Pictured left to right: Doug Busbee, Mae Busbee, Jud Busbee, Paul Salley, Betty Salley, Christopher Salley
Back row: Gwen Busbee Salley, Scott Moore
Photos and Article by Valerie Sliker, courtesy Wagener Monthly
By Valerie Sliker
Early Wednesday morning, May 13, 2015, Wagener resident, World War II hero and former WSHS FFA Advisor and Ag Teacher Mr. Spencer Smith joined nearly 100 other South Carolina World War II and Korean War Veterans in an Honor Flight to Washington DC for a day of touring their memorials, many of which these heroes have never seen before. These veterans were selected for the one day Honor Flight event and treated like royalty for the day. Smith was nominated by former student Donald Shumpert who also escorted Smith to Washington. Read more about Smith's involvement in the War and selection for the Honor Flight in Valerie Sliker's Aiken Standard article.
The Wagener First Baptist Church Children In Action class led by Debra Thomas and Marjorie Sliker attended the Honor Flight SC's Hero's Welcome at the Columbia Airport as the veterans returned home, landing at 8:01 pm. The girls lined up near the start of the veterans' walkthrough to shake hands with the veterans. Some girls shook their hands and thanked them for their service and one girl was even given a kiss on her forehead. It was a beautiful tribute.
Article originally posted by the Aiken Standard
More than two decades have passed since The Edisto Singers held its first concert under the direction of Harry Kirkland and accompanied by Nina Atkinson.
The group, now under the direction of Kirkland’s daughter Michele Kirkland-Burnett, is coming into its 2015 spring season.
The first concert will be at 6 p.m. May 3 at Clydes Chapel Southern Methodist Church, 2001 Spann Road, Batesburg.
The rest of the schedule is as follows:
• May 17: Salley Baptist Church, 206 Pine St. N.W., Salley; 7 p.m.
• May 24: Berlin Baptist Church, 424 Crossthorn Road, Salley; 7 p.m.
• May 31: Seivern Baptist Church, 1337 Seivern Road, Wagener; 7 p.m.
Based around the theme of “Faith, Hope and Love,” the chorus will sing songs such as “Undivided,” “My Faith Still Holds,” “Praise to the Lord,” “Amazing Grace” and “A Blessing.”
All concerts are free.
History
When around 20 people from five different churches came together to sing Bill and Gloria Gaither’s “In the Gardens” cantata, they thought that would be their only performance.
“The people in the audience asked us to stay together as a group and continue singing,” Atkinson said. “We had thought it would be an one-time event.”
The name The Edisto Singers came about because “most of our members come from towns near the Edisto River,” Atkinson continued.
Kirkland directed until his death in July 2011 at the age of 72.
Photos courtesy of the Zerbini's Facebook Page.
The Zerbini Family Circus returned to the town of Salley on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 6:00 pm. The circus was held at the Salley Civic Center and Fairgrounds, 258 Pine Street NW. Camel and pony rides were available one hour before showtime and are an additional cost. Also food, beverages, toys and souveneirs were available at additional cost. If you missed it, be sure to attend it next year.
The Zerbini Family presents an excellent show. This is a top quality circus available at low cost in small towns across America. Attending is a great way to show support for family entertainment available to families that can't afford the popular big-city circuses. We appreciate this family and company for providing a circus in our area of rural South Carolina.
Speckled Egg Farms, Wagener, SC has been making the news lately. With the Buy Local Movement, people are seeking out small, rural farms either for organic foods or simply to keep their money in the local community. Educator Roy Dollar teaches full time and farms part time on his family-run Speckled Egg Farms. He and his wife and children sell Poultry, Pork, Lamb/Goat, and Eggs at the Aiken Farmer's Market and out of their farm. They do not make deliveries, but are accommodating if you need to pick up your food from the farm rather than the market. The farm occasionally has ducks, geese and turkeys available. Mr. Dollar gives farm tours for free and he currently speaks for free at events or public meetings in an effort to educate the public about the local food movement. He speaks on many topics from beekeeping to starting your own farm, but mostly on why buying local matters to you.
The Dollars participate in the SC Local Grown program and moved to Wagener from Gaston a few years ago to create a farm where food would be as natural as possible and they could raise their children with the benefits of farm life. Speckled Egg Farm products are not certified organic, but the farm uses grass based feed as much as possible and avoids hormones and antibiotics. Slaughter is done on location.
