In the early 1980s, the wood stork was designated as an endangered species.

A year ago, the bird was removed from that list, much to the delight of Paul Koehler, director of the Silver Bluff Audubon Center in the Jackson area.

Still, the work stork remains "threatened," and that status is why the center will host is annual Storks and Corks benefit event, Koehler said. It will be held Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see the storks and enjoy a buffet dinner and wine. Tickets are $50, and proceeds will help the center's operations.

In 2014, the Associated Press described how wood storks are the only stork species that nest in the U.S. Its population for many years was centered in Florida. Due to destroyed habitats there, about 50 percent of storks can be found in the Carolinas and Georgia.

When Koehler began work at the Audubon Center 29 years ago, a system of ponds was built as a mitigation at the Savannah River Site through the work of local contractors.

That created an alternate foraging area for the storks at the center.

"Ever since then, the storks have (been) coming to the Audubon Center to take advantage of the fish in these ponds," Koehler said. "We'll have folks from the local center with spotting scopes who can explain what (visitors) will be looking at. It's a great evening, and some people will stay until dark, looking at the storks."

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.

BEECH ISLAND — At the age of 99, Elease Slaughter is Silver Bluff Missionary Baptist Church's oldest member. She also is one of its most enthusiastic and devoted congregants.

"I was baptized when I was 11 years old," said Slaughter before the church's 265th anniversary celebration Sunday afternoon. "This is my church, and I have always supported it the best I could. I like the way we have our services. We've had some wonderful ministers, and we have a wonderful pastor now. I love it, and I hope to stay here until my last days."

An historical marker in front of the house of worship on Old Jackson Highway identifies Silver Bluff as "one of the first black Baptist churches in America." Regular worship services at the plantation of trader George Galphin led to the church's founding in 1750.

The Rev. Bennie Holmes, who was Silver Bluff's 16th pastor, returned for the anniversary celebration, which included lots of singing, clapping and praying.

The Rev. George Brightharp of Mount Canaan Baptist Church in Trenton delivered the sermon.

"I have very fond memories of this church and its members," Holmes said. "When I came in, I got a little teary-eyed because I miss being here."

The Rev. Marvin Morgan is Silver Bluff's current pastor.

"I'm No. 18," he said. "I've been here since 2013, and I'm trying to move people forward toward the kingdom of God."

Minister Ryan Young, who was in charge of the anniversary prayer during the celebration's program, thanked God for allowing "Silver Bluff's ship to continue to sail on."

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.

When Mount Anna Baptist Church dedicated its family life center in 1995, the Rev. Alfred Holmes had gently declined the congregation's request to name the facility after him.

Holmes had served the church for 29 years before his death at age 67 in 2007. He was simply a humble man who didn't want attention drawn to him in such a way, said Jeanette Yeldel, one of his five daughters. On Saturday, his wife, Gladys, family members and scores of church members gave the life center the name it deserved.

"I just love Mount Anna," Gladys said after a dedication ceremony. "Thank you for this today. It makes me feel so good."

Yeldel was joined at the event by her four sisters - Rebecca Mims, Annette Jeffcoat, Catherine Williams and Stephanie Long. They grew up as singers, and with other family members, form the A&G Holmes Choral. They performed several songs during the ceremony

"This is a such a special day and a tribute to our father," Yeldel said. "He was such a wonderful person who loved children, and there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for anybody, including the community."

The Rev. Jerry Corbett, Mount Anna's new pastor, said the ceremony was appropriate to recognize Holmes' work - "giving his life to serve this congregation ... It's a place of fellowship, where people are loved and can hear the good news of Jesus Christ."

During his tenure at the church, Holmes implemented a new Bible class, Vacation Bible School, an 8 a.m. worship service and a youth ministry. In his later years, Mount Anna member Barbara Hightower served as the church secretary.

"His approach to life was simple," she said. "He had such kindness and wanted people to treat others the same way they would want to be treated."

The speakers for the event included church deacon Abraham Sanders, the Rev. Paul Bush and the Rev. Limuer Myers. In a resolution at the time of Holmes' death, Sanders noted how his pastor "manifested the highest Christian and honorable character."

