An Aiken man faces kidnapping and domestic violence charges after a woman told police the man barricaded her inside of a home and threatened to kill her if she left, according to the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

Joseph Dicks, 25, of Nondron Street, is charged with kidnapping and domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, according to jail records.

He also faces charges of manufacture, possession of other substances and distribution of methamphetamine first offense, all related to a separate incident.

An Aiken woman told police she and Dicks argued Thursday over missing money, when the suspect began punching the victim in the face, causing swelling and bruising to the left eye and nose, according to an Aiken County Sheriff's Office incident report.

The victim said the assault went on for about an hour, the report said.

The following day, the victim said she and the suspect continued to argue, when he slammed her to the ground and whipped her with a cord from a phone charger, leaving cord marks on her left arm, according to the report.

The victim said the suspect would not let her leave the home and put a large china cabinet in front of the front door and threatened to kill her if she left, the report said.

Police records state the victim said the suspect then hit her on the back of the head with a metal flashlight, and when she went to wash the blood off of her head in the shower, the suspect poured bleach over her.

The victim told police she was only able to leave the house when she saw a friend's car drive up, the report said.

The officer reported all incidents occurred within the City of New Ellenton's jurisdiction. The case has since been turned over to the New Ellenton Police Department.

The suspect was arrested by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office and New Ellenton Police Department officers on Saturday in the area of Fairway Farm Road in New Ellenton, according to a separate incident report.

During a search, the responding officer found a small bag containing a crystal meth substance and a large bag containing a large amount of a green marijuana substance, the report said.

It wasn't immediately known Monday afternoon whether Dicks has an attorney.

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

ATLANTA - Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal says Tennessee-based Dollar General Corp. plans a 1 million-square-foot distribution center southeast of Atlanta that will employ 500 people when the plant is fully operational.

Deal said Monday that the new facility is expected to serve more than 1,000 stores across the southeastern U.S. The company, based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, operates more than 650 stores.

The governor said the distribution center is scheduled to operate at full capacity by the fall of 2017.

Dollar General announced Monday that it has purchased land for the center -- its 15th such facility -- in the Jackson, Georgia, area, about 45 miles southeast of Atlanta.

The company's 14 other distribution centers are in Alabama, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Rock band The Monkees is celebrating 50 years and is stopping by Augusta on its 50th Anniversary Tour.

The show will be July 24 at 7:30 p.m., at The Bell Auditorium, 712 Telfair St.

Tickets of $79, $69 and $49 will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Proceeds will benefit United Way of the CSRA.

The original Monkees consisted of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones.

Jones died in 2012, and the tour will only include Dolenz and Tork.

"When four young men were cast in the television roles of a struggling rock band inspired by The Beatles' 'A Hard Day's Night,' few could have predicted the impact The Monkees would make on music and pop culture at large, an impact that still reverberates 50 years later," as stated in a press release. "Now, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork (present) a full evening of magic music and multi-media splendor, including clips from their Emmy Award-winning series. Their new show features all of the Monkees hits, plus an intimate acoustic set and solo spots for each of the singers."

For more information, visit www.augustaentertainmentcomplex.com or call 877-428-4849.

Stephanie Turner graduated from Valdosta State University in 2012. She then signed on with the Aiken Standard, where she is now the features reporter. She primarily covers health topics, arts and entertainment, authors and restaurants.

May 2016

Master of Education

Katie Lynn Reddington

Master of Science

Amanda Catherine Atkinson, Jessie Kaye Light, Matthew Jordan Nelson, Erin Elizabeth Stuck and Kimberly Brooke Wiley

August 2016

Master of Education

Lauren Elizabeth Blanton and Katherine Lenore Head

Master of Science

Brian Burke Johnson, Martin Alexander Knoll, Kirsten Elizabeth Shirley, Megan Rae Stauffer, Jaclyn Ciera Turner, Matthew Nicholas Tyra, Elizabeth Carol Willits and Noah Remick Wolkowicz

May 2016

Bachelor of Arts

Angel Janel Albright; Brittainy Altemease Allen; Shawna Marie Allinger; Hannah Paige Allison; Dyesha Deanise Baker; Victoria Elizabeth Barbee; Joseph Thomas Berry; Elizabeth Lauren Bishop, Cum Laude; Rebecca Anne Bjork; Mikayla Nachellle Bledsoe; Kelsie Denay Blocker; Kyara Dawnn Bolden; Taylor Marlenia Lauren Boles; Samantha Ann Bolton; Kellyn Elise Brooks, Cum Laude; Olivia Grace Burbage, Summa Cum Laude; Zachary Whittaker Burch; Jonathan Morgan Burton, Summa Cum Laude; Janice Caitlin Butler, Magna Cum Laude; Kirsten Kendrick Ceron; Jamie Carmel Clifton; Patience TyQuashia Davis; Patrick Cambell Davis, Cum Laude; Paxton Ann-Elizabeth DeBeaugrine; Ashley Nicole Diedrich; Ashley LaQuinn Dixon; Carl Palmour Elliott; Diani Chantell Ellison; Bailey Lamae Gantt; Joseph Michael Gill; Jasielle Darlynn Gray; Katelyn Elizabeth Grisillo, Cum Laude; Emily Catherine Haggard; Lacey Alexandra Hampton; Sarah Sabrina Hardwick; Jessica Leah Hardy; Brittany Ashton Hendricks, Magna Cum Laude; Jared Isaiah Hines; Charles Robert Horton; Cum Laude; Chastity Dominique Houston; Shana Elizabeth Ingram, Cum Laude; Jamacia Sheree Jimerson; Jessica Nicole Jennings; Emily Amanda Johnson; Gabrielle Davinia Johnson; Marcus Gregory Johnson; Erika Monique Jones; Leo Doral Jones; Hazel Miriam Kelley, Magna Cum Laude; Ajay Sivan Krishnakumar, Cum Laude; Jennifer Louise Law; Kelley Zane McElyea; Satin Lee McIntosh; Christian Lee Medders; Sarah Anne Montei; Taylor Paige Morgan; Scott Joseph Netherton; Christian Symone Nunnley, Summa Cum Laude; James Donald Paisley; Rina Patel; Sara Rebekah Rains, Cum Laude; Jelisa Tiera Audé Raysor; Jackson Lee Redd, Magna Cum Laude; John Gator Reeder; Holly Kathleen Reese; Parker Alan Riggs; Kevin Deyonta Roach; Lakeisha Rudolph; Sarah Lucille Samundsen; Jennevieve Angelique Sevilla; Kiran Maqsood Sheikh, Magna Cum Laude; Shayla Samone Simmons; Alisha Marie Simpson; Briana Drucilla Smith; James Edward Smith; Abigail Catherine Sorrenson; Gerry Jerome Stevens; Jonathan Patrick Carpenter Stroupe; Kayla Alexandra Tamas, Cum Laude; Courtney Elizabeth Templeton, Cum Laude; Melissa Shere Thompson; Jemar Sinclair Trottie; Connor Whitley Turner; Rachel Ann Vaughan; Asha Amira Washington; Ashlyn Marie Washington; Rachel Elizabeth Watford; Rebecca Erin Weaver, Magna Cum Laude; Kelsey Rachelle Webber; Brantley James Westbrook and Tamara Paige Younce

