On October 1, 2023 deputies responded to an address in Joanna in reference to skeletal remains being found by the property owner. LCSO along with the Laurens County Coroner’s Office, Greenville County Coroner’s Office, Foothills Search and Rescue, and SLED processed the scene and collected evidentiary items. At this time, this investigation is preliminary and ongoing. We are working closely with these agencies to identify the decedent.

Laurens County EMS Mass Casualty Training event October 17th and 18th 2023
at the Sawmill Tactical Training Complex is centered around preparing first responder teams
from across the state to work cohesively through realistic training of worst case scenario natural
disasters.
Josh Dosher of Laurens County EMS has spearheaded the event by planning and coordinating
with over 40 agencies to bring first responders from all neighboring counties, with different roles
and responsibilities to work together before an actual disaster occurs. Paramedics, Police
Departments, Coroners, Med-Flight, Universities, Fire Departments, Emergency Management,
and Hospital Services will train to work systematically to react to a devastating tornado at an
open air concert style venue leaving 100s of victims injured and displaced across the grounds.
Volunteers of the event will utilize realistic training aids to simulate the wide variety of injuries
that could have occurred and triaged accordingly. While applying life saving treatments and
navigating the logistical hurdles of responding to such a large incident.
The Sawmill in Laurens, SC is the premier training facility of the East Coast for Military, First
Responders, and Civilians, offering a wide variety of training and competitions with all
amenities on site. This state of the art facility offers lodging onsite for all guests and event hosts.
Often hosting tactical training for Military and Law Enforcement from across the country,
civilian shooting courses, along with driving courses, survival classes, and much more!

VK Integrated Systems is proud to support this event by providing technical assistance to
implement the most advanced communication system, the Team Awareness Kit (TAK) and
provide After Action Review capabilities. TAK is an application available for all user devices
such as cell phones, tablets, and computers that provides real time location tracking, information
and intelligence sharing, live streaming multiple video feeds (including drones), mission
planning, and much more. TAK has been used for years by Special Operations Forces, High Tier
Law Enforcement Agencies, Border Patrol, California Wildfire, along with many other Federal
Agencies, and now VKIS is offering servers to all State and Local agencies after getting first
hand experience during this training event.

If you or anyone you know is interested in volunteering in this event, please share and help make
this event a success!

A Laurens Man was recently arrested and accused of putting out a lit cigarette on the victim’s hip. Deputies with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office arrested 27-year-old, Joshua Keith Mcalister ,of Bypass 127, Saturday, September 30th for the incident. He is being charged with Domestic Violence, 3^rd Degree. According to the arrest warrant, Mcalister caused injury to the victim. Joshua Mcalister remain behind bars this morning at the Laurens County Johnson Detention Center.

The Clinton library will present a Law Talk program on October 4 at 2:30pm. Get in-person advice from a qualified lawyer regarding estate planning, wills, and trusts.

For more information: Robert Peake at 864-681-7323

This program is free and open to the public.

Deputies with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Laurens woman for Breach of Peace; aggravated in nature. 33-year-old, Marlena Speaks Brantley, of AB Jacks Road, was arrested over the weekend for the alleged charge. According to the arrest warrant, Brantley allegedly discharged a firearm in public during an altercation and putting the public at risk of injury or death. This incident occurred September 30^th. Marlena Brantley has since been released from the Laurens County Johnson Detention Center on a personal recognizance bond.

The Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program, a division of the South Carolina Department of Children’s Advocacy, is offering free online training to those interested in becoming a volunteer Guardian ad Litem (GAL) in Laurens County.  GALs advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children who are involved in family court legal proceedings through the Department of Social Services (DSS). There are only two training sessions left for 2023, beginning on October 17, 2023, and November 6, 2023. There is no better time than right now to become a volunteer.  Both morning and evening virtual sessions are available to help accommodate volunteers’ busy schedules.

Volunteers should be at least 21 years old, have a clean criminal record, no previous DSS case history, and be able to contribute four to five hours a month of your time for a child.