The dedication ceremony also provided humor to the occasion. Gladys Holmes cited the ups and downs of being a minister's wife. Holmes and Myers, his closest friend, once decided to drive to a conference in Dallas.

"They let me go along, and they talked all the way there and all the way back, and I didn't get to say a thing," Gladys said to laughter. "When we got home, they were back on the phone for another two hours. They were that kind of friends."

When Holmes' portrait was unveiled, Corbett praised a young artist who had completed the work in just two days. Corbett pointed out Holmes' warm smile in the portrait and how the artist "got the gap right, too,"

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.

Body camera funding from Washington D.C., would be much appreciated, according to police departments on the other side of the "Welcome to South Carolina" sign.

But some law enforcement agencies still have concerns that the technology is viewed, by some, as the deciding factor in determining the outcome of an incident or case.

The latest piece of Congressional legislation in support of body cameras came last week from the Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.

Scott introduced the Safer Officers and Safer Citizens Act, a response to the string of deaths in which unarmed black men have been killed by white police officers. This includes the death of Walter Scott, a 50-year-old North Charleston black man who lived in Sen. Scott's district.

Walter Scott was killed on April 4 in a police shooting by North Charleston officer Michael Slager.

An eyewitness caught the incident on video with his cellphone, pushing Sen. Scott and others to back body camera footage to enhance safety for officers and citizens.

'We'll take it'

In June, Gov. Nikki Haley signed a Senate bill that requires police agencies to have their officers wear body cameras and create a policy for which officers will wear them, when they should and should not be recording, and how videos are stored.

During deliberations on the bill earlier this year, Lt. Jake Mahoney of the Aiken Department of Public Safety said the department has an estimate of close to $70,000 a year to maintain the cameras and the data that will need to be stored.

Mahoney said then that the department would gladly take any outside funding that would help officers pay for cameras and their upkeep.

Following Scott's proposal, Mahoney's message has not changed.

"One of the challenges with integrating a program is the funding. So whether that funding comes from local sources, state funds or federal funds, we'll gladly accept any help we can get with funding," Mahoney said.

Scott's bill includes a requirement for agencies to match any funding they receive by at least 25 percent, a number Mahoney said is "more than fair."

"We've participated in many programs that require matching funds at different percentages. So it's not unreasonable to agree to provide some of the funds," Mahoney said.

Working out the kinks

Burnettown is one of the many small towns in the state and country that could potentially use outside funding sources to pay for the technology.

Chief David Smith said he is in support of the cameras but said a misconception exists that body cameras should be the final say in the outcome of a case.

Simply put, Smith said body cameras are a great resource, but "you're not going to see everything. Sometimes the camera sees things I didn't see, and sometimes I see things the camera didn't pick up," he said.

He added that cameras could fall off during a scuffle, and there are some residents who would accuse police of snatching them off purposefully.

Other issues Smith and Mahoney mentioned are the stipulations of when to wear body cameras and how long data footage should be stored.

Those issues would likely be left up to the states as, according to Scott's proposal, preferential consideration will be given to departments who have a comprehensive policy developed in consultation with criminal justice experts and community members.

For that reason, agencies across the state attended a meeting with S.C. State Law Enforcement Division on Monday, Mahoney said.

The meeting served as an open forum on challenges that come with fully implementing the technology.

With data storage, for example, Smith said data from a case based on a situation from 2012 may become relevant in 2015.

"Should we store data that long?" he asked. "There are just a lot of moving factors and associated costs with body cameras; so while they are a great asset that we support, there's also some things that need to be worked out with their implementation."

Mahoney agreed there are several factors to consider when drafting legislation and moving to incorporate the technology statewide; however, he said, Aiken Public Safety is on board.

"We are actively engaged on seeking the best fit for our department and state and looking forward to getting to appoint where we can fully implement them," Mahoney said.

Recap of the numbers

The Safer Officers and Safer Citizens Act would stream $100 million each year for the next five years into a fund for agencies who need help purchasing cameras that range between $800 and $1,000 per camera.

