NEW YORK - The far-flung attacks claimed by Islamic State militants and the intensifying global effort to crush them added up to a grim, gripping yearlong saga that was voted the top news story of 2015, according to The Associated Press' annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.

The No. 2 story was the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that led to legalization of same-sex marriage in all 50 states. But several of the other stories among the Top 10 reflected the impact of the Islamic State, while another group of major stories related to the series of mass shootings in the United States.

Among the 100 voters casting ballots, first-place votes were spread among 17 stories. The Islamic State entry received 37 first-place votes and same-sex marriage 13. The No. 3 story - the deadly attacks in Paris in January and November - received 14 first-place votes.

A year ago, the top story in AP's poll was the police killings of unarmed blacks in Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere - and the investigations and protests that ensued. In this year's poll, a similar entry, with more instances of blacks dying in encounters with police, placed fifth.

The first AP top-stories poll was conducted in 1936, when editors chose the abdication of Britain's King Edward VIII.

Here are 2015's top 10 stories, in order:

1: ISLAMIC STATE: A multinational coalition intensified ground and air attacks against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, including expanded roles for Western European countries worried about IS-backed terrorism. For its part, IS sought to demonstrate an expansive reach by its operatives and supporters, claiming to have carried out or inspired the bombing of a Russian airliner, attacks in Beirut and Paris, and the deadly shooting in San Bernardino, California.

2: GAY MARRIAGE: Fifteen years after Vermont pioneered civil unions for same-sex couples, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June enabling them to marry in all 50 states. Gay-rights activists heralded it as their movement's biggest breakthrough, but there were flashes of disapproval. A county clerk in Kentucky, Kim Davis, spent a few days in jail after refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples in her jurisdiction.

3: PARIS ATTACKS: The first attack came just a week into the new year. Two brothers who called themselves members of al-Qaida barged into the offices of the satiric newspaper Charlie Hebdo, and later attacked a Jewish market, gunning down 17 people in all. Nov. 13 brought a far deadlier onslaught: Eight Islamic State militants killed 130 people in coordinated assaults around Paris. Targets included restaurants, bars and an indoor rock concert.

4: MASS SHOOTINGS: Throughout the year, mass shootings brought grief to communities across the U.S. and deepened frustration over the failure to curtail them. There were 14 victims in San Bernardino. Nine blacks were killed by a white gunman at a Charleston, South Carolina, church; a professor and eight students died at an Oregon community college. In Chattanooga, four Marines and a sailor were killed by a Kuwaiti-born engineer; three people, including a policeman, were shot dead at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado.

5: BLACK DEATHS IN ENCOUNTERS WITH POLICE: In Baltimore, riots broke out after the death of Freddie Gray, a black man loaded into a van by police officers. In Chicago, Tulsa and North Charleston, South Carolina, fatal police shootings of black men prompted resignations and criminal charges. The incidents gave fuel to the Black Lives Matter campaign, and prompted several investigations of policing practices.

6: TERRORISM WORRIES: Fears about terrorism in the U.S. surged after a married couple in California - described by investigators as radicalized Muslims - carried out the attack in San Bernardino that killed 14 people. The rampage inflamed an already intense debate over whether to accommodate refugees from Syria, and prompted Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump to call for a ban on Muslims coming to the U.S.

7: U.S. ELECTION CAMPAIGN: A large and varied field of Republicans launched bids for the presidency, with billionaire Donald Trump moving out to an early lead in the polls and remaining there despite a series of polarizing statements. He helped attract record audiences for the GOP's televised debates. In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders surprised many with a strong challenge of Hillary Clinton, but she remained the solid front-runner.

8: CLIMATE CHANGE: Negotiators from nearly 200 countries reached a first-of-its kind agreement in Paris on curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Many questions remain over enforcement and implementation of the accord. But elated supporters hailed it as a critical step toward averting the grim scenario of unchecked global warming.

9: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTING: A Bible study session at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, suddenly turned into carnage when a white gunman opened fire, killing nine blacks, including the pastor. The alleged killer's affinity for the Confederate flag sparked debate over the role of Civil War symbols in today's South. In less than a month, the flag was removed from the South Carolina State House grounds.

10: EUROPE'S MIGRANT CRISIS: Fleeing war and hardship, more than 1 million migrants and refugees flooded into Europe during the year, overwhelming national border guards and reception facilities. Hundreds are believed to have drowned; 71 others were found dead in an abandoned truck in Austria. The 28-nation European Union struggled to come up with an effective, unified response.

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Follow David Crary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

To gain a greater understanding of the goals, challenges and desires of the Aiken County Public School District's 24,614 students, Superintendent Dr. Sean Alford, together with his leadership team, established a Student Advisory Council for Aiken County's most important stakeholder - students.

The first meetings were held Dec. 7, 8 and 10 at the District office, with lunch provided by Chick-fil-A of Aiken and a special appearance by their holiday cow.

Principals from Aiken County's 41 public schools nominated students for the Student Advisory Council. Four students were nominated from each high school, three from each middle school and two fourth- and fifth-graders from each elementary school.

"I appreciate the student perspective," Alford said. "To better understand how best to serve them, we need to hear from students directly."

At the meeting, students interacted with Alford and other district leaders.

"It's good to tell Dr. Alford what we think about school and how to make it even better," said Lauren Dziengielewski, a fifth-grade Millbrook student.

Elementary school

Elementary school Student Advisory Council representatives expressed their desire to learn other languages, citing several reasons for their worldly aspirations, including the ability to connect with others and interests in going on adventures. Alford agreed and told the students about his trip to China, where he climbed the Great Wall - "Not too far, though," he said - and met students at their schools.

