According to reports provided by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office:

An Aiken man reported Friday that someone broke into his home on Bellingham Drive, the second break-in at his residence in the last month.

A Perry man reported Friday that someone stole 2x4s, a flower pot, a TV antenna, and other items from his yard on Honeysuckle Trail.

An Aiken reported Friday that he was riding his bike down Pine Log Road when someone threw an unknown object out of a car that hit his back and leg.

A Warrenville man reported Friday that someone stole his vehicle on Eula Helen Street.

A Warrenville woman reported Friday that she was assaulted in her home following a verbal altercation with an unknown subject.

Aiken City Council will meet Monday to receive updates regarding the ongoing road construction in the Gem Lakes extension area.

The 5 p.m. work session is open to the public in room 204 in the Municipal Building, 214 Park Ave.

City officials plan to answer questions regarding a report that will show test results that started after a City of Aiken dump truck fell through a sinkhole in Gem Lakes.

Augusta-based company W.R. Toole Engineering Inc. was hired earlier this year for $30,000 to do a soil and roadway investigation in the Gem Lakes area.

In other business, the Aiken Municipal Election Commission will meet at 8 a.m. Monday in Council Chambers to certify the candidates who have filed for the mayor's seat and Districts 1 and 3.

Earlier this month, Council member Lessie Price filed to join local businessman Rick Osbon in the run for the mayor's seat. Longtime Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh announced this year he would not seek re-election.

Local photographer Brent Cline did initially file with the Republican Party to also run for the mayor's seat but told the Aiken Standard he would back out of the race.

Both City Council member Dick Dewar, who represents District 3, and Council member Gail Diggs, who represents District 1, have also filed to seek re-election.

Aiken will hold its general election from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, to fill those three expiring seats on Council.

Maayan Schechter is the digital news editor with the Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.

The City of Aiken's Engineering and Utilities Department was temporarily relocated this week for emergency repairs.

Staff were relocated from 245 Dupont Drive to the former Public Safety Community Services Building at the intersection of Newberry Street and The Alley.

For more information, residents can call the Engineering and Utilities Department at 803-642-7610.

Engineering, Utilities Department relocated

Three familiar faces have taken on new roles with the Aiken Standard.

The Aiken Standard has promoted three employees to new positions within the newsroom.

Former chief copy editor Holly Ellington was named news editor in June; former local government reporter Maayan Schechter was promoted to digital news editor in July; and former sports reporter Eric Russell was promoted to sports editor in July.

"Having the right people in the right positions is a critical part of our business," said Ellen Priest, president and publisher of Aiken Communications. "With Holly planning and assigning our news content, Maayan coordinating our digital content and social media presence, and Eric driving our sports coverage, we will continue to be at the forefront of local news in Aiken County, both in print and online. We are very excited about these changes and know that the community will enjoy working with these staffers in their new positions."

In her new role, Ellington manages the paper's team of local reporters covering news and events in Aiken County and beyond.

Ellington began her career with the Aiken Standard as a copy editor and page designer in 2008 and served as chief copy editor since 2012.

"I'm excited to continue meeting the high standard of our award-winning work at the Aiken Standard in my new role," Ellington said. "Ever since I moved to Aiken, I have loved being part of the community and enjoying everything Aiken has to offer."

Ellington earned an Associate of Arts from Young Harris College in 2005 and a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Georgia in 2007.

In her new role, Schechter will manage the paper's online content and social media engagement with Aiken Standard readers. She started her career with the paper in 2013 as the city government reporter and expanded her coverage to county news in 2014.

"This is definitely a shift in what I've been doing at the Aiken Standard for two years, but I'm very excited to be in this new role," Schechter said. "Although I will miss attending City and County Council meetings, I'm very happy to continue to work with Aiken residents and officials in this new role."

Schechter earned her bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in journalism in 2013 from the University of North Carolina Asheville.

Russell's new position will involve him working closely with the newspaper's sports reporters and coordinating coverage of area sports at all levels.

"I look forward to continuing the tradition of excellent sports coverage that the Aiken Standard has become known for," Russell said.

Russell has been a resident of the Palmetto State for most of his life and grew up in Summerville. He graduated from USC Aiken in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in communications.

