Area News

By DEUCE NIVEN     A Clarendon man arrested on assault and sexual battery charges Friday may have acted in more than the four instances in which he was charged, prompting a plea to the public for help.     Alvin Eulice Leggett,47, was arrested at a medical clinic in Cerro Gordo where he was being treated,…

    Brenden Jones, left, of Tabor City was formally sworn to the North Carolina House of Representatives during a ceremony Thursday morning in the Columbus County Courthouse. Associate NC Supreme Court Justice Paul M. Newby administered the oath, with Jones’ wife Angela and daughters Savannah Grace and Ella holding the Bible. (Joyce Graham, TLT)

By DEUCE NIVEN UPDATE Dec. 28     Roger Dale Grate has been confirmed as the suspect charged in the murder of Darrell D. Doctor in Loris on Christmas night.     Apparently unable to respond to media requests for information during the holidays, the Horry County Police Department on Wednesday released a redacted report on the…

By DEUCE NIVEN     Theft suspects from Loris sought since September were captured this week by the Horry County Police Department.     Maurice Delvon Isaiah, 35 and Kimaysh Taylor Liles, 24 were taken into custody after HCPD officers conducted a traffic stop on Barnhill Road west of Loris on Wednesday, department spokesman Lt. Raul Denis…

By DEUCE NIVEN     False imprisonment and assault by pointing a gun warrants have been served on a South Carolina man arrested last weekend on charges of impersonating a law enforcement officer.     Joshua Daniel Suggs, 26, of Peacock Lane, Loris, South Carolina, was arrested at the Columbus County Law Enforcement Center Wednesday, and released…

By DEUCE NIVEN     An accidental fire caused no structural damage to the gym at the former Mt. Olive School near Whiteville Friday morning, but the extent of the loss of contents may not be know for days, Columbus County Schools spokesman Kelly Jones said.     “There was a lot of smoke damage,” Columbus County…

By DEUCE NIVEN     A guilty plea in an August 2015 shooting death in Loris will send a man to prison for 22 years, Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson announced last Wednesday.     Gary Batton, 37, of Loris, entered the guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter before Circuit Court Judge Larry Hyman in Conway. Judge Hyman…

By DEUCE NIVEN     Closed for more than two months in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, the U.S. Post Office in Fair Bluff is scheduled to re-open at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Postmaster Harriett Epps said Tuesday.     “We’re finally ready,” Epps said.     Located in the heart of Fair Bluff’s downtown business district, the Post…

    Aces were high as the Stallions of South Columbus High School stumbled in the Eastern 2A North Carolina High School football finals at Civitan Stadium Friday night, 50-14.     South Columbus scored first and last with the Aces of Edenton Holmes scoring in every quarter, small but quick a talented team often skirting around…

By DEUCE NIVEN     Child sex warrants were served on a Clarendon man Thursday in a June 2014 case, Columbus County Sheriff’s Office reports show.     Wallace Jason Rogers, 39, of Campbell Park Drive, Clarendon, was charged with first-degree sex offense with a child younger than 13 and indecent liberties with a child. He is…