Elementary school students expressed a collective desire for all students to be treated equally. They also commented on the need for more playground equipment; technology, including laptops, computer classes and science, technology, engineering and mathematics educations; school clubs; and time for the arts.

Students asked district leaders to look at the bathrooms at many of the schools, the age of some textbooks and at the walkways from the car line drop off, many of which do not have protective awnings.

Kindness was a theme of the elementary school students' meeting. Alford asked, and students agreed, to "treat every student with respect, to offer a hand in friendship, be a buddy and make a friend."

Middle school

Alford began the middle school Student Advisory Council meeting by thanking the special group for their willingness to come speak to him.

"I need to hear from you," he said. "The things we do every day should be for your benefit. Please don't sit on your hands. Raise them and tell me what's on your mind."

The sixth- through eighth-graders did just that. They spoke favorably about teachers who go above and beyond, about the newscast at Langley Bath Clearwater Middle, the STEAM focus at New Ellenton and the social interaction that extracurricular activities provide.

Alford asked students if they were challenged in class, and a few students said that they were stretched to their full potential each day.

"Push us," said Alex Romero, from Kennedy Middle School. "Not literally, but in the school way. Make us really think."

Students requested more hands-on work, technology, real-world connections, after-school activities and more time to "just play and be free."

Jackson Middle School parent Nicole Jarvis was thrilled for her daughter Le'Landra to have been selected for the council.

"We didn't have this when I was going through school," she said. "These kids have the opportunity to be heard without feeling like they have to shut down. They truly have a voice."

High school

High school Student Advisory Council members were eager to talk to Alford about their schools. They, too, expressed their appreciation for their teachers and conveyed a strong sense of pride in their schools, some revealing what first came to their mind to describe them. Some of their responses were Midland Valley: talent; Aiken High: drive; Silver Bluff: simple, unique, excellent, strict; North Augusta: pride.

Ridge Spring-Monetta students described their small, family atmosphere. North Augusta students mentioned their school had great competitive energy and a heavy emphasis on class rank. Midland Valley spoke of their school as deeply rooted in the community and described a friendly climate and culture set by their principal.

Wagener-Salley students boasted about having some of the best math and science teachers in the state, describing their faculty as "great people trying to do great things."

Jawaun Walker asked his teachers at Aiken High what they needed to improve the student experience. His teachers requested more technology.

Alford agreed with Aiken High's faculty. "Soon all of our schools will have dedicated computer labs," he said. "We must ensure that you are digitally literate or technologically competent in order to excel in a career."

More attention and support was requested for JROTC, career and technology education programs, band and world languages.

Alford urged students to continue to challenge themselves throughout high school, announcing a future campaign entitled "No More Easy Senior Year."

The superintendent explained that hundreds of students lose the Life Scholarship after their freshmen year in college. "To succeed after high school, you need to purposefully put yourself in situations where your talent will be stretched," he said.

Alford asked council leaders to raise their hand to express various wants and needs. Those included a book fair, incentives for students, funding for other sports such as soccer, less homework, more dual enrollment programs and a more inclusive cellphone policy.

High school students also voiced their appreciation for the opportunity to speak openly with the superintendent.

"He wasn't at all what I expected," said Eddy Murphy, a student at Midland Valley. "He's just down to earth and easy to talk to."

Council meetings will meet again next semester at the District office.

"For students to have a voice in their education, we need to give them a seat at the table where decisions that impact their futures are made," Alford said.

The U.S. Department of Energy reported Savannah River Site's management and operations contractor put forth a "very good" performance en route to awarding the contractor $37.9 million for work accomplished during fiscal year 2015.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, or SRNS, received the total for work done under the scopes of environmental management and the National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA.

The contractor could have earned up to $45.7 million, but was awarded 82.7 percent of the possible fee.

Environmental management work earned the contractor $24.1 million, and NNSA work resulted in $13.7 million.

Under a list of accomplishments on the SRNS scorecard, officials wrote that SRNS was recognized for continued excellence in safety programs, performance and culture.

The Department of Energy also noted success at the site's H Canyon, which processes uranium, plutonium and other nuclear materials.

SRNS was applauded for its Head End process, one that removes solids that can interfere with separation during canyon processing.

Under deficiencies, the DOE referenced the plutonium storage incident that led to the SRNS-induced safety pause, which has "negatively impacted mission work."

Other deficiencies noted by DOE include inadequate coordination with the SRNS Tritium work and performance issues during drills with the SRNS-led fire department on site.

Overall, DOE reported that the agency is satisfied with the contractor's work, including its call to initiate the safety pause. The pause began in September and officially ended in November with a reduced work load still in effect for various facilities.

"The Department believes that the operational pause will strengthen the SRNS safety culture for the future," DOE wrote.

SRNS said a portion of the money will be donated to the local community through the Community Giving program. The contractor added that it is proud of its efforts during fiscal year 2015.

"We will continue to work with our customers to identify opportunities for improvements and to deliver results safely and securely with disciplined conduct of operations," the contractor 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, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.

South Carolina experienced one of its warmest Christmases in decades Friday, but missed the heavy flooding, rainfall and tornado damage experienced in other parts of the South.

The unusually warm December days across parts of the United States were partly due to a weather pattern linked to El Niño - the warming of surface waters in the Pacific Ocean near the equator - turning winter virtually upside-down across parts of the country, according to The Associated Press.

In Aiken County and the CSRA, meteorologists and forecasters with the National Weather Service in Columbia predicted Friday's temperatures to sit at an average of 80 degrees, with a low in the mid- to- high 60s.

Just 45 minutes away in Columbia, temperatures broke its record high at 77 degrees Thursday, then 79 degrees Friday. The record high on Dec. 25, 1964 in parts of South Carolina was 76 degrees.