Bachelor of Arts in Education

Demetria Reneá Bannister; Destiny Kamia Berry; Candace Morgan Britt, Cum Laude; Shiniqua Keyandra Brooks; Amber Dawn Bryan; Sandra E. Chambers, Cum Laude; Kourtney Michael Chapman, Magna Cum Laude; Rachel Elizabeth Crosby; Thomas Andrew Drafts; Kimberly Jones Floyd; Lee Ellen Fulmer, Magna Cum Laude; Stacey Marie Gilbert, Summa Cum Laude; Shawanda Norlisha Grant; Stacy Coletta Hill; Ashley Nicole Holtsizer; Brittany LeeAnn Ivey; Garrett Jackson Jones; Kelsey Nicole Lankford; Jonetia Marika Livingston; Shelby Ann Malsbury, Cum Laude; Luke Wesley McClure; Hannah Elizabeth McGee; Victoria Elaine Padgett; Nicole Marie Pearce, Magna Cum Laude; Tameika Latrice Tinsley, Cum Laude; and Karson Michael Welty, Cum Laude

Bachelor of Arts in Special Education

Kerri Marie Busbee; Megan Taylor Hunkins, Cum Laude; Cassie Nicole Shumpert, Cum Laude; and Katherine Paige Silman

Bachelor of Science

Matthew Justin Aaron; Arnisha Shondré Atkinson; Angelica Antoinette Baylor; Jenna Louise Beauregard; Maijer Jibril Bell; Quandaireal Leandrea Blue; Brittany Dawn Bowen; Jasmine Latia Byrd; Sharcole Chaneé Canty; Monica Michelle Cardona, Magna Cum Laude; Chitravati Devi Choony, Magna Cum Laude; Cody James Clester, Cum Laude; Ashleigh Jaleesa Coleman; Andrew Steven Cornejo; Margie Elizabeth Craven; Hallie Denise Davidson; Stephanie Sullymar Diaz; Manuel Nicholas Dominguez, Cum Laude; Benjamin Keegan Donath; William Allen Dreibelbis, Magna Cum Laude; Mariah Nicole Durian, Cum Laude; Skylar Elizabeth Eargle; Jasmine Lydia Sharaé Ford; Christina Lee Fowler; Chandler Kennedy Frick; Tyler James Gambrell, Cum Laude; Kristin Marie Garlick; David Michael Gilbert, Magna Cum Laude; Kailaya Desarie Gordon; Teagan Tretis Jarell Green; Robert Abbott Hambrick; Shoniquea Reneé Mona Harper; Tyisha Jhana Henderson; Rodney Raul Jaramillo; Katrena Lavanda Jenkins; Collin Thomas Jones, Cum Laude; Joshua Daniel King; Kayley Ellen Kirkland, Magna Cum Laude; Jennie Rose Lacaz; Cole Travis Lee; Micaiah Nissi Leslie, Cum Laude; KaDonna Lubertha Lewis, Cum Laude; Samantha Lynne Lisek, Cum Laude; Ca'Shara Latrice Lott; Darren Thomas Loveday, Cum Laude; Daane Mallek; Lauren Brooke Masanovich; Caleb Morris McMahen, Magna Cum Laude; Manuel Medina; Benjamin Thomas Mills; Marya Renee Moultrie; LaQuan Everett Nelson; Brian Ralph Nichols; Rebecca Ann O'Shea, Cum Laude; Jessica Lane Owens; Daymond Romell'o Parrilla, Cum Laude; Rickaya LaRuth Peeples; Corey Adam Pitts; Shane Patrick Pyles; Ryan Michael Rafanan; Alexandria Rae Ravenell; Crystal Marie Rish; Latoya Nicole Ryant; Kelsey Danae Sawyer, Magna Cum Laude; Victoria Mae Shores, Summa Cum Laude; Brittany Latrice Shorter; Taylor Nicole Simmons; Dean John James Smith; Kayla Maree Smith, Magna Cum Laude; Taylor Erin Stacy; Tori Bradley Starnes; Olivia Leigh Stiltner; Samantha Leigh Strock; Camille Helen Summer; Christina Nichole Thomas, Cum Laude; Contessa De'Shavor Thomas; Kristen Brooke Thomas, Cum Laude; Vinh Phat Phan Ton; Alexis La'faith Townsend; Marquis Antwon Tucker; Kayce Tai Vanpelt, Cum Laude; Madelyn Blair Wasden, Cum Laude; Denzel Maurice Washington; Emma Watts; Emily Morgan Webb, Cum Laude; Jeremy Stephen Weeks, Summa Cum Laude; Monica Ashley Wheeler; Ericka Nichole Wiley; Thelma Adrienne Wilson; Kendell Scott Woods, Cum Laude; Austin Nicholas Worden, Cum Laude; Tyler James Wright; and Tyler Stephen Young

