A new disc golf course in Aiken County will open today at Boyd Pond Park.

The idea for the course began around five years ago, said County Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Mark van der Linden. Then, about three months ago, the County decided to revisit the project and finish it up.

Previously it was a nine-hole, par-3 golf course. Park Supervisor Vincent DiPietro said now that it is an 18-hole disc golf course, staff has "opened up another half, in essence, of more challenging holes, which are now in the wooded sections in the back."

"It's a little bit of both - an open area for more of a beginner player and then the more intermediate and advanced continue the other nine holes and have a more challenging experience in the woods," DiPietro added. "It has a little bit for every type of disc golf player."

The course is cut like a regular golf course with a rough and fairway and also will have sand traps and two ponds, said van der Linden.

Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department staff worked Thursday morning to finish clearing a central area of the park, which is adjacent to the course that will soon have picnic tables, two grills and is canopied by trees. Van der Linden said the area is designed for people to meet and hang out before heading to the course, or for others who simply want to enjoy the park.

"Instead of building a picnic shelter, which is a part of the long-range plan out there, we've got a natural shelter out here," he said.

Parking also is nearby behind fencing.

There are several disc golf courses in Aiken County and Augusta, though Boyd Pond Park is the second county-operated course. The other is Langley Pond, which van der Linden said is a more professionally designed, challenging course.

He said Boyd Pond Park's course, designed by College Disc Golf, is a "smart design" that is inviting for amateurs to play and improve.

"We feel like we've covered all ends of the spectrum and I don't expect to put more disc golf courses in, but I wanted to have something for everybody and that's what our county system is about," van der Linden said.

Park hours are from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. The first tournament is July 28.

A new Facebook page has been opened for Boyd Pond Park.

Christina Cleveland is

the county government

reporter at the Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter

@ChristinaNCleve.

Events to attend on Friday, June 10, 2016:

- Karaoke will be held from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. every Friday and Saturday at the Iron Horse Bar and Grill, 2510 Storm Branch Road, Beech Island. For more information, call 803-867-2388 or visit www.ironhorsebarandgrill.net.

- Zumba classes with Bobbie will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Burns Dance Studio, 831 Neilson Road. The cost is $5 per class or $40 for 10 classes. For more information, email bobbie5115@aol.com or visit bobbiefarmer.zumba.com.

- Yoga classes are offered at 5:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. Thursdays at the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, 1700 Whiskey Road. The cost is $41 for 10 tickets, and out of city charges apply. Classes are led by Nancy Hansen and Denise Eisele. New students may join at any time. For more information, call 803-647-7631.

- The Aiken Community Playhouse will perform "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" at 7:30 p.m. May 27 and 28, and June 2, 4, 10 and 11, and at 3 p.m. May 29 and June 5. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors age 60 and older, $15 for students and $10 for children age 12 and younger. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.aikenplayhouse.us.

- Johnny Hughes, of CSRA Defensive Arts, will demonstrate Kindai Karate and teach a few moves at 3 p.m. Friday, June 10, at the Nancy Carson Public Library, 135 Edgefield Road, North Augusta. The program is designed for children in first through fifth grades. For more information, visit www.abbe-lib.org.

- Aiken's Cookin' with Celebrity Chefs, Cookin' for a Cause, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 10, at the Clubhouse at Cumberland Village, 3070 Wise Creek Lane. Advance tickets are $40 per person, and can be purchased at 3 Monkeys Fine Gifts, 141 Laurens St., S.W. Tickets are $45 the day of the event. Proceeds will benefit Mental Health America of Aiken Aiken County. For more information, call 803-641-4164.

- Greater Aiken SCORE will hold a workshop titled How to Develop a Business Plan from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 10, at the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, 121 Richland Ave. E. Topics will include Elements of a Business Plan, Customer Insights and Knowledge, Competition and Pricing, and Finance and Cash Flow. For more information or to register, email mchalel@bellsouth.net or call 803-641-1111.

- The movie, "Soul Surfer," rated PG, will be shown at 6 p.m. Friday, June 10, on the square in downtown Edgefield. The event is sponsored by Antioch Baptist Church. For more information, call 803-480-0126.

- Anybody's Guess will perform at 9:30 p.m. Friday, June 10, at Playoff's Sports Bar and Grill, 201 Richland Ave. For more information, visit www.anybodysguess.net.

- The Aiken Steeplechase Association will hold a summer sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 10, in the steeplechase office, 538 Two Notch Road S.E. For more information, call 803-648-9641 or email info@aikensteeplechase.com.

- The Mended Hearts chapter meeting will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 10, in room 122 of the Wellness Center on the campus of USC Aiken, 471 University Parkway. Kevin White, of Health and Safety Solutions, will be the guest speaker. His topic will be CPR and will include a demonstration. Lunch will be provided by HarborChase.

