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DOGGY DASH ON 6 2 OPINION 4 OBITUARIES 8 PUZZLES 10 LEGALS 11 CLASSIFIEDS QUOTE ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.’ EDMUND BURKE News&Press Vol. 146, No. 4 ONE SECTION • 12 PAGES JANUARY 22, 2020 ESTABLISHED 1874 75¢ Darlington, S.C. WWW.NEWSANDPRESS.NET Teacher in teen-sex case was a star student at FMU By Bobby Bryant dent newspaper in 2017. “I’m on Patton’s Facebook page, Facebook information. authority” over the youth – Editor doing all of this for him, and I which appears to have been In arrest warrants issued by engaged in sexual intercourse [email protected] need to make sure I have a rela- taken down since the story the Darlington County Sheriff’s and other sexual acts with the tionship with him.” broke. Office Jan. 10 but not publicly student “multiple” times. The When Anna Patton was a stu- Last week, the 22-year-old Information on Patton’s announced until Jan. 13, Patton warrants allege these incidents dent at Francis Marion English teacher at Lamar High Facebook page, reports said, is accused of: took place “in the Lamar area” University a few years ago, she School was released from jail on indicated she graduated from -- Sex / sexual battery with a between Oct. 1, 2019, and Dec. was a busy single mom who still a $7,500 bond after being Francis Marion University in student 16 or 17 years old, but 31, 2019. The charges are based managed to land on the accused of having an illicit sexu- 2019 “after writing her honors without “aggravated force or on statements from the student, President’s List for top grades al relationship with a 16-year- thesis on the use of Nazi propa- coercion.” the warrants say. every semester and still found old student. ganda in German schools during --Disseminating harmful The warrants also allege that time for volunteer work. Patton, who lives in Florence, the Third Reich.” material or exhibiting a harmful Patton used social media to “dis- “It can be overwhelming apparently had only been teach- Patton was vice president of performance to minors. seminate harmful material to a when I have five or six classes ing at the Darlington County FMU Honors, was a South -- Criminal solicitation of a minor” – in this case, “sexually with homework and tests, then school about six months. She Carolina Teaching Fellow and minor. explicit nudity.” volunteer work and then still was hired at the school July 7, was on the board of directors of The warrants allege that have that time with (her young 2019, according to national a charity helping foster families, Patton – who, as the student’s TEACHER ON 3 son),” Patton told the FMU stu- news media citing information news reports said, again citing teacher, had “direct supervisory Anna Patton Hatcher wins inaugural Chief Jim Stone Award By Samantha Lyles [email protected] The inaugural Chief Jim Stone Award, recognizing a Darlington County firefighter of outstanding dedication and service, was recently presented to Myrick Hatcher of the Darlington Fire Department. Though the pool of candidates included nominees from departments all around the county, it seemed fitting that the first winner serves at the very department Chief Stone called home for half a century. Award recipient Hatcher began his firefighting career as a volunteer with Palmetto Rural Fire Department, then joined DFD as a part-timer. Re-elected Lamar Town Council members Angele White-Bradley Since becoming a full-time (left) and Inez Lee were sworn in for another term by Magistrate member of the department Court Judge Craig LaCross. PHOTO BY SAMANTHA LYLES about five years ago, Hatcher has won the respect of his peers, who named him Firefighter of the Year in 2018 Lamar Council (an honor he shared with col- league Lt. Brandon Maloch). taking aim at town’s HATCHER ON 3 Myrick Hatcher PHOTO BY SAMANTHA LYLES vulture problem By Samantha Lyles age metal structures and the Who stole Hartsville’s bronze fox? [email protected] painted finishes on cars. We have that problem around our From Staff Reports Lamar Town Council held church ... because they like to their regular monthly meeting roost all the way across the The bronze fox in on Jan. 13 and discussed top of our church.” Hartsville’s Burry Park is miss- strategies to rid the town of a Vultures are a protected ing, and the local police are not destructive flock of vultures species because, as carrion happy. roosting around the recently “The city’s fox was stolen,” eaters, they serve an impor- repainted water tower. tant purpose by cleaning up the Hartsville Police Council talked about the dead animals. This protected Department said last week on vulture problem in December