An Aiken man was arrested Thursday night and charged with brandishing a firearm and assaulting a woman at a Yarrow Way residence.

Matthew Wilken, 41, is facing charges of criminal domestic violence, pointing and presenting a firearm and possession of a sawed-off shotgun.

Wilken was placed in the Aiken County detention center where he was later released.

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the call at 10:58 p.m. Deputies met with a woman who stated she was fighting with Wilken when he began to kick a trash can and throw objects around the house, according to a sheriff's report.

The woman said Wilken started pushing her out of the house, but then pulled her inside by her hair and threw her on the floor, the report read.

The victim said Wilken had his knee on her neck holding her down, according to the report.

The woman got away from Wilken and ran into a closet where she called 911.

Wilken grabbed a shotgun and began pacing in front of the closet and pointing the gun at the victim before deputies arrived, according to the report.

The victim suffered minor injuries.

Aiken man facing charges after assault

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An Aiken man who was being processed at the jail for one charge received another after deputies searched his wallet.

Rocky Kearns Jr., 33, was being served a warrant for domestic violence at 10:30 p.m. when Aiken County Sheriff's Office deputies found substances in his wallet that they suspected were drugs, according to a report.

While being processed at the jail, deputies searched Kearns' wallet and found a yellow, plastic bag containing what deputies suspected was meth, according the report. The suspected drugs were in a Marlboro cigarette plastic paper, investigators said.

Kearns told deputies the drugs were not his and he did not know where they came from.

Kearns was placed in Aiken County detention center where he remained Friday morning.

Aiken man charged with drug possession

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According to Aiken County Sheriff's Office:

A Graniteville woman reported Friday her vehicle had been taken in the night on Yo Road. The woman said she had left her car unlocked.

An Aiken man reported Thursday items were missing from his place of business on Columbia Highway.

A Warrenville man reported Thursday a woman he had put on notice was trespassing on his property.

A Batesburg woman reported Thursday a man took a can of diesel fuel from a store without paying on Old Indian Trail.

A Beech Island woman reported Thursday her vehicle had been stolen from her property on Old Trail Road.

A Graniteville man reported his vehicle missing from his home Thursday on Pebbles Path Road.

According to Aiken Department of Public Safety:

A man reported Friday an unknown person was trespassing on his property on Huron Drive and trying to get inside his house.

A woman reported Thursday items missing from her unsecured vehicle on Barnwell Avenue.

Two suspects were detained Thursday after shoplifting from a store on York Street. The suspects took $50 worth of bracelets, greetings cards and hairspray.

A woman was detained Thursday after shoplifting at a Whiskey Road store.

A woman reported Thursday money missing from her home on Crepe Myrtle Drive.

A woman reported her bike stolen from her home on Park Avenue on Thursday. The bike was valued at $200.

A woman reported Thursday an employee was stealing money from cash registers at a Whiskey Road store.

A man was arrested Thursday for stealing money from a store on Kalmia Circle he was getting fired from.

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Kyrie Henry was a sweet, huggable 4-year-old who loved his Greendale Elementary School class.

He liked the Power Rangers and cartoons, his mother, Lisa Henry, said. "I'm at a loss for words."

Sadly, the boy enjoyed riding his school bus, too, his mother said. Kyrie lost his life on Wednesday morning when the school bus in which he was riding crashed into a tractor-trailer on Beech Island Avenue.

The New Ellenton community has reached out to Lisa, her husband, Darren, and the school. Maria Martinez, a Greendale parent, said her son and a neighbor arrived home on Wednesday and, soon, they were collecting their own savings to assist the family.

"It's very emotional," Martinez said. "I'm so proud of my son. He just wanted to help."

Throughout the day on Wednesday and again on Thursday, Principal Sonya Colvin has joined faculty members and School District administrators to help maintain a sense of 'normalcy" for Greendale's 400 students.

"It's the end of school, and we want to keep things on schedule," Colvin said Thursday morning. "With all the support, we've been able to do that."

