Tag: slider

 BLYTHEWOOD – After naming four more young adults arrested following a shootout in downtown Blythewood on April 5, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, during a video press conference, noted that they are “out on bond,” and that some of them were already out on bond for previous charges – one for attempted mur­der.

“Out on bond, out on bond, out on bond,” Lott lamented. Only one of the seven, Alikeem Turner, 20, remains in jail, ac­cord­ing to the Rich­land County Clerk of Court’s of­fice.

While the seven appeared before a mag­istrate for bonding, all are sched­uled to appear before a judge in general sessions court, according to the Clerk of Court’s office.

When the story was posted on The Voice’s Facebook page last week, there were 55 comments, al­most all critical of the system that allowed six of the seven to be re­leased on bond.

“So our courts are failing us?” – Ines Watson

“Crooks running the country.” – Dena Petry Crapps

“Seriously? Out on bond to con­tinue shooting?” – Kaye Rinehart Wilson

“Who was the judge?” – Zachary Milholland

“Your senators appoint the mag­istrates who are letting them out on bond,” Lott said, addressing al­most a hundred citizens at a special community conversation at Doko Manor Monday night. “So, if you don’t like what the magistrates are doing, complain to your senator.

“I did that a couple of years ago when we got rid of some of them that were terrible,” Lott said. “Now they want to say that Alvin S. Glenn

 is a terrible place to go. I don’t buy that sob story about how this poor person, you know, don’t need to be in jail,” Lott said.

State Senator Tameika Isaac Divine, who was in attendance, had this to say:

“If they (magistrates) make a bond that you didn’t like or let people out, then we do need to know that. But I will say that the magistrates are somewhat limited as to what we do at the statehouse and what we do so far as setting bonds.

“Bond reform is currently underway, and so certainly communicate with us (senators), your House representatives, and others, about your concerns, giving specific examples about bonds, because the magistrates actually look at the statute as to whether or not someone’s a danger to the community or a flight risk. There’s also some challenges as far as the information that they have available for setting bonds,” Isaac said.

The Richland County Public Index tells the story for each defendant:

Sadrien Antwan Devoe, 18, Blythewood. He was arrested on 4-22-25 and charged with Breach of Peace of a High and Aggravated Nature and was released on 4-23-25 with bond set at $25,000 by Judge Van Ellis.

Devoe is also charged with Possession of Less than 1 oz. marijuana, 1st offense, and was released on bond set at $615 by Judge Van Ellis. Devoe was previously arrested on 3-31-24 for Hit and Run, and was released with a leg monitor. (Bond for that arrest was not available.)

Tyreek Shealy, 19, Cayce. He was charged with Aggravated Breach of Peace and was released on a $25,000 bond set by Judge Van Ellis.

Shealy was previously charged with Drugs/Pwid Marijuana/Manufacture/Poss of Other Substance, 1st offence, and was released on a $7,500 bond set by Judge Bagby.

Jamari D. Nelson, 23, Irmo. He was arrested on 4-17-25 and charged with Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime and Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. He was released with an ankle monitor on 4-24-25 for both charges under a $100,000 bond set by Judge Van Ellis.

Darell Birch, 18, Columbia. He was charged with Aggravated Breach of the Peace of a High and Aggravated Nature, and was released on a $2,500 Personal Recognizance bond by Judge Van Ellis.

D’Marion Khalil Jacobs, 18, Columbia. He was arrested on 4-27-25 and charged with Hit & Run, with Minor Personal Injury and bond was set at $1,000 by Judge Metts.

Jacobs was previously arrested on 9-14-24 and charged with Assault/Attempted Murder, and bond was initially set at $100,000 by Judge Thompson. Jacobs was released on 12-19-24.

Nahjere Suber, 18, Columbia. He was arrested on 4-10-25 and charged with Breach of Pease of a High and Aggravated Nature. He was released on 4-11-25 with an ankle monitor to the custody of his parents under a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.

