Lynn Hicks has donated a beautiful wood and glass curio cabinet owned by Peter Knoller and his Christmas Star Award to the City of Johnsonville in memory of her step-father.

Knoller, a native of Great Britain, was an integral part of the Johnsonville community since relocating here with Wellman Industries, Inc. in the 1950s.  He married Lynn’s mother, Becky, over 40 years ago and they resided on Fairway Drive.

In 2017, the City of Johnsonville awarded him the Christmas Star Award for his many contributions including serving for 53 years on the Johnsonville Library Board and representing Johnsonville on the Florence County Planning Commission.  

Peter Knoller was an avid supporter of community events such as the Artisan Outpost, the Heritage Festival at the River, the Johnsonville Christmas Parade, Police/Fire/Rescue squad fundraisers, as well as area church activities. 

The curio eventually will be housed in the new pro shop at the Johnsonville municipal golf course.

 

Pursuant to Section 6-1-80 of the S.C. Code of Laws, public notice is hereby given that the council for the City of Johnsonville will hold a public hearing on the municipal budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year on June 29, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. at 117 E Broadway St, Johnsonville, SC 29555.

Current Fiscal Year Revenue	Projected Revenue 2021-2022	Percentage Change in Revenue	Current Fiscal Year Millage
$3,353,400	$3,381,500	.84%	59 Mills

 

Current Fiscal Year Expenditures	Projected Expenditures 2021-2022	Percentage Change in Expenditures	Estimated Millage for 2021-2022
$3,353,400	$3,381,500	.84%	59 Mills*

Estimated Millage Equals $59.00 per $1000 of Assessed Property Value

Utility Revenue Projected Increase:
Water            4%
Sewer            3.5%
Sanitation   5%

The City of Johnsonville has installed rubber mulch in the playground area of the City Park located on Hampton Avenue.  Enclosed in a hard plastic border, the ground cover is made from never-used, surplus floor tiles that have been recycled into mulch. 

The mulch is the latest in a series of park improvements that are funded substantially by grants from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. 

“The City would like to thank Senator Hugh Leatherman and the other member of the Florence County Legislative Delegation for securing the funding to make this project possible,” said Johnsonville Mayor Johnny Hanna.

“We are excited to be able to make the park experience more enjoyable and safe for our citizens,” said Councilman Frankie Poston.  “We have more improvements planned for the coming year,” he added.

Frankie Poston chairs the Parks/Streets/Recreation/Beautification/Revitalization/Downtown Development Committee.  Gary Arthurs and Scott Wells also serve on the committee.

 

The statue of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion that stands near the entrance to Odell Venters Landing is now complete with a black granite plaque giving the historical significance of the site near Lynches River.

Erected in 2013, the bronze statue was sculpted by Florence artist Alex Palkovich and sits atop a 12-foot tall base.  Several historical organizations and private donors created a fund to pay for the statue.  There was not enough money left in the fund to pay for the plaque included in the original design.  In 2020, the City of Johnsonville made a request for $500 in Accommodations Tax funding from Florence County so the granite plaque could be added to complete the statue.

Odell Venters Landing is located just North of Johnsonville on Highway 41/51.  The City of Johnsonville owns the property on Lynches River which is on the site of the former Witherspoon’s Ferry.

Click the headline to see the inscription on the plaque

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The City of Johnsonville is trying to establish a bus route that will run from Florence to Johnsonville and back three times daily.

The service will be managed by the Pee Dee Regional Transit Authority (PDRTA) and also will make stops in Pamplico and other places along the route if established.

This will be a great service to our citizens that work, shop or have medical appointments in Florence. It also could benefit those that work in Johnsonville and live in Pamplico and Florence. 

A long-term goal of the proposed project is to establish a loop through Johnsonville, Lake City, Coward and then back to Florence. 

“This much-needed service could become a reality with the help of large and small employers in the Johnsonville and Pamplico areas,” said Don Strickland, Executive Director of PDRTA.  “We need to find a few ‘stakeholders’ who are willing to help financially so we can offer this fare-free service.”

A meeting with potential stakeholders is planned for Thursday, April 22 at the Shady Rest at Noon.  Any interested businesses or organizations can contact David Mace with the City of Johnsonville for more information.  Call 843-625-1667 or 843-386-2069. 

