Elgin News - 4A 2023

Letter Submissions

It is the policy of The Elgin News to encourage reader participation on its editorial page. Diverse and varied opinions are welcomed. Because of space limitations, we must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Letters of 200 words or less will be published unless they contain language or content that the editors feel is inappropriate.

Examples of content that will cause letters to be rejected include the following:

• Disrespectful comments regarding a group's or individual's ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion, culture, or race.

• Poor taste.

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• Personal attacks.

The Elgin News will not knowingly publish factually incorrect information.

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Letters written in response to other letter writers should address the issue at hand and, rather than mentioning the writer by name, should refer to the headline and date the letter was published. Discourse should be civil and people should be referred to in a respectful manner. Letters referring to news stories should also mention the headline and date of publication.

All letters must be signed and include the writer's street address or route address telephone number, which will be used for verification purposes only.

We welcome your input. You may write to us by e-mail at elginnews@gmail.com or by regular mail at:

Letters to the Editor

The Elgin News

P.O. Box 152

Elgin, SC 29045

From The Chairwoman's Desk

By: Katie Guinn, Kershaw Count Chair

Note: From The Chairwoman’s Desk is submitted by Chair Katie Guinn and is not the official minutes of the Kershaw County Council.

It’s hard to believe that your County Council will have the first reading of the budget this month. It is a critical time for Council, as each member is busy working on budget requests. Throughout the past month, Council has been briefed by all thirty five Kershaw County department heads on their fiscal year 2024 budgets. Council is now in the process of hearing from outside agencies around the county that receive small portions of funding from the county. The Finance Committee has been meeting regularly to discuss these budget requests and address any questions from Council. For example, I requested the Finance Committee's recommendation on funding 800 megahertz Motorola radios for public safety departments. When the Finance Committee receives a request from a Council member, they have fourteen days to respond with a recommended funding source and feasibility. In accordance with our new rules, if the Finance Committee does not respond with a recommendation within the fourteen days, the Council member may put the item on the agenda for the next County Council meeting for a vote. The Finance Committee has been updated since my last article. Now serving as the committee are Mr. Sammie Tucker, Jr., (Chairman), Mr. Derek Shoemake and Mr. Brant Tomlinson.

I would be remiss if I did not respond to many of your calls regarding the March 14th County Council meeting. As always, thank you for your feedback. Yes, there was an item placed on the agenda and voted on without proper documentation. I gave my colleague the benefit of the doubt that documentation would be provided and allowed the item to remain on the agenda. This will not be allowed again. Providing documentation to other Council members is important, but what is most important is that the public receives the documentation for review. This allows citizens to contact their representatives prior to any votes. We are representatives and I take that seriously. If you do not have the opportunity to review and contact me before a vote, I cannot and will not support said vote. Transparency is so crucial in this job, and I owe that to you. Furthermore, while I am a strong supporter of public comments and have always fought to protect this portion of the agenda, I will be reining in inappropriate language during comments. I want citizens to speak and address the Council, but I must keep proper decorum and a high level of professionalism at the meeting so we can conduct business for the citizens effectively. This week, Ms. Hannah Parler started as the new Clerk to Council. Ms. Parler came to Kershaw County with seventeen years of experience as a clerk and we are thrilled to have her! This is a huge win for the citizens. Ms. Parlor and I will work closely together and she will be assisting citizens with getting in touch with Council members and scheduling citizens to meet with me. I am very thankful she is with us.

Council meetings will be back to back at the end of April this month to allow Mr. Sammie Tucker, Jr. and myself to attend the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit April 9th through April 14th. Attending this summit is critical to building a plan to combat the opioid crisis in Kershaw County. I will brief the citizens on that summit and get to work right away with our KC opioid coalition when we return. Meetings for April are Tuesday, April 18th and Tuesday April 24th, 6:00pm at 515 Walnut Street in Camden. The meetings will also be streamed live on the county’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

other as people and to become friends.

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The Elgin News, PO Box 152, Elgin, SC 29045 · (803) 513-5108

Cate Goff, Editor · Fred Davidson, Sales Manager · Email: elginnews@gmail.com

Happy Spring, minus the pollen! We are happy to see the warmer weather here in Elgin. With the warmer days ahead comes more outside activities. So please be aware of the increased drivers and pedestrians, especially in our neighborhoods where the kids play.

Also please report any issues you see or hear about to the Police. We need to ensure the safety of our community.

We can better serve if the citizens communicate their concerns to us, instead of ignoring them and hoping they just resolve themselves or magically go away.