Currently the Laurens County GAL Program is serving 219 children, but there are only 25 volunteer GALs to assist. While GAL staff fill in the gaps, the need for more volunteers is urgent. “We’re always looking for dedicated individuals who are passionate about advocating for children,” says LaDara Depugh, Director of the South Carolina GAL program.

Visit gal.sc.gov for more information and to download an application. Follow @Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program on Facebook or contact communications@childadvocate.sc.gov to be added to the newsletter for updates and local events in your area.

Contact Erin Petrella, regional recruiter and trainer for the GAL program, at (864)381-3725 or Erin.Petrella@childadvocate.sc.gov for more information.

Craftin’ at Clinton, an hour of sharing and creating handicraft projects, meets on October 10 at 11:00am. This month’s focus is on sewing cute pumpkin decorations. All skill levels welcome. Ages 8 and up.

For more information contact Johanna at the Clinton Library, 864-833-1853.

This program is free and open to the public.

The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Gray Court woman accused of Grand Larceny, value more than $2,000 but less that’s $10,000. 23-year-old, Harley Brooke Heaton, of Hwy 14 was arrested for the alleged charge September 28th. According to the arrest warrant, September 23, 2023, Heaton allegedly took and carried away a 1999 Ford Ranger Extended Cab Truck with the intention of permanently depriving the owner of the property which is valued at $4,000.00 and is the property of the victim. This incident occurred on West Main Street in Gray Court.  Harley Heaton has since been released from the Laurens County Johnson Detention Center.

For the last two Friday nights WLBG has been experiencing problems with the streaming of Raider football.

Last week we had no streaming of the TL Hanna game.

We thought we had that problem fixed for this Friday night but that was only partially true as this Friday night we did have streaming of the game but also FOX sports playing at the same time.

We tried to fix the problem at the station but it seems that some of our switching equipment is malfunctioning and we will need to have our on-call engineer to see if he can fix the problem this next week.

We apologize for this and will do all we can to get it fixed before next week. We thank you for your interest in Raider football and WLBG.

NOTE: Some of you have emailed our Sports Director Mike Hughes about this and he has received your emails. He will do his best to respond but please be aware that if you have a Gmail address, he will be unable to respond as for some reason Gmail is blocking all messages sent from WLBG.  Again, our apologies for this.

Lander University students have yet another exciting study abroad opportunity thanks to a new exchange partnership with Italy’s L’Università di Trento (UniTrento), officials announced recently.

“We are excited to host exchange students from Italy in Greenwood, and thrilled with the opportunity to send Lander students to this world-class university in one of the most beautiful settings in Europe,” said Dr. Todd Gambill, vice president for Enrollment and Access Management at Lander University. “Both Lander and UniTrento will benefit from the exchange of outstanding students.”

UniTrento is located in Trento (known in English as “Trent”), an historic city of 120,000 residents located in the north of Italy and the capital of Italy’s Trentino province. Historically, it is remembered as the meeting place of the Council of Trent during the 16^th century, and its city center boasts several historic structures of the Medieval and Renaissance periods, including the Trento Cathedral and Castello del Buonconsiglio. Meanwhile, UniTrento’s academic programs in science, technology and business, as well as the humanities, are focused on preparing students for an exciting and innovative future. The university is highly ranked in Italian university rankings, with over 16,000 students, 1,400 of whom are international students.

As part of the agreement, Lander and UniTrento will exchange a limited equal number of students to study abroad in the program. Exchange students will pay the tuition and fees of their home university, and accommodation and other fees at the host university. All exchange students will enjoy the same benefits and resources as regular full-time students of each university.

UniTrento is only the latest university to join a growing list of Lander’s partner institutions for studying abroad. Lander recently announced a similar exchange partnership with the Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM), and Lander regularly sends students to participate in study abroad programs with the University of Winchester in England, TANDEM Escuela Internacional in Spain, the University of the Aegean in Greece and Kyungpook National University in South Korea, among others. These study abroad opportunities allow students to speak new languages, meet new people, navigate new countries and immerse themselves in new cultures. Students can also choose to embark on short-term study tours that take place during winter, spring and summer breaks.

