The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office yesterday arrested a man from the Green Pond Community of the County on charges of Child Neglect due to drug use this summer. 34-year-old Travis Jacob Atwood of 2818 Deck Road, Gray Court was charged with Unlawful Neglect of a Child. A warrant alleges that on August 21st 2013 he did place at unreasonable risk of harm to a minor child who is one years of age by testing positive for methamphetamine and THC. The warrant notes that the defendant had custody and/or charge of the minor child and is the child’s parent. Mr. Atwood was released from the Johnson Detention Center yesterday on posting a $15,000 Surety bond.

    Clinton Public Safety yesterday morning charged a local resident with two alleged incidents of exposing himself in the Jacobs Highway area last fall.  40-year-old Steven Wesley Rhinehart of Apartment 7 at 1321 South Broad Street is charged with Two Counts of Indecent Exposure. In warrants, Clinton Detective Tyrone Goggins alleges that on November 13^th the defendant exposed himself in Fred’s parking lot and that on October 31^st he allegedly exposed himself at the CVS Pharmacy parking lot.

Bonds set at $5,000 on each charge, and Steven Wesley Rhinehart was transferred to the Johnson Detention Center, where he remained this morning.

   The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office yesterday arrested a Clinton area teen for damage he is accused of doing to cars owned by two other people early this summer. 17-year-old Ryan Zane Jackson of 3302 Apple Orchard Road, Clinton was charged with Two Counts of Malicious Injury. He is accused of damaging two vehicles at 3302 Apple Orchard Road on June 24^th 2013, with damage noted at under $2,000 on each vehicle. He allegedly struck the vehicles with a bat. One vehicle had a rear tail light destroyed and a dent on the trunk. The other vehicle reportedly had outside mirrors and tail lights destroyed. Bonds on each of the two charges were set at $1,092. Ryan Jackson remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

 The South Carolina Department of Public Safety announces a preliminary number of five people being killed on South Carolina roadways last weekend, from Friday at 6 p.m. until Sunday at midnight.

  As of September 15, 513 people have died on South Carolina highways, compared to 582 highway deaths in this same time period in 2012.

Of the 513 people killed so far this year, 9 were bicyclists, 57 were pedestrians, 86 were on motorcycles and 343 were in other motor vehicles. Of these 343 inside vehicles, 194 were not wearing seat belts.

  Locally through midnight Sunday night, 8 people have died on the roadways of Laurens County this year. That’s half the 16 people who were highway fatalities as of September 15^th last year. The 8 deaths-to-date for Laurens County are the best in four years. There were 13 this time in 2011 and 9 in 2010.

   Checking our neighbors, Newberry County’s highway fatality rate is down even more dramatically, from 10 in 2012 to only 2 in 2013. Greenwood County’s fatality rate is also down significantly from 2012, dropping from 6 to 3 as of midnight September 15^th.  Spartanburg County is down from 32 to 22 fatalities this year. Anderson County is also down dramatically, from 33 fatalities last year to 18 this year.

  Greenville County’s fatalities were up so far for 2013, from 44 to 46. Union County’s rate is up from 1 in 2012 to 2 so far this year. Abbeville County is up dramatically from 3 fatalities this time last year to 7 so far in 2013.

   Saluda County is the same as last year, with 5 fatalities.

    Laurens City Council last night decided ‘enough is enough.’ The City has decided to cut its losses on a grant received from the State Highway Department several years ago. The money was to be used to make repairs and other improvements on Silver Street, which runs off the north side of the Public Square and to Franklin Alley, which runs off the east side of the Historic Square. 

  Council decided last night to forego the funds, which have been delayed for years due to technicalities. Mayor Brownlee said “This grant goes back several years. We have been working with the transportation department to get this off the ground, but it is a project costing too much to accomplish too little.”

    Laurens City Council last night unanimously approved a Resolution that authorizes the State Highway Department to make improvements to the Lucas Avenue portion of US Route 221. With this approval, the city will assist in causing all utilities in the project area to be relocated to allow for the construction.

  City Council last night also approved the sale of less than an acre of city-owned land on Fleming Street extension for use in constructing a new electric sub-station that will be used to send power into the Laurens Electric System.

A 49-year-old Laurens man reported threatening text messages to Laurens City Police yesterday morning. He said that these texts are coming from his baby’s mother. He said she sent a text complaining to him about the kids spending time with him, and also stated there was a text of her saying she would smack him the next time she saw  him. He said he just wanted her to leave him alone.