- Yesterday's Sounds will perform from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, June 10, at the Aiken DAV, 2194 Columbia Highway N. Admission is $7. The group will celebrate its five-year anniversary. Those attending should bring sandwiches or their favorite salad. Drinks and paper products will be provided. The meal will be held at 6 p.m..For more information, call Dana Watkins at 803-292-3680 or Furman Redd at 706-825-8776.

- The Aiken Gem, Mineral and Fossil Society will meet at 7 p.m. in room 212 of the Science Building on the campus of USC Aiken, 471 University Parkway. A silent auction will be held. The next regular meeting will be held Sept. 9. For more information, call 803-649-0959 or visit www.aikengmfs.org.

- The Carolina Jamboree will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. June 10 and 11 at the Jaycee Building, 98 Johnson Road, Belvedere. Hank and Wildwood will perform Friday. Blues and Country will perform Saturday. For more information, call 803-279-4063.

Temperatures will rise, and appear to stay, in the 90s through the weekend.

Today, the National Weather Service expects a high of 92 degrees, with a low of 69 degrees and mostly sunny skies.

A 10 percent chance of rain is in the forecast.

In addition, an air quality alert is in effect until 9 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Columbia.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control has issued the code orange air quality alert, meaning ground-level ozone concentrations within the region will likely exceed unhealthy standards for sensitive groups, the NWS said.

Code orange means active children and adults and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit "prolonged outdoor exertion."

The weekend is as follows:

Saturday: High 94, low 71, PM thunderstorms, 40 percent chance of rain.

Sunday: High 98, low 72, sunny, zero percent chance of rain.

Being prepared: Symposium on Zika being held in Charleston

CHARLESTON - A symposium scheduled for the Medical University of South Carolina is designed to discuss what is known about the Zika virus, what is not known and how people might prepare.

The Charleston school announced that Zika from "Z'' to "A'' is being held on Friday in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Health experts will participate in the symposium.

At the end of the morning event, speakers are taking part in a discussion and are answering questions from both reporters and the public.

S.C. Army National Guard unit deploys for 1 year to Kuwait

MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE - The South Carolina National Guard is bidding farewell to 25 soldiers heading to a year's deployment in Kuwait.

The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Friday at the Army Aviation Support Facility at the McEntire Joint National Guard Base.

The event is not open to the public.

The soldiers maintain AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and will join members of the 777th Aviation Support Battalion.

Earlier this month, 60 soldiers with the 111st General Support Aviation Battalion departed for Kuwait with 10 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for a year in Kuwait.

South Carolina Guard commander Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston said the helicopter unit is part of Operation Spartan Shield, which provides support to U.S. and allied military units in the Persian Gulf region

Record try: Summerville tries again to brew largest iced tea

SUMMERVILLE - People in Summerville were a little teed off when the record they set last year for brewing the world's largest container of iced tea was broken a few months later.

So, they're trying to set another record on Friday, which is also National Tea Day.

Last year, a 10-foot mason jar was filled with more than 1,400 gallons of sweet tea in Summerville. But that record was eclipsed in October when 2,200 gallons was brewed during a festival in nearby North Charleston.

Now the Summerville folks hope to regain their spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

They plan to brew 2,400 gallons of iced tea Friday.

What works for former South Aiken High School star Taylor Widener when he is on?

"Everything," South Carolina sophomore catcher Hunter Taylor said on Thursday during media availability at Founders Park ahead of the start of the super regional against Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Widener's last outing for the Gamecocks was a perfect example of one of those 'everything is on' days, and it was when South Carolina needed it the most as he pitched the first four innings of the regional-clinching 10-5 win over UNCW at Founders Park on Tuesday.

"He's got an electric fastball," Taylor said. "The other day, I saw stuff that was up at 97 (mph), which is hard. It's got good life on it too. When his changeup is on and his curveball, it's pretty much unhittable."

Those four vital innings in the NCAA Columbia Regional final win over UNCW continued to alleviate a taxed Gamecock pitching staff due to South Carolina (46-16) having to battle out of the losers' bracket to advance to the super regionals.

Utilized in a variety of roles this year for Gamecock baseball, the 6-foot right-handed pitcher knew exactly what his role would be going into the winner-take-all regional final.

"It was kind of go as long as I can because I had thrown about 50 pitches a few nights before, so it was go as long as I can and give us the best chance I can," Widener said.

After South Carolina's second straight win over UNCW to advance to the super regional showdown against Oklahoma State (39-20) this weekend, South Carolina baseball head coach Chad Holbrook thought "Taylor was special."

"He's learned how to pitch this year instead of just throw," Holbrook continued on his pivotal innings in the regional final for South Carolina. "It worked out perfect."

Widener agrees with his head coach about how his approach has changed.

"I definitely needed to mature because I was just going out there and throwing," Widener said. "I've been really working on trying to hit my spots more, and being able to throw multiple pitches for a strike in every count. I've just worked a lot more on trying to be consistent."