We are here to help, that is why we chose this profession, to serve and keep peace.

Remember, you can and will stay anonymous if you chose to. So please call us at 803-4389917 or Dispatch at 803-424-4000 and 911 for those serious emergencies.

You can even report or voice your concerns through social media https://www.facebook. com/groups/107853616819 . Thank you.

From the Chief's Desk Elgin Police Department Incident Reports

Assault, Simple / Disorderly Conduct: On 03/29/2023, at approximately 3:00 PM, Officer Handy responded to the BP in reference to an assault complaint. The assault occurred on 03/24/2023 at approximately 9:50 PM inside the BP gas station between Complainant, and Subject. I spoke with Clerk at the time of the incident. Clerk stated that Complainant was standing in line behind Subject waiting to complete his purchase when Complainant made a comment to Subject who turned around and punched Complainant in the eye, and a fight between the two began. Subject exited the store and began pumping gas into his vehicle. Complainant followed him into the parking, where the two continued to yell at each other. Store video shows Complainant approach Subject while he was pumping gas. Subject gets into his vehicle and places the vehicle in reverse almost hitting Complainant. Subject then places the vehicle in

drive and exited the parking lot. While Subject was driving away, Complainant throws a beer at Subject's vehicle. This incident was captured on the store surveillance cameras. I did receive a written statement from Clerk, and I did request a copy of the store video from the store manager. Parking on State Road: Officer Handy had a vehicle blocking the roadway when I came onto shift on White Pond Road in the Town Limits of Elgin near Pine St. While we were directing traffic the owner of the vehicle arrived and stated he ran out of gas. The vehicle was left parked blocking the whole lane and was on a hill and could have been easily moved from the roadway to prevent blockage. I went to assist and we diverted traffic for around twenty minutes until Elite Towing arrived and towed the vehicle. I issued the driver, Subject, a citation for parking on a state road. Subject then got into the tow truck and left the scene. Subject was told that he would need to settle his tow bill

with Elite Towing before getting his vehicle.

DUS 1st not for DUI/Road Rage: On 0328-2023, Officer got a call about a gray Toyota pick up truck with SC tags trying to push them off the road coming into the town of Elgin on White Pond Rd. Officer got a second call from dispatch saying the vehicle was at the corner of Main St. and Pine St. trying to break the windows out of the vehicle. Upon my arrival the other vehicle went North on Main St and R/O stopped the pick up truck at the BP gas station on Main St. R/O made contact with the driver, Subject, who told me the vehicle in front of him would not let him pass. KCSO stopped the Jeep on Main St. just outside of the Town of Elgin. R/O ran his SCDL through dispatch and found he was suspended for cancellations of insurance. KCSO told R/O that the other vehicle did not want to press charges. R/O gave Subject a UTT for DUS1st not for DUI.

'Cheers' to the Start of Wedding Season

By: Liz Simon, Staff Writer

When is it officially wedding season? I have played many roles in this special event season. I was a 5-year-old flower girl in a long green dress, many times a bridesmaid, twice as a stand-in bride, I walked down the aisle only one time as a bride, the mother of the bride (wore green again) the mother of the groom (black was my choice), and for the first time tomorrow April 8, the Nana of the bride for my granddaughter Chandler.

Shana Herndon (Wesley LE’ 92) who works in the wedding industry said, “It is fun because it is a celebratory occasion, but very stressful because there is a lot of time, money, and energy into one day. I started working for Tara Guerard Soiree a few years ago. From transformation of venues, to the largest of details, wall to wall carpet to the tiniest details, every vine has to be perfectly placed. It all matters," says Shana. "The most important thing is a happy client and that guests feel genuinely like ‘guests.’ My favorite memories are the silliest of moments when we as staff have worked for 18 hours straight and still find humor. There have been many moments to remember filling every inch of an elevator to get all the furniture, light fixtures, pillows back to the truck, tying silk ribbon bows, sewing curtains, babysitting a child that was allergic to the carpet, ironing till there are blisters or cleaning up a dance floor just when the fast part of “Proud Mary” starts. The people I work with are like family. We are all glad to see each other at the beginning of a wedding weekend, but we're also ready to say goodbye at the end. Some of the wedding guests treats I recall are guests who received a small glass milk bottle and Oreo's tied on with a bag, or when guests entered a room where they could shop for different items, and huge welcome bags delivered

to guests’ hotel rooms filled with local items. I know I've worked $1,000,000 weddings literally, but at the end of the event what matters is the union.”