Scott said funding for the cameras would come by adjusting regulations regarding paid administrative leave across the federal government. Specifically, the body cam legislation would limit paid administrative leave for an employee to no more than 20 days a year, unless personally approved by the agency head.

"About 97 percent of the time, folks who take administrative leave use fewer than 20 days," Scott said. "That savings (in paid administrative leave) is in excess of $100 million per year."

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

Billionaire business mogul Donald Trump and Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, are ahead in the polls and will join the eight other leading candidates in the GOP primary for the first debate of the campaign season.

The debate will take place Thursday at 9 p.m. and will air on FOX News. The debate is designed to feature the Top 10 leaders in five major polls selected by FOX. Three FOX News hosts will ask questions to the candidates for the debate, which is expected to last about two hours.

Though Trump, Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker were all but shoo-ins since they've garnered double digit percentages in the polls, the rest of the GOP candidates had to wait until 5 p.m. on Tuesday when the final numbers rolled in from the polls on FOX.

The three aforementioned candidates have held the top spots for some time. Based on poll numbers, other candidates for Thursday's debate include neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

The final two slots will go to Ohio Gov. John Kasich New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

The 10 candidates represent a pool of 17 in the GOP primary. Notables who did not make the cut include former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, George Pataki, the former governor of New York, and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

The other three GOP candidates are business executive Carly Fiorina, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Locally, several candidates have visited Aiken as part of their campaigning including Huckabee, Santorum, Cruz and Bush.

WARRENVILLE — Dust and ashes went airborne Tuesday afternoon on the grounds of Glover Grove Missionary Baptist Church, with the start of an effort to clear the debris from a June 26 fire that destroyed the congregation's building and opened the door to a partnership with new neighbors from around the CSRA and beyond.

Workers from Samaritan's Purse, a ministry based in Boone, North Carolina, arrived at the church Tuesday with an assortment of heavy equipment, looking to remove the debris and make way for a new building.

"Bigger and better" is the rebuilding project's goal, said congregation member Victoria Green, who was among the spectators for Tuesday's efforts.

Recalling the time when she learned the building had gone up in flames, she said, "I felt bad - disappointed, confused - but then I know that God has us covered, and that we're going to build and keep going."

Todd Taylor, assistant manager of U.S. disaster relief for Samaritan's Purse, said his team's goal is to love the congregation and provide equipment to help in the rebuilding effort.

"We're going to remove the remaining walls. We're going to remove the slab and clean everything up and leave Glover Grove with a clean, ready-to-build area," he said.

"When we finish here, the concrete will be gone. All of the remaining wood will be gone - the tin, the metal - and we'll probably even throw some grass seed, just to make it look nice for the community as they decide the next step of the rebuild."

Hopes are to complete the clearing by "about Friday noon," he said.

The Rev. Bobby Jones, Glover Grove's pastor, offered some numerical insight. "I've been here for about 33 years ... and Jesus was on this earth for 33 years ... and the church, right here, at this place, has been here for 33 years. I don't know what you can make out of that, but God is good, and he's making a way out of no way for us to get it built," he said.

Jones said he hopes for the rebuilding project to be complete by this time next year. On the near horizon, plans are for the church's cross, atop the steeple, to be removed and set aside today, as the only feature of the building to have been untouched by the fire.

"If you look, everything burned but the cross," Jones said. "It burned all these trees around here, 10 feet away, but the cross is still standing, and I thank God for that."

Plans are also in place for a Sunday event in support of the congregation, with Aiken's First Baptist Church as the host site. The Glover Grove Phoenix Unity Service, with input from a variety of congregations, is set for 4 p.m., to run about an hour. First Baptist is at 120 Chesterfield St. N.E., in downtown Aiken.

In addition, a fund to support the rebuilding effort has been established at Security Federal Bank. Donations also can be mailed to the bank at P.O. Box 810, Aiken, SC 29802.

Bill Bengtson, a native of Florence, Alabama, has worked for Aiken Communications since 1996.

Setting four specific goals, Dr. Sean Alford outlined his 100-day entry plan as the Aiken County School Board's new superintendent at a special called meeting of the School Board on Tuesday.

