Wedding & Event Venue Near Bishopville, SC.

BISHOPVILLE — The city of Bishopville has been awarded $8.5 million for water and wastewater upgrades from the S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA). The RIA announced last week it has awarded $1.369 billion in grant funding to communities across the state to “assist with improvements for cleaning drinking water, sanitary sewer and storm water resilience.”

Bishopville is one of more than 200 local governments and water authorities to receive a grant through the South Carolina Infrastructure Investment Program (SCIIP), administered by the RIA.

City Administrator Gregg McCutchen said the city applied for the grant to complete six projects, estimating the total cost for all would be almost $10 million. Some of the projects include constructing an elevated water storage tank on Highway 34, improvements to the town’s wastewater treatment plant, upgrade of the Lee Correctional Institution wastewater pump station and replacement of deteriorating 12 inch water lines in several areas of the city.

According to the grant application, the city proposes to fund the projects using $8.5 million from SCIIP and use $299,600 from the city’s funds for engineering services.

McCutchen and city officials were thrilled to hear Bishopville had been awarded the grant funds. “If ever the stars could line up, they’ve lined up for the city of Bishopville and Lee County,” McCutchen said. “This is a joint effort between the city and county…These funds are transformative and will build a solid future for us. It’s just real exciting to be able to move forward and get all of this done…I couldn’t be any more excited with what’s going on in Bishopville. I’m just very optimistic because once people start seeing things happening, they’ll look at us and start locating more businesses and plants here.”

Lee County Administrator Alan Watkins said the city of Bishopville “has made a lot of progress in the past several years on upgrading the water and sewer systems for both city residents and the industrial/commercial users of the system. Having strong water and sewer capacities is critical for recruiting new industries and supporting the expansion of existing businesses. The city and county councils have worked together closely to secure funding such as these most recent water and sewer grant awards and this partnership is vital to continuing the success which has recently been achieved.”

The S.C. Infrastructure Investment Program was created by RIA as a major, one-time initiative designed to have a transformative impact on water, wastewater and storm water systems in small and disadvantaged communities as well as larger, growing communities using federal funds allocated by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

“The vital infrastructure improvements these funds will deliver across South Carolina will be a game changer,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “The availability of critical services not only improves the immediate quality of life for our citizens, but it also makes our state more attractive for impactful and sustained economic development.”

The funding offers a unique opportunity to make long-term capital improvements that will strengthen critical services to residents and businesses, create more resilient communities and build the capacity to support future opportunities for growth and economic development, state officials say. Projects selected by RIA’s board of directors are designed to address a range of needs that will protect public health and the environment and build capacity for the future.

“Funding of these projects is particularly timely considering the current state of the economy. Rural and disadvantaged communities will be able to undertake capital projects that otherwise would take years to fund — and have them completed without shifting significant costs to its customers,” said South Carolina Rural Water Association Executive Director Jill Miller.

Priorities for project selection included regional solutions involving multiple utilities, protection of public health and water quality, resilience and storm protection, modernization of aging infrastructure, capacity development and economic opportunities. Recipients of the funds will be able to get started on their projects in the next couple of months, with a deadline to spend all funds by Dec. 31, 2026.

The types of projects that have been awarded range from storm drainage facilities that will protect residents and property from future storm damage and erosion, to upgrades of facilities that provide clean drinking water such as wells, storage tanks, treatment facilities and distribution lines, as well as the collection and treatment of sanitary sewer to protect the environment. A number of the SCIIP projects will address system capacity to create economic opportunities in the future. Eligible entities included units of local government, special purpose districts, commissions of public works, joint municipal organizations and nonprofit water systems.

More than 300 applications totaling more than $2 billion were submitted. Seventy% of all applications were funded, including at least one project in every county.

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — What a whirlwind March it has been! South Carolina has had warm temperatures one day then below freezing the next. “It is a delight to be travelling again since COVID,” said Catherine Harris, who enjoys organizing tours for local groups.

I was fortunate to be part of the trip to Kentucky’s The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum Answers in Genesis, organized by Harris, who is a retired Lee County probate judge.

Fellow traveler and Bishopville Pilot Club member Carolyn Cumalander said, “Burke Christian Tours is the best way to travel and have fun adventures with family and friends. We met our group in Camden on Wednesday, March, 15 and traveled to Charlotte to spend the night.”