April Skeen Moschella (LE ‘90) told me she had also worked with Shana in Charleston with their production and floral teams. “The beauty, scale, and enormity of her weddings are breathtaking. There are many moving parts from construction, design work, printing, retails, and catering to talent and bridal teams," says April. "Now my own daughter is getting married this fall. It can be overwhelming even on a much smaller scale and budget. I have had to step back and keep in mind that because I'm able to do something myself doesn't mean it's a good idea. A dear friend gave me this advice following her child’s wedding: Don't take on too many responsibilities for the Wedding Day. You want to enjoy it. My goal for our daughter's wedding is to be in the moment and truly enjoy the day with our family and friends. I've learned there are planners out there for every budget. Consider recruiting trusting friends and family members to help with the day of day details and responsibilities.”

Recently I met with Elgin resident Stacy Crosby Boan (LE’ 97) who describes her job as a ‘day-of-the-wedding coordinator,’ and she is also willing to assist with planning for various events and to help secure vendors.

Stacy is the mother to Mackenzie and Granger. She is married to Les Boan. Stacy's contact information can be found on Facebook entitled SCB Weddings. Her phone number is 803 427 6535.

Mark the date April 30, 2023, one until four at City Arena in Camden. Stacy plans to host an event for interested brides, prospective brides, and their families and friends. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door. This is Stacy’s third year to host this bridal resale show. One of Stacy's free tips to all important wedding participants is to prepare an emergency kit with everything you can imagine from wipes to q-tips to eye drops. Stacy, as a coordinator will always have one, but you may not always have a Stacy or a Shana or an April. God bless our happy wedding season!

Welcomes Cristy Bradley Officer Randy Bass Named

Elgin Town Council

Congratulations to Councilwoman Cristy Marshall Bradley (front, center), who received the Oath of Office during the April Town Council Meeting.

Congratulations to Officer Randy Bass for receiving the “Officer of the Quarter” Award for the Elgin Police Department.

Officer Bass was presented the award by Chief Alan Anders during the April Town Council meeting.

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Letterland is a multi-sensory program that uses a story based approach to teach children phonics. The program uses imaginary letter characters that help students make sense of letters and sounds they make, separately and when used in words. The characters also explain why letters combine to make sounds. The story base helps children retain the phonics skills that are necessary for them to become successful readers.

On April 3rd, students across Kershaw County celebrated letters with a variety of fun activities including parades, face painting, costumes, games and a variety of special visitors from the community.

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80th Anniversary of the 505th Parachute Infantry Drop

By: Senator Penry Gustafson, Guest Writer

We all know that person who doesn’t keep up with special dates or occasions. Birthdays pass with no cake. Anniversaries are forgotten, but I am not one of those people! On March 29th, we commemorated the 80th anniversary of the parachute drop of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment along with other 82nd Airborne units and part of the 101st Airborne Division. It is as distinctive today as ever.

This first mass parachute drop has been dubbed as an “illustrious military feat.” Those men probably had no idea how their training exercises and this jump would come to be regarded by posterity, meaning us and our subsequent generations. None of them (most likely) had even flown in any aircraft and were probably unnerved but motivated.

120 airborne soldiers descended in a mock battle to prepare themselves for war. In the words of Retired Major General Julian Burns, this jump “ultimately led to the mass landings at Normandy and victory in WWII.”

I think the hallowed ground found at the monument at Invista connects us directly with Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. My husband Todd, a veteran himself, and I had the most unique opportunity to visit the American Cemetery and the beach in person. We had attended wreath layings before, including the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. (That date was June 6, 1944.) A familiar reverence returned as we stood at the grave

of a fellow traveler’s great uncle who had died on Omaha Beach. Our group was led by the pastor who married us and retired Army Chaplain, Bob Helton. The wreath laying was pre-planned and on our travel itinerary. Afterwards, Pastor Bob led a worship service at the memorial nearby which consists of a semicircular colonnade with a bronze statue at the center named, “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.”

During the wreath laying ceremony, we watched a uniformed officer clean the grave meticulously and then place dark sand on top in the ridges formed by the letters. With his gloved hand, he carefully swept across the white stone revealing the name of the great uncle who died. The name was easily read like ink on paper. Taps and our National Anthem were played. I was so proud watching my husband stand at attention with his back rigid and his shoulders rolled back, rendering his military salute.

Quietly we made our way down to the beach, and it was WAY DOWN. Treacherous. Steep! As we finally reached the sand, I looked around at the mountainous earth where the US Forces lost 2,400 soldiers. Being struck with a sense of awe, respect, and love for my country, the tears came. Small rocks gathered at my feet soon filled my pockets. All of them were given away except one on which the sacred date was written, June 6, 1944.

