Criminal Defense Lawyer in Rock Hill, SC

Rock Hill, South Carolina, takes Christmas so seriously, that for four days during the holiday season, it changes its name to ChristmasVille. Right after Thanksgiving, this historic city becomes a winter wonderland complete with all the festive trimmings required to kick the holiday season off right. ChristmasVille is inspired by the whimsical illustrations of Rock Hill native Vernon Grant, who, among other things, is credited with the creation of Kellogg's Rice Krispies Snap! Crackle! and Pop! characters. See why this enchanted town is the place to kick off the holiday season.

Welcome the Big Guy to Town

Every year since 2006, ChristmasVille has come alive with the help of nearly 500 volunteers to transform the city's "Old Town" into an enchanting storybook village with nearly 70 events for kids big and small. The festival kicks off with—what else?—the arrival of Santa at the opening ceremony.

Celebrate with the Coziest Christmas Activities

This band of Santa's helpers ensures that the weekend is packed with all your favorite cozy Christmas activities. Admiring the cute cookie cottages at the gingerbread house competition, skating on Main Street's ice rink, taking a horse-drawn carriage ride, gazing at more Christmas lights than you can count, and even walking through falling snow.

Fast-Track Your Letter to Santa

ChristmasVille's Head Gnome (his name is Grant) even sets up an official red and white mailbox exclusively for letters to Santa. More activities that are especially for kids include craft workshops, scavenger hunts, rides, and inflatables.

Enjoy Holiday Entertainment All Weekend

Carolers, bands, a performance of A Christmas Carol, outdoor movie screenings, and even strolling ukulele players keep everything festive. (Better start planning your Christmas karaoke song.) And don't leave ChristmasVille early—the weekend is topped off by a fireworks show.

Discover Unique Christmas Gifts

Shop for unique hand-crafted items at the ChristmasVille Gift Market, and while you're in town, be sure to explore downtown's other eclectic boutiques like Shoppes at Rivers Edge and The Mercantile.

Find More to ChristmasVille Than Christmas

While you're in ChristmasVille aka Rock Hill, be sure to visit its special places like The White Home, the historic house (you'll love the charming porches) of the founder of Rock Hill. The Museum of York County is great for the whole family with its Settlemyre Planetarium and hands-on Naturalist Center. Stroll the footbridges and trails at Glencairn Garden where even in winter you’ll find camellias and winter honeysuckle on display.

Satisfy your hunger along Main Street at Ay Papi Tacos and Tequila, a Mexican-fusion restaurant featuring a from-scratch menu with specials like chipotle-glazed pork belly street tacos. Step out of the cold and grab a wood-fired pizza and a pint at Millstone Pizza and Taphouse while enjoying live music on Fridays. End the weekend with a meal at Kounter, housed in a former five-and-dime that was the site of Civil Rights Movement sit-ins. On the menu, you’ll find fun farm-to-table dishes like the Cubano Breakfast Bowl for brunch and Spaghetti o’s and Meatballs for dinner.

A New York company that pledged more than 400 jobs as part of a $443 million investment in Rock Hill isn’t planning to move here after all.

One reason cited for the abrupt move was “market conditions,” according to a York County economic developer.

Mayor John Gettys confirmed to The Herald Wednesday afternoon that the deal with silicon carbide manufacturer Pallidus was dead. The city got a call from the company last week about it, he said.

“They’re not coming,” he said. “That’s all I know.”

Early last year, Pallidus negotiated a deal with York County to relocate in exchange for economic incentives. The company would create jobs with a $443 million investment, creating silicon carbide wafers used in semiconductor manufacturing. Pallidus would put its headquarters at a 300,000-square-foot facility on Overlook Drive in the Waterford area of Rock Hill.

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February 07, 2023 11:45 AM

Pallidus did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon. The company launched in 2015 and works in the transportation, green energy and telecommunications markets.

The plan generated a lot of excitement from York County and Rock Hill officials after it was announced last year. This comment, from county Council Chair Chairwoman Christi Cox was typical: “It opens up some tremendous opportunities for the county,” Cox said.

But on Wednesday, those sentiments had changed.

York County Economic Development released a statement from interim director Mitch Miller. “It’s unfortunate that Pallidus has had to make these tough adjustments due to market conditions,” Miller said. “We remain optimistic about the future of our sites and our community.”

York County spokesman Greg Suskin also confirmed the project isn’t happening.

The call last week wasn’t a big surprise, Gettys said, since little had been done with the site since last year’s announcement. The mayor had remained hopeful, though, that Pallidus would still come through with its plans.

Inventory for large commerce sites is somewhat limited in the city, Gettys said, so the loss of Pallidus could be an opportunity for someone else.

“We’re always looking and talking to businesses that want to bring good and high paying jobs in Rock Hill,” he said. “It gives us a little more inventory.”

The city issued a statement on the Pallidus deal falling through, noting transportation and utility infrastructure in the area is primed for business growth. “We’re looking toward future recruitment efforts for the Waterford site and others,” it said.

The Charlotte Business Journal first reported about the Pallidus decision Wednesday.

This is a developing story. Check back for more.

This story was originally published October 30, 2024, 3:52 PM.

Don’t play with your food? Sorry mom and dad. A new Rock Hill restaurant could change all the rules when it opens early next year.

Husband and wife team Zachary and Carrie Schwehr are lining up potion bottles and game master roles for Adventurer’s Table. The Renaissance fantasy tavern theme will combine a full restaurant menu with immersive tabletop game play.

