Laurens City Police responded Code 3 to the Library on West Main at 2:31 yesterday afternoon on a report of an assault. Library personnel had detained a 15-year-old male in an office after an alleged incident. An adult female had reportedly been threatened by a youth with a gun at the location, and allegedly groped. Library staff assisted officers in retrieving a firearm from a magazine rack. The 15-year-old male juvenile was placed in handcuffs, arrested by Laurens Police, taken to the police station for booking. He was reportedly served with an Assault charge for the alleged Groping and with Possession of a Weapon during Commission of a Violent Crime. He was then transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia.

 The Laurens Commission of Public Works yesterday recognized their attorney of the past 19 years. Don Hocker has resigned his law practice in order to become a State Circuit Judge effective July 1^st. Yesterday was his last meeting attending the Laurens CPW as their legal consul. General Manager Dale Satterfield expressed his appreciation for all the legal guidance Don had provided for the Commission over the years, saying he was a tremendous asset to the CPW. “He’s had an open door policy for us. I know John and I have worn him out the last year or two with situations and needing some legal advice and family advice and any other kind of advice that Mr. Hocker had to offer. He has just been a tremendous asset to us.”

  Don Hocker said he was honored to have been able to serve the Commission during these years. “This day is bitter-sweet to me. It has just been an honor and a privilege to be a part of this tremendous organization. I’ve been privy to so many things over these past 19 years, I can tell you there is no better run organization anywhere than the Laurens CPW.  And It’s just been a blessing for me, not only serving as the lawyer for the Laurens CPW but most importantly the relationships that I have been able to establish with everybody here. I’m just honored and blessed and thank you for the past 19 years.”

  Hocker also said he was leaving the CPW in good hands, referring to newly appointed CPW attorney Matthew Turner, who has been going through a familiarization process.

The Laurens CPW financial picture is looking good in the early part of 2013. February figures reviewed at yesterday’s meeting showed the combined utility system was in the black by $278,000 for February. The year-to-date figures were also in the black.

  The Commissioners voted on another financial report yesterday. Their auditor went over the annual audit at last month’s CPW meeting, but they delayed a vote on accepting the audit until the May meeting. A vote yesterday approved accepting the audit.

     Do something often enough, it becomes a habit. However, there are some things one should not become habitual about. In fact, there’s a law about that.   The South Carolina Highway Patrol made an arrest yesterday afternoon on Interstate 385 here in LaurensCountythat the subject arrested has allegedly has some previous experience with. 54-year-old James Ronnie Stokes of 117 Osteen Hill Road, Pelzer was ticketed on a charge of Speeding 85 miles per hour in a 70-mile pr hour zone, as of 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon. He was also charged with Driving under Suspension of his license. Actually, it was a 4^th Offense Driving under Suspension charge. In addition, the Patrol was adding a General Sessions charge of being a Habitual Offender to Mr. Stokes. He was also given a citation for driving with an Expired Tag. He was placed in the Johnson Detention Center.

 The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Tillman Circle at 3:21 Sunday morning on a suspicious fire report. Deputies met Joanna Fire Chief Ashley Plaxico, who indicated firefighters had been dispatched to 105 Tillman Circle on a report of the house there being fully involved in flames. Firefighters noted the house was not connected to the power grid. While putting out the fire, they reportedly observed items in and out of the home that would indicate that methamphetamine was being produced there. Sheriff’s Investigators were called to investigate the cause of the suspicious fire, and to investigate the suspicious items found.

    Laurens County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to North Marion Street, Joanna at 11:24 Sunday morning regarding a possible break-in to the residence. While in route, the owner reportedly called to state that two men were observed going inside the location, perhaps around 2:30 that morning. Sgt. Carter was first on scene, and talked with the owner, who said he had not observed any forced entry. Lt. Haupfear arrived and unlocked the front door of the residence using the owner’s house keys. He located a subject in the living room behind the front door and placed him in investigative detention. No one else was found inside the house.

   25-year-old Jeffrey Allen Arrowood of Tillman Circle, Joanna was later charged with Trespassing. He was released from the Johnson Detention Center later in the day on a $465 personal recognizance bond.

Meanwhile, deputies reportedly located a plastic grocery bag in a small burn pile in the back yard of the Marion Street house, along with other items that indicated previous manufacture of methamphetamine.

 Clinton Public Safety arrested a man Saturday on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine in his home, in the presence of his child. 43-year-old James Arthur Bouslay of 111 Rogata Drive, Clinton was charged with Manufacture of Methamphetamine, Illegal Disposal of Meth Waste, Manufacture of Methamphetamine in the Presence of a Child, Possession of Meth with Intent to Distribute, Illegal Disposal of Meth Waste, and with Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance.

  Sgt. Shane Prather states that on May 11^th James A. Bouslay manufactured methamphetamine while his six-year- old daughter was present in the home, exposing her to methamphetamine waste and toxic chemicals. Prather alleges that Bouslay had in his possession salt containers, liquid fire, butane lighter fluid, coffee filters, lithium batteries, a grinder, plastic bottles with a white substance and with tubes coming out of the top, and plastic bottles containing salt and lithium from batteries, all of which are used to manufacture methamphetamine.  Bouslay was further alleged to have placed used bottles with waste outside under his house and also placed cut batteries in a grill on the front porch. Sgt. Prather alleges that James Arthur Bouslay had 2.5 grams of methamphetamine separated into individual packets. He is also accused of being in possession of 4 white pills identified as acetaminophen oxycodone hydrochloride, a schedule II narcotic. 

  Bonds were set this weekend totaling $78,000 on five charges. James Bousley remained in the Laurens County Detention Center this morning.

 Three were charged in connection with an alleged meth lab found at a Laurens County residence in the Enoree area. These consisted of one man and two women. They are 22-year-old James Andrew Walz of 3 Allen Street, Enoree, 39-year-old Teresa Ann Lell of 151 Community Center Road, Enoree, who is also known as “Red” and 40-year-old Shannon Leigh Fowler of 212 Patterson Plant Road, Enoree. These three suspects have been charged with Manufacture of Methamphetamine and Illegal Disposal of Methamphetamine Waste. Narcotics Officer Matt Veal states in warrants that on May 9^th each of the three suspects were at a residence where items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine were located and that each

unlawfully disposed of methamphetamine waste at that location on Patterson Plant Road, Enoree. Bond on the two charges were set totaling $25,000. Shannon Fowler, Teresa Lell and James Andrew Walz each remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.