For we can never forget the solemn sacrifices of our United States military forces.

There are not many living World War II vet-

erans among us, so we must pick up the mantle to regard this date annually, March 29, 1943, the day of the first mass parachute drop in American military history. One might overlook a birthday or anniversary, but let’s never forget to honor the ones who have defended us, protected us, and keep us free as a nation. God bless each soul then, and God bless each soul now. Reflecting upon this historic day was a great honor, and I appreciated the opportunity to say thank you to our military community on behalf of South Carolina!

ADULTS (AGE 13+)

WWII veteran and member of the 505th, William Spurling of Swansea, SC is pictured above with Sen. Gustafson. Spurling, 93-years-old, was awarded a Quilt of Valor during the commemoration.

SC Senator Penry Gustafson has launched monthly town hall events “Partner with Penry” in District 27. They are held in Chesterfield, Kershaw, and Lancaster Counties monthly on the second Monday. All public are welcome to attend to hear news, stay informed, and engage with each other and the Senator.

On Monday, April 10, 2023 “Partner with Penry” will be held from 11:00 am until 12:00 pm at Daily Grind Coffee Shop located at 315 S. Main Street in Lancaster, SC. On Monday, May 8, 2023 “Partner with Penry” will be hosted from 11:00 am until 12:00 noon by the Curious Fox Café at 1123D Main Street in Lugoff, SC. Refreshments are complimentary.

“These town halls are to encourage true public discourse! This is an opportunity to meet their Senator face to face without traveling to Columbia. So, come and let’s just talk.” states Senator Penry Gustafson.

For more information or assistance, contact Rachelle Williams at 803-212-6040.

Clothing Giveaway at Blaney Baptist

Blaney Baptist Church is having another clothing giveaway on Saturday, April 22 from 1:00 –4:00 p.m. It’s open to the public. Plenty of adult and children’s clothing will be on hand.

Contact Blaney Baptist Church at 803-4383161 if you have any questions about this event.

Pine Grove Baptist Church invites you to their Family Festival, scheduled for Saturday, April 29th from 11 am - 3 pm. Join us at the Pine Grove Community Center at 836 Pine Grove Road in Lugoff for family fun. Activities include games, bounce houses, hay rides, food, face painting and more. Parental supervision required.

Partner With Penry Town Hall Event Family Festival Post 195 Update

The Larry Jeffers American Legion Post 195 of Lugoff had its monthly meeting on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 7PM with one guest and one new member.

The post offers a monthly Auxiliary spaghetti dinner fundraiser. Eat in and take-out are offered for all and are $8.00. The dinners are 5-7pm on the last Friday of each month January-October.

March's guest speaker was Todd McDonald representing Palmetto Boys State. He stated that South Carolina ranks 1st or 2nd every year in the American Legion's Boys State program and noted Post 195 has sponsored boys every year since the post's founding.

The post will purchase scholastic and leadership award medals for Lugoff-Elgin High School Army JROTC for the 2022-2023 school year.

The post held a St. Patrick's Day dinner March 17, 2023 which was free for all members and guests. Desert, and corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes were provided as well as drinks.

Post 195 will again participate in Ft. Jackson National Cemetery's Memorial Day events by providing US flags for the over 7000 graves.

A new flag box, a former mailbox, has been installed at the front of the post and is painted red-white-and-blue with Legion logos. It has been placed to receive old and damaged flags to be properly disposed of by the post.

KC Chamber Of Commerce To Host

Women's Leadership Summit April 25

The Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Kershaw County Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 8:30 am – 12 pm at the Woolard Technology Center in Camden. The program will include a panel discussion with local female leaders, networking opportunities, and a keynote address from South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette. Tickets are currently on sale for Chamber members for $30; nonchamber members can purchase tickets beginning April 3, 2023 for $50.

Amy Kinard, Executive Director of the Kershaw County Chamber shared “The idea behind this program came from the fact that all four Kershaw County government entities now have female leadership. So we had the idea to bring all types of women together to learn from and support one another. We are very excited to offer this event not only to our members, but to the Kershaw County community at-large.” The female leaders Kinard refers to are Kershaw County Council Chairwoman Katie Guinn, Bethune Town Mayor Susan Holley, Camden City Mayor Alfred Mae Drakeford, and Elgin Town Mayor Melissa Emmons.

