2010 November

Be Aware of Counterfeit Money This Shopping Season

November 29, 2010 by johnd · Leave a Comment

Police have been seeing an increased number of counterfeit bills around the Aiken area recently and advise you to be aware of the funny stuff.

While you most likely won’t be jailed for innocently possessing a fake $20 bill, it is often good to check anyway to ensure local businesses aren’t being shafted. Counterfeit bills are reported to the Secret Service, confiscated and never reimbursed.

A good way to make sure your money isn’t ridiculously fake is to check the watermark. Hold the note up to a light and look in the upper right hand corner. There should be an image that matches the photo in the center. If not, your bill has most likely been bleached by a counterfeiter and re-printed with a higher denomination. Additionally, use your eyes and make sure the serial numbers are evenly spaced and straight, the picture isn’t crooked, and the borders match a genuine bill.

More information on phony cash can be found at http://www.secretservice.gov/money_detect.shtml.

If you think you’ve been a victim of financial fraud, contact your local police department and/or the U.S. Secret Service Columbia Field Office at (803) 772-4015.

Filed Under: Aiken, Feature · Tagged: Aiken, borders, counterfeit bills, denomination, financial fraud, funny money, funny stuff, holiday shopping, law enforcement division, law enforcement officers, local businesses, local police department, paper characteristics, paying attention, phony money, secret service, serial numbers, south carolina, south carolina law, sure your money, watermark

Man Robs Store With a Stick, Flees on Lawn Mower

November 22, 2010 by johnd · Leave a Comment

A man from Aiken took the phrase “stick up” quite literally last week.

The man, 45 year old Ricky New, attempted to rob Kent’s Korner on Edgefield Highway with a stick, beating one of the clerks in the process. After the “stick up” in which he actually got away with some cash, he fled in his getaway vehicle - a lawn mower.

Obviously, the man didn’t get too far as responding officers caught the man, who tried to hide his face with a towel. The police recognized him from other crimes he committed in the past and booked him on charges of first degree assault/battery and armed robbery. The clerk had bruises on her arm, but was otherwise fine.

Filed Under: Aiken, Feature · Tagged: Aiken, armed robbery, bruises, clerks, crimes, degree assault, first degree, getaway vehicle, guns, phrase, ricky, south carolina, stick

Aiken’s 175th Anniversary Celebrated in Concert

November 17, 2010 by johnd · Leave a Comment

Over 100 singers, musicians and readers will convene Thursday to celebrate Aiken’s 175th anniversary as a city.

The concert, which is being held in the sanctuary of Aiken’s First Baptist Church, will star the USC symphony orchestra, the USC Aiken choir, singer Diane Haslam, organist Ken Courtney and narrator Owen Clary. Those named and many more will be portraying the history of the city through song and music.

Some of the songs to be played are Aiken favorites, such as “I’ll Be Seeing You” , “Oh! Susanna,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again” and “America the Beautiful.”

The concert begins at 7:30 in the aforementioned sanctuary on 120 Chesterfield St. N . Tickets are priced at $20 for adults and $15 for students. Anyone seeking information should call Cathy Traver at 643-4774.

Filed Under: Aiken, Feature · Tagged: 175th anniversary, cathedral organ, choir singer, concert choir, diane haslam, donald portnoy, group board, history through music, hofstetter, johnny comes marching home, ken courtney, mezzo soprano, music and song, musical selections, narrators, organ symphony, performing arts group, saint seans, usc aiken, usc symphony

Drivers Urged to Obey “Move Over” Laws

November 15, 2010 by johnd · Leave a Comment

Troopers statewide are reminding you to pull over when they speed to the scene of an emergency.

Simply put, if you see flashing lights in your rear-view mirror, you need to slow down and safely change lanes so they don’t plow into you. Additionally, drivers on two lane roads have to come to a halt, not just slow down.

As well as courtesy for emergency personnel en route to scenes, people should be aware of the workers already on scene. The state wants to avoid a repeat of a 2006 incident in which an Aiken County Sheriff Deputy was hit and killed by a driver while working on the scene of a fire off of US Highway 1.

It has been estimated through polls, specifically a nationwide poll by Mason Dixon Polling and Research, that 71 percent of Americans haven’t even heard of a “move over” law. That sentiment is reflected in the more than 150 US police officers who have been killed by motorists along highways.

So, avoid fines of up to $500 and safely move over when you see flashing lights.

