PUBLISHER’S NOTE: On March 5, 2026, Edward Straiter sent the following email to Blythewood Town Manager Ed Driggers as a “Formal Request for Independent Review, Equity Assurance, and Governance Transparency” regarding his (Straiter’s) concern for how Mayor Sloan Griffin is treated by council and the media, “Given that Sloan Griffin III is the First Documented […]
Fairfield County reviews 27 vacant or unused properties for potential sale or demolition
March 12, 2026 By
FAIRFIELD COUNTY – County officials are beginning the process of deciding what to do with 27 properties identified as vacant or unused, with options ranging from further research to demolition or sale through a public bidding process. During a Monday night’s county council meeting, staff presented the findings of the county’s Surplus Properties Committee, which […]
Blythewood Town Council distances itself from 29016 annexation plan
February 26, 2026 By
BLYTHEWOOD — More than 50 people packed the Blythewood Town Council meeting Monday night in response to a Facebook post by Mayor Sloan Griffin, which circulated widely, suggesting the entire 29016 zip code be annexed into the Town of Blythewood. The other four council members moved quickly to distance themselves from Griffin’s proposal and 14 […]
Blythewood Ad Hoc Safety Committee appointed
February 26, 2026 By
BLYTHEWOOD – The Town of Blythewood has formed an Ad Hoc Safety Committee to address safety concerns following several disruptions caused by teen fighting during nighttime events last year at Doko Meadows Park. The committee is led by Blythewood Town Councilwoman Trish Hovis who serves as department chair of criminal justice technology at York Technical College in […]
Fairfield County Council honors Belton, Chatman during Black History Month
February 26, 2026 By
WINNSBORO – In honor of Black History Month, Fairfield County Council recognized Winnsboro’s first African American mayor, Demetrius Chatman, and the county’s first African American clerk of court, Dorothy Boyd Belton, during the Feb. 23 council meeting. On July 1, 2025, Demetrius Chatman was sworn in as the first African-American mayor of Winnsboro. A lifelong […]
Candidate filing opens for Jenkinsville council
February 19, 2026 By
JENKINSVILLE – A general election for the Town of Jenkinsville Town Council will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Two council seats currently held by Clayrann Small and Gayle Pauling will be open. Filing for those two seats will open at 12 noon on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, and will close at 12 noon […]
Is the Town of Blythewood hiding missteps in $20K Juneteenth funds?
February 12, 2026 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Town Councilman Donald Brock announced almost three months ago, during the Nov. 24 town council meeting, that, “$20,000 from last year’s Juneteenth event funding walked away, and it can’t be accounted for.” He was referring to H-tax (hospitality tax) funds that were appropriated in the FY 2024-25 town budget for Blythewood’s 2025 Juneteenth […]
Blythewood Town Council kicks the $500 FOI can down the road
February 5, 2026 By
BLYTHEWOOD – After The Voice was charged $500 by Blythewood town hall for a response to an FOI (Freedom of Information) request last month, the following item appeared on the Jan. 28 town council meeting agenda for discussion; “A Review of the Town’s current FOIA policy and possible recommendations for changes to the Town’s IT […]
Blythewood Council calls for new policy on Town Hall weather closures
February 5, 2026 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Town Hall has long followed Richland County government’s inclement weather policy. After Interim Manager Ed Driggers authorized an announcement on Sunday, Jan. 25, that town hall would be closed on Monday, Jan. 26, and that the Monday night town council meeting would be cancelled, Councilman Donald Brock asked that the town hall’s […]
Council discusses demolition of Wilson building during executive session
January 29, 2026 By
BLYTHEWOOD – An executive session item on the Jan. 20 agenda for the Blythewood Board of Architectural Review caught the eye of a number of Blythewood old-timers. The meeting agenda item stated: “Receipt of legal advice for matters covered by the attorney-client privilege (300 Main Street application for certificate of appropriateness for demolition.)” That discussion […]
