Author Archives: Rob, article copied from newspaper listed below

Hazardous Materials exercise provides chance to improve skills

A saddle tank on the tractor-trailer truck gushed several steady streams of colored fuel. Against the tire, the injured patient, his eyes splashed with diesel fuel, lay at an awkward angle. A second fuel line poured more fuel into a nearby storm drain, ultimately ending up in a small nearby creek. Similar scenes to this […]

Heath Springs manufacturing building draws some interest

The shuttered and gated old U.S. Textiles building has been on the market less than a month, but it’s already drawing interest.
“We’ve shown the building twice to one company we’ve been working with for several months,” said Jamie Gilbert, director of the Lancaster County Economic Development Department.
The 150,000-square-foot building is on a 10-acre tract near […]

700 more jobs at Movement Mortgage

Movement Mortgage will create 700 more jobs at its Indian Land headquarters over the next five years, doubling the size of its operation on S.C. 160, Gov. Nikki Haley’s office announced Tuesday.
The $18 million investment includes the construction of an additional 91,000-square-foot building at Bailes Ridge Corporate Park. Hiring will begin in the first quarter […]

Potential Waterford spec building sale ‘a shot in the arm’ for Rock Hill

The Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation announced Tuesday that it has received a letter of intent for the second speculative building at Waterford Business Park. The sales price is currently listed at $2.175 million. The company is an electronic manufacturing services firm, and will be looking to hire 66 new employees.

By David Thackham, Staff Reporter […]

Regional elected officials talk about 2017 goals at COG forum

Elected officials from the region, including Chester County Supervisor Shane Stuart, got a chance to brief interested listeners about their goals for 2017 during the recent Catawba Regional Council of Governments (COG) Elected Officials Forum, held at the Gateway Conference Center.

After economic and budget presentations by Matthew Martin, a senior vice president of the Charlotte […]

Roddey laid to rest, signs off one last time

As they were hundreds of times over the last 40-plus years, Chester County’s radio airways were filled with the name and persona of Carlisle Roddey on Wednesday.

Roddey, who passed away on Monday, spent 32 years essentially running Chester as the county supervisor, but he also spent 47 years as the radio voice of the Chester […]

Mike Shealy Presentation – 1/5/2017

Mike Shealy Presentation at the 2017 Elected Officials Forum.

Matthew Martin Presentation – 1/5/2017

Matthew Martin Presentation at the 2017 Elected Officials Forum.

$290 million ‘Project Wolverine’

A long and mutually beneficial relationship that began a decade ago is about get even longer and even more mutually beneficial for Union County and the entity known as “Project Wolverine.”

The agenda for Tuesday’s Union County Council meeting includes first reading of an ordinance amending a fee in lieu of taxes agreement and providing an […]

Building the infrastructure to keep pace with IL boom

The relocation of CompuCom Systems’ Texas headquarters and 1,500 jobs to Indian Land is yet another sign of the Panhandle’s remarkable economic pull.
But for some residents, that growth comes with growing pains.
“The first thing that comes to mind is thank goodness for the jobs. We all need a job,” said Gary Holland, Indian Land community […]

County council gives UDO final approval

Lancaster County Council approved the new Unified Development Ordinance Monday night by a vote of 5-1. Councilman Jack Estridge cast the vote of opposition.
“Lancaster County has changed, and this is an effort to try to manage that growth,” said Councilman Larry McCullough. “I fully support the UDO and applaud all who worked long and hard […]

6,000 years of culture

It’s the season of fall festivals, and the one last weekend had familiar sights, sounds and smells – tables full of art and crafts, the aroma of sweet potato pie and hot stew, a full parking lot on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
But upon entering the glass doors of the long house on the Catawba Indian […]

County council votes for rewritten UDO

After nearly two years of a labor-intensive rewrite, the Unified Development Ordinance passed its first reading by county council this week following 90 minutes of discussion and explanations.
Councilman Steve Harper expressed concern on several issues, ranging from backyard chicken coops to tree permits, in the 339-page document, including 34 pages of definitions, 74 pages of […]

Transforming Union County

Union County could receive $1 million a year for five years for a total of $5 million from the State of South Carolina under a proposal developed by Union County Supervisor Frank Hart and being submitted to the state legislature by SC House District 42 Rep. Mike Anthony.