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Mohammed Abdullah Massey Aldossary, Cum Laude; Nathanial Rivers Baker; Samantha Lynn Baker; Matthew Ronald Bielewicz; Aaron Lee Blackmon; Timothy Frank Boerste, Cum Laude; Robert Kemper Green Cannon; Alyson Reed Chain; Ettore Damiani; James Albert Deal, Cum Laude; Haiyen Do; Shannon Torrell Duffins; Rachel Nicole Economos; Felix Louis Espada; Wade A. Ford, Cum Laude; Deneshia Keyona Freeman; Kimberly NeAndrea Frost; Kenni Amaiya Gill; Cameron Marshall Hasty; Mitchell Heyward Higgins; Brandon Michael Hilderbrand; Tysherryca Taneecya Johnson; Jeremy William Lacey; Gabriel Macebo Locher; Andrew Charles Lynch; Jerry Russell Matthews; Gregory Allen McLeod; Kimberley Valentina Mickens; Gabrielle Vernice Mullen; Allen Shane Nicholls; Quyen Ngoc Nguyen, Cum Laude; Michael Ellis Occhipinti; Kendre'L Juan Pixley; Brandon Sloan Lenair Poole; Courtney Nicole Powers; Andrew Michael Ridout; Kendra Chantel Riggins; Jerry F. Rogers; Nora D. Sanders; Maximilian Christian Schoen, Cum Laude; Alisha Kristen Sculley; Sharon Curtis Shelley; Molly Louise Shuler, Cum Laude; Jarrel Dashone Smalls; Ashlynn Leigh Stephenson; Gavin Ernest Kennedy Stepehnson; Karli Joanna Stone, Cum Laude; Justin Edwards Swearingen; Ryan Paul Swygert, Cum Laude; Brian Nelson Washnock; John Benjamin Webb, Cum Laude; Derek David Wiley; Jasamine Shala Williams; and Cynthia Denise Willis

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

JonHenry Wayne Allen; Kristen Lynette Anderson, Cum Laude; David Paul Bell; Brent Joseph Blackmon, Magna Cum Laude; Lacey Jeanne Blair; Ashley Nicole Brown, Cum Laude; Peyton Nichole Burger, Cum Laude; LeKisha Denise Cave; Allison Kaydon Crider, Cum Laude; RacQuel Ann Fritts, Cum Laude; Heather Miranda Gagnon, Cum Laude; Nadira Louise Gary; Lyntia Denise Graves; Lisa Dianne Hersey; Christopher Robert Buis; Arielle Falan Jennings; Alyssa Marie Johnson, Magna Cum Laude; Melissa Erin Lane, Summa Cum Laude; Anna Michelle Long, Cum Laude; Sophia Karina Martinez, Magna Cum Laude; Stephanie Paige Maynard; Hannah Elizabeth Melancon, Magna Cum Laude; Whitney Ann Miller, Magna Cum Laude; Jenni Lisa Moseley; Karen Angelica Pacheco; Catherine Nicole Richards, Cum Laude; Walton Lee Satcher Jr.; Nicole Rachel Sela, Summa Cum Laude; Chasmine Sadé Smith; Taylar Lynne Stewart; Hannah Laura Beverly Taylor, Magna Cum Laude; Mistie Cheyenne VanPutten; Scott Alan Walker; and Aubrey Ann Worrall, Magna Cum Laude

August 2016

Bachelor of Arts

Jordan Michele Abdella; Ariel Charmain Brothers; Jamesha Jychalle Covington; Austin Timothy Deal; Cara Brooks Dooley; Hendrix Emu; Sarah Marie Evans; Arielle Jaquarte Fogle; Jordan Hakeem Foster; Raul Gallegos; Meghan Emily Gillam; Taylor Erin Jackson; Giselle Alécia Johnson; Angela Lee Josey; Reagan Chase Kelley; Lesley Anne Koppert; Andrew Tyler Miller; James Edward Smith; Michael Andrew St. John, Cum Laude; Megan Shauntaé Thompson; Nandi Ayana Wallace; Haley Nichole Willingham; Bachelor of Science; Nathan Lee Boyd; Marie Dale Bragg; Gulina Angelique Brown; Shayla Chelsie Chavis; Altomesha Elizabeth Childs; Samantha Sarah Chubb; Kathryn Ann Cochcroft; Brandee Diane Desmarais; Kelan Ryan Diehl; Mustafa Elhallaoui; Jared Ray Felix; Austin Randall Fuchs; Antonio Rodricus Furtick; Ryan Perry George; Alexis Raquel Harvin, Cum Laude; Samantha Dale Hodges; Gabrielle Leigh Hopkins; Marilyn Wreath Mason, Summa Cum Laude; Jonathan Ryan McCray; Pragya Rajpurohit; Katelyn Mariann Rearden; Kelli Michelle Shealy; Kayla Tiara Stephens; Sallie Rebecca Stevens; and Sarah Lisa Swett

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Kendra Monique Allen; LaToya Annette Ardis; Brandon Scott Beverly; Justin Chiron Brandon; Christian Tyler Brooks; David Bernard Brown; Charles Edward Ferguson; Kimberly NeAndrea Frost; Nicholas Todd Grossman; Andrea Sharnaé Hall, Cum Laude; Kellie Brisha Harris; Ashley Nicole Henderson; Ross Dale Jackson; Patrick Kelly Jennings; George Timothy Johnson; Meghan Louise Kellett; Jason Adam King; Michael Konstantinos Kokolis; Keyana Nyisha Logan; Javon D'andré McQueen; LaShonda Denise Mobley; Joseph Leon Morris; Chaz Esteban Pal; Andy Van Pham; Kendrel Juan Pixley; Mason Thomas Richardson; Brandon Lewis Robinson-Thompson; Justin David Self; Sharon Curtis Shelley; Chelsea L. Smith, Cum Laude; Shelby Grace Walter; and Michael Scott Wethington

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Reginald Spann Bell; Melanie Widener Brant; Andrea Carnley Bruner; Jeremy Burgess; Tenake Shondelle Coard; Amy Reneé Dugan; Katherine Lee Germain; Christine Louise Ryan Jackson; Xiaolin Liu; Brent Allen Mills; and Shannon Passmore Ormand

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

Officers responded to Catawba Street in Aiken on Saturday after several individuals were seen throwing rocks through a house window.

Officers responded Saturday to a Salley church on Walnut Street after someone busted the front windows.

An 18-year-old Aiken man was arrested Monday for possession of marijuana after he was stopped on Hampton Avenue and told the officer he had "weed" in his pants.

According to reports provided by the Aiken Department of Public Safety:

A 53-year-old Warrenville woman was arrested Monday for disorderly conduct after officers observed her sitting in her vehicle intoxicated with an open container.