Jeff Linton, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, said high temperatures this time of year can ring unusual, but not unheard of.

"We are close to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf Stream, we're not that far away, so it can certainly get warm here," he said.

However, Linton said he expects the warm temperatures to break through the weekend, but still stay warmer than expected.

Saturday's forecast calls for a high 78 degrees, a low 62 degrees, with a 20 percent chance of rain. Sunday's and Monday's forecast will sit at a high 77 degrees, a low 62 degrees, with a 20 to 40 percent chance of rain.

Moving further into next week, temperatures are expected to drop below 70 degrees by New Year's Eve. Thursday's forecast calls for a high 65 degrees, a low 50 degrees, with 60 percent chance of rain.

New Year's Day is also expected to stay pretty cool, with a high of 58 degrees, a low 37 degrees, with a 40 percent chance of rain.

"It does look like a cold front is moving in through the area," Linton said. "It's going to get a little cooler on Tuesday and the rest of the week, but temperatures will still stay above normal."

Although shirts, shorts and flip-flop weather might seem like the norm this winter, so far, Linton said the winter cycle still has two months to go.

"We're certainly not out of the woods for having snow again," he said.

Aside from warm weather, Aiken County this week saw 3 to 4 inches of rain, with the average being around 1.5 inches.

In other parts of the country, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes wreaked havoc for holiday travelers and families.

Areas across Alabama, from the Mississippi state line west of Tuscaloosa to the Georgia state line east of Anniston, were expected to receive heavy rainfall, while on Friday tornadoes were possible to touch parts of Alabama north of the I-20 corridor, with other damaging winds of up to 60 mph, the AP reported.

Authorities have also reported weather-related deaths across the South. As of Friday, six people were killed in storms across Tennessee, seven killed in Mississippi and one in Arkansas.

Maayan Schechter is the digital news editor with the Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

A 37-year-old North Augusta man reported Tuesday someone took the tires and rims off his vehicle on Atomic Road and Blackstone Camp Road.

A 52-year-old Beech Island man reported Wednesday an unknown male knocked him over and demanded money after asking for a cigarette on Pinewoods Park Circle.

A 54-year-old Aiken woman called police earlier this month after someone kept putting garbage in her Kedron Church Road mailbox.

Officers reported Wednesday that two properties on Berlin Road in Salley were vandalized by an unknown individual.

A Beech Island man reported Wednesday that someone stole his vehicle. The man told police his girlfriend took their vehicle to a home on Keith Drive in Warrenville, and a man took the vehicle after pointing his gun at her.

A North Augusta man reported Wednesday someone took his dog from his Barbara Lane residence.

An Aiken woman reported earlier this month that someone sent her two text messages, stating that her prescription medication was ready. The woman called an area pharmacy, who said someone in Peru, Indiana, has been getting prescriptions, which are all signed off by a doctor.

Officers responded to a report of a suspicious person and vehicle on Thursday on Pond Road in Bath. The Ridge Spring man told officers his tires were flat. Officers observed that the man had a suspended license, the vehicle's tag was improper and the truck's ignition had been tampered with. A moped in the back of the truck was also found to have a tampered ignition.

An Aiken man reported Thursday that an unknown man stole a vehicle from a Richland Avenue property after asking multiple people for rides.

A Batesburg woman reported Thursday an unknown white woman took her phone and purse from an Old 96 Indian Trail property.

An Aiken man reported Thursday that someone threw a large rock at his vehicle while he was traveling on Pipeline and Reynolds Pond roads.

A Johnston man reported Thursday someone threw a rock at his vehicle on Reynolds Pond Road.

The Small Business Development Center, located at The Mill on Park Avenue, recently received a holiday gift from Security Federal Bank to assist the center with future initiatives.

The SBDC partners with USC Aiken's School of Business Administration to provide entrepreneurial opportunities for its students to work with area businesses and uses office space at The Mill.

In addition to USCA, the SBDC provides consulting services to emerging entrepreneurs and existing businesses in Aiken County and Augusta. This support includes business and financial planning, marketing, strategic planning and licensing.

The SBDC contributes to the economic vitality of the Aiken community and partners with the U.S. Small Business Administration and state and local government.

Scholarship opportunities are available for high school juniors and seniors in the area.

Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness, or CNTA, recently announced the Feb. 29 deadline to submit essays for the group's High School Essay Contest.

The contest is open for juniors and seniors in Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell counties in South Carolina and Burke, Columbia and Richmond counties in Georgia.

Eleventh- and twelfth-grade students of CNTA members, regardless of their county of residence, also may participate.

Each winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship and their school will receive $500. In addition, contest winners, their parents and representatives from their schools will be recognized at the annual Edward Teller Lecture and Banquet in the fall of 2016.

Eligible students are invited to submit a 1,000- to 1,500-word essay on one of the following topics: Discuss the impact of political processes on nuclear technology; discuss the effects of nuclear power plant closures either nationally or internationally. How do these closures affect the stability of the electric grid, the economy of the surrounding areas, and the effect on greenhouse gas emissions? "Green vs. Clean" - discuss the relative merits of fracking versus nuclear to the environment and the economy.

Dr. Marissa Reigel, chairwoman of the CNTA Essay Committee, said the goal of the contest is to increase high school student awareness of nuclear technologies and their impact on society.

"Successful essays require students to integrate science, technology, social understanding and language arts," Reigel said.

Those interested in obtaining entry forms, rules, or any additional information should email Executive Director Mike Johnson at cnta@bellsouth.net or by call 803-649-3456, or email Reigel at marissa.reigel@srnl.doe.gov or call 803-725-3459.

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

While lawmakers continue to navigate ways to secure funding for those affected by October's historic flooding, studying the aftermath of the storm in affected parts of South Carolina could last long after, according to researchers with Clemson Cooperative Extension.

