Clinton had power outages from electrical storms coming through town from around 5:30 up to around 7:00 last evening. The north side of town had extensive outages, which also took out traffic lights. Public Safety officers were directing traffic at key intersections in the rain. All power was restored last evening.

An arrest was made yesterday in connection with a 1st Degree Burglary of a home in Western Laurens County one month ago. The Sheriff’s office booked 30-year-old Aaron Paul Henderson of 10942 Indian Mound Road, Ware Shoals on charges of 1st Degree Burglary, Grand Larceny and a Weapons Possession. Lt. Ben Blackmon states that between May 2nd and 7th 2014 Aaron Paul Henderson entered a dwelling on Camak Road without consent and with intent to commit a crime therein. Blackmon states that Henderson entered the dwelling and home armed with a deadly weapon. Henderson allegedly took a vehicle, gun, jewelry and other items form the home on Camak valued in excess of $10,000. A third warrant states that Aaron Henderson possessed a firearm during commission of the crime. Henderson was being held overnight in the Johnson Detention Center, pending a bond hearing today.

Polls are now open for Democratic and Republican Primary elections across South Carolina. While there are highly contested statewide races, the only opposed race locally is in the Republican Primary for House Seat 42, representing all of Union County and portions of eastern Laurens County, including parts of Clinton and Joanna.

David Tribble of Clinton is on the ballot, along with Mark Cathcart from Union. The winner of the Republican Primary will face Democrat Incumbent Mike Anthony of Union in the General Election this November.

WLBG News will bringing updates on that race this evening, and the South Carolina Network will have reports on statewide election results, beginning with their first report at 7:57 pm.

Polls will be open until 7pm at most of the usual places. There are three changes in voting locations for today. The Youngs Precinct is being moved from the Youngs Community Center to Bramlett United Methodist Church on Bramlett Church Road and the Ekom Precinct is being moved from the Ekom Fire Station to the Union Baptist Church on the Old Quaker Church Road. The Hickory Tavern Precinct will still vote in the Hickory Tavern School, but the polling place is being moved into the Gym to allow more room.

Bond was denied yesterday on 9 drug and firearm charges served on a man arrested by Clinton Public Safety Monday afternoon. Public Safety Officer Josh Byers was traveling Westbound on Bond Street at 3:47 pm when he reportedly observed Jamarcus Tribble walking Eastbound and identified him from dealing with him during a previous incident. Tribble reportedly began to walk up to a house in the 100 block when Officer Byers turned his patrol car around and parked, approaching on foot. The officer placed Tribble into investigative detention due to concern about a bulge in his pants that was reportedly determined to be a handgun. Jamarcus Tribble was also wanted for active warrants.

A report notes a stolen .40-caliber pistol was recovered,  and  Public Safety reports seizing two baggies containing cocaine and one plastic baggie containing powdered cocaine, for a total of 8.70 grams of cocaine. Officers also reported seizing a plastic baggie containing .39 gram of crystal meth and a plastic baggie containing .64 gram of marijuana.

From items found Monday afternoon, 19-year-old Jamarcus Raheem Tribble of 462 Indian Mound Road, Laurens was charged with Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Stolen Pistol and Unlawful Carrying of a Concealed Weapon. Bond was denied on these four counts. Tribble was also issued three tickets noting charges from Simple Possession of Marijuana to Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. $620 PR bonds were set on these.

In addition to the four new warrants served from Monday afternoon, Public Safety served five active warrants from Sgt. Prather for alleged activity earlier this year. Tribble was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine for allegedly conspiring with an individual to distribute crack on North Bell Street March 3rd. He was also charged with Distribution of Crack Cocaine 2nd Offense and Distribution within Proximity of a Park from March 3rd. Jamarcus Tribble was also charged with another 2nd Offense Distribution of Crack Cocaine and Distribution within Proximity of a Park for alleged activities February 5th from another North Bell Street location. Bond was also denied on these 5 charges.

Jamarcus Raheem Tribble was placed in the Johnson Detention Center yesterday, and he remained there today.