Presenting Sponsor, MUSC Health is excited to support this first-of-its kind program in Kershaw County. “Women make a significant difference in the lives of families and businesses in this community. MUSC Health Kershaw is thrilled to help support an event that continues to build women

up and empower women in Kershaw County,” shared Stacy Collier, MUSC Health, Division Chief Quality Officer and Division Executive Director of Nursing.

The program will include conversations with local leaders including (but not limited to) Director of Tourism Sales & Marketing for South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Dolly Chewning, Business Owner and 2019 South Carolina SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year Kathryn Couch, Camden City Mayor Alfred Mae Drakeford, Arts Center of Kershaw County Director Dolly Patton, and MUSC Health’s Division Chief Quality Officer and Division Executive Director of Nursing Stacy Collier.

For additional information about the program, follow the Kershaw County Chamber on their Facebook and Instagram pages. Detailed registration information will be provided for the community on April 3, 2023.

About the Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce: The Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce is located in Camden, South Carolina, and serves businesses in the Kershaw County area, to include Bethune, Camden, Lugoff, and Elgin. The Chamber office is housed on the Central Carolina Technical College – Kershaw County/Camden campus, where staff serve 360+ members through advocacy, education, promotion, and networking opportunities.

Pinewood Derby Wins Run In The Family Shoemake Sworn In After Winning Special General Election

Derek A. Shoemake, 44, of Elgin, was sworn in on April 4th to represent Kershaw County District 3 – which cov ers most of Elgin and a portion of Lugoff – after winning a special general election last Tuesday. He had been serv ing on Council under a special gubernatorial appoint ment after winning his primary election. Shoemake re cently joined the Connell Law Firm following his time as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, where he ran one of the four offices in the state and handled a variety of complex criminal legal matters.

“I am honored to serve the county my family has called home for four generations, and to represent the commu nity in which I was raised,” said Shoemake. “Elgin is the fastest growing area in Kershaw County, and among the fastest growing areas in the state. Its residents need places not only to live – but to work and play. Thus, it is criti cal that we grow in a responsible way that minimizes the impact on Government spending.”

Congratulations to River Strickland who on March 26th, won the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby for Pack 316.

For years, the Pinewood Derby has been a favorite activity for Cub Scouts, where competitors must design and build a car based on a specific set of rules. The car is then inspected and it's off to the races! Winners of the pack competition have the opportunity to go on to district competition and beyond.

What makes River's win extra special, is that his dad, Benjy Strickland won his own Cub Scout Derby almost four decades ago.

Shoemake also expressed eagerness to practice law in Kershaw County. “Serving as a federal prosecutor was an honor and privilege,” said Shoemake, who is also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. “However, I am eager to return to private practice to help people and businesses facing their worst moments.”

Shoemake’s prosecution career included handling violent crime and narcotics cases, including cases involving drug gangs, firearms, bank robbery, and the most recent federal death penalty case in the United States. He ultimately became a white-collar prosecutor, where he handled complex criminal matters including wire fraud, healthcare fraud, bank fraud, tax fraud, and public corruption. This included serving as lead counsel in a federal money laundering and animal welfare case against Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, known for being in the Netflix show Tiger King, and serving as the state’s coordinator for pandemic-related fraud.

In addition to his litigation experience, Shoemake serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Carolina’s School of Law, where he has taught Legal Writing and currently teaches Technology and Criminal Law.

The Connell Law Firm specializes in criminal law, personal injury, and business litigation.

Derek Shoemake, KCC District Three

Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office

Hager Named 40 & 8 American Legion Deputy of the Year

KCSO Sergeant Bobby Hager received the 40 & 8 American Legion 2022 Deputy of the Year Award. Bobby always does an outstanding job and has a public servant heart.

He didn’t know he was the recipient of this award until he was called into our training room with everyone present.

As an extra bonus, his family was secretly invited to the ceremony. Needless to say, Bobby was pleasantly surprised with the company and the well deserved award.

Congratulations Sergeant Hager!

STREAM Night at Blaney Elementary

Blaney Elementary School recently held a STREAM Night (science, technology, reading, engineering, art, math) as the conclusion of their One School, One Book program on the book, Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos, by Vivian Velde.

Students participated in a variety of STREAM activities, and also had live animal encounters with most of the book's characters.

Pictured clockwise from top right:

• BES fifth grader Madeline Miller poses with "Cuddles" the dog.

• Twitch the squirrel (assistant principal Harriet Boykin-Garity) and Counselor Glenna Brown-Kaiser greet students to the event.

• BES Kindergartener David Branham and first grader Jana Branham pet Miss Lucy Cottontail.

• Third grader Lily Patterson works on a directed drawing activity.

Sheriff Lee Boan