A graphic provided by Clemson University and the National Weather Service, detailing the 120-hour rainfall, shows Aiken County's lowest rainfall numbers to be less than 2 inches, with other parts of the county receiving around 3 inches and those near Orangeburg and Lexington counties receiving upward of 4.86 and greater.

The university reported an estimated 6 trillion gallons of water fell on the state between Oct. 1 and 5, mostly on Oct. 4.

Cal Sawyer, water resources specialist for Clemson Cooperative Extension, said the extension has firstly been a part of the response efforts but the studying continues, including proving the term "thousand-year storm," a phrase that had many scratching their heads during the heavy rains in October.

"This is a very difficult event to get your hands around because it's all about probability and (you hear) 10-year, 20-year, 100-year event and you say to yourself, 'Well, what does that really mean?'" Sawyer said. "From a purely probabilistic standpoint, from a statistical standpoint, what it means is the likelihood of that event occurring is 1-in-100. If you had 100 marbles in a bag and you took out one marble every year for 100 years and one of those marbles is black, that would be the 1-in-100 chance of pulling that black marble."

The event "was really a little more than 1,000 years" but it does not mean the state is in the clear, he said.

"From a purely probabilistic standpoint, I would never guarantee that, 'Whew. We dodged that one. Now we've got 999 years before it will happen again.' That's just not true," Sawyer said. "The probability is just the same next year as right now. It's a rare event, a catastrophic event. The amount of rainfall that fell over that five-day period was unbelievable. It was historic."

Rainfall events are measured in inches or fractions of inches over 24-hour periods, and the National Weather Service keeps official records, Sawyer said. Looking at the frequency tables from the National Weather Service is how the extension service evaluated how great the storm was.

"Those 24 inches of rain fall that fell over five days in parts of South Carolina had never been measured before - going back as far as records have been kept, we never measured that much rainfall over that period of time," Sawyer said. "I hope that this will be viewed as a teaching moment, something that serves as an impetus to mitigate the financial and environmental impacts of severe flooding in the future."

However, Sawyer said the environmental impact of such a rainfall event is modest and episodic flooding can beneficial "outside of the built environment."

This month, the office of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham announced millions in funding in the year-end appropriations bill had been secured to help cover losses associated with flooding in the state.

The funds could be used for unmet housing needs and to help the state's agricultural industry that suffered losses, according to the senator's office.

Graham said South Carolina farmers would be eligible for funds secured for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, the Emergency Forestry Restoration Program and the Emergency Conservation Program. Aiken County farmers could soon be eligible for state aid thorough the proposed Palmetto Farm Aid bill.

Christina Cleveland is a general assignment reporter at the Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @ChristinaNCleve.

South Carolina residents saw the warmest Christmas ever recorded on Friday with temperatures reaching a high of 79 in some parts of the state, and it seems like the warm weather might keep on coming for the days leading up to the new year.

Sunday and Monday are predicted to see temperatures in the mid-to-high 70s with lows in the 60s, according to Tony Petrolito, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Columbia.

Apparently, the unusually warm weather across parts of the nation are partly due to a weather pattern linked to El Niño, which is the warming of surface waters in the Pacific Ocean near the equator.

Sunday's and Monday's forecast will sit at a high 78 degrees and a low of 62 degrees.

"This past week, Aiken County saw upwards of 4 inches of rain in some areas, with an average of about 1 to 1.5 inches," Petrolito said. "There is a slight chance we will get some rain on Sunday and early Monday, with a 20 percent chance of rain. However, moving into Monday night and into Tuesday, the percent chance of rain goes up to 60 percent."

Tuesday and Wednesday will likely see some rain around the state, and parts of Aiken County, Petrolito said.

He said that rain will most likely bring the temperature down to the low-to-mid 60s on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"A cold front is expected to come through the state and into the Aiken area by Thursday, which will bring the temperature back to normal, into the low 60s and into the 50s," Petrolito said. "We predict New Year's Eve will see fairly nice temperatures on Thursday."

Moving into Friday, residents can expect some cooler temperatures, with a high of 58 degrees and a low of 37 degrees; the state might see some more rain though, with a 50 percent chance, Petrolito said.

"This warm weather is a bit out of the ordinary, but South Carolina's coldest month tends to be January, and temperatures will most likely start dropping a bit at the beginning of the new year," he said.

Tripp Girardeau is a beat reporter with the Aiken Standard.

The Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons is holding a seminar on sexual assault prevention training at the Aiken Municipal Building in January.

The Cumbee Center, 135 Lancaster St., provides temporary shelter, counseling and assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The center also offers counseling to offenders and education to the general public.

For this event, the center will hold a three-hour prevention training, which is the first of its kind in Aiken, said Susan Selden, the executive director of the Cumbee Center.

"The event is about getting men more involved in being good role models for younger men and to help explain what healthy masculinity is in order to help prevent sexual assault and domestic violence," Selden said.

She said the training will be facilitated by the national organization Men Can Stop Rape.

It will offer effective strategies to help men identify unhealthy masculinity as the root cause of both domestic and sexual violence and present strategies to promote healthy masculinity, Selden said.

The trainers will be domestic and sexual violence professionals as well as offender managers.

"We want to make sure people truly understand what consent means," Selden said. "There will be workshops on how to prevent rape in a hook-up culture."

By the end of this training, participants will be able to explain how unhealthy masculinity negatively affects young men's relationships with bystander intervention and domestic violence prevention, Selden said.

A one-hour sexual assault bystander intervention workshop will also be conducted, which is applicable for all genders.

The event will take place Jan. 29 at the Aiken Municipal Building, 214 Park Ave.

