From Kyle Dawson, Aiken Standard
Last year was the year of "first time since" and "first time ever" for the Wagener-Salley football program.
It's time to throw all of those out now, because 2019 is a new year – but first, there's one last "first time since".
For the first time since 1995, the War Eagles enter the season as defending region champions.
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Photo and Article by Valerie Sliker, courtesy Aiken Standard
In the 60th year of operations at Wagener Milling Company, owner David Williams has found just the right person to which he can trust his father’s business, D. J. Dillon. Dillon, a native Virginian living in Beech Island, took two months to settle his farming commitments and to secure financing to purchase the milling company from Williams.
While Dillon, as the new owner of the Wagener Milling Company, has made a few changes, one thing hasn’t changed: David Williams is still front and center when you walk in the door.
“David has a lifetime contract.” Dillon said as we talked amid the hustle and bustle of milling operations. “As long as he wants to stay, he can. I’m not going to pressure him to leave; I don’t want him to leave, David IS Wagener Milling Company. He’s told me on numerable occasions that this is where he is comfortable. I’m never going to take it away from him. I want him to always feel like this is his place.”
Williams countered, “I’m lucky I get to be here. I ain’t much of a worker, but I’m here, praise the Lord. I’m a furniture fixture.”
While Dillon’s father is alive and well in Virginia, Dillon and Williams demonstrate a cozy type of father/son relationship. It was Williams’ father who opened Wagener Milling Company in late 1959 and Williams began working here full-time twenty years later.
The milling company operates out of a historic building, over 100 years old. It started out as a railroad depot, then it became a house. Following that, it became Wagener’s first telephone exchange. After that, it became an FCX Feed Company and ran through a couple of owners, including Pope Gantt who called it the Trading Post.
Photo and Article by Valerie Sliker, courtesy Aiken Standard
Thirty-four-year veteran of the Totowa, NJ Police Department, retired Detective Captain Scott R. Titus has been sworn in as Wagener’s new Chief of Police.
Interim Chief of Police and long-time Wagener Police Officer Jeremy Hill has moved into part-time work as he has accepted a federal position apart from the Wagener PD.
The Wagener Police Department consists of two full-time and two part-time officers. Sergeant Quentin Wright and Chief Titus are both full-time. Officers Jeremy Hill and Gerald Taylor are both part-time. When a call comes in and all officers are off-duty, the Aiken County Sherriff’s Dept. responds to the call.
Chief Titus wants you to know that his door is always open. Stop in anytime to meet him or to discuss any issues you might have.
June 12th was the Chief’s first day on duty in Wagener. Currently, his time is spent connecting with the community, getting logged onto systems with the state and continuing his certification as a police officer within the state of South Carolina.
“Nothing has surprised me.” Titus said. “As I conduct administrative work and police work out in the field, it’s a little different. Policing is very similar; it’s just the processes are a little different. I came from a department that had twenty eight sworn personnel and about twelve unsworn. I was second in command in a town with a population of 12,000. The town would swell up to 90,000 during the daytime because of the highway running through.
“Small town policing is a little different. But every person’s issue is very important. Nothing gets swept under the rug.
Registration for Soccer, Baseball and Softball has begun. You can register in person at the Courtney Center August 19 – August 23, 2019 or you can register via Facebook Message on the Roy Warner Courtney Center Facebook page immediately and make arrangements to sign papers. Soccer will be a 6-week program on Tuesdays and Thursdays in October and November, ages 6 – 12 and there is a $25 fee. Baseball and Softball will be 8-week programs from September – November, ages 4 – 12 with a $50 fee.
Team sponsors are needed, $200 per team.
By Valerie Sliker, courtesy Wagener Monthly
An Art Show will be held at the former Tyler Brother’s Furniture Store building located between Park and Pickens Streets on Saturday, August 17, 2019, starting at 4:00 pm. The show, called Summer’s End, will feature artwork by local artists Jesse Brantley, Jordan Fraser, Madison Rutherford and Valerie Sliker. Refreshments will be served.
Fraser graduated from USC Aiken with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and plans to continue her education to become a professional cartoonist. She enjoys drawing with traditional and digital media. Fraser hopes to use her artwork to spread awareness about Downs Syndrome and to help dissolve the stigma associated with pit bulls.
Brantley enjoys working with all mediums of art and rescuing and spending time with pit bulls. He is a Digital Media Specialist from Mount Pleasant, SC. His art studio is currently located in Wagener, SC. Brantley is also a chef and enjoys creating fine foods.
I (Sliker) enjoy creating with many mediums, especially watercolor or charcoal portraits. I am a content writer by trade and enjoy reading, traveling, kayaking and crocheting.