In total in the NCAA Columbia Regional, Widener dealt 7⅓ innings. On the year, Widener (4-2) has 66 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 55 innings pitched. He has made 16 appearances on the season, which includes nine starts. His foes are batting just .247 against him.

In addition to the plus fastball and solid slider, Widener thinks his addition of the curveball to his arsenal has been one of the keys to his recent strong outings for South Carolina. In fact, Widener notes sometimes he is leading with the curveball to get ahead.

"I've actually been throwing a curveball for a strike, and I haven't thrown a curveball for a strike since high school," Widener said. "It's been a big factor of helping me out recently."

Widener knows that his name could be called fairly early in the 2016 MLB Draft that starts, with some projections having him go as early as the third or fourth round on today, but that is the last thing on Widener's mind.

"I'm not paying attention," Widener said. "If I get a call, that's great, but my main focus is making it to Omaha."

COLUMBIA - A new law bars South Carolina's law enforcement agencies from setting ticket quotas for officers.

Gov. Nikki Haley signed the ban into law Thursday.

Its sponsor, Democratic Rep. Justin Bamberg, has said quotas pressure officers to stop people for minor offenses. He thinks the law will help repair officers' frayed relationships with residents.

Bamberg also represents the family of Water Scott, the black man fatally shot as he ran from a North Charleston police officer last year. He'd been pulled over for a broken third brake light.

The law says officers can't be required to write a certain number of tickets within a specified time frame.

However, officers can be evaluated on their "points of contact." That's defined as their interactions with residents and businesses and involvement in community initiatives.

Aiken County police have charged a Graniteville teen after police records say he pointed a pistol at his 46-year-old father and threatened to kill him at their Motlow Drive home.

Matthew Flanagan, 18, is charged with third-degree assault and battery, pointing and presenting firearm at a person and malicious injury to property, according to jail records.

He was taken to the Aiken County detention center, where he is still being held Friday afternoon.

A judge set Flanagan's bond at $1,092.50 for the charge of third-degree assault and battery and $2,130 for the charge of malicious injury to property. Bond information was not immediately available for the charge of pointing and presenting a firearm at a person.

On May 22, deputies responded to Motlow Drive around 2 a.m. after the victim called claiming his son had just assaulted him and threatened to kill him with a gun, according to an Aiken County Sheriff's Office incident report.

The victim said the suspect punched him in the inner right thigh, and proceeded to hit him in the area of his head, the report said.

The suspect then took $98 out of the victim's wallet without permission and pointed a pistol at his head, stating he would kill him, according to the report.

The victim said his son then smashed his phone and took his car keys, the report said.

Flanagan is expected in court July 6.

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

A former Aiken County detention center deputy fired in April was indicted on child molestation allegations Tuesday by a Richmond County grand jury.

Robert Lewis Beard II, 36, of Weller Lane, in North Augusta, was charged with aggravated child molestation, incest and two counts of aggravated sexual battery, according to the indictment provided by the Richmond County Clerk of Courts Office.

On the charge of aggravated child molestation, the indictment states "the accused did perform an immoral and indecent act which did involve an act of sodomy with a child under the age of 16 years."

On the charge of incest, the indictment states "the accused did engage in sodomy with (the child) to whom he knew that he was related by marriage."

On the charge of two counts of aggravated sexual battery, the indictment states Beard "did intentionally penetrate" the victim with a "foreign object."

All charges are believed to have occurred between July 26, 2011, and April 29, 2014, according to the indictment.

A Richmond County Sheriff's Office deputy responded to a Richmond County address in March in response to a child molestation claim, according to a Richmond County case report.

The victim's father told the responding deputy the victim sent a text message to his wife, saying she had been sexually molested by the suspect for the past four years, the report said.

The text also said the suspect made the victim perform sex acts on him, according to the report.

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office was notified March 28 by Richmond County that Beard was part of its investigation, at which time he was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, a news release said.

Beard, who had been with the Sheriff's Office since 2014, was terminated in early April from the agency for violating the agency policy for Code of Conduct, according to a previous news release.

The S.C. State Law Enforcement Division also is investigating incidents that the release said occurred in Aiken County.

Beard's trial will be set at a later date.

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

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office arrested six people in connection to the Wagener area manhunt Thursday night.

David Capell, 24, of Aiken; William Chandler, 17, of Wagener; Joseph Glover, 22, of Aiken; and Jarius Glover, 29, of Aiken are all charged with two counts of first-degree burglary and two counts possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to jail records.

Faith Chandler, 24, of Wagener, is charged with obstructing justice.

All five were taken to the Aiken County detention center, where they remained Friday afternoon.

A 16-year-old juvenile also was arrested and taken to the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice for holding.

Bond information was not immediately available.

