By Betsy Finklea
It’s been quite a year in Dillon County. Here are some of the things that made headlines in 2022:

JANUARY
JANUARY 4: Temporary Restraining Order prevents Robbie Coward from being sworn in as Latta mayor…Town of Latta Council members Lizzie Crawford, Robert McIntyre, and Marcus McGirt sworn into office.
JANUARY 6: Second annual memorial ruck for fallen officer Jackson Winkeler held…Man faces several charges for firing a gun at crowd at Godfather’s parking lot…New downtown development coordinator, Lisa Moody, says the possibilities are endless for Main Street…Latta Police charge suspect with attempted murder…Latta Town Council holds brief meeting to select administrator and other matters.
JANUARY 11: Green Beret Training from January 22nd to February 4th to include Dillon County…Latta residence shot at multiple times…Judge dismisses temporary restraining order against Robbie Coward…SC Ports achieves record volumes in 2021.
JANUARY 13: COVID-19 numbers on the rise in Dillon County…The late Coach Harold Wilson remembered…Crude oil prices could push gas prices higher in the Carolinas.
JANUARY 18: Marc “Duke” McKeiver gets 25 years n prison and $50,000 fine for trafficking meth… COVID-19 Town Hall being planned…District Four goes to virtual instruction for week due to COVID-19…Jax Ivan Miller is first baby of new year at McLeod Dillon…Veterans Park being developed in Lake View.
JANUARY 20: County Administrator Clay Young resigns to be City of Loris administrator…$75,000 check presented to Latta Revitalization Commission… Icy winter weather looms in forecast.
JANUARY 25: Local children have fun in the snow…Murder occurs at Reflexxions 2.0 Club…Dillon County proposed redistricting map unveiled.
JANUARY 27: Sheriff’s Office busts theft ring…Rep. Jackie Hayes announces $5.2 million for stormwater improvements for city and county…Sheriff’s Office investigating attempted murder in Dillon…Coroner says Phillip D. Campbell is victim at Reflexxions 2.0 Club… Man shot in thigh…Dillon County snow averaged three inches.

FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY 1: Snow comes for second week in a row…Pump prices push higher as crude oil continues to surge.
FEBRUARY 3: Rep. Jackie Hayes announces $2.5 millon for widening S.C. Highway 34 and Tri-County Park Road upgrades…County’s full-time fire, EMS employees get $2 an hour raise… Buzzy Finklea elected Dillon County Council Chairman; Harold Moody elected Vice-Chairman…Several attend Pigs and Pearls supper at Little Pee Dee State Park…Claude Graham selected as Interim Dillon County Administrator.
FEBRUARY 8: Two arrested in shooting on Beaufort Street…Farmers market proposed for downtown Dillon…Golf course donated to City of Dillon…Dillon School District Four gets good audit report…Sheriff’s Office holds successful blood drive…Stickers available for drivers with autism/down syndrome.
FEBRUARY 10: DCS hosts “sign the beam” event…LHS Robotics Teams to compete for state championship…Purple martins return to South Carolina.
FEBRUARY 15: Two men wanted in connection to death at club arrested in traffic stop; one man still on the loose…Cequordric Page serving as Retail Specialist 3rd Class aboard USS America…American Legion Post 0032 Holds Dinner for almetto Boys State attendees.
FEBRUARY 17: Dillon Kiwanis Club making a difference in the community…Department of Education and Technical College System announces partnership.
FEBRUARY 22: Ground breaking held for Firehouse Subs…First Annual Black Business Expo held in Lake View…Main Street United Methodist Church Men Ministry completes 129th Anniversary.
FEBRUARY 24: The legacy of two legendary Dillon County law enforcement officers-Andrew “Deboy” Graves and Earlia Ray Vanderhall-lives on today…Planters being removed on Main Street in Dillon.

MARCH
MARCH 1: Rep. Jackie Hayes announces opening of new, modernized Welcome Center…K-9s expected to make big impact at Dillon County Sheriffs Office…LMS Academic Challenge Team wins Region Championship…$3,000 Reward being offered in shooting of Dillon man.
MARCH 3: Drug investigation leads to arrest of two suspects…East students learn about homelessness…Christian Britt places fourth in ASE All-Star Competition.
MARCH 8: Sheriff’s Deputies go door-to-door Oakland community looking for information on death of Dillon man…City police investigating shooting on West Dargan Street…Sheriffs office investigating death on Coates Street.
MARCH 10: Four people charged in murder of 18-year old…Pastor addresses question of what can we do to curtail the violence and murders in Dillon County.
MARCH 15: City of Dillon holds St. Patrick’s Day celebration…Filing for office begins at noon on March 16th…Dillon District Four awarded School Violence Prevention Program Grant…Three partners team up for Fatherhood Program.
MARCH 17: Nine people arrested in drug warrant roundup…SC Treasurer looking for local residents with unclaimed property…Filing for Office begins.
MARCH 22: Spectrum Broadband coming soon to 95 percent of Dillon County…County combined Drug Unit arrests several people in special operation…Ann Jackson receives Dixie Youth Lifetime Achievement Award…CareSouth Carolina and DHEC announce new combined location in Dillon County.
MARCH 24: Union Baptist Church hosts Denison University Habitat Team for special community project…Dillon County avoids incipient drought status.
MARCH 29: New bridge planned on Centerville Road…Esser funds used to make school improvements in Dillon School District Four…County Council served with judge’s order…Rep. Hayes secures $1.1 million for Sheriff’s Office…Dillon County Technology Center Mechatronics Students are SKILLS USA State Champions.
MARCH 31: Jury finds 22-year-old, Joshua Manning, guilty in December 2019 murder and armed robbery of J.W. Bailey…Candidate filing ends.

