24.2.17

America Boats Safety Course



On March 11, Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-01 will be presenting a one day introductory boating course, America Boats Safely. This fun and informative course is certified by the SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Successful completion will award each participant the SC DNR Boaters Education Card. Many boat insurance companies offer discounts to holders of this card. The card also allows participants under 16 years of age to operate watercraft statewide.

Topics include: Introduction to Boating; Boating Law; Boat Safety Equipment; Safe Boating; Navigation; Boating Problems; Trailering, Storing and Protecting Your Boat; Hunting and Fishing, Water-skiing and River Boating.

South Carolina is blessed with many lakes and rivers as well as coastal boating venues. Boating is an exciting family activity. Nationwide, only 15% of deaths from boating accidents occurred when the operator had participated in boating safety instruction. In 2015 South Carolina ranked 7th out of all 50 states for boating accidents and tied for 10th with number of boating fatalities.

Course costs are $20 for individuals and $25 for up to a family of 4 sharing materials. The course will meet 8:30 am to approximately 5:30 pm on Saturday, March 11, 2017, on the USC Sumter campus in Room 108 of the Business Building at 200 Miller Road. Pre-registration is required. Class size is limited. For more information and reservations, contact Susan White (252) 571-2859 or email srwhite.aux@yahoo.com

Extraterrestrials and UFO Sightings Around Santee Cooper Lake Country in S.C.

Recently, seven Earth-size worlds were found orbiting a nearby star and NASA has determined that they could hold alien life. Following up on this story, our small but intrepid staff at Summerton Weekly News recently flew to Puerto Rico to visit the Araceibo Observatory which continues to listen and attempt to ‘contact’ other worlds.



While we found no trace of contact from other world, we decided it was time to give our readers an update on Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) sighting around the Santee Cooper lake country.


Over the years there have been a number of reported UFO sightings across South Carolina, including several in areas near the town of Summerton, Lake Marion, and Lake Moultrie. For example:


  • There was a recent sighting of one large star like huge craft and at least 13 triangular crafts over 2 hours near Harleyville, SC, on December 28, 2016. See MUFON Map
  • There was a recent report of a UFO sighting in Marion, SC, on September 2, 2015 - See News Article
  • There was a report of a UFO sighting near Summerton on June 14, 2014 - See UFO Report.

  • Another report previously filed in 2010 mentions a UFO sighting near Goat Island - See UFO Report


Do you believe in UFOs? Extraterrestrials? Have you ever seen one in the area, but never reported it? If you are interested in the topic, you are not alone.



You might want to check out some of the following key web sites:



If you have seen a UFO in our area recently, let us know.

4.2.17

Black History in Clarendon County and South Carolina

TheTimes and Democrat Newspaper in Orangeburg, S.C., previously published an excellent series of articles on the chronology of Black History in South Carolina. The author of the series, Richard Reid, is president of the Orangeburg Historical and Genealogical Society.

The series of articles are about people, events, places, and the daily lives of Black Americans that have lived within the state of South Carolina since 1670. The four part chronology below makes for interesting reading. Check it out!

In addition to that series of articles on Black Americans in South Carolina, be sure to visit the Black History page on the Historic Clarendon County web site. If you have additional information or links to other sources that ought to be included on that site, please share them with us.