The South Carolina Disaster Recovery Office is ramping up Hurricane Florence recovery programs for residents with remaining damage to:

• Repair, reconstruct, or replace single-family owner-occupied homes
• Buyout single-family owner-occupied homes located in a floodplain
• Repair single-family rental units for affordable housing

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Scott Wells has been elected to fill the unexpired term of Reverend Dennis Bailey on the Johnsonville City Council.  

Wells received 81 of the 136 votes cast in the special election on Tuesday, December 22.   Other candidates were Barbara Black and April Collins.  There were no write-in votes.

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   Dusty Owens,  Director of the Florence County Emergency Management Division, has announced preliminary procedures for the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine.

   The vaccine distribution plan is being developed by DHEC.  It is currently in a draft format and is expected to change as more detailed information is obtained. There is still considerable discussion about determining priority in vaccination order for Phase 1.

  

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   The City of Johnsonville has recognized Randy Harrelson as an outstanding citizen with the annual Christmas Star Award.

   Harrelson was nominated by City Councilman Jamie Altman.  “I nominated him for all of the years he has unselfishly donated his time an efforts to help with multiple fund-raisers,” commented Altman.  “Randy is truly a community minded person,” he added.

   Regularly participating in the cooking contest at the annual Heritage Festival and volunteering to cook at the annual police department fund-raiser, Randy Harrelson is well-known around Johnsonville for his cooking skills and love for the community. 

   Johnsonville Mayor Johnny Hanna presented the Christmas Star Award to Harrelson before the Johnsonville Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 5.

   The City of Johnsonville presents the Christmas Star Award annually to recognize a local citizen or organization for outstanding service to the community.  Previous recipients are: Randolph Willis (2008), Mildred Hughes (2009), Eugenia Cossaboom (2010), Fearless Dunahoe (2011), Carl Skinner (2012), Dale Strickland (2013), Jackie Stasney (2014), Johnsonville First Baptist Church (2015), Edie Cain (2016), Peter Knoller (2017), the Johnsonville Festival Committee (2018) and Robert Hirst (2019).

Johnsonville's "Old Fashion Christmas Parade" will be held Saturday, December 5.   A variety of decorated vehicles and floats will parade down Broadway Street beginning at 3:00 p.m.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, December 1.  The cost is $20 for floats or entries towed by a  vehicle.  Golf carts or side by sides may enter for a $10 fee.  Motorcycles and 4-wheelers are prohibited.  Candy will be allowed.

For more information, contact Kem Poston at the Johnsonville Police Department by calling  843-386-3500.

The Johnsonville Police Department fundraiser held Friday, October 30 netted over $33,000 which will be used exclusively to purchase and maintain equipment for officers. 

Staff and volunteers served over 1,100 pileau plates at the Johnsonville Rescue Squad building.   The additional funding came from contributions from local businesses and citizens.  A sincere letter of thanks from Police Chief Ron Douglas and a list of contributors is included in the news detail of this article.

Click the headline for more.

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Senator Tammy Duckworth, Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib — these are just a few of the people with disabilities who are leaving their mark on U.S. politics today. But despite the success of these high-profile politicians, people with disabilities continue to face barriers when it comes to running for office. From prejudice to inaccessibility, it’s difficult for people with disabilities to fit the mold of what people expect a politician to be.

 But as people with disabilities know all too well, a barrier is an obstacle to overcome, not a dead end.

 The City of Johnsonville is happy to offer this key information about running for office with a disability and resources for getting started.

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The following "Letter to the Editor" was submitted to the Florence Morning News on Monday, July 13:

Recently, a lot has been said and several articles have been written about the Capital Penny Sales Tax III (CPST III) that residents of Florence County will be voting on in November.  The additional penny tax on goods and services proposed by County Council would bring much-needed revenue to the smaller municipalities in our county, as well as the City of Florence.  Investment in capital projects in these municipalities will greatly benefit these areas specifically and, in some instances, will impact the entire county.

 One such project is the renovation of the Ellis Maples designed Wellman Club golf course in Johnsonville.  Our golf course was started by a group of local community leaders in 1966 as a nine-hole course.  In 1971 Wellman Industries founder A. O. Wellman and his son, John G. (Jack) Wellman, finished the layout to provide employees and residents of our City with a much-needed recreational facility. The course quickly became one of the top inland courses in South Carolina, as reported by the “Golf Traveler Magazine” (February 1986).

 As Mayor of Johnsonville, I support this project which will again provide a recreation facility to be used not only by the residents of the greater Johnsonville area, but by residents of the surrounding cities and town in our county.  Other municipalities in Marion, Horry, Williamsburg and Georgetown will benefit from it as well.

