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I wanted to make sure they knew they could attend any college, but he raised three Gamecocks.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - As students turn their tassels and mark the completion of college, it will be quite an accomplishment for one Summerville family.

When the youngest child graduates from the University of South Carolina in Columbia this weekend, it will mean every member of the Grimes family has a degree from the USC School of Journalism.

Randy Grimes was the first to graduate in 1985. Adrianne marched in 1988. Their oldest daughter Erika earned her degree in 2018, Morgan was next in 2020, and the youngest child, Jared-Benjamin, gets his degree from the School of Journalism this weekend.

So did the Grimes’ encourage their kids to follow in their footsteps and attend USC?

“Actually, I as their mother did not, but Randy my husband, yes he did,” Adrianne said. “I wanted to make sure they knew they could attend any college, and I told them to think outside the box. But honestly, he (Randy) raised three Gamecocks. We had the 10-foot inflatable Gamecock in our house, that the kids took pictures by, and they spent time in Williams-Brice Stadium as children. So, with all of that, they grew up understanding or perceiving college and higher education as University of South Carolina.”

As for all the kids choosing to study journalism, Adrianne says that sort of came naturally.

“They used to write and produce sitcoms along with Live 5′s Raphael James’ daughter Jaydn,” Adrianne said. “I have sitcoms with these kids. And I used to tell my husband, we should send them to Disney or Nickelodeon because their stuff was really good. They would write the script, shoot, edit, and then act it out. Also, Morgan was writing books, children’s books. As soon as she started writing, she was writing books. So we have several stories she’s written that are in typing paper, folded together in staples.”

“And Erika was writing journals,” Adrianne said. “When Randy was in grad school at George Washington in D.C., she transcribed every trip we took up there. Every time we went to D.C. she wrote about it and journaled about the trip. So it was in their DNA.”

Randy and Adrianne both used to work behind the scenes at Live 5 and that’s where they met and got married.

Randy is a department head at Trident Technical College in the Film and Media Department, continuing to educate future media professionals.

The rest of the family works in public relations with agencies like the S.C Research Authority, Lowcountry Local First, and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments.

The newest grad is still trying to decide how he wants to make his mark in the world.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A relatively rare East Coast earthquake centered just northeast of South Carolina’s capital city jolted large numbers of state residents awake early Monday, rocking the Southern state at a preliminary 3.3 magnitude, authorities said.

There were no immediate reports of any damages or injuries.

The pre-dawn temblor lasted only seconds but a number of people took to social media to describe being shaken from sleep when the quake hit shortly after 1:30 a.m. A seismic analyst monitoring the quake for the USGS Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado, called it the latest in a series of shakes in recent months but stronger than usual.

“There’s definitely been a ‘swarm’ here over the past several months. It’s not like a swarm like after a large seismic event but we have had a number of them in recent months,” geophysicist Amy Vaughan with the 24-hour monitoring service told The Associated Press by phone.

Vaughan said the 3.3 magnitude is an early assessment and could change, adding the quake occurred about 1.9 miles (3.1 kilometers) below the earth’s surface near the community of Elgin. The epicenter was about 21 miles (3 kilometers) northeast of downtown Columbia, the capital city.

Those awakened reported feeling the earth shaking for several seconds and some even described what sounded like a heavy truck moving nearby. Vaughan said only an hour afterward she had reports pouring in to the quake monitoring center.

“I have not heard of any damage reports so far but have had over a thousand ... reports,” she said. “If people were sleeping they obviously would have been woken up and things might have been rattling off shelves or countertops but not the kind of shaking or intensity to cause damage of any significance.”

Still, she called it “alarming for sure” and said some lesser aftershocks were possible in coming days or weeks. She noted there were quakes of a preliminary 2.0 or higher in April and March and others going back little more than four months in the region — and a 3.3 quake last December.

She said the quake was a rather shallow one, fairly close to the surface, which made it felt, adding the area has been experiencing other shocks recently.

Two dozen minor quakes have rattled near Columbia since the end of last year, more than the 20 typically averaged by the state in an entire year, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division. Elgin is along a large fault system that extends from Georgia through the Carolinas and into Virginia.

Last year, the area near Jenkinsville — about 40 miles (60 kilometers) west of this group of tremors — registered six small earthquakes in over a week, with three quakes registered on a single day alone.

According to emergency management officials, about 70% of South Carolina earthquakes are located in the Middleton Place-Summerville Seismic Zone, about 12.4 miles (20 kilometers) northwest of Charleston.

In 1886, that historic coastal city was home to the largest recorded earthquake in the history of the southeastern United States, according to seismic officials. The quake, thought to have had a magnitude of at least 7, left dozens of people dead and destroyed hundreds of buildings.

That event was preceded by a series of smaller tremors over several days, although it was not known that the foreshocks were necessarily leading up to something more catastrophic until after the major quake.

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Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Construction of the biggest speculative industrial project in the Charleston region kicks off this week with a groundbreaking event for the 1.1 million-square-foot development at Crossroads Logistics Center in Summerville.

The site, near the Jedburg Road exit on Interstate 26, is being built out by a partnership between Citimark Realty and Pure Development. The Indianapolis companies formed Citimark Pure Charleston LLC to buy roughly 131 acres fronting I-26 for $8.75 million last year.

Their first building will eclipse by 10 percent the previous record for a local “spec” project — a 1 million-square-foot structure at the nearby Charleston Trade Center.

The Crossroads project is scheduled for completion by late 2022. Plans call for three more buildings to rise in two phases totaling an additional 1.53 million square feet at the Berkeley County site.

Wednesday’s groundbreaking will feature speakers from the State Ports Authority, operator of the Port of Charleston, as well as commercial real estate firm CBRE Inc., which is marketing the project.

The term speculