The Herald (Rock Hill)
A walk through Rock Hill’s Carhartt Mansion ruins
I love exploring an abandoned landmark. There’s nothing more thrilling than a bit of legal trespassing. Traversing a hallowed structure once bustling with people is an adrenaline shot. When I heard there existed the ruins of a century-old mansion in...
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Former Panther buys Rock Hill region’s priciest home for record $4.4M
The Rock Hill region closed its first home sale for more than $4 million this summer. Now it’s just a question of how long that record will last. Austin and Madison Corbett bought the home on New Gray Rock Road in Fort Mill on July 15 for nearly $4.4...
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School year kicks off with 5 new schools in Rock Hill region
Students, teachers and buses are heading back to school across the Rock Hill region, setting off an unofficial and early end to summer. The Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Clover and York school districts start their new years on Monday. So do Lancaster and...
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Alligatorweed threatens rare lilies in Chester County
Alligatorweed is taking hold in the Catawba River, at a well-visited stretch that’s home to the world’s largest bloom of Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies. The invasive weed has spread through the lily population at Landsford Canal State Park, according to a...
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Brother of NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson faces 2nd fraud lawsuit
Two California women say the brother of legendary NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson owes their families a combined $243,000 after failing to restore their classic vehicles from the 1950s. According to Iredell County Civil Superior Court records, Julia...
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Salty Coffee Co. to open in downtown York
Mandy Steele said she knew she wanted to be a small business owner. A self-described crafty person, Steele said she was always the one making gifts or banners for friends, even turning it into a side hustle to supplement her fulltime job in human...
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York County's role in $1.5B deal sparks Rock Hill ire
York County decisions related to Octapharma are an embarrassment to the state and call to question whether elected officials should be allowed in office, Rock Hill officials said Thursday. They just aren’t surprising. “Unfortunately, this is really...
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York County sheriff defends Flock camera usage
York County Sheriff Tony Breeden is touting the effectiveness of the department’s Flock license plate readers, and promised transparency with the community on how the cameras are utilized. The same Flock cameras are at the crux of a lawsuit against...
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Surefire market owners face arson in 2024 Rock Hill fire
Three brothers who owned a popular Rock Hill market that closed two years ago after a fire and operate another one in Charlotte have been charged with arson from the 2024 blaze, according to South Carolina police and fire officials. The fire happened...
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County officials aim to preempt state data center laws
If Lancaster County doesn’t set up a moratorium on data centers, it’s largely because officials don’t have time for one. They’re in a race with state legislators to set rules on where data centers should go. A sweeping, years-long review of county...
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US, Iran exchange strikes for fifth straight day
The United States attacked Iran anew and explosions were reported in several parts of the country Wednesday night and Thursday morning, as the countries clashed for a fifth straight day over the Strait of Hormuz, the major shipping route that has...
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Postcard Man returns historic card to York County
Lowell Joerg is called The Postcard Man. He’s been rummaging antique stores and flea markets for nearly 50 years, flipping through old post cards and purchasing ones that depict old buildings or landmarks. Joerg packages the postcards into an...
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Octapharma project at risk over $43M tax dispute
The future of Octapharma’s highprofile, $1.5 billion headquarters project in Rock Hill, set to bring 1,500 jobs, now comes down to whether the city or its schools gets $43 million in tax-related funding. At stake in the burgeoning dispute between the...
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Octapharma deal at risk over Rock Hill, county dispute
The $1.5 billion Octapharma headquarters project in Rock Hill, which is set to add more than 1,500 high-paying jobs, is in jeopardy because of a disagreement between the city and York County on how to dole out tax incentives. On Wednesday, the York...
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Catawba tribe plans 2 more casinos in North Carolina
The Catawba Indians will build two more North Carolina casinos and have identified the sites, Chief Brian Harris said Wednesday as the tribe celebrated the opening of the first part of its $1.2 billion casino in Kings Mountain. “We got two more...
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Ruling sends GOP scrambling over birthright citizenship
President Donald Trump is urging congressional Republicans to move quickly on legislative action to restrict or end birthright citizenship, hoping to chart a path through Capitol Hill based on Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s reasoning in this week’s highly...
