Clinton Police have charged two people with Possession of Crystal Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute Monday. They are 29-year-old Ashley Michelle Whitman of 986 Saluda River Road, Silverstreet and 38-year-old Stephen Dan Santis. He was booked listing an Emory Street, Whitmire address, but warrants state he lives on Hollywood Road, Saluda.

In warrants, Clinton Police Lt. Stephen Lawton states that on August 5th Ms. Whitman and Mr. Santis had in their possession a quantity of a crystalized rock substance, believed to be crystal methamphetamine, with the weight of the substance being over one gram, at 401 West Carolina Avenue. The warrant notes this weight is prima facia evidence for possession with intent to distribute. The Possession with Intent charge on Stephen Dan Santis was noted as a 3rd Offense.

Judge Link set cash or surety bonds for both defendants at $5,000. Ashley Whitman and Stephen Santis remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

Mr. Santis has also been charged by SLED with another Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute charge, citing evidence gathered following a traffic stop in the Dutch Fork area of Richland County on June 30th. It notes he was observed making a left turn onto US 76 without using a turn signal. Between one and ten grams of meth along with a set of scales were reportedly confiscated after a traffic stop in Irmo and delivered to a SLED lab for testing.

Electric rates in the City of Clinton were addressed this week as Mayor Bob McLean began the August meeting of Clinton City Council Monday evening by addressing what he called rumors about impending rate increases due to a potential rate change from the Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, or PMPA. He attributed the rumors to a recent newspaper article which he said was based on “conjecture and not fact.”

The premise of the story, Mayor McLean said, was a workshop held by PMPA last week. He emphatically stated that there has been no vote to alter rates by the PMPA board. He said that without a vote by the board any talk of a pending rate increase is without merit.

WLBG also reported on the PMPA workshop. The discussion at that workshop revolved around proposed changes in the way costs to the utility departments of the ten member cities are shared. Rock Hill and Greer contend that the present structure has them paying more than their fare share.  A consultant presented five scenarios of how the cost sharing could be changed, based on a proposal from Rock Hill. He also showed anticipated differences in charges to the member cities. This predicted that smaller cities like Laurens and Clinton could have their costs increased significantly.

The proposal to shift some of the cost of operating the Catawba Nuclear Station to the smaller cities in the PMPA has resulted in several member cities filing suit against the organization, asking a vote on the change be halted. The lawsuit reportedly contends that secret meetings have been held between representatives of Rock Hill and Greer with Union and Clinton, suggesting that that Union and Clinton have agreed to support the proposed changes in exchange for some type of undisclosed compensation.

Another workshop to discuss the potential changes in the way each member city participates in covering the fixed costs of the Catawba Nuclear Station is to be held in upcoming weeks.

The Laurens CPW along with utilities from Newberry, Easley and Gaffney are the plaintiffs in the court filing. Defendants in the suit are the PMPA along with the utilities of Rock Hill, Greer, Union and Clinton. Abbeville and Westminister Utilities were not individually listed in the suit.

The deaths of two people in the Gray Court area of Laurens County remain under investigation. A Sheriff’s Office release issued yesterday states, “This is a very sensitive matter.” Deputies were dispatched to the 4,400-address area of Highway 92, Gray Court at around 5:00 o’clock Sunday morning. They reported that on arrival they discovered two deceased people in the home. The Sheriff refers questions on the case to the coroner’s Office.

The coroner’s office advised WLBG Monday evening that concrete information on the two deaths is awaiting the results of tests conducted by the State Law Enforcement Division.

The Sheriff’s Office’s statement yesterday said, however, that this was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public.

Possession of Morphine pills was alleged on a man arrested by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday. 20-year-old Collier Bruce Simmons of 20 Desiree Lane, Gray Court is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. A warrant citing the investigation of Deputy Hampton states that Mr. Simmons possessed a schedule 2 controlled substance, identified as seven Morphine Sulfate pills, without authority to possess them. Collier Simmons remained in custody this morning with a cash or surety bond set at $2,000.

A woman who was out of jail on Probation is now back in detention. 41-year-old Angel Dawn Craven of 463 Shiloh Estates Road, Gray Court was placed in the Johnson Detention Center yesterday on a Bench Warrant from General Sessions Court. Having been released on Probation following conviction on a Possession of Less than One Gram of Meth case, she was returned to jail on notation that her monitoring device had been removed.