Laurens County Fire Service Coordinator Greg Lindley presented an overview of fire station needs at last night’s Laurens County Council Meeting. He and other staff conducted a major review of existing structures, as well as locations for possible new fire stations to help fill the gaps for property more than five miles from a fire station. The ‘Laurens County Fire Service Bond Proposal’ cited the need to raise funds for construction of four additional fire stations while rebuilding the Ekom Station that burned last year. The proposal totals expenditures of $3,650,000. This includes   $1,460,000 for the four new stations, $1 million for repairs to existing stations and $1,190,000 for new apparatus needed.

While the concept was reportedly referred to committee, Council did vote to reimburse funds already being spent on fire stations from the proceeds of the bonds. Councilman Joe Wood cast a ‘no’ vote to the resolution, saying  “This is not a fire safety issue, it is an insurance issue.” Wood added “No one now in the county is denied fire service, these people chose where they wanted to live,” referring to people whose homes are too far from existing fire stations for insurance benefits. Wood also said that the funds from this bond used for repairs could not be used unless the county owned all the stations needing repair, an issue form a previous meeting involving the Durban Creek Fire Station.

Joe Wood questioned Greg Lindley if all the rural fire departments were in agreement to turn over their buildings. Lindley responded that in a meeting a majority of departments indicated they were willing. He didn’t mention which objected. Wood questioned his fellow council members on how they could vote on a bond issue before all the stations were turned over. Chairman Jim Coleman said the vote had to come first.

As presented last night, the proposal is for issuing $3.7 million in bonds.

David Tribble is the apparent winner of the Republican nomination for South Carolina House Seat 42, as a result of the unofficial vote count from yesterday’s voting in Laurens and Union Counties.

Mark Cathcart of Union County had the advantage of his entire county being in house seat 42, while only 6 of Laurens County’s precincts had voters in the district, and some of those had only a few voters.

The unofficial totals last night had David Tribble winning Laurens County’s share of the votes 557 to 148 votes for Mark Cathcart. In Union

County, Cathcart had a 2-to-1 win, with 636 votes to 318 for Tribble.

Here in Laurens County, David Tribble took all precinct totals. The vote was 162 to 52 in Joanna, 162 to 31 in Clinton 3, 121 to 21 in Clinton 2, 65 to 38 in Clinton 1, 10 to 1 in Long Branch and 2 to 0 in Clinton Mill. Tribble claimed a 35 to 5 spread in the Absentee vote.

Our unofficial total for all of House Seat 42 has David Tribble with 870 total votes and Mark Cathcart polling 784 votes, a two-county spread of 91 votes for David Tribble.

Meanwhile, SCVotes.org is reporting a two-county total of 881 for Tribble and 779 for Cathcart, with David Tribble winning with 53.07% of the 1,660 votes cast. All vote totals remain unofficial until the official canvas of the votes Thursday.

The words a woman allegedly used in telephone communications last year were noted in her arrest by the Sheriff’s Office this week. 27-year-old Kay Flower Thomason of 288 Dial Place Road, Laurens was booked Tuesday on a charge of Unlawful Use of a Telephone. A warrant accuses her of using profane, obscene, vulgar and/or indecent language in a telephone call to a victim September 29, 2013 and of doing so repeatedly for the purpose of annoying/harassing the victim and/or his or her family.

Kay Thomason was released from the Johnson Detention Center yesterday on a $647 personal recognizance bond.

The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office yesterday arrested a Greenwood man from an incident in the Waterloo area last month. 27-year-old Michael Brandon Bowie of 126 Perch Street, Greenwood was charged with 3rd Degree Assault and Battery and with two counts of Malicious Injury. Lt. Bryant Cheek states that on May 18th, 2014 at a location on Walker Street, Waterloo Michael Bowie intentionally committed a battery on the victim by striking him in the face. Bowie is also accused of doing damage of $2,000 or less to two vehicles at that Walker Street location. Lt. Cheek states Bowie broke out the windows and headlights and struck the hood with an axe on a 1984 Ford Ranger and a 1999 Chevy Van. Michael Brandon Bowie was being held overnight in the Johnson Detention Center, pending arraignment today.