Deputies responded to a 911 call around 3:52 p.m. Thursday about a burglary in progress on the 200 block of Holiness Church Road, according to a news release provided by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

The caller told deputies they witnessed a white vehicle fleeing the home, as shots were fired from the car, the release said.

During the investigation, one of the first deputies on the scene saw a white Dodge Magnum matching the description of the suspect's vehicle on Salley Road, according to the release.

The deputy pursued the vehicle onto State Park and Oak Ridge Club roads, when the suspects' vehicle rolled over, stopping right side up off the road, and the suspects fled the scene on foot, the release said.

Deputies caught four of the suspects Thursday afternoon in a wooded area on Oak Ridge Club Road, according to a news release provided by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

Jairus Glover was detained by police at a Charleston Highway home later in the evening, where Faith Chandler also was arrested on charges of hindering an investigation, the release said.

The Aiken Bloodhound Team, Wagener and Salley Police, S.C. State Law Enforcement Division, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources assisted in the search.

The investigation is ongoing.

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

WARRENVILLE - During the dedication ceremony for the Aiken County Habitat for Humanity's Blitz Build house Friday, Dorothy Padgett sang "Heaven is Looking (Down on Me)."

For Padgett, the performance was special because the owner of the Blitz Build home, Demetria Glover, is her niece.

"She's my baby brother's oldest child, and I was excited when I heard that she was getting a house from Habitat," Padgett said.

Padgett lives in a Habitat home in Aiken, and Padgett's oldest daughter, Tijuana Harrison, has a Habitat house near Glover's new residence in the Warren Ridge subdivision.

"I'm so glad to be here today," said Padgett, whose Habitat house was built in 1996. "Habitat is a wonderful program."

Added Harrison: "It's a great opportunity to partner with Habitat and become a homeowner. They are there for you, and even after your house has been built, they are still there for you. It's a lifetime partnership."

Both Padgett and Harrison have paid off the mortgages on their Habitat homes.

"My granddaughter is trying to get a Habitat house, too, and I've told her not to give up because God is in the blessing business," Padgett said. "You just have to wait; you just can't rush it."

Glover's two-bedroom home is the ninth Blitz Build project completed by the Home Builders Association of Aiken County.

"Working with Habitat for Humanity has been great," said Home Builders Association President Todd Gaul. "It's a neat thing to be able to give back to the community in this way."

When the groundbreaking ceremony for Glover's house was held May 25, the foundation already had been completed and the concrete for the driveway had been poured. Work on the rest of the project began June 1.

Glover and her 11-year-old son, Joshua Kenner, will move in Monday.

While the home was constructed, "I brought my son here every evening so he could be a part of it," Glover said. "We just sat in the car and looked to see what had been done. We followed it step by step. In the mornings, I would come out and clean and sweep before the builders got here. I also wiped down the windows."

To complete the sweat equity hours required by Habitat, Glover worked in Habitat's ReStore and helped construct three other Habitat houses.

Before receiving the keys to her own Habitat home, Glover said: "I'm excited and thankful. I'm grateful that the Home Builders Association and Habitat for Humanity gave my son and I this chance to better ourselves, and I'm ready to move forward."

Asked what she liked best about the house, Glover replied: "I love everything. I love my big yard. I love that I get to have a washer and a dryer, and I love the fact that I am going to be making mortgage payments and not paying rent, so one day I will own it."

Glover is an assistant manager at a Circle K convenience store not far from Aiken on Columbia Highway North near I-20. She and her son have been living in an apartment.

"She's waited to get her house for a long time, and she deserves it," said Glover's sister, Candace Glover Walker. "She has worked very hard. Whenever I talk to her, she is always volunteering and helping with somebody else's home or helping with her own house."

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.

Comedian Chonda Pierce will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday at Millbrook Baptist Church, 223 S. Aiken Blvd. S.E., as part of her Happily Laughter After tour with Christian musician Karyn Williams. General admission is $35. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 1-855-223-1008, 1-888-848-9150 or visit www.wafj.com.

These are the bookings recorded for the Doris C. Gravat Detention Center for June 9, 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.

Terrence Marcellus Martin, 36 - driving under suspension second offense, speeding 66 mph in a 44 mph zone bench warrant, Alcohol Beverage Control violation/transporting alcohol in a motor vehicle with the seal broken bench warrant, driving under suspension first offense bench warrant, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

Aldamon Markess Canty, 22 - possession of a stolen gun, driving without a license first offense bench warrant, open container of beer or wine in a motor vehicle

Travis Benjamin Phillips, 44 - entering premises after warning or refusing to leave on request

Wayne Cordaro Hankinson, 29 - assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct first degree, kidnapping, possession of a weapon during a violent crime if not also sentenced to life

Maksim Levi Merritt, 19 - possess, conceal, sell or dispose of a stolen vehicle

Sheldonia Alline Williams, 22 - open container, possess, conceal, sell or dispose of a stolen vehicle value $10,000 or more, possession of less than 1 gram of methamphetamine or cocaine base first offense

