Lexington County News

Lexington County Sheriff's Department detectives are seeking help from citizens in identifying the person or persons who broke into five churches near Pelion and Swansea.

If the city and county hadn't reached that point before, they're certainly there now.

The Lexington County Sheriff's Department and Lexington County Clerk of Court's Office served family court bench warrants on 84 dead-beat parents as a result of mailing letters in April to persons for whom bench warrants had been issued after the persons failed to make court-ordered child support payments in Lexington County.

As the new 2013 phone books are being delivered, Keep the Midlands Beautiful encourages residents to recycle last year's books.

Chances of passing major government restructuring and strong ethics reform are running out of time.

At least two Lexington County school districts plan to raise taxes next year. One district, District 5 serving Irmo, Chapin and Dutch Fork, has not provided budget details that were to be approved Monday night in first reading.

Lexington County led the state once again in employment in April. And the state's employment rate was at the highest level in five years.

Dr. Suzy Schwab begins Med Mission in Lexington County. BY CAROLINE BRITTINGHAM Special to the Chronicle Dr.

A divided County Council on Tuesday settled on a $110 million spending plan that includes a property tax increase of $12.15 on a home valued for tax purposes at $100,000, the maximum raise allowed by the state tax cap.

Lexington County Senator Katrina Shealy hosted a luncheon Monday for seven of South Carolina's soldiers who gave their lives while serving our country.

Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts says Edgar Martinez was arrested on May 18 and is charged with second-degree burglary.

Pockets of heavy rains were reported over the Midlands Sunday, with some areas receiving up to four inches of the wet stuff and others less than one inch, the National Weather Service reported.

Troup County School System and First Baptist Church on the square hosted the annual educators' retirement reception for 2012-2013 on Tuesday with 61 retiring educators.

Days after stating that a proposed levy on e-cigarettes was not a violation of his organization's pledge, S.C. Association of Taxpayers president Don Weaver has reversed himself.

The Professional Tennis Registry has named the Cayce Tennis & Fitness Center in Cayce, as the 2013 Public Facility of the Year.

Hearn named director. The Lexington County School District One Board of Trustees approved the administration's recommendation to hire W. Bryan Hearn as director of the Lexington Technology Center for the 2013-2014 school year.

Law enforcement personnel from throughout Lexington County turned out for a ceremony to honor fallen officers.

Lexington County is looking at a plan to hire more deputies. Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts asked for more deputies from County Council last week to help improve response times.

Lexington County Sheriff's Department deputies, code enforcement officers and resident deputies recently removed about 15 tons of trash, used motor vehicle tires and other debris from a property at 314 Stonewall Court near Chapin.

The state Supreme Court has upheld South Carolina's 78 sales-tax exemptions. State law makes 78 exemptions including groceries from the 6% sales tax.