"My intent with presenting a clearly defined entry plan is to establish and outline a set of activities that will serve to guide my transition into the school district while encouraging stakeholder engagement and fostering a passion for teaching, learning and partnering with Aiken County Schools for the betterment of our children, their families and our community's economic and social vitality," said Alford, who became superintendent Aug. 1 replacing Dr. Beth Everitt, who retired July 31.

During his presentation, Alford said his four goals during his transition into his new position are:

- To establish and promote highly effective district governance by building a trusting, productive, collaborative relationship with the ACPSD Board of Education

- To ensure an effective, efficient and orderly transition of leadership while emphasizing a focus on the acquisition of employable skills and "solution-driven" service

- To create opportunities to listen to stakeholders and gain a comprehensive understanding of the district and school community

- To increase organizational effectiveness and efficiency and ensure high performance and support to schools.

To achieve these goals, Alford said he will listen to stakeholders, using formal and informal meetings to engage students, teachers, parents, school and district administrators and other ACPSD employees, community and business members, and state and local leaders.

Alford said he will learn organizational performance indicators, student achievement data and community economic indicators and share his leadership story, educational philosophies and core values.

He also will establish strong working relationships and build rapport with the Board of Education, ACPSD leadership and employees, and community, state and local leaders and deliver specific action steps to guide the work of the district and the Board of Education in preparation for the 2016-17 school year and beyond.

Alford said these activities are intended to yield three key outcomes:

- A comprehensive summary of his findings

- Insight and information gained from listening and learning

- An outline of the process he will use to analyze and manage the district's strategic priorities.

"I look forward to our community establishing and redefining excellence," Alford said. "The Board and I will work together to guarantee a high-quality educational experience for all children while energizing the district and community in support of college and career readiness."

A native of Aiken, Larry Wood is a general assignment reporter.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's No. 2 Republican is introducing legislation that would reward states for sending more information about residents with serious mental problems to the federal background check system for firearms purchasers.

And he's doing it with the National Rifle Association's support.

The bill by Texas Sen. John Cornyn is far more modest than a Senate measure expanding background check requirements that the NRA and Republicans helped kill in 2013.

The new measure represents a rare effort by a leading Republican to curb some firearms purchases. The NRA has been a leading force against gun restrictions, but it has backed some bills to limit the ability of people with mental problems to buy firearms.

Cornyn's bill follows recent shootings that have drawn attention to weaknesses in the background check system.

An Aiken man was arrested and charged Tuesday after he allegedly kidnapped and assaulted his girlfriend.

Michael Stancel, 40, is charged with domestic violence first and kidnapping.

Deputies were called to a residence on Summer Hill Avenue on Tuesday night in response to a call from a woman who said her boyfriend, Stancel, had assaulted her and had been holding her captive for two days, according to an Aiken County Sheriff's Office incident report.

The victim told deputies that she and her boyfriend had gotten into a verbal argument on Sunday because she would not help him find a clean needle for narcotic use, according to the report.

She said she tried to separate herself from the situation and sit on the front porch when Stancel allegedly grabbed her by her hair and pulled her back into the residence while simultaneously punching her in the head and face, according to the report.

For two days, the report said, the victim said Stancel continued to assault her and held her captive within the house not allowing her to leave.

The victim said Stancel broke her phone so she could not contact authorities and further pointed a handgun at her head threatening to kill her if she tried to flee or call law enforcement, police said.

After being awake for several days, Stancel finally fell asleep, allowing the victim to leave the residence and contact police, according to the release.

Deputies reported that the victim had visible bruises all along her face, so she was sent to Aiken Regional Medical Centers for a medical evaluation.

Stancel told deputies he didn't notice the visible injuries on the victim and that he had not kept her captive, according to the release.

The Aiken Standard will update this story as more information becomes available.

Tripp Girardeau is a beat reporter with the Aiken Standard.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A national survey shows 57 percent of Americans support South Carolina's decision to remove the Confederate flag from its Statehouse grounds while 34 percent are opposed.

The Pew Research Center conducted the poll the week after the ceremony on July 10 when an honor guard lowered the battle flag and it was delivered to a museum. The nonprofit center released its findings Wednesday.