 The Wellman Course has a long and rich history in our city.  The course is well known from as far away as the New England states, as far west as Oklahoma, to the tip of Florida.  Our course has hosted tournaments such as the Class A High School State Championship (11 times), The FMU Invitational and Peach Belt Conference collegiate events, USGA major qualifiers, numerous SCGA and SCJGA events, Hooters Tour events, and one-day qualifiers for the then PGA backed Nike Tour event in Florence.   Traffic generated by renovating the course and hosting these events as well as everyday play, will boost the economy of our city, raise county tourism numbers and provide much needed job growth.

 Tom Watson and his partner, Robert Gibbons, have agreed to take on modernizing the golf course which will include new tee boxes and green complex locations, as well as new fairway contouring.

 A thriving golf course in our town will create an economic engine that will spur retail growth and services all along the Highway 41/51 corridor.  Spending our share of the CPST III revenue to renovate and revitalize The Wellman course is an investment in our city’s future.  Our water and sewer infrastructure is in better than average condition and is in the best condition it’s ever been.  Our City Administrator, Jim Smith, has worked diligently working on all areas of our city’s infrastructure since his arrival in July 2017.  We recently completed a $4.7 million water project that will provide our city with a new much-needed water supply, as well as provide clean, treated water to our customers in our rural areas.

 A championship golf course will not only benefit the 41/51 corridor, it will also be a catalyst for the development of Johnsonville’s downtown and residential areas.  City leaders have taken the first step by investing in a new $2.1 million municipal complex on Broadway Street (Highway 341).  We anticipate that increased traffic downtown will attract new retail businesses, and in return make our downtown area a more desirable location.

 If given the opportunity, I hope the voters will approve the CPST III proposal in November.  It will have a tremendous impact on Florence County and it's municipalities as it has in the past.  The Wellman Golf Facility as a public recreation facility will not only benefit the economy and residents of our city, but all residents of Florence County and beyond.

 Sincerely,

 Johnny Hanna, Mayor
City of Johnsonville

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As the June 1 start of hurricane season has arrived, Duke Energy is preparing to respond to power outages as quickly as possible – while also adapting to the extra challenges of protecting the health and well-being of the company’s employees, customers and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Now more than ever, our customers are depending on us for the essential energy they need to power their homes and workplaces, which in many cases are one and the same,” said Harry Sideris, senior vice president of customer experience and services. “We recognize that even brief outages in this pandemic are no longer simple inconveniences but disruptions, so it’s important that we, along with our customers, plan now for any impacts a major storm may create.” 

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The Johnsonville Festival Committee presented very special woven throws to Johnsonville City Councilman Doolittle Stone and his daughter, Melexa, recently.  The throws featured pictures of Stone’s late wife, Hazel, taken during her time serving on the committee before she passed away in December 2019.

Hazel Stone was one of the original members of what was the Founders Day Committee from 2004 to 2015.   She was the head committee member over the chicken cook-off each year.   

“After her hip problems, she gave up the committee but was a major fixture at the event each year and the cookers, along with the committee members, loved her dearly,” commented committee member Kem Poston.

The committee members had planned to dedicate the 2020 Heritage Festival at the River in her memory and present the throws on opening day.  This year’s festival was cancelled due to the coronavirus.

The City of Johnsonville, along with Florence School District Five and the Johnsonville Area Chamber of Commerce (JACC), is recognizing the 2020 graduating class of Johnsonville High School with banners attached to utility poles along Highway 41/51 and Broadway Street in town. 

Each double-sided banner features a picture of a graduate and their name and will given to the senior once the banners are removed.

“We are doing this as a kind gesture to the graduates who were not able to have the traditional celebration and recognition given to Seniors before them,” said Johnsonville Mayor Johnny Hanna.

JACC president Barbara Black added, “These seniors had so much taken away from them because of the pandemic.  This is our way of making a positive impact on their graduation year.”

“The Board of Trustees and Florence five staff are very proud of the accomplishments of the senior class of 2020” commented Florence School District Five superintendent Randy Smiley.  “The banners, donated by the town, Chamber of Commerce and the Florence 5 Board of Trustees serves to honor each of our graduating students as they move to the next phase of their lives,” he added.

