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AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF) - Families in Aiken had the chance Tuesday to find out whether their own car seats were being used correctly during a free inspection event at Rural Health Services' Clyburn Pediatric Center.

The event was part of Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs through Saturday, Sept. 26.

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, data from the 2025 National Digital Car Seat Check Form database showed more than 60% of car seats inspected by certified Child Passenger Safety technicians in South Carolina were improperly installed or used. The agency also says parents sometimes move children out of the appropriate seat too soon.

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Terrence Jackson, director of safety prevention with the Tri-Development Center of Aiken County, said technicians frequently encounter seats that are not secured tightly enough or harnesses that do not properly restrain the child.

"Car seats are too loosely installed," Jackson said. "When you make a turn, the seats are rocking side to side, or the harness straps are too loose."

For Aiken parent Anthony Potts Sr., Tuesday's inspection resulted in more than a few adjustments.

Technicians determined the seat his son had been using was not the correct fit for his height and weight.

"The family that's about to be served, it's been determined that their car seat is not the correct fit for the height and weight of the child," Jackson said during the inspection.

Jackson said moving a child into another type of car seat should be based on the height and weight limits established by the seat's manufacturer rather than simply the child's age.

"Whenever the child meets the maximum height or weight of the seat they're using, it's time to transition to the next seat," Jackson said.

South Carolina law requires children younger than 2 to remain rear-facing until they exceed the height or weight limits of that seat. Children who outgrow a rear-facing seat must use an appropriate forward-facing restraint, while older children who outgrow forward-facing seats may transition to a booster. A child who is at least 8 years old or at least 57 inches tall may use an adult seat belt if it fits properly.

Potts said the inspection also taught him something he had not considered before.

"I just found out, like, there's expiration dates on car seats, so you really should go get it checked out," Potts said.

Before Potts left Tuesday's event, technicians provided his son with a different car seat.

"I feel more safer with the car seat that they just provided with us," Potts said. "Everything more secure now."

Staff Sgt. Stephen Shunn with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office said South Carolina drivers can face a $155 fine for improper child restraint, but he said education is the priority during events like Tuesday's.

"We'd rather educate them," Shunn said. "We'd rather have them come to an event like this and be able to get them installed properly, and where we can also educate them in properly installing them."

Shunn said parents who are unsure whether a seat is installed correctly should ask for help rather than guess.

"If they have a question, call their local law enforcement agency," Shunn said. "See if they have a tech who can assist them there. Fire departments that have techs also … But ask someone. Don't be afraid. That's what we're here for."

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety says free car-seat checks continue across the state this week. A Safe Kids Aiken County check is scheduled Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at Brighter Beginnings Child Development Center, 140 Carolina Ave. in Barnwell.

Another check is scheduled Thursday, Sept. 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Shaw Air Force Base Child Development Center, 320 Laurel Court. Access to Shaw Air Force Base is required to attend that event.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Safe Kids Midlands will hold a car-seat check from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, 521 Gibson Road in Lexington.

Parents do not have to wait for Child Passenger Safety Week to have a seat checked. The South Carolina Department of Public Health offers free inspection stations throughout the state year-round, where families can schedule an appointment with a certified technician.

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09/22/2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE City of Aiken Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department Announces New Exhibit: “Postcards: Horse Racing History Through the Mail”

Horse racing enthusiasts and history buffs alike will now have the chance to delve into the rich and vibrant history of horse racing through a unique postal experience. Introducing “Postcards: Horse Racing History Through the Mail,” a new exhibit at the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum. This exhibit aims to celebrate the legacy of this iconic sport by displaying beautifully designed postcards featuring historical highlights and significant moments in horse racing.

Each postcard captures the essence of a particular era, showcasing legendary races, famous horses, and profiles of the individuals who shaped the sport. Recipients will not only receive stunning imagery but also insightful narratives that provide context and background on the significance of each featured moment.

This exhibit serves as an engaging way to connect with the history of horse racing, allowing recipients to reflect on the sport’s evolution while imparting knowledge to younger generations. Whether you are a dedicated racing fan, a collector of historical memorabilia, or simply someone interested in learning more about horse racing, these postcards offer a tangible piece of history delivered straight to your mailbox.

“We believe that postcards can be a powerful medium for storytelling, and horse racing has such an incredible narrative to share,” said Lisa J. Hall, Museum Coordinator. “Our aim is to create interest in the sport’s rich past while providing an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.”

Join us on this remarkable journey through the history of horse racing, one postcard at a time. The exhibit, which is in the downstairs gallery, will be on display October 6 – November 1, 2026 and is open to the public at no cost.

If your business or organization is interested in supporting the Hall of Fame through sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, please visit cityofaikensc.gov/sponsorship/ ADA message: The City of Aiken Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism invites people of all ability levels to enjoy programs, parks, and facilities. Individuals needing special assistance to participate should notify PRT Administrative Office 48 hours in advance.