Suber was arrested again on 4-30-25 and charged with two counts of Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature and was also charged with Possessing a Weapon during a Violent Crime. A cash bond was set at $75,000 by Judge Grimes. Suber was released on an ankle monitor on May 5 to the custody of his parents.

Alikeem Turner, 20, Columbia. He was arrested on 4-14-25 and charged with Grand Larceny over $10,000 and bond was set at $30.

He was also charged with Weapons/Unlawful, Store, Keep, Poss, Machine Gun or Rifle, and a cash bond was set at $40,000 by Judge McLeod, and Turner remains in jail according to the office of the Clerk of Court for Richland County.

Turner was previously arrested on 2-26-25 and charged with two counts of Grand Larceny $10,000 or more and one charge of Poss, Conceal, Sell, or Dispose Stollen Vehicle, valued at $10,000 or more by Judge Von Ellis. Turner was released on 2-28-25 with an ankle monitor under a $30,000 bond. Turner remains in jail under the 4-14-25 charges.

Related: Sheriff Lott talks tough about shootouts, fighting; More arrests made in connection with Blythewood shooting; Two more arrests made in Blythewood shooting; Three arrested in Blythewood shooting; Female shot, businesses damaged during teen shootout in Blythewood; Teens fire shots in downtown Blythewood; Town Council votes to close nighttime park events in 2025 due to teen disruptions; Four teens charged in latest movie night incident; Teens turn Doko Meadows movie night fun into mayhem; What happened at Doko’s fireworks event?

BLAIR – Some communities be­come towns by accident. That’s not the story of Buckhead. It is a community being incorporated with purpose, by and for the peo­ple who live there. The charge to incorporate Buckhead is a grass roots effort being led by their own – the Cross the Water Com­munity Council.

The land where the unincor­porated Buckhead community sits in western Fairfield County grew out of a former plantation that encompassed hundreds of acres of land between the Broad River on the west and the Lit­tle River on the East. Today, that general area is referred to by lo­cals as Cross the Water. The plan­tation was at one time owned by John Hugh Means who served as governor of South Carolina from 1850 – 1852.

For those who grew up in the Cross the Water area, like Bran­don Henderson and Tangee Brice Jacobs, Buckhead is peace on earth.

“The dirt roads, the fields, the cookouts, the ball games, the people, that’s what I loved about Buckhead growing up,” Hender­son recalled. “And that’s stayed with me. It has shaped who I am.”

Once incorporated, Buckhead, at .019 square miles, will be the smallest town in the United States, according to Henderson.

Henderson, 41, now spends his time between his beloved family home in Buckhead and an apartment in New York City where he serves as an IT proj­ect manager for a number of companies. But Henderson says his heart never left Buckhead where, over the last few years, he has spearheaded the com­munity effort to incorporate Buckhead which is located in the Cross the Water area that also includes the communities of Shelton, Feasterville, Mon­ticello, Dawkins, Blair along Highway 34 – and all the places tucked in between the Little and Broad Rivers.

These communities, Hender­son said, have survived over many lifetimes, without ever ac­tually having a seat at the table of their own governance.

The Cross the Water Com­munity Council (CTWCC) was founded for the purpose of incor­porating Buckhead. Henderson says the finish line is coming into view, and he wants the world to know exactly why the incorpora­tion of Buckhead matters.

“Over the years, development decisions have been made for our community without our input,” Henderson said. “Budgets have been spent elsewhere.

“So, we decided to do what our elders always told us to do. ‘If you want something done right, do it yourself,’” Henderson said. Thus, was born the Cross the Water Community Committee.

“Incorporation is not just about drawing lines on a map,” Hender­son said. “It’s about taking con­trol of the decisions that shape our lives. It means we’ll be able to write our own ordinances, con­trol our zoning, direct local taxes to local needs, and protect the land we’ve stewarded for gener­ations.”

Henderson says none of this is without precedent.