She visited the Henry family on Wednesday, joined by Julie Revelle, the Redcliffe Elementary School principal, and Gina Bassford, the School District's guidance and counseling coordinator.

"We met with the family and expressed our sympathy, letting them know we are here for them," Colvin said.

She and Bassford also went to Georgia Regents Medical Center to meet with the parents of another child injured in the accident.

The school notified parents through a robo-call to let them know about the accident and to help alleviate concerns. Throughout Thursday, efforts were ongoing to support the children. Bassford and two other counselors joined Greendale counselor Debbie McDermott. Colvin and her staff did not tell the students about the accident on Wednesday.

"What we're doing is addressing the needs of the students and the adults," said Bassford. "The parents are upset, too. It's a tragedy, and there's no book to handle it. (Colvin) knows the faculty and the parents, and can do whatever is necessary."

Parents and other New Ellenton residents have called and come by the school, asking what they can do - a process Greendale is exploring to make such an effort run productively.

Principals from nearly all District schools - as well as those in other counties - have contacted the school offering to help.

"We do have additional counselors on standby," Bassford said. "They are ready to come at a moment's notice."

For Amy Gregory, Chukker Creek Elementary School principal, the accident also impacted her and her school. One of her students was a passenger on the bus, but was not injured.

"I believe we have a connection with Greendale," Gregory said. "All of us feel a loss, and it could have been any one of us. It's personal when you lose a child. As educators, we love them as our own. My heart goes out to the school."

Senior writer Rob Novit is the Aiken Standard's education reporter and has been with the newspaper since September 2001.

He is a native of Walterboro and majored in journalism at the University of Georgia.

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Aiken County Sheriff's deputies arrested a suspect in an armed robbery that occurred at Days Inn Thursday afternoon.

Michael Alan Turner, 55, of Aiken was arrested about 2 p.m. Friday at the Circle K at 1694 Indian Trail Road in Batesburg.

Turner has been charged following the robbery, which occurred at 4:14 p.m. Thursday at the hotel, located on Columbia Highway, near I-20.

According to Aiken County Sheriff's Cpt. Eric Abdullah, the clerk told deputies Thursday the suspect came into the business and demanded money while indicating he had a weapon. The suspect fled the area with an undetermined amount of money, running toward West Frontage Road and possibly getting into a vehicle, Abdullah said.

Turner is the suspect in another armed robbery that happened in North Augusta at the Waffle House on Laurel Lake Drive on Thursday.

North Augusta Department of Public Safety officers responded to the restaurant at 6 p.m. where three witnesses told them a suspect entered the store, went to the bathroom, came back and ordered a coffee, according to public safety reports.

The witnesses said the man kept his right hand in his pocket and advised employees to put money in a bag and he did not want to hurt them, police said. The suspect in that robbery left with $421.86, according to reports, in a green Ford Explorer and headed north on Highway 25.

Turner was transported to the Aiken County detention center.

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These are the bookings recorded for the Doris C. Gravat Detention Center for May 28, 2015 Some of the people listed may not have actually spent time in jail if they posted bond and were released. Although those listed have been arrested and charged, that does not mean they have been found guilty. All bookings may be viewed online by visiting www.aikenstandard.com and clicking on the "Crime" tab.

Monica Ingram, 19 — disorderly conduct

Austin Abree Lee Robinson, 19 — forgery value less than $10,000

Shanteka Alexzandr Waples, 22 — sale of beer or wine to a minor younger than 21 first offense bench warrant, false information to police/fire, carrying a concealed weapon, no driver's license

Christopher Jarrod Lewis, 10 — simple possession of marijuana, shoplifting $2,000 or less commitment

Michael Lavert Walker, 25 — shoplifting less than $1,000 first offense

Cinda Palmer Boon, 52 — possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, operating an unsafe vehicle, no vehicle registration, operating an uninsured vehicle