MONCKS CORNER — Each year, twelve gifted South Carolina college students apply their knowledge from textbooks and labs to a hands-on learning experience as Santee Cooper Environmental Interns.

The Environmental Intern Program turns 25 this summer and has hosted a total of 261 participants since 1990. As in past years, this year's interns are gaining knowledge on an electric utility's role in balancing the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity with the challenges and opportunities of renewable energy and other environmental matters.

Each intern spends six weeks of their 10-week internship rotating through three environmental areas of the company. Nine areas of the company participate: Air and Water Quality, Analytical and Biological Services, Coal Combustion Products and Waste Management, Investment Recovery, Property Management, Old Santee Canal Park, Renewable Energy, Right-of-Way Management and Vector Management.

"Passion, dedication, and perseverance have to be the three principles I have taken away from my internship; every employee at Santee Cooper I have encountered loves their career and has a passion for their work," said Kendra Barnes, a senior from Aiken majoring in environmental science at Claflin University. "The employees at Santee Cooper encourage me to set the bar high, attain my goals, and follow what my heart desires."

This year, around 100 students applied for the internship and 12 were chosen from throughout the state. Of the 12, seven represent each South Carolina congressional district and five represent the state at large. The program is particularly competitive, and after their summer with Santee Cooper, the interns will leave the utility with insightful knowledge they can apply to their classes and future careers.

The other 2015 environmental interns are: Kendall Blaine, a junior from Lexington majoring in electrical engineering at Clemson University; Maggie Boyd, a junior from Fort Mill majoring in mechanical engineering at Clemson University; Dalton Caine, a senior from Columbia majoring in civil engineering at Clemson University; Stephen Clements, a senior from Mount Pleasant majoring in environmental and natural resources at Clemson University; Emma Coleman, a junior from Columbia majoring in biosystems engineering at Clemson University; Alexandra Golden, a junior from Clover with a double major in biology and anthropology at the University of South Carolina - Columbia; Quenton Jones, a senior from Summerton majoring in computer engineering at Claflin University; Samuel Jones, a senior from Florence majoring in environmental engineering at Clemson University; Damon Tunnell, a junior from Loris majoring in computer engineering at Clemson University; Davis Wells, a senior from Spartanburg majoring in environmental engineering at Clemson University; and Avery Wood, a junior from Gray Court in a dual degree mathematics and electrical engineering program at Lander and Clemson universities.

Santee Cooper is South Carolina's largest power producer, largest Green Power generator and the ultimate source of electricity for 2 million people across the state. Through its low-cost, reliable and environmentally responsible electricity and water services, and through innovative partnerships and initiatives that attract and retain industry and jobs, Santee Cooper powers South Carolina. To learn more, visit www.santeecooper.com.

Fifth-grader Skylar Harvin skillfully performed a choreographed handshake with her dad, George, in between sessions at the second Education Matters, "Are You Ready to be Grown" Conference.

The handshake was a reflection of how laid-back, but detailed the conference was as more than 250 students and parents visited various classrooms to learn about the best things to embrace in life, as well as the negatives to stay away from.

"I've learned to embrace myself and what I am on the inside," Skylar said.

Love for self was one of the topics for students Saturday at the USC Aiken Business and Education Building. Other topics included learning how to handle responsibilities, deal with peer pressure, take pride in appearance, and control behavior when faced with a difficult situation.

Meanwhile, parents learned about money management, watching for the signs of a troubled child and several other topics.

In one of the sessions, class leader Errol Thomas spoke to students about their ability to make choices based off of information and looking at the outcome.

"It comes down to choices," Thomas told students. "You have to have the desire to make the right choices, the knowledge of how to and the will to follow through."

Thomas was one of nearly 30 class leaders who led workshop sessions throughout the day. Those leaders came from all walks of life in the workforce, including Charles Barranco, chief of Aiken Public Safety.

Barranco told kids that he's made his fair share of mistakes in life and wasn't always dealt the best hand. But still, he was able to persevere and make the best life he could because he assumed responsibility for his actions.

"You're ultimately responsible," Barranco said. "Who you hang out with, where you go... all these things are decisions that you have to make and these are things that shape who you turn out to be."