“Back in the 1850s, Buckhead was the political epicenter of South Carolina. It was where the elite came to hunt and to decide the future of the state. Governor Means, a central figure in South Carolina’s secession, had a lodge right here,” Henderson said. “For years, Buckhead had its own post office and was rumored to be on the brink of incorporation before the Civil War. That effort, like so many things at that time, was in­terrupted by a war that reshaped the south.”

Now, nearly two centuries later, the residents of the area known as Buckhead are picking up that baton, to redeem it and move for­ward.

“What was once a haven for the political elite,” Henderson said, “is now the heart of a com­munity-led movement for equity, growth, and homegrown gover­nance.

Henderson said the CTWCC has spent years laying the ground­work for this moment.

“Through community engage­ment, strategic planning, and careful documentation, we are now entering the final stretch,” Henderson said.

Earlier this month, one of the final requirements to move the former plantation toward in­corporation was met when the CTWCC received a formal letter from the Fairfield County Admin­istrator Vic Carpenter confirming that Buckhead – after it is incor­porated – will continue to receive county services such as EMS, fire service, and the use of the recy­cling centers.

“This milestone does more than satisfy legal requirements. It creates a gateway for better roads, stronger infrastructure, and targeted investment that will lift not just Buckhead, but every neighboring community around it,” Henderson said. “Incorpora­tion empowers us to advocate with one voice, attract new re­sources, and implement policies that reflect the priorities of all who live between the Little and Broad Rivers.”

For Henderson and those committee members who have worked toward the culmination of incorporation, it is not just about Buckhead. It’s about bring­ing much-needed resources and decision-making power closer to all in the Cross The Water com­munities.

“When a municipality is formed, it gains the legal au­thority to apply for grants, direct zoning, and tailor services that reflect the actual needs of its peo­ple,” Henderson said. “A town hall located in Buckhead won’t just serve Buckhead. It will become a central hub for all Cross the Wa­ter residents to voice concerns, attend meetings, and get things done without having to drive across the county. This is how we start building from the inside, for everyone.”

The next step is certification from the South Carolina Depart­ment of Revenue and Fiscal Af­fairs, Henderson said.

“Once that comes through, our incorporation petition will be submitted for final review on May 28, in full compliance with Section 5-1-40 of the South Car­olina Code,” he said. “That section outlines the rules we’ve followed

 to the letter, including minimum population density and service requirements, all of which Buckhead exceeds,” Henderson said.

“This is our moment,” said CTWCC liaison Tangee Brice-Jacobs. “We’ve studied the laws, gathered the people, and met every condition. We’re not just hoping for a better future. We’re building one. And we’re building it together,” she said.

“This incorporation effort belongs to all of us,” Henderson said. “Those who’ve lived here their whole lives and those just finding their way back home. We are creating a town with intention, a town where the decisions are made by people who know the roads, the churches, the land, and the stories.

“We believe in writing policy that reflects the voices of Buckhead, Shelton, Feasterville, Monticello, Dawkins, and Blair – all the communities stitched together between our two rivers,” Henderson said. “All this while we’re preserving the natural beauty and deep culture that define Cross the Water.”

Henderson says this has not been just a bureaucratic process.

“It’s an act of self-respect and self-preservation,” he said. “We believe that Buckhead is ready to be fulfilled, to be the town it was meant to be.

“The future is being written with this incorporation,” Henderson said, “and we want to make sure it includes all of us.”

Visit www.CTWCC.org to submit a comment of support, to follow the CTWCC’s progress, and to stay engaged.

COLUMBIA – Four more men have been arrested in connection with the shootout in downtown Blythewood on April 5.

When you have large groups of unsupervised young people, somebody’s going to pull a gun out.

Leon Lott, Richland County Sheriff

In a press conference on May 12, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott called it a shootout at the O.K. Corral in Blythewood.

“I’ve probably described it pretty good,” Lott said during an update of the arrests made after the incident. “Not a day goes by I don’t get somebody asking me a question about what happened in Blythewood, what we’ve done,” he said.

“So, I think it’s important that we update on the arrests that we’ve made and what we’ve been able to find out.”