status complicates the prob- its Facebook page. and citizen Angela Grooms lem for towns like Lamar, “If you have been by Burry volunteered to investigate where the roosting birds pose Park recently, you may have abatement options, which she a threat to public works infra- noticed one of our statues is delivered as a report during structure like the town's water missing,” the department said. this meeting. towers. Grooms said that the The park next to Applebee’s Grooms said the vultures South Carolina Department of “had, up until recently, a little currently troubling Lamar are Natural Resources offers a few fox statue on a rock. Someone the aggressive variety that legal options: try to drive the has decided to remove the bolt, attack small or vulnerable live birds away with noise; pur- break the construction adhe- animals, rip out rubber gas- chase a permit to kill one vul- sive loose and steal the bronze kets and silicone seals around ture and hang the dead bird at fox.” roofing and windows, short the roost site to drive away the “Although small (the statue out transformers and substa- flock; or pay $250 for DNR to is about the size of a small tions, and deposit massive bring a dead bird for the town dog), bronze art is not cheap,” amounts of acidic droppings to use. the department said. probably as a prank. of the statue. If the statue was bly ours,” the Hartsville police and urine – which can lead to “I've read that within three “This statue is a several- “Stealing something like this damaged, they could be costly property damage. warn. days, at most places, that thousand-dollar piece of art- is not funny, it is not a joke and ordered to pay the full replace- “The accumulation of bird they're gone. And most times, work that was there for every- it is not a prank. When the per- ment value.” If anyone has any leads on droppings can reduce the they don't come back,” said one to enjoy and to help beauti- son is caught, they could face a “If someone in your family functional life of a building's the fox, call the police at 843- Grooms. fy the park. Someone has self- prison term of up to 10 years, or school has shown up recent- roof by 50 percent,” said ishly stolen it for themselves, depending on the exact value ly with a bronze fox, it’s proba- 383-3011. Grooms. “They can also dam- LAMAR ON 3 ‘We can do better’: August running for sheriff By Bobby Bryant sheriff over the weekend, worked in law enforcement done. However, I am firm in Editor said: “In the coming weeks, I for more than 25 years, [email protected] my conviction that I would be predict there will be several including a long career with a better sheriff than the one other candidates to announce the Darlington Police Darlington County Sheriff we currently have in place in Tony Chavis has picked up his their intentions of running for Department and a job with first challenger in his 2020 re- sheriff. This should speak vol- the South Carolina Law our county. election bid, and Chavis’ umes that change is needed.” Enforcement Division. “ … The point I am making opponent says more chal- “Darlington County is at a On August’s Facebook cam- is that we can do better. Our lengers are preparing to join critical point in its history,” paign page, he writes: county and its citizens deserve the race. August told the crowd at his “I’ve been asked repeatedly more than what has been Michael August, who Saturday-afternoon news con- … after announcing my inten- announced his campaign to ference at the Courthouse. “ tion to run for sheriff of offered so far. … All citizens, seek the GOP nomination for … We need a dedicated, hard- Darlington County, ‘Why in regardless of who they are or working, honest sheriff to Heaven’s name would you what their status is in the ensure the welfare of our citi- want to do that?’ community, should be given zens. Too much is at stake for “I believe I can do a better an equal voice and equal this call to go unanswered.” job than has been done by the Chavis was elected sheriff current administration. I will attention. I will not hide from in 2016 as a Democrat. not throw stones and I will not the task. … This is who I was August has said he has disparage the job they have born to be.” Michael August PHOTO BY BOBBY BRYANT PAGE 10 | WEDNESDAY JANUARY 22, 2020 NEWS AND PRESS | DARLINGTON, S.C. LEGAL NOTICES ) OF ESTATES is Room 208 Courthouse, of this Notice to Creditors or Roe; All Unknown persons five (5%) of his bid, in cash of September 1, 2004 Park same each subsequent sales NOTICE TO CREDITORS All persons having claims One Public Square, within one (1) year from with any right, title or inter- or equivalent, as evidence of Place Securities, Inc.