Johnsonville High School principal Sam Tuten concluded, “The collaborative effort between the entities to recognize the Class of 2020 at Johnsonville High School displays the commitment to the young people of our community and the school.”

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, JHS will not be able to have tradition graduation exercises. The school has prepared a plan to allow each of our seniors to graduate in the gym with their family present.

An additional $310 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding has been proposed and could be approved as early as this week, which means employers are still able to complete a PPP loan application with a lender or agent.  Cardpoint is working with Nav to connect you to multiple paths to PPP funds. Most lenders are continuing to accept applications. Nav’s lender partners are still open to applications and they’re connecting thousands of businesses daily. There is still hope for small-dollar loans. Nav customers have seen PPP approvals under $50,000 through our partners. You can easily complete Nav’s short form to get matched to a PPP lender or partner instantly.

 

Get Connected

 

Decided on applying? We recommend you have these documents ready so the lender can quickly process your loan: Payroll Documentation –You must provide a document that shows 12 months of payroll costs. You can use a payroll processing provider’s PPP report if you work with one already. If you don’t use a payroll provider, upload a spreadsheet showing the data for your estimated loan amount calculation. Employment Tax Documents – Form 941 for Q2, Q3, Q4 2019 and Q1 2020. Please make sure these IRS documents are in line with your calculated loan amount. Driver's License or Valid Passport –For Driver’s License, copy front and back of all owners over 20%. For Passport, copy pages 2 and 3 (pages with photo and signature). Bank Statement or Voided Check –Link your account or upload a voided check or bank statement as proof of your active customer account.

TO:  The Citizens of Johnsonville

FROM: Mayor Johnny Hanna

SUBJECT:  Covid-19 Pandemic

First, I want to commend and thank you all for your compliance with social distancing suggestions by our state and national leaders.  These measures are working to slow the spread of the Coronavirus and keep you and your families safe and healthy. 

City employees have reported that no one has tried to use the basketball courts and other equipment at the City Park, there are no boat trailers parked at Odell Venters Landing, and there is a significant decrease in traffic around town.  This indicates to me that Johnsonville’s citizens and area residents are staying home unless they are conducting necessary business or errands.  Thank you and please continue to do so.

I want to thank the numerous restaurants and businesses that have remained open to serve the community in whatever capacity they can.  I encourage citizens to continue to support businesses offering “essential services” during this time. 

We have been posting helpful information for citizens and businesses on this website.     Disaster assistance is being offered through programs with the S.C. Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration and other agencies.  The City of Johnsonville has no funding set aside for business assistance.  However, if your business has some type of dire need as a result of this pandemic, bring it to the attention of City Council and we will gladly review it and see what we can do to help.

Again, I want to thank you for your compliance with what our leaders are trying to do to lessen the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Together we will get through this unprecedented crisis facing our community, our nation and our world.  May God bless your family and loved ones!

Below is a link to an article published in the Florence Morning News and SCNow.com on Sunday, April 12.

https://www.scnow.com/news/national/your-one-stop-guide-to-coping-with-the-coronavirus-pandemic-at-home/collection_a58b11ad-8ae1-59da-a89d-cff14aa27e34.html

Click the link below to access a list of resources compliled by the Florence County Economic Development Partnership.

Covid-19 Resources

Florence County EOC remains at OPCON 2 (Enhanced Awareness) and continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation.
Florence County Council’s Emergency Proclamation declaring a State of Emergency for Florence County remains in effect.
Restricted public access to all county facilities remains in effect.
 
As of Tuesday, April 07, 2020, there are five (5) confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in Florence County and forty-five (45) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19.
 
Health Care Information:
 
There are two locations in the Pee Dee area designated for “First Responder” testing. Those are locations are: Hartsville Medical Associates 206 Swift Creek Rd Hartsville SC 29550 and North Strand ER - Ambulance Bay Entrance 806 Hwy 17S N. Myrtle Beach SC.
 
McLeod Health is now offering FREE virtual screenings for the Coronavirus in South Carolina through McLeod TeleHealth. If you are experiencing fever, sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath, you can connect through video with a trained medical professional anytime from anywhere using a computer, smartphone or tablet. To access this free service, enter the code COVID19 when you sign-up.
 