The study also found 52 percent of Hispanics, 56 percent of whites and 76 percent of blacks support the removal.

However, the survey found partisan divides: 74 percent of Democrats said the move was the right decision; Republicans were divided with 43 percent backing it and 49 percent saying they were opposed. Among independents, 53 percent supported the decision while 37 percent remain opposed.

HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Last month, with a handful of black-and-white archival photos in hand, I set out with my camera to document how Hiroshima had changed, 70 years after the atomic bomb.

I grew up in Yokohama, and had never been to this western Japanese city before, though I had seen plenty of images on television.

My first impression was of a modern city on a steamy summer day. I imagined the same intense heat, even in the morning, had greeted people headed to work on the morning of Aug. 6, 1945. At 8:15 a.m., still 2,000 feet above the ground, the falling bomb detonated, forever changing their lives.

Some 90 percent of the city was destroyed, which is why it looks so new today. An estimated 140,000 people died in a city of 350,000, including those who succumbed to severe radiation exposure through the end of 1945.

The 1959 movie "Hiroshima Mon Amour" left a strong impression on me. The city as portrayed in the movie looked like any other, just 14 years after the devastation. I wondered how an outsider -- a visiting French actress in 1959, or me today -- could fully understand what had happened.

When I was traveling abroad 30 years ago, a man asked me a question: "Are there any trees, does grass grow in Hiroshima?"

I was shocked; I knew that trees and flowers grew the same as anywhere in the world.

The city I found was very much rebuilt and alive, with a population today of 1.2 million. The streetcars are packed again. The stark wasteland seen in the black-and-white photos taken soon after the bombing is but a memory.

The remains of one building stand on a river bank in the same place as 70 years ago. The Atomic Bomb Dome, now a U.N. World Heritage Site, has become the iconic image of Hiroshima.

It wasn't as big as I had imagined. Then I thought, the building itself may be small, but its meaning is huge to all of us human beings.

A young couple passed by the dome, hand-in-hand. Before the atomic bomb, did many couples walk by like them?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Police say a suspect is dead after officers responded to reports of shots fired at a movie theater southeast of Nashville, Tennessee.

Metro Nashville police said in a tweet Wednesday afternoon that there was an active shooter situation at the Carmike Hickory 8 theater, but that the suspect was dead.

Nashville Fire Department spokesman Brian Haas said previously that police were responding to the theater in Antioch, a suburb southeast of Nashville.

No other details were immediately available.

The latest shooting comes about two weeks after a gunman opened fire inside a movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana, during a screening of the film "Trainwreck." Police said John Russell Houser killed two people and wounded nine others before fatally shooting himself.

The Aiken Department of Public Safety will hold a Citizen's Public Safety Academy beginning Sept. 10.

The program will be held each Thursday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. and will last nine weeks.

All instructors are members of the public safety profession, according to a press release.

The following topics will be presented: basic patrol functions, firefighting, use of force (lethal, less lethal), community policing, traffic safety, criminal investigations and more.

Aiken Public Safety Administrative Lt. Ben Harm said the idea behind the Citizens Public Safety Academy is to be an overview of the Aiken Department of Public Safety's functions and operations.

Participants will not be trained as police officers or firefighters, he said.

Class size is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications must be received no later than Aug. 21, and people planning to participate must attend at least eight classes to pass the Citizen's Public Safety Academy.

"All of the applicants will receive background checks," Harm said. "Anyone with felony convictions or an extensive criminal background will not be accepted."

For an application, visit the Aiken Public Safety headquarters at 251 Laurens St. N.W., or visit to www.cityofaikensc.gov.

Workers at a New Mexico waste plant went into emergency mode after a radiological control technician detected what was believed to be elevated radiological readings; but the situation proved to be a non issue, according to a Wednesday update.

Operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP, are already on hold due to two February 2014 incidents.

Fire inhalations were the result of a salt haul truck fire on Feb. 5, and then workers were contaminated due to a Feb. 14 radiation event.

On Tuesday, a false alarm caused the technician to contact the Emergency Operations Center and the Joint Information Center.

The technician thought there were elevated radiological readings on a filter from an air particulate sampler located where air is exhausted from the WIPP underground, according to the release.

