News

The Batesburg-Leesville Police Department has received calls from citizens regarding a new scam. According to reports, callers, of unknown origin, claim to represent the BLPD and are seeking money from victims to avoid arrest or jail.

“The scammers are pretending to work for the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department,” said Chief W. Wallace Oswald. “The folks are calling citizens and advising them they have outstanding warrants and need to pay a fine or they will be arrested.”

If you receive a call like this, please do not give any of your personal information over the phone and do not give these scammers any money. Hang up immediately and call the police department to report the incident.

“It is sad that a few unscrupulous people try to take advantage of our good-hearted citizens for financial gain,” said Chief Oswald.    

If you have any questions regarding charges or warrants call the police department directly at 803-532-4408.

The LandPlan Group will be at Town Hall to talk with members of the public to gather ideas for the Town's Master Plan. Come share your ideas from 5pm-7:30pm on Thursday, May 16th in Council Chambers. See you there. 

Goodwill Job Connection will be hosting several job fairs in May for area companies looking to fill vacancies. The information for each is provided below. 

The circus is coming to Town!

Don't miss this one night event on Monday, May 20th. circus stars from all over the world will be in Batesburg-Leesville under the big tent for two shows - 5:30 and 8pm.

Acts to include:
Rolla Bolla, Hula Hoops, Balancing Trapeze, Russian Swing and much more.

Tickets will be available online at www.bestcircus.com and at locations throughout Town soon.

Proceeds from the event benefit/support the Batesburg-Leesville Chamber of Commerce.

See you at the circus!

The 30th Annual Town Egg Hunt will take place on Wednesday, April 17th from 5:30pm-7pm in College Park. This year's event will include food, games, and activities for families and small children. More than 5k eggs have been prepared this year for hunters ages 0-6.

We will be kicking off the fun starting at 5:30 with the egg hunts as follows:

0-1: egg play area for pre-hunters with goody bags available while supplies last. Great for photos and fun. 
2-3: our youngest of the two hunt groups. Hunt will start at 6pm close to Midlands Tech in the park. 
4-6: our older hunt group. Hunt will start at approximately 6:10 west of the outdoor stage.

This year's sponsors include: Town of Batesburg-Leesville, B-L Chamber of Commerce, Dream Catchers, Lexington County Recreation and Aging, Batesburg Business Association, Leesville Merchants Association, KJ's IGA, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Lexington County Sheriff's Department, Christ Community Church, Hulon Baptist Church, and others. 

Batesburg-Leesville Police Department recently switched over to a newly installed 9-1-1 dispatch system – C-Blade. The state-of-the-art system is AT&T’s most advanced call handling system with BLPD being the first department in South Carolina to deploy the technology.

Crews from AT&T and West Corporation have spent more than a month installing the hardware and software for C-Blade. The new 9-1-1 system will enhance 9-1-1 operations and provide valuable new features for BLPD dispatchers. In addition, the 9-1-1 mapping system is more accurate and provides additional information that can be utilized during emergencies to improve officer response time.

The C-Blade 9-1-1 system replaces the department’s Life Line 100 system which had reached its end of life. The department had sought Town Council approval to upgrade to AT&T’s Viper 9-1-1 system but was presented an opportunity to jump to the latest technology by AT&T at no additional cost.

“We are grateful for all of the hard work by AT&T and West to get this new system installed and operational,” said Chief Wallace Oswald. “Randy Bryant and Mark Duncan with AT&T and Kris Adams and Dan Narvais with West were essential to ensuring a effortless transition.”

“Our dispatchers and officers now have the most advanced tools available to better serve the public and respond when emergencies strike,” noted Chief Oswald.

The community was invited to a special meeting at Town Hall on Thursday, March 7th to see the early results of the Bike and Pedestrian study. The plan as drafted provides insight for community leaders and ideas on how to increase walking and biking in our community. A copy of the draft can be found here. 

For those who were not able to make it, the boards that were shown and the results of those who voted for their favorite project are provided below.

Lastly, there is still time to provide input and vote for your favorite project. Please use this link to leave your opinion about plan and the Catalyst Project : Next-to-Rail Trail.

The annual Peach Tree 23 Yard Sale event is right around the corner. Now in its 13th year, this year's event will be held on Friday, May 31st through Saturday, June 1st. Spots are limited, but in partnership with Batesburg-Leesville Dream Catchers, spots are available to rent in along HWY 23 in Historic Leesville Downtown District. Check out the flyer below for more information. 

Located on "The Ridge" in rural South Carolina, The Peachtree 23 Yard Sale event is a one-of-a-kind "stop and go experience" you don't want to miss!! You'll meet some great folks as you wind your way along a beautiful stretch of rural South Carolina dotted with charming small towns, beautiful old Southern homes, and historic places.

Expanding 44 miles along SC Highway 23 - Batesburg-Leesville to Modoc - running through 7 towns you will find everything from clothing, jewelry, furniture, household items, and many more items. Also, along the route you will find Farmers & Artist's Markets carrying fruits and vegetables in season, and local restaurants will be ready to nourish you when you need to re-fuel!

For more information please about spots available to rent with the Dream Catchers please call Susan Whittle at 803-687-4527. Click here to download a reservation form. 

For general information, please call Town Hall at 803-532-4601. 

The Town of Batesburg-Leesville along with the State of South Carolina, Disabled American Veterans, and the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. Historical Association honored Sgt. Woodard with a historical marker remembering his tragic blinding in 1946. More than 300 people attended the event including his nephew and caretaker Robert Young. 

The blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr., an African-American World War II veteran, in February 1946 at the hands of law enforcement in Batesburg, sparked a series of events culminating in President Harry Truman’s creation of the President’s Committee on Civil Rights – the first national civil rights commission. Following the commission’s report in late 1947, President Truman desegregated the U.S. military in July 1948.

The incident also changed forever the thoughts and feelings of federal judge, J. Waties Waring. Judge Waring, upon seeing the acquittal of police officers charged with violating Sgt. Woodard’s civil rights, would go on to issue landmark civil rights rulings including a dissent in Briggs v. Elliott (1952). This ruling would become the model for Brown v. Board of Education (1954).

The placement and dedication of the marker is the culmination of more than two year’s effort by numerous groups and individuals. 

For more information: 

• Video of Remarks and Marker Unveiling
• Event Program
   

Town Council Members including Mayor Lancer Shull, Council Members Olin Gambrell, Shirley Mitchell, and Jason Prouse recently graduated from the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s Municipal Elected Officials Institute. The group participated in a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, February 5^th during MASC’s Hometown Legislative Action Day.

The Municipal Elected Officials Institute consists of both in-person and online courses designed for newly elected local government officials. Participants must complete seven required courses to graduate including two full-day sessions. Courses cover topics such as Conducting Public Meetings, Ethics, Budgeting and Municipal Finance, Freedom of Information Act, and much more.

For more than 30 years, the Association has offered the South Carolina Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government. The first class graduated in 1988.  

These officials join past graduates Mayor Pro Tem Charles Simpkins and Council Member Steve Cain.