Speckled Egg Farms offers volume pricing with a 15% discount for orders of $500 or more. The farm occasionally offers duck eggs as well as chicken, call ahead for information. Eggs are currently $4.00/dozen. Poultry ranges from $4 - $6 per pound with the boneless, skinless breasts at $9.00 per pound. Pork ranges from $4 - $16 per pound, with the boneless pork tenderloin being the $16/lb. Lamb and Goat ranges from $11 - $22 per pound with Liver at just $5 per pound.
A town meeting was held Monday, March 16, 2015 to allow Wagener residents the opportunity to offer advice towards the construction of a town Public Nuisance Ordinance. The town council read over the proposed ordinance, allowing time for resident feedback after each proposed section along with the guidance of Mr. Alton Johnson from the Aiken County Code Enforcement. As council members or town residents brought up concerns and suggestions, Johnson voiced his experience with enforcing such laws. The proposed ordinance intends to minimize the growing problem of health hazards in the town limits such as, but not limited to, outdated or neglected structures, leaking dumpsters, excessive trash and anything that accumulates scents, moisture or darkness which propagates the mosquito and rat population and leads to the spreading of disease.
The Public Nuisance Ordinance will be enforced in such a way as to help residents come into compliance. The enforcement is not meant to punish people, the intent is to make the community better. The town council added, "As long as you are operating in good faith and showing progress, we will work with you." This ordinance will also benefit the community by reducing crime. "What you are about to implement is going to have a direct correlation with crime. Once you start doing this, the criminals will move because you are disturbing their environment."
The animal rescue group, L.E.A.S.H., operated by Lars Swearingen in Wagener either has to shut down or move to a new location. If you'd like to adopt a dog, visit their facebook page to learn more. Many negative accusations are being thrown around about our Mayor regarding the land he had been permitting Swearingen to use. The following is Mayor Mike Miller's statement about the issue:
“I learned of Mr. Swearingen's difficulties at his former rescue located in Graniteville or thereabouts. We met through a friend in the Aiken-Augusta area who maintains a keen interest in animal welfare. I met Mr. Swearingen on a small area of land and a verbal proposal between the two of us was discussed. It was essentially a "trade-off" and that he provides onsite care and management of the animals confined at the proposed shelter. In exchange, I would provide two or up to 5 acres of land to house the shelter.
It was made clear that this property would not be deeded to any individuals, but rather a nonprofit charitable entity familiar with the care and operation of a safe haven for animals in need. It was to provide both temporary and some long-term housing for those animals needing shelter in the Northeast portion of Aiken County including the Wagener area. The land would be transferred to such an entity to establish an operation in a manner abiding by all laws and regulations that apply to any, and all aspects of its existence and successful operation. Should this proposed animal shelter fail or cease to exist, the property would revert back to the previous owner or another qualified and responsible group to operate the shelter. No indications were ever mentioned that any property was to be deeded to any individual. Further it is my opinion that Mr. Swearingen has failed to maintain adequate records other obligations expected of him, as we discussed / agreed.
The National Enduro, Round 2 is in town again Feb. 28 and March 1. The Hollow Creek Fire Dept. will be selling BBQ sandwiches on Saturday and Sunday as a fundraiser for the Fire Dept. Bring the kids out to see the races, meet some riders and check out all the great motorcycles on Saturday. Pro riders will give autographs on Saturday only. The kids and youth races will be held Saturday and the Pros and adults race on Sunday. The fire department will be serving BBQ, burgers, baked goods and more on both days. 2010 Race Report. 2014 Race Pictures. Read the full article in the February 25 issue of the Wagener Monthly. Get your free copy at the post office or any local business.
Wagener native Doug Busbee spoke at a Senate Hearing in Columbia on January 21, 2015 about the catastrophic errors in our current surface withdrawal laws. Protecting our rivers from laws that permit anyone the right to drain any South Carolina river completely dry regardless of the landowners down stream has become a serious struggle between landowners, small farmers, family farms and our lawmakers. Learn more about this debate at SC Rivers Forever or Edisto.TV.
From Maayan Schechter, Aiken Standard
A $14 million Columbia Farms chicken hatchery plans to become operational in Aiken County this spring. Columbia Farms Inc., an affiliate of House Raeford Farms Inc., announced in October its plans to build a hatchery somewhere, but recently made the official announcement to move into Aiken County. Columbia Farms already is operating a feed mill in Monetta and a processing plant in West Columbia; the West Columbia, Leesville and Monetta facilities are three of five operated by House of Raeford, currently working with 87 contract growers producing more than 40 million chickens annually. Read more at the Aiken Standard.
