishments in the past 6
years, and I look forward to continuing our progress in the right direction for
the future of our County.
Thanks to all of my supporters for making this possible
.Please Vote November 3, for proven leadership and a Sheriff that is familiar
with our County.
Ed “Eddie” Jenkins, Sheriff Candidate
Ed Jenkins
Our communities deserve to have the best minds and manpower as well as equipment to protect and serve Fairfield County, and to take back our communities from crime! As your Sheriff, I will see to it that this becomes a reality.
Sheriff William Montgomery recently stated on social media
that crime in Fairfield County is low, but I beg to differ. Since that statement, we all know that many
of our communities have experienced shootings and have been terrorized by violent
individuals who are taking over and destroying what Fairfield County truly
stands for.
In fact, over the course of six (6) years, Fairfield County
has been heavy plagued with multiple gun violence incidents in which people
were wounded and/or killed: Within the
last few months, there was a shooting at the Deerwood Apartments, which lead to
another gun victim, threats of gun violence occurred at the Element Industrial
Plant and two recent shootings caused mayhem in the Greenbrier and Ridgeway
areas. In addition, in speaking with
concerned citizens, I found that there have been several gun violence incidents
that resulted in unsolved murder cases and did not make it through Grand Jury
because of the lack of evidence.
As your sheriff, I will provide swift response and thorough
investigations of all crimes. We need a
sheriff who is assertive and will always exert strong leadership!
In speaking with many individuals and through close
observations, I discovered that there are no programs in place in Fairfield
County to prevent rising gun violence.
Therefore, my goal is to formulate an effective plan to reduce gun
violence throughout our county.
Sheriff William Montgomery has failed us! He has not
established a partnership with our communities and that is why violent
encounters have occurred rapidly during his six years as Sheriff of Fairfield
County. Community policing tactics are not effective because many of the
citizens, particularly our youths, either fear or have no respect for the
deputies. I want to remind the Fairfield
County citizens that we did not have all these acts of gun violence during
former Sheriff Herman Young’s era.
Sheriff Montgomery stated that he added a Gang Task Force,
but citizens feel that our youths are heavily involved in gang activities and
recent shootings are gang related. Local
news sources and citizens insist that no arrest has occurred.
As your Sheriff, I will partnership with the community to
implement an effective plan that will focus on youth violence prevention.
Vote for ED “Eddie” Jenkins for Sheriff of Fairfield County
on Nov. 3, 2020
Paula Meisner Hartman, FCSD District 2 Trustee Incumbent
Paula Hartman
It has been my privilege to serve on the Fairfield County School District Board of Trustees for eight years. It has been a challenging, fulfilling experience. I first ran for the board in 2012, out of my love for children and this county and to help the school district be the best it can be.
Today, I am running for a third term with those same goals
but with a broader understanding of my role and responsibilities as a member of
the board.
The ultimate job of the school district, of course, is to
provide a quality education for our children, to provide the rigorous
instruction that will give them the tools to be successful – to be college, job
or military ready.
It has been my personal goal as a board member to make
careful suggestions that are right for the students, the district and the
community – suggestions that will guide the district in the right direction,
even when I stand alone.
While I have a degree in child development from the
University of South Carolina and have continued my education in dyslexia, ADD
and ADHD, I am not an educational expert. But my education, my willingness to
learn, my experience on the board and as a parent and grandparent gives me the
ability to research and draw on knowledgeable sources to reach sound decisions.
I have lived in Ridgeway most of my life and enjoy serving
my community. I know my constituents, and I know they expect not only a
well-run school district, but one that is also transparent and responsive to
the community. Our school district is one of the most financially blessed
school districts in all of South Carolina. But we must always strive to make
the most of our financial blessings in order to help our students succeed.
While my basic role on the board is to help set the school’s
vision, implement policy, oversee the budget and hire and evaluate the
superintendent, my overall goal is our students’ success, real success, now and
for the rest of their lives – that’s what every parent wants for their child.
As a board member,
honesty, openness and ensuring our students’ success have been a hallmark of my
service. I ask for your vote on or before Nov. 3 so that I might continue to
represent District 2 on the FCSD Board of Trustees.
J. Renee Green, FCSD District 2 Trustee Candidate
J. Renee Green
My name is J. Renee Green. I am running for the School Board of Fairfield County. I am a lifelong educator, with over 35 years of classroom teaching experience; the majority of that teaching experience has been within Fairfield County School District. Education is, without question, my passion and purpose. It is my goal to bring this passion and knowledge to the Fairfield County School Board.
I have been blessed to walk in my purpose as a Special
Education teacher here in Fairfield County. For over 30 years, I have educated,
embraced, and advocated for every child entrusted to my care. I understand what
educators and school personnel need to be successful. I also understand the
importance experience plays in making sound decisions that will help grow every
child that walks through the doors of Fairfield County Schools. My experience
will also play an important role in making sound decisions that help educators
teach, help alleviate some of the stress they may feel, and help promote love
walking into our school buildings every day!