Lott flashed the four new arrestees on a screen.

Jamari Nelson, 23, was arrested for Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime, and is out on bail.

D’Marion Jacobs, 18, was driving a Mazarati that Lott said hit a young person, then fled the scene during the Blythewood shooting. Jacobs was later arrested for Hit & Run Resulting in Minor Injury, and is out on bond. Jacobs was previously arrested for attempted murder. He pled to a lesser crime, and received no jail time, according to Lott.

Nahjere Suber, 18, was arrested for two counts of Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Weapon during a Violent Crime. He is out on bond. He was previously arrested for Aggravated Breach of Peace in connection with the Blythewood shooting.

AliKeem Turner, 20, was present at the Blythewood shooting, but did not shoot. Previously arrested for Attempted Grand Larceny and Possession of a Machine Gun. Turner was released on bond.

Lott said a common denominator in the four arrests and the previous arrests of three Blythewood shooters is, “they are out on bond, out on bond, out on bond.” he said. “I don’t control bond, I don’t control the court system, but we do control the sheriff’s department’s investigation and making arrests,” Lott said. “What happens after that is entirely out of our hands, but we will make an arrest.

“These individuals that we’re talking about, they’re all back out in the community,” Lott said.

“If you ask me what caused this shooting,” Lott said, “it’s …people who just don’t like each other and people who just don’t care. When you ask these individuals why they commit these shootings,” Lott said, “the response is, ‘I just start shooting. I hear a shot, so I put my gun out and I just start shooting.’

“Only by the grace of God that many people weren’t killed,” Lott said.

During the press conference, Lott showed two videos of the shootout in Blythewood – one, a scene of kids running when shots were fired on McNulty Road behind the Waffle House with the Exon Sharpe Shoppe forming a backdrop for shooters and another one of shooters inside the car wash at the intersection of McNulty and Boney Road.

“We had a young lady that was shot, didn’t have anything to do with any of it – just happened to be there. She ended up getting shot, but with the number of bullets that were fired, it’s the higher power that protected all these people who were there.

“This does not have anything to do with the Town of Blythewood,” Lott said, “except that Blythewood just happened to be the place that they all gathered that night. Unfortunately, when you have large groups of unsupervised young people, somebody’s going to pull a gun out, they’re going to fire the first bullet, and it just goes from there.”

Lot said deputies served a search warrant at Nelson’s home after his arrest, and found two guns.

“One has been linked to another crime that we’re working on,” he said.

Since the shootout, Lott said he’s asked the community for help and they’ve responded.

“They’ve been a tremendous help to us, providing us with information,” he said. “The investigation is continuing. We’ve got more that we’re going to arrest.

“We’ve had some parents come in with their young person and they gave us statements, not the ones who were involved in the shootings,” he said. “The ones who were involved in the shooting, their parents haven’t brought them in.

“We’re still identifying people and we’re going to continue to do it,” he said. “There’s going to be more arrests.

“It’s a priority case for us, one that we’re going to continue to work on, and we’re going to continue to do our part. That’s holding those responsible for these shootings, hold them accountable.

“I think it’s important that the community, particularly the Blythewood community that this has really had such a big impact on, knows that we’re continuing to work this case.”

Lott will be speaking at a town hall meeting to be held at the Manor on May 19, to discuss with community members the current disruptions in the business district and at evening park events. It begins at 6:30 p.m.

Prior Arrests

On April 11, Lott announced the arrests of Tyreek Shealy, 19 and Darell Birch, 18. Both were charged with Aggravated Breach of Peace. Sadrien Devoe, 18, was arrested on April 22 and charged with Breach of Peace of a High and Aggravated Nature in connection with the Blythewood shooting and Simple Possession of Marijuana in connection to the search.

---

Related: Two more arrests made in Blythewood shooting; Three arrested in Blythewood shooting; Female shot, businesses damaged during teen shootout in Blythewood; Teens fire shots in downtown Blythewood; Town Council votes to close nighttime park events in 2025 due to teen disruptions; Four teens charged in latest movie night incident; Teens turn Doko Meadows movie night fun into mayhem; What happened at Doko’s fireworks event?