A 40-year-old Aiken woman reported Sunday someone broke into her Hahn Avenue home and stole more than $700 worth of electronics.

A 21-year-old Aiken man reported Sunday his twin brother stole $300 cash from his lock box at their Midlothian Court home.

Officers arrested a 30-year-old Aiken man for driving under the influence of alcohol after he was stopped on Hitchcock Parkway for reckless driving.

A 27-year-old Perry man was arrested Friday for driving under the influence of alcohol after being pulled over on Whiskey Road for speeding.

A 29-year-old Aiken man was arrested Friday for providing false information to police after telling an officer a different name when being questioned about his identity. He also was arrested for an active warrant.

A 38-year-old Aiken man called police Friday claiming a 20-year-old man walked up and assaulted him while he was sitting on top of a trash can on Richland Avenue.

Officers arrested a 24-year-old Warrenville woman Friday for shoplifting and providing false information to police after she was caught attempting to steal items from a Richland Avenue store.

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office has charged a Swansea man in connection to a Wagener home invasion last week.

Hakeem James, 21, of the 700 block of Charlie Rast Road, is charged with attempted murder, second-degree burglary, four counts of pointing and presenting a firearm at a person and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to jail records.

Deputies responded May 2 to a home on Wildflower Lane after a 26-year-old woman called 911 claiming James entered the home with two other suspects by kicking in the back door and, while armed with a handgun, demanded to know who hit his sister, according to an Aiken County Sheriff's Office incident report.

A 19-year-old victim on the scene told deputies he started to run after the suspects entered the home, the report said. The victim also said James chased him outside, firing his gun twice and causing him to fall to the ground, the report said.

The victim said James then pointed the gun at him while he was on the ground and began kicking him, according to the report.

The female victim said one of the other suspects at the scene threatened her with a bat, which she took and went outside to check on the male victim, the report said.

James then pointed his gun at her again and told her to give the bat back to the other suspect, according to the report.

The suspects then fled the scene in a white vehicle, the report said.

James was arrested Friday and taken to the Aiken County detention center where he is still being held as of Monday afternoon.

Bond information was not available as of press time.

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

People who want other people's money have come up with all sorts of ways to try and get it illegally.

Some falsely claim that a bill hasn't been paid or a family member is in trouble. Others offer too-good-to be-true investment opportunities or send notifications that lucrative prizes have been won.

A free seminar May 17 will provide information about scams, particularly ones that focus on deceiving seniors.

Aiken Senior Life Services, formerly known as the Aiken Area Council on Aging, is the organizer of the two-hour symposium, which will start at 9:30 a.m. at the AECOM Center for the Performing Arts, 126 Newberry St. S.W.

"Senior citizens can be one of the most vulnerable populations in our community," said Scott Murphy, executive director of Senior Life Services. "This seminar is designed to educate Aiken's seniors about people and organizations who want to take advantage of them. We want to make sure as many people as possible are aware of how these scams work and who they will most likely target."

The speakers will be Second Judicial Circuit Solicitor Strom Thurmond Jr., Aiken Department of Public Safety Chief Charles Barranco, Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt and Amanda Dyer, a Security Federal Bank branch manager.

"Our (Senior Life Services) board started hearing a lot more and seeing a lot more in the newspaper about scams, so we decided to do something," Murphy said. "The seminar is a way of giving our seniors some direction about what to do if they encounter a scam - what options they have and who to contact."

Murphy added that the Senior Life Services decided to schedule the symposium for May because it is Older Americans Month.

For more information or to RSVP, visit bit.ly/1SZnlOA or call 803-648-5447.

Dede Biles is a general assignment reporter for the Aiken Standard.

An Aiken man was charged Friday in connection to a shooting incident last week at a Columbia Highway location in Aiken.

Dangelo Johnson, 26, is charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, according to jail records.

Aiken County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to Columbia Highway on May 1 and met with two witnesses who claimed there was a party held for high school students at the incident location when they heard gunshots, according to a Sheriff's Office incident report.

The first witness said he ran to the parking lot, where he observed two black males on foot shooting toward a black car driving on Columbia Highway, the report said.

The first witness also told police people were shooting from the car, which left the scene heading toward Aiken City limits, according to the report.

The witness told deputies he then pulled his gun out and fired at the two men on foot, who started to run away, the report said.

Deputies reported a 25-year-old Aiken man was shot during the incident. He was taken to Aiken Regional Medical Centers, where he sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators arrested Johnson on Friday after he was determined to have been involved in the shooting.

He was taken to the Aiken County detention center where he still is being held as of Monday afternoon.

No bond has been set, according to court records.

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

These are the bookings recorded for the Doris C. Gravat Detention Center for May 6-8, 2016. 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.

Tara Louise Harper, 33 - possession of less than 1 gram of methamphetamine or cocaine first offense

Andrew Jon Powell, 33 - failure to pay as ordered family court

Jeremy Kyle Graham, 35 - driving under the influence first offense

Rahmel Maljahniek Oliver, 32 - driving under the influence third offense, speeding 60 mph in a 30 mph zone, driving under suspension third offense

Brian Keith Bottoms, 27 - possession of cocaine first offense, striking fixtures on highway, failure to stop for blue lights, driving under the influence first offense, simple possession of marijuana

Jason Lee Phillips, 40 - possession of cocaine first offense, breach of trust with fraudulent intent value more than $2,000 but less than $10,000, family court failure to pay per order, simple possession of marijuana, littering, trafficking in methamphetamine or cocaine base first offense

Douglas Staurt Toole, 49 - disorderly conduct/gross intoxication

Patrick Austin Skinner, 25 - driving under the influence first offense

Brittany Leigh Crowe, 21 - breaking and entering an auto, breaking into a motor vehicle, financial transaction card fraud two counts

Albert Christopher Cockrell, 48 - domestic violence third degree commitment

Dytron Kerome Hunter, 25 - violation of probation

Jamie Lynne Dodd Swearingen, 34 - contempt of court failure to pay restitution bench warrant

Johnathan Daniel Brockington, 30 - obtaining signature or property under false pretenses

Hakeem Olajuwon James, 21 - burglary second degree, attempted murder, pointing and presenting firearms at a person four counts, possession of a weapon during a violent crime

Tony Luther Hill, 48 - driving under suspension third offense

Tyianna Tynek Posey, 18 - malicious injury to animals or personal property injury value $2,000 or less, burglary second degree

Ashley Majorie Boozer, 31 - driving under the influence

William Maur McKown II, 27 - family court bench warrant failure to pay

Ronald Eugene Woodruff, 37 - family court bench warrant failure to pay

Dangelo Lamar Johnson, 26 - family court failure to appear, contempt, attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime if not also sentenced to life

Robin Renee Herndon, 43 - hold for general sessions court sentencing

John Michael Thomas, 39 - failure to appear and pay two counts

Sammy Lee Head Jr., 20 - assault and battery third degree

Heather Ann Smith, 24 - false information to police/fire, possession of South Carolina driver's license, shoplifting first offense

Myquasia Dominique Johnson, 17 - driving under the influence

Johnathan Lamont Washington, 29 - resist arrest/assaulting police officer two counts, false information to public safety officer, domestic violence second degree

Brianna Shardell Wigfall, 19 - malicious injury to animals or personal property, assault and battery third degree two counts, unlawful use of a telephone misdemeanor two counts

Daquan Jakel Corley, 18 - malicious injury to animals or personal property injury value $2,000 or less

Richard Williams, 42 - family court failure to pay as ordered

Ahmad Marquis Crafton, 29 - driving under the influence first offense bench warrant, driving under the influence second offense, driving under suspension third offense, open container Alcohol Beverage Control violation, open container, possession of a weapon with an obliterated serial number, unlawful carrying of a pistol

Demario Kendell Williams, 27 - driving under the influence

Steven Alexander Moment, 29 - simple larceny less than $2,000

Carlton James Shaw, 23 - driving under the influence second offense

Michael Anthony Brown II, 23 - theft of a controlled substance first offense, simple possession of marijuana, Alcohol Beverage Control violation

Elana Katherine Williams, 38 - driving under the influence

Richard Edward Brown, 36 - false information to police/fire, driving under suspension license not suspended for driving under the influence bench warrant

Jessica Renee Nipper, 33 - driving under the influence first offense

Matthew Wayne Reynolds, 25 - attempted burglary first degree, malicious injury to animals or personal property value $2,000 or less, malicious injury to real property $1,000 or less, unlawful to possess, dispose or distribute prescription drugs

Joseph Michael Dicks, 25 - manufacture, possession of other substance in schedule I, II, III or flunitra, distribution etc. of methamphetamine first offense, kidnapping, domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature

Ryan Leland Hallman, 24 - possession of marijuana

Austin Daniel Williams, 22 - possession of cocaine first offense, possession of other controlled substance in schedule I to V first offense, possession of marijuana

Walter Leonardo Flowers, 36 - possession of 28 grams or less of marijuana or 10 grams or less of hash

Troy Alexander Pearson, 26 - driving under suspension license not suspended for driving under the influence third of subsequent offense bench warrant

Malissa Monique Sumter, 39 - domestic violence third degree

Alphonso Rico Sanders, 28 - driving under suspension bench warrant, driving without a license bench warrant, driving under suspension second offense, open container in motor vehicle

Martin Eric Dubose Sr., 55 - leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, driving under the influence

Maria D. Hernandez, 43 - window tint violation, no South Carolina driver's license

Jason Matthew O'Neal, 42 - driving under suspension second offense, driving under the influence third offense, open container, failure to pay child support two counts

Severo Tehuacatl Colohua, 30 - driving under the influence first offense, no South Carolina driver's license

Jessica Lashawn Martin, 27 - public disorderly conduct

Arthur Slade Dobey Jr., 37 - disorderly conduct, failure to pay child support

Jamie Maxine Lower, 34 - disorderly conduct (A)

Ashia Laquintia Abney, 26 - family court bench warrant failure to pay two counts

Garrick Kelly, 24 - hold for Aiken County Sheriff's Office awaiting warrants

Darrion Lionell Gary, 20 - shoplifting bench warrant

The Aiken Area Akademie (AAA) Homeschool Band and the South Aiken Baptist Christian School Band's concert will be held today at South Aiken Baptist Christian School, 980 Dougherty Road.

Admission is free. Donations will be taken for Tammy and Bruce Smith's family, of Johnston.

From 6 to 7 p.m., a bake sale, doughnut sale and silent auction will occur. Those who want to order doughnuts to pick up at the event, call Kara Sauls at 803-279-9044.

The main concert will start at 7 p.m.

For more information on the concert or to join, call Rollins at 803-648-2447, email her at barbrollins@atlanticbb.net or visit www.aaaband.org.

Concert's proceeds to benefit local family

Bridgestone Plant Manager and Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce Board Chairperson Fran Jones wasn't planning on leaving Aiken.

In fact, she was planning on retiring here.

Bridgestone Americas though, had other ideas and offered Jones a job offer she couldn't refuse.

"I didn't expect these opportunities to happen," said Jones, who has been with Bridgestone for 26 years. "I am from Middle Tennessee and have family there, so the move will get me closer to them.

Jones will take the position of director of Talent Development and Education.

"Like many companies, Bridgestone is facing a big retirement cliff," she said. "And what we have to do is get the next generation ready to take over as the baby boomers get older and near retirement age."

Jones fell in love with Aiken when she moved here in 2014 and never planned on leaving.

"We loved it here in Aiken and never expected we'd be leaving," she said. "It does hurt to leave. My heart really does belong in South Carolina."

Jones will be fulfilling her duties through June 30 as Chamber Board Chairperson. On July 1, Charlie Hartz, owner of the Dunkin' Donuts franchises in Aiken, will assume the duties of Chamber board chair.

Chamber President/CEO David Jameson said he feels fortunate to have such a deep pool of leadership among Chamber members from which to choose.

"We're very sorry to see Fran go as she has been such a positive asset to the Chamber of Commerce as board chairman," Jameson said. "But we are very fortunate to have so many talented members of the Chamber to find someone like Charlie Hartz to step in fill the role of board chair."

Hartz said he is excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead.

"We certainly wish her great success in her new position."

Dan Brown is the city government reporter.

Aiken County Council will hold its first budget work session for the proposed fiscal year 2017 budget tonight.

The public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Aiken County Government Center, 1930 University Parkway.

