Incumbents lose two of three seats on County Council

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Reporter

Bamberg County voters rode the wave of anti-incumbency fervor sweeping the state and nation by ousting two long-serving members of Bamberg County Council in the Democratic and Republican Primaries held on Tuesday, June 8.

In the three races for seats on Bamberg County Council, in the Democratic Primary, incumbent District Two Bamberg County Council Chairwoman Alzena Robinson was the only member to retain her seat for another four-year term. Robinson was elected to her fifth term of office by defeating challenger Roger Moses, who had served two previous terms on council with 170 votes (64.39 %) to 94 votes (35.61%) for Moses.

In the race for the District Three seat on Bamberg County Council, political new-comer Larry Haynes defeated veteran three-term Councilwoman Dorothy “Dot” Tatum; with 306 votes (62.2%) to 150 votes (30.49%) for Tatum. Newcomer Sherryl Dan Walley was third with 36 votes (7.32%).

And in the race for the District Six Seat on County Council, Denmark Attorney and City Council Mayor Pro Tem Evert Comer Jr. defeated long-serving County Council member William H. Nimmons, with 303 votes (80.59%) to 73 votes (19.41%) votes for Nimmons.

None of the Bamberg County Council Primary winners are expected to face opposition in the November General Election.

Republican Primary Run-Off Tuesday, June 22

There will be a primary runoff, June 22, to elect several Republican candidates. No Democratic Candidates are in the run-off, consequently, only those voters who voted in the Republican Primary on June 8, are eligible to vote in the runoff. Also anyone who DID NOT VOTE at all on June 8, is eligible to vote in the run-off.

Seats to be filled are Governor - Gresham Barrett, Nikki Haley;
Lt. Governor - Ken Ard, Bill Connor;
Attorney General - Leighton Lord, Alan Wilson;
State Superintendent of Education - Elizabeth Moffly, Mick Zais;
U.S. House of Representatives Dist. 6 - Nancy Harrelson, Jim Pratt.

All polling locations in Bamberg County will be open for this run-off election. Remember, if you voted Republican in the June 8 Primary, you can vote in the runoff, June 22. Also if you did not vote at all in the June 8 Primary, you may vote on June 22.

Fire destroys home

Local fire departments responded to a house fire Sunday afternoon located at 5992 Broxton Bridge Road near the Clear Pond Community. The house was fully involved and Bamberg EMS transported Isaac Stevenson to the Bamberg County Hospital where he was treated and then released. The Bamberg Chapter of the American Red Cross assisted the Stevenson family in finding a place to stay while Enid Bishop with the Cheeze and Cracker Box helped them with clothing and other needs.

Goat Man

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Reporter

Like most people living in the sixties in this area of South Carolina, Kathy Metts heard the legend of the ‘The Goat Man.’

“My father would take me to Cope or Bamberg to see him when he came through this area,” said Metts, a resident of the Cannan Community, and who is one of the vendors in the Main Street Market in downtown Bamberg where The portrait of ‘The Goat Man’ will be on display.

‘The Goat Man’ entwined himself in the folklore of rural America for more than six decades. From 1930 to 1987, legend has it that he walked 100,000 miles preaching the gospel to 49 of the nation’s 50 states.

If stories are true he has wrestled a bear, was nearly lynched by the Ku Klux Klan, was once thought dead and taken to the morgue, got ordained as a preacher and got mugged in Los Angeles, CA. for trying to see actress Morgan Fairchild.