Irmo, SC 12/19/2024 (Paul Kirby) – Investigators with the Irmo Police Department are seeking the public’s help in locating a man wanted for armed robbery, kidnapping, and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. Officers believe that Immanuel “Ocyrus” Young committed these crimes and is now armed and dangerous. If you have any information about his location, please call the Irmo PD at 803-781-8088. You can also make a tip through Midlands Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC or with your computer at www.p3tips.com . With CrimeStoppers, you will remain anonymous and if the information you provide leads to his arrest, you will be eligible for a CASH REWARD.

Batesburg-Leesville, SC 12/19/2024 (Paul Kirby) – Officers with the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department are looking for the man that is pictured below. They want to ask him about a crime that recently happened at Wal-Mart in the town. Click on this as to see our website Please look at the photograph closely. If you recognize this man, please contact Officer Parker with the Batesburg-Leesville PD at 803-532-4408, or by email at sparker@batesburg-leesville.org .

Lexington, SC 12/19/2024 (Paul Kirby) - Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher positively identified the woman who died in a crash in the 2400 block of p Charleston Highway in the Cayce area Wednesday evening. Fisher said that the original collision occurred at approximately 6:03 P.M. on December 18, 2024. Click this ad to see our webpage According to Coroner Fisher, Joyce P. Backman, 91, of Cayce was initially involved in a two-vehicle collision. Backman, and the other vehicle’s driver, exited their autos and were struck by a third vehicle. Backman was transported to an area hospital where she was later pronounced dead. The other driver/pedestrian was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the third vehicle was not injured and remained on scene. The Lexington County Coroner’s Office and the City of Cayce Police Department continue to investigate the incident.

Cayce, SC 12/19/2024 - The members of Cayce City Council unanimously voted to appoint Interim City Manager, former Assistant City Manager, and former Assistant Director of the Cayce Department of Public Safety, Jim Crosland, as Cayce’s new City Manager. He has more than 26 years of state and local government experience.   A South Carolina native, Jim served in the United States Coast Guard before going on to earn his associate and bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. As an Assistant Director with the Cayce Department of Public Safety, now the Cayce Police Department, Crosland served at every level of law enforcement: Canine Officer, Narcotics Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Police Instructor, and in 2016; Assistant Director over the Department. He is also a Graduate of the 265th Session of the FBI National Academy for Executive Leadership, a Certified Public Manager, and a graduate of the SC Economic Development Institute. Prior to his years with Cayce, Jim served as a Corrections Officer and member of the Narcotics Team with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department.   Michael Conley will serve as the Deputy City Manager alongside Crosland. Conley has more than 18 years of experience across South Carolina in zoning, planning and development. Prior to coming to Cayce, Conley was the Assistant County Administrator of Kershaw County.

West Columbia, SC 12/19/2024 (Paul Kirby) – On Tuesday. December 17, 2024, officers with the West Columbia Police Department (WCPD) responded to reports of several car break-ins and the theft of a vehicle on McSwain Drive and in the surrounding areas. After they began to collect evidence, interview victims and possible witnesses, they quickly established that they had a possible juvenile perpetrator who was a 17-year-old boy. With good police work and the help of some citizens tips, they were able to locate the young man and place him under arrest. The teen, who has not been identified because of his age, now faces charges including breaking into motor vehicles, possession of a stolen vehicle, firearms violations, meth possession, and resisting arrest. On December 17, 2024, WCPD officers arrested an additional subject that was involved in an auto tampering case. He has been identified as 62-year-old William Hook. According to police, they responded to Burlie Drive on the night of December 17, 2024. Callers said an individual was pulling on car door handles to check if they were open. Officers were able to take Hook into custody and charge him with auto tampering. On their social media pages, the leadership of the WCPD said these arrests were as a result of citizen’s vigilance. They ask that all who live, work, or play in West Columbia continue following the line, If You See Something - Say Something. PHOTO: 62-year-old William Hook