MUSC Virtual Care visits and Prisma Health Virtual Care visits are free. Use the promo code "COVID19." Additional healthcare facilities may offer free virtual care soon. https://campaigns.muschealth.org/virtual-care/index.html https://www.palmettohealth.org/medical-services/other-services/smartexam Lab Corps and Quest can now test for COVID-19 in addition to DHEC. SC Department of Health and Environmental Control Website: https://www.scdhec.gov/health/infectious-diseases/viruses/coronavirus-disease- 2019-covid- 19 Center of Disease Control and Prevention Website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
 
State Status:
 
Per DHEC, projections for new cases of COVID-19 in the state through May 2 are 8,053 cases; however, projected data is estimated and may change significantly due to various factors.
 
On Tuesday, April 07, 2020, DHEC reports 2,417 cases and 51 deaths in South Carolina. Contact investigations show there is a possibility for community spread.

Governor Henry McMaster has ordered all South Carolinians must remain at home or work unless visiting family, exercising, or obtaining essential goods or services.
 
 Governor’s Henry McMaster is holding COVID-19 Press Conferences daily.
 
Daily prevention measures South Carolinians can take to protect the health and safety of everyone include: • Social distancing when all possible • staying home if you’re sick and contacting your health care provider • washing your hands often • covering your cough, • Regularly and effective cleaning commonly touched surfaces

The South Carolina Department of Commerce has added a page to its website offering helpful information to small businesses dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic:

https://sccommerce.com/doing-business-here/join-community/emergency-preparedness

The City of Johnsonville has made changes to daily operating procedures and closed some public venues to protect its citizens, customers and employees in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

            “I have met with City Administrator Jim Smith and we have decided to take a proactive approach to this pandemic rather than be reactive,” said Johnsonville mayor Johnny Hanna.   

            The following temporary procedure changes are effective immediately in Johnsonville:

• No visitors or walk-in payments are allowed at City Hall.  Customer are required to make payments at the drive-thru window.
• The Community Building is closed and not available for public or private events.
• The City will not disconnect any water service for non-payment in order to give customers extra time to make payments.  The City will continue to read meters and send bills and customers are encouraged not to build big account balances.
• City employees who must interact with customers have been instructed to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) safety guidelines.

Mayor Hanna and the Johnsonville City Council urge all citizens to stay calm during the Coronavirus pandemic and use these common-sense practices:

• Avoid close interaction with other people and use social distancing.
• Avoid public gatherings of 50 or more persons.
• Wash you hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with warm soapy water.
• Use sensible buying habits and do not hoard products that may prevent others from spreading the virus.

“The City is simply urging citizens and customers not to panic and keep Johnsonville safe.

Together we will get through these difficult times,” concluded mayor Hanna.

            The City of Johnsonville will continue to monitor the continuously changing situation with the Covid-19 virus pandemic and issue updates as needed.

The City of Johnsonville has submitted an entry application and video for a Hometown Takeover by HGTV.  Ben and Erin Napier will host the six-episode television show next year when they lead a team of renovation professionals and makeover a small town somewhere in America.   To read more and view Johnsonville's video, click the headline above. Read More

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The City of Johnsonville recognized mayor Joseph Stevens Dukes for 38 years of service to the City with an engraved train bell at its City Council meeting on Tuesday, November 5.  Dukes was elected to Johnsonville City Council in 1981 and has been serving as mayor since 2004.

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The Florence County Board of Elections & Voter Registration has confirmed election results for the City of Johnsonville.  Johnny Hanna has been elected Mayor and Frankie Poston and Dennis Bailey have been elected to City Council for terms of four years.  Gary Arthurs has been re-elected to another four-year term on Council.

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At a special called meeting on Tuesday, October 22, Johnsonville City Council voted unanimously to modify some aspects of the water rate increase which took effect in July of this year.

 Water customers will be billed for the specific amount of water consumed on a monthly basis.  The rate structure had been set up to round up to the next 1,000-gallon increment on bills. 

 Depending on the exact amount used, consumers should see a slight decrease in the total bill amount.

 “Council decided to take another look after hearing feedback from customers,” said Johnsonville Mayor Steve Dukes.  “We understand that many of our customers live on tight budgets.   Although it is not a significant amount, we are happy to make the adjustment to help our citizens,” Dukes concluded.

The City of Johnsonville has adopted new water and sewer rates which are taking effect for the first full billing cycle of the new fiscal year which began July 1, 2019. 

City Council approved the new rates based on the results of a rate study conducted by The Wooten Company.  In a presentation at the City Council meeting on June 4, company representative Gary Hartong explained that the new rates would change from a declining rate to a fixed rate with a variable rate for every thousand gallons used.