Education Matters founder Donna Moore Wesby added that the event has built off of the strength last year's first ever conference. This year, various vendors provided food, beverages, backpacks and other items for students.

"We just want to teach kids that they shouldn't rush through their youth," Wesby said. "Adulthood comes with a lot of responsibility and getting the tools you need to be successful takes time."

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.

Singer songwriter Chris Ndeti will take the main stage Monday night to continue the 41st annual Hopelands Gardens Summer Concert Series.

The free concert, held by the City of Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, starts at 7 p.m. and will last about an hour in Hopelands Gardens, 135 Dupree Place. The performance is sponsored by the Aiken Driving Club.

Ndeti is described as a dynamic and versatile female acoustic rock and soul performer and songwriter, according to her website. Ndeti was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and calls Atlanta, Georgia, home. Ndeti started playing music at an early age and participated in several ensembles from grade school to high school and her college years.

Recently, Ndeti recorded her first acoustic-based EP "Acoustic Chocolate."

For more information about Ndeti, visit www.acoustic chocolate.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 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.

For more information if there is a threat of rain the night of the concert, call the City Parks, Recreation and Tourism rainout 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/experienceai ken.

Maayan Schechter is the digital news editor with the Aiken Standard.

Speed kills.

This phrase has been told to everyone at least once during a driver's education course.

Many also have been made aware of the traffic laws that have been put into place to help reduce accidents and to save lives.

A recent study from Wallet Hub ranked all 50 states in the U.S. from strictest to most lenient in their traffic laws, and South Carolina ranked No. 40 in a six-way tie with Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey and Ohio. Colorado ranked No. 1 as the strictest and Texas ranked No. 51 as the most lenient.

"Three-quarters of the states have 'absolute' speed limits, which means that exceeding the limit is enough evidence for a conviction," said Alina Comoreanu, the author of the study.

"About 25 percent of the states leave room for interpretation with prima facie laws - or a mixed combination of absolute and prima facie rules - allowing speeders to argue in court that their speed was in fact reasonable."

According to the study, none of the states have mandatory jail time for speeding.

Reckless drivers, however, should expect, on average, to spend at least one day in jail for their first offense and four days for their second offense, said Comoreanu.

Comoreanu developed a point system to determine the rank of each state and Washington, D.C., on metrics of speeding, particularly if speeding was automatically considered reckless driving; type of speed limit; average increase in cost of insurance after one speeding ticket; if there were laws in place prohibiting racing on highways; if the state used automatic speed cameras; additional penalties for aggressive driving and how much speeding tickets counted toward a suspension.

When it comes to reckless driving, a point system was made based on whether mandatory license suspension happened for first offenders; the minimum jail time for first offenders; the maximum fine for first offenders; the minimum jail time for second offenses and the maximum fine for second offenses.

The higher the point total is, the stricter states were considered on traffic laws.

South Carolina scored 6.5 out of a possible 14 points for speeding and zero out of 16 points in the reckless driving assessment.

"South Carolina has an absolute type of speed limit," said Comoreanu.

The state also has laws in place about racing on highways.

Where South Carolina is lacking on average, however, is in fines. There are no additional penalties (tailgating, racing, etc.) for aggressive driving; South Carolina does not use automatic speed cameras, and speeding counts, on average, 33 percent toward a suspension for one speeding ticket in the state, according to the study.

In reckless driving data, South Carolina as a whole has no license suspension, no jail time for first and second offenders and a minimum fine average of $200 for first and second offenders.

In the City of Aiken, Aiken Department of Public Safety Lt. Jake Mahoney provided numbers that show what the city and county go by as far as fines and jail time.

For reckless driving, the minimum fine for this offense is $25 or $81.88 with assessment and no jail time. The maximum fine for this offense is $200 or $445 with assessment or 30 days in jail, according to Mahoney.

For speeding, 10 miles per hour or less, the minimum fine is $15 or $61.13 with assessment or a maximum fine of $25 or $81.88 with assessment; speeding 11 to 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limit results in a minimum of $25 fine or $81.88 with assessment and a maximum $50 or $133.75 with assessment; speeding 25 miles per hour or more has a minimum fine of $75 or $185.63 with assessment and a maximum fine of $200 or $445 with assessment with 30 days in jail.