County Council unanimously passed the proposed budget on the first of three votes at its regularly scheduled May Council meeting and has planned the informal Tuesday work sessions to work on the budget proposal.

The 2017 budget balances General Fund revenue and expenditures at around $61.1 million and total budget expenditures for all funds at around $159 million.

The financial work plan was put together in a way to avoid raising the millage, or property tax, rate this year, County Administrator Clay Killian said previously.

Killian said this was made possible by use of non-recurring or one-time funding, similar to the current budget.

One-time funding includes around $530,000 officials expect to net from the sale of the old Teledyne building in Verenes Industrial Park.

The budget proposal also includes possible additional funding from the state for assistance with the non-federal share of the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant the County received for cleanup and recovery from the 2014 ice storm, also known as Winter Storm Pax.

There is a currently an additional $1.7 million in the proposal, equal to the amount the County received last year. The S.C. Senate's passed 2016-17 fiscal year budget includes roughly $12 million to 22 counties affected by the storm.

S.C. Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, told the Aiken Standard last week the allocations would reimburse the remaining 75 percent of ice storm expenses not covered by federal aid.

A public hearing and second reading on the County's budget is expected in June.

Christina Cleveland is the county government reporter at the Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @ChristinaNCleve.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, in partnership with the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center and the Society of Women Engineering, hosted 55 students from 27 middle schools throughout the greater Aiken-Augusta area for "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day."

Volunteer engineers presented interactive demonstrations, such as freezing flowers and marshmallows with liquid nitrogen and placing Mentos into a two-liter diet soda so that the bottle erupted into a geyser.

"I would recommend this to any girl who lives in Georgia or South Carolina," said Carly Burgess, eighth-grade student at St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic School. "Today, I've learned more about engineering as a whole and some of the jobs you can have with a degree in engineering or science."

Some of the hands-on activities that topped the agenda included building "puff mobiles" made from hard candy and paper, to racing to construct the tallest tower with only a single piece of newspaper.

"Before this event, these young women may not be aware that certain career paths in engineering exist," said Candice Dermody, with SRNS Talent Management and Education Outreach.

"In a few hours, they can interact with dozens of engineers from different areas of expertise, which may help inspire these middle school students to pursue a career in engineering. Every year, I look forward to seeing the enthusiasm the students have for trying out activities and watching demonstrations," she added.

The day concluded with a visit to USC Aiken's Dupont Planetarium within the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, where students learned about the International Space Station.

Female students who have shown an interest in engineering were invited from schools in Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Edgefield counties in South Carolina and Columbia and Richmond counties in Georgia.

The Aiken County Public School District will offer a new virtual enrichment program to help students retain skills and improve reading achievement gaps during the summer break.

Research points to the summertime months as a significant time for student skill regression, according to a news release from Aiken County Public Schools. Those three months away from the classroom account for nearly 80 percent of the reading achievement gap by ninth grade.

Through the enrichment program, offered by Compass Pathblazer, parents of elementary school students can help keep their students' minds engaged in learning during the summer months.

"We must keep students warm over the summer," District Superintendent Dr. Sean Alford said.

Through the licensed, Web-based learning tool, Aiken County's students will have the opportunity to work on individual areas of need in reading and math as determined by the system's screeners and diagnostics.

The District recommends students engage in the Web-based virtual enrichment opportunity for at least one hour each day, five times a week from June 6 to Aug. 5.

As an incentive for students to participate, the District has partnered with area businesses to build excitement for the program.

Drawings will be held each week, and four student participants scoring 70 percent or more on their core activities each will receive a $20 gift card from a participating business. Parents of participating students also will receive rewards.

For more information and to register for student and parent incentives, visit compass pathblazers.acps.schoolfusio n.us.

Only students and parents registered by May 31 are eligible for rewards.

Investigators with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office are searching for two suspects in connection with an armed robbery at a Williston Road store Sunday night.

Deputies responded to the store around 9:30 p.m. Sunday after an employee called claiming two black males armed with handguns and wearing shirts over their faces like masks robbed the store, according to a report provided by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

The victim claimed the two suspects came in with guns drawn and demanded money; she said she opened the register and one of the suspects said, "we're not going to hurt you baby girl, this is how we eat," according to the report.

A second employee said she heard her cousins voice while sweeping in the back and walked up front to say "hey" when she realized her cousin and his friend were pointing guns, robbing the store, the report said.

The victim said the suspects placed the money in a black gym bag, took her phone and grabbed an 18-pack of Bud Light on the way out the door, turning left toward the rear of the building, according to the report.

Deputies reported the second employee was able to identify both suspects and where they lived.

Investigators are still searching for the suspects.

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

A red carpet was all that was missing recently from the front of Kerry DalSanto's classroom for the 19th Shoebox Film Festival.

For the event, DalSanto's and Jenna Thompson's second-graders at St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic School wrote and illustrated a story they created using their imaginations. Then, they taped the pages together end-to-end and attached them to two tubes, donated by Kimberly-Clark Corp., and inserted them into two holes cut in the ends of the shoebox.

As viewers turned the top or bottom tube, the movie played in a slot cut into the lid of the shoebox.

The students premiered their films at a special showing after school.

Cardboard cutouts of life-size Oscar statues and movie posters promoting the films greeted family, siblings and friends who attended while famous movie theme music played in the background as they watched the movies.

"The students create their own imagined stories," said DalSanto. "They have to come up with a problem, the characters and the setting. They have to add a few more problems in the middle to make it interesting. Then, they have to wrap it all up at the end for, we hope, a happy ending."

While making the movie is fun, the project also teaches the children about writing, drama, art and other academic skills, DalSanto said.

"It puts a heavy emphasis on storyline, character development and handwriting so that others can enjoy your story. If you've crafted a story but, when you write it out, no one can read your writing, what good is it?" DalSanto said.

Thompson agreed.

"It takes them through the writing process, all the steps," she said. "They go through the process diligently; they practice each step; and then they see the final product, and it's all from their imaginations. When the shoeboxes come together, the excitement just showers. I don't think they realized it was actual work."

There were also films playing next door to the premiere - which were playfully called the Turning Classic Movies collection.

"Those are movies made by former students, many of them the older siblings of the second-graders. Any resemblance to Turner Classic Movies is purely deliberate," DalSanto said and laughed. "Our festivals are not to be confused with the 'Can' Film Festival. They have cans; we have shoeboxes."

