The love of greasy fast food led many Aiken residents rushing to the new Five Guys Burgers, causing headaches for nearby businesses. Hungry patrons had to park all over the Millbrook Station strip mall due to lack of parking in front of Five Guys.

Customers found parking refuge in front of other businesses such as Cork & Bull Pub and Sakura – businesses which explicitly state that their parking lot is for their customers only. Three cars were eventually towed in the fracas.

The main problem in Five Guys week of existence is essentially a chain of parking nightmares. Customers going to the burger joint fill up Cork’s parking lot, who in turn fill up Sakura’s parking lot, and customers of each respective business are told to park wherever they can find a spot. Things weren’t eased when the owner of the strip mall hired a man to stand watch and try to assume control of the parking problem.

Eventually, law enforcement had to come out to fix the matter.

Things are just going to get worse – Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins are opening up new stores in the vicinity of Five Guys. The optimistic thoughts say that business will eventually plateau and things will correct themselves.

Popularity: 9% [?]

An Aiken woman faces up to life behind bars if she is convicted of homicide by child abuse for the August 6 death of 16 month old Xzavian Knight.

Elouise Wade-Meria Taylor, 51, is accused of shaking the child and possibly punching or slamming him, inducing head trauma and killing him. Her bond was set today at $150,000, which could be appealed once a forensic radiologist submits his review of the child’s X-rays. She had been running the day care out of her home on Saint Johns Church Road since 1999.

Arguments from the prosecution say that the findings of the Michigan-based forensic radiologist will match  those of the autopsy. The results are expected within two to three weeks.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Three of Aiken’s upstanding citizens have been charged in connection to the attempted theft of a moped on Jefferson Davis Highway.

One of the thwarted thieves, Donna Nicole Hatcher, was charged with possession of meth and cocaine on top of simple larceny.  Joeseph Ennis and Nicholas Stallings  were charged with simple larceny as well.

An Aiken County deputy spotted the thieves on Jefferson Davis loading a moped into the back of their 1997 Ford truck. As he gave chase, the sticky-fingered foes ditched the truck and took off running into the woods. Ennis, the driver, was caught in pursuit.

The $1,000 motor scooter was returned unharmed, while the other three were detained. At this time, Donna Hatcher is the only one of the group still in jail on drug  possession charges.

Popularity: 4% [?]