Parents accused

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announces the arrest of two Bamberg County parents accused of injuring their infant daughter and failing to report that injury to police.

Harold Edward George, Jr. 23, of 130 Reddish Road, Bamberg, is charged with Infliction of Great Bodily Harm Upon a Child.

Thelma Louise George, 21, of 130 Reddish Road, Bamberg, S.C. is charged with Allowing Infliction of Great Bodily Harm Upon a Child.

According to arrest warrants, Harold George, Jr. used his hands to strike his 8-month-old daughter in the abdomen causing severe impairment to her stomach and intestines.

An additional warrant says that Thelma George failed to disclose the injury to law enforcement and medical staff.

The parents turned themselves in to the Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office.

The child is still hospitalized and is currently in the custody of the SC Department of Social Services.

Infliction of Great Bodily Harm Upon a Child is a felony offense punishable up to twenty (20) years in prison.

Allowing Infliction of Great Bodily Harm Upon a Child is a felony offense punishable up to five (5) years in prison.

Denmark water discoloration

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Writer

After giving his water and sewer report to Denmark City Council City Water Department Director Daniel Norton was asked questions by council members about the reoccurrence of brown coloring in the city’s water.

“I want to ask you a question, I noticed that in at least two locations the brown water has been coming up,” Councilman Evert Comer said.

“That’s tied into the service (of the water system) and we had to cut the service a couple of times on Chestnut Street,” Norton said. “ERC is going around flushing hydrants trying to get the new stuff up for the new wells, and we’ve been stirring up the water and it’s going to take a while for the water to settle back down,” Norton said.

Norton stated that the department is putting a new tap in and tanker back in at Timrod, which he said is “kind of stirring up the water” and fresh line flushing is being done because of chlorination. “So water is going to be stirred up for a little bit now, until things kind of clear up,” he said.

Councilman Jake Bookard wanted to know if citizens are notified when the water is going to be stirred up. “A lot of times it happens so fast, we don’t have a chance-sometimes we hit the line and don’t know it,” Norton said pointing out the example of the Chestnut Street line being hit three times within three or four hours.

“They were drilling the other day and water came up, with our system the way it is, it doesn’t take much to stir it up,” he said.

Norton also reported: The department repaired a water leak at Church Street and on Highway 78 above Holland Hitch with the assistance of the G. H. Smith Company; installed a sewer line on Chestnut Street; reported that the water line is in on Locust Street and services will be connected when the results of two samples are received from DHEC; reported that a leak on Highway 78 near South Carolina Bank and Trust was repaired with the assistance of G. H. Smith and all leaks on Highway 78 are now repaired; reported that the department is working on Ash lift stations and Rice lift stations, and replacing railings in Ash and Rosewood stations, and slides in Rice lift station.

2.5 days furlough

After giving a five day furlough to all district employees with contracts of more than 190 days earlier this year, Bamberg School District One officials found them-selves still in a hole financially.

Bamberg School District Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting stated that furloughing teachers wasn’t an easy decision to make: “This isn’t something done lightly,” Schwarting said noting that the district was left with few other options unless the stimulus package comes in and “quote does something extraordinary for us.”

The 2.5 days furlough the districts’ teachers will receive is expected to save the district about $75,000, coupled with the five day furlough received by administrative staff earlier at savings to the district of $130,000 to $140,000.

Parents Anonymous

Two honored speakers provided informative information to three dozen parents and volunteers during Parents Anonymous of Bamberg County’s 2nd annual prayer breakfast Feb. 21. Mr. Bill White, Program manager for the Faith and Community Based Resource Center, and Tracy Padget, of SC Dept. of Social Services, spoke of several programs that are available to parents and children of South Carolina.

Ms. Padget offered several programs available to parents and children in South Carolina. South Carolina Healthy Connections Choices is one such program available, a state program that helps people in Medicaid enroll in health plans to get Medicaid services.

“Members enrolled in the Healthy Connections Choices program receive all of their current Medicaid benefits plus the extra services provided by their health plans.” For further information, and enrollment, she said, Call to speak with an enrollment counselor at 877-552-4642 or Fax: 877-552-4672