  Lt. Heath Copeland then talked with the 37-year-old mother of his Baby, who said they had both been texting each other. She stated he had texted her first, and she just responded. She further stated that she did tell him she would smack him if she saw him, because he had texted something about her and the kids she didn’t like. She said she just wants him to sign his rights over so she doesn’t have to deal with him anymore.

  Lt. Copeland advised both to have limited contact with each other.

   Laurens Police and Firefighters were dispatched to an active structure fire at 200 Mock Street around 10:27 yesterday morning. Firefighters made entry through a side door and found a fire in the kitchen area and put it out. The Fire Department noted there was no electricity going to the residence at the time of the fire. Detective Riggott was called in to process the scene due to its suspicious nature. Occupants had reportedly already vacated the residence.

  New natural gas distribution lines will be coming to the Wattsville community in the upcoming months. The Laurens Commission of Public Works this week vote to approve the low bid for the project, which came in well below the anticipated cost.

  CPW General Manager Dale Satterfield told the commissioners Monday morning “We developed what we thought was a $1 million project.” He said that engineers checking current bidding had projected the cost of new natural gas lines for Wattsville at $1.1 million. Satterfield said that at first they were disappointed that only two firms had bid on the job, but when the bids were opened that turned to a pleasant surprise at the costs.

  The low bid from Dawn Development of Monroe, North Carolina. Their bid of $668,690.40 was accepted by unanimous vote during the monthly meeting of the CPW this week.  Satterfield noted that the funding for this project has already been lined up in financing already approved. He said that the Commission will supply meters and regulators for the new natural gas lines, but the bid from Dawn Development includes all new services lines.

   He noted that the ability to use the alley-ways of Wattsville has cut the cost of the project, since that will prevent having to repave streets by not putting gas lines under them. County Council recently approved turning the Alleys over to the CPW.

  In earlier discussions on the project, Satterfield has noted that the natural gas lines serving Wattsville are the oldest in the Laurens CPW system, and as a result have the most problem with leaks.

   Dale Satterfield said the project installing the new natural gas lines should take about four months.

The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Smythe Street in the Wattsville community at 6:46 Tuesday evening. A woman reported observing a man wearing a bandanna over his face and holding a big black gun. Her cousin and another man ran across the street, then she observed the man with the gun bring her cousin back across the street with a gun to his back.

    The alleged armed robber was then seen running through an alley. As Laurens City Police and Highway Patrol officers also arrived, deputies received news of a subject seen entering the old Mill. Sheriff’s Lt. Christopher Martin and officers from Laurens Police and Highway Patrol jumped the fence and entered the mill. Approaching a building on the Swygert side of the mill officers observed a man jump up from under some wood and take off running towards the Lucas Avenue side of the mill. They were able to take him into custody. Although he allegedly gave another name, he was identified as 24-year-old Kakeen Qudell Evans.

   Meanwhile, the cousin seen held at gunpoint had reportedly left the scene with a girlfriend to go to a location on Easy Street. He was brought back to the scene of the Armed Robbery to be interviewed as a victim. Deputies reportedly were informed that the victim,  Dandrell Stevenson, had run across the street and fallen to the ground. When approached by the gunman, he reportedly turned over his wallet, but was told to turn over the rest. He then reportedly was walked back across the street with a gun to his back, where he turned over a backpack. It reportedly contained marijuana, a black 44 caliber revolver and some $227 in cash. 

  The Sheriff’s Office charged 24-year-old Hakeem Qudell Evans of 107 Charleston Street, Laurens with Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Use of a Weapon During a Violent Crime, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Felony. Warrants from Lt. Martin state that on September 17^th Evans took a gun and drugs from the victim while armed with a handgun, a deadly weapon. This allegedly occurred at 20 Smythe Street. He allegedly confined, kidnapped or abducted the victim Dondrell J. Stevenson from 20 Smythe Street, putting a handgun to the victim and forcing him to go behind the residence. Evans was allegedly in possession of a firearm as a person who has been convicted of a violent crime. 

   Hakeen Evans is also charged with Giving False Information to Law Enforcement and with Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute. Warrants allege that on September 17^th Hakeem Q Evans knowingly and willingly gave false information in regards a criminal investigation by providing a false name to an investigator of the Sheriff’s Office. He is also alleged to have possessed 93.3 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute. 