It was later determined that an error was made in the calculation of initial survey results, which resulted in a false elevated reading, the release states.

By procedure, WIPP personnel on the surface were directed to stay inside buildings, or shelter in place, when the elevated readings were first detected, according to the WIPP update.

Underground personnel were staged at an assembly area and technicians continued conducting confirmatory radiological surveys on the surface and in the underground area, none of which showed any abnormal radiological readings.

All employees were released and the event was terminated at approximately 11:30 p.m., according to the release.

"Although it was determined that there was no emergency or radiological release, WIPP Operations and Emergency Management personnel responded appropriately according to their training and procedures," officials wrote in the report.

The WIPP routinely accepted shipments of transuranic waste from the Savannah River Site and other facilities.

The waste form is solid waste consisting of clothing, tools, rags, residues, debris and other items contaminated with plutonium.

It was reported last week that the March 2016 target date for re-opening the WIPP "is no longer viable," but Energy Department officials are still aiming for a date in 2016 that has not yet been announced.

Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the paper since June 2013.

These are the bookings recorded for the Doris C. Gravat Detention Center for Aug. 4, 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.

Tiffany Marie Delgadillo, 19 — shoplifting first offense less than $2,000

Michael Anthony Miles, 22 — shoplifting second offense less than $2,000

Antonio Perez Leon Allen, 26 — violation of probation

Erica Carter, 27 — assault and battery third degree

Christopher Clark Seigler, 33 — hold for Aiken County Sheriff's Office

Michael Lee Benson, 40 — possession with intent to distribute marijuana failure to appear general sessions court bench warrant, possession with intent to distribute marijuana

Jonathan Wyman Bryan, 30 — assault and battery third degree, domestic violence second degree

James Anthony Ford, 36 — receiving stolen goods value $2,000 or less bench warrant

Michael Eugene Stancel II, 40 — hold for Aiken County Sheriff's Office warrants

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

A Jackson woman reported that her boyfriend assaulted her Tuesday at their residence on Virginia Hill Court. According to the report, her boyfriend head-butted her in the face after she refused to give him a ride. Deputies said the man fled the scene before they arrived.

An Aiken man reported his car stolen Tuesday while he was at friend's residence on Reynolds Pond Road. The man told deputies he left the keys to his car on the front seat while he was inside. He said he was only inside for about an hour before he realized his car was gone.

An Aiken woman reported Tuesday her house had been broken into on Pipeline Road while she was at the beach on vacation. She told deputies that, upon arriving home, she noticed her front window screen was missing and the rear door window had been busted out.

An Aiken woman was arrested Tuesday for reportedly assaulting her son and his wife at a residence on Sizemore Circle. According to the report, the woman was extremely intoxicated and acting out of control.

A Beech Island woman reported her home was broken into on Spider Web Road while she was out running errands. Deputies on the scene reported finding a box cutter on the back porch that the woman claimed was not hers. It was submitted to evidence for processing.

According to Aiken Department of Public Safety:

An Aiken woman reported Wednesday that her car had been broken into on Pickens Avenue. According to the report, she and her husband awoke to the sound of breaking glass. She found the passenger-side window of her car had been broken out with a brick. She said $15 was stolen out of the center console.

An Aiken woman reported Wednesday that during a party at her home on Kershaw Street, a man stole $180 from her purse. When she asked the man about the stolen cash, he ran away, according to the report. Officers said they are attempting to contact the subject.

An Aiken man reported Tuesday that Aiken Elementary School was vandalized on Pine Log Road. According to the report, unknown subjects entered the school and discharged fire extinguishers all over the walls and floors. Officers said they were unsure of how the subjects had entered the building.

An Aiken woman reported that a relative was harassing her on Monday. According to the report, the woman's sister-in-law showed up at her house on Hampton Avenue and began banging on the door. The woman's sister-in-law was placed on trespass notice.

Students can pick up free school supplies Aug. 15 at Perry Memorial Park before heading back to school the following Monday.

The annual Back To School Fun Day event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the park, 72 Abbeville Ave. The event is for children in kindergarten through high school and their families.