Irmo, SC (Dec.18, 2024) - This past April, the South Carolina Philharmonic brought its inaugural "Music in My Neighborhood" program to Irmo, offering a week of free ensemble performances throughout the community. At the December 17th Town Council meeting, Robin Hallyburton, the Development and Deputy Director of the Philharmonic, presented the Town of Irmo with its Partner Award. Hallyburton expressed gratitude for Irmo's enthusiastic support of the program, stating, "Earlier this year, we launched an Outreach Program with the vision of providing free concerts to all community members – in hospitals, assisted living facilities, schools, libraries, and more. Irmo embraced this vision wholeheartedly, hosting 13 performances attended by over 3,000 people. We are incredibly thankful for Mayor Danielson's leadership, the active participation of every Town Council member, and the dedication of the entire Irmo staff." Mayor Danielson echoed the sentiment: "The free Philharmonic performances in Irmo were a resounding success and are still frequently discussed in our town. Residents are eager to learn when the next program will take place. This program greatly impacted this town, especially with kids and senior citizens.” For inquiries please contact: Danielle McNaughton Communications & Special Projects Manager Town of Irmo, South Carolina (803) 781-7050 ext. 109 dmcnaughton@townofirmosc.com

Lexington, SC 12/18/2024 (Paul Kirby) – According to information released by Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard, a 28-year-old Lexington County man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for serious property crimes including burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle. On December 4, 2024, Christopher Azra Dalne Adkins pled guilty to Burglary 2nd Degree - Violent, Burglary 3rd Degree, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle with a value of $10,000 or more, and Failure to Stop for Blue Lights, 2nd Offense. After accepting the plea, Circuit Court Judge William Keesley sentenced Adkins to 25 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. He received the maximum sentence of 15 years for the Burglary 2nd Degree Violent charge and 10 years for the Possession of a Stolen Vehicle with a value of $10,000 or more. The judge ordered the sentences to run consecutively. The remainder of his sentences will run concurrent to his burglary sentence. Under South Carolina law, Burglary 2nd Degree, Violent, is a violent and serious offense. According to information presented before the plea, on September 17, 2023, a Cayce Department of Public Safety officer initiated a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle being driven by Adkins. Instead of pulling over and coming to a stop, Adkins sped away leading law enforcement officers on a 34-mile-long high-speed chase. At times, the fleeing car and pursuing officers reached speeds of 100 mph. Adkins’ vehicle was eventually disabled using a “stop stick,” tire deflation device. Only when he could no longer run in the car did Adkins give up. Officers quickly took him into custody. He was processed, questioned, and eventually transported to Lexington where he was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center (LCDC) where he faced the first of many hearings he has had over the past year. Clip this ad to see our website In addition to the Failure to Stop for Blue Lights charge, Adkins pled guilty to a series of storage unit burglaries that occurred in September and October of 2023. In one of these instances, Adkins burglarized a storage unit that contained over 50 firearms, ranging from antique collectables to suppressed assault rifles. At the time of these offenses, Adkins was on probation. He also has multiple prior convictions, that include Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, and Failure to Stop for Blue Lights. Adkins has been transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.

Lexington, SC 12/17/2024 (Paul Kirby) - The Lexington Police Department needs the community’s assistance to identify the subject pictured below. Detectives alleged he used someone else’s identification to open a Verizon account and purchase a mobile phone. They say this happened on November 14, 2024, at the Walmart on Sunset Boulevard. Click this ad to see our website If you have information that could help in this case, contact Detective Williamson at 803-358-1514 or jwilliamson@lexsc.gov . For your tip to remain anonymous, contact Midlands Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC or through their website at www.midlandscrimestoppers.com . You could be eligible for a cash reward.