   During arraignment yesterday, bond denied on all six charges. Hakeem Qudell Evans remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning, with a Hold for Greenville.  

  The victim of the Armed Robbery, 26-year-old Dondrell Jerod Stevenson of 145 Cook Road, Cross Hill was also arrested and held overnight for warrants. He was charged yesterday with Distribution of Marijuana and with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.

Lt. Martin states that Dondrell J. Stevenson was in possession of 93.3 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute, and that he was in possession of a handgun which is illegal as he has been convicted of a violent crime. Cash or Surety bonds were set at $20,000 on the drug charge and $25,000 on the firearms case. Dondrell Stevenson remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning with bonds totaling $45,000.

   A man remained in custody this morning, following an alleged Kidnapping and Domestic Assault at Cross Hill last Thursday afternoon. The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office initially booked 50-year-old Lonnie Lee Wilkes Jr. as being from Highway 72, Cross Hill. Warrants served Friday show an address at 100 Lelia Street in Clinton.

He is charged with Kidnapping, Criminal Domestic Violence of a High and Aggravated Nature and with Violation of an Order of Protection, accused of seizing, confining, kidnapping and/or abducting a victim from the 12,300 address range of Highway 72 West, Cross Hill last Thursday afternoon. He’s also accused of assaulting her with a broom handle at that address. A third warrant states he knowingly and willfully violated an order of protection by being around the victim at that Cross Hill address.

 Bonds were set at $30,000 on both the Kidnapping and Criminal Domestic Violence of a High and Aggravated Nature charges and a $1,092 bond was set on the Violation of an Order of Protection charge. 50-year-old Lonnie Lee Wilkes Jr. remained in the Laurens County Detention Center this morning with cash or surety bonds totaling $61,092.

 Three of four occupants of an allegedly speeding vehicle  were arrested this morning, after Laurens County Deputy Sheriff Devin Hodges met an SUV on Indian Mound Road that he reported clocking doing 74-miles-per-hour. Deputy Hodges turned around and pursued the Buick Rendezvous up Indian Mound Road, across a gravel roadway named Trax Road then down US 221 about half way to Cedar Grove Church Road before the vehicle pulled over. Deputy Hodges and Reserve Officer Charles Strickland reported observing four men inside the vehicle. The driver, Terence Otonio Hill of 384 Watson Street, Laurens, was charged with DUS 4^th Offense and Speeding. One passenger was charged with Simple Possession of Marijuana after a bulge in his waste line was reportedly determined to be from 8.6 grams of marijuana in his pants under his belt. Another passenger, 34-year-old Rashun Santez Hill of 97 Hooker Avenue, Laurens, was turned over to Laurens City Police who had a Bench Warrant for his arrest. Hill is charged with being convicted in Laurens Municipal Court August 14^th 2013 on charges of Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest. He was sentenced to 30 days or $265 and 30 days or $650 on the convictions.

  A 4^th occupant of the car was not charged.

    A “repo” man called for help last night after he was reportedly being followed by people trying to run him off the road. Laurens County Deputy Sheriff Jeremy McMahan was dispatched at 9:49 last night to a Westerns Laurens County location in the Ware Shoals area. A wrecker driver indicated he and another man had hooked up a Chevy Blazer because of having an order to reposses it. He indicated that a man and his two sons came out of their house yelling and cursing them. As he drove off in the wrecker, they reprotedly were throwing rocks, bricks and some sort of liquid at the wrecker.

He said the man and his sons they followed in a burgundy Buick, trying to run them off the road and at one time ramming the Blazer being towed. Deputy McMahan went to the  residence of the man and his sons to question them. While speaking with the man, his sons reportedly came out and became belligerent. He placed the man in detention in the patrol car and attempted to deal with the sons. At one point, the man’s wife indicated he was having chest pains and having trouble breathing. EMS was called to see to him. Meanwhile, one of the sons ran off. The deputy was to see a magistrate today regarding possible charges of vandalism to the wrecker. In checking the Buick that had allegeldy  been chasing after the wrecker and ramming it’s cargo, the deputy noted it already had a good many dents, and it was hard to tell if any were new from last night’s incidnet.