Samantha Miracle Twiggs, 25 — breach of trust with fraudulent intent, possession of stolen goods less than $1,000

Eric Matthew Pentz, 26 — abandonment of animals

Tierra Monique Wise, 26 — criminal domestic violence first offense

Donte Alen Fogle, 24 — criminal domestic violence first offense

Shane Calvin Rhodes, 23 — criminal domestic violence, disorderly conduct/gross intoxication

Michael Bentley, 45 — assault and battery third degree, criminal domestic violence

Cynthia Hensley Bell, 33 — contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of methamphetamine or cocaine base first offense, shoplifting less than $2,000

Kathy Ann Corder, 51 — simple possession of marijuana bench warrant, criminal domestic violence

Sidaysia Sharmine Freeman, 21 — false information to police/fire, driving under suspension first offense

Rocky Lee Kearns Jr., 33 — possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, criminal domestic violence

James Wesley Corder, 51 — hold for Lexington County Sheriff's Office, hold for Aiken County Sheriff's Office, armed robbery

Christian Wayne Wade, 19 — malicious injury to animals value $2,000 or less bench warrant two counts

Charles Williams, 64 — public drunk

Grecia Berenice Lopez, 29 — reckless driving

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Sixth-grader Raymond Gordon said reading and math used to be a lot harder for him.

Thanks to an online program and the help of a resource center at Schofield Middle School, his reading skills have improved - and so has his attitude about reading.

On Thursday, Raymond spoke about his end-of-the-year project for the Education Matters Reading & Resource Center. The project included authoring his own work from beginning to end and helping to edit his classmates' work.

"My math has been increasing a lot, and I've had a great education here at the center," Raymond said.

Though the center focuses primarily on reading, volunteers have led the charge in helping students in other areas, as well.

Jesse Roach, a Savannah River Site retiree, has been with the center since November and said it's been beneficial for all the students.

"Raymond is understanding the concepts that go along with math comprehension. Recognizing those concepts can go a long way for students, and this center does a great job of pushing those initiatives," he said.

The resource center opened its doors in September and is designed to help local students, ages 14 and younger, with their reading skills through the Test Our Kids program. The program starts off students with basic tests to determine their strengths and weaknesses. Next, it generates a report showing where each child needs help, whether it's in phonics, reading comprehension, word recognition, etc.

Donna Moore Wesby, founder of Education Matters, credited Dr. Lloydette Young, principal of Schofield Middle School, with helping her get the resource center off the ground.

The two, along with families, volunteers and board members, have helped about 25 students with their reading skills, many of whom stayed with the program throughout the entire year.

On Friday, the celebration continued with a party at H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, followed by a summer break. But the summer will still involve work, as Wesby will be assessing data and how well the students actually improved.

"It's been a great year, and over time, we've really become like a family," she said. "They've worked hard, and it's really been showing in their work."

Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard.

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The contractor for the Savannah River Site's MOX project is best known for constructing a facility to help dispose of weapons-grade plutonium. But recently, the contractor showed it has other investments and interests in the Aiken community.

Over the past several weeks, employees, friends and family members of the CB&I AREVA MOX Services team raised $57,300 for Children's Place, the largest donation amount ever raised by the company.

MOX Services raised the money through a series of events, including its well-known Celebrity Waiter Night. The event annually brings "celebrities" from across the Aiken area to wait tables in many local restaurants, such as Grumpy's Sports Pub and Travinia Italian Kitchen.

Other events include a barbecue lunch at the Savannah River Site and the MOX Children's Place golf tournament at Woodside Plantation Country Club. The MOX contractor has also participated in fundraisers such as bake sales, lunches and a silent auction.

MOX employees also generously donated "Wish List" items to Children's Place, including blankets, toiletries and art supplies.

"I am so proud of our employees and staff this year for their efforts to provide Children's Place with such a record-setting donation," said David Del Vecchio, president and project manager for the MOX project.