“This cost of service study was performed earlier this year and reflects actual costs to serve Johnsonville water, sewer and sanitation customers,” said City Administrator Jim Smith.

“The City has not increased utility rates for several years and the new rates will allow Johnsonville to remain cost-competitive with surrounding municipalities in Florence County,” added Smith.

City Council meetings are open to the public.  Agendas are posted at the Johnsonville Post Office, front door of City Hall and at www.cityofjohnsonville.com at least 24 hours before each meeting.  Anyone with questions regarding the new rates can contact City Hall at 843-386-2069.

Click here for new rates.

The Lake City Housing Authority has donated a wooden gazebo to the City of Johnsonville.  The City placed the gazebo near the boat ramp at Odell Venters Landing for public use.

Johnsonville Police Chief Ron Douglas acquired the gazebo and volunteered to replace some of the railings and stain the woodwork.

Odell Venters Landing , statue of General Francis Marion, the park shelter and the gazebo are maintained by the City of Johnsonville Streets and Sanitation Department.

Johnsonville voters defeated a proposal to reduce the size of City Council from six seats to four in a referendum held Tuesday, June 25.  The unofficial results show 93 residents voted “no” and only 25 voted in favor of reducing the council size.

 “With the Mayor and two Councilmen not running for re-election in November, we saw this as a good time to reduce the size of council if the citizens wanted,” commented City Administrator Jim Smith.  

 “Also, with that many races for open seats, the election will cost the taxpayers in the City of Johnsonville over $10,000 this November,” Smith added.

 In the past, there has not been a lot of interest in running for Council seats.  Smith hopes citizens who strongly opposed the reduction, will step up and run for office.

 The filing period will begin in August for candidates wishing to run for Johnsonville City Council or Mayor.

 “The voters have spoken, and we do not see a downside either way,” Smith concluded.

Edward "Dwight" Carraway, Jr., died Saturday, June 22 at his home in Myrtle Beach.  He was a resident of Johnsonville from childhood until the early 1980's.   

Carraway was elected to Johnsonville City Council at the age of 20 in 1976 which is the South Carolina record for the youngest person ever elected to public office.   He was a classmate of  current Mayor Steve Dukes.

Graveside services will be 5:00 PM, Wednesday, June 26, 2019, at Harmon Cemetery, Hemingway.  The family will receive friends from 3:00 – 4:00 PM, Wednesday, June 26, 2019, at Carolina Funeral Home, Scranton.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Marie Haselden was sworn in as a member of the Johnsonville City Council by Judge John Kirven on Tuesday, June 4.  A native of Johnsonville, Haselden won the seat in a special election held in May 2019. 

Johnsonville City Councilman Patrick Nettles died suddenly in February.  Haselden will serve the remainder of that term which expires in December 2021.

For more on this story click the headline. Read More

CAKE COOK-OFF WINNERS
1.   Laura Taylor
2.   Sara Martindale
3.   Renetta Evans
4.   Brandi Gaskins
5.   Brandi Gaskins
6.   Kayla Cribb

ANYTHING RICE COOK-OFF WINNERS
1.   Gregg James
2.   Kevin Davis
3.   Myron Wise
4.   Wayne Douglas
5.   Barry Collins
6.   Terry Johnson (Tie)
6.   Jamie Altman (Tie)

BAR-B-QUE CHICKEN COOK-OFF WINNERS
1.   Kevin Davis
2.   Ray Suggs (Piggly Wiggly)
3.   Randy Prosser
4.   Dexter Stuckey
5.   David Martin
6.   Phil McCracken

By SHAMIRA McCRAY smccray@florencenews.com

The Josh Brannon Band will be the featured entertainment on Friday, May 17 at the Johnsonville Heritage Festival.  The local band from Georgetown County will play country music favorites from 8:00 until 11:00 p.m. 

Radio D.J.  Dan E. Lockemy will be at the festival Friday night and all day Saturday (May 18) with games and other entertainment for kids and the whole family.  HA HA the Clown also will be at the festival Saturday offering free face painting.

The festival features a baking contest on Friday and a barbecue chicken cook-off on Saturday.  Vendors will be selling food, arts, crafts and other goods during the two-day festival.  Admission is FREE!

Wilson “Sonny” Cox Hardee, 84, passed away Monday, March 25, 2019 at the McLeod Hospice House.   Hardee was born on October 6, 1934 and served as Mayor of Johnsonville from May of 1968 until May of 1970.