   Two men were arrested yesterday in connection with alleged methamphetamine activities in the Hickory Tavern area. Laurens County Sheriff’s Cpl Nick Moye states that both men were in possession of items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine yesterday at 252 Kellett Road, and that they unlawfully disposed of methamphetamine waste.

51-year-old Ronald B. Makawicz of 252 Kellett Road, Hickory Tavern and 28-year-old Adam William Doolittle of 460 Carousel Road, Gray Court were both charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine and Illegal Disposal of Meth Waste.

   Ronald Makawicz was also charged with Possession of less than one ounce of Marijuana and less than one gram of Methamphetamine. Cash or Surety bonds on the three “Meth” charges totaled $37,500, while bond on the Marijuana Possession charge was set at $650.

    Adam Doolittle was also charged with 3^rd Degree Assault for an incident on Carousel Road September 18^th. He is accused of threatening to kill his father while armed with an 18-inch chain. Cash or Surety bonds on Doolittle’s Meth charges totaled $20,000. A $2,500 bond was set on the Assault charge. 

   Both Makawicz and Doolittle remained in the Johnson Detention Center earlier today.

A Clinton teen that was shot in the head around midnight Saturday night/Sunday morning died yesterday afternoon. Laurens County Coroner Nick Nichols said that 17-year-old Eugene Kinard of 900 Elizabeth Street died at 3pm Monday in Greenville Memorial Hospital.

  Clinton Public Safety Director Robin Morse told us yesterday that his officers have heard the explanation that Kinard was playing Russian roulette when he put the gun to his head and reportedly pulled the trigger; but he said officers have not yet determined exactly what did happen. Director Morse said that Clinton officers had many people to talk with about the weekend shooting before coming to any conclusion about the events. He said “there’s a lot of work to do” to determine what happened.

  Meanwhile Coroner Nichols said the death was due to the gunshot injury to the head, and that an autopsy was to be performed this morning to further investigate the fatal shooting.

   District 55 School Superintendent Dr. Billy Strickland shared positive news on enrollment, finances and a newly formed Student Judiciary Court last night during the September School Board meeting. Strickland said that since the beginning of the school year only one student was brought before the student court.

    Assistant Administrator Tara Dean reported on grants District 55 has received. These included $62,120 to help bridge the gap for at-risk students, $120,000 for the 21^st Century After-School grant. And Mrs. Dean reported on $315,000 for a three-year “Stem” grant for professional development in science.

  Tara Dean also reviewed the District 55 SAT scores. While noting they showed improvement, she also pointed out that many still fall below the state average.

At the beginning of each meeting of the Laurens County School District 56 Board of Trustees a targeted focus goal is announced as the theme of the meeting.  It’s simply a means of keeping the goals that have been set for the district in front of the public and even in front of the district’s board, administration and education professionals.

  Last night’s board meeting’s targeted focus goal was:  We will provide facilities which will adequately support current and future needs.

  Quite an appropriate focus as the first person to address the board was former Clinton High football coach Keith Richardson.  Coach Richardson came before the board along with architectural concept drawings of what he hopes Wilder Stadium will look like in a short time.

  He explained that he was working with the Booster Club to accomplish the renovation of the home of the Red Devils without tax dollars but he did want the board’s approval of each step.  He said there was a plan, a roadmap to success, but he would not reveal it, explaining that at the campaign kickoff next month the plan would be revealed but not before then.

  Central to the renovations is a multi-function structure to be built at the end of the end zone.  The first floor of the building would house a concession area as well as rest rooms.  The second floor would consist of a large mult-purpose room which could be used for some classes, community meetings and on Friday nights – priority seating for Red Devils football games.

  Coach Richardson thanked Clinton High’s Athletic Director David Barnes for asking him to be a part of Red Devils Football after a 20 year absence and again asked the board to get ready for the kickoff next month.

SLED last weekend investigated a Club in the City of Laurens for compliance with alcohol consumption regulations. A SLED report indicates that two confidential informants visited Club Fruit at 658 North Harper Street last Friday night and purchased beer from two different employees of the club.  Then SLED Agent Ashley Asbill was joined by Laurens Detective Tony Lynch and other officers in a visit to the club. The report notes that SLED determined that Club Fruit did not have a beer and wine permit or a liquor permit. Agent Asbill then charged both club employees with Selling Alcoholic Beverages without a Permit.  As a result, Club Fruit’s Business License was seized on grounds of conducting business not authorized by the Business License. The report also notes that Laurens Officers assisted Agent Asbill in confiscating or destroying certain alcoholic beverages from the premises of Club Fruit.

