As part of a long-term plan to restore the ideal conditions of the longleaf pine ecosystem within Hitchcock Woods, the Hitchcock Woods Foundation will implement its dormant season prescribed burning program this month. While the burn program dates back to the mid-1980s, policy enhancements in recent years reduced smoke effects in the community. Even so, area residents could notice some smoke or the smell of smoke coming from Hitchcock Woods. A carefully developed prescribed burn regimen is planned for the winter and the early months of spring.

St. John's Methodist Church was honored with the 2013 Aiken Historic Medallion by the Aiken Downtown Development Association on Thursday night. Out of the almost 200 submissions, St. John's was the overwhelming winner, said Avery Spears-Mahoney, the new executive director of the ADDA. Of the 136 winning votes, Donna Seymour, Lennie Sanford and Tom Brown were drawn to receive the newest addition to the collection.

A total of four new AT&T wireless communication towers will be installed in Aiken County. The County Planning Commission unanimously approved the towers to be installed in Aiken County during its regular meeting on Thursday evening. Commissioners Christian Lentz, George Turner, Camille Furgiuele and Dennis Gmerek were not in attendance. The locations of these new towers include Wagener Road and Redbank Street in Wagener, Salley Road in Salley, and Pearl Bonnet Road in Windsor. The requests came from American Tower, and these structures will range between 250 to 300 feet tall.

On Nov. 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. in the afternoon, the youngest elected president of the United States was shot twice in Dallas, Texas, and was pronounced dead 30 minutes later. At 2:38 p.m., the famous picture was snapped of then Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson taking the oath of office on Air Force One beside newly widowed first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in her blood-stained jacket.

The Aiken Department of Public Safety is seeking applicants to serve as public safety officers, and Friday is the deadline to apply. The department has openings for three public safety officers, according to Lt. Jake Mahoney. Selected applicants will perform general police and fire duties for the City of Aiken. Interested applicants must be at least 21 years old; have a high school diploma or its equivalent (an associate level degree is desirable); have a valid S.C. driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record; and meet the requirements of state law for law enforcement officers and firefighters. The selection process consists of several elements, including a criminal records check, a reading skills test, a physical fitness assessment, a credit history, oral interviews and a complete background investigation.

A suicide car bomb hit a bus convoy of off-duty Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday, killing 11 and wounding 37, in the latest of a stepped-up wave of attacks blamed on Islamic militants sympathetic to ousted President Mohammed Morsi.The mounting insurgency in the restive Sinai has sent security and intelligence agencies scrambling for new tactics to thwart future attacks and protect themselves amid signs of the violence creeping into other parts of Egypt, particularly the capital, Cairo.Among the attacks that have raised alarm was the killing of a senior security officer who monitors Islamist groups, gunned down in his Cairo neighborhood Sunday night. At dawn Wednesday, assailants threw a grenade at a police checkpoint in a northern Cairo suburb, injuring four policemen, according to security officials said. The assailants fled the scene, said the officials.

North Augusta has broken ground for its second Zaxby's restaurant. The restaurant is expected to open this winter and will create an additional 30 to 40 jobs in the area. The new Zaxby's will be located at 1025 Edgefield Road. J.J. DeRoy, director of market development for the new Zax. Inc., location, spoke about the project in a recent press release. “Residents have shown great support for the Zaxby's brand, and we see this new area as a great opportunity to expand the business,” DeRoy said. “We're excited to bring another Zaxby's to the North Augusta community and are confident that the same quality of food and service Zaxby's is known for will keep area residents coming back for more.”

The fair has come to town for the next week or so, and it's the talk of the town. Everyone is so excited about the ride, the greasy food, and all the music and shows that come with it. I'm most excited about the rodea, and corn dogs, and caramel apples. That's probably my favorite part of the whole experience. They also have a whole little strip of things that are being sold. For example, handmade crafts like dream catchers, or carver wood. Maybe t-shirts that have different logos, there are many things up for advertisement. The fair is something that only comes around once