Selden said those interested in attending can choose from two time slots, one from 9 a.m. to noon or from 2 to 5 p.m.

Anyone interested in registering for this program can visit bit.ly/1jTd0VU.

For more information on the Cumbee Center, call 803-649-0480 or visit www.cumbeecenter.org.

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

Golden Harvest Food Bank's Aiken facility was buzzing with activity the morning of Dec. 19.

Yule Get Food, the annual Christmas giveaway was held, and more than 600 individuals were served.

Turkeys, pizzas, ground beef, canned goods, baked goods, candy canes, toys and blankets were distributed for free.

Founded in 1982 and based in Augusta, Golden Harvest's purpose is to provide quality food and other grocery products to people in need. Formerly known as the Greater Augusta Food Bank, it has given out more than 200 million pounds of food and fed more than 11 million people.

Golden Harvest has a 30-county service area in South Carolina and Georgia. In recent months in Aiken, in addition to Yule Get Food, Golden Harvest has held a food drive called It's Spooky To Be Hungry and an event called Taste of the Harvest: See, Eat and Believe, which offered food from local restaurants and chefs, live music and information about Golden Harvest's programs.

The organization's efforts include The Backpack Program, which provides nearly 2,500 children who might not have much to eat otherwise with a supply of nutritious foods in easy-to-open containers for the weekends.

In addition, Golden Harvest gives senior citizens with fixed incomes boxes of groceries monthly. The organization also operates mobile food pantries that deliver produce and other grocery products to areas where there are no traditional food pantries.

In Augusta, the Master's Table Soup Kitchen serves a hot lunch to more than 300 hungry people every day.

For more information about Golden Harvest, call 706-736-1199 in Augusta or visit www.goldenharvest.org.

The phone number for Golden Harvest's Aiken warehouse is 803-642-2912.

Heather Koon is coming to Aiken.

Koon, from Westminster, won the Experience Aiken Getaway contest sponsored by the Aiken Downtown Development Association and the city of Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department.

Koon won a free trip to Aiken, which includes one night's stay for two in a premium suite at The Carriage House Inn; dinner for two at Rose Hill Estate; lunch for two at Betsy's on the Corner; Sunday brunch for two at The Willcox; two tour tickets to the Historic Aiken Trolley Tour; a tin of candy from Cyndi's Sweet Shoppe; two Aiken ceramic mugs; and tickets to Aiken at Christmas: A Watercolor Music Story by The Aiken Singers.

"We are very thankful to all the businesses who generously donated gifts and services to make for such an attractive contest," said Jenny Burghardt, the City's tourism supervisor.

The contest received 421 entries from potential visitors from all over the U.S. and abroad, including the U.K., California, Iowa, Texas, New York, and many entries from South Carolina and Georgia.

"The City of Aiken Tourism Department looks forward to continuing to engage these individuals through various tourism marketing campaigns," Burghardt said. "Furthermore, this contest has created a great buzz around Aiken as a destination with the posts about it on Facebook alone having a reach of over 75,000 people and being re-shared 285 times.

Burghardt added, "Aiken certainly is a place like no other. We look forward to welcoming Heather and many more guests to our city in the coming year. We are thankful for so many wonderful partners who helped us put together the Aiken Getaway Package to promote tourism to Aiken."

For more information on all things to do and see in Aiken, visit www.visitaikensc.com.

Dan Brown is the government reporter with the Aiken Standard.

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

A 27-year-old Warrenville man called police Friday after someone broke into his Trout Street residence. He said two televisions and two gaming systems were stolen.

A 25-year-old Aiken woman reported Saturday morning her 25-year-old husband assaulted her at their Sharyn Lane home. Deputies reported finding no injuries on the woman and determined she was lying about being assaulted.

A 32-year-old Aiken man reported Friday an unknown individual vandalized his and his wife's vehicles, which were both parked on Loren Street.

A 20-year-old Aiken woman called police Friday claiming a 25-year-old man assaulted her by hitting her in the face at a Beech Island residence. The man told deputies that never happened and deputies reported seeing no injuries on the woman.

Deputies reported to a gas station Friday on Jefferson Davis Highway in Clearwater after two sisters got into a fight, assaulting one another.

A 19-year-old Warrenville woman was arrested Friday for shoplifting after being caught on security cameras stealing merchandise from an Old Depot Street store. The 23-year-old Warrenville man she was with also was arrested for a shoplifting warrant.

A Beech Island man reported Friday someone threw a brick through the passenger side of his vehicle parked outside his Shining Starr Lane residence.

An Aiken woman called police Friday after someone stole her vehicle parked outside an Augusta Road residence in Warrenville.

A Belvedere woman reported Friday she was assaulted by her husband in front of their two children at their Celeste Avenue home.

An Aiken man called police Friday after someone broke into his Sandy Hollow home by prying open a rear door to the house.

A 44-year-old North Augusta woman was arrested Friday for disorderly conduct when deputies found her intoxicated and asleep in the roadway on Audubon Circle.

A 25-year-old North Augusta woman called police Friday after her boyfriend broke things in their Navaho Drive residence and threw the woman's cellphone in the toilet.

A 42-year-old North Augusta man reported on Dec. 20 an acquaintance of his stole two empty beer kegs from his Seymour Drive residence.

Animal abuse

Civilized society is judged by the way it treats its animals, in addition to each other. Anyone who intentionally abuses or kills domesticated animals for pleasure are themselves animals and capable of doing the same to humans.

Wire Road

Anyone drive on Wire Road lately? It's a pig pen with all the litter. Great example for the elementary kids to see every day coming and going from school. Beautiful farm fields and the roadside covered in papers and beer cans. Any pride, people?