Apart from fines and jail time, offenses can cause a driver's license to be suspended.

"In South Carolina, drivers with 12 or more points are automatically suspended," said Beth Parks, chief of strategic communications and community affairs with the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. "Young drivers (16 and younger) can be suspended after accruing six or more points."

The DMV does not determine the charges, fines or points related to traffic tickets, according to Parks.

"Fines and points also vary from one jurisdiction to another, based on the discretion of the court," she said.

For reckless driving and speeding 25 miles per hour or more above the posted speed limit, drivers can expect six points against their license.

Speeding more than 10 miles per hour but less than 25 miles per hour above the posted speed limit will net four points against a driver's license, while speeding 10 miles per hour or less above the posted speed limit will earn a driver two points against his license, according to S.C. Code Laws.

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.

A boil water advisory was announced Saturday night for Sharyn Lane and Bonniview Estates in Aiken.

City of Aiken Engineering and Utilities crews were working Saturday to repair a water main break on Sharyn Lane in Aiken. Repairs were completed Saturday evening.

As a precaution, the City of Aiken Engineering and Utilities Department has issued a "Boil Water Advisory" for residents living on Sharyn Lane and the Bonniview Estates Neighborhood in Aiken.

These residents should boil their water for at least 2 minutes and allow it to cool prior to consumption for the next 24 hours.

The Rev. Kristin Dollar's life was a clash of ups and downs, questions about God and times of depression. Then, while pursuing her undergraduate at Furman University, one of the newest additions to St. John's United Methodist Church found her "la familia" and her true calling while working with a Spanish-speaking congregation.

Dollar started her role as the associate pastor of nurture on June 28. Her daily routine involves a great deal of pastoral care, including visiting people and hearing out their problems.

But before accepting the job, she was fighting her own problems dating back to her days as a North Augusta resident attending Augusta Prep.

"When I was in high school, I had a lot of questions about God, and I went through some really rough times," Dollar said. "I'd say I had a really shaky faith."

The questions continued at Furman, but Dollar was able to balance her confusion with an internship that provided more than class credit. She interned at Triune Mercy Center in Greenville, South Carolina. The center is a church that welcomes everyone, but mainly provides a house of worship for the homeless and less fortunate.

"My sophomore year, I got a lot of life out of listening to peoples' stories, and I like to think I was able to help them as well," Dollar said.

But her next year brought even more challenges, and Dollar said she hit a pretty bad low point and was not doing very well. Thinking of her time at Truine Mercy Center, Dollar said she went back to the church "in search of a pew to sit in."

Not only did Dollar find a pew, but she found a sense of peace.

"All of those questions I had been asking didn't even matter," she said. "It was really incredible because all of the people who I was listening to before were now saving me by listening to my problems."

After that experience, Dollar said going to seminary was something she had to do. And through her time at seminary, she met St. John's Senior Pastor Tim McLendon at a conference. After learning about her Aiken County roots, the church was eventually able to recruit Dollar as its associate pastor of nurture.

"I got such a strong sense of family at Truine, and that experience is one I hope I can bring with me to St. John's," she said. "This congregation has been so opening and welcoming by embracing me before they even knew me."

In addition to Dollar, St. John's has recently announced other changes. Dr. Ray Litts, the former nurture pastor has been named senior pastor at Hibben UMC in Mt. Pleasant. Also, the Rev. Nancy Reed will remain with McClendon and Dollar, at St. John's.

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.

Three Aiken residents, all family members, are on a committee spearheaded by Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush that aims to scope veterans needs across the Palmetto State.

The former governor of Florida visited Aiken last month and now, his Veterans for Jeb Steering Committee is tasked with advising the South Carolina campaign on veteran's issues and encouraging stakeholders to join Bush.

Jim Lorraine, a retired Lt. Col. in the Air Force, and former special assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is joined on the committee by his wife, Rebecca, and his sister, Barbara McKnight. All three have served in the U.S. Air Force, and Lorraine said he became a Jeb Bush supporter after touring presidential libraries earlier this year.

