Roofer in Aiken, SC

When Aiken County residents head to the polls Nov. 5, they'll be asked to weigh in on four questions.

First, all South Carolina voters will be asked to amend the state constitution to add that only citizens 18 and older can vote in the state's elections.

Second, Aiken County voters will be asked if the county-wide Capital Project Sales Tax should be renewed for the fifth time.

Third, Aiken County will be asked if the county-wide Education Capital Improvement Sales Tax should be renewed. And fourth, Aiken County residents will be asked if the school district should be allowed to issue bonds to fund these improvements.

Constitutional Amendment

The Constitutional Ballot Committee recently certified the question.

The South Carolina Senate voted 40-3 in April to add the question to ballots. The South Carolina House of Representatives voted unanimously to add the question in May.

Republicans control the South Carolina General Assembly — they have a super-majority in the House and a near super-majority in the Senate — and have pushed to increase the state's election integrity after former President Donald Trump made allegations of election fraud following the 2020 election.

Capital Project Sales Tax

The Capital Project Sales Tax is a 1 percent sales and use tax. Because 1 percent of $1 is one penny, the Capital Project Sales Tax is also informally referred to as a penny sales tax.

South Carolina law allows each of the 46 counties to implement the tax to fund specific capital improvement projects like roads, bridges, water, sewer and public safety equipment if a majority of the county's voters say yes to the tax in a general election.

Aiken County has had a Capital Improvement Sales Tax since 2000, Aiken County Council Chairman Gary Bunker said Aug. 21.

Therefore, voters aren't voting to add more onto their restaurant bills, they're voting to keep paying the same amount, Bunker said.

State law also mandates that proceeds of the tax be divvied up between the county and the municipalities within it based on the percentage of the county's population each government represents.

If a majority of Aiken County voters say yes in November, the tax is expected to generate around $260 million from May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2033.

Aiken County would receive $127.58 million. The city of Aiken would receive $79.66 million. The city of North Augusta would receive $48.63 million. And the county's eight smaller municipalities would receive a combined $8.15 million.

Education Capital Sales Tax

Like the Capital Project Sales Tax, the Education Capital Improvement Sales Tax is also a 1% sales and use tax. It is commonly known as the school penny tax or the penny for the schools.

Aiken County voters approved the school tax in November 2014 and would be voting to keep their restaurant bills the same instead of voting to raise them.

However, unlike the Capital Project Sales Tax, the school tax is effective for 10 years and it is expected to generate $398 million, Superintendent Corey Murphy said at the chamber event.

Aiken County has to allocate 10 percent to property tax relief and can only "bond out" 90 percent of the remaining money or roughly $285 million, Murphy said.

Unlike the Capital Project Sales Tax, the Aiken County Board of Education doesn't have to split the tax but it does have to find projects that will gain the support of a majority of the county's voters.

The school board selected five projects.

The projects include upgrades at South Aiken, Midland Valley and Silver Bluff high schools, replacement of North Augusta Middle School and a new elementary school to serve the fast-growing Midland Valley area.

What is the best internet provider in Aiken?

Aiken's fiber footprint is increasing and if your address is serviceable, it's the best choice for most. CNET's pick for the best internet service provider in Aiken is AT&T Fiber. Offering speeds as high as 5,000Mbps and competitive pricing, it's your best bet for reliable connectivity. There are no contracts or data limits, and the equipment rental is free, making it a great deal.

If AT&T isn't available, options like Breezeline, Xfinity or T-Mobile are solid alternatives -- especially if affordability is a factor. Breezeline and Xfinity offer plans starting at just $20 and $30, respectively. You’ll get a bit more speed with Xfinity (150Mbps compared to 100Mbps from Breezeline), but equipment costs may be higher with Xfinity and a 1.2TB data cap may apply.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Aiken

The best internet deals and top promotions in Aiken depend on what discounts are available at the time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Aiken internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber, Breezeline and T-Mobile Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Aiken, South Carolina

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Aiken, South Carolina, FAQs

4

OCT

Today’s lunch menu: shredded chicken and noodles with freshly baked cornbread.

For many in the area with no power, they have been surviving on peanut butter sandwiches or crackers. Their first hot meal following the destruction left in the wake of Helene came from one of The Salvation Army’s canteens or food delivery trucks.