Del Vecchio served as a Celebrity Waiter Night host this year, and said the group's effort is "a testament to our people and their generosity that makes such a difference to this worthy cause year after year."

Children's Place is a child and family development center serving at-risk children in Aiken County. MOX has raised funds for the charity for the past eight years.

Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the paper since June 2013. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.

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NORTH AUGUSTA - Station 3 has been online for a month, and North Augusta Public Safety wants to celebrate.

Chief John Thomas, North Augusta Public Safety's director, said the plans for an additional station began 18 years ago.

"We knew with the annexing and growth of the North Woods II and Lakes and Streams area, Old Sudlow Lake Road and the expansion of I-520, that this is an area we would need to be," he said.

Thomas said in 2009, the Insurance Service Organization inspected North Augusta's first department. Some of the service area was more than five miles from a fire station.

Thomas said the inspection changed that area to a class 10, which means the area doesn't meet the organization's minimum criteria, and plans began immediately to build a new station.

"In 2010, we submitted a preliminary site plan to the SCDOT for their recommendations," he said. "At that time, we learned that in order for the station's entrance to be above the 'controlled access point,' we would need to acquire some of the adjacent property."

Two years later, Public Safety began seeking a qualified architectural firm. In July 2013, a resolution was passed by City Council to award the contract to Johnson, Laschober and Associates P.C., of Augusta.

"We began meeting with JLA and their team, Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects to design our station," Thomas said. "In February of 2014, John W. Spratlin and Son LLC was awarded the construction bid. Construction began on the station in late April of 2014, and was completed April of 2015. Our first day of operation was April 27."

Public Safety will hold an open house for the new station from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday as part of a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"We are so thankful that Council approved this construction, and are thrilled at the quality of fire service that this station will aid us in providing to our citizens," Thomas said.

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What started during an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" will likely come to fruition on Monday when U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is expected to formally announce his 2016 candidacy for president of the United States.

The South Carolina Republican announced earlier this month that he will announce what he's "going to do about running for president" on June 1 in his hometown of Central. The announcement will be at 10:30 a.m. at 217 West Main St.

Late last year, rumors began circulating that Graham may throw his name in the hat as a candidate. On Jan. 18, he was interviewed by Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press," and said he was setting up a "testing-the-waters committee" under the IRS code that would allow him to look beyond South Carolina to see if there was a viable path for him to make a run.

Two weeks later, on Jan. 28, Graham gave the committee an identity. His Security Through Strength committee funded his travels around the country to gauge support for a potential presidential run.

Then, on May 18, Graham told reporters on "CBS This Morning" that he's running because he thinks the world is "falling apart."

Graham said it's not the fault of others or their lack of "this or that" leading him to want to run. Rather, it's what he feels he can bring to the table.

"It's my ability in my own mind to be a good commander-in-chief and to make Washington work," Graham said. "The reason I had six primary opponents in my last election is that I've been accused of working with Democrats too much. In my view, Democrats and Republicans work together too little, and I would try to change that if I got to be president."

Graham was elected to the Senate in 2002 and re-elected in 2008. Previously, he was elected to the U.S. House in 1994 as the first Republican from the Third Congressional District of South Carolina since 1877. He served in the House until he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002.

Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard.

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Changes to downtown Aiken's The Alley are one step closer to being finalized.

George Grinton, the City's Engineering and Utilities director, said the department expected to receive final designs Friday, as well as the specifications for the bidding process and the estimated cost of the entire project.

The next step, he said, would be to analyze those costs and the design, then bring them to Aiken City Council for permission to bid out a contract.

Earlier this year, Council awarded a contract to Augusta-based company Johnson, Lascober & Associations for about $45,500 in renovations.

The project was introduced to Council last summer, after staff began investigating ways to place The Alley's wiring underground.

They also wanted to find a way to reduce and absorb stormwater from the area, rather than let the water drain into businesses and Hitchcock Woods.

