WYFF: Rains Shuts Down Darwin Wright Park

Skies cleared for a while on Thursday morning, but parents looking for a place to take the kids in Anderson will have to find someplace other than Darwin Wright Park.

For pictures, click here

Days of heavy rain have forced city officials in Anderson to shut down the popular recreation area.

Parts of the park are completely under water.

The playground equipment stands like a chain of little islands.

One the other side of the park, in the beach area, no sand is in sight.

Picnic tables and benches are also underwater.

With more rain in the forecast, city officials have shut down this park until further notice.

Read more: http://www.wyff4.com/news/local-news/anderson-news/rain-swamps-popular-park-forces-shutdown/-/9654706/20936268/-/jlyhjtz/-/index.html#ixzz2Ynrdn9Ui

County Finance Committee to Meet Monday

The Anderson County Council Finance Committee will meet Monday at 1 p.m. in the historic courthouse downtown. Items on the agenda include bids and the 5-mile sewer line.

The public is invited.

AnMed Adds to Medicus, Psychiatry Networks

AnMed Health Psychiatry is pleased to welcome Dr. Amara Chudhary effective July 15. She joins Dr. Kashifia Hossain at AnMed Health Psychiatry.  

Dr. Chudhary is a graduate of Fatima Jinnah Medical College, and completed her residency at Virginia Tech.  AnMed Health Psychiatry helps patients with depression, psychoses, anxiety disorders and personality disorders. The office is located at 400 North Fant Street in Anderson and can be reached at (864) 226-1166. 

AnMed Health Medicus ENT is pleased to welcome Dr. Thomas Justin Way, effective July 22. Dr. Way joins Dr. Lawton Salley, Dr. Jane Reister and Shelley Wells, FNP at AnMed Health Medicus ENT.   Dr. Way is a graduate of Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed his residency at the University of Kentucky. 

AnMed Health Medicus ENT specializes in ear, nose and throat problems; head and neck surgery; allergy testing and treatment; and sinus and nasal surgery. The practice is located in the Medicus building at 1655 East Greenville Street, in Anderson and can be reached at 864-716-7750.

Chef Jason: Berry Season Perfect Time for Muffins

When I was growing up, we didn’t have air conditioning.  Actually, to this very day, my parents refuse to put an air conditioner in their home for fear of the power bill going through the roof!  During this time of the year, we would rarely cook anything in the house.  Most days would be either something cooked on the grill or most regretfully… some kind of cold cut sandwich.

The sad part is this time of the year, in this part of the country, is when everything is in season.  This is the time of the year for berries!!  Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, you name it, it is in season.  

Anderson Chef Jason CobbAs a child we had blackberry bushes just down the street from my parents’ house, and near my grandparents’ home, there were wild blueberry bushes (some call them huckleberries), which we would go pick around the first of July.  These small bushes filled with delicious berries grow in the underbrush along the side of the road.  

To this day, I enjoy going to pick wild berries.  Even as a child, one of the few things I looked forward to was when mom would, even without air conditioning, wait until it had begun to cool off at night and she would make homemade blueberry muffins.  There is something quite different about using fresh picked berries to make muffins, especially those made with those minute berries grown in the wild.  If you can’t get your hands on wild berries for lack of availability, go to a local U-Pick berry farm and pick some berries of your own for this project.  Please don’t go to your local supermarket and get berries from some unknown location.  Trust me…. The difference is noticeable.

JayBob's Blueberry Muffin Recipe Here

Report: Seat Belt Use at All-Time High

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety announced results from a recent USC survey, stating South Carolina motorists set a record-breaking 91.7 percent safety belt usage rate, making 2013 the second consecutive year that the rate of usage was above 90 percent.

The survey was based on traffic counts conducted in 16 counties, and focused on drivers and passengers who used shoulder-style safety belts in June 2013. South Carolina's 91.7 safety belt usage is well above the current national rate of 86 percent.

Last year the rate for SC was 90.5, the first time it rose above 90 percent. Officials at the SCDPS attribute the record usage rate to continuing enforcement and education efforts.

"This record-setting rate will result in more lives being saved on our highways," said Leroy Smither, Director of SCDPS. "The 91.7 percent usage rate shows just how much the hard work of the state's law enforcement community and public safety advocates have paid off."

The SCDPS says a major goal of its Target Zero initiative is raising the safety belt usage rate every year. "SCDPS is pleased with the results of this year's survey, but we recognize too many people still are not complying with the law," Smith said. "Crash statistics show that many of these people also are drunk drivers, speeders – or reckless in other ways. We also know wearing a safety belt is the best defense against reckless drivers."

Full Story Here

S.C. Department of Education Updating Online Program

A new law allows seventh- through 12th-graders to take more courses through South Carolina's virtual education program. A State Board of Education subcommittee will be updated on the program Wednesday morning. Students are no longer limited to three online credit hours per year or a total of 12 toward a high school diploma.

Gov. Nikki Haley signed the changes into law last month, following unanimous approval in both the House and Senate. State law continues to bar students from earning a diploma through the free program that's available to public, private and home-schooled students, depending on enrollment availability.

The agency-run program differs from the fully virtual public charter schools that are part of the statewide charter school district.