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Clinton College board addresses financial instability
Clinton College’s Board of Trustees said it is working to restore the college’s financial stability amid recent cashflow shortages. The board said in a statement Friday that it acknowledges the college’s funding problems, and continues to work with...
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How Wilson built decisive win in GOP runoff for governor
Alan Wilson’s victory over Pamela Evette on Tuesday was so decisive the race was called less than a half hour after polls closed. Wilson won in 43 out of 46 counties in the Tuesday Republican runoff for the nomination for governor. He won counties...
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Hispanic growth rate in Rock Hill region fuels population boom
Within the Charlotte region’s fastestgrowing county, the Hispanic population is growing at nearly triple the rate of Lancaster County as a whole. It’s a pattern that is also unfolding across the Charlotte and Rock Hill regions, a Charlotte Observer and...
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New details on incentives for 1,200-job Rock Hill project ahead of company being ID’d
New details continue to emerge on the $1.5 billion biopharmaceutical project set to replace a portion of the failed Carolina Panthers development in Rock Hill, including how decades of tax incentives will work. The project already has a proposed fee...
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Voters in Chester County face $34M sales tax decision
Chester County voters will have a $33.5 million decision to make this fall when the county asks them to extend a 1% sales tax through 2035 to fund capital projects. So, what will residents get for that bill? “They will see within a few items something...
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Norman endorses Wilson in SC governor race
Congressman Ralph Norman endorsed South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson for governor Monday and pledged to continue shaping South Carolina politics through a new conservative watchdog group after his own campaign came to an end. The endorsement...
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Family summer fun options cost less than gallon of gas
It’s hot. The kids are home from school. Everything is expensive. What’s a parent to do this summer without breaking the bank? The Rock Hill region has plenty of options that combine water, playgrounds and music to keep families together and having...
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York County voters make their voices heard in primary
York County voters who waited for the South Carolina primary Election Day instead of voting early headed to the polls Tuesday to make sure their voice is heard in local, state and national elections. Lines were short after polls opened at 7 a.m., and...
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2026 primary: What to know in York County elections
South Carolina voters will head to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in primary elections for governor, attorney general, other statewide offices as well as legislature and several York County contests. Early voting turnout has been...
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SLED investigating after man killed by police in Fort Mill
State investigators have identified the man killed by police on Tuesday at a Fort Mill apartment. Rock Hill officers working on a regional task force fatally shot Yves Venne, 74, according to the State Law Enforcement Division. He was shot before...
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Rock Hill streets to be renamed for fallen officers
Three Rock Hill police officers and South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame members will be honored with streets bearing their names in the city where they died while on duty. And a fourth officer is likely to join them. The South...
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Winthrop poll finds residents struggling with food prices
Most South Carolina residents can’t afford to go out to dinner, and they’re having a hard time paying for groceries too, according to new research from Winthrop University. The Winthrop Poll released economic and affordability figures Thursday that...
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Rock Hill cuts bus service. Will Fort Mill-Charlotte CATS route be next?
York County residents lost their most popular public transit option when Rock Hill discontinued its My Ride service this month. And the service cuts may not be finished. Riders from across York County who use a different bus system to get to Charlotte...
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Early voting has started for SC primaries. What to know
The June political primaries in South Carolina are less than a month away for statewide and local races, but people who want to vote early can cast their ballots. Early voting started Tuesday. The primaries are June 9, and any runoffs would be two...
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SC House advances congressional map splitting York County
York County residents would be split into two U.S. House districts and Lancaster County would be cut out of the district currently represented by U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman under a plan moving quickly through the South Carolina General Assembly. The...
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Rock Hill community mourns teen motorcyclist’s death
Family and friends are grieving after an 18-year-old Rock Hill motorcyclist who worked two jobs died in a crash Tuesday morning. Brayden F. Birmele died at the scene on Dave Lyle Boulevard near Mount Gallant Road. A GMC Yukon failed to yield while...
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As seniors graduate, parent reflects on an unforgettable ride
More than a dozen years ago, I walked a little boy in a buttoned-down shirt and blue jeans into his kindergarten classroom in Fort Mill. He had his matching Panthers bookbag and lunchbox. He had a neighbor friend in his new class, and his mother just...