State Probation yesterday charged 23-year-old Levi Preston Cox of 2182 Milam Road, Clinton with Violation of Probation. He’s accused of failing to report on March 20th and May 7th this year or anytime sense. He’s also accused of changing his residence without consent of or notification to his Supervising Agent. This was evidenced with a May 21st home visit.

Cox is also accused of failing to notify his Agent of a new arrest on May 28th and of failing to attend and complete batterers’ Treatment. He has also reportedly not sufficiently made required payments. The warrant states -he has failed to follow the advice and instructions of his Supervising Agent. Such actions constitute a willful violation of offender’s probation agreement and constitute that the offender has absconded from supervision.

Levi Cox was held overnight, awaiting a bond hearing.

A Greenwood man was arrested early yesterday morning at the Laurens Walmart and charged with Shoplifting over $2,000 in goods. A Laurens Police warrant states that 50-year-old Lyndon Bernard Brown of 2415 South Main Street, Greenwood selected and carried away a large quantity of merchandise with the intent to deprive the victim of the full value. Brown was also charged with Resisting Arrest.

With cash or surety bonds set totaling $5,500 on the two charges, Lyndon Bernard Brown remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

An arrest following an assault this week led to an additional charge for a Spartanburg County man. Tuesday, Laurens County deputies arrested 44-year-old Jonathan Colt Brown of 2130 Cross Anchor Highway, Woodruff and charged him with Domestic Violence 3rd Degree. A second charge of Financial Transaction Card Theft was then added.

Deputy Thomas Boyd states that on August 6th Mr. Brown committed 3rd degree Domestic Violence by pushing the victim repeatedly into a storm door, banging her head against the door with the ability to cause physical injury. This was reportedly witnessed by a resident of the assault location.

Deputy Boyd also states that Jonathon Brown took a financial transaction card from a woman without her consent. The victim reported the card stolen on July 19th. Upon arrest for the Domestic Violence charge, Brown allegedly had the Founders ATM card in his personal possession.

Jonathan Colt Brown remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning with cash or surety bonds on the two charges totaling $16,000.

One woman’s assault on another in April of last year is alleged with an arrest yesterday. The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office served a warrant charging Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature on 19-year-old Alexus Nicole Henkels of 596 Mill Rock Church Road, Gray Court.

Ms. Henkels is accused of committing an assault on a victim on April 15th of 2018. The act was described as being aggravated in nature by the subject allegedly spraying the victim with pepper spray in her facial area, rendering the victim helpless to defend herself.

With a cash or surety bond set at $40,000 yesterday, Alexus Nicole Henkels remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

A woman arrested Tuesday following execution of a search warrant at her residence in the Green Pond Community of Laurens County is now facing three drug charges. The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office charged 42-year-old Katrina Patricia Fogle of 114 Woodford Place Court, Gray Court with Possession of Less than One Gram of Meth, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Simple Possession of Marijuana.

Warrants, citing the investigation of Deputy Edwards, state that during the execution of the search warrant Tuesday at 114 Woodford Place deputies found that Ms. Fogle knowingly possessed less than one gram of methamphetamine along with less than an ounce of Hash, of the marijuana variety. Ms. Fogle is further accused of having one white, rectangular-shaped pill believed to be a 2 mg Xanax, without a prescription for the controlled substance. Katrina Patricia Fogle was released from the Johnson Detention Center yesterday after posting cash or surety bonds totaling $12,615 on her three charges.

The Sheriff’s Office also arrested 48-year-old Stacy Susanne Bentley of 114 Woodford Place Court, Gray Court Tuesday and charged her with Possession of Less than One Gram of Meth. A warrant alleges she had or attempted to possess less than one gram of methamphetamine. Stacy Bentley remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning with a cash or surety bond set at $10,000.

Soon, the correct time in Clinton will be readily available on a regular basis. The city-owned clock in Downtown near the Depot pavilion has been experiencing some issues and has been stopped about as much as it’s been running as of late.  At Monday’s meeting of Clinton City Council, City Manager Bill Ed Cannon asked council to approve repairs to the clock.

While the meeting was in progress, the clock was running and keeping correct time, thanks to temporary repairs.  However, Public Works Director Joey Meadors advised council that it could stop working again at any time.