JENKINSVILLE – The recent placement of a tiny house in the middle of a double lot on the shoreline of the Lake Monticello Reservoir in Jenkinsville in Fairfield County was described in the headlines of a media outlet as an ‘escalating crisis’ threatening public safety access to homes as well as to a water main that, it stated, serves hundreds of homes.

A Fairfield County public safety official has stated in writing that there is no access problem, and other officials have stated that the water main in question serves only a couple of homes up the line and also has no access issues.

The owner of the double lot – one lot in Jenkinsville and an adjoining lot in Fairfield County – Todd Jacobs, says that ‘crisis’ is hyperbole that grew out of Jenkinsville Mayor Gregg Ginyard’s angst over Jacob’s desire to annex the Fairfield County lot he owns into the Town of Jenkinsville.

Either Jacobs, who lives in nearby Chapin, or an immediate family member, has owned the Jenkinsville lot for almost 20 years. It was originally a 1.49-acre lot with a couple of dilapidated homes on it. Jacobs renovated one of the homes and sold the portion of the lot with the renovated home, keeping 0.62-acres for himself. According to a 2008 amendment to the Jenkinsville zoning regulations, new homes along the shore line can only be built on lots that are one-acre or larger.

Annexation Goal

To circumvent that restriction so that he could build on his Jenkinsville lot, Jacobs purchased an adjoining 1.38-acre lot – not on the water – that gave him a total of two acres. But the adjoining lot is in Fairfield County, and would have to be annexed into Jenkinsville in order for Jacobs to have enough acreage under the Jenkinsville zoning ordinance to build a home on his Jenkinsville lot, which is near the reservoir.

Jacobs says he wants to annex the Fairfield County lot into Jenkinsville, but that Jenkinsville Mayor Gregg Ginyard has told him [Jacobs] that he [Ginyard] will never allow Jacobs to annex, making it impossible for Jacobs to build a home on his combined two-acre property.

While any annexation petition must go before the Jenkinsville town council for approval, Jacobs says he has not been able to obtain an annexation petition form. He says usually no one answers when he calls Jenkinsville town hall, and if they do answer they tell him he will have to discuss an annexation petition with Ginyard.

“It’s a cycle, and I can’t get past Ginyard,” Jacobs said. Ginyard chairs the town’s council, and is chairman of the board of the Jenkinsville Water Company.

Asked by The Voice on Monday if Jacobs would be allowed to petition council for annexation into the Town, Ginyard answered, “No, ma’am. He can’t. No, ma’am. He has to come to the council and ask.”

“I believe part of the problem is that Mr. Ginyard doesn’t like me being there,” Jacobs said. “Mr. Ginyard lives on the property two lots down from mine and almost all the properties along the shoreline in that area are owned by his relatives.”

A Tiny House

“I have a very nice piece of property in Jenkinsville with a beautiful view of the water,” Jacobs said in an interview with The Voice on April 27. “That’s the problem. For me, to get out of this nightmare, this lot is the absolute best spot [on the Fairfield lot] for my building that I can make a compromise on,” he said. “That’s why the building is tiny. It fits well in this spot. Of course, I would rather build a larger one on the lot near the water.”

To that end, in February, 2025, Jacobs applied for and received a permit from Fairfield County to place a pre-constructed tiny house on the Fairfield County side of his property. A dated email shows that he submitted a site plan, permit application, and other required documentation to Fairfield County on Feb. 2, 2025, showing the building sitting practically on the county line that runs down the middle of the two combined lots. A building permit was approved by the county on Feb. 25, 2025.

When the tiny house was delivered, it was dropped on the Jenkinsville side of the county line. A press release issued by Fairfield County states that ‘officials’ notified the county that the tiny house had been placed in an inappropriate location. It did not say if those were Jenkinsville officials or county officials.

