Wrongful death lawyer Near Me Edgefield, SC

EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF) – An Oregan woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of smuggling drugs to inmates at the Edgefield prison.

61-year-old Tracy Alic Rel of Portland was convicted of Trafficking Methamphetamine by an Edgefield County jury on February 26, 2026 and was sentenced on July 28, 2026.

In a Facebook post the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office said, Evidence at trial, showed that Rel was trafficking methamphetamine from Oregon into the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Edgefield.

It said Rel concealed the drugs inside empty pill capsules and disguised the capsules inside vitamin bottles. She then flew from Oregon to Atlanta and traveled to Edgefield.

Once in Edgefield, she removed the methamphetamine from the capsules, packaged it into small rubber balloons, and smuggled the drugs into the prison during weekend visitation.

Rel discreetly passed the balloons directly to an inmate during those visits, officials said.

The scheme was discovered during a weekend visit in March 2025, when prison security personnel saw her Rel behaving suspiciously and notified the Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators later located Rel at a hotel near the prison. During the investigation, Deputies recovered methamphetamine, empty pill capsules, and blue rubber balloons consistent with the contraband that was found inside the prison.

During the trial, an investigator testified about the dangers posed by methamphetamine and other contraband inside correctional institutions. Prosecutors argued that Rel’s actions threatened not only the security of FCI Edgefield but also the safety of everyone who lives and works in and around the institution.

She is currently housed at the Edgefield County Detention Center and will be transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving her sentence.

EDGEFIELD — Edgefield County is in early discussion about the potential for additional zoning, the county council having met in joint session with the planning commission Sept. 15 to determine the next year's priorities in growth and development.

It was the first such combined meeting since 2024 and one that pointed to the near-term likelihood of further zoning throughout the county, this time for designating those areas best primed for multi-family housing.

The majority of Edgefield County remains unzoned, even after more than 17% of its area was brought under the newly established Residential Agriculture district, a large-lot zoning initiative meant to protect the county's rural character in light of recent years' growth — more than 16% since 2020, according to Census estimates.

"I think we've had kind of a tough job in some situations," Commission Chair James "Fab" Burt, of District 1-McCormick said. "We try to keep the county in mind — growth, plus what impact it's going to have on the citizens. Our regulations, we don't want to have them too strict, but we don't want to have it too lenient. We need to be in the middle of that and be flexible that we can lean one way or the other."

Last year's zoning was drawn-out process unfolding over the course of several months and hinted at beforehand in the county's rework of its Comprehensive Plan, a first step in determining future land use and one that sets the stage for legally-binding zoning law.

It was also a citizen-led effort that gained ground after the planning commission rejected a developer's proposed subdivision in the Sweetwater area outside North Augusta, this project proposed for land that was not zoned at the time.

A recent estimate from Edgefield County Planning Director Hart "Doc" Clark, given to the council and commission Sept. 15, was that the new zoning district has now been applied to more than 2,000 individual properties, some of these at the property owner's request, and most of them in the county's south and southwest.

Prior to this, Edgefield County was about 85% unzoned, and even now it remains mostly open.

The county previously attempted a more comprehensive zoning in 2021, under the proposed Land Management Ordinance, but this met with strong pushback and eventually failed.

Even last year's effort had its share of dissent, whether for how it was applied as a "one size fits all" solution, as one citizen said; or because of the way it was it was applied — not enough public discourse and without research into how it might affect affordable housing or the county's economic future, as others said.

The joint session Sept. 15 was informational only, and no votes were taken, but the planning commission did indicate it had an interest in taking up the zoning question.

Should the county end up pursuing it, Clark outlined a similar process as the county went through for the Residential Agriculture district: create the new district first — determine its requirements, what's permitted and what's not — and then "sit down with maps and go, 'Where would this be most appropriate?'"

NORTH AUGUSTA — Tractor Supply is making its first investment in Edgefield County with a location planned for the corner of Columbia and Star roads, just outside the Town of Edgefield.

"I think they're going to be a great addition to the community here," Elliott McKenzie said. "I think it matches up perfectly with the outdoors and the agricultural heritage y'all have."

McKenzie is with Baseline CRE, the commercial real estate lending group partnering with Tractor Supply on the Edgefield County location. McKenzie was representing the company Aug. 13 when the county planning commission gave its approval to the preliminary platting.

Baseline CRE's Gavin Melia wrote in an Aug. 5 memo to the planning commission that the new store would give residents here more convenient access to this retailer that counts just five other locations in the CSRA, the closest being more than 20 miles away on Aiken's northside.

Tractor Supply's inventory helps support agricultural operations and rural property maintenance, plus everyday household needs, Melia wrote, going on to list livestock and pet feed, animal health products, fencing materials, tools, work apparel, trailers, lawn and garden supplies, power equipment and seasonal merchandise as all being stocked by Tractor Supply.

The Edgefield location will be about 20,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet with an outdoor display area of equal size. It's expected to count between five and 15 permanent staff.

The store would be serviced by septic, given the county's current inability to service new projects with wastewater, something Edgefield County Planning Director Hart "Doc" Clark confirmed for the planning commission that same evening.

Commission Chair James "Fab" Burt said it was an exciting new business for the county, and Melia affirmed that Tractor Supply's investment supports Edgefield County's "ongoing efforts to encourage responsible commercial development that serves the needs of its growing population while supporting its agricultural economy."

About $678.9 million in 2024. Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the value of goods and services a country, state, or county produces — it's the sum of consumer spending, business investment, government spending, and net exports. It is often used to quantify the size of an economy. The $678.9 million is the "real GDP," which is adjusted to account for inflation to make it easier to compare the size of an economy over time.

$679M

Real GDP (2024)

-1.9%

Change in real GDP (2023 to 2024)

Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

Changes in spending and investment cause the GDP to fluctuate.

As of 2024, real GDP was $678.9 million in Edgefield County. This was 1.9% lower than in 2023.

Real GDP in Edgefield County, SC, adjusted for inflation (chained 2017 dollars)

Which industry contributes the most to Edgefield County's GDP?

The GDP can also be broken down and compared across industries — useful, as different industries experience different economic pressures.

The government and government enterprises industry contributed the most to the GDP of Edgefield County in 2024, generating a value of $137.2 million. It was followed by manufacturing ($112.2 million) and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ($65.8 million).

The information industry grew the most, with a 2024 GDP that was 3.6 times the 2014 GDP.

Real gross domestic product by industry in Edgefield County, SC, chained 2017 dollars

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What is Edgefield County's GDP per person?

Another way to understand a population's standard of living is by taking the GDP and dividing it by the total number of people in the population. This figure offers insight into the average economic output per individual. When the GDP per person goes up, it suggests that individuals are becoming wealthier and/or resources are being used more efficiently. This helps economists understand whether economic growth is outpacing population growth.

In 2024, GDP per person was $23,213, down 4.3% from 2023.

Real gross domestic product per person in Edgefield County, SC, chained 2017 dollars

GDP and the economic experience vary by location due to factors like cost of living, population density, workforce education, and the leading industries in the area.

In 2024, Edgefield County's real (that is, inflation-adjusted) GDP per person was 46th highest out of South Carolina's 46 counties. Counties with a similar standard of living include Clarendon County (45th).

Real gross domestic product per person in South Carolina by county

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.