As a classroom teacher, I realize the importance of
representation. Not only will I represent and speak for educators, I will also
represent and speak for parents. Both of my children are products of Fairfield
County Schools, so I have the unique experience of being both a teacher and
parent in Fairfield County Schools. This knowledge and experience will serve as
a guiding light for practices that are in the best interest of our children,
parents, educators, and staff.
In addition to being a public school educator for over 30
years in Fairfield County, I am also highly active in the community. A few of
the community and school-based activities I am or have been involved in
include, but are not limited to, coordinator for the Special Olympics (10+
years), advisor for the Fairfield County Youth Council of the NAACP (5+ years),
volunteer at Lake Wateree Dutchman Creek Fire Department, coordinator for the
Recycling Initiative, trainer for Fairfield County School-Wide Discipline
Initiative, advisor for the Teen Institute, and job coach for students with
disabilities.
As a Fairfield County School Board Trustee, I will help
ensure all students are prepared to transition to their next level of learning.
I will be accessible to the public and continue to bring first-hand experience,
positivity, and teamwork to our district! Together WE succeed!
Joe Seibles, FCSD District 4 Trustee Candidate
Joe Seibles
As a lifelong resident of Fairfield County, a product of Fairfield County School District schools, and a retired educator and school administrator, I love my community. I am also a parent of three Fairfield County graduates and a grandparent of three current students in the district. I will provide relevance to the board from an educator and a parental perspective. I am running for Fairfield County School District School Board because I care about our students, teachers, bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, resource officers and all the people who make up our schools in Fairfield. I want to give them the support they deserve, and I want our community to have a voice in our schools.
I want to let each voter know that their vote matters. I would like to have your vote because I believe
that I can help improve the quality of education for our residents. My primary focus would be to work on programs
that would benefit all students.
I would greatly appreciate your vote on or before November
3rd.
Carrie Suber, FCSD District 4 Candidate, did not submit any comments.
WINNSBORO – A murder suspect is being sought by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office after a fatal shooting that took place at Hwy 215 and Clarks Bridge Road in the Blair Community on Saturday, Oct. 24.
WINNSBORO – A murder suspect is being sought by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office after a fatal shooting that took place at Hwy 215 and Clarks Bridge Road in the Blair Community on Saturday, Oct. 24.
The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene, has been identified by the Fairfield County Coroner’s Office as Trevis Quincy Boyd, Jr., 17. He was a student at Richard Winn Academy and had recently transferred from Fairfield Central High School.
Deputies responded to the location about 9 p.m., Saturday in reference to a person lying on the ground near a vehicle. Upon arrival, deputies found the victim lying next to his vehicle with what appeared to be a gunshot wound in his upper left leg, according to Sheriff Will Montgomery.
A 9mm handgun was discovered laying on the ground on the right side of the victim, and several gun shell cassings were located in the area, according to the incident report.
Sheriff’s deputies said the victim’s car was still running and inside the car, deputies found a dog which was turned over to the Fairfield County Animal Shelter.
Fairfield Coroner Coroner Chris Hill announced on Monday that the shooting occurred about 8:30 p.m., and that the victim had not just one gunshot wound, but multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators are currently following up on leads to identify the shooter(s) involved in the incident. Sheriff Montgomery extended his deepest sympathy to the family and encouraged anyone with any information about the shooting to contact the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office at 803-635-4141 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC (888-274-6372) or visit www.midlandscrimestoppers.com to email a tip. The identity of tipsters will be kept anonymous and, a tip leading to an arrest could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
WINNSBORO – A Fairfield County student was found shot to
death about 9 p.m. Saturday night, at the corner of Clark Bridge Road and
Highway 215, according to Fairfield County Sheriff Will Montgomery. The teen
has not yet been publicly identified by the Fairfield County Coroner’s office.
“The victim was lying on the ground, deceased, next to his
car when deputies arrived,” Montgomery said. He said the victim had been shot
in the leg, but did not know when the shooting occurred or how long the victim
had been dead when deputies arrived.
Montgomery said his office is investigating the incident as
a possible homicide.
The victim was a senior at Richard Winn Academy where he had
recently transferred from Fairfield Central High School, according to sources.
RWA headmaster Kristen Chaisson said she was notified of the
death Saturday night and sent an email to staff and teachers. Chaisson told The
Voice Sunday morning that she has scheduled a meeting with teachers for Sunday
afternoon to discuss a crisis response and will be sending more information out
to the school’s families following that meeting.
“It is a tragedy that is going to affect both Richard Winn
and Fairfield Central High School,” Chaisson said. “We need to talk about how
both schools are going to support each other and the student’s family and
friends through this because he was our kid. He belonged to both schools.”
This is a developing story and more information will be
posted as it is released.