Filed Under: Aiken, Feature · Tagged: Aiken, aiken county sheriff, flashing lights, highway 1, highways, lane roads, motorists, nationwide poll, police officers, polls, rear view mirror, sentiment, sheriff deputy, south carolina

School Locked Down to Find Gunman

November 10, 2010 by johnd · Leave a Comment

Radcliffe Elementary in Beech Island was locked down this afternoon because a student said she saw a man with a gun.

The girl was alone putting away books when she said she saw a man dressed in black with a gun. Because of the specifics she gave, the school reacted quickly and began a search. SWAT deputies were called to the school, only to find no gunman.

Parents were gathered outside the school that holds 800 students, waiting in anticipation for news.

After questioning the child to a further extent after the teams were called off, she said that she wasn’t sure what she saw was a gun. Faculty doesn’t believe anyone was on campus with a gun, but the girl probably won’t be punished.

An investigation is ongoing.

Filed Under: Aiken, Feature · Tagged: Aiken, anticipation, beech island, extent, gunman, guns, lockdown, man with a gun, Parents, School, south carolina, specifics, swat, weapons

Cheerleading Coach Steals Money From Fundraiser

November 8, 2010 by johnd · Leave a Comment

Gimme a J-A-I-L!

A South Aiken cheerleading coach has been nabbed for taking money from a fundraiser for her own gain.

The woman, 33 year old Nancy Griswold from Lavender, took as much as $825 from the fundraiser and stashed it in her own bank account. Making matters worse, she is an Aiken Public Safety Dispatcher and her husband is a public safety officer.

The case, which is now in the hands of the county sheriff office, accuses Griswold of two counts of breach of trust with a value of $1,000 or less. The warrant states that she took money from the fundraiser anywhere from May to August of 2010. The better than 10 year veteran of Aiken Public Safety was released on $2,185 bond, and currently awaits disciplinary action .

Filed Under: Aiken, Feature · Tagged: accusations, Aiken, breach of trust, cheerleader, cheerleading coach, county sherriff, disciplinary action, griswold, human resources director, incident report, kenny cook, public safety dispatcher, public safety officer, report states, richard pearce, school fundraiser, six weeks, skipper, south aiken high school, south carolina, varsity cheerleading

Three Men Busted For Cooking Meth Behind Home

November 4, 2010 by johnd · Leave a Comment

Three Bath meth heads are now in police custody after being investigated for a length of time by authorities.

Tuesday afternoon, police nabbed Charles Ray Jennings Jr., 39, Saprina Williams Logue, 38, and Jerry Lee Pitts Jr., 19, for operating a meth lab in a dilapidated shed behind a home on Railroad Street. Surely, the homeowners were overjoyed.

The perpetrators were taken to the Aiken County detention center and booked on charges of manufacturing and trafficking methamphetamine. Against them are many items used in the creation of meth, including some freshly made meth in a bottle.

Their bail is unknown at this time.

Filed Under: Aiken, Feature · Tagged: Aiken, aiken county detention center, authorities, charles ray, chemicals, cooking meth, hazardous materials, lee pitts, length of time, logue, meth lab, methamphetamine, perpetrators, police custody, railroad street, ray jennings, saprina, sc, shed, three men, trafficking, tuesday afternoon

Caped Man Jumps Into Pickup, Shoots at Driver

November 2, 2010 by johnd · Leave a Comment

Aiken Police are on the lookout for a man responsible for a weekend shooting in downtown Aiken.

The 46 year old victim of Aiken says a man jumped into the bed of his pickup truck late Sunday and fired a round into the cabin. The man was wearing a black mask and a dark cape when he shot at the man at the intersection of Greenville Street and Barnwell Avenue.

The shooter held on as the victim drove away, swerving back and forth to throw the man off the truck. His back window was shattered as he fired a round before finally falling off. Police noticed the man swerving and assumed he was impaired, becoming more suspicious as the man refused to stop.

When he finally stopped, police held him to the ground and noticed the shattered window and blood dripping from his shoulder. He was treated at the scene for a superficial wound.

Witnesses told police that they heard gunfire, but no leads have been given as to the identity of the shooter.

If you have any information that could lead to the apprehension of the suspect, call Aiken Public Safety at 642-7620.

Filed Under: Aiken, Feature · Tagged: Aiken, apprehension, assault, black mask, dark cape, driving, greenville street, gunfire, intersection, pickup truck, public safety, sc, shooter, shooting, south carolina