Aiken, S.C., and the surrounding counties, according to officials, was the hardest hit area in the state, on the eastern side of Helene’s eye wall. When Helene unleashed her fury, she came with 7-12 inches of rain and winds estimated to have reached 100 miles per hour. As a result, nearly a third of the county remains without power a week after the storm. Many homes have been damaged and some destroyed altogether.

By God’s providence, The Salvation Army Corps in Aiken was spared from loss of power, despite the surrounding neighborhood and 98 percent of the county losing power. For this reason, The Salvation Army was able to respond in the immediate aftermath. From the Corps kitchen, with one stove, Cheatham and an army of staff of volunteers prepare each day for reaching out in the community.

The Salvation Army has been on the ground serving here from the beginning; it has provided more than 12,000 meals since Friday, Sept. 27 at multiple locations. Many of the neighborhoods The Salvation Army is serving were not only the hardest hit, they were already struggling before the storm.

“People barely making it by have now been pushed over the edge,” said Captain Michael Good, Corps Officer for The Salvation Army in Aiken.

Good accompanies staff and volunteers to strategic locations across the region for lunch service. You can find him hugging residents, sharing a reassuring smile and providing an even more critical service than feeding: prayer.

People arrive at the KJ’s Market in Aiken for a hot meal, many not expecting power to be restored at their homes for days, or even weeks. It’s obvious The Salvation Army’s presence is a spark of hope in an otherwise desperate situation. But, the gratitude is evident.

“God bless y’all.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Thank you; I have six kids at home.”

“God bless you, I really mean it.”

Good shares an encouraging smile. “How are you holding up? You doing okay?”

“I’m trying, I’m taking it a day at time,” he hears in response.

Good stops in the moment and prays for God to provide peace and comfort. He asks God to be with the power crews and linemen and for power to be restored to homes quickly. Another resident drives by to pick up meals for her family, and Good reaches through the car window to hold hands and spend a moment in prayer. She prays for Good in return.

“What prayer does is allow people to feel seen and heard. Hot meals do something for the body. Prayer does something for the soul.”

People are desperate for power to be restored at their homes. Today, they are experiencing a different kind of power – the power of prayer in their lives. A simple act of kindness, just stopping for a moment to pray, makes people light up.

“You can find some food, water and ice. It’s hard to find hope. The Salvation Army brings hope.”

Salvation Army crews return to the Corps building from serving more than 1,100 meals at lunch and they immediately begin planning and preparing for what's next, ensuring they are reaching the communities that need it the most. Good’s phone rings constantly as he coordinates with government agencies and partners. Volunteers and staff – including Jannie Cheatham – clean up from lunch and take inventory of what’s on hand in preparation for the next meals.

What’s on the menu tomorrow?

For certain, it will be a warm meal for the body and hope for the soul.

The availability of gasoline continues to be a problem for Aiken County residents.

A lack of electrical service at the stations and at a fuel distribution center are the sources of the problem, S.C. Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, said in a message to constituents on Tuesday, Oct 1.

The Sunoco fuel supply distribution center at 221 Sweetwater Road in North Augusta lost power during the storm. Power was restored Monday, Sept. 30, but was disrupted again that night.

“It partially went down overnight because a tree fell on the line but that has been fixed as of midday today,” Young said Tuesday, Oct. 1.

At the Parker’s Kitchen at 136 Jefferson Davis Highway in Aiken, the driver of a Waccamaw Transport fuel supply truck said he waited in line four hours at the distribution center to have his tanker filled.

“We had to go to Charleston to get fuel loads when it was down,” he said.

The Circle K store at 2645 Columbia Highway N. was the first station in the area to have electrical power restored. Long lines formed during the weekend as drivers gassed up their cars and filled canisters for fueling generators.

Before dawn on Oct. 1 the store was doing brisk business. By midafternoon the nozzles of every pump were covered by a yellow plastic bag, indicating empty tanks underground.

Across the street at the Raceway at 2664 Columbia Highway N., the tanks were also empty.

Samantha Holtzendorff, manager of the store, praised her employees and other workers as she stocked shelves.

“Everybody’s working hard. The linemen are working hard. The people at the gas station are working hard. The people cooking at Bojangles and McDonald’s are working hard,” she said.

“People just need to be patient,” she said. “We can get gas. We can get groceries. But it’s going to take a little longer.”

