Downtown park benches disappear
Disappearing park benches in downtown Columbia have sparked rumor and controversy among parkgoers recently, the State reported.
According to City Councilman Cameron Runyan, the downtown benches, as well as those in the Vista, were taken out to prevent homeless people from using them.
Runyan had devised a plan in the City Council to move homeless people from the city to a shelter until a long-term solution could be figured out.
Though homelessness downtown has caused concern in the past, George Bailey, a member of the Boyd Plaza Foundation, said that the removal of the benches was not connected to worries about the homeless, but they were actually removed for repair.
“The benches weren’t removed so the homeless can’t sit down,” Bailey said. “It would deprive everyone else.”
- Hannah Jeffrey, Assistant news editor
Lake Murray to host bass angler tournament
Lake Murray will once again host the Forrest Wood Cup, a contest for professional and amateur bass anglers, in mid-August 2014, The State reported.
This is the second time that Lake Murray will host the competition, the first time being in 2008.
“This is the Super Bowl of fishing coming,” said lake tourism director Miriam Atria.
The event is expected to bring 92 anglers, along with their entourages, for up to two weeks next summer. Sale, hotel and meal tax incomes are all expected to see a boost during the tournament, not to mention a spike in publicity.
In 2008, the event brought in $16.1 million in revenue after being put on using revenue provided by state, county and municipal sources.
For the most part, Forrest Wood Cup events will be free and open to the public, something that Chris Hoover of FLW, the organization hosting the event, hopes will “grow our sport.”
- Hannah Jeffrey, Assistant news editor
Police chase teen going 20 mph on moped
After a grueling 20-mph chase Wednesday afternoon, North Charleston police arrested and charged 18 year old Ethan Lamont Jenkins with giving false information to police and failure to stop for blue lights and siren, WIS reported.
After police were called to respond to a vehicle pursuit, they found an abandoned moped and were told that the driver had taken off on foot.
Police soon spotted a man who matched the description of the suspect running on foot next to another man, who was later identified as Jenkins, driving a different moped.
Jenkins continued on his moped through the parking lots of a gas station and a shopping center, according to authorities.
After failing to stop at a red light while going nearly 20 mph, Jenkins made a turn onto Frontage Road, where he left his moped and continued on foot until he was arrested.
- Hannah Jeffrey, Assistant news editor