Conceptual and utility improvements to The Alley, which include large entry arches at either end of the road, additional lights, trees and the elimination of the curb and gutter, come to an estimated $1.25 million.

That estimate includes SCE&G franchise funds, landscaping and stormwater funds from Capital Project Sales Tax Round Two, as well as utility funds from Capital Project Sales Tax Round Three.

Grinton addressed the improvements needed in The Alley, and how that will bring about the new look.

"The water flow was just a piece of that. This project really stems from the underground of wires from Capital Project Sales Tax Round Two," Grinton said. "When you start looking at what you're going to do to the road, putting all of these utilities underground - telephone, cable, SCE&G power lines - which requires tearing up The Alley to put these things underground, and then you look at the sidewalks that need to be refurbished, it turns out you're going to be so disruptive to the whole Alley to put these things underground that we started thinking about what we could do to make it better and not let it be just a patch job."

Grinton said all discussions about The Alley have been met with cooperation from affected businesses and the Aiken Downtown Development Association.

The City also involved Tim Coakley, the director of the City's Public Services Department, and City Horticulturist Tom Rapp in the proposed plan.

Grinton said the department does recognize the importance of the holiday season for residents and visitors, meaning the City won't do construction during that period.

"I always look at engineering like I'm decorating your living room," Grinton said. "I want to satisfy you and make sure you're OK with the changes and let you pick out the items. ... I must say everybody has been very cooperative and helpful."

Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.

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Last summer, Mitchi Maja moved to Aiken from Florida with her family before enrolling at Mead Hall for her senior year.

Was she nervous at first? Of course, she said during the school's commencement program - joined by classmates Aaron Gurley, James Hope Jr., Madison Paige Oswald and Holly Peterson.

After receiving her diploma, Maja said with a smile and not a sliver of anxiety about how she had over-reacted - afraid she didn't know anything about South Carolina, that no one would like her at Mead Hall. Maja expressed the warmth she felt throughout the campus. The other seniors, some dating back to four-year-old kindergarten, expressed their own gratitude for the school, its teachers and staff and for each other and the younger students.

Gurley and Maja shared valedictorian honors. Oswald received the Sandy Rogers Community Service award. Gurley and Petersen were selected as the American Legion winners before Kitty Gordon presented the Headmaster's award to Gurley. Petersen received the Palmetto Award. Junior Caroline Wilcott was selected for the Episcopal character award. Kevin Kisner, a professional golfer who is gaining attention and is an Aiken native, received a Young Alumni Award.

Sure, the graduating seniors had fun at Mead Hall with all the school parties, the sports opportunities and the friendships, said Oswald. Again, the teachers pushed them with love.

"They've been such a strong influence in our lives," said Petersen. "They taught us to have heart in everything we've done. It's the ending of an era for us, and I can't think about that ... I'll never forget the (merger) of Mead Hall and Aiken Prep and how they took us in."

Gordon noted that Aiken Prep will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2016. The combined schools have completed their third year together.

About nine students graduated the first year and seven the next year.

"Next year also will be a small year," she said," but then the numbers will start building again. We're projecting for our new freshman class to be more than 20. That has been a goal for us."

The guest speaker, The Rev. Tim McLendon, urged the graduates to avoid "Selfies" as indicators of a self-absorbed, narcissistic society.

During her senior comments, Maja drew laughter - McLendon included - when she gleefully encouraged her classmates to go ahead and take a Selfie - even two or three - as "a way to be yourself."

Rob Novit is the education reporter for the Aiken Standard.

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This school year was a celebration for Fox Creek High School, as it closed the chapter on a decade of school history.

The theme for this year was "Making H15tory." The Class of 2015 accomplished that - earning $1,366,416 in college scholarships and grants, earning an excellent rating on the school report card, the boys basketball team advancing to the first state championship in school history and winning the first region football championship in school history.

On Thursday night at Aiken Technical College, 98 students were awarded the rights and privileges that come with being Fox Creek graduates.