The next morning we were on our way to new places and met a group of travelers from North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. We boarded our large motor coach (friends from Bishopville and Lugoff, as well as 25 new friends we met) and rode through the scenic haze of the Great Smoky Mountains into the Blue Ridge Mountains through the Cumberland Gap.

Our excellent tour guide, Althea Bartlett, played DVDs with the music of the legendary country singers of Tennessee and Kentucky and read inspiring devotions such as, “If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.” She also related many facts about the history and attractions of the area.

We stopped in Knoxville, TN to visit the Sunsphere, a tourist attraction built in 1982 for the World’s Fair. It cost more than two million dollars to renovate in 2018, and it reminded me of a disco ball, a Golden Globe in the sky. Sunsphere is 266 feet of steel with 75-feet tall, 24 karat gold-tinted glass windows.

When we reached the top, we could see 360 degrees of the city, viewing the Tennessee River, the University of Tennessee, and the Smoky Mountains.

We arrived at our hotel in Georgetown, KY, a beautiful city in the heart of Kentucky bluegrass, around 7 p.m.

Thursday morning, we celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day, wearing our green and visiting the Creation Museum in the town of Petersburg. It was ironic there was a cold rain. The Creation Museum reflected the history and the timeline of the Bible with exhibits, gardens, etc.

Built in 2007 for $27 million, we entered the Garden of Eden, viewed the Tree of Life, and found ourselves in the Dinosaur Den with the models of giant dinosaurs. The average dinosaur depicted was 11 feet tall and 30 feet long. There were holograms of the story of Adam and Eve, the Flood, how the earth was rearranged after the flood, the mountains formed, and the rivers retreated.

After lunch, we boarded the bus to visit The Ark Encounter. The ark was the most massive structure I have ever seen. According to facts from the museum, the Ark is the largest free-standing timber-frame structure in the world. The ark was constructed with 3.1 million board feet of lumber. It is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, almost the size of two football fields. Made of cedar wood by Amish builders, there are three decks to explore once you board the ark.

Outside of the ark was a restaurant called Emzara’s Kitchen, which is the Jewish name for Noah’s wife. We had a buffet dinner (supper) for less than $20.

Deborah Kennington Boan said, “My grandson Dalton and I had an awesome trip…To see the effort that God made to save Noah’s family from the flood and so much detail that went into the planning of the ship was amazing. The bus and professional driver, Ray Rutherford, may have been Dalton’s favorites. I highly advise this trip for everyone. Noah has always been one of my favorite characters of the Bible.”

The Ark, opened in 2016, has no steps to go from floor to floor but large ramps and elevators. There are sound effects of pounding rain, thunder, and the call of the animals. There are replicas of the living quarters of Noah and his family, along with an indoor garden, a kitchen, and his study/library.

Calla-Gray Brunson, a fifth grade student at Lee Academy said, “When I went to the Ark I had a great time, but that is another story. I rode a camel named Ramses. Its saddle was purple and pink. I told my dad (Curtis) that I wanted to ride that specific one, and when I saw I was next in line I saw that purple saddle. I was so excited and nervous! By the way, it was freezing cold (28 degrees) and windy. I said I wanted to ride a camel and so I did! I even petted a goat. I was excited, scared, happy, nervous, and cold!”

We returned to our hotel after a long day. Saturday morning, we packed and left at 8 a.m. to visit one of the famous national historic sites, Keeneland, a thoroughbred racehorse course and auction farm for horse sales. We learned that Keeneland hosts horse auctions and earns $280 billion a year in horse sales. As we rode through Lexington’s beautiful horse farms, we learned that wooden fences around trees in the middle of the fields were not unusual. They were constructed to protect the horses from rubbing up against the trees.

Hours later we said goodbye to our group and returned to our homes with our spirits and faith renewed. We were moved by the promise of the rainbow blessing.

The Great Falls Serendipity Club has opened its membership to new members. The club is open to all women of the Great Falls area ages 18 years and older. The club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m. at the Great Falls War Memorial Building, 401 Dearborn St., Great Falls. The membership is encouraged to be civic-minded and of service to the needs and improvements to beautify the community. In addition to the monthly business items, the club attempts to have a guest speaker or demonstration of an idea that would be of interest to the club. Anyone interested can contact Melody Noland at 803-209-3667.