Red Bank, SC 12/17/2024 (Paul Kirby) - Jay Webb and his family, the owners of the Hwy 55 restaurant in the Red Bank Commons in front of Wal-Mart, have always been supportive of their community. Jay is very involved with the day-to-day business and values his staff also. Jay is known to greet everyone with a smile and often checks on tables himself to make sure his customers are taken care of. Jay’s wife is there pitching in, and their daughter brightens up the place with her infectious smiles. The holidays never pass without him doing something for families. They’ll do a Back to School Bash for the local students annually and they raise money for families throughout the year. When Helene hit, Jay and his family didn't hesitate. They worked tirelessly to get food to those without food or power. This family has done so much for their little community! Now, they need some help and customer, and friend Emmalee Langdale has organized a GoFundMe to help Jay and the crew at Hwy 55. As it turns out, the store’s freezer has gone down. The estimate to repair it is $1500. During the Christmas Holiday, it would be the perfect time of the year to give something back to a business that has done so much for the community. If you can help Jay, his family, and his business, go to this link to open the GoFundMe page. Thanks in advance for anything you can do.

West Columbia, SC 12/17/2024 - City of West Columbia updates on City Hall closures, sanitation schedules, and fireworks regulations for the upcoming holidays.   City Hall Closures City Hall will be closed for Christmas on Wednesday and Thursday, December 25–26, 2024. Regular business hours will resume on Friday, December 27, 2024. City Hall will also be closed for New Year’s Day on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Regular hours will resume on Thursday, January 2. Sanitation Schedule Adjustments Christmas Thursday sanitation routes will be collected on Friday, December 27, 2024. There will be no yard trash collection on Friday, December 27, 2024. New Year’s Day There will be no yard trash collection on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.   For the most up-to-date information, residents can check the City’s website ( https://westcolumbiasc.gov/sanitation-recycling/ ) or download the WeCo Info app . Service requests can also be reported online through the Civic Web Portal ( https://westcolumbiasc.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx ).   Fireworks Reminder The City of West Columbia reminds residents that fireworks can only be discharged within City limits from 9:00 a.m. on December 31 through 1:30 a.m. on January 1.   The City of West Columbia wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

Irmo, SC 12/16/2024 - To prevent accidents involving emergency vehicles, The Irmo Fire District (IFD) is proud to announce a new highway safety program that they have begun to use. This is a new way to warn drivers that fire apparatus is responding or on the scene of an emergency and motorists need to slow down and move over. Irmo Fire District's new apparatus is equipped with Safety Cloud® by HAAS Alert. When one of their emergency vehicle's lights and sirens are activated, Safety Cloud automatically sends digital alerts to nearby drivers. Alerts appear directly on in-dash systems in brands including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles, as well as through Waze and Apple Maps mobile applications. This advance warning, in addition to traditional lights and sirens, has been proven to protect responders and reduce the likelihood of secondary collisions near roadside incidents by up to 90%. These alerts help facilitate adherence to South Carolina Move Over laws and can significantly reduce collision risks. The leadership of the IFD asks if you receive a warning, please slow down. It means they’re in the roadway ahead of you or approaching you. Distracted driving is dangerous for everyone, and it's easy to get distracted this time of year. Check out the video to see how much the threat is real. The IFD had their engines struck by inattentive motorists and according to them, it's a terrible experience for everybody. If you aren't driving a vehicle with a compatible warning system installed, you can receive warnings through Waze or Apple Maps on a phone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRjLXCe7Z1k

Cayce, SC 12/13/2024 (Paul Kirby) – The City of Cayce’s new Police Chief Herbert Blake resigned today effective immediately. Blake said in his resignation letter. “My resignation [is] effective today’s date. Thank you very much for the opportunity you afforded me.” Blake had been with Cayce for just 2 months. He made the announcement he had accepted the job in September. Blake had plenty of experience leading law enforcement officers. He previously served as Chief Deputy of the Bumcombe County Sheriff’s Office and later as Police Chief for the Hendersonville, NC Police Department for 13 years. Interim City Administrator Jim Crossland said that the Department’s command staff would run the Cayce Police Department until the process of hiring a new chief was completed.