During Tuesday’s Union County Council meeting, Hart presented […]

Connecting in the digital age: Fort Mill, Tega Cay reaching out

City leaders have different ideas on the role social media plays in local government, a hot topic of the campaigns for City Council seats last year.

Katie Poulsen, assistant manager for Tega Cay, said social media has increasingly become a way for residents to stay informed. She handles the city’s communications, including its website and social […]

Economist predicts continued job growth for area

York and Lancaster counties are seeing bullish growth, and residents should be expecting more to come, says a Wells Fargo economist.

York County’s influx of retirees from other states have been a driving force behind the county’s 6.1 percent population growth over the past year, senior economist Mark Vitner said at Friday’s Economic Forecast Breakfast at […]

City services at the touch of a smartphone app

Need to pay your Lancaster utility bill, report a mammoth pothole, apply for a city job or scope out festival details?
There’s now an app for that.
City IT director Jarvis Driggers presented the Red Rose City’s new mobile app at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
“This is a living and breathing app,” Driggers said. “This app’s going to […]

Three new affordable housing units ‘filling the need’ in Arcade Mill Village

Responding to a need and to the market, the Housing Development Corporation of Rock Hill recently signed off on construction of three new units of affordable housing in the Arcade Mill Village.

The new energy-efficient homes, which will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms each, will be located on Wright St. and Arcade St.

They represent the […]

2 Kershaw water projects on tap

With all the regulatory hoops jumped through, construction will start soon on two utility projects linking Kershaw’s water system to Haile Gold Mine.
Those projects – running a 12-inch water line along Church Street to the mine property and building a 250,000-gallon water tank on the outskirts of town – should begin this fall. Once the […]

Spec building sold for $1.5 million

Union County’s investment in its newest spec building began to pay off this week when Union County Council voted to sell it to a firm that specializes in industrial development in rural communities for just over $1.5 million.

During its August meeting this past Tuesday, council voted unanimously to approve first reading of an ordinance selling […]

Web portal targets tech workers for Rock Hill jobs

For years, cities like Rock Hill, Gastonia, N.C., and Concord, N.C., have marketed themselves as cities near Charlotte in order to attract businesses.

Now, local officials are seeking to change the narrative.

The Rock Hill Economic Development Corp. is hoping to unveil a new job portal website this fall that will try to attract high-tech businesses to […]

Red Ventures branching out in IL

Red Ventures plans to hire another 1,500 employees, increasing its workforce to 3,750 at its Indian Land campus after it completes an expansion that will double its size there next year.
Red Ventures CFO Mark Brodsky drew a full house to the Indian Land Action Council meeting Thursday, July 21, where he spoke about the company’s […]

Community Development Block Grant Projects Awarded – June 2016

The following three projects received funding from the April 2016 round of the Community

Lancaster sewer projects move ahead

Sewer upgrades continue to be a big priority for the city of Lancaster, with several projects moving forward.
On June 12, Lancaster City Council unanimously approved a $395,202 contract with Fla.-based VacVision Environmental, pending state approval, to reline sewer mains for the first phase of the Midway Neighborhood Revitalization Project.
The money comes from a half-million dollar […]

Game On plans sports megaplex in Tega Cay

Tega Cay is getting its Game On.

City leaders gave initial approval Monday night for a sports and entertainment proposal from Game On Development, one the Mooresville, N.C., company believes will change the sports landscape of the city and beyond.

“Our goal is to create a lifestyle for the Carolinas,” said Brad Ceraolo with Game On. “We […]

After 13 years, Fort Mill bypass opens to traffic

The bypass is open.

Barrels and barricades came off the pavement Thursday, as Fort Mill Parkway opened from Spratt Street to Springfield Parkway. Town and county officials gathered for a ribbon cutting at its intersection with S.C. 160.

“It’s a happy day,” Mayor Guynn Savage said.

In recent months Savage and others were tempered in their enthusiasm at […]

New sewers and sidewalks

A number of low- and moderate-income households are in the process of getting new sewer systems and sidewalks thanks to a nearly $500,000 project undertaken by the City of Union.