BISHOPVILLE — It’s been 35 years since the first sighting of the infamous Lizard Man near Scape Ore Swamp. As the story goes, the large, scaly creature attacked a teenager’s car as he was driving home from work on a lonely, dark country road one night way back in June of 1988. When a young Chris Davis told then Sheriff Liston Truesdale about what had happened to him, word quickly got out.

And thus, the Lizard Man legend was born. Lee County was descended upon by thousands of media and the curious, who wanted a chance to see the creature, described as having “burning red eyes, scales and three-clawed hands” firsthand.

Several other “sightings” occurred, along with damage to vehicles, that were attributed to the Lizard Man and Lee County enjoyed a boon to its economy that memorable summer, as media, tourists and thrill seekers poured in to hunt the phantom of the swamp.

On June 24 of this year, the Friends of the Lizard Man Committee will host the second annual Lizard Man Stomp in downtown Bishopville. Committee chairman George Roberts said the stomp is being held to preserve the legend of the Lizard Man, draw folks from out of town to Bishopville and promote what Lee County has to offer.

“And you’ll get a chance to see the creature from Scape Ore Swamp as he rides in the parade,” Roberts said. “Come one, come all, and enjoy the festivities on the anniversary of the Lizard Man’s 1988 appearance in Lee County.”

This year’s Stomp is shaping up to be bigger and better, he said. “We’re going to have a parade this year with the theme ‘Lizard Man Mania,’ ” Roberts said. The parade route will begin at Food Lion and come through downtown, ending at Cedar Lane. If you’d like to participate in the parade, applications can be picked up at State Farm, the Lee County Chamber of the Commerce, the S.C. Cotton Museum, and Stuckey and Alexander on Main Street. There is no entry fee and walking units are welcome.

Organizers are excited to announce that the Green Swamp Collective will play live throughout the day at the Stomp. According to the website, the Green Swamp Collective is “a group of musicians who write and record our music a stone’s throw from the Green Swamp in Sumter County, S.C. Our songs are inspired by life and all that comes with it. The band’s sound is a bit country with a folksy touch. Sometimes it might lean towards bluegrass, or it might even rock a little now then.”

Roberts said he and other committee members are excited to welcome the band to the Stomp. “We are already looking forward to having the Green Swamp Collective at the Lizard Man Stomp,” he said. “They are a wonderful, entertaining group and I’m sure everyone will enjoy having the chance to hear their music.”

Roberts said all of the festivities will be located on Main Street. “We’ll have food trucks, other vendors, children’s games, face painting and line dancing to the Lizard Man Stomp song,” he said. Children’s games will include a ring and corn toss, painting the Lizard Man, and more. “In addition, children under 12 eat free,” Roberts said. “We want to encourage families to come out and enjoy the day and celebration of the Lizard Man.”

There will also be an indoor arts and crafts show at 238 Market Place on Main Street and a viewing of a video about the legend of the Lizard Man. “There will be a car show that will include trucks, military units and antique farm tractors, as well,” Roberts said.

Margaret Copeland, a member of the Friends of the Lizard Man Committee, said last year’s inaugural festival was a success and she’s looking forward to this year’s June 24 event. “We started over 20 years ago, planning this, trying to get the Lizard Man back in front of the public eye,” she said. “Putting him back where he belongs--as Lee County’s legend.”

And the first Lizard Man Stomp did just that, with everything centered around the county’s most famous creature. “We had games for the children, face painting, all kinds of Lizard Man souvenirs, like t-shirts, coins and cups,” Copeland said. “Our idea was to create a family-friendly, community-oriented event and that’s what it turned out to be and it was awesome.”

Roy Atkinson performed the song he wrote in the 1990s about the Lizard Man called “The Lizard Man Stomp” and local dancers kept the pavement hot doing the “Stomp.”

Copeland said the city and county haven’t had an event to draw folks from out-of-town to Bishopville since the annual Lee County Cotton Festival stopped about six years ago. “We felt like this event was something that was needed for our community,” she said. “We were impressed with the number of people who came really from all over the place and we were so grateful for the local community support.”

She said the Lizard Man committee is hoping to see that same support this year.

“We need volunteers to help with setup and teardown for the Stomp,” Copeland said. If you would like to help, please call 803-229-2679 or email George Roberts at mwatkins1@sc.rr.com

“And please come out on June 24 and ‘stomp’ for the Lizard Man!” she said.

