Easley Patch Weekly Roundup: Dec. 18-24

Find out what happened last week on Easley Patch:

Monday

Members of the South Carolina Immigration Coalition gathered at Falls Park in downtown Greenville Sunday night for a vigil to protest the passing of S.B. 20, an immigration reform law that was passed recently.

Known criminals will now have a much more difficult time making it through this county thanks to some new technology at the Pickens County Sheriff's Office.

Mauldin-based Bi-Lo announced a deal on Monday to acquire struggling grocer Winn-Dixie in a $560 million deal that adds 690 stores and 63,000 employees to Bi-Lo's offerings.

Tuesday

When South Carolinians take to the polls on Jan. 21, two of the major contenders they'll see on the Republican ballot will invoke thoughts of more than just political views. They will raise the issues of faith, fidelity and the very definition of Christianity in a state where God and the gospel are staples as culturally entrenched as grits.

The latest Clemson University 2012 Palmetto Poll is not surprising in that it shows Newt Gingrich with a commanding lead over former Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Ron Paul and others.

City officials hope to move forward with plans to improve Kings Park in the city's Northside neighborhood.

The state experienced an unprecedented decrease in unemployment in November dropping from a seasonally adjusted rate of 10.5 percent in October to 9.9 percent in November.

Wednesday

Unregistered voters wanting to vote during the Jan. 21 Republican presidential preference primary must register by Wednesday, according to the state Election Commission. 

An Easley man was killed Monday afternoon while working at a construction site in downtown Columbia.

In 2005, Erika Grace Powell was still in the midst of earning a bachelor of music degree for vocal performance at Furman University. It was also the year she took a huge step toward establishing a career that has continued to blossom. Powell was crowned Miss South Carolina 2005 and advanced to the 2006 Miss America Pageant, where she won the Bernie Wayne overall talent award and placed as a top 10 finalist.

Thursday

It's always clear what season it is when you visit the post office around the holidays, and the Easley Post Office is no exception.

Friday

A federal court Thursday found major sections of the state's immigration reform law, which is known as S 20, were likely to be found unconstitutional, including those mandating that police demand documentation of people in virtually any lawful stop, creating a new state crime for transporting and harboring undocumented immigrants and criminalizing the failure to carry one’s documentation at all times.