ISIS

All those critical of the way President Obama has been handling the fight against ISIS need to remember that the reason ISIS came into existence is because President Bush began an unfounded war against Iraq, destabilizing their government, and ISIS came in to fill the void. The world has been trying to do damage control ever since.

Former mayor

Let's not knock Mr. Cavanaugh. He is a wonderful person. I'm sure Rick Osbon will make a good mayor, but Cavanaugh will be missed.

Emergency room

To the person who expressed their concerns over having to wait in the emergency room. Apparently, your knowledge of what is an emergency and what is not is quite lacking. If the patient's condition or complaint was indeed considered an emergency, they would have been brought back in a timely fashion.

Workers who developed cancer and other ailments due to their work at nuclear facilities should have better access to federal compensation, according to two Palmetto State congressmen.

U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson, a Republican, and Jim Clyburn, a Democrat, spoke about the issue after their colleague, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, penned a letter earlier this week to the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Cleaver's letter calls for a congressional hearing and a closer look at the compensation program in place for workers to receive their benefits.

His efforts are in response to a recent report from McClatchy's Washington Bureau that confirms at least 33,480 deaths as a result of seven decades of "atomic weaponry" dating back to the Cold War era and tells the stories of several impacted workers, including some who worked at the Savannah River Site.

Overall, 107,394 Americans have been diagnosed with cancers and other diseases after building the nation's nuclear stockpile over the past seven decades, according to McClatchy.

The publication also reported less than half of the workers who seek compensation actually receive it.

The issue doesn't sit well with Cleaver, who was a nuclear worker before becoming a politician.

"It is imperative that the federal government pursues appropriate action to right this wrong," Cleaver wrote in the letter. "We must not abandon those who served our nation with patriotism and professionalism."

Workers can gain access to benefits through the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, or EEOICPA. Wilson said Congress owes it to those workers to make sure the program is working correctly and in a timely manner.

"The employees worked tirelessly to protect our nation and American families during a critical time in our history, correctly praised as Cold War victors, achieving peace through strength," he said.

Clyburn told McClatchy that the goal is good, but "I don't know how good the program is."

He added, "These people were a significant part of saving the country, and they ought to be treated that way."

Only medical costs related to the specific diagnosis that was the basis for acceptance into the EEOICPA are covered.

Locally, groups such as the SRS Retiree Association Resource Center and the Cold War Patriots serve as a middleman to help the retirees get their benefits through the Department of Labor.

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.

Sometimes, a man gets a notion, a thought in his mind, a thought he can't shake.

It starts as a tickle at the nape of his neck and continues until it becomes a screaming incessant voice inside his head.

Think, Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams" - if you build it, they will come.

Or in the case of Brandon Imler, a 34-year-old kayaking enthusiast from Aiken, "There is a river and I must paddle it."

Imler got it in his head to kayak the Savannah River from Augusta downstream to Savannah, Georgia - a trip of more than 150 miles. The notion occupied his thoughts for the better part of a year, and over the summer, Imler began planning the trip in earnest.

"I am 34, and am in average physical shape," he said. "I've been working out for a year now and lost 65 pounds since I started."

The Minnesota native moved to Atlanta at age 16, and two years ago, moved three hours and 150 miles due east to Aiken.

Imler anticipated a nine-day trip averaging 23 miles per day with a total distance of 210 miles.

"But I completed the trip in five days, kayaking a total of 168 river miles," he said.

The Holy Grail of kayaking

Imler called the Augusta to Savannah run, the "Holy Grail of kayaking," and had the advantage of a 2.5 mph current at his back, which helped in traversing the meandering river between here and the Talmedge Memorial Bridge in Savannah, a couple hundred yards from his stopping point on Hutchinson Island across from Savannah's historic River Street.

Imler began his trip on Nov. 20, a mild autumn day with blue skies overhead. His provisions were light - "Whatever I could cook by mixing with water," he said.

He packed his 13-foot VIBE Sea Ghost kayak with 171 pounds of food, 8 gallons of water, a two-person tent, a 20-degree sleeping bag, a Garmin eTrex Vista HCx GPS, solar radio, camp stove and extra clothes and set off downstream shortly after 3 p.m. on a Friday afternoon.

"I had a late start but finally hit the river around 3 p.m., covering 7.8 miles of river to camp," Imler said in his blog, traveling 4.2 straight miles and 7.8 river miles, paddling for 2 hours and 17 minutes.

Making do with nature

Imler packed hearty, high-calorie soups, instant mashed potatoes, protein bars, granola bars and powdered sports drinks to mix with water.

"I didn't want to pack a cooler since after the first two days I would be hauling around dead, useless weight. So everything had to be compact, light weight and able to be cooked with just water."

Imler put in the Savannah River at the new Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam Park, and, for the next week, he roughed it. Bare necessities only. No heat, no TV and only his thoughts to occupy his time. He hoped to average about 9 miles a day on the river.

"I just made do with nature," he said about the lack of bathroom facilities. "I planned extensively by looking at Google Maps to decide best spots or clearings to pull out and camp, but I never once stayed where I had mapped out since once I got there it was either flooded or covered with brush and I couldn't access it."

Making good time

On Saturday, Imler's second day on the river, he broke camp before dawn and made good time.

"This morning I was on the river before dawn," he wrote in his blog. "The river is flowing at a rate of 2.5 mph on average, but the wind was blowing 5 mph against me the whole way. The river was very turbulent beneath the surface. I passed the Savannah River Site and Plant Vogtle. There were some stunning cliffs along the river, as well."

Imler averaged 3.8 mph traveling 22.24 straight miles and 37.7 river miles, paddling for 9 hours and 48 minutes.

Imler paced himself, so no blisters or cramps. He didn't want to over exert himself before reaching Savannah.