Jacobs told The Voice that his intent was to build a foundation on the Fairfield side of the county line as permitted, and then move the building onto the foundation. He said that if the building had been dropped on the site, he couldn’t build the foundation.

Stop-Work Order

The county issued a stop-work order even though Jacobs said he had not yet begun work on the foundation or any other aspect of the project. In response to the stop-work order, Jacobs said he scooted his tiny house over the county line fairly squarely over an unmaintained dirt driveway and within feet of the spot designated by his approved site plan.

The unmaintained driveway runs about 250 feet or so beyond the tiny house, past two other properties – the one Jacobs sold with the renovated house and an unoccupied lot Ginyard purchased after his squabble began with Jacobs – and ends at a property where a mobile home sits on a peninsula in the Lake Monticello Reservoir. Only two of the three properties are occupied.

Summons Issued

On April 10, the county issued a summons for Jacobs to appear in Magistrate Court because county officials said the relocation site was still not on the original site plan approved for the structure.

On April 11, Jacobs received via email a site plan from the county planning director, that Jacobs said he had not previously been aware of.

“It was not the site plan I submitted for approval on Feb. 2, 2025 and that was approved and permitted on Feb. 25,” he said.

The site plan Jacobs received from the planning director on April 11 requires a 25’ sideyard setback from the county line even though the county zoning ordinance requires only a 7.5 sideyard setback for dwellings in R-1 zoning.

When The Voice contacted the Fairfield County administrator about the difference in side setbacks in the two site plans, the county administrator wrote: “Minimum side setbacks in the R-1 zoning for residential uses is 7.5ft. This is only the minimum, but property owners can reflect on the site plan distances greater than this as the site plan reflects the intended placement of structures from property lines, not just the minimum setback requirements. The building permit was issued for the site plan which reflects the structure was to be placed 25 ft. and 35 ft. from the property lines. At this time, no other site plans have been approved for this permit.”  

Where’s the County Line?

Exacerbating the situation, Jacobs said county officials say they are not sure exactly where the county’s boundary line is between the county and the Town of Jenkinsville.

On April 28, Ginyard appeared before a Fairfield County Council meeting beseeching council’s help in making Jacobs move his building off the dirt driveway that he said blocks his relative’s access to their homes. He also said a water main sits beneath the driveway where the tiny house sits, and that the tiny house is obstructing emergency vehicles if there should be an emergency regarding the water main.

“We have a gentleman who don’t live in Fairfield County to come in and block a road – Lakeview Drive – that has been serving over 100 years in Fairfield County. It goes to where my grandfather (my father’s father) and grandmother lived. Now, he comes in from Saluda County – no ties to Fairfield County – buys a piece of land …he bought it from my first cousin,” Ginyard continued. “Are we setting a precedent where I can come in to town, buy a piece of property and block a road that’s 100 years old?”

Ginyard chastised county officials, asking, “And you can’t do nothing about it?”

Not a Road

An email that Jacobs received from the Fairfield County Public Works department states that, “472 Lakeview Drive is not found in the Fairfield County Transportation Committee Road List, and is not subject to maintenance by Fairfield County.”

“It is not a road; it is not an easement; it is an old private driveway that extends off Lakeview Drive onto my property. This driveway is not the only access for the other three properties,” Jacobs said. “There’s another driveway that runs along the outside edge of my Fairfield County lot that provides access to the other three properties. They are not without access,” he said. “They don’t even seem to be very upset over this. It’s Mr. Ginyard who is upset about the driveway.”

Emergency Access

Jacobs shared with The Voice a document in which a Fairfield County Sheriff’s Deputy stated that he and another deputy walked the other driveway.

“Any emergency vehicle can gain access with ease as well as homeowners can still gain access to their properties,” the deputy stated.

In response to Ginyard’s address to county council on April 28, Fairfield County Administrator Vic Carpenter assured Ginyard that the county’s emergency vehicles could still access the properties up the driveway from the tiny house.

“In the event of an emergency, county staff will be there. Nothing will stop us from getting help to our citizens,” Carpenter said.