Rose Thomas in Thompson's class used her imagination to create her movie, "The Lost Boys." In the story, a group of girls rescue the boys who are missing from their classroom.

For her characters, Thomas didn't want to use her classmates' names, so she used their pets' names, including P.J. and Zowee, instead.

"It was fun to write down a story," she said. "But I loved drawing the pictures."

Each student receives not an Oscar but a special award for his or her film.

"They're surprised when they come in and find they have an award," DalSanto said. "We come up with fun names for each award, such as Best Magical Friend Drama for a Story about a Magical Cave. We create fun names for each award."

Larry Wood covers education for the Aiken Standard.

A judge on Monday sentenced Robin Herndon, the former Aiken County parole officer charged with the 2013 shooting death of her boyfriend, to 19 years in prison, with early parole consideration.

An Aiken County jury in March found 42-year-old Herndon guilty of voluntary manslaughter for the death of 31-year-old Christopher Rowley in November 2013. She faced a maximum of 30 years in prison.

The judge allowed family members to say a few words prior to sentencing. Rowley's mother, Carolyn, spoke directly to Herndon.

"I have been mentally and physically sick since my life, my world, stopped after 31 years of love," Rowley said with tears running down her face. "Robin, you need to feel my suffering and sit in jail for a long time."

Rowley's brother had to comfort his mother as she spoke about Christopher's two children, who she said, "now have to grow up without a father."

She also spoke about how much she misses Christopher's phone calls.

"I was deprived of a last goodbye and last 'I love you.' ... For the past few years, (Robin) got to be with her children, while my son's children have had to go visit their father's grave," she said.

She ended her speech on a positive note, however, saying Christopher's death did do some good for a few people.

"Chris was a donor and helped 20 to 30 people in his death," Carolyn said.

Herndon apologized to the family, adding not a moment goes by that she doesn't think about her actions.

"I loved Chris, and I want to apologize to his family," she said. "I wasn't trying to hurt him that day. I know I'm not worthy of your forgiveness, but I hope you'll all find it in your hearts to forgive me one day."

Aiken County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to Herndon's home at 721 Sudlow Lake Road on Nov. 6, 2013, where they found Rowley with a gunshot wound to the neck. He was taken to an Augusta-area hospital, where he later died.

Herndon told the court an argument turned violent after Rowley threw her car keys on top of the roof of her home.

She claimed she "was in fear for her life" when she drew her gun and aimed it toward Rowley, and her pistol accidentally fired when Rowley hit it with his hand.

This case was being handled by the First Circuit Solicitor's Office because Herndon is well-known in the offices of the Second Circuit solicitor and the public defender.

Before Herndon met Rowley, she had worked extensively in law enforcement, including as a former agent with the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division before becoming a supervising pre-patrol investigator with the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services in 2010.

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

After the huge white oak known as Maid Marion came crashing down in heavy rain and gusting wind in October, the City of Aiken's Public Services Department cut the tree apart and removed the debris.

During that process, Public Services Department employees gave away some of the wood from Maid Marion to people who wanted to make something with it or keep it as a souvenir.

Richard Preston, who lives in Gem Lakes, got a piece of one of Maid Marion's limbs and used it to create nine bowls.

"I first saw the tree in the 1960s when I was here for three years while I was working on a survey crew during the construction of I-20," Preston said. "I was just stunned by how remarkable it was. After I returned to Aiken to live in 2003, I saw the tree a number of times before it fell and found it to be even more impressive."

Maid Marion was 100 feet tall and had a trunk that was 20 feet in circumference. The tree's crown had a spread of 160 feet.

Because of those measurements, Maid Marion was the No. 1 white oak on the list of South Carolina Champion Trees that Clemson University maintains.

"When I heard Maid Marion was down and the wood was going to be made available," Preston said, "I scooted right over to Marion Street (where the tree was located)."

Preston cuts and shapes wood on a machine known as a lathe. In addition to bowls, he produces boxes, cups, gourd-shaped containers and other items.

In the past, Preston has sold his handiwork at the Aiken Center for the Arts, Aiken Historical Museum and re-fresh.

"I have years of sawdust nose; I can't smell anything anymore," said Preston, who has been a woodturner for more than a quarter of a century. "I get most of the wood in my neighborhood. People are taking down trees all the time, and the price is right; it's free."

Preston's piece of Maid Marion was approximately 5 feet long.

"I would slice off a little bit at a time and then make something out of it," Preston said. "My grand plan was to make something as natural as I could, and that's why a lot of these bowls still have bark on them. I soon realized that the wood was going to be only so cooperative, so I let each bowl take its own shape."

Some of the bowls are deep, and some are shallow. Their sizes and styles vary.

"It was a pretty pleasurable process," Preston said. "The wood sanded nicely and had a good color. I enjoyed the results."

Preston isn't sure what he is going to do with the bowls.

"I just wanted to share them because they are a part of Aiken's history," he said. "I love to work with wood from a tree that means something to somebody."

In Preston's opinion, making something out of the wood from a favorite tree is a fitting way to commemorate it.

"Rather than burning it up or having someone haul it away, you can have something pleasant to keep in your house and remind you of something pleasant," he said.

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

A proposed $20 vehicle maintenance fee is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to dealing with the sour state of Aiken's city roads, according to City Council.

Aiken City Council approved the first of two votes to implement an annual vehicle maintenance fee during its Monday meeting earmarked to help fund a new roads program that City Manager John Klimm said the City desperately needs.

After years of inactivity, Council is faced with a crisis involving its city roads and infrastructure.

"We have done so well as a city in so many areas, but there are two areas where we have not done so well - our infrastructure and our City roads," said Klimm. "The fact is, we need a roads program."

If the ordinance passes a second vote and a public hearing, the $20 fee will be levied against owners of the 23,600 vehicles titled inside the city limits.

"We are literally a city that has no debt," Klimm said. "While that is a great thing, if we can borrow money at 2 percent, we should borrow that money to repair our roads."

The City of Aiken has 367 miles of roads in the city limits, with the City owning 90 miles of these roads. The other 277 miles of Aiken City roads are owned by either the County or the state.

Council member Dick Dewar said the City is paying for years of Council inaction.