“Things are going to get better. We all should be thankful that we’re still here,” Holtzendorff said.

She estimated people were purchasing five times as much gas per day as before the storm. She encouraged people to be conservative in their use of fuel, and to not run generators continuously.

“Run it for three hours and turn it off for three hours. Your freezer will stay frozen,” she said.

Even with electrical service restored and underground tanks replenished, some stores can’t sell gas without internet or 5G cell service, said Nick Blanton, a maintenance technician for Raceway.

“The newer systems require internet or cell service so the pumps can communicate to the point-of-sale system inside the store,” Blanton said. “Without that, you can’t sell gas.”

Young was optimistic that the situation would continue to improve.

“More stores are open all over the county today than yesterday and this weekend so that is helping with the fuel problems and it should help further tomorrow and into the week,” he said.

“Finally, the State Emergency Management encourages residents to use the GasBuddy website or app to learn where gas stations/convenience stores are open on a given day,” Young said.

3:30 p.m. Update

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham will get a first-hand look at the Tropical Storm Helene damage in Aiken.

Graham will provide a media briefing after meeting with local and state officials at 1 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Aiken County Emergency Operations Center.

3 p.m. Update

The North Augusta Public Safety Trunk or Treat event scheduled for Oct. 12 has been postponed.

2:30 p.m. Update

Aiken's H. Odell Weeks Activities Center is closed until further notice.

Dominion is using the facility to house the lineman working to restore power.

The adaptive traffic signal on Whiskey Road will be inoperative until further notice.

1 p.m. Update

Aiken County residents struggling through the Tropical Storm Helene recovery will have longer to file their taxes.

The federal filing deadlines have been extended to May 1, 2025, the Internal Revenue Services announced Oct. 2.

11:45 a.m. Update

Another Tropical Storm Helene-related death in Aiken County has been reported.

Rhonda Gabriel, 66, died Oct. 1 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers, Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables said.

Gabriel’s cause of death was respiratory, Ables added.

Individuals with oxygen needs should contact the South Carolina Department of Health, Aiken County Emergency Management said Oct. 2.

The number is 855-472-3234.

11:30 a.m. Update

The effort to restore power in Aiken County following Tropical Storm Helene appears to be bogging down despite assurances that once work was completed east of Aiken County more workers would be available to restore power.

As more power restoration is completed east of Aiken County, more workers will arrive to turn the lights back on in Aiken County, Dominion Energy South Carolina President Kellar Kissam said Sept. 29 at an Aiken news conference with Gov. Henry McMaster.

As of 10:49 a.m., there are only 1,960 customers without power in areas east of Aiken County that are served by Dominion according to the company's outage map. In fact, there are more Dominion customers in Aiken County without power than in the rest of the area served by Dominion.

But, Dominion reported 33,960 of its 62,074 Aiken County customers remain without power as of 10:49 a.m. Oct. 2.

The company reported 37,328 of its Aiken County customers were without power as of 11 a.m. Oct. 1, meaning 3,387 customers saw their lights come back on in that 24-hour period.

Over 4,000 Aiken County customers saw their lights come back on from Sept. 30-Oct. 1 and around 5,000 Aiken County customers saw their lights come back on from Sept. 29-30.

Aiken Electric Cooperative's outage map was unavailable until Sept. 30 and the map went down again Oct. 1 before returning Oct. 2.

The most recent Facebook post indicates over 26,000 members have their lights back on as of Oct. 2, according to Aiken Electric.

There is no indication where these members are and how many are in Aiken County.

The now-functional outage map indicates 44.5% of Aiken Electric's members in Aiken County remain without power as of 11 a.m. Oct. 2.

There are, however, some options available for Aiken County residents that don't want to spend the day sweating inside of their still-dark homes.

First, many restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores have reopened.

The Salvation Army is offering food and water from 12;15 p.m.-1:30 p.m. at its 604 Park Ave. location, the Aiken County Family YMCA at 621 Trolley Line Rd. and the Edgefield K.J.'s at 155 Carolina Square.

Supplies are also being handled out at the North Augusta Community Center at 495 Brookside Dr.

There are also charging stations and showers at the YMCA.

Charging stations are also available at the North Augusta Goodwill store and SRP Park.

Ice will be distributed at SRP Park beginning at 3 p.m.

And Aiken-Barnwell Mental Health is providing mental health care.