Where’s the Water Main?

In addition to not knowing exactly where the Fairfield County line is located, county officials also want to know where the Jenkinsville water main is located on Jacobs’ Jenkinsville lot.

“At this time, the property owner [Jacobs] has been notified that he needs to have the property surveyed to delineate the jurisdiction boundary lines for the Town of Jenkinsville for the location of the utility easement and submit an updated site plan reflecting minimum setback requirements per County Ordinance No. 599. Until this is determined and submitted, Fairfield County cannot provide any further details. Any related questions pertaining to the matter at this time should be addressed to the Mayor of Jenkinsville.”

In an interview with The Voice, Ginyard insisted that a water main sits underneath the driveway the tiny house sits on.

“The main water line that goes up that road to feed five houses, he’s got his tiny house sitting there,” Ginyard said. “If that line breaks in that area, we can’t get it repaired because he’s got that stuff there.”

Jacobs says Ginyard has presented no proof that Jacobs’ tiny house is sitting atop a water main.

“I’ve called 811 to find out where the water main is, and was told that only the Jenkinsville Water Company can provide that information,” Jacobs said. “It’s a private water company and is not regulated by the Public Service Commission.”

Ginyard, who is head of the water company board, has not, at press time, marked where the main is buried.

Jacobs’ court date for a judge to hear the details of his alleged violation of a stop-work order is tentatively scheduled for May 28, in the Fairfield Magistrate’s Court in Winnsboro. Jacobs has requested a trial by jury.

County Taxpayer Funds Not Expected to Foot the Bill

BLYTHEWOOD – Richland County has been assessed a $3M fine for failing to contain sediment and other pollutants on the 1,100 Scout construction site in Blythewood, according to an announcement by the SC Department of Environmental Services. The order was executed on May 5.

Two million dollars of the civil penalty could be suspended if the county meets specific requirements by established deadlines detailed in the order.

Civil penalties are assessed through the SC Department of Environmental Services’ standard enforcement process, and the penalty amounts are determined based on the number of violations and the extent of the violations.

“SCDES, Scout Motors and Richland County have agreed to enter into this voluntary consent order,” Blythewood’s Richland County Council representative Derrek Pugh told The Voice. “This consent order is believed to be for the benefit of all parties and it is not expected that any county taxpayer funds will be utilized to pay either the immediate fine or the possible delayed fine. We are committed to moving swiftly to ensure full compliance with SCDES, allowing this vital economic development project to stay on track.”

Richland County issued a statement saying, “the county remains committed to upholding the highest environmental standards at the Scout Motors site. Richland County has worked collaboratively to set goals and correct any outstanding issues.”

According to a statement from SCDES, the department will continue its oversight of activities at this site to monitor the county’s compliance with the conditions of their permits, compliance with the requirements of the order, and compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.

“Together with Richland County, Scout Motors has entered into this consent order with the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services that includes specific steps Richland County must take to address the identified deficiencies,” according to a Scout Motors spokesperson. “Throughout this process, we have maintained open communication with county leadership and the South Carolina Department of Commerce, who we believe will ensure that the county and state’s work on the production site will be in full compliance with environmental regulations.”

BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood drivers can expect roadway changes next week. Temporary closures on Northbound I-77 and Community Rd., as well as traffic pattern changes on Blythewood Rd. are coming next week.

I-77 Closures

In order to allow crews to construct part of the new Scout railroad overpass on I-77, SCDOT (South Carolina Department of Transportation) will conduct temporary nighttime closures of I-77 Northbound from mile marker 24 to 27 in Richland County.

The first closure will occur Monday, May 5 at 9 p.m. through Tuesday, May 6 at 6 a.m. Lanes will be closed again Wednesday, May 7 at 9 p.m. until Thursday, May 8 at 6 a.m.

As part of these closures, a signed detour route will be put in place. Drivers will take Exit 24 and turn right on to Wilson Boulevard (US 21) and then turn left on to Blythewood Road where they will re-enter I-77 Northbound.