Imler only encountered rain during his third day on the river, where the Savannah River widened and its current dropped to just over 1 mph.

He said the biggest thrill for him was crossing beneath the Interstate 95 bridge around 20 miles from Savannah.

"Each bridge felt like a milestone had been passed," he said.

Why did I do this?

The question Imler has been most asked, leading up to, during and now after the trip, was "Why?"

Why do something like this, a 168 mile, five-day kayak trip, alone, down the Savannah River.

"I started learning more and more history of the river and decided it was something I had to do," he said.

As for navigating the Savannah River, Imler said the river was fairly easy to paddle through, but he had to contend with what he called, "Very high water levels."

He maintained a daily blog recounting his day's experiences and for the most part, spent his time on the river alone.

"I only ran into the guys fishing during my second day on the river, who shared a beer with me," he said. "Other than that, I saw no one else on the river the whole trip."

Most of all, Imler enjoyed the serenity and solitude of his time on the river.

"I was really looking forward to some alone time for reflection on my own self. My hand-held hiking GPS mapped my progress and tracked distances for me. I didn't capsize, but the container ships in Savannah was the only time water came over the bow of the kayak. They were huge."

As for doing it again, Imler would jump at the opportunity, if time permits.

"I would definitely go again now that I know better places to camp and have a familiarity of the river," he said. "I would highly recommend this trip. I enjoyed every part of it, especially the solitude and oneness I could feel with nature."

To read Brandon Imler's blog recounting his kayaking trip down the Savannah River from Augusta to Savannah, visit http://bit.ly/1TjlFgO.

Dan Brown is the government reporter for the Aiken Standard.

Residents attending the HarborChase Christmas party Tuesday evening got a unique and fun experience, which included a professional Elvis Presley impersonator and a "Tour of Trees."

HarborChase of Aiken, 1385 Silver Bluff Road, is an assisted living and memory care community, which holds a series of holiday events during the week of Christmas. On Tuesday evening, it held "An Elvis Kind of Christmas" party.

The event featured traditional Christmas songs, along with a special celebration of the music of Elvis Presley, presented by Elvis impersonator Jason Sikes, said Denise Raymond, director of life enrichment with HarborChase.

"There was about 100 attendees who definitely had a lot of fun during the event," Raymond said. "Sikes (Elvis) sang songs and gave satin scarves to all the ladies during his performance. Oh, you bet the ladies loved that."

The King of Rock's hits were performed throughout the evening, including well-known songs such as "Blue Christmas" and "All Shook Up."

The event also featured a "Tour of Trees," which took place during intermissions of the Elvis performance. This is where guests enjoyed complimentary holiday snacks and had the opportunity to judge specially-decorated Christmas trees.

The holiday snacks were internationally inspired Christmas dishes from around the world, Raymond said.

"People were so excited to see all the holiday treats at each of the locations," Raymond said. "It was like walking through the halls of HarborChase to discover the next edible holiday treat. Plus, the tree viewing added such a wonderful component to the overall experience. The event was so jammed-packed (that) you left wanting the opportunity to have more time to view trees, and taste holiday treats."

She said this was the first time the facility has held this type of event.

"There were about 25 total exhibits for the guests to enjoy," Raymond said. "Everyone who attended was able to engage all of their senses by tasting and smelling the food, seeing all the lights on the decorated trees and hearing the memorable music during the Elvis performance. The choices for holiday fun were so abundant guests had to make a decision as to which activities they wanted to be part of most."

Tripp Girardeau is a beat reporter with the Aiken Standard.

Aiken County Animal Shelter employees and Friends of the Animal Shelter volunteers recently boosted their value and effectiveness by taking the first-ever kennel technician class tailored specifically for animal shelter professionals.

The class is offered in partnership with Aiken Technical College, Aiken County and FOTAS.

Previous County shelter manager Martha Chadwick and Dr. Steven F. Simmons, ATC'S dean of Business, Computer Technology and Training, came up with the idea for the course, which included behavioral study, observation of the animals and hands-on training and practice in the care of orphaned cats and dogs at the shelter.

Dr. Katie Comerford, a local veterinarian, created the final curriculum and taught the program, which ran from early November to mid-December, two nights a week at the shelter. ATC supplied the instructional books and other reading materials.

"We are so thankful to FOTAS for giving the shelter and its employees this unique opportunity," FOTAS President Jennifer Miller said. "Receiving this added education will allow the staff to cross-train for various positions and effectively and safely serve in different roles at the shelter."

The supplementary instruction will make it easier for staff members to fill in for their fellow employees when needed.

The class curriculum was based on ATC's vet assistant course but was tweaked for the particular needs of shelter professionals.

"This is the first time we have done anything like this," Comerford said. "Certainly, some of the issues and needs that come up at an animal shelter are different from those at a veterinary office or hospital, and that is why we customized the curriculum for the ACAS staff. But our goal starting out was to provide valuable knowledge and training that the employees could successfully apply to their daily work duties, and I think we are on target to do just that."

During the class, shelter staff and volunteers learned how to hold an animal properly and to safely draw blood, insert a microchip, examine an injury or ailment, administer oral medication and spot signs of illness and parasites.

Learning the symptoms of common medical conditions in dogs and cats and being better able to spot signs of canine and feline illnesses were valuable lessons for Georgianna Conger and Sylvia Igoe, who foster shelter dogs, especially mothers and their puppies.

"I've learned a lot, and the class definitely has given me more knowledge," Conger said. "We whelp puppies at home, so it's great to know more of the mechanics and how to deal with sicknesses and things that come up, although everyone at the shelter is wonderful in helping us deal with puppies and mamas that have problems."

Igoe agreed.

"Recognizing when a puppy is sick before it gets really sick is important," she said. "It's good to have this knowledge so we can take care of them properly and help them get healthy."