Four polling places are open in Clinton today for the Special Election to elect a Mayor.

Three candidates are on the ballot: Daniel O. Cook Jr., Bob McLain and Tracie S. Priestley. The voting machines also have a write-in option available. 

    Laurens County Elections Director Lynne West notes that four voters eligible to vote are registered in the Long Branch Precinct. Today they’ll vote in the Clinton I precinct, located at the Clinton Community Center. There are also some city voters registered in the Clinton III precinct. These people will vote at the Clinton II precinct at the Y. Also open for today’s special election is the Lydia Mill Precinct at the Lydia Mill Community Center and the Clinton Mill precinct at the Pentecostal Church.

   When the polls close at 7 this evening we’ll begin our coverage of the election results. Coverage will be broadcast live on Sports Radio 1410 WPCC and will be streamed live on the internet at WPCC’s new web site:  WPCConline.com.

  An eight-year-old Whitmire boy died last night after being struck on his bicycle by a tractor-trailer truck. The Highway Patrol was dispatched on the case at 6:39 last evening. The child was flown to Palmetto Health Richland Trauma Center, but died due to extensive injuries from being run over by the truck.

  Reports indicate the boy had ridden his bicycle down a hill and into Church Street, Highway 72 in Whitmire, near Joe’s Market, into the path of the truck. 8-year-old Bennett Dalton of Whitmire was a third grade student at Whitmire Community School.

  After Laurens County Deputies received information of a man wanted by authorities being at a location at 291 Fort Lindley Road, Lt. Marlon Higgenbotham and four other officers went to the location early Sunday morning. Deputy Charles Nations reported that since the wanted person had fled from an earlier arrest attempt, they assumed he would run. Deputies traveled down a long dirt driveway and entered the location, noting vehicles at the location and subjects standing around in the yard. The wanted subject was observed running from a vehicle toward the wood line. Deputy Nation and Constable Douglas pursued and captured him after a brief foot chase.

   24-year-old Christopher Raymond Brown of 138 Lee Street, Laurens was served with General Sessions Court Bench Warrants that cited Failure to Show for charges (in October). Deputies reportedly found a bag with pills among his personal items and 1.6 grams of marijuana. Brown was charged with Drug Possession with Intent to Distribute or Purchase. He was also charged with Simple Possession of Marijuana and with Resisting Arrest. Bonds on the three new charges were set later yesterday totaling $25,620.   Christopher Raymond Brown was being held in the Johnson Detenton Centeer this morning.

 Also arrested at the scene off Ft. Lindley road early Sunday morning was 19-year-old Tyler Grant Tumblin of 109 Bypass 25, Greenwood. He was reportedly found in possession of 17.6 grams of marijuana. Tyler Tumblin was charged with Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute and Minor in Possession of Alcoholic Beverage. 

  A $25,000 bond was set on the Possession with Intent charge, and a $470 was set on the Alcohol possession charge. Tyler Grant Tumblin of Greenwood remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

   Deputies reportedly observed five under-aged people at the residence Sunday morning. They arrested 22-year-old Chelsea Alexandra Lemieszek  of 291 Fort Lindley Road, Laurens on Five Charges of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. In warrants from Deputy Nations, she is accused of allowing five minors to consume alcohol Sunday at 291 Ford Lindley Road. Bonds were set at $4,000 on each count. Chelsea Alexandra Lemieszek remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning with bonds totaling $20,000.

   Chris Brown had reportedly escaped arrest following a traffic stop early Saturday morning. Laurens County Sheriff’s Lt. Marlon Higgenbotham reportedly observed a white truck traveling on Henderson Church Road with an inoperable brake light at 3:58 Saturday morning and initiated a traffic stop. He reported the truck pulled to the side of the road, the passenger door opened and an individual jumped from the vehicle and fled into the woods. Other deputies arrived to assist and held the driver and a female occupant. Marijuana and alcohol was reportedly found in the vehicle.

  The Driver, 21-year-old Kelton Chase Pressley of 576 Meadowbrook Drive, Laurens, was arrested and charged with Broken Seal, No Brake Light and Failure to Stop for a Blue Light. He was released from the Johnson Detention Center yesterday on personal recognizance bonds of $5,417. A female passenger was charged with Simple Possession of Marijuana.