Dr. Carlos Mentley, professor of Spanish and Lander’s study abroad director, encourages students to consider adding this new or any other study abroad opportunity to their educational journey at Lander. “In our increasingly global world, study abroad is an unparalleled investment in your future, both professional and personal,” said Dr. Mentley. “Of course, study abroad gives you a competitive edge when you apply for a job or for grad school. More importantly, however, a study abroad experience will provide you with ways to live a fuller, more rewarding life.”

For more information on Lander’s study abroad programs, visit www.lander.edu/studyabroad.

The Clinton Police Department recently arrested a Clinton woman accused of Indecent Exposure. 38-year-old ,Kimberly, Dianne Wooten, of Jackson Street was arrested for the alleged charge September 26th. According to the arrest warrant on Tuesday Wooten allegedly removed her clothing, including her undergarments’, and walked around the outside of her residence while screaming. She allegedly sat on the porch of her residence not clothed and while being located within the view of her neighbors. This offense occurred on Jackson Street which located whiting the city limits of Clinton. Kimberly Wooten remain behind bars at the Laurens County Johnson Detention Center this morning. Her cash or surety bond is $5,000.

The Laurens Police Department recently arrested a Laurens woman accused of Kidnapping and Domestic Violence 2nd Degree. 28-year-old, Tristian Tenashia Oshay Carter, of Lee Street, was arrested for the alleged charge September 27th.

According to the arrest warrant report on August 5, 2023, Carter is allegedly accused of seizing the victim against her will by grabbing the victim by the throat and pulling the victim into a waiting motor vehicle without the authority of law .  Tristian Carter remain behind bars this morning at the Laurens County Johnson Detention Center. Her cash or surety bond is $65,000.

Presbyterian College student Barrett Moody is leaving a permanent mark on the City of Clinton. 

Over the last several years, Moody turned her interest in public service and entrepreneurship into meetings with city officials and a real-life education in municipal government and economic development. As a result, she is spearheading a project to design and develop a mural in downtown Clinton that residents will enjoy long after she graduates.

“Public art is like music or literature to me,” she said. “It makes the town invigorating and humanizes it – it gives it character. Brick-and-mortar buildings can get kind of boring for some residents, so murals are really a good thing. They offer something the city can market – especially a town like Clinton that doesn’t have a clear branding point.

“This mural is a way for Clinton to go out and make a good statement to people that we’re changing – which is a rarity for smalltown America – and that we’re investing in looking more modern and restoring that historic vibe that has always been here.” 

The mural project emerged from a “thinkubator” Moody hosted with students and local business owners to share ideas on what they wanted to improve the economic landscape in their community. As it turned out, addressing the actual landscape was a common goal.

“I thought ground zero was beautifying the town so that people and businesses want to move in and people are able to have things to do was also the most cost-feasible and time-feasible project we could do,” Moody said. “So, I took that idea to some of the officials in the City of Clinton to see if they had any interest in it – and they did. So, I kind of learned project management and art. I’ve grown a huge appreciation for art even though I’ve never been an artist myself. I just had a vision for the city.”

Janette Marvin, the artist who created the mural on Musgrove Street for Clinton Canopy, will also paint the city’s mural, incorporating individual designs submitted by Clinton High School students. So far, the city has raised $1,500 towards the $7,500 cost of the mural. 

To support the project, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Canebrake Engineering and Surveying are hosting a fundraiser, “Mimosas for the Mural,” from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at Berkshire Hathaway’s Clinton office on 202 West Main Street.

 Save A Lot, one of the largest discount grocery chains in the U.S., yesterday announced the completed renovations of its store at 917 E. Main St., which has been fully remodeled inside and out for the best grocery shopping experience available. On October 4, Laurens residents can attend the store’s grand re-opening event to experience the upgraded look and feel while enjoying the quality and value customers have come to love.

Customers entering the store will notice a lighter, brighter and easier-to-shop footprint that includes new décor and lighting, fresh interior and exterior paint and new signage. The store fully reflects Save A Lot’s new brand image, providing a fresh look and enhanced functionality, while continuing to serve as Laurens’ hometown grocer.