William Dalton Hurt, 23 - driving under suspension first offense, speeding 94 mph in a 35 mph zone, striking fixtures adjacent to highway, hit and run attended vehicle, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful possession of prescription pills, possession of a stolen vehicle value $10,000 or more, failure to stop for blue lights

Jonathan Wayne Bodiford, 40 - manufacture, distribution or possession of narcotic drugs in schedule I (B) and (C), LSD and schedule II first offense two counts

Matthew Stewart Hupp, 22 - uninsured motor vehicle bench warrant, driving under suspension fourth offense bench warrant, driving under the influence first offense bench warrant, hold for probation

Theron William Robinson, 32 - assault and battery first degree commitment

David Allan Meyer, 61 - driving under the influence second offense

Joshua Mitchel Woodworth, 25 - disorderly conduct

Stephen Lee Morris, 38 - hold for Aiken County Sheriff's Office awaiting warrants

Tonya Marie Cordell, 31 - uninsured motor vehicle fee violation first offense bench warrant, open container of beer or wine in motor vehicle bench warrant

Joseph Dean Glover, 22 - hold for Aiken County Sheriff's Office awaiting warrants

Joseph LeForest Jones, 34 - hold for Aiken County Sheriff's Office awaiting warrants

Jairus Derrell Glover, 20 - hold for Aiken County Sheriff's Office awaiting warrants

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

There are no new reports at this time.

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

A 59-year-old New Ellenton man was arrested Thursday for engaging a cab with fraudulent intent after riding in a cab to a Whiskey Road hotel and then not having enough money to pay his fare.

A 32-year-old Aiken man reported Thursday his 29-year-old North Augusta acquaintance assaulted him with a baseball during an altercation at his Cody Lane residence.

A 25-year-old Aiken man was arrested Thursday for disorderly conduct after he was observed by officers to be intoxicated and causing a disturbance by yelling at people on Schroder Avenue.

A 61-year-old Aiken man was arrested Thursday for driving under the influence of alcohol after being pulled over for reckless driving on Richland Avenue.

A 60-year-old Aiken woman reported Thursday a 22-year-old Augusta man sent her threatening text messages.

A 33-year-old Aiken woman called police Thursday claiming a woman who goes by "DeDe" came to her Limerick Drive home and assaulted her.

A 52-year-old Barnwell woman reported Thursday someone stole her vehicle while it was parked on Augustus Road in Aiken.

An employee at a Whiskey Road hardware store called police Thursday after two men stole chainsaws.

EDGEFIELD - Pottery made in the 1800s in the Edgefield District is popular with collectors, and some examples of the stoneware have sold for tens of thousands of dollars.

Back when it was being created, however, the pottery wasn't worth a great deal of money.

"It wasn't made as a decorative product; it was a utilitarian product, and people needed lots of it," Bettis Rainsford said at the Joanne T. Rainsford Discovery Center on Thursday night. "It was like Tupperware and baggies and all the other things we use today for storage. You put your honey and your milk and your sour mash in pottery."

The title of Rainsford's talk was The Economic and Social Context of the Edgefield Pottery Industry. His presentation was the first in the Cultural and Craft Legacies of Edgefield, S.C., series.

Four other talks are scheduled for June 16, 23 and 30, and July 7.

All will begin at 6:30 p.m., and they are free and open to the public.

The Edgefield County Historical Society, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chicago are sponsoring the series. It is being held in conjunction with an archaeological dig that Dr. Chris Fennell, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, and his colleagues are conducting this month and in July to learn more about the Edgefield District's pottery industry.

During his presentation, Rainsford provided information about the founding of Edgefield's pottery industry. Dr. Abner Landrum was a driving force in the production of stoneware.

"Abner Landrum was a remarkable individual," said Rainsford, who is an Edgefield and South Carolina historian. "I once described him as Edgefield's answer to Ben Franklin. He was a man of varied interests, great intellect and boundless energy. He was a very unique character."

Landrum's father, Samuel, moved from North Carolina to South Carolina, and he arrived in the Edgefield District in the 1770s. There is some evidence that the elder Landrum made pottery and passed on what he knew to his sons.

Abner Landrum was excited when he found deposits of the fine, soft white clay known as kaolin, which he called chalk, in the Edgefield District. He visited potteries in Pennsylvania to learn more about how they operated, and he developed an alkaline-based glaze.

By 1810, Landrum was manufacturing large amounts of stoneware on his Edgefield District property, and the area became known as Pottersville.

"Pottersville grew into a very substantial community," Rainsford said. "There were many houses there, a school, a church and all sorts of businesses, including a carriage-making operation."

In an earlier visit to Edgefield, Fennell and his associates uncovered the remains of a 105-foot dragon kiln where Pottersville used to be located, which is north of Edgefield.