Small children must be accompanied by an adult, said coordinator Carol Scurry.

The event is free for all participants and will include food, activities for children, musical entertainment, bounce houses, games, waterslides and free school supplies.

The event is sponsored by Free Riders MC Inc., Heavy Hitters Inc., It's Better Live Entertainment and local motorcycle and social clubs within Aiken County, according to a press release.

Donations of school supplies can be dropped off at the Smith-Hazel Recreation Center, 400 Kershaw St.

Tripp Girardeau is the crime and court reporter for the Aiken Standard.

Realtors won't just be trying to sell homes in the Trolley Run Station subdivision Sunday.

They'll also be seeking donations of ballpoint pens, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, three-ring binders and other items during the Trolley Run Station Back-to-School Books & Supplies Drive at 8 Open Houses from 2 to 4 p.m.

The participating Realtors and the addresses of the homes where the open houses will be held include Paula Blessing and Laura Thomas of Aiken Properties, 3120 St. Charles Ave.; Vikki Crosland and Brandi Cook of Meybohm Realtors-Aiken Southside, 3121 St. Charles Ave.; Cindy Daniel of Meybohm Realtors-Augusta, 167 and 181 Bristol Pass, and Carole Beckum of Coldwell Banker United, 536 Colston Ave.

The other participating Realtors and the addresses of their homes are Teresa Tiller of RE/MAX True Advantage, 210 Staghorn Court; Nancy Dukes of Harper Realty, 474 Strutter Trail; and Jane Page Thompson of Aiken Properties, 556 Curzon Court.

Refreshments will be served at the open houses. All donors will be entered in a drawing to win $100.

The books and school supplies collected will be given to Byrd Elementary School in Graniteville.

The Books & Supplies Drive is being held in conjunction with South Carolina's sales tax holiday, which runs Friday through Sunday, and National Book Lovers Day on Sunday.

The purpose of the event is to "help those looking for their dream home and those children dreaming of reading books," according to a press release.

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.

No charges were filed after a North Augusta woman called police to report that her boyfriend allegedly assaulted her and another woman.

Officers responded to a residence on Foxfire Court Tuesday after a woman told officers her live-in boyfriend had slapped her in the face after she tried to step between him and her father who were arguing, according to an Aiken County Sheriff's Office incident report.

The victim told officers the man then slapped another woman in the face who tried to stop him from assaulting her, police said.

The victim said the man ran out of the house and the other woman chased him, according to the report.

After the individuals argued outside, the other woman came back inside, reportedly grabbed a box cutter and went back outside with the man, trying to cut him, according to the report.

The man told officers he did not assault the women.

Aiken will scratch another name off the list of presidential candidates yet to speak in the city when former Texas Gov. Rick Perry comes to town later this month.

Hosted by the Aiken Republican Party, Perry's visit will begin Aug. 28 at Newberry Hall, 117 Newberry St. The doors will open at noon for lunch and Perry is expected to begin speaking around 1 p.m.

The cost is $25 per person or $160 for a table of eight. Tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/1MPOTCK

Unlike other candidates to visit the Aiken GOP, the Perry's visit will feature a five-person panel that will ask a series of questions depending on time and order. Questions will come from party representatives, elected officials and media outlets.

Perry announced in June that he was joining a Republican primary ballot that now includes 17 hopefuls running for the presidency.

According to his campaign page, Perry grew up the son of tenant farmers in the tiny West Texas town of Paint Creek.

Between 1972 and 1977, Perry served in the U.S. Air Force flying C-130 tactical airlift aircraft in Europe and the Middle East.

Perry's earliest assignments as an elected official were his positions as Texas Commissioner of Agriculture and then three terms in the state's House of Representatives.

He then served as Lt. Gov. in 1998 before serving as the governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015, and under his scope, Texas "created almost one-third of all new private sector jobs in the United States. Without the 1.5 million jobs Texas created since the end of 2007, the United States would be net negative more than 400,000 jobs," according to Perry's campaign site.

Perry will join the growing list of candidates who have already visited Aiken including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

Derrek Asberry is a beat reporter with the Aiken Standard. He joined the paper in June. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.