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Cheraw Town Council members on Tuesday unanimously agreed to put their hands in the air for new signs at the city limits that will proclaim the history of Cheraw High School’s state championships, dating as far back as 1970.

They also agreed to pay half the cost, $432. The other half of the money to place three signs at different entrance ways to town will come from funding made available through Cheraw High School Athletic Director David Byrd, who requested the town’s help.

The town’s maintenance crew, who recently produced the metal signs for the cell phone tour program, will construct the signs; saving the town and the school a considerable about of money.

The signs will each be 4’ x 8’, with the total cost being $864. The top portion of the approved design reads: Cheraw’s Finest … Cheraw Braves… Where Champions are Made.

These state championships are already slotted: Band - 2006; Baseball - 1970, 1999, 2004; Football - 1979, 1993, 2006, 2007; Golf - 2002, 2007; Wrestling - 2002.

In other business, council voted unanimously, at the request of the property owner, to annex 6 Oak Street, in the Cotton Mill community, to the city limits. “The property is right next door to Cheraw Yarn Mill,” said Cheraw Town Administrator Mike Smith.

Comments addressed to council from local citizen Valarie Ellerbe, of 7 Martin Luther King Drive, raised concerns about stray animals in her neighborhood. “They run in packs,” said Ellerbe, and are a threat to other animals and children. “Something needs to be done,” said Ellerbe.

Council advised Smith to talk more at length with Ellerbe during the week to talk about possible solutions to the problem.

In the monthly report for June, the Cheraw Police Department for Animal Control, reported the capture of 19 dogs; some of those 19 were puppies. Two of them were pit bulls. Sixteen cats or kittens were picked up in town during the same time frame. All were transported to Chesterfield County Animal Services in Chesterfield.

But cats and dogs are not the end of the story for Animal Control officer Henry Griggs. During June, a bird was captured at Citi-Trends, possums were trapped and released in a couple of locations, baby raccoons were found on Kershaw Street, a snake was removed from McIver Street, and a sea gull was picked up from Highland and released.

— Staff Writer Karen Kissiah can be reached by calling 843-537-5261, or by email at kkissiah@heartlandpublications.com.