The Visitation will be held Friday, March 29 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m.  at Johnsonville United Methodist Church, 250 N. Georgetown Highway, in Johnsonville.  Funeral services will be Saturday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. at the church.

Morris Funeral Home is in charge.

Duke Energy has officially launched a new and improved online outage map. The new map was designed based on feedback from nearly 2,500 customers. The company asked customers how it could improve the outage map and their overall experience when using the platform. Based on their feedback, the map has several new features:

• Shows the number of affected customers (rather than the number of outages)
• Provides information on the status of crews responding to outages
• Includes more intuitive icons
• A new mobile-friendly format that expands to fit your mobile screen for an optimal experience

 When you visit the map for the first time, you will be guided through a brief tour. The tour provides an overview on how to interact with the map including how to view an outage summary by county, outage history, how to search outage information for a specific location and how to find details about an outage such as the cause and status of the responding crew.

 You can access the new map by visiting duke-energy.com/outagemap. Once on the page, select the state to review outages and bookmark the page for future reference.

 View the video tutorial overview to learn how to navigate and become familiar with the new outage map. You can also access a list of FAQs about the new tool.

Present for the John W. Harris Leadership Award announcement were: Johnsonville City Administrator Jim Smith, Florence School District Five Superintendent Randy Smiley, award recipient Alycesaundra Lyerly, Beta Club Sponsor Adrian Filyaw, and JMS Career Specialist Sally Coker.

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The City of Johnsonville is sad to announce the sudden passing of City Councilman Patrick Nettles, age 47, on Wednesday, February 6.   Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Kim, and the Nettles family. 

Funeral services will be Saturday, February 9 at 2:00 p.m. at Morris Funeral Home Chapel.  Burial will follow at the Garden of Devotion cemetery. 

Click the the headline above for full obituary. 

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The tank which serves Johnsonville water customers in the Kingsburg area was repainted recently.  The lower part of the tower is painted sprearmint  green and the message "Visit Johnsonville South Carolina" in matching color is featured on both sides of the white tank.

Rainy weather did not stop Johnsonville from holding its annual Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 1.  Hundreds of local citizens came to see a variety of vehicles and floats parade down Broadway Street.  Rain did not dampen the Christmas spirit and on went the show.  Click the headline to see more photos. Read More

City of Johnsonville employees from the Waste Water Treatment and Street Departments paid a visit to Kindergarten classes at Johnsonville Elementary School on Tuesday, October 2 and gave the students a chance to see the sanitation truck up close and even sit inside.

 “The kindergarten classes enjoyed the visit by Johnsonville sanitation truck,” said Florence School District Five Superintendent Randy Smiley.  “The students thought it was the biggest truck they had ever seen,” Dr. Smiley continued. 

 According to Smiley, all this week kindergarten classes are being visited by community helpers.  “They are being visited by EMS, the City of Johnsonville, mail delivery, a nurse and the police.  This will help students see all of the helpers in our community that provide services to them and keep them safe.”

The Johnsonville Police Department coordinated a free supper for flood relief workers at the Chic Restaurant on Friday, September 21. 

A free meal was provided to 25 police officers and firefighters from the Nashville, Tennessee area as well as local National Guard members working in lower Marion County.

The Chic Restaurant provided the meals at no charge in appreciation for the services these workers are providing to our community.

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The newly renovated Odell Venters Landing was officially opened to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, June 16.  Senator Hugh Leatherman and Representative Roger Kirby were among the public officials invited by the City of Johnsonville to open the landing on Highway 41/51 just north of the city.

“Odell Venters Landing is used not only by the Johnsonville community, but by boaters and fishermen from surrounding towns and counties as well,” said Johnsonville Mayor Steven Dukes.  “On behalf of all of them, I want to thank Senator Leatherman, Representative Kirby and the rest of the Florence County legislative delegation for securing the funding to create this exceptional recreation facility.” 

Proceeds from the “Water Recreational Resources Fund” were used to fund the $460,000 renovation project.  The fund is distributed to each county based on boat registrations for purposes related to public waterways. 

The City of Johnsonville contracted R.L. Morrison and Sons, Inc. of McClellanville to make the improvements which include a reinforced concrete dual ramp, a new 8’x100’ aluminum floating courtesy dock and a resurfaced parking lot.  Contactor representative Ron Rose of Alpha Construction Company supervised the installation of the ramp.

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