“We want people to walk in and just feel like they’ve entered a different world,” Zachary said.

The menu is still in development, but likely will have smashburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, shareable and snacking options. Apps will have finger foods from around the world. There will be vegan choices and a kids menu, plus alcoholic and non-alcoholic mixed drinks.

”Things that are easy to eat, that aren’t too messy,” Carrie said.

That’s because the 40 or 50 tables will have raised tabletop levels where role player games from fantasy to futuristic, war and strategy can be played. Adventurer’s Table will have 300 or more board games, with new ones quarterly. Guests without gaming experience are welcome, as are large Dungeons & Dragons groups looking for extended play.

“We will have some of those early, beginner level games,” Carrie said. “You could have never played a board game in your life, and we’d still love to have you. And love to teach you how to play.”

Staff at Adventurer’s Table will be game experts who can sit in on a game or explain rules. There will be learn-to-play sessions and a large area for people looking to create or join a large game. The restaurant will run weekly events with a variety of games.

Colored cards will let staff know when guests want to order food, they need help with a game or don’t want to be disturbed during play. Adventurer’s Table won’t be like most restaurants, which look to feed guests and then turn tables over quickly for the next ones.

“We’re very much the opposite,” Zachary said. “We’re very much about how do we get people in and how do we keep them in?”

The Schwehrs are long-time game fans. She’s a York County local, and he’s been here 16 years. As parents, they want to create something this region doesn’t have. The closest full restaurants with game play similar to what the Schwehrs envision are on the West Coast.

“We really want families to feel like they can come and hang out,” Carrie said. “Something where they can really stay and just enjoy that time with one another.”

The Schwehrs have their eyes on the former Mellow Mushroom and Wild Wing Cafe site in front of the Regal Manchester movie theater. Diners will be able to visit like they would any other restaurant, or they can purchase monthly memberships with extra benefits. Pre-opening memberships are on sale now at adventurerstable.com.

This story was originally published October 21, 2024, 6:00 AM.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will get voters to the polls, but $2 billion worth of decisions further down the ballot could reshape the Rock Hill region well beyond election day.

Like any presidential election year, voter turnout is expected to swell this fall as people across the Rock Hill region make their picks for the nation’s top office. But red, blue, third-party and independent voters alike will decide Nov. 5 whether new schools and roads will be built.

Here’s what voters need to know about some of the biggest bond referendum questions ever in York, Lancaster and Chester counties:

A $588.2 million school bond in Lancaster County stretches across a broad list. It covers the whole county but much of it involves high-growth Indian Land. A new high school and elementary school would be built there. Indian Land High School would get athletic upgrades.

Kershaw and Lancaster would each get a new elementary school. The district office and maintenance facilities would be upgraded. Schools throughout Indian Land, Lancaster, Kershaw and Buford would get safety, athletic and other improvements.

Bond money would buy new buses. Career and technology education space would be expanded, and the bond allows for spending on land for future schools.

Here’s the full list of projects on the ballot.

York County started a one-cent sales tax program in 1997 to pay for road construction. Pennies for Progress runs in seven-year campaigns, meaning voters routinely have to decide whether to extend the tax. This year’s vote is the fifth campaign.

Each Pennies ballot lists an amount county transportation experts believe a new seven-year tax would generate, and the projects that would be built using that money if voters approve it. This year’s ballot has a record $410.7 million in road projects.

Some of the bigger projects include $44.9 million to widen U.S. 21 in Fort Mill from S.C. 160 to Sutton Road, $12.9 million of improvements on the Neely Road corridor in Rock Hill and $9 million for design work to widen a portion of Fort Mill Parkway.

A full list of projects and projected costs is at penniesforprogress.net. A “yes” vote extends the cent sale tax for seven years, starting in May when collections for the current Pennies campaign ends. A “no” vote lets the tax expire in the spring.

See the ballot question online here.

A new transportation tax in Lancaster County puts two questions to voters there.

The first asks whether a one-cent sales tax can be charged for road work. It would generate $405 million or last 15 years, whichever comes first. The ballot mentions improvements to U.S. 521 and Henry Harris Road specifically. Money could be spent on highways, roads, streets, bridges — all the way down to sidewalks and bike paths.

While it isn’t spelled out in the ballot question, Lancaster County has a list of road jobs they’d expect to complete. The most money, $165 million, is for U.S. 521 or major road widening.

The second vote for Lancaster County could impact timing of road jobs or be meaningless, depending on the first question. If the first vote passes, the second question asks voters whether the county can issue $250 million in bonds to fund road jobs. That money would be paid back by the sales tax created by the first question.

The $250 million in bonds would allow the county to get started on jobs quicker, compared to waiting for the sales tax to collect that amount. Of the $250 million, at least $60 million would be specific to U.S. 521 widening.

The first ballot question is online here, followed here by the second ballot question.

A $227 million bond referendum in Chester County would pay for two new replacement high schools and renovations at a third. Chester and Lewisville high schools would be replaced. Great Falls High School would remain, but get upgrades in security, science classrooms, fine arts and gym space.

Read the question on the ballot for Chester County here.

The York School District will ask its voters for up to $90 million for new and renovated schools.

The project list includes a new middle school. York One Academy, the district’s alternative learning school, would be expanded and renovated to become an early childhood center. The bond would pay for other district purchases, plus renovation or expansion at existing school sites.

Here’s the online ballot question.

This story was originally published October 21, 2024, 5:58 AM.