Pine Grove Residential student found dead in swimming pool

A 15-year-old teen with a developmental disorder was found dead on Friday after he walked away from the school he attended in Elgin for the second time, according to authorities.

Noted and passed

** A new Gallup poll indicates that Americans rank the performance of Congress at the lowest level since polling on the subject began. Only 10 percent of citizens say they have confidence in Congress, with no discernible difference among those who call themselves Democrats and those who say they're Republicans. Congress rates last on a list of 16 institutions, with the American military ranking first. The Gallup organization has been asking opinions of Congress ...

Crisis of faith in government

WASHINGTON -- It is reassuring that in the midst of so much government dysfunction, the IRS has resolved the question of when and whether to tax tanning beds under the Affordable Care Act. Do not be concerned about that giddiness you feel. You are not having a nervous breakdown but are suffering a symptom commonly associated with recognition that the absurd has become the accepted norm -- and that you are, in fact, alone. ...

KCSD has had a one terrific school year

The end of the school is a veritable kaleidoscope of activities and excitement, with happiness and even a little relief thrown in for good measure. For me, it's also a time to reflect on the school district's many accomplishments over the past year. To say the least, it's been one terrific year! This month, I wanted to review just a few of the many highlights of 2012-13:

Fun at the Farm

Sandbar gives Fenwick Farm a winner at Churchill

Sandbar, a 2-year-old War Pass filly developed at Fred and Wilhelmina McEwan's Fenwick Farm in Camden, broke her maiden at first asking with a win in a $45,000 maiden race at Churchill Downs on June 8.

Emily Elizabeth Aycock and Matthew Pace Hipp united in marriage

Emily Elizabeth Aycock and Matthew Pace Hipp, both of Columbia, S.C. were married Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. in Islamorada, Fla.

Happy 50th Anniversary!

J.W. and Elizabeth Barrett celebrated their 50th anniversary at a drop-in hosted by their sons and daughter-in-law Johnny Barrett and Paul and Hope Barrett, on Sunday, May 19 at St. John United Methodist Church Fellowshipp Hall at Springhill in Lee County.

Woman concerned about husband’s faithfulness

Dear Annie: I have been married to the love of my life for several years.

Win well worth the wait for 17ers

While Mother Nature was putting on her own Triple Crown performance --- wind, rain and lightning --- outside, Kershaw County American Legion head coach Craig Smith was bringing the thunder inside.

Camden resident Tingen selected for fellowship

Dr. Martha S. Tingen , a native of Camden and Charles W. Linder Endowed Chair in Pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University, has been selected to participate in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.

McCaskill settles lawsuit against KCSO for $75,000

Kershaw County's insurance carrier will pay former Kershaw County Sheriff Steve McCaskill $75,000 to settle his defamation lawsuit against the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO). The lawsuit and four others were originally directed against current Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews as an individual over comments he made soon after taking office in 2011. However, Matthews has maintained he was speaking as a county official, so all the lawsuits were redirected against the KCSO. <p ...

Bethune mayor addresses PD, budget rumors

At a public hearing and regular Bethune Town Council meeting Thursday, council invited citizens to voice their thoughts and opinions regarding its proposed Fiscal Year 2014 budget. During the public hearing, Mayor Carlisle Davis said that the budget had been available to the public the week before but that "not a single person" obtained a copy.

Game of Thrones is good, but tough TV

Back in March 2012, I wrote about my newfound love of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series. I mentioned -- almost as a side note -- the brilliant HBO television series based on the books (and named after the first novel) Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones is good, but tough TV

Back in March 2012, I wrote about my newfound love of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series. I mentioned -- almost as a side note -- the brilliant HBO television series based on the books (and named after the first novel) Game of Thrones.

Get your poetry published

The Camden Poets Society is offering an opportunity for poets in the community to have their poetry published. It will print a literary letter each month and print five to 10 poems selected by members of the CPS from the poems submitted. This publication will be distributed to various sites in the community and offered free to the public. This is an effort to encourage the writing of poetry and to have a printed media ...

Stepmother isolates father from children

Dear Annie: My father married my stepmother 20 years ago. Three years ago, he suffered a stroke. Though moderately disabled, he is still mentally sharp, didn't lose his speech and is able to do most things for himself.

Next Camden Garden Club meeting to be held at Bloomsbury

The Camden Garden Club will hold its next meeting on Monday at Bloomsbury the home of Mrs. Katherine Brown. The old historic home has been converted into a bed and breakfast and the grounds have been documented and are absolutely beautiful. The program this month will be Water Conservation and Water Features. The speaker will be Mr. Tommy Marshall. He is the owner of Marshall Landscaping and he will discuss water harvesting and water features ...

Time runs out on Demons

Some sports are games of inches. Wrestling can be one of seconds.

Rec Notes - Feb. 11, 2011

Additional baseball sign-up scheduled Feb. 18 at Walmart

"More than Conquerors" baseball clinic slated for March 5

The "More than Conquerors" baseball clinic will be held on Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wildwood Youth Complex in Lugoff.

Irene Mowery

Funeral services to celebrate the life of Mable "Renie" Irene Mowery, 66, of Lugoff, will be held Friday, February 11, 2011 at 2:00 PM at Kornegay Funeral Home Lugoff-Elgin Chapel with burial to follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Rev. John Mims will officiate. The family will receive friends Thursday, February 10, 2011 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM at Kornegay Funeral Home Lugoff-Elgin Chapel.

Renfroe helps put Demons over the top against Cats

On a night when it should have been hard for him to crack a smile, that is exactly what Rock Hill wrestling coach Cain Beard did when asked to give a preview of tonight's 4A Upper State championship match between visiting and top-ranked Hillcrest and host Lugoff-Elgin, the state's third-ranked team according to the latest scmat.com poll.

Spartans ease up in 101-48 win over Easley Christian

It would have been easy for Speedy Johnson to have stayed with his team's game plan. But all that would have done would have been to have turned an easy win into an ugly victory.

Superintendent, school board turn deaf ear to citizens

In the Jan. 31 Chronicle-Independent top story about the school district office move, the Kershaw County School District superintendent seems to make a mockery of frugality. When asked if new furniture will be purchased, Dr. Frank Morgan says he will even keep his "$69.95 state surplus conference table." The superintendent doesn't seem to understand that the people of this county, who purchased his conference table, stretch their dollars in every way they can. Most ...

Joseph McCaskill

Funeral services for Joseph Kenneth McCaskill, 69, of Cassatt, will be held Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at Cassatt Baptist Church, with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Rev. Donald Coppedge and Rev. Robert Brown will officiate. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6 &ndash; 8 p.m. at Powers Funeral Home, Lugoff. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideon's International or Cassatt Baptist Church Building Fund.

Roderick Simon

Funeral service for Roderick "RaRa" O. Simon, 37, of 1509 Springvale Road will be held Thursday, February 10, 2011, 11:00 A.M. at Mt. Joshua United Methodist Church with burial in the church cemetery.

Robert Ariail -- Feb. 9, 2011

Sunday changes

Recent legislation allowing Sunday alcohol sales in Camden is just one example of how lifestyles are changing across the United States. For many years, alcohol could not be sold in any form on Sunday in South Carolina -- except, of course, in Charleston, which for decades winked slyly not only at state bans on Sunday sales but also at the state's prohibition on mixed drinks, which were officially prohibited across the Palmetto State but ...

Watching Egypt through a lens darkly

NEW YORK -- The turmoil in Egypt has been a lesson in the fragility of a right we so often take for granted: To speak.