One of Landrum's brothers, the Rev. John Landrum, had his own large pottery-making operation. Additional Landrum relatives and others without direct ties to the family also were busy creating stoneware before the start of the Civil War.

"The Edgefield District potteries produced an amazing amount of product," Rainsford said.

The people who manufactured stoneware, however, didn't get rich for the most part.

"It did not prove, over time, to be a very profitable enterprise," Rainsford said. "When Abner Landrum died (in 1859), one of the things that was pointed out in his obituary was that he died a very poor man. None of the other potteries of which I am aware made much money either."

In the first half of the 19th century, farmers in the Edgefield District became wealthy by growing cotton, and they considered themselves to be among the social elite.

"They thought of themselves in somewhat glorified terms," Rainsford said. "The people in the pottery business didn't necessarily have that same sense of self-importance. Many of them migrated from here and went west. They wound up in places like Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana."

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

When Pat and Dot Boardman heard that the Aiken Steeplechase Association was planning a sale, the couple jumped at the chance to own a part of probably the city's biggest annual event.

"We thought we'd see if there was anything we like. We're constant Steeplechase goers," Pat Boardman said. "We're just browsing to see if something catches our eye. When we see it, we'll know it."

A green saddle cloth appliqued with the number eight and the words, "Imperial Cup," a race at the Spring Steeplechase that featured a $30,000 purse this year, caught Dot Boardman's eye.

"I can use it as a tablecloth for my table at the Steeplechase," she said. "We love the Steeplechases."

This year is the first the Association has sold the saddle cloths, Steeplechase Executive Director Rebecca Vigné said.

"We have about 90 of them, and a lot have been used by the racehorses," she said. "They look aged and are neat collectors' items."

In addition to the saddle cloths, the sale included caps, key chains, plastic cups, coffee mugs, T-shirts and Steeplechase posters from past years.

The Association sells items throughout the year, and many would make great gifts for Father's Day on June 19, said Vigné, who worked with summer intern Katie Brown, of Aiken, to organize the sale.

"We have silk bow ties and neckties, rocks glasses, Tervis Tumblers, wine openers - lots of neat Father's Day gifts," she said.

The Aiken Steeplechase Association office is at the Aiken Training Track at 528 Two Notch Road S.E. For more information, call 803-648-9641.

Larry Wood covers education for the Aiken Standard.

Summer doesn't start officially until June 20, but temperatures will be sizzling this weekend.

The National Weather Service in Columbia is predicting that the high today will be near 95 degrees, and it will be around 98 degrees Sunday.

Skies will be sunny or mostly sunny both days.

Nighttime temperatures will fall into the low 70s.

The forecast through Thursday shows highs will remain in the 90s.

The chance of precipitation will be 30 percent Tuesday and 40 percent Wednesday and Thursday.

On Friday, the high will be close to 90 and the chance of rain will be 40 percent.

There also will be a possibility of thunderstorms Tuesday through Friday.

During extremely hot and humid weather, a body's ability to cool itself is challenged, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Know the symptoms of excessive heat exposure and the appropriate responses.

Muscle cramping might be the first sign of heat-related illness, and may lead to heat exhaustion or stroke, according to the CDC website.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke include: heavy sweating, weakness, cold and clammy skin, nausea and fainting.

Residents exhibiting these symptoms should: move to a cooler location; lie down and loosen clothing, apply cool, wet cloths to as much of your body as possible; sip water; if vomiting occurs and it continues, seek medical attention immediately.

It was perfect weather Friday evening for the 15th annual Aiken's Cookin' with Celebrity Chefs held at The Clubhouse at Cumberland Village.

The event is held by the Mental Health America of Aiken County and all proceeds benefit the organization, which works to support those affected by a diagnosed mental illness.

Mental Health America of Aiken County Executive Director Lisa Tindal helped to coordinate the fundraiser.

"This fundraiser is for our programs, which are very important," Tindal said. "Our design is to try to shed a positive light on people in crisis whether that crisis be suicide or ideation or helping a loved one who may have lost a friend or loved one to suicide."

Tindal was proud to say the fundraiser has grown significantly over the years.

This year's teams include ones from Aiken Organics, The Most Exotic Zumba Chefs, Hawk Law Group, Aiken Barnwell Mental Health, Aurora Pavilion at Aiken Regional Medical Centers, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Aiken Rotary Club, Charlie Hartz and Bobby Miller, WJBF News Channel 6, United Way of Aiken County, Security Federal Bank, NHC Homecare Aiken, Cherry Bekaert, Children's Place Inc., Scott and Mary Ruth Singer, the Aiken Standard and Aiken Professional Association.

Representatives from Cumberland Village and Palmetto Package participated and provided the night's beverages.