Mr. Cannon presented council with a repair estimate from the Verdin Company, the same company that originally installed the clock some 25 years ago. That estimate, $6,056.00, comes with a two-year warranty.  Mr. Meadors expressed confidence that this upgrade would keep the clock running, on time, for many years to come.

The repairs were not a part of the 2019/2020 budget. When asked where the funds to pay the bill would come from Mr. Cannon replied that he believed it would have to come from the general fund.

After discussion, council approved the expenditure by unanimous vote.

Laurens City Police served charges yesterday afternoon on a man wanted since a police-chase this past Sunday. 32-year-old Anthony Rashia Anderson of 722-A Sullivan Street, Laurens is charged with Failure to Stop for a Blue Light, Disregarding a Stop Sign, Driving under Suspension, Resisting Arrest and Forgery.

Warrants state that on August 4th Mr. Anderson was operating a motor vehicle on South Harper Street Extension in Laurens while his driver’s license was suspended. Further, Anthony Anderson allegedly disregarded blue lights and siren which had been initiated by Patrol Officer Willard in an attempt to execute a lawful traffic stop. The subject failed to stop for emergency law enforcement equipment. A warrant states the while the blue lights were activated on South Harper Street, Laurens, the driver continued driving, waiting to stop when he reached a location where he could flee from officers on foot. In that process, he allegedly disregarding a stop sign on South Harper Street Extension. After stopping on Sullivan, Anderson then reportedly fled on foot from a lawful traffic stop, after having been instructed by Officer Willard to get back into the vehicle he had been driving. The subject, instead, reportedly fled on foot from a location of Sullivan Street in the City of Laurens.

A fifth warrant states that on South Harper Street August 4th Anderson had in his possession two counterfeit notes of US currency. They were $100 bills.

Anthony Rashia Anderson of Laurens was held overnight in the Johnson Detention Center, with a bond hearing on his five charges expected today.

Failure to make a court appearance was noted with a Bench Warrant served yesterday. 69-year-old Kalid Abdul Alwajid of 317 Hooker Avenue, Laurens, also known as George Makins, was booked in the Johnson Detention Center. The Bench Warrant states he was personally served on June 13th to appear before the court on July 9th, but he failed to appear. The Bench Warrant states he is found to be in Contempt of Court and ordered to be safely held until such time as he can be brought before the court.

Following an overnight arrest, State Probation yesterday served a Violation of Probation charged 33-year-old Crystal Paige Earle of 339 Abercrombie Road, Gray Court. She is accused of moving from her place of residence without her agent’s knowledge or permission to an unknown location, thereby absconding supervision. This was reportedly evidenced by a home visit conducted February 8th of this year. She’s also accused of failing to pay her fees as required, and for failing to follow the advice and instructions of her agent, evidenced by the above actions. With a cash or surety bond set at $50,000, Crystal Earle remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.

Presbyterian College hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the opening of new student housing on campus. The board of trustees, administrators, faculty and staff, financial partners, those who worked directly with the construction, as well as alumni and community guests, gathered at the fountain near Neville and Richardson halls for the ceremony.

“Today has been a long time coming,” said PC President Bob Staton ’68. He added, “Today a long-discussed need of the college and a much-anticipated occurrence is becoming a reality as we cut the ribbon today on the new senior apartment-style housing on campus. It’s a great day to be at PC, and it could not have happened without a lot of people being involved over many, many years.”

The new student housing consists of three buildings located on Johnson Field behind Springs Student Center. There are a combined 36 residential units, which will house 144 students, primarily juniors and seniors, who will move in beginning this fall.

Each unit contains four single rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a common gathering space.

The three buildings are developed with support from the PC Real Estate Foundation and a USDA Rural Development Community grant. Two of the buildings will be ready for August move-in. The third should be completed by early September.

PC Board Chairman E.G. Lassiter ’69 shared remarks before inviting guests to tour one of the new buildings. “I know that our students are very excited about moving into these units in just a few short weeks,” Lassiter said. “The heart of campus has certainly been enhanced by having this new housing project completed, and they will continue to add energy and vibrance to this important part of our campus.”

Madyson Glenn, a rising senior psychology major, will be one of the students moving into the new housing. She said, “It is an honor and privilege to experience my last year at Presbyterian College as a student from a space that is so conducive to not only ensuring my academic success but enabling me to gain the best experience possible in all aspects.”