For more information, email halloffame@cityofaikensc.gov, call 803-642-7600, option 3, 803-643-2121, or visit the Hall of Fame website at aikenracinghalloffame.com.

AIKEN, S.C. — A national shortage of firefighting equipment is hitting close to home in the CSRA, where Aiken County fire departments face yearslong delays and surging costs to replace aging emergency vehicles.

One Aiken County fire truck is nearly 20 years old, originally ordered in 2005. Officials say they will not receive a replacement until next year, forcing local departments to explore alternatives such as purchasing trucks not tailored to their specific needs or leaning on neighboring agencies for backup.

The West Pelzer Fire Department reported that crews rescued a dog after it had fallen into a well.

The local strain mirrors a growing national crisis. The International Association of Fire Fighters says departments across the country are in crisis mode trying to obtain necessary emergency vehicles, with some fire chiefs now forced to plan years, or even a decade, in advance just to keep trucks on the road.

“A couple years ago, we actually noticed an increase of the pricing on trucks,” said Chief Brent Melcher of Summerville Fire Rescue. “They’re gradually going up from year to year. But it’s gotten to the point where they’ve doubled in price.”

Bamberg County is marking tragedy, history and the future of public safety with a new emergency operations center, a first responders memorial and a historic marker.

Melcher noted that delivery times once took about a year, but departments now face waits of three to four years alongside doubled purchase costs. Prices for a single apparatus have climbed as high as $2 million.

Part of the issue stems from market consolidation, with three manufacturers controlling approximately 70% of fire apparatus production. The extended delivery backlogs place added wear and tear on existing trucks kept in service beyond their expected lifespans.

In response to the bottlenecks and rising costs, the IAFF has called for a federal investigation into the manufacturing delays.

AIKEN — The City of Aiken Board of Zoning Appeals granted an exception Sept. 22 that would allow the former Aiken County Council building at the corner of Richland Avenue and Morgan Street to be used as a restaurant, catering center and event space.

According to city ordinance, the property, zoned Office/Institutional, may be used for an eating establishment only by special exception. The application was from Christian Carlisle, who does not yet own the property.

Carlise owns Blue Collard at 113 Waterloo St. S.W., a take-home market and catering kitchen about a block away. The caterer feeds the hundreds of workers building the Meta Data Center under construction at the Sage Mill Industrial Park in Graniteville.

“We’ve just outrun the property,” he said. “We fed 792 people today out of our current location.”

“We want something close by, and I live right down the road. I saw this property and thought it had great potential for a kitchen for us to build in,” Carlisle said. “We still plan on keeping Blue Collard as it is. It will still be a take-home market. It'll just be our bakery,” he said.

If he purchases the new property after successfully navigating consideration of his plans by the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Design Review Board, the Planning Commission and the City Council, Carlisle told the board his plan is to turn the midcentury modern building into the center of his operations.

It would contain his catering kitchen and equipment storage, a restaurant seating 62 in a 960-square-foot dining room including outdoor seating. It would have a meeting space to accommodate 95 people. A parking lot behind the building has 60 spaces. Blue Collard currently has 20 full-time employees.

“It's also an opportunity to revitalize it. It won't be razed. It's an opportunity to bring something back to life and to have a nice entrance to the city right there, versus what it is now,” Carlisle said.

The 6,272-square-foot building, clad in red brick, panels of pastel yellow and blue and a wall of glazed yellow brick, was constructed on the 1.71-acre parcel in 1965 and housed the Aiken County Health Center until 1978.

“I got a vaccine there when I was young,” Carlisle said.

It then became the office and chambers of the Aiken County Council. It has been unoccupied since 2012.

The property is located in the city’s Historic Overlay District, but lacks a designation as contributing or non-contributing to the area. The designation is necessary for the Aiken’s Design Review Board to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness in order for the project to move forward to permitting by the Planning Department.

At the Sept. 1 Design Review Board meeting, board member Lucy Knowles began the process of designating the property as contributing to the district. Knowles called the building “probably the finest example of mid-century modern in Aiken, and I think it is definitely worthy of being included on the Aiken register.”

The motion by the Board of Zoning Appeals to approve the special exception was amended to include the conditions that the maximum floor area of the restaurant shall not exceed 2,500 square feet, that all off-street parking shall be located behind the front yard setback line, that landscaped buffers adjacent to any property zoned or used residentially shall be installed, that the hours of operation, including deliveries, shall be limited to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., that no outdoor entertainment or speaker system is permitted and that signage shall not be internally illuminated.

“To see it brought back to life, especially in this use with the reputation that the Blue Collard has, I think it's a win-win for the area,” said Karen Daly, chair of the board.

“My mom still lives here,” Carlisle said of his desire to revitalize the property into an asset for the city. “I’ve got to make her proud.”