COLUMBIA – A cacophony of voices can be heard on the recording, the participants becoming more and more shrill as they compete for volume. Bystanders echo and boo. It sounds like it could be a hallway fight among a group of middle or high school students, but it isn’t. The participants are all grown adults […]
Gilbert: Council salaries should be cut in FY 22-23
May 19, 2022 By
Councilman Trapp: ‘I Don’t Think That’s Legal.’ WINNSBORO – Fee increases, adding new positions, and cutting council member salaries are among the last minute alterations under consideration in Fairfield County’s proposed $41.3 million budget. But it was an existing budget item that would fund Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office raises that’s giving at least one council […]
Director of Economic Development Ty Davenport leaving County
May 19, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Director of Economic Development, Ty Davenport, has announced he will be leaving the county on May 25. Davenport is the eighth top county official to leave the county’s employ in the last year including the county administrator, assistant county administrator, attorney, clerk to council and several department heads.. Two more department […]
Council authorizes Franklin to sue The Voice and others
May 12, 2022 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Town Council voted 4-1 Thursday, May 5, to authorize Mayor Bryan Franklin, Town Administrator Carroll Williamson, and the Town’s outside attorneys David Black and Shannon Burnett to take legal action against The Voice and its publisher. While the Town has already sued MPA Strategies owner Ashley Hunter and threatened to sue Councilman […]
Gregg Martin faces 10 more sex crime charges
May 12, 2022 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood photographer Gregg Martin faces 10 new charges including kidnapping and promoting prostitution after being arrested last week for a second time for sex crimes. He was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. Martin was first arrested April 8, 2022, after deputies received a report of him taking inappropriate photographs of […]
R2 trustee arrested for threatening board chair
May 11, 2022 By
COLUMBIA – In the latest Richland 2 Board of Trustees debacle, board member Lashonda McFadden has been arrested and charged with Threatening Life of Public Employee. McFadden’s arrest follows the release of a four-minute recording of an executive session at the April 28 board meeting, in which a voice identified as Lashonda says, “I will […]
Seven quakes rock Blythewood, Fairfield
May 11, 2022 By
FAIRFIELD/BLYTHEWOOD – A 3.3 magnitude earthquake occurred six km east of Elgin Monday morning, about 1:30 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Many residents in Blythewood and Fairfield County took to The Voice’s Facebook page to report not only feeling the strong tremor, but some said it sounded like a sonic boom and shook […]
Paul Dove named SC Lion of the Year
May 5, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – Winnsboro’s Paul Dove was named the state’s top Lion on Saturday. A Lion for 31 years, Dove, 78, is currently a past president of the Winnsboro Lions Club and has served in every Lions Club office over the years except one – that of International Director. “He says he’s not going there,” said […]
In searing public speech, BW mayor confuses conspiracy with routine journalism
May 5, 2022 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Mayor Bryan Franklin delivered his most chilling verbal attack to date on The Voice’s publisher and Councilman Donald Brock at the end of a joint town council/planning commission meeting Monday night. The subject matter was rambling, with multiple undocumented claims. Explaining that his speech was in response to The Voice’s editorial in the […]
County responds to Town’s solid waste fee lawsuit
May 5, 2022 By
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County denies that its $63 per ton solid waste fee double-bills Winnsboro town residents who also pay county property taxes to dump their trash, according to new court filings. A year ago, the county expanded the fee to include the Town of Winnsboro and Fairfield County School District. Winnsboro challenged that decision, […]