The Great Falls Serendipity Club has opened its membership to new members. The club is open to all women of the Great Falls area ages 18 years and older. The club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m. at the Great Falls War Memorial Building, 401 Dearborn St., Great Falls. The membership is encouraged to be civic-minded and of service to the needs and improvements to beautify the community. In addition to the monthly business items, the club attempts to have a guest speaker or demonstration of an idea that would be of interest to the club. Anyone interested can contact Melody Noland at 803-209-3667.

Good day again Chester, Buddy here this week with more words of wisdom. From today’s subject topic I bet you can’t guess what it is, but I’ll give you a clue. They are right there on the floor as we speak, or maybe under you if you are sitting on them. They are your feet.

There’s no getting around the fact that dogs love feet and everything associated with them. You already know we will eat your shoes and even your socks just because they smell like you. Your feet are the part of you your dogs know best. They’re right there on the floor with us, they’re full of your smell and lots of times, they’re the only part of you that your dog is allowed to sit on.

Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.

The News & Reporter presents this Buddy column in honor of his late mama, our friend Ruth Whitman.

Bishopville, S.C. — Bishopville voters will go to the polls to select a mayor and six city council members in the May 9 nonpartisan general election.

Filing for the seats ended at noon on Friday and Lee County Voter Registration and Elections Office Director Stan Barnhill said two people have filed for the mayor’s seat while nine have filed for a seat on city council.

Incumbent Grady Brown Sr. and Luke Giddings will vie for the mayor’s seat. The following incumbent city council members have filed for re-election: Edward Byrd, Wayne Hancock, Shirley Hill, Gloria Lewis and Retta Tindal. In addition, Belinda Hay, Jim Jeko Sr., Keishan Scott and Anderia Quan Wilson have filed for a seat on council.

One name that will not be on the ballot for the first time in more than three decades is Ennis Bryant Sr., who said he recently made the difficult decision not to seek reelection. “It was not an easy decision for me because I love serving this community and the city has several projects going on right now that I wanted to see through to the finish,” Bryant said. “But I have some things going on with my health that I need to focus on. And, at 81 years old, I need to slow down a little bit.”

Bryant, who serves as Mayor Pro Tem, has served on council for 31 years. “I feel that I will be leaving the city in capable hands,” he said. “We have people who are enthusiastic, have a desire to serve and are committed to working together for the good of this community.”

Polling places for the May 9 election are:

Ward 1: Lee County Fire Department, 122 E. Church St.

Ward 2: Old Fire Station, 113 E. Council St.

Ward 3: Pilot Home, 112 Barnett Drive

Ward 4: Lee County Vocational School, 310 Roland St.

Polls will open at 7 a.m. on Election Day and close at 7 p.m.

Anyone desiring to vote in the upcoming election must be registered by April 9. To register, contact the Lee County Voter Registration and Elections Office, 101 Gregg St., or call 803-484-1832.

The early voting period for this election begins on Monday, April 24, and ends on Friday, May 5. Anyone wishing to vote early may do so from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Lee County Voter Registration and Elections Office, 101 Gregg St.

BISHOPVILLE — There’s a new dentist in town, thanks to two local eye doctors!

Dr. Haneen Anbarserri, DMD, (and you can just call her “Dr. A”) is now seeing patients in her office, Bishopville Dental, located at 734 West Church Street. Last May, optometrists Dr. David Andrews and Dr. Jason Lee with Lee County Eye Associates purchased the old dentist’s office, formerly owned by Lynwood Bramlett, who operated there until 2011. The office had been closed since then.

Andrews said both he and Dr. Lee wanted to see a dentist who would serve adults come to Bishopville. The only other dental provider in town is a pediatric dentist affiliated with CareSouth.

“I love this little town and have been seeing eye patients here since 1987,” Andrews said. “Jason and I talked and decided buying the office and getting a dentist in there is something we both want to do because we both consider Bishopville a second home.”

They enlisted the help of Gracie Bertrand, a workforce coordinator with the South Carolina Office of Rural Health, to market the dental office and practice. The strategy paid off.

Anbarserri, who earned a degree in biological sciences from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in New Jersey, was working at a correctional facility in Rembert, providing general dental services to inmates, when, on a whim, she googled “Jobs near me.”