"It's a mess, and it's been a mess for a long time," he said. "This is money designated specifically for roads."

Dewar said the fee is what it is.

"It's a tax, folks," Dewar said. "Every penny we get to operate the City is a tax. This is not a fee to use the roads, this is a fee for maintaining and repairing the roads. I don't like defending a tax, but we need a roads program. We do what we feel needs to be done in the best interest of the City."

Klimm said the problems with the roads didn't begin yesterday, but they will not get fixed on their own.

"I've been asked many times why we didn't do this 20 or 30 years ago," he said. "First, I wasn't here 20 or 30 years ago, and even if I had the answer, it doesn't help us tonight. Inaction over the next three to five years will place us in a risky category of financial uncertainty and ultimately financial crisis."

Aiken desperately needs some kind of roads program that's properly and adequately funded, Klimm said.

"If you don't maintain the roads, the ultimate cost to repair them is often significant."

Mayor Rick Osbon said the fee ordinance was proposed during Monday's meeting so the public could have time to digest the news of a new fee.

"Our roads are in bad shape," he said. "Our concern is the state and maintenance of our City-owned roads."

Doing nothing is so easy to do, said Council member Lessie Price, but that doesn't make it right.

"We're being proactive now after years of doing nothing," she said. "I don't like it, but tough decisions have to be made. You are going to see more of it after years of neglect in this city."

Klimm said there will be more logistical details presented when the ordinance comes up for a second vote in its June 13 meeting. The roads program will be a part of the 2016-17 City budget.

A second vote and a public hearing is required before the vehicle maintenance fee can be implemented.

Klimm added, while the roads are bad, the city's infrastructure is worse.

"Not only do we not have a funding source to pay for our infrastructure repair, we don't even fully understand the state and condition of our infrastructure."

In other business, Council approved the first of two votes to enter into a developmental agreement with Henbell LLC in regard to the potential Krispy Kreme property that was formerly Ladd Britt Auto Sales located at 2270 Whiskey Road. The City continues to lay sanitary sewer and storm sewer pipe from Georges Pond to the Whiskey Road address.

Utilities and Engineering Director George Grinton said progress continues on the pipe project and should be completed soon.

During a Monday afternoon work session, City Council heard presentations from City department heads as the budget process kicks into high gear.

Council heard from the Public Safety, Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Public Services and Utilities and Engineering departments.

Finance Director Kim Abney advised Council at the start of the nearly five-hour meeting that the budget figures are still "very preliminary."

Council has several more workshops planned over the next month as the new budget appears before Council for two votes and a public hearing before the fiscal year ends June 30.

Dan Brown is the city government reporter for the Aiken Standard.

WAGENER - Aiken County residents affected by last fall's flooding say they hope Gov. Nikki Haley reconsiders vetoing a bill that, if passed, would provide relief for South Carolina farmers who suffered losses from the historic rainfall.

During the state Republican Party convention held Saturday, Haley said she would veto the legislature's farm aid bill, multiple state news outlets have reported.

"I will not support any bailout of any industry over any other industry that has suffered from this thousand-year flood," Haley said Saturday. "I will veto that next week. We do not do bailouts in the state of South Carolina."

In a May 4 article, the Associated Press reported that Haley has said "while she feels badly for farmers, she feels badly for small businesses, too, and farmers shouldn't be treated differently."

South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers told The Post & Courier of Charleston he disagreed with Haley's position, saying many farmers do not qualify for the aid offered by the federal government.

The House and Senate has overwhelmingly approved the "S.C. Farm Aid Fund," a $40 million fund for farmers affected by the October flooding, according to Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, a co-sponsor of the bill.

The fund "will make grants to farmers who have experienced a loss of agricultural commodities of at least 40 percent," states the bill's text.

"As certain as I-20 runs east and west, the legislature will override her veto and the farmers will get the aid they need," Taylor said Monday. "We have farmers out there that are now in bankruptcy or at the absolute end of their fiscal line, so we believe that this is the right thing to do."

Farmers would be allowed to apply for a grant of up to $100,000 to pay for production expenses but not for farm equipment or to pay down debt, states The Post & Courier's article.

Clint Brown farms cotton, corn, hay and oats on about 500 acres in the Wagener-Salley area. Due to October's rains, he said he experienced a 200-acre total loss of his cotton crop.

Remnants of some of the ruined cotton can be seen on a 40-acre field he rents off Highway 389, which he said experienced an erosion problem.

Brown said not only did the rain ruin the crop, but the ground was so wet, he was unable to get equipment to the field to get the crop out.

"I'm not the only person in the boat. There's a lot of us. We were hurt really bad(ly)," he said. "This is an easy fix. The loss of income is the hardest part."

Though he decided to not disclose his income loss publicly, Brown called Haley's threat of veto "disappointing."

Brown, whose family has been farming for more than 60 years, said he did not have flood insurance, confirming last year's event is not common in Aiken. He said while he's not the type of person to complain and can understand her reasoning, he hopes the governor changes her mind.

South Carolina farmers lost hundreds of millions of dollars due to the historic flooding, which lasted roughly five days in October. Damage was reported in parts of eastern Aiken County near the Orangeburg and Lexington County lines.

One of the areas hit hardest, Taylor said, was the Hollow Creek community.

Hollow Creek Fire Chief Glenn Poole told the Aiken Standard the area received 21 inches of rain and in his opinion, the governor should "let the farm aid bill go through."

Several farmers this year are not planting, he said.

"Don't take my word for it. Ride though the country to see," Poole said. "A lot of them don't know if they will survive. If they have a bad year this year, the economy is going to be hurting."

Taylor said it isn't just the flooding that has hurt farmers. They also experienced the ice storm and drought.

Doug Busbee, of Wagener, no longer has row crops but said he has been in and around farming his whole life. His father, Jimmy Busbee, used to farm and own a hardware store.

Busbee said he wishes Haley would reconsider plans to veto the bill.

"In every little town the farms have been the backbone and the moral compass of this state, and for her to turn her back on these farmers is disgraceful in my opinion," he said. "I wish she could reconsider. I know she is relying on her background. I know she thinks she is doing what is right and fair, but what she doesn't understand (is) we must make sure our farmer survives. When that farmer stops producing, somebody is lacking."

Christina Cleveland is the county government reporter at the Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @ChristinaNCleve.