Civic Center Closes Walking Trails after Excessive Rain

The walking trails around Chris Taylor Park and the front of the Civic Center are closed due to excessive rainfall.

According to Anderson County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Glenn Brill, "the heavy rains have caused the creek in front of the Civic Center to overflow making the walking trail bridge inaccessible. Chris Taylor Park trails are also closed to protect walkers/runners from sections that have collapsed."

For more information and updates: Angela C. Stringer, Communications Director, Anderson County,

astringer@andersoncountysc.org

864.260.1052         864.934.6451

Heavy Rains Forces Hattons, Gerrard, Road Closings

Last evening’s heavy rainfall, exceeding 3.5”, damaged culverts on Hattons Ford Road and Gerrard Road forcing the Roads and Bridges Department to close and detour these roads until repairs can be made.

Hattons Ford Road lost a 30” and 72” corrugated metal culvert and will be detoured onto Old Dobbins Bridge Road and Cromer Road. 

Gerrard Road lost a 72” concrete culvert and will be detoured onto Centerville Road and Dion Road.

Damage assessments and preparations for repairing the roads are in progress but repairs have not been schedule at the time.

For more information, contact:

Judy Shelato, Principal Engineer
864.260.4190

Jshelato@andersoncountysc.org

United Way Youth Cheer Clinic Aug. 3

The Youth Volunteer Corps of United Way of Anderson County will present a Youth Cheer Clinic featuring the Cheerleaders of Wofford College. Participants will learn cheer, chants, stunts and dance. The event will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2013 at Central Presbyterian Church Gymnasium at 9:00 am and last until 3:00 pm. The parent show will begin at 2pm.

The clinic is open to girls ages 5-12. The cost to participate is $40 in advance and $45 registration the day of the event. Lunch and water will be provided and each girl will receive a set of pom poms. Space is limited so early registration is encouraged.

All proceeds from the clinic will go to support the Youth Volunteer Corps of Anderson County. 

For more information and registration, contact Carol Loyd at carol.loyd@uwandersoncty.com or (864) 226-3438.

USA Today: Haley Discusses Being Abused in Interview

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley opened up about being physically abused as a child, hoping her personal pain can help boost the reporting of such abuse.

The Greenville News, which reported on Haley's remarks Monday, said it's a "rare, personal disclosure" for the Republican. Haley also discussed the abuse in her 2012 memoirs, Can't is Not an Option: My American Story.

"It doesn't matter your background, it doesn't matter your education, it doesn't matter the wealth of your family," Haley said. "Every child is subject to child abuse."

Haley's remarks came as she and other officials highlighted a report called "Silent Tears," which are recommendations to improve South Carolina's response to child abuse. The report is the result of a review done by the National Child Protection Training Center of child sex abuse in the state.

Haley said she came to be cared for by a couple who lived in a trailer by her family. Her mother was working full-time in a teaching job at the time and raising three children, and needed someone to watch her daughter in the mornings.

One day, Haley came home with bruises and her mother confronted the couple, who packed up and left.

"When it happened to me, my parents didn't know what to do," Haley said Monday. "They didn't know who to go to. No one knew how to handle it."

The "Silent Tears" report makes several recommendations on how to improve the reporting of child abuse, including improved training on how to protect a child and speeding up the adjudication of child abuse cases.

Observer Poll: Should Council Pursue Legal Action Against Preston?

The Anderson Observer is hosting a poll to see what Anderson County residents think about one of the issues which has been occupying much discussion over the past few months.

The question:

"Do you think Anderson County Council should continue to pursue legal action against former Anderson County Administrator Joey Preston?"

Vote Here:

surveys & polls

surveys & polls

AnMed to Demo New Service for Hearing Impaired

AnMed Health will demonstrate enhanced video interpreting capabilities for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community Tuesday, July 9. The demonstration will be held from 5:30 – 6 p.m. in the atrium of the AnMed Health Cancer Center at 2000 E. Greenville St. in Anderson.   

The updated service, which has been available since 2002, will allow AnMed Health to more easily respond in nearly 300 annual encounters with deaf or hard-of-hearing patients. Within minutes, patients are connected with certified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters via state-of-the-art video conferencing equipment. The new wireless technology allows for more flexibility, ease of use and a faster connection time.

AnMed Health meets the needs of all patients by providing around-the-clock interpretation services. Both onsite interpreters and two-way video conferencing are available for communication with the deaf and hard-of-hearing and those with limited English proficiency.

Report: S.C. Roads Among Nation's Best

A new report ranks South Carolina roads as some of the best in the nation.

The latest annual highway report scores the Palmetto state seventh best in the nation when it comes to performance and efficiency. South Carolina has the fourth largest state-administered road system in the country with almost 42,000 miles under state control.

Our sister state, North Carolina, has the largest state-administered road system in the country with a large budget to boot but is ranked 19th. At number 23, our state came in below the national average for deficient bridges. In the past two years, our state has ranked fourth and sixth in the annual highway report. 

We dropped to seventh place because we're 48th in the nation in fatalities, 37th in urban congestion and 37th for rural pavement conditions.

But overall, South Carolina has significantly improved while only spending about half of what an average state spends.

South Carolina has been in the top ten of the annual highway report every year since 2000 except for 2002.