A Waterloo man has been charged with assaulting two women at his residence on June 4th. Arrested Tuesday by the Sheriff’s Office, 66-year-old Joseph Theodore Munson of 1750 Riverfork Road, Waterloo was charged with Assault and Battery 3rd Degree and with Criminal Domestic Violence. Warrants citing investigation by Deputy Charles Nation state that on June 4th Joseph Munson assaulted one woman by pushing a door into her, hitting her in the mouth. He’s accused of assault another woman on the same date in a domestic altercation at the residence. Joseph Munson was released from the Johnson Detention Center yesterday morning on PR bonds of $2,470.

A Southern Greenville County man has been charged with the theft of guns and coins valued at some $20,000 from a residence in the Hickory Tavern community this spring. The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office yesterday charged 24-year-old Timothy Steven Tollison of 715 Old Hundred Road, Pelzer with Grand Larceny. In a warrant served yesterday, Lt. Martin states that between April 13th and 27th Timothy Tollison took and carried away guns and coins valued at $20,000 owned by a man from the 8,900 address range of US 76 West. A bond of $30,000 was set on the Grand Larceny charge during arraignment yesterday. Timothy Tollison remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

Two Gray Court area residents were arrested yesterday morning and charged with Manufacture of Methamphetamine. The Sheriff’s Office booked  38-year-old Kris Shawn Bible and 36-year-old Melissa Shanee Hice, both of 1015 Curry’s Lake Road, Gray Court. Both are charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine and Illegal Disposal of Methamphetamine Waste.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Nick Moye states that on June 11^th, 2014 at 1015 Curry’s Lake Road Kris Shawn Bible and Melissa Shanee Hice each had in her possession items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, and that she illegally disposed of methamphetamine waste at that location. Melissa Hice was also charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. Sgt. Moye states that on June 11^th at 1015 Curry’s Lake Road Melissa Shanee Hice knowing and intentionally possessed Clonazepam, a schedule IV controlled substance without authority to do so.

Melissa Hice remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning with bonds totaling $15,000. Kris Shawn Bible also remained in the county lockup this morning with bonds totaling $10,000.

Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an address on Henderson Church Road, Hickory Tavern at 10:41 Tuesday night because of a tip about a possible meth lab. Lt. Higgenbotham along with Sgt. Moye and Deputies Nations and Sibley arrived and checked on a one-bedroom mobile home, where they allegedly found several items associated with manufacture of methamphetamine. Half-a-gram of a powdery substance believed to be meth was allegedly located in a bottle labeled “Equate Motion Sickness Relief.”

Sgt. Veal and Lt. Shelton responded to the scene to dispose of the items from the alleged meth lab.

65-year-old John Wendell Tumblin of 2240 Henderson Church Road was arrested and held overnight. Yesterday, he was charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Illegal Disposal of Methamphetamine Waste and with Possession of less than One Gram of Methamphetamine. Bonds were set totaling $30,000. John Wendell Tumblin remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

Laurens County Council this week gave 2nd reading approval to a new fee-in-lieu-of tax agreement with the Shaw Group. The new “FILOT” is making it’s way through the agreement process between the county and the owner of the Anderson Hardwood plant outside Clinton. The Shaw Group has plans for a multi-million dollar investment at the local plant. Third and final reading on the ordinances before County Council is expected at a future meeting of County Council, following a public hearing on the matter.

Laurens City Police conducted an Alcohol Compliance investigation last night. Officers worked with an under-aged informant who entered ten convenience stores in the City and attempted to purchase beer. Police reports indicate that four of the ten stores did not comply with the rules that prohibit sale of alcohol to minors. One clerk asked for the under-aged customer’s age but did not check an id. Clerks at three stores didn’t even ask for the age or the ID, according to police reports. Four store employees were issued citations charging them with selling beer to a person under the age of 21. All four are summoned to either pay a fine of $672.50 or to report to municipal court on July 15th.

