Mortgage Broker in Seven Oaks, SC

Memories poured through a crowded assembly Sunday afternoon as Seven Oaks Elementary School celebrated its 50th anniversary. About 500 former and current students, faculty and staff were on hand to listen and reminisce about times shared and lives impacted at Seven Oaks.

“I am so excited to be before you all today to celebrate this momentous occasion,” Seven Oaks Elementary School Principal Harriet Wilson told the audience. “It is such an honor to be the principal at Seven Oaks and to have you all here today means the world to me. Over the course of 50 years, Seven Oaks Elementary has had a profound impact on children’s lives and I know that will continue on with the wonderful staff we have today.”

School Board Chairman Robert Gantt welcomed the packed gymnasium.

“What a special day for District Five, Seven Oaks Elementary and the entire community,” Gantt said. “This school has a legacy of excellence that I know will continue into the future.”

Principals from years past at Seven Oaks were in attendance, including the school’s second leader Tim Brown.

“My time here at Seven Oaks was unlike any other because of the tremendous parent involvement and support,” said Brown, who led Seven Oaks from 1969 to 1972. “Having that support from parents and teachers working together makes a world of difference in education of children.”

Susan Smith, a teacher at Seven Oaks for 35 years, played a huge role in making this celebration happen.

“SOES is more than just a school. This is family,” Smith said. “We all have stayed really close over the years and leaned on each other. To see this turn-out today means the world to me because it truly shows the passion people have for this place and the relationships they built along the way.”

Larry Payne, the Seven Oaks and District Five Support Employee of the Year echoed Smith’s comments in his remarks.

“Seven Oaks might not have it all together,” he said. “But, together we have it all!”

As part of the special program, current students at Seven Oaks performed popular music from the 1960s. The audience were treated to many laughs as the student masters of ceremony introduced each song.

“I wonder what kind of food they ate back then?” student Tiger Long asked. “Pizza!” student Kalieb Johnson replied. “How do you figure that?” Long asked. “Because their name was The Supremes!”

Larry Houk served as principal at Seven Oaks for 19 years and was blown away when the students sang the school’s song.

“The Seven Oaks song was created when I served as principal here,” Houk said. “It was a contest geared towards families to write lyrics to the song. It is just a wonderful feeling to be here and hear the students at SOES today sing that song which brings back so many memories for me.”

The festivities concluded with a reception and tours of the school including the state-of-the-art production studio. Parents, students and staff past and present spent time reminiscing about the wonderful memories and bright future of Seven Oaks Elementary.

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. — After 19 years of serving residents in the Rogue Valley, Seven Oaks Farm in Central Point is permanently closing its produce stand.

Jerry Mefford, the owner of Seven Oaks Farm explained after dealing with a labor shortage for several years, he and his wife decided it was time to downsize.

“It's hard to get labor, if you ask anybody in agricultural, they will tell you that is a problem and that is going to be a future problem,” Mefford said.

When the coronavirus pandemic began, the American Farm Bureau Federation, an independent organization that states it represents farm and ranch families, released a report stating the COVID-19 outbreak would lead to a "serious labor shortage at a critical time".

Mefford explained the issue started long before the virus began to spread.

“We’ve actually been dealing with a shortage of labor for the past five years,” he noted.

Mefford said the farm has been in his family since 1924 and mentioned the change does not mean he is retiring, he is not selling any of his farm, nor will he grow hemp.

“We're going to mechanicals so my wife and I can do it all, we are going to mechanize so we don’t have to have any labor,” he said.

He explained they will now focus on producing alfalfa hay because it does not require outside help.

Mefford shared his gratitude for the community’s support throughout the years.

“We appreciate all the business we had in the past but you know its time for us to do something different and most people when they get close to their 60’s they either retire or do something different, we aren’t going to do that but we are still farming but we want to slow down a little bit,” he said. "We are still going to be busy but with less stress."

Mefford noted the family will have corn seed for sale on May 15 during Central Point’s citywide yard sale.

The money will go to pay for 5 teachers from Lex Rich 5, supplies for their 30 minute STEM sessions and books for students to take home.

LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — Thanks to American Rescue Plan Act funding to schools here in the Midlands, hundreds of students will be catching up on learning this summer.

Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission (ICRC) summer camps are getting $60,000 to spend toward STEM-type learning, thanks to a South Carolina Department of Education grant.

"The purpose of the grant was to help with, stop the summer slide, so the purpose of the grant is for educational tutoring," program superintendent John Cantey said. "We're tricking the kids into learning."

RELATED: SC Department of Education to provide $14.5 million to expand summer, after-school learning to address COVID-19 losses

Officials say this will also help address the COVID slide, the delay in learning from the pandemic.

"This is a way we can keep them engaged in learning school activities throughout the summer so they're not losing everything they learned through the school year," Cantey said.

The money will go to pay for five teachers from Lexington-Richland District Five, supplies for their 30-minute STEM sessions and books for students to take home.

They've already secured these teachers and the program will run starting the second week of summer through the end of July.

RELATED: SC inches closer toward closing pandemic learning gap

Outside of this learning, students will be enjoying standard summer programming from the commission like field trips, games, nature walks and wildlife demonstrations.

