A committee tasked with rewriting Anderson County’s animal cruelty ordinance is back to the drawing board.

An amended ordinance presented Tuesday didn’t pass first reading by a 3-3-1 vote. Larry Greer, Bob Waldrep and Cindy Wilson were opposed to the measure. Ron Wilson abstained.

Anderson County’s current animal cruelty laws were established in 1993. Council member Gracie Floyd has led efforts for the past two years to update the ordinance to provide clarity for citizens and those enforcing the law. The amended code also would have increased the cost residents pay to recover their pets from the Anderson County Animal Shelter.

Wilson said she felt like they needed to do some housekeeping before the ordinance was passed.

For example, the proposed amendments required residents to keep their pets under restraint, whether in a fence or kennel. But farm cats and dogs need to be able to roam free to protect livestock, she said.

The ordinance also drew criticism for not addressing horses, which are considered agricultural animals and are regulated by state law.

— Heidi Cenac

Pendleton ranks high on ‘Net: According to the July 16 rankings on Squidoo, an informational Web site that provides info from users to the Internet, Pendleton ranks right up there with London, Oktoberfest and the Himalayas.

Pendleton ranked 15th in the travel section of squidoo, based on popularity and number of times viewed. Overall, Pendleton ranked 507 in popularity of topics over the whole site.

The site contains links to some of Pendleton’s historic sites and community organizations, as well as a listing of upcoming events, YouTube videos of Jammin’ on the Green and “shape note singing,” and pictures from Pendleton’s history.

Built by Pendleton native Joan Tate Adams, the site also offers an area for people to blog their thoughts about Pendleton and the area. The site is located at http://www.squidoo.com/pendleton.

— Liz Carey

National Democratic Party Convention has Oconee flavor: When the National Democratic Party Convention opens in Denver Aug. 22, there will be a distinct Oconee County flavor to the South Carolina delegation.

Long-time Oconee County Democratic Party supporter Mike Evatt of the Ebenezer community will be there along with Greenville attorney Frank Holleman, III. Holleman is a native of Seneca and his wife is from Walhalla.

Another delegate will be West-Oak High graduate Tremain Mattress, who could have political aspirations of his own after he graduates from Duke University.

Mattress is pledged to Barak Obama while Evatt is pledged to John Edwards. Holleman is pledged to Hillary Clinton.

Wilhelmina Rhoe of Anderson is also headed to the convention and is pledged to Obama.

The South Carolina delegation is led by Chairwoman Carol Fowler of Columbia.

There are 29 Congressional District level delegates, 10 at-large delegates, six pledged (PLEO) Party Leaders and Elected Officials delegates, seven automatic unpledged delegates, eight at-large alternates, two pages and one unpledged add-on, who is Inez Tennenbaum, the former Superintendent of Education for the state.

— David Williams