"Many valedictorians will urge their classmates to go out and change the world," Morgan Bookstaver, Fox Creek's valedictorian, said in her speech to her classmates. "I'm not going to suggest you do that. I'm going to suggest that you change your world. ... Decide that you're going to spend the rest of your life becoming a better you."

Bookstaver urged her classmates to not stand still at any point in their lives, and to continuing learning no matter where their paths take them.

"Remember that even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there," she said. "Be accepting and willing to learn from others. Minds are like parachutes - they only function when they're open."

She also told them that the paths they plan to take will come with their own hardships.

"Know that life is going to be hard," she said. "Life is going to be challenging, and it will require a lot of work. We will fail far more times than we succeed. Remember, the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. We're going to fall down. The world doesn't care how many times we fall down as long as it's one fewer than the number of times we get up."

The salutatorian, Caroline Yano, took time to thank the many individuals who shaped this year's class.

"We wouldn't be sitting here today if not for the amazing teachers, staff, parents and friends we have met through our time at Fox Creek High School," she said. "The theme for this year was making history, and now that the year is over, we can proudly say that we have, in fact, made history. ... To us, the memories we made at Fox Creek will be what we remember years from now. I will always cherish my memories at Fox Creek, as I'm sure we all will. No matter where we go, or what we end up doing after graduation, we will remember our time at Fox Creek. We set out this year to accomplish our theme of accomplishing history, and we did. From academics to athletics, we have made Fox Creek history and earned recognition from all over the area."

Scott Rodgers is the news editor at The North Augusta Star and has been with the paper since 2013.

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The Savannah River Site's management and operations contractor recently joined a volunteer effort in the community that links special-needs children with exercise and fun on the baseball diamond.

Aiken's Buddy Baseball program is a volunteer league in the area hosted by the City of Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department. The annual sporting event provides recreational opportunities and exercise for children with special needs and disabilities with the goal to provide youth sports for all children.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions enrolled its Aspiring Mid-Career Professionals, or AMP, program into the season, which runs during the late spring and early summer months for six weeks.

Matthew Biasiny, an employee with the contractor, spoke about his first year in the league.

"... I can't wait to help out again," said Biasiny. "It's wonderful that the community has a program where these kids can come out to play baseball together and have fun. Some of my fondest memories as a child were playing baseball with my friends."

Volunteers were assigned to help a player, or "buddy," and the 23 volunteers helped the players bat, run the bases and play the infield. During all Buddy Baseball games, no one keeps score, and each player has a chance to hit the ball and run the bases.

Jerry Shedd, head of the Buddy Baseball Board, added, "Buddy Baseball is a way for players to experience the thrill of participating, while also breaking down barriers and fostering friendships. We could not do it without the support of our community members."

AMP is a mid-career professionals' organization that serves Savannah River Nuclear Solutions' full-time employees who have between seven and 20 years of work experience.

Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the paper since June 2013. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.

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A Salley woman reported Friday that an unknown person used her husband's name to open an eBay account.

A 30-year-old Aiken woman reported last week an unknown person removed a pistol from her vehicle on Old Camp Long Road.

A 45-year-old Florida man was arrested for public intoxication Friday after he was heard yelling and swearing inside the Aiken County Courthouse on Park Avenue.

A business reported Friday that between November and May an unknown person removed a trailer from where it sat on Oak Ridge Club Road in Windsor.

A 22-year-old North Augusta man was arrested for criminal domestic violence first degree on Friday after a North Augusta woman reported he drug her on the ground outside her Celeste Avenue residence and punched her.

A 37-year-old Warrenville man was arrested Thursday for driving with a suspended license after officers found the man sleeping in his vehicle on Pleasure Island Road.

A 29-year-old Johnston man was arrested Friday for giving a 20-year-old Graniteville woman beer at a Breeze Way Lane residence. Officers found the woman coughing up blood.

A 32-year-old Graniteville woman reported Friday an unknown male tried to open her door on Peeples Path.