"It's a reimbursable grant, so as we spend it and submit for reimbursement, then we'll get paid back from it," Cantey said.

These summer camps are at Seven Oaks Park, Leaphart Elementary and Crooked Creek Park.

Some of the other entities receiving grant money include Wings for Kids, the Columbia Urban League and the South Carolina Afterschool Alliance.

To learn more about the summer camps, click here.

The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday released a composite sketch of a two 13-year-old girls and one 9-year-old girl from a mobile home park near West Columbia on Jan. 6.

Detectives say the man attempted to kidnap the three girls while they were playing with friends outside their residences at the mobile home park at 3941 Charleston Highway around 7:30 p.m., Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said.

Witnesses told deputies that the man who tried to kidnap the girls was in his 30s, Metts said.

The witnesses describe the man as either white or Hispanic, with lightly colored skin, was between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet, and weighed between 170 and 190 pounds. The man was unshaven and had dark hair cut very short.

The man also was described as wearing eyeglasses as well as a black jacket and dark colored blue jeans.

Police say a man stopped his vehicle and spoke with the two 13-year-old girls at the rear of the mobile home park, Metts said. While speaking with the girls, the man tried to lure the two girls into his vehicle but the two girls refused to get in.

Metts said the same man drove his vehicle to a playground at the mobile home park.

The man stopped and exited the vehicle then grabbed the 9-year-old trying to pull her inside his vehicle.

At the time of the incident, the girl was playing with friends outside her home, Metts said.

A friend of the 9-year-old girl began screaming when the man grabbed the 9-year-old girl, he said.

The man let the girl go and jumped back in his vehicle before driving away.

Witnesses describe the vehicle as a gray or blue four-door, older model sedan.

The front driver’s side window had tape on it and the paint on the sedan’s body appeared to be chipped or faded. Boxes and other items filled the rear passenger seat of the sedan.

Anyone with any information about the attempted abduction can call the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at 803-785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. Citizens also can provide information anonymously by accessing the Crime Tip link on the Sheriff’s Department website.

Tree Lighting + Movie, Friday, December 3, 6:30–10 p.m., Icehouse Amphitheater— sing Christmas carols, take pictures with Santa and watch The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Santa Saturday at the Museum, Saturday, December 4, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., S.C. State Museum—enjoy 50 percent off general admission to see Santa.

Sensitive Santa, Wednesday, December 8–Friday, December 10, 5:30–8 p.m., Edventure Children’s Museum—children with sensory issues can meet Santa in a calm environment.

Story Time with Santa, Friday, December 10, 3:30 p.m., South Congaree-Pine Ridge Branch Library, 200 Sunset Drive, West Columbia—don’t forget your kid’s letter to Santa to put in his special mailbox.

Cookies and Beer Pairing, Saturday, December 11, 4–9 p.m., River Rat Brewery—there will also be cookie decorating for kids, an ugly sweater contest, and a visit from Santa.

Riverbanks Zoo Lights Before Christmas, select evenings in December, 5–9 p.m., Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens—visit Santa’s Village for the ultimate North Pole experience.

West Columbia’s 17th Annual Tree Lighting, Friday, December 3, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Columbia City Hall—enjoy live entertainment and readings from Mrs. Claus.

68th Annual Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade, Saturday, December 4, 9:45 a.m., Sumter and Laurel Street—don’t miss the Official Holiday Parade of SC.

Breakfast with Santa, Saturday, December 4, 9 a.m.–12 p.m., Cayce Moose Lodge #462, 1541 Old Dunbar Road, West Columbia—bring the kids for pictures with Santa, crafts, and more.

Cooking with Santa, Saturday, December 4, 10:30 a.m.–1:15 p.m., Seven Oaks Park— bring the kids to cook Christmas-themed snacks and Santa-approved recipes.

Holidays at Edventure, Saturday, December 4–Sunday, December 5, Saturday, December 11–Sunday, December 12, Saturday, December 18–Thursday, December 23, Times Vary, Edventure Children’s Museum—visit with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Jolly Elf.

Santa Train Rides, Saturday, December 4, 11, and 18, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., S.C. Railroad Museum, 110 Industrial Park Road, Winnsboro—take the kids on a special train ride with Santa.

Sundaes with Santa, Sunday, December 5, 12–4 p.m., S.C. State Fairgrounds—enjoy sweets with Santa at the Junior League Holiday Market.

Sunday with Santa, Sunday, December 5, 12–3 p.m., Columbia Metropolitan Airport— this event is open to both travelers and the general public.

Santa is Coming to Kid’s Night, Wednesday, December 8, 5–7 p.m., East Bay Deli West Columbia—kids can hand-deliver their letters to Santa and eat for free.

Cookies and Cocoa with Santa, Friday, December 10, 5–6:30 p.m., Columbia College—registration is encouraged.

Restaurant Visit from Santa and Mrs. Klaus, Monday, December 13, 5:30 p.m., D’s Wings.

NoMa Warehouse Holiday Weekend Market, Friday, December 17–Saturday, December 19, times vary, NoMa Warehouse—shop, sip, snack, socialize, and see Santa.

Bagels with Santa, Monday, December 20, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Bruegger’s Bagels, 945 Lake Murray Boulevard, Irmo.