By ECSD Release

Published on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - 1:50pm |

• News

MEETING CANCELED

The meeting scheduled for tonight, January 24, 2012 at 6 p.m., to be held at Merriwether Elementary School to discuss the relationship between the Edgefield County School District and Fox Creek Charter High School has been canceled. The representative from the South Carolina State Department of Education, Mr. Mark Bounds, Deputy Superintendent for School Effectiveness, called today at 11 a.m. to inform the Edgefield County School District office that he was unable to attend the meeting due to circumstances beyond his control.

By ANNE WAITS/Staff Writer

Published on Friday, January 20, 2012 - 4:47am |

• News

JOHNSTON - Growing up in Blackville in the 1950s on a farm, Dr. Walter L. Tobin didn’t have a clue as to what he wanted to do with his life.

After graduating from college, he turned down two teaching jobs because he could make more money as a short-order cook. In 1964, he began his teaching career as a high school English, history and political science teacher. Now, as a professional educator, he has rendered service to the children, parents and communities of South Carolina for more than 40 years.

Looking back, he sees there have been a lot of surprises in his life as far as career is concerned.

“I started teaching in Denmark in 1964,” he said. “In 2000, I returned as interim superintendent.”

By MIKE ROSIER/Publisher

Published on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - 10:42am |

• News

Dear Subscriber,

As you no doubt noticed, you did not receive this week’s copy of The
Citizen News in the mail Wednesday as expected. Let me be the first to
apologize for that.
You are a valued subscriber to our hometown newspaper and we strive
to do our very best each and every week to make sure your newspaper is in
your hands each Wednesday. Unfortunately, even in this wondrous age we
do, on occasion, encounter issues which push circumstances beyond our
control. This is what took place on Tuesday evening when a mechanical

By DEAN CAMPBELL/County Council Chairman

Published on Friday, January 6, 2012 - 5:45am |

• News

At the January County Council meeting, Council decided to build our own Edgefield County Animal Control Shelter.

Our Administrator and Council Member Rodney Ashcraft have met with citizens who were concerned about the County operating its own animal shelter. After meeting with them, adjustments were made to the proposal, including increasing the amount of money expected to operate the facility each year.
Construction of the new facility, which will be adjacent to the Maintenance Shop off Hwy. 23, should begin in a few months. It is expected to be operational this summer.

By MIKE ROSIER/Publisher

Published on Friday, January 6, 2012 - 4:04am |

• News

The South Carolina Republican Primary will take place on Saturday, January 21, and Edgefield County voters will have their own opportunity to hear the positions of Republican candidates as the party continues its search for a presidential nominee.

South Carolina is known as the “First in the South” primary and a key state for GOP establishment frontrunners as dating back to President Ronald Reagan each candidate who has secured South Carolina in the primary has gone on to win the party’s nomination.   

By White House Press Release

Published on Thursday, January 5, 2012 - 9:10am |

• News

The Pentagon - 11:00 A.M. EST
    
THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  The United States of America is the greatest force for freedom and security that the world has ever known.  And in no small measure, that’s because we’ve built the best-trained, best-led, best-equipped military in history -- and as Commander-in-Chief, I’m going to keep it that way. 

By ANNE WAITS/Staff Writer

Published on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 - 4:19am |

• News

Two female Edgefield natives are making waves for their gender in the County — Lynn Strom, who was hired as assistant county administrator last July to serve under interim administrator Roger LeDuc and to train for the administrator’s position, and Genia Blackwell, who was elected as a County Council member to District 5 in 2009 and started serving in 2010.

Strom served as county finance director for six years and has maintained that responsibility along with her new duties since July. The decision was made in June that LeDuc would stay on another six to nine months to train someone for the administrator’s position and Strom was selected over three male finalists and received the unanimous approval of Edgefield County Council.

When the transition takes place, Strom will (to the best of her knowledge) be the first female county administrator ever.

By MIKE ROSIER/Publisher

Published on Thursday, December 29, 2011 - 4:11am |

• News

EDGEFIELD - Officer James Densmore of the Edgefield Police Department knows the risk he takes each time he leaves his home for another shift.

Last week he and other local law enforcement professionals across Edgefield County and the CSRA received a painful reminder of just how deadly their jobs can be.

The shocking death of Aiken Public Safety officer Scott Richardson following a traffic stop and incident at an apartment complex has served as yet another stark reminder of that fact.

“I thought about his family and his shift and the officers that worked with him,” Officer Densmore said after attending Officer Richardson’s funeral ceremony on Tuesday. “Even though I never worked with him it’s like you’ve lost a family member. It’s tough, but you know everyday that you put on that uniform that that could be your last day.”

By Staff Report

Published on Thursday, December 15, 2011 - 4:06am |

• News

The following Edgefield County offices will be closed on Thursday, Friday, and Monday December 22, 23, 26, 2011 in observance of Christmas: Auditor, Building Department, Courthouse, County Administration, Magistrate, Recreation, Veterans Affairs, and Voter Registration.

The Edgefield County Convenience Centers will close Saturday December 24 at 1 PM and All Day Sunday December 25.
These sites include:
 
CONVENIENCE CENTER LOCATIONS        
Strom Thurmond    SC Highway 23    (803) 275-4237       

By MELODY W. BOYLSTON

Published on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 - 5:10pm |

• News

JOHNSTON – School board member Sallie Cooks apologized Tuesday for her role in an incident at Merriwether Middle School in which she attempted to utilize her position to have a family member placed on the school’s basketball team.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mrs. Cooks gave a public apology stating that she realizes now that she was making the decision from her heart. She stated, “I hold my position in highest regard and take my responsibility very seriously. I made a decision made from the heart. I will pledge to carefully consider my actions as a public figure. I apologize for this decision I made hastily.”