A 43-year-old Graniteville woman reported Friday an unknown person broke into and stole items out of her vehicle on Yo Road.

A 45-year-old North Augusta man was arrested Friday on Lehigh Avenue after making threats toward a North Augusta woman.

An 18-year-old Graniteville woman reported Friday a 21-year-old Graniteville man threw a rock at her family member's car on Williams Street after they argued.

An Aiken church on Wagener Road reported this week an unknown person broke the lock to their trailer and took a guitar, an amplifier and the trailer's tire.

A 21-year-old Warrenville man was arrested Friday for criminal domestic violence first offense and malicious injury to property, after striking a Trenton woman with his hand and destroying her cell phone.

A 23-year-old Windsor woman reported Friday a 27-year-old Windsor man damaged her TV, stove, windows and doors of a Angel Lane residence.

An Aiken pizza restaurant reported Friday that three males on Vine Street attempted to haggle with the restaurant employee for a stuffed crust pizza and boneless wings.

An Aiken man reported Thursday an unknown person pried the padlock off his Wagener Road shed and took a battery.

An Aiken woman reported Friday someone removed the GPS system from her vehicle on Iroquois Street.

An 82-year-old Aiken man reported Thursday someone stole a saw and pried the padlock off his shed on Wagener Road.

Officers responded to Murrah Avenue in Aiken on Friday for reports of an armed robbery, larceny and assault after a 27-year-old Windsor man reported two subjects hit him over the head with a metal rod and took items from him as he was walking down the road.

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Vintage and new souped up cars lined up Saturday afternoon to support a good cause for the 10th year.

The Palmetto Kiwanis Club of Aiken held its 10th annual "Wish Upon A Car" benefit car show in the parking lot of the Aiken Mall, showing off various car makes and models, including trucks and motorcycles. The SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare was also on scene ready to show off their cute pups to find them a safe and healthy home.

The Palmetto Kiwanis Club of Aiken serves the area by volunteering for a variety of service projects and organizing community fundraisers throughout the year. The primary focus of the club is to make a difference in the lives of children, according to their website.

All proceeds from Saturday's event went to benefit the local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a foundation that was started in 1980 to help grant wishes of children facing life-threatening medical conditions.

Make-A-Wish grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition on average every 38 minutes, according to the Foundation.

For more information about the Palmetto Kiwanis Club of Aiken, visit www.aikenpalmettokiwanis.org.

Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.

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The 41st annual Hopelands Gardens summer concert series continues Monday with a performance by the Mike Frost Band, featuring Lauren Meccia.

The free concert, held by the City of Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, will last approximately an hour in Hopelands Gardens, 135 Dupree Place. The performance is sponsored by Cumberland Village.

The Mike Frost Band blends together musical styles from funk to classic rock, jazz and R&B. Frost is a former student of jazz legends Pat Martino and Jaco Pastorius, according to the Mike Frost Band website. Frost is a composer, studio musician, educator, recording engineer and owner of Spirit Studio in South Carolina. He also leads the Mike Frost Band and regularly tours with Jesse Colin Young and guitarist Esteban.

Lauren Meccia is a vocalist, saxophonist, educator, composer, and lyricist, according to the band's website. She is director of jazz ensembles and instructor of saxophone at USC Aiken, and is also the founder and director of the CSRA New Horizons Band, a beginning band for adults.

Monday's concert will feature a variety of songs, such as "Old Black Magic" by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen and "Nobody's Business" by Frost and Meccia.

For more information about the Mike Frost Band, visit www.mikefrostband.com.

Alcohol and wine are prohibited on the grounds of Hopelands Gardens, and pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Those in attendance can bring a lawn chair or blanket, and picnic dinners are permitted on the property.

Public parking will be available at the Green Boundary Club, 780 Whiskey Road, across from Hopelands Gardens. Handicap parking also is available at the Hopelands Gardens parking lot, 135 Dupree Place, and at The Rye Patch, 100 Berrie Road.