"We don't allow professional chefs," said Liz Neal, event chairwoman. "They are simply people who like to cook and have a good time. ... Some of these folks just have amazing food. I say this every year, but we have hidden culinary talent in this town."

The celebrity chefs picked what they wanted to serve, and there was a wide array of items to choose from Friday. There were shrimp dips and crackers, barbecue, cheesecakes, beef sliders, brownie bites, ice cream and much more.

Each team also picked a theme.

The Aiken Organics team dressed up as characters from the hit television cartoon Bob's Burgers, and their dish was grilled peaches with homemade ice cream.

"This is so much fun and I like all the delicious food," said Carrie Bowers. "This is just a fun event in Aiken, and you couldn't ask for a nicer night."

Guests were able to vote for their favorites. The categories included Best Overall, Most Flavorful, Best Presentation and Best Dessert. Voting was done electronically by smartphone or by using a tablet set up at a kiosk.

There also were three packages raffled off: one that was male oriented, one designed for women and one for wine lovers.

Also, local band Third Time Charmers performed.

"This is a fun event," Tindal said. "Good food, good fundraiser and good times."

Tripp Girardeau is a general assignment reporter with the Aiken Standard.

Four Republicans are running for S.C. House District 81 in next week's primary and all have named repairing the state's infrastructure as an important issue for South Carolina.

Realtor and former Aiken GOP Chairman K.T. Ruthven has said his position of not raising taxes as a major part of his campaign. He said he feels raising the gas tax would "fuel a system that wastes a lot of money and hurt those that can least afford it."

Ruthven has previously called on reform of the State Department of Transportation without a gas tax increase as the approach for the state to repair its crumbling infrastructure. Other issues Ruthven said are a part of his campaign include imposing term limits for state legislators and addressing the local government fund for counties.

He also wants to work on economic development and bring jobs to the area.

Bart Blackwell, a local businessman in Aiken, said the two issues he's continued to revisit during his campaign are infrastructure and education, specifically bolstering secondary schools and technical school education.

Blackwell believes a better infrastructure will attract more economic development to the state and South Carolinians will need to be prepared to fill those jobs.

On infrastructure, he said the state will need to find a sustainable revenue stream and said he has previously advocated the proposal Gov. Nikki Haley had put forward - a gas tax increase offset with a reduction in the state income tax and also called on reform of the DOT and State Infrastructure Bank.

Jeremy O'Donnell, a financial consultant, said his priority in Columbia will be to fix the roads, improve schools and help local veterans. He said he has a three-part plan to fix the state's infrastructure that includes DOT reform, gas tax modernization and tax incentives.

O'Donnell said he favors a 5-cent change to the gas tax in order to "force out-of-state motorists to pay their fair share of the bill," and said he plans to use the savings to fund tax reductions for individuals and businesses in the state.

He also added he plans to improve South Carolina schools and shift a large portion of state lottery funds to K-12 education.

Efforts to reach candidate Chris Austin, a local attorney, were unsuccessful as of press time. On the gas tax, Austin has previously said at a State House forum he "can't see increasing any taxes if we don't have to."

Austin said at the forum that money could be found in the state's budget for roads and that the state should set up a continuous and untouchable fund for its infrastructure.

Austin, as well as the other District 81 candidates, also has advocated for term limits for lawmakers. He also has pushed for more transparency in government and supported reform in the state's ethics laws. He has said a bipartisan, independent "centralized agency" should govern ethics.

The District 81 seat is currently held by S.C. Rep. Don Wells, R-Aiken, who has announced that he will not seek re-election this fall. The primary will b

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

Aiken City Council heard the final plea from City Manager John Klimm to decide upon a roads maintenance program for the City during a Friday afternoon work session.

Klimm presented his case before Council saying the City could gamble with its roads maintenance and hope what they can't see won't hurt them.

Council will consider a second vote and public hearing during its June 20 meeting to implement an annual $20 vehicle maintenance fee for every vehicle titled within the city limits of Aiken. What this approximate $500,000 in annual revenue will help fund is the City's new roads maintenance program.

Klimm has maintained the City needs a roads maintenance program if it is to remain ahead of the curve of economic development and growth.

"Can we go forever with not having a roads program?" Klimm asked Council. "Science and engineering says each road has a life, whether it looks great on the surface or not, but each road will live out its lifespan. Do we sit back and do nothing, and take our chances? We can't go forever without a roads program."

Extending roads' lifespan

Klimm brought in Engineer Rick Toole, of Toole Engineering, to present Council with an outline for a roads maintenance program that, if executed and implemented properly, could extend the lifespan of Aiken's city-owned roads by up to 40 years, well beyond the traditional 25-year lifespan of unmaintained roads.

"The key to extending the lifespan of an asphalt-paved road is by way of a method called pavement preservation," Toole said. "There are things you can do to push that larger expense farther out."

Toole told Council their current roads, which may look just fine on the surface, are nearing the end of their lifespan.