In February, Lorraine made it through a pool of more than 1,000 U.S. citizens and eventually became one of 60 U.S. scholars who toured the libraries and attended workshops as part of a national effort to build up leadership skills.

During the opportunities, Lorraine got to hear Bush speak on various issues.

"I told my wife I really liked what he had to say and since she was already a supporter, we knew we'd be able to make a contribution," Lorraine said.

But even before that, Lorraine was already a Bush fan while residing in Florida during Bush's years heading up the state.

"I saw firsthand how he led the state and I have confidence that he can do the same with our country," Lorraine said.

The steering committee is comprised of leaders with decades of experience in uniform. Jim said the group will work together across the state articulating issues that are impacting veterans.

"We are to identify solutions and make presentations to the steering committee," he said. "Specifically for this area, we'll be a focal point for veterans in the Aiken community who are interested in supporting Jeb." Bush stopped in Aiken on July 22. Here, he addressed education, national security and employment opportunities. Bush is seeking to be the third member of his family to serve as head of state.

Lorraine added, "I served in the military under George H. and George W. I respect their ability to make decisions and I know Jeb has the same values and background."

Editor's Note: This article was updated to correct an earlier version. The Aiken Standard regrets the error.

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.

According to reports provided by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office:

An Aiken woman reported Saturday that a man who is a member of her household attacked her at her home on Turbyfill Lane and put his hands around her throat. She said he also used a closed fist to break the driver's side window of a 1996 Chevrolet Suburban and took her keys and her cellphone.

A Monetta woman reported Saturday that a man scratched her neck when he hit her with a closed fist after becoming upset during a card game. He also pinned her against a wall. She said the incident took place in a home on Rankin Road. The responding officer couldn't locate the subject.

A Warrenville woman reported Saturday that the license plate was missing from her vehicle, which was parked at her home on Saddle Horse Road.

A 54-year-old Warrenville man was arrested for disorderly conduct Saturday on Cemetery Road near Golf Course Road. According to the incident report, the subject was "grossly intoxicated" and "stumbling all over the road."

A Warrenville woman reported Saturday that a man hit her in the left side of her stomach with a pipe during an argument at a home on Dewey Street. The subject said he swung the pipe but didn't know if he had hit anyone. The victim didn't want to press charges.

A burglary was reported Saturday at a home on Outing Club Road in Aiken. An air conditioning unit, appliances and wiring were taken.

An Aiken woman reported Saturday that her husband called her a demon, struck her in the head, wrapped his arm around her and choked her in a home on Cummings Road in Ridge Spring. She said she bit the subject because she couldn't breathe. Then, she said, the subject grabbed her by the throat and punched her in the face. The responding officer couldn't locate the subject.

A Graniteville man reported Saturday that he found a large dent in the hood of his 1981 white Mercedes sedan after hearing someone jump on it while it was parked at his home on Bethlehem Circle. He didn't want to press charges after learning that two juvenile subjects said they had damaged the vehicle while they were playing on it.

A Clearwater woman reported Saturday that a juvenile subject kicked down her bedroom door in her home on Townsend Street and took her cellphone. She said the subject then hit her in the face and grabbed her by the throat when she tried to get the cellphone back. The victim, who said the subject left the scene, didn't want to press charges.

A North Augusta woman reported Sunday that someone took money, her cellphone and her keys from her home on Dogwood Drive. She said her car also was missing. According to the incident report, the victim used a neighbor's phone to call her phone and a male subject whom she knew answered. He said he had taken the items and the car. The victim said she had told the subject not to come into her house without her permission.

An officer responding to a domestic dispute call Saturday found a car covered in ketchup and mustard at a home on Westmont Drive in Aiken. The male subject said he had thrown the condiments on the vehicle. According to the incident report, the female victim "did not want any action taken" even though the subject had threatened to attack her.

A North Augusta man reported Saturday that his pistol was missing from his home on Bradley Drive. He said the pistol had been in a hallway closet.

A Warrenville woman reported Saturday that items were missing from a medicine cabinet in a home on Breezy Hill road.

A North Augusta woman reported Saturday that items were missing from a cedar chest that was in her bedroom closet in her home on Kershaw Drive.

