This is the second installment of a two-part series revisiting the biggest news stories that happened in the Lake City area during 2009. Last week, the News & Post revisited January through June, and this week recaps July to December.
Lake City native named trooper of year
S.C. Highway Patrol Senior Trooper Owens Horton said in July that he feels like he’s done his job when, by the end of the day, he’s kept people safe from DUI-related collisions.
“We want people to know the patrol does have compassion,” said Horton, who lives in Lake City and works in Clarendon and Sumter counties.
The state’s 2008 trooper of the year showed the patrol’s compassionate side after he responded to a felony DUI collision that killed a 14-year-old New York girl and injured her family members.
To this day, he still keeps a picture of the girl in his car and stays in contact with her family, he said.
Scranton police receive department-of-year honor
Scranton Police Chief Larry Rogers said in July that playing a role in the 12th Judicial Circuit Law Enforcement Network benefits the entire Pee Dee and Scranton, whose police force was named the local network’s 2008 Department of the Year.
The town’s police force received the award June 19, Rogers said. The three-person department consisted of Rogers, Lt. Evan Davis and part-time Officer Trey Miles.
The network, meanwhile, includes the judicial circuit that spans all of Florence and Marion counties.
Bushardt named statewide pharmacist of year
Being selected by his peers as the South Carolina Pharmacy Association’s Pharmacist of the Year is one of the highest honors Dan Bushardt said he has received.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” he said. “I’ve gotten some other awards, but this is my best one.”
He received the award during the association’s annual meeting this past summer. He’s also the second Lake City native to receive the award, he said.
Florence School District 3 board elects officers
Florence School District 3 Board of Trustees members elected new officers in July. They elected David Eaddy as chairman, Dianne Smith as vice chairman and Kimberly Sims as secretary.
Mary Godwin named teacher of the year
A middle school teacher who uses music and dance to teach pre-algebra was named the 2009-10 Teacher of the Year in Florence School District 3.
Mary Godwin, a seventh- and eighth-grade pre-algebra teacher at J. Paul Truluck Middle School, was selected by a panel of judges based on a written application and a videotaped classroom lesson. As district Teacher of the Year, she will be eligible for selection as State Teacher of the Year in 2010.
Fire destroys home near Lake City
A fire destroyed a home east on Rodman Road east of Lake City the morning of Aug. 4.
The fire was “raging” when crews arrived, said Debbie Altman, South Lynches Fire Department’s administrative assistant and public information officer.
Smoke from the flames was visible miles away from the burning house.
No one was home at the time of the fire, Altman said.
Wal-Mart Supercenter just a rumor, spokesman says
Chris Neeley, Carolinas spokesman for Wal-Mart Inc., said in August that the company had no plans or intentions to build Wal-Mart Supercenter in Lake City.
Wilbur B. Brown, President of Brown & Co. Inc., said no decisions have been made to build a new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Lake City and that everything circulating is “just rumors."
Family calls boy’s survival a ‘miracle’
Doctors, paramedics, firefighters and 911 dispatchers worked together to save Shane Cox’s life only a couple of months after the boy’s first birthday.
“It took a miracle for us not to lose him,” said Jeanne Cox, Shane’s mother.
On Aug. 3, Shane’s sister Fallan Cox, 4, made the innocent gesture of sharing some of her fruit with her younger brother while spending an afternoon at their new home, north of Coward.
After two days in intensive care, the miracle happened for the Cox family. Shane was able to return home, and he had suffered no brain damage or trauma from the lack of oxygen.
It’s Fashion Metro opens Lake City store
It’s Fashion Metro opened its newest store Sept. 17 in the Kelley Corners Shopping Center in Lake City. The new store is located at 254 Kelley St., the former site of Peebles and B.C. Moore’s clothing stores.
It’s Fashion Metro is a value-priced fashion retailer offering urban-inspired, nationally recognized brands with clothes for juniors, plus sizes, men and big men’s sizes, boys and girls, infants, toddlers, newborn, and layette. Shoes and accessories are also available.
Railway restaurant reopens
The Railway Charcoal Grill and Club Car Pub reopened in time for the South Carolina Tobacco Festival, which began Sept. 18.
Katherine Fridl said she and business partner Tony Whitlock bought the restaurant, at 144 S. Acline St. in Lake City, during the summer.
They renovated their section of the city’s historical train depot and have revamped the menu, which offers some familiar favorites with a twist.
Croker opens hair salon in Lake City
Since she was in the sixth grade, Michelle Croker was interested in the field of cosmetology.
Croker said her teacher that year asked her what she wanted be when she grew up and that she replied that she wanted to become a hairdresser.
The Lake City native said she gained a great deal of practice styling her younger sisters’ hair when she was a teenager.