Clinton City Council is considering a project to repair or update a code of ordinances. A plan to accomplish this was discussed by council during the August meeting of City Council Monday evening. Mayor Bob McLean presented an ordinance for first reading which would authorize the City Manager and staff to work with a company called MuniCode to compile and codify the city’s ordinances. City Manager Bill Ed Cannon explained that for several years the ordinances approved by council have not been put together into a code of ordinances. The ordinances only exist within the minutes of the council meetings during which they were approved. Cannon said, “It’s a mess.”

Several council members, principally Shirley Jenkins, expressed concern. The ordinance before council, she said, spoke of amending, updating even removing ordinances or parts of ordinances with no way to know exactly what was being changed or deleted. Mr. Cannon explained that the company would simply arrange the city’s ordinances into a code book complying with the latest amendments approved by council.

Still, council was uncomfortable with proceeding. Ms. Jenkins made a motion to table the proposed ordinance until the September meeting so council members can look at the changes proposed. She told Mayor McLean that she couldn’t vote for something without a chance to see what actions were going to be taken.

Ms. Jenkins’ motion eventually passed by unanimous vote, delaying the 1st reading for one month.

To address the growing numbers or people now working in and near the Owings Industrial Park in Northern Laurens County, Laurens County is constructing a new “Emergency Services” building near the massive ZF plant.

For an overview of this new facility, we recently spoke with Laurens County Administrator Jon Caime, who explained that the new facility is designed to eventually host Fire, EMS and a Sheriff’s Station along with a Hazmet unit. He said the Laurens Delegation obtained a $900,000 grant for construction of the new facility. Since the total cost of the facility as planned would be $1.4 million, it’s being constructed to initially house most needed services with the ability to be easily expanded. For instance, it will initially have firefighting gear, but not an EMS unit.

As expressed before County Council in recent meetings, this facility is being developed to not only provide needed coverage but is designed to showcase the services the county is providing. Bays for Fire and other services have glass doors to display the equipment.

In our conversation, Mr. Caime stressed the need for this emergency services building to be attractive, saying, “We only have one time to make a good first impression.” He also spoke of how important the new industry in this area is for Laurens County, not only in providing jobs but also providing funds for county operations through Fee in Lieu of Tax agreements.

The new emergency services building at Owings Industrial Park is to house a ladder truck that has been housed at the Gray Court Fire Station. There will also be a Hazardous Waste Trailer.

County Council and the Laurens County Development Corporation are now exploring transportation needs for that part of Laurens County. The LCDC recently received some of the initial results of what the needs are on that portion of the I-385 corridor, and what’s projected into the future. They’re also working to identify potential funding sources for the work to be done in upcoming years.

For the second time this summer, we’ve had an arrest alleging someone was disorderly, blocking the main intersection in the heart of Hickory Tavern.  Friday, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office arrested 24-year-old Jarrell Okeeth Byrd of 106 Muskogee Lane, Gray Court and charged him with Public Disorderly Conduct along with Assault and Battery 3rd Degree.

Byrd is accused of acting in a disorderly manner July 31st at the intersection of US 76 and SC 101, stopping in the roadway at that intersection, blocking traffic, being loud and boisterous with this behavior being heard by others. A second warrant alleges that Mr. Byrd struck another man in the face multiple times, causing redness and swelling to his face and left eye.

Jarrell Okeeth Byrd was released from the Johnson Detention Center Saturday on posting bonds totaling $1,345.

A Meth Possession charge was served Friday for a man Laurens Police arrested last Thursday. 26-year-old William Trksak of Wham Lawn Road, Gray Court was charged with Possession of Less than One Gram of Meth. A warrant citing the investigation of Officer Rushing indicates that the subject was found in possession of meth during a lawful traffic stop at 100 Western Square Thursday. He was released Saturday on posting a $5,000 bond.

A child neglect allegation from four months ago was made following an early Sunday morning arrest by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office. 37-year-old Kenneth Dy’Wayne Sullivan of 105 Thrift Street, Fountain Inn was served a warrant charging him with Unlawful Neglect of Children.

Investigator Hunnicutt states that on April 4th Sullivan placed at unreasonable risk of harm or caused harm or abandonment of a minor child he had custody of and was the parent of.  Kenneth Sullivan was released from the Johnson Detention Center later yesterday on posting a $15,000 cash or surety bond.