Lyn Irilli, a veterinarian assistant at the shelter, said the class will help her take over for Sandy Larsen, a senior vet assistant, who is retiring at the end of the month. In her position, she will help with spays and neuters and other procedures and work with the foster families.

Conger said one of the shelter's critical needs is finding more foster families.

"It's hard on one hand because our puppies leave us and get adopted, but it's a great thing on the other hand because we get to help the next litter," Conger said.

A native of Aiken, Larry Wood covers education for the Aiken Standard.

The final game of Rashad Byrd's football career at North Augusta High School may have been a loss, but his performance was pretty indicative of what had made him a vital part of the Yellow Jackets' program for several seasons. He ran for a touchdown on a fourth down play and also threw a pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the game against Blythewood. Those two scores showed of his versatility, but it was his first score that highlighted his main impact when on the field. Byrd intercepted a pass and took it 74-yards for a touchdown. He would go on to intercept two other passes in the game. It was nothing new, as he had been causing a problem for opposing offenses all season long since his pick-six in the season opener. Those big plays are what have made him the Aiken Standard Defensive Player of the Year for 2015, the second consecutive season he's won the award.

"That last game, he gave everything," North Augusta head coach Brian Thomas said. "I don't know what else you could do in a football game to impact a game."

Byrd called that game the highlight of his illustrious years at North Augusta, and he was thankful that it capped another award-winning season.

"I'm just blessed that people think that highly of me and the I can produce enough to win it two years in a row," Byrd said.

For many players it would be difficult to duplicate the success of his junior season. Byrd led the area in tackles last year and had five sacks and two interceptions in 2014 en route to the award. This season, Byrd rose to the occasion again with impressive defensive numbers while contributing even more on offense than he did last year.

Byrd finished his senior season with 148 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, two sacks, five interceptions, two forced fumble, and a blocked punt. He found the end zone on a couple of those interceptions and his forced fumble in the game against South Aiken in the regular-season finale was scooped up for a score by a teammate to change the momentum of the game.

Byrd also made a difference in the field position battle before the defensive unit even took the field. His 36.4-yard average on punts often times got the Yellow Jackets' defense off on the right foot. The 6-foot-1, 205 pound linebacker always draws the attention of opposing coaches and players.

There were several times throughout the season when the opposition locked in on him and freed up another defender to make a play. Thomas also pointed out that there were those moments when everybody had eyes on Byrd, but he still made a big play.

To Thomas, the biggest asset Byrd provided was leadership both on and off the field of play. Thomas praised Byrd for his intelligence and his knack for helping out other kids on the team.

"Rashad's a special kid and a special talent. I always tell people that he's as good of a kid as he is a football player, or even better at times," Thomas said "Having him back meant a lot to our program. He was able to make a lot of plays for us and help out with some of our young kids and guide them along a little bit on defense."

The one problem Thomas had to face was picking and choosing the spots to play Byrd both ways. His impressive offensive numbers make the defensive numbers stand out more. He found time to be among the areas top players in tackles and interceptions while rushing for 236 yards, catch two touchdown passes and throw another touchdown pass.

Some of Byrd's offensive plays were planned and several more came as a result of injuries, but regardless of how he ended up lined up on the offensive side of the ball, he still found a way to keep up his intensity when it was time to play defense again.

Byrd started on both offense and defense in his early years in high school, something he credited with being able to have the stamina and mental capacity to deal with the load of work. He also gave a lot of the credit to the coaching staff for creating a great game plan of when to utilize him.

"Coach (Craig) Gilstrap and coach Thomas always worked it out to where I could do certain things, whether it be me actually having the ball in my hands or using me as a decoy."

At times, Thomas wished he could've played Byrd every down if it were possible, but he knew he had to pick his spots.

"Like I said, we tried not to overuse him if we could help it," Thomas added. "He just was that kind of player and made plays no matter what side of the ball he was on."

Byrd has offers from a bevy of schools in the Big South and Southern Conferences and most recently added FBS competitor Army to the list of schools to offer him a scholarship. Other big universities like Clemson, Georgia Tech and Duke have also expressed interest in bringing Byrd on as an addition to their programs as well.

"Wherever he goes he's going to be a great addition to their program. Like I said, they're getting a special kid. Whoever it may be, that team is going to be better for having him," Thomas said.

Byrd said he isn't too worried about how the recruiting process turns out or where he'll be utilized on the field in college. He's pleased with the schools that have offered him. If a bigger school comes along he says he will take them into consideration, but he's pleased with the academics and athletics of the programs that have offered him so far. He believes that wherever he goes to play he the program will know they are getting a quality player because of his years at North Augusta.

Thomas added that once Byrd is gone, the linebacker will be sorely missed by everyone affiliated with the North Augusta program.

"Part of what I'll miss is the relationship. Football is one thing, but I've built up a pretty good relationship with the kid," Thomas said. "He's fantastic to be around, and his leadership on the field and off the field is pretty big."

Eric Russell is the sports editor at the Aiken Standard. Contact him at 803-644-2396.

LOS ANGELES - "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has reached $1 billion at the box office, reaching the milestone with record-setting hyper speed.

The Walt Disney Co. said Sunday that "The Force Awakens" crossed the mark over the holiday weekend. The film accomplished the feat in just 12 days. The previous movie to reach $1 billion the fastest was Universal's "Jurassic World," which did it in 13 days in June. "Jurassic World" also had the benefit of record grosses in China. "The Force Awakens" doesn't open in the world's second-largest movie market until Jan. 9.

J.J. Abrams' installment of "Star Wars" also posted the biggest Christmas Day box office in history with $49.3 million and the best second-weekend take with an estimated $150 million.