In the event of inclement weather, the concerts will be moved to Gym 2 in the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, 1700 Whiskey Road.

For more information if there is a threat of rain the night of the concert, call the City Parks, Recreation and Tourism rain-out hot line at 803-643-4661. If accommodations for people with disabilities are needed, call 803-642-7631 no less than 72 hours in advance.

For more information, call 803-642-7631, or visit www.facebook.com/experienceaiken.

Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.

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The hot weather and the glaring, setting sun did not stop Aiken residents from flocking to Hayne Avenue in downtown Aiken on Friday night for the debut Hops and Hogs event.

Sponsored by the Aiken Downtown Development Association, the palmetto state was represented in regional craft beers, award-winning barbecue and tunes from Aiken's very own Palmetto Groove Band.

Lines wrapped around the avenue as residents and visitors waited sometimes for 15 to 20 minutes, but some said it was worth the wait.

"Too long," said Tim Sheppard when asked how long he had been waiting in line for drinks from the River Dog Brewing booth. But, he said he enjoyed the event. "The turnout is great. There's some growing pains to work out, but it is a great idea."

He said he hopes the Downtown Development Association starts to make this event an annual one and that the space on Hayne Avenue was better than The Alley.

"It's a nice change," he said.

The breweries at the event came from all over the state, including the Charleston area, Ridgeland, Mount Pleasant and Columbia.

There were many selections to try. Aiken resident Don Anton said he started with the River Rat Brewery's Red Ale and then began to branch out from there.

The turnout was better than anticipated, according to officials.

"So far, so good," Aiken Department of Public Safety Lt. Karl Odenthal said during the gathering.

"This exceeds the crowd expectations we had, and that is a good thing."

Will Whaley is the crime and court reporter for the Aiken Standard.

He is a native of Fayette, Alabama and graduated from the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama with a degree in journalism.

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Commencement exercises for Aiken County Public School District high schools are set for Thursday and Friday in the Convocation Center at USC Aiken.

Three ceremonies are scheduled for Thursday:

- Silver Bluff High, 2 p.m.

- Midland Valley High, 5 p.m.

- North Augusta High, 8 p.m.

Four ceremonies are planned for Friday:

- Aiken High, 9 a.m.

- Ridge Spring-Monetta High, noon

- South Aiken High, 3 p.m.

- Wagener-Salley High, 6 p.m.

The Aiken County Career and Technology Center Completer's Ceremony will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the 700 Building Amphitheater at Aiken Technical College.

More information on each school's commencement ceremony is available online; individual school websites can be accessed through the School District's website acps.schoolfusion.us.

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Aiken residents walked the 1-mile loop around the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center on Saturday to celebrate and commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The ADA25 Aiken Family Fun Day and Equality Walk 'N Roll, sponsored by the Walton Options for Independent Living, a nonprofit working to advance the independence of individuals with disabilities, brought together local businesses and organizations, and even sports mascot Auggie of the Augusta GreenJackets baseball team.

President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law July 26, 1990.

The act prohibits the discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communication and governmental activities.

The event brought out familiar faces that included Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh.

Cavanaugh walked around to speak with those in attendance; he also took time to try out the Walton Foundation for Independence's adaptive golf cart, which allows those with disabilities to still play golf and get around.

Cavanaugh said Saturday's event was a "special day" that was important to recognize not just Saturday, but every day.

Papa John's provided lunch during the event, and the Tri-Development Center of Aiken County set up a family fun area with a variety of games and activities.

The Tri-Development Center aids local children and adults with autism, head and spinal cord injuries, intellectual disabilities and related disabilities and their families.

In addition, the ADA Legacy Bus, which is currently on a cross-country tour headed to Washington, D.C., for the 25th anniversary in July, made a stop at H. Odell Weeks.

For more information about Walton Options for Independent Living, visit www.walton options.org.

Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.

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