SCDOT encourages drivers to slow down and pay attention to crews and signs when driving near work zones.

Community Rd.

Beginning Monday, May 5, SCDOT will close a section of Community Rd. as part of construction for the I-77 Exit 26 Interchange Project. Traffic will be detoured around this area, with digital signage in place.

The Community Road closure is expected to last until April 2026.

Blythewood Rd.

On Wednesday, May 7, traffic on Blythewood Rd. will be shifted from the current two lanes onto a new lane and an existing connecting lane. This will leave two lanes of traffic from Syrup Mill Road heading east toward I-77.

“The new traffic pattern will take about an hour to set up, and that will happen sometime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7,” said Todd Money, publications editor for Richland County.

According to a Facebook post form Richland County, no delays are expected.

According to the county, personnel on site will help regulate traffic flow in both areas during construction.

The shift should last for the next six months while construction takes place on the other side of Blythewood Road, allowing for upgrades to be completed.

Project details at richlandpenny.com say that “the proposed scope recommends a 5-lane (4 travel lanes with a center turn lane) improvement from I-77 west to Syrup Mill Road. Provisions for bicycle and pedestrian accommodation are proposed through construction of offset, shared use paths.

“This project also includes a double-lane roundabout at the intersection of Community Road and Cobblestone. Leftover funds from Blythewood Area Improvements will be moved over to cover the shortage on this project once approved by County Council.”

Details on the site list the expected completion date for the Blythewood Rd. widening as September 1, 2025.

Town doesn’t act on paying mayor’s legal fees

BLYTHEWOOD – Following a special called meeting Wednesday night to work on the upcoming budget, Blythewood Town Council voted to cancel several Town-sponsored park events for the remainder of the calendar year – Movies in the Park, Juneteenth, and the July 4 Red, White, and Blue fireworks celebration.

The vote comes after teen fighting has disrupted each of these events over the last 10 months resulting in injury and chaos. Over 60 shots were fired on April 5 when more than 200 teens swarmed the downtown area.

“We tried again last weekend to have Movies in the Park and had deputies there, but it was the same thing all over again,” said Councilwoman Erica Page, who said she witnessed the fighting and chaos at three of the events.

“There is definitely a different environment there now and anything is possible. Over prom weekend, we had a shooting [in downtown]. You can throw all the money you want at it, but you aren’t going to be able to control it right now …this is bigger.”

After some discussion about waiting until a May 19 community town hall to make a decision about canceling the events, Page spoke up.

“If we’re talking about protecting our town,” Page said, “this is the night to do that.”

“I agree,” Mayor Pro Tem Donald Brock said, “I can’t authorize any of our staff to be out there at these events and put them in harms way. We can regulate whether we put people in harm’s way.”

Councilman Rich McKenrick made a motion to cancel Movies in the Park, Juneteenth, and the July 4^th Red, White, and Blue fireworks for 2025 until further notice.

The vote was 4 – 1 with Mayor Sloan Griffin voting against.

In other business, council voted against Mayor Sloan Griffin’s request that council go into executive session to discuss whether the Town should pay for the cost of legal fees he (Griffin) incurred when he was sued by the Town earlier this year. The Court decided in favor of the Town.

The issue was then discussed in open session as it was in 2024 when Brock asked the Town for his legal fees in the MPA lawsuits to be paid by the Town.

“I don’t believe there is any legal authority that requires the Town to pay those fees,” said the Town’s Attorney Pete Balthazar.

“What we went through should have never happened,” Page said.

No motion was made, except to adjourn the meeting.

For more about the cancellation of the town park events and the Town declining to pay Griffin’s legal fees, see the May 8 edition of The Voice.

---

Related: Two more arrests made in Blythewood shooting; Three arrested in Blythewood shooting; Female shot, businesses damaged during teen shootout in Blythewood; Teens fire shots in downtown Blythewood; Four teens charged in latest movie night incident; Teens turn Doko Meadows movie night fun into mayhem; What happened at Doko’s fireworks event?