"During the 1990s, the nation's highways had a 29 percent increase in usage," he said. "Large commercial truck traffic increased by 40 percent, and 95 percent of personal travel was completed by automobile.

"Capital outlay will increase by 18 percent just to maintain existing conditions," Toole said.

These roads are nearing the end of a 25-year lifespan coupled with increased traffic.

"Roads do not generally fail in a catastrophic manner," Toole said. "Failures occur over a long period of time, but the public does not perceive deterioration until it is well advanced. We wait until the roads fail before we do anything as a general rule."

This is when the cost to repair these failed roads becomes significant, he said.

Most U.S. roads are under-maintained

According to Toole, the problem with maintaining roads the traditional way is that most states will say they have so much deferred maintenance they cannot continue to maintain these roads.

"The Federal Highway Association did a study of roads traffic through 2020," he said. "Roads congestion is increasing. Freight truck traffic will increase by 65 percent. Deterioration and roughness of our roads will increase by 25 percent."

The clock is ticking, Toole said, and these roads problems won't fix themselves.

"This is nationwide, it's not just unique to Aiken," Toole said. "The fundamental question we are faced with is how to extend pavement life and performance without increasing expenditures?"

A proactive approach of maintaining pavements to maximize their useful life as cost effectively as possible is through pavement preservation, Toole said, with the key being to consider roads a city asset.

"You invest millions of dollars in your roads," he said. "Just like your buildings, your roads are an asset, and you need to develop an asset management system just like you would have to take care of and maintain your city buildings," Toole said.

Staying ahead of the curve

The City must be proactive and progressive with its roads to stay ahead of the curve.

"Effective roads maintenance involves early intervention, which results in cost-effective maintenance and keeps the roads in good condition," Toole said.

The City's Engineering and Utilities Department would establish a "tool box" of options in regard to roads maintenance and repair.

Such tools are crack sealing, slurry sealing, micro surfacing, chip sealing - single layer, chip sealing - double layer, and single course hot mix asphalt.

"The key is to select the right tool or technique for the right road at the right time," Toole said.

"That is the key and the core of the roads program," Klimm said. "Having the resources to select the right treatment for the right pavement at the right time."

City Council member Lessie Price asked if since the program was so sure-fire and a guaranteed success, why didn't other municipalities across the country implement such a program?

"The answer to that is funding," Klimm said. "Municipalities want to know how such a program is going to be funded and maintained."

Roads program user-friendly

Klimm said the program, once it is implemented, would be easily transparent and easy for residents to track and understand.

"You get to a point where you can put every road in town on a website, and residents can easily see when you will be able to get to it to fix it. It's a very transparent program."

Klimm said once the roads are brought up to par, extending the life of the road would be easier to maintain and it would cost less.

"It's the right thing to do," Toole said.

Klimm said the case has been stated and the rest was up to the pleasure of City Council members.

"We stand ready to handle any questions from Council on the topic," he said.

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

The Department of Energy's managing and operating contractor at the Savannah River Site, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, hired more than 80 new operators in April.

The majority of the new hires are from the local area, and their arrival helps the company address workforce sustainment needs.

"Many of our new hires are from programs and schools that partner with SRNS through our training and education outreach programs," said Wyatt Clark, Senior Vice President of Environmental Management Operations.

"In fact, 12 operators are coming out of the Nuclear Engineering Technology program SRNS has established with Augusta Technical College. It is satisfying to know that not only are we getting the trained, quality workers we need, but we are also helping our neighbors and friends by hiring locally," Clark said.

Jake Jones, who will be working in H Area, is from Warrenville, and he has several family members who already work at the site.

"I already have experience in operations from a previous job," he said. "But I was looking for better career opportunities and heard SRS was the place to be."

Job assignments for the new operators vary by the area where they are assigned, but include such tasks as rigging, nuclear material handling and transport, and nuclear material monitoring. Complete training of the new operators will take approximately two years to complete, depending on their job assignment.

Bryan Depew is from Barnwell and has a degree in the engineering field from Aiken Technical College.

"I wanted a career I could use my degree for," he said.

"We need these employees to address workforce sustainment," said Clark. "Hiring and retaining quality employees are concerns across the DOE complex because of the number of long-time employees who are becoming eligible for retirement. We expect to see approximately 50 percent of our workers retire within the next five years. The new operators will help ensure that a pipeline of qualified operators is available to replace the outgoing employees."

Clark said hiring will need to continue in order to ensure staffing levels remain adequate to perform mission essential work safely. To this end, SRNS and Aiken Technical College have partnered to create a Nuclear Fundamentals Certificate Program, similar to the program at Augusta Technical College. The first graduates are expected to complete the program in October.

"SRNS has taken several different steps, and plan for several more, to improve workforce sustainment," he said.

"Some of these efforts include helping make SRS a compelling place to work and addressing knowledge retention from long term to new employees."