Cottingham Blvd. project done Posted - 09-02-2010 After several years, the widening project involving Cottingham Boulevard is complete. This week, Cottingham Boulevard near the intersection with SC 9 was devoid of orange traffic cones for the first time in recent memory. This $11,344,000 S.C. Department of Transportation project involved widening 2.9 miles of roadway from two to five lanes and included the replacement of the bridge over Crooked Creek. Construction began in summer 2008. Click here for more

Sheriff’s Office searching for suspect in armed robbery Posted - 09-02-2010 Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office investigators are seeking information about an armed robbery that happened at a home in Clio last weekend. They have released a composite sketch of one man involved in the incident, which happened around 4 p.m. Sunday, August 29, on Hwy. 381 South near Hwy. 83. The victim in the incident was a 66-year-old man. According to the Sheriff’s Office, he was inside his home watching TV when a silver or gray vehicle, possibly a small SUV, pulled into his yard and... Click here for more

BDDA discusses poster project, tree planting, Lake Wallace, Murchison School, two events Posted - 09-02-2010 Directors of Bennettsville Downtown Development Association (BDDA) discussed a number of items of interest during their monthly meeting Monday at Municipal Court. Improvements noted Chairman Lon Lester presided, welcomed Blanche Artibee, Greg Ohanesian and Johnny Sellers as guests, and said he wanted to thank the city’s Public Works Department for cleaning the bank of Crooked Creek along McLeod Street’s walking trail so that the creek is now visible. He also wondered if the creek... Click here for more

Bennettsville native participating in Levi Journal Project Posted - 09-02-2010 As far back as she can remember, Melanie Stewart has lived by the simple phrase, “I can.” A go-getter in high school, she played sports, made music in the band, and pursued an interest in art that ultimately led her from Bennettsville to the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville. After graduating in 2002, she studied film, photography and music at Temple University and Sarah Lawrence College, ultimately deferring graduation to found her own business, The Agytators,... Click here for more

Humane Society to host Dining for the Dogs Sept. 25 Posted - 09-02-2010 Good food, good music and a good cause are coming together on Saturday, Sept. 25, at the Bennettsville Community Center. That’s the date of the Humane Society of Marlboro County’s first-ever “Dining for the Dogs,” a dinner and silent auction that will raise money for the organization’s ongoing building fund. The Humane Society has been in existence for years to support and promote animal welfare. Through the building fund, members hope to be able to buy land and build a shelter to house... Click here for more

State and local leaders join in praising Rep. Jennings as SC38 is named for him Posted - 08-26-2010 Rep. Doug Jennings was praised for his public service as eight miles of SC 38 (Blenheim Highway) were dedicated and named for him Tuesday afternoon. S.C. Department of Transportation Secretary Buck Limehouse of Charleston and several members of his commission told of Jennings’ dedication to having SC 38 multi-laned and of his efforts to bring the proposed I-73 through Marlboro County en route to the Grand Strand. Other governmental leaders from Washington and Columbia told of their... Click here for more

Jim Rex unveils school initiative at BMS Posted - 08-26-2010 State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex paid a visit to Bennettsville Tuesday afternoon to kick off the Turnaround School Initiative in Marlboro County. This initiative is aimed at improving student performance and closing the achievement gap. In Marlboro County, the elementary and middle schools in Blenheim and Bennettsville will be part of the process. Rex spoke Tuesday to a small audience of teachers, parents, district administrators and just two members of the county school board,... Click here for more

McColl man’s unique car captures attention in classic car world Posted - 08-26-2010 Terry Hutchins of McColl knew he was seeing something unique when he happened across an old car parked in someone’s yard in 1972. He just didn’t know how unique it was, or that, more than 30 years later, it would end up causing quite a stir in the classic car world. Hutchins is the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind Budd-Built Model A, which is featured prominently in the September edition of Hemmings Classic Cars, a publication of Hemmings Motor News. Click here for more

Murder suspect attacked in court Posted - 08-26-2010 A bond hearing for a murder suspect took a violent turn in court Tuesday and resulted in the arrests of two young men. The bond hearing was for George Anthony Cousins, who was arrested in July and charged with the murder of 42-year-old Tammy Norris at his home on North Stanton Avenue in Tatum. Cousins, 42, had been brought before Judge Howard King in general sessions court Tuesday morning when the two young men, both Norris’ children, ran up and attacked him. Click here for more

Schools back in session Posted - 08-19-2010 Monday, August 16, was the first day of school for students in all Marlboro County public schools except McColl, which operates on an extended-year calendar. Students returned to Marlboro Academy on Wednesday, August 18. Click here for more