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Q&A with new Carowinds boss Bridgette Bywater
Just seven days into her newly created leadership role as park president, Bridgette Bywater is focused on connecting with staff and guests at Carowinds. This comes as the park’s parent company, North America’s largest regional amusement operator,...
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Rock Hill lists region’s priciest home at $5.3M
With a potentially record-breaking home sale under contract in Fort Mill, another luxury home just entered the market and the competition for the region’s most expensive home sale ever. This time, it’s in Rock Hill. Premier Sotheby’s International...
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York County Council not getting raise, but utility rates to rise
What looks like a massive pay bump for York County Council members in next fiscal years’ budget isn’t. Instead, it’s money to handle legal issues. York County Manager Josh Edwards released a recommended budget this month for the fiscal year that...
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Columbia’s All Good Books gets coveted B Corp certification
Since it debuted three years ago, Columbia’s All Good Books has been an increasingly popular destination in the famed Five Points neighborhood. Now the shop has received a unique certification for its efforts in the community. The bookstore at 734...
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Senator seeks to limit Silfab’s operations at Fort Mill site
S.C. Sen. Michael Johnson intends to use the state budget to limit what Silfab Solar can do at its Fort Mill site. Silfab is a Canadian solar panel manufacturer whose production facility on Logistics Lane has been at the center of contentious public...
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Fort Mill pending home sale could set regional price record
The most expensive home for sale in the Rock Hill region is under contract, which could lead to a record-breaking deal. The property is listed on multiple online real estate sites at $4.5 million. It spent two weeks on the market before going under...
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Governor requests York County charter school investigation
The South Carolina governor has requested the state investigate the school board at a York County charter school after allegations surfaced about money being taken out of the school’s accounts. In a letter to the S.C. Office of Inspector General on...
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Chemical incidents prompt Saturday classes at Flint Hill
Flint Hill Elementary School students will have class assignments on Saturdays to make up for days lost due to chemical incidents at Silfab Solar. The Fort Mill school board voted 5-2 on Tuesday to have the school hold online classes, or what the...
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Graham: Iran poses greater threat than high gas prices
High gas prices are a strain on drivers across South Carolina, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham told The Herald in an exclusive interview Monday afternoon. But they’re minor, he said, compared to the cost of inaction in Iran. “Gas prices will come down once...
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Rock Hill charter school left with 1 board member, no money
A York County charter school that had a parent walkout last year now will be operated by its South Carolina charter sponsor after the management organization that had been running Ascent Classical Academy of Fort Mill pulled out this week. The school’s...
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Rock Hill gears up for Come-See-Me Festival
The onset of Spring in Rock Hill means the Come-See-Me Festival is almost here. And with it comes the chance for kids and adults to come together at one of the southeast’s top annual attractions. The 10-day festival runs from April 16-25. Hundreds of...
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Atrium Health’s $5M land deal fuels hospital plans
A Charlotte hospital group landed one of the Rock Hill region’s most expensive property sales last month, just three months after setting aside money for a new Fort Mill hospital. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority bought more than 10 acres...
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Students may face unusual makeup days after chemical leaks
Fort Mill students who missed school due to chemical releases at Silfab Solar could have to make up days on a Saturday, Memorial Day, graduation day or even after the school year ends. In a conversation that seemed befitting of an April 1 school board...
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New Fort Mill growth plan set off Nims Lake Road
John Yanchik moved from New Jersey to Fort Mill two dozen years ago, leaving what he figured was one of the most congested places in the country for a small, quiet town. Now he’s watching the road to one of old Fort Mill’s most iconic natural spots...
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Bail set for man charged in loaded gun incident at school
A South Carolina judge set bail at $35,000 on Friday for an Indian Land man a police report says admitted to leaving a loaded gun in a Spider-Man bookbag found in a 5-year-old boy’s kindergarten classroom. Alexander Storm Savarese, 29, is charged with...
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Lancaster County provides muscle for Charlotte area’s growth
The county that’s growing fastest within the Charlotte metro region isn’t one that people always associate with the city of Charlotte itself. It’s in a different state, and there isn’t even a city or town in its most populated area. But drive along...