Workers with Smith Backhoe and Grading have been busy at the corner of Lybrand and Blassingame streets and surrounding streets working on the projects which got […]

UDO – Chapter 7 General Development Standards

Tega Cay logo

UDO – Chapter 4 Overlay Districts Draft

UDO – Chapter 1 Introductory Provisions Draft

27 eyesore houses targeted for demolition in Lancaster

Twenty-seven derelict properties in the Lancaster city limits have been identified for inclusion in the Catawba Regional Council of Governments (COG) $5.6 million program to get rid of uninhabitable homes.
The city is working with COG to acquire, demolish and landscape blighted vacant residential properties through a Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP).
In April 2015, COG was awarded […]

Funding set for road improvement

Kershaw will get funding for one of the eight road improvement projects awarded to Lancaster County last week by the Council Of Governments (COG), according the Lancaster County Administrator Steve Willis.

Repairs will be made to the intersection of Marion and Minor Streets for an estimated cost of $112,500.

“This was the number one project in the […]

County a ‘Work Ready Community’

Union County’s ability to successfully attract new industry and to retain and assist in the expansion of existing industries just got a tremendous boost.

In a letter dated May 24, Cheryl M. Stanton, Executive Director of the SC Department of Employment and Workforce, informed Kathy Jo Lancaster, Site Coordinator for the Union Campus of Spartanburg Community […]

UDO – Chapter 6 Infrastructure Standards Draft

UDO – Chapter 2 Zoning District Standards

UDO – Appendix B Draft

UDO – Appendix A Draft

UDO – Appendix C Draft

UDO – Chapter 4 Overlay Districts Draft

UDO – Chapter 8 Natural Resources Protection Draft

UDO – Chapter 10 Definitions Draft

UDO cover

York County leaders debate growth plan

A proposed long-range York County plan that calls for extending development east along the Dave Lyle Boulevard corridor has some County Council members voicing doubts.

The proposed York County comprehensive plan, updated every 10 years and developed over the last 18 months with input from citizens, was unanimously approved on an initial council vote Monday, though […]

SC House overrides Gov. Haley’s $40 million farm-aid veto

The S.C. House voted Tuesday to override Gov. Nikki Haley’s veto of $40 million in state aid to farmers whose crops were damaged in October’s historic rainfall and flooding.

After several speeches from the House podium pledging to help farmers – many looking on from the House balcony – representatives voted 112-2 to override the governor’s […]

Lash Group plans to employ 2,400 at new Fort Mill HQ

Gov. Nikki Haley lauded Fort Mill and York County for “rolling out the red carpet” to business Monday during a ribbon-cutting for Lash Group’s new headquarters.

Haley and local leaders attended an opening ceremony for the five-story, 250,000-square-foot Kingsley Park building, where company officials said they plan to double the 1,200-person work force by 2020.

The patient […]

SCDOT Seeks Public Comment On Proposed FY 2017 State Program

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is seeking public comment on the Fiscal Year 2017 State Program. The State Program provides statewide budget information including a distribution of resources among state funded maintenance programs.

The 2017 State Plan was prepared as required by Act 114 and contains objectives and performance measures for the preservation and […]

City fund to help businesses start, expand

The city of Lancaster will create an economic development incentive fund to help promote and recruit local commercial businesses within its borders.
City council unanimously voted Tuesday night to use the $25,000 it had originally budgeted for its 2015-16 Lancaster County Economic Development Corp. membership/participation dues as a start.
City officials severed ties with the in-limbo LCEDC […]

105 new jobs coming to Fort Mill

For the second time in just more than a year, an automotive supplier has announced plans for a multi-million expansion that is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in York County.

Schaeffler Group said Monday it would create 105 new jobs with a $36.5 million expansion at its Fort Mill campus on Springhill Farm […]

York County Road Closure

Hensley Road in Fort Mill will be closed to through traffic beginning Monday, April 11, 2016 as part of the Fort Mill Southern Bypass construction project. This work is being performed by Triangle Grading and Paving, Inc. under a contract with York County Pennies for Progress Program. Hensley Road will be closed 0.06 miles east […]