A 19-year-old Aiken man was arrested Saturday for malicious injury to personal property and third-degree assault and battery. The 19-year-old female victim said the subject shoved her into tree after she made a joke and later damaged her vehicle by kicking it after she asked him about her missing keys. The subject said he didn't touch the victim or her vehicle. The victim didn't want to press charges.

An Aiken woman reported Friday that the man she lives with had assaulted her in a home on Rushton Road. According to the responding officer, the woman had old bruises on her head and forearms.

A Warrenville man reported a suspicious fire at his home on Church Street on Friday. The victim said he heard a person on his front porch. When he went to see who it was, he heard an explosion and then discovered that the front of the house was on fire.

A 1999 Aiken High student is about as far from Aiken as one can get without falling off the edge of the earth.

Joshua Markland Jones is aboard the Coast Guard Icebreaker Healy in the Northern Chukchi Sea, heading toward the Beaufort Sea where other researchers are collecting ice data.

Jones is the son of Chip and Jennifer Madeen Jones, grandson of the late Cliff Jones and Sue Markland Jones Ellis, and the late Murray Madeen and Doree Madeen, who all live in Aiken.

Jones is using radar to track ice to show the Coast Guard which way the ice is moving. Even though this program is still in the test phase, they like what they see so far.

Jones received a Bachelor of Science in environmental science from the University of Alaska Southeast in 2009, a Master of Science in geophysics from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2013 with a focus on sea ice geophysics, and is now employed by the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

He and his crew were recently interviewed by David Abel of the Boston Globe newspaper in Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost city of this continent. They were there to learn more about the uncommonly rapid melt of the Arctic Ocean and the impact it has on the rest of the world.

In previous years, when Jones and his crew made this trip to set up their equipment, the temperatures had been so raw that Jones' eyelashes froze. This time, as Abel reported, it was a balmy 41 in July. The equipment - a wind turbine for instance - was collapsing in the melting ice. The all-terrain vehicle had stalled in a knee-deep pool of slush.

According to Abel's story, the signs are quite serious: The Arctic Ocean is melting faster than at any time on record.

"This February, the sea ice that stretches from North America to Russia reached its lowest-known winter extent and began melting 15 days earlier than usual," Abel writes.

Arctic ice melt could affect ocean currents, weather patterns and temperatures across the planet.

"Scientists have attributed Boston's historic cold spell and snowfall last winter to shifts in the polar jet stream," Abel reported.

Abel also learned that the frozen Arctic Ocean has long served as a sort of heat vent for the rest of the planet, its millions of square miles of snow-covered ice reflecting sunlight back into space.

"But the receding ice has meant more energy is being absorbed by the ocean, a self-reinforcing cycle that has increased sea and land temperatures, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado," Abel writes.

Jones told the reporter many stories of past snow and ice adventures. One particular story was about having to use pliers to break the ice off a colleague's mustache in order to help him breathe. But those stories are becoming rare. Jones will be back in Nome, Alaska, and then on to Fairbanks.

According to Dr. Yusuf Saleeby, The Civil War was considered a dark time in medicine.

Saleeby, director of Priority Health of South Carolina in Murrells Inlet, spoke on the time period of 1861 to 1865 at the Nancy Carson Library, elaborating on the medical practices of the Union and Confederate forces.

"Now, most people think that soldiers in the Civil War died from battle wounds," he said. "That's not really true. It was nearly a two-to-one difference. The vast majority of soldiers lost their lives due to infection and dehydration. The No. 1 killer was dysentery and diarrhea, which led to dehydration."

At the onset of the war, soldiers didn't have different colored uniforms, which led to confusion on the battlefield. In order to protect the medical personnel, a green sash was issued to try and prevent doctors from being wounded.

"Everybody wore different shades of blue, because that's what they could get their hands on," Saleeby said. "Later on, we know that the Confederates switched to gray, but at the beginning of the war it was hard to tell the sides apart. There were no laws protecting the doctors, they were fair game to get a bullet even when they were taking care of the wounded - even with the sash."

During the war, the number of medical soldiers grew from less than 90 at the beginning to a combined 14,000 between the two sides at the time Richmond fell.