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Here’s who would enjoy York County’s newest park most
Eight years after I first wrote about a massive waterfront property York County thought about buying for a new park, I’m standing on it. Catawba Bend Preserve is a vast landscape on the Rock Hill side of the Catawba River. The county spent $21 million...
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Charlotte airport avoids ICE deployment during shutdown
While the Trump administration dispatched ICE agents to 13 major airports on Monday, Charlotte has been skipped over — for now. ICE agents are at the terminals to help the Transportation Security Administration during a partial government shutdown...
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Neighbors alert as York County eyes new data center rules
Lake Wylie neighbors know they can’t stop a massive data center from being built beside them. But they’re sounding off in the data center debate anyway, in hopes of helping others across York County. Nearly a dozen residents spoke up during several...
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York County prosecutors name first female top cop
Most of the people wearing a police badge are men. Around the country, less than 15 percent of cops are women. In the city of Rock Hill, 36 of the 164 officers are female. This year in York County, where prosecutors annually recognize the best work...
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How the Silfab plant landed next to 2 Fort Mill schools
A flood of public comments washed through the Rock Hill region last week after two reports of chemical spills at the Silfab Solar plant in Fort Mill. Many people asked a pair of questions that already were a common refrain in three years of intense...
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Carowinds set to open with new attractions
Carowinds opens Saturday, March 14, for a new season that includes a haunted attraction this spring, a new water parade this summer and a Bands in Residence music series. Known across the region for SCarowinds in the fall, the 400-acre theme park on...
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Tega Cay home of civil rights icon Julius Chambers for sale
History buffs, this one’s for you. A home in Tega Cay South Carolina, first owned by the late North Carolina civil rights icon Julius Chambers, is on the market for $995,000. The five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home that overlooks Lake Wylie was put up for...
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Silfab in Fort Mill: Controversy, lawsuits, chemical spills
The Silfab solar plant in Fort Mill where officials said there were two chemical spills this week has been controversial in the community since it was announced in 2023. Here is a timeline of some key events since York County officials announced...
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Silfab says first spill was 300 gallons, not 1,530 gallons
Three-hundred gallons of potassium hydroxide were spilled at the controversial Silfab Solar site in Fort Mill on Tuesday, according to York County government. The spill was initially reported as 1,530 gallons, but the correct amount is 300 gallons,...
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Hundreds honor Rev. Jesse Jackson at SC State House
Hundreds of people honored the late Rev. Jesse Jackson in South Carolina on Monday with a public visitation at the State House and later a memorial at Brookland Baptist Church. Many never met or knew Jackson personally. But his legacy of advocating...
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Police take steps to improve Fort Mill safety, traffic
A new traffic unit will add Fort Mill police officers to improve safety in and around schools. The town announced the new traffic enforcement officer program this week, the latest in a series of school traffic safety measures since a crossing guard...
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Popular chicken spot Raising Cane’s opens in Rock Hill
Frances Craig drove her seventhgrade son Fischer Smith nearly an hour from Lincolnton, North Carolina, to Rock Hill on Tuesday for chicken tenders with a side of memories. “In 20 years, he’ll be able to look back and be like, hey, you remember that...
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Lancaster’s historic Ellen Dean Hotel will be redeveloped
One of Lancaster’s historic landmarks could get new life, pending nearly $1 million in state redevelopment funding. The former Ellen Dean Hotel is set to become a mix of apartments and retail space. The $11.5 million project should break ground this...
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Jesse Jackson’s SC roots helped define his activist, inspirational life
Jesse Jackson’s early roots in a staunchly pre-1970s segregationist South Carolina defined what became his charismatic activist life and led to him being an inspiration to many Blacks. “We all know that Jesse Jackson was of national and international...
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Remembering Jesse Jackson in Rock Hill: Politics, civil rights
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a South Carolina native and two-time presidential candidate who died Tuesday at 84, visited Rock Hill many times over the years to talk about politics and civil rights. One of the country’s most influential African-American...
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Vaccine skepticism magnified in Spartanburg measles outbreak
One of the lasting impact of the COVID pandemic is the rise of vaccine hesitancy on some parts of the political right. In Spartanburg County, which is seeing the largest measles outbreak in the country, Republicans dominate politically. It’s a county...
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