“Not many popped up but the one that did definitely caught my eye,” she says. “It was an ad for a start-up practice. I thought, well, that’s odd, the jobs advertised usually want an associate coming in to an already running facility.”

But she decided to check it out, getting in touch with Bertrand, who connected her with Dr. Andrews. “Bishopville wasn’t that far from the prison where I work—about a 30 minute drive so I decided to see what it was all about,” Anbarserri, who just turned 30 years old, said. “They said the practice had to be a start-up and that was fine by me.”

When she saw the office for the first time, it may have been close to love at first sight. “When I walked in, I thought, this is actually in pretty good shape,” Anbarserri recalls thinking. “I’ve always wanted to start my own dental practice but I didn’t know how because it’s very expensive, but this gives me the opportunity to do it at a much lower cost. It’s a great opportunity for a young dentist like me.”

Born and raised in Saudi Arabia, Anbarserri moved with her family to New Jersey when she was 17. An interesting side note: While at Wellesley, Anbarserri played collegiate golf. When she graduated, Anbarserri joined the Saudi National Golf Team and continues to play in tournaments around the world.

“After I graduated from Rutgers, I actually moved to South Carolina, to Myrtle Beach, for golf,” she said. She also got a job as an associate dentist in a corporate practice there, providing dental care to the local community as well as visitors to the Grand Strand.

An aesthetic and general dentist with three years of clinical experience, “Dr. A” said she is committed to providing individualized care to meet the needs and desires of her patients. “While my goal is to always strive for healthy smiles, my first objective when I meet a new patient is to find out what they want from dentistry,” she says. “By understanding what a patient desires, I’m able to build a unique approach and deliver individualized care. My philosophy of care stems from, one, a foundation of a life-time strategy for a healthy mouth, and, two, an aesthetic approach for a natural and healthy look.”

Anbarserri officially opened her office at the end of December and because she still works at the prison, sees patients in Bishopville on the weekend. “I can also see patients throughout the week in the evening by appointment,” she said. To make an appointment, you can call 803-484-7071 and leave a message. Someone will get back to you.

While she doesn’t take private insurance, Anbarserri does accept Medicaid. “My goal is to practice dentistry properly and make it as affordable as possible,” she said. “With insurance, they start to influence your decisions and patients’ decisions. The procedures we offer are very reasonably priced. For example, take teeth whitening. I know of no insurance that pays for it so I market that and offer a better price than any other dental practice. I offer it for $295 while at other dental practices, it’s $400, $500 or $600…We offer general and cosmetic dental services, including cleanings, extractions and implants.”

An active member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Anbarserri also has received advanced training in Botox.

On Saturday, April 22, representatives from the city and county held a ribbon cutting at the dental office and officially welcomed Anbarserri to town. Lee County Councilman Travis Windham said the community is fortunate to now have a dentist who will accept adult patients. “The other dental practice is for pediatrics only,” he said. “Also, Dr. Anbarserri offers the convenience of weekend appointments for folks who work. Those are two big pluses for our community. She’s already seeing people from Hartsville and Sumter, too, because she’s open on Saturdays; people will make the commute for that.”

Bishopville Mayor Grady Brown said he and members of city council are “glad she is here. I would say to all Lee Countians who have wanted a dentist locally, we now have one. As citizens of Bishopville and Lee County, let’s support her and help her build a business here in our community.”

Dr. Andrews said finding Anbarserri was a gift. “We were very, very fortunate to find her,” he said. “Many thanks to Grace (Bertrand) who told us, ‘Do you know how lucky you are to find her and get her to come to Bishopville? Corporations are looking for dentists and can’t find them, much less a small, rural community. You better grab her while you can.’ And that’s what we did and we’re delighted she’s here. So, not only did Gracie find us a dentist, she found us one with an amazing resume, one who could work anywhere in the country. Bishopville has been without a dentist who would see adults for 10 years and we are just delighted that Dr. Anbarserri chose to come here.”

Andrews said while Anbarserri is young, she has already gained a great deal of dental experience through her work at the minimum security prison. “I know what it’s like when you’re working with a population that has limited healthcare, dental care, eye care,” he said. “You see more in three years than you do in decades of private practice. Dr. Anbarserri’s work at the prison has given her much more exposure than a dentist in private practice.”

When the ribbon was cut, Anbarserri said she is “very excited to be serving the community of Bishopville and the surrounding areas. This is my new home!”