Marlboro County ranks 27 among the 46 counties for its percentage of households counted for the 2020 Census.
As of Sept. 11, South Carolina ranked 46 among the 50 states. Idaho is ranked at number one while Alabama is ranked last.
South Carolina is at 59.6 percent.
According to a recent U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee report, South Carolina could lose $40.3 million in annual federal healthcare, job training, and education funding, if there is just one percent undercount. 
Rev. Doris Smith, pastor of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, said she often hears people complaining about why there isn’t anything in the county. She wanted to remind people the money follows the numbers. 

On Monday, Marlboro County had its seventh COVID-19 related death.
 The death, according to South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, occurred in a middle-aged individual.
In the last week, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has confirmed 45 new cases with 121 active cases.
The active cases can be found in the following zipcodes: 29512 (Bennettsville), 80; 29516 (Blenheim), 1; 29525 (Clio), 2; 29570 (McColl), 33; 29594 (Tatum), 0; 29596 (Wallace), 2; and 3, unknown.
The county has 843  overall cases.
In the state, there are 131,428 confirmed cases, and 2,968 confirmed deaths.

Marlboro County Board of Education voted 5-1-1 on Monday evening to have a forensic audit of the 2018 $10 million bond referendum completed.
Board member Katherine Manville made the motion with Vice Chairman Michael Coachman seconding it.
Vice Chairman Michael Coachman and board members Jackie Branch, Macky Norton, Manville,  and Nan Fleming voted yes. Board member Rev. James Smith voted no and Chairman Larry McNeil abstained.
Board Secretary Janice Bright and member Danny Driggers were not present for the vote.
Later in the meeting, Branch asked McNeil and Coachman to select three firms to use for the forensic audit and bring to the board for approval.
McNeil said they would meet with the board attorneys to get it done.

With the regular season just over a week away, the Marlboro County High football team is putting the finishing touches on their abbreviated preseason drills.
Last Saturday, the Bulldogs traveled to Socastee to play their only controlled scrimmage of the year.  Coach Bobby Collins was generally pleased with what he saw from his team.
"We got off the bus ready to play.  That was an issue last year, in that we were really slow to get started.  We started the scrimmage quicker," said Collins.
The Bulldog offense marched 70 yards with the first possession of the game, using a mixture of running and passing plays.  The drive was capped by a three-yard pass from quarterback Jesse Williams to Jaden Bostic.
Socastee's first possession was ended with an interception by Bulldog linebacker Jhamari Talley.

Firefighters worked to put out a structure fire at a business on Sept. 4 on Broad Street. The fire is currently under investigation by the Bennettsville Fire Department and SLED. Blenheim, Clio Rural, McColl, and Wallace Fire Departments assisted Bennettsville.