APRIL
APRIL 5: Recent school threats handled in court…Mayor Pro-Tem says Dillon is in very good shape.
APRIL 7: Rep. Jackie Hayes throws out first pitch to kick off the 2022 Kiwanis season…Latta Springfest is Saturday…Lake View business owner appears before town council to discuss forming Revitalization committee.
APRIL 12: Latta JV’s Paisley Jackson pitches perfect game…Latta Rotary Club providing local effort to support Ukranian refugees.
APRIL 14: Latta Police Department Traffic Stop uncovers multi-state mother-son fraud scheme…Stray animals continue to be a problem in Dillon County.
APRIL 19: Margaret McLellan is one of eight educators to participate in STAR Recognition Program…Latta Springfest is successful despite rain.
APRIL 21: Bridge Builders empowering young males to reach their full potential…MPD Electric Cooperative announces residential rate decrease…Hamer Church of God gets digital sign.
APRIL 26: Ground broken on new Dillon District Four IT and Adult Education Building…Pee Dee Coalition Building Dedication held…22-year-old Barry Dunham killed after being shot at local bar…Trinity Behavioral Care’s Jackie E. “Coach” Hayes Recovery Center dedicated at ceremony.
APRIL 28: Several defendants plead guilty in one-day term of court…Person shot in city…Construction of Dillon Christian School Science and Technology Building ongoing.

MAY
MAY 3: Missing man, Christopher Jackson, found dead…Brian Ford is person who was killed at 24-Hour Spot Coroner says…Dillon Middle School Band brings home 25 Superiors.
MAY 5: Dillon Police seeking public’s help to locate murder suspect…Casey Manning to receive honorary doctoral degree from USC…Dillon County Fire Station gets new equipment thanks to grant.
MAY 10: DHEC, CareSouth announce opening of new combined location in Dillon County…Gas prices spike…Dillon VFW Post 6091 holds chicken bog.
MAY 12: More than 100 umbrellas line lawn of County Courthouse for Life Blooms Eternal celebration…Economic Development Summit held at South of the Border Convention Center…National Day of Prayer observance held…Oakland man charged in death of man found in Shoe Heel Creek…Dillon woman charged in murder in Richmond County, NC…Man who wrecked in downtown Dillon after high speed chase sentenced to federal prison.
MAY 17: Rewards offered in local deaths…City police charge man in death on Wix Road…Two-week early voting period established in South Carolina.
MAY 19: Road improvements to begin near Lake View Elementary School…Hamer Church of God pastor Stan Rankin retires from ministry.
MAY 24: Real ID goes into effect in less than a year…Volunteers place flags on graves of military veterans.
MAY 26: Dillon District Four officials cut ribbon on new vehicles…Memorial Day service planned…Freshman Sophie Haselden crowned Miss Latta Viking 2022.
MAY 31: Local Nurse Practitioner Tim Brown shot and killed at his home…Memorial Day service was time to remember those who gave all.

JUNE
JUNE 2: Assistant Solicitor states his intentions to ask court to try 15-year-old shooter in Brown murder case as adult…Seven people file for Dillon County Council District Two primary election…Dillon District Four to provide summer meals at no charge.
JUNE 7: S.C. Inmate Lorenzo Inman, who was convicted in the death of Mary Stutts, found unresponsive at Lee Correctional Institution…NOAA predicts above-normal 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
JUNE 9: 15-year-old killed, another 15-year-old shot in Bunker Hill area…Final increase in motor fuel user fee coming July 1st.
JUNE 14: Juvenile charged in murder of 15-year-old has first court appearance… William Mason, co-defendant in J.W. Bailey murder, pleads guilty…Dillon County among two in South Carolina with high levels of COVID-19.
JUNE 16: Further information given on William Mason plea…Primary election results given.
JUNE 21: Dillon Middle School Band Program earns highest honor given… Candidate protesting in County Council District Six race.
JUNE 23: McLeod Health Dillon Auxiliary Volunteers recognized…St. Stephens Men celebrate Father’s Day.
JUNE 25: Latta Rotary Club centers efforts on four major projects to benefit local and international causes…McLeod Health is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care.
JUNE 30: Dillon County’s oldest veteran, Pal Dudley, pushing 99…State Party reinstates Dillon County Council District Six election results.