Starting at 8:30 a.m. on October 4, Dwyane Goodwin, store owner and operator, along with the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce will do a ribbon cutting followed by free samples of Certified Hereford Beef. The first 50 customers will receive a $10 Save A Lot gift card and have the opportunity for other grocery giveaways.

“I am thrilled to bring much-needed upgrades to the Laurens Save A Lot store and enhance local residents’ shopping experiences the moment they step foot inside,” said Dwayne Goodwin, store owner and operator. “The newly minted store provides a modern aesthetic and an easier-to-shop footprint, making it seamless and more enjoyable for customers to shop for grocery essentials and quality fresh meat and produce they’ve come to expect. I’m especially proud to be bringing Certified Hereford Beef to this area. It’s the gold standard of beef and I can’t wait for our Laurens customers to try it.  We’ve been a part of this community for years and are honored to show our appreciation with this remodel.”

”We’re delighted the Laurens Save A Lot store is continuing to provide its customers with top-notch service and an upgraded shopping experience with the new store remodel,” said Mark Kotcher, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Officer of Save A Lot. “Dwayne Goodwin’s investment to upgrade the store will have a profound impact on how customers enjoy the Save A Lot experience while continuing to provide unmatched value and quality.”

This remodel is part of the brand’s efforts to modernize its stores across the country and the re-design reflects Save A Lot’s continued mission and commitment to its local communities, providing value, quality products and neighborhood support. As part of the initiative, the Company is working with its independent license owners to remodel stores. The new store design features a contemporary evolution of the brand inspired by customer and employee feedback and each neighborhood store will feature a strong assortment of regional products to better serve customers in meaningful ways.

Save A Lot believes that all neighborhoods should have access to fresh, high quality food options. Stores focus on offering everyday low prices on great tasting, high quality private label brands as well as national brand products, USDA-inspected meat cut fresh in store, farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, and other non-food items.

The Laurens store is open daily from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Customers can learn more by visiting SaveALot.com.

Get ready for a nostalgic trip down memory lane as the city of Laurens bring you a heartwarming classic, “The Little Rascals!” with Movies on the Plaza tonight at 7:45pm.  Relive the adventures of Alfalafa and Spank in this timeless comedy.  The movies it totally free to the public. Bring a chair and a smile. Concession will be available for purchase.

Presbyterian College is transferring ownership of the historic Capitol Theatre to the City of Laurens and moving its esports program back to campus.

PC announced the purchase of the Capitol Theatre in Oct. 2021 as a venue for esports and a restaurant, movie theater, and performing arts center for students and the community. However, logistical concerns raised by students regarding travel times and fuel costs led the college to reconsider the project’s future. 

“As we heard from our esports team members, it became clear there were concerns about the esports arena being away from campus,” said PC president Dr. Anita Gustafson. “As a result of those conversations, we believe it is in the best interest of the students to move the esports arena to campus. We value the relationship with the City of Laurens and believe deeding the property over to the city will be more advantageous to the overall community in the long run.”

Gustafson said PC will continue to collaborate with the City of Laurens on programming at the theater that will bring students to the Public Square.

“PC is proud to be an active participant in the Laurens County community and we pledge our support for ways in which we can collaborate with our city and county partners,” she said.

Laurens Mayor Nathan Senn said the city is eager to continue building a strong relationship between his community and PC.

The Laurens County School District 56 Board of Trustees meeting for September was held last night at Clinton High School.  During that meeting a Spirit of 56 Award was presented.

Superintendent Dr. David O’Shields said the award is presented to “someone  who embodies  all that is Laurens County School District 56”.  He then called Buddy Bridges, the voice of the Red Devils to the front of the auditorium.  Dr. O’Shields called attention to Buddy’s hard work in organizing the celebration of the 100^th anniversary of Clinton High School football.

It should be noted that most recipients of the Spirit of 56 Award are employees of the district.  Buddy, as a dedicated alumnus of the district,  works as an insurance agent but expends tremendous effort in supporting District 56, its athletic programs, its academic goals and its proud traditions.