Those doctors were asked to perform surgery on the battlefield, often having to amputate limbs and stitch up wounds. They were able to use anesthesia, which greatly benefitted the soldiers, but was sometimes a tricky task.

"Some 800,000 soldiers received anesthesia for their amputations between the two sides," Saleeby said. "There was one battle in particular, the first battle of Bull Run, where the Union supply carts didn't make it to the field hospitals and they had to perform amputations without the benefit of anesthesia, but that was a rare occurrence."

Adding to the troubles of the soldiers, especially those in the South, was a lack of basic supplies to deal with the long marches to battles.

"Other things the soldiers had to contend with was low nutritional value of their food. Oftentimes they were on the move and had to get what they could from a village or commandeering crops," Saleeby said. "They also dealt with a lack of adequate shelter, the wounded were often left in open fields without shade or tents, and could be exposed to the elements. Toward the end, the South had a lack of clothing and inadequate shoes for their long marches."

BEECH ISLAND — A 40-year-old Atlanta man suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a shooting early Sunday morning on Sand Bar Ferry Road near Cary Drive.

"We were notified about the shooting at 12:19 a.m.," said Capt. Eric Abdullah of the Aiken County Sheriff's Department late Sunday morning. The victim was giving the subject a ride when he was shot by the subject. The subject then fled on foot."

EMS treated the 40-year-old victim, who wrecked his vehicle, and then transported him to an area hospital, Abdullah said.

The victim had wounds in both arms, Abdullah said.

The subject is a black male between 6 feet 3 inches and 6 feet 6 inches tall, according to the incident report.

"Investigators met with the victim and witnesses," Abdullah said. "This is still an open case."

A 25-year-old Aiken woman was arrested for criminal domestic violence Saturday after an alleged stabbing incident at a home on Maybelle Lane.

The 28-year-old male victim and the subject had been involved in a verbal domestic dispute earlier.

The man said that after the responding officer from the Aiken County Sheriff's Office left, the subject became irate and locked herself out of a bedroom.

According to the victim, he tried to help the subject after she started using a knife to try and break into the bedroom. Then she allegedly turned around and stabbed the victim several times in his lower left forearm.

The subject told the responding officer that she used a knife to try to break into the bedroom, but didn't stab the victim.

According to the incident report, there was a blood trail near the door of the bedroom, but the knife had been cleaned off in a sink.

Neither the victim nor the subject wanted to press charges.

Woman arrested after alleged stabbing

A 23-year-old Warrenville man was arrested by an Aiken County Sheriff's Office deputy following a chase Saturday during which the subject allegedly ran two stop signs in his truck.

According to the incident report, the subject, William Michael Fields, of 142 Les Drive, was driving a F-100 Ford pickup on Baker Street. When the officer got behind the truck, it accelerated to around 60 mph and failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Baker and Chaffee streets.

The truck almost hit another vehicle head-on, causing it to leave the roadway to avoid a collision, according to the incident report.

When the officer tried to get the truck to stop on Chaffee Street afterward, it accelerated to approximately 70 mph and ran a stop sign at the intersection of Chaffee and Cushman Road, according to the incident report.

The truck then hit a fence on the side of the road. Fields jumped out of the vehicle's driver's seat and fled on foot down Cattrail Street, and the officer pursued him.

According to the incident report, Fields removed a silver gun from the waistband of his pants and threw it in some grass. The gun later was recovered.

The officer took Fields into custody near the intersection of Cattail Street and Piney Heights Road.

During a search of the Fields' truck, a black handgun was found on the driver's seat, according to the incident report.

Multiple charges were filed against Fields.

Warrenville man arrested after chase

The Aiken Design Review Board will meet Tuesday to discuss building height guidelines in the Old Aiken Overlay District.

The 5:30 p.m. public work session will be held in room 204 in the Municipal Building, 214 Park Ave.

The Board will also discuss potential guidelines for buildings designed specifically for parking, also in the Old Aiken Overlay District.

The Board's regular meeting will follow at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.

Design board to talk building height

Small business equals big business for Savannah River Site contractors and the site's Department of Energy office, as the various groups collectively generated more than $170 million in revenue through small business ventures in fiscal year 2014.