Laurens Police Officer Logan Kanipe was observing Greenwood Road at South Harper Extension at 1:14 this morning when he observed a Chevy SUV approach the intersection and turn right onto South Harper, then left onto Farley, without signaling the turns. When the officer made a traffic stop the driver told him she didn’t have her license with her and could he check her id to see she had a license. When she gave a name and noted her birthday was April 1st, Officer Kanipe asked “what year.” The woman reportedly appeared panic-stricken at that question. She reportedly apologized for lying and gave her correct name. 22-year-old Ashley Monique Sanders of 105 Looneybrook Drive, Fountain Inn was charged with Giving False Information to Police, Driving under Suspension of her License and with Failure to signal a turn. She was being held in the Johnson Detention Center, pending arraignment.

Tomorrow is ‘Go Day.’ That’s short for the 7th annual National Get Outdoors Day, sponsored by the U.S. National Forest Service. Chief Tom Tidwell is inviting children and families to experience the many benefits of the outdoors.

South Carolina’s national forests will be joining in the fun. On the Sumter National Forest, fees will be waived tomorrow at Fell, Lick Fork and Parsons Mountain day-use areas on the Long Cane Ranger District as well as on the Long Cane’s Cedar Springs and Parsons Mountain OHV trails; and on Buncombe Horse Trail and Enoree OHV Trail on the Enoree Ranger District.

Nationwide, more than 100 Forest Service locations will provide free recreational and educational activities.

The Sheriff’s Office yesterday booked three people on Bench Warrants from Laurens County General Sessions Criminal Court.

32-year-old Melissa Brooke Burkhalter of 43 Dragon Trail, Laurens was served with a General Sessions Bench Warrant that charges she failed to comply with terms of a sentence issued January 8th, 2014 from a Possession of a Controlled Substance charge. Ms. Burkhalter is also facing Family Court warrants.

30-year-old Joseph Shane Simmons of 506 Stonewall Street, Clinton was served with a General Sessions Bench Warrant on a Cruelty to Children charge. It cites failure to comply with terms of a sentence January 8th, 2014 from a Cruelty to Children case.

28-year-old Barbara Nicole “Nikki” Ray of 1463 Sunset Blvd, Clinton was served with a General Sessions Court Bench Warrant citing failure to comply with terms of a sentence dated November 13, 2013 on a Resisting Arrest charge.

All three remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

Laurens County Council this week gave 1st reading approval of a new ordinance to regulate motor sport facilities in the unincorporated areas of the county. Councilman David Pitts was among council member in favor of the new ordinance, saying “This ordinance is the beginning of zoning regulation in the county, and that is why I am for it.”  Voting “no” was Councilman Joe Wood, who said “Different strokes for different folks. No one complains about the noise from football games….trains. We can’t write laws that just please ourselves,” added Joe Wood.

There were also comments on the Motor Sorts Facilities ordinance from the visiting public. County residents Jerry Miller and Jim Royer voiced their support of the regulations, but both said the regulations don’t go far enough and do not even compare to OSHA regulations for workers dealing with loud noises. Both said they believe the ordinance is in anticipation of a proposed raceway near Highway 418, but that was not confirmed by comments from council.

David Tribble has expressed appreciation for his win in Tuesday’s Primary. He said “After months of campaigning over all of District 42, I am grateful to the voters in the Republican Primary for choosing me as their nominee in the November General Election. I want to thank Mark Cathcart for the energetic, thoughtful, and faith-filled message he campaigned on and focusing the race on improving District 42. I have called Mark to thank him for his contribution to the campaign and to seek his support in the future.”

Tribble said “The total of all votes cast in the primary has shown a clear pattern that District 42 is ready for a change to be made. I have heard this message loud and clear, both on the campaign trail and in the results of the election. I will continue to listen to the voters across the district and remain faithful to representing their ideas both in Columbia, and in all of District 42.”

David Tribble said the voters chose a candidate “who can best bring the message of change, lower taxes, less government regulation, and real prosperity to the state of South Carolina.” He continued “I am humbled, honored, and proud to be their nominee and I hope that through this election process I will become a Representative that District 42 will be proud of, one that will work to make government smaller and more effective.”