Bamberg native, Governor Haley

The winter storm that blanketed South Carolina on Monday and Tuesday cleared out just in time Wednesday morning for a Bamberg native to be sworn-in as the next governor of the state of South Carolina.

Nikki R. Haley 38, a native of Bamberg is the nation’s youngest governor and South Carolina’s first female and Indian-American governor when she took her oath of office on the south steps of the statehouse Wednesday morning at 12 noon.

A number of Bamberg residents were on hand for the solemn and yet festive occasion that included an open house at the governor’s mansion on Wednesday afternoon, a prayer service, the inaugural ceremony and the inaugural gala Wednesday night.

Haley, a Republican and Tea Party favorite, who formerly represented Lexington County House District 87 in the legislature, defeated Democrat Vincent Sheheen in the November election.

The reality of being elected governor set in Thursday morning when Haley met with the State Budget and Control Board to decide whether to allow three agencies to run up more than $260 million in budget deficits.