Dave Hepner, the director of an acquisition management office on site, presented the information to the SRS Citizens Advisory Board, or CAB, during the board's bimonthly meeting last week.

According to Hepner, the site's management and operations contractor, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, conducted business with nearly 1,400 small businesses in the last three years. The contractor earned $84.1 million for fiscal year 2014.

Fiscal year 2014 earnings for other contractors include: $31.9 million in working with more than 400 businesses for Savannah River Remediation, the site's liquid waste contractor; $44.6 million working with nearly 350 businesses for Parsons, the salt waste contractor; $3.3 million for Centerra, the security contractor; and $13.5 million in working with about 50 businesses for the Energy Department office at SRS.

Hepner said the types of companies contractors conduct business with include staff augmentation to material suppliers, construction and consulting companies.

"They are chosen through the competitive process and self-marketing means," he said.

In addition to having a lane to generate revenue, the federal government is also gatekeeping the process so that various types of businesses get opportunities. For example, the government has a list of statutory goals that require federal agencies to conduct business with women-owned businesses, disadvantaged businesses and others.

The overall effort dates back to the creation of the Small Business Administration in 1953. The group works with federal agencies to award at least 23 percent of all prime government contract dollars to small businesses.

Using those merits, Hepner said contractors work each year to assist small businesses in one-on-one counseling, training workshops, networking opportunities and technical guidance.

"Small business is the backbone of our country. We need to work with them and quite frankly, we're happy to work with them," he said.

Earl Sheppard, a member of the Citizens Advisory Board, was one of several board members who expressed their level of shock with the amount of money generated.

"I'm just impressed by the numbers and I'm glad this community is seeing a return on its investment," Sheppard said.

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, Georgia, and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.

Nick Rangos, who died on Aug. 1 at the age of 86 in Aiken, was a man of many talents and interests.

He was involved in the restaurant, catering and swimming pool businesses. He also built houses, owned Laundromats and tried a number of other ventures.

It was Nick' association with The Masters, however, that brought him the most recognition.

For more than 40 years, pimento cheese made with Rangos' recipe was used in sandwiches sold at Augusta National.

Nick also made egg salad for Augusta National, but the pimento cheese was the more celebrated of the two. When Augusta National dropped Rangos' products, golf fans mourned the loss of the pimento cheese and said the replacement filling wasn't as good.

In 2013, there was a story in ESPN The Magazine about Nick's pimento cheese, which his three children - Billy Rangos, Stella Alexander and Crystal Katherine Rangos - helped mix up.

"At the outset, he was just doing it to provide a living for his family," Billy said. "But at some point, the pimento cheese did become somewhat famous. He took a great deal of pride in knowing that. There were several articles written over the years about my dad's pimento cheese, and he really enjoyed reading those. He had a smile on his face when he saw those articles."

Nick declined to give the Aiken Standard his pimento cheese recipe two years ago.

When asked what made it special, he said: "I don't really know. There's no secret to it."

Billy believes Augusta National's policy of making the pimento cheese sandwiches fresh every day helped enhance the filling's flavor.

"When people started talking about how great the pimento cheese sandwiches were, my dad said, 'They are just pimento cheese sandwiches,'" Billy recalled.

Billy added that his father provided catering services to Owens Corning for more than 30 years.

Nick was "the ultimate entrepreneur," Alexander said. "When he saw an opportunity, he tried to make it work and often he succeeded."

Billy said that his father loved people in general and his family in particular, had a "a tremendously hard work ethic" and "could manage a penny quite well."

Nick's survivors, in addition to his three children, include his widow, Irene Sango Rangos.

A Trisagion Service and a viewing will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Shellhouse Funeral Home in Aiken. The Trisagion Service will start at 7 p.m.

The funeral service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church at 953 Telfair Street in Augusta. Interment will follow at Bethany Cemetery in Aiken, and there will be a reception afterward at the Woodside Plantation Country Club in Aiken.

"With all of his work, he always had time to help out at his church, Alexander said.

Dede Biles is a general assignment reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the newspaper since January 2013. A native of Concord, N.C., she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.