Now, she is a licensed cosmetologist of 13 years and opened her own salon, Hair It Iz, at 109 S. Acline St. in Lake City in September.
Santee Cooper board suspends Kingsburg plant permitting
Santee Cooper said the economy and uncertainty over the cost of possible cap-and-trade legislation were two reasons its board voted to suspend permitting for a proposed coal-fired power generation facility in Kingsburg.
The board took its vote Aug. 24, when a committee recommended the suspension of permitting for the $1.25 billion facility for the above reasons as well as reduced power load requirements.
The power load reduction would result from another board vote to allow Central Electric Power Cooperative Inc. to remove 1,000 megawatts from Santee Cooper’s system over seven years beginning in 2013.
Scranton finishes town hall overhaul
The third and final phase of renovations to Scranton’s town hall, built in the 1960s, began in June and was completed in late August.
The stalls where the town’s fire trucks once parked were converted into a new, more spacious courtroom that doubles as a community center. The building’s south side, where Town Clerk Kay Floyd has her desk, has become the police department’s offices. Meanwhile, Floyd has moved to the middle section of the building, where the water department is located. The final phase of renovations, which cost about $38,600, was handled by Bennett Construction LLC of Columbia.
Tobacco Festival scales down
The economy caused Lake City’s South Carolina Tobacco Festival to be scaled down in its 53rd year, but this September’s event still included a street dance and golf tournament.
The Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce’s board met to review all aspects of this year’s festival, from Sept. 18-20, and decided unanimously to shorten the schedule of events, chamber Director Rita Smith said.
The chamber, however, is planning for the festival’s grand return when the economy improves, Smith said.
Mistrial declared in Lake City man’s murder case
A mistrial was declared Sept. 25 in the case of a Lake City man accused in a 2008 fatal shooting.
Christopher Jones, 18, was on trial for murder in the death of Ronald Powell Jr. of Coward. Powell died April 12, 2008, after being shot on Eugene Street in Lake City.
Florence County sheriff’s deputies also arrested 18-year-old Champeill Burgess of Lake City in connection with the case. Burgess also is charged with murder because deputies said he was with Jones at the time of the crime.
Marker tells of city’s origins
A new historical marker in downtown Lake City reveals the area’s colonial origins, and ancestors of one of the community’s settlers were on hand to unveil the marker in September.
“Lake City is older than what we thought,” Florence County Historical Commission member Kent Daniels said during the marker’s dedication ceremony, held in late September.
A crowd gathered during the afternoon in the park at the intersection of Church and Main streets, where Kim Kelley Osborne of Florence and her daughter, 8-year-old Sydney Osborne, unveiled the historical marker.
Methodist church unveils historical maker in Cades
An unveiling was held Oct. 3 for a South Carolina historical marker recognizing Bethesda United Methodist Church and Cooper’s Academy.
According to the historical marker’s text, Bethesda United Methodist Church, founded in 1879, was organized in a brush arbor. Its first permanent church, a one-room frame sanctuary, was built about 1884. The church was built in 1971, and members of the church worship in that building today.
Cooper’s Academy was built in 1905-06. It was a private boarding school for the black children of the community until 1927 and a public school from 1927 to 1958. It was founded by Moses Cooper, H.J. Cooper and Ada E. Martin. It was first called Cooper’s Academy, Normal and Industrial Institute for colored youth. The school closed in 1958, when black schools at Battery Park and Cades were consolidated, according to the historical maker text.
Authorities seize nearly $200,000 worth of counterfeit goods
Authorities on Oct. 5 conducted a sting in Lake City that resulted in one arrest and the confiscation of nearly $200,000 in counterfeit merchandise, according to the South Carolina Secretary of State’s Office.
The merchandise was seized at All in the Family, at 101 W. Main St. in Lake City.
Arrested and charged with trafficking counterfeit goods was Melvin Nealy of 1125 Dennis Road, Lake City.
The operation was handled by the Secretary of State’s Office, the Lake City Police Department and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office.
History Store reopens with coffee shop
The History Store, at 133 W. Main St. in Lake City, held a grand reopening Oct. 9 and 10 to introduce a renovated store with the new Carrie Belle’s Coffee Shop, named after owner Jamie Daniels’ mother.
All the drinks were free on Oct. 9 in exchange for customers’ feedback as the baristas continued to learn the best way to prepare the beverages.
Company plans to bring 120 jobs to Lake City
Florence County Council in October gave its final approval to incentive and lease agreements for an advanced-materials company looking to create about 120 jobs in Lake City.
Fletcher, N.C.-based Materials Innovation Technologies hopes to build a new facility to reclaim carbon fiber from composites, Jim Stike, the company’s founder and president, said in a phone interview with the News & Post. The carbon fiber would be used in automobile or aerospace components, he said.
The company would make an initial investment of about $4 million, which it hopes to double in two to three years, Stike said.
County documents show the company’s Lake City location would be at Godley Morris Commerce Center, off S.C. 341 just west of town.
Olanta Rural Fire Department opens new station
The Olanta Rural Fire Department opened its new station, on S.C. 341 just east of town.
An open house held Oct. 23 at the fire department’s new station attracted more than 200 people. Residents of the area dined on barbecue and conversed during the event, which began at 6:30 p.m.
Burgess sworn in as Lake City new associate municipal judge
In late October, Dr. Kenneth L. Burgess Sr. was sworn in as an associate municipal judge during a meeting of Lake City City Council.
Burgess serves as an assistant principal at Kingstree Junior High School, and before that he was an assistant principal at North Charleston High School. He also has served as an assistant principal at Darlington High School.
His term as associate municipal judge will expire Sept. 8, 2011.
Live Oak Medical Center opens
The doctors with the new Live Oak Medical Center say they hope services such as urgent care will make it easier for residents in local rural areas to get the health care they need.
The goal of offering the service in Lake City as the center opened Nov. 2 is to handle “urgent but nonemergent” situations after regular business hours, Drs. Ernest Atkinson and Richard Ellis said. They practice at the new center along with Drs. Albert Mims and Wade Lamb.
Live Oak also touts its focus not only on treating people when they’re sick, but keeping them from becoming ill in the first place. The center is tied in with an iH3 Wellness Center in Lake City, which combines the “traditional medical model” with preventive care, said Merideth Harrington, the wellness center’s executive director.
Residents spot bear, cub in Lake City
A black bear, upset and potentially violent because she couldn’t find her cub, was roaming through Lake City the night of Oct. 29, authorities said.
Lake City police urged residents near Graham Road and Church Street to stay inside their homes as authorities searched for a bear and her cub that evening.
Game wardens with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources were involved in the search within the woods between Graham Road and a warehouse on South Church Street, Lake City Police Chief Billy Brown said.
By the following morning, police had heard no further complaints, Brown said. The chief told WBTW News13 that the bear had been seen heading into the woods near Williamsburg County.
Brown said sightings of a bear and cub are unusual in Lake City, although a bear was sighted in town several years ago and left on its own.
Subway’s Jared Fogle presents award at Lake City school
Jared Fogle, the national spokesman for Subway restaurants, recognized grand-prize winners of the Subway Fresh Fit contest during an assembly at Main Street Elementary School on Oct. 29.
The winners were fifth-grade students Ja’Kayla Andrews, Justice Smith and Zyria McClam. The winning poster submission shows the students’ passion for choosing to lead a healthy and fit lifestyle at a young age, a Subway press release stated. Each prize package included a $1,000 fitness grant for the recipient’s school and $1,000 in Subway cash cards.
McCutcheon wins Olanta mayor race
Jimmy McCutcheon defeated incumbent Betty Sims in the town’s Nov. 3 elections, during which Tommy “Mitch” Driggers Jr. and Eric L. Evans won town council seats.
McCutcheon received 159 votes to Sims’ 73.
“I’m very excited,” McCutcheon said after the results were released. “It was a team effort.”
He has lived in Olanta for 45 years and served terms on the town’s council during the 1970s and 1990s, he said.
In the town council race, Driggers received 162 votes and Evans garnered 161. Alice C. Smalls finished with 90 votes.
Lake City hosts first Blues Bash concert
Folks from all over headed to Lake City on Nov. 6 for the first concert of the inaugural Pee Dee Blues Bash.
Organizers expected crowds from across Florence County to attend the free event, and the musical act came all the way from Philadelphia.
“We were lucky enough to be included in this and be the kickoff, because we’re bringing people to Lake City who’ve never been here before,” said Rita Smith, director of the Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce.
The Deb Callahan Band performed from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the National Bean Market Museum, in downtown Lake City. The festival featured 14 acts playing at 11 Florence County locations from Nov. 6-8.
Missing Lake City soldier honored with services
Taps sounded for Pfc. James Charles Montgomery at Florence National Cemetery on Nov. 13, which marked 57 years after the soldier went missing in action in North Korea.
The ceremony brought long-sought closure to the family of the Lake City native, who was presumed dead Dec. 31, 1953.
Montgomery was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was listed as missing in action while fighting the enemy near the Hwachon Reservoir in North Korea on Oct. 14, 1952.
Diabetes patients learn lessons of survival from pharmacist
Nearly 70 patients gathered Nov. 19 at Lake City’s Piggly Wiggly supermarket for an annual diabetes event that provided food lessons, door prizes and holiday desserts.
“I want you to live,” said Jane Player, a registered pharmacist with Price Wise Pharmacy at Piggly Wiggly and a licensed diabetes instructor. “Diabetes is not a death sentence.”
In her father’s memory, she has started the Julian “Bubba” Dixon A1C Award to the person who has the best blood sugar, which has been documented by their doctor. Clyde Bess was the first recipient of the award.
Wright no longer finalist for Tennessee schools job
Florence School District 3 Superintendent Beth M. Wright was one of three finalists for the director of schools job with Murfreesboro City Schools in Tennessee.
The district’s board, however, narrowed the search to two finalists, and Wright was not selected among them, Murfreesboro City Schools School/Community Relations and Grant Writing Coordinator Cheryl Harris said in a phone interview Nov. 25.
Wright, a native of Murfreesboro, has served as Florence School District 3 superintendent since 2001.
Train stops just shy of flatbed truck
A major collision was averted about 12:45 p.m. Dec. 1, when Lake City police officers and firefighters responded along with Florence County sheriff’s deputies to a flatbed truck that was stuck on a railroad track as a train was approaching.
A Florence County Public Works truck was stuck at the intersection of Thomas and Acline streets as a southbound CSX train stopped about 100 yards from the intersection. About 1:52 p.m., the train began traveling slowly again.
Emergency personnel evaluated the scene of the accident as other workers found ways to remove the truck from the tracks. Traffic was delayed as the intersection was cleared.
In April 2007, a truck was stuck at the same intersection as a southbound train was stopped near Scranton while the truck was removed from the tracks, according to Lake City News & Post reports.
Lake City resumes its own building inspections
Lake City City Council voted Dec. 8 to give final approval to two ordinances that re-established the city’s building inspections department and create a city Board of Building Code Appeals.
The ordinances both passed 6-1, and councilman Jason Springs cast the dissenting vote against each.
Springs said last month that the city sent Florence County a letter dated Sept. 21 stating that in 30 days, the city would no longer have the county providing its building inspections.
The county had provided building inspections at no cost to the city, but the county did collect building permit fees from within the city.
Lake City council suspends blue laws for holidays
Lake City stores were able open at 10 a.m. on Sundays for the last three weeks of December after Lake City City Council passed a suspension to the state’s blue laws restricting Sunday business hours.
City attorney James Epps said the Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce recommended the action, which passed Dec. 8 with six council members in favor and councilman Billy Brown abstaining.
It was the first time Lake City’s council had approved such a measure, city attorney James Epps said.
During the holiday season, cities and counties can make exceptions to the state’s blue laws, Epps said. Florence County and Hartsville passed similar resolutions in November and October, respectively.
Neither the city’s nor the county’s ordinance affects the Sunday sales of alcohol, which is regulated under a separate state law.
Marlboro County ends Panthers’ playoff run
The Lake City Panthers ended their most successful season since 1994 at Marlboro County on Nov. 20 with a 26-21 loss to the undefeated Bulldogs.
The Panthers ended the season 11-2 after the Bulldogs rallied late in the fourth quarter at McAlpine Stadium in Bennettsville to advance to the 3A lower state championship game.
Shon Carson led the Panthers’ ground attack with 110 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries as well as an additional 38 yards on one pass reception. Sheldon Robinson added 48 yards rushing and one touchdown on six carries.
Widow arrested in missing Coward man’s death
Florence County sheriff’s deputies arrested Brenda Miles Bratschi, 46, of Coward during a traffic stop on the morning of Dec. 7 and charged her with murder in the death of her husband, Randy Bratschi.
Frankie Miles, 23, of 101 E. Friendfield Road, Coward, was charged a day later with misprision of a felony in connection with the death of Randy Bratschi, Florence County Sheriff’s Lt. Jason Dore said. Miles is Randy Bratschi’s stepson.
“We think he knew about the murder and didn’t report it,” Dore said.
Randy Delyn Bratschi, 54, disappeared in late 2004 and was presumed dead. The missing man’s remains were found July 16 by two men who were moving a trailer from 2100 N. Old Georgetown Road, Coward. That location was Randy Bratschi’s former residence.
Coward man dies in fire
A Coward man died and another was injured after a mobile home fire near Coward on the afternoon of Dec. 16.
James A. Kelly, 37, of 516 Hicks Road was pronounced dead at the scene as the result of injuries he suffered during the fire, Florence County Coroner M.G. “Bubba” Matthews said.
South Lynches Fire Department firefighters were called to the scene at 3:13 p.m., South Lynches Fire Chief Sam Brockington said. When they arrived, the doublewide was 50 percent involved in flames and could not be saved from the fire, he said.
A man who was at the home when the fire occurred was in the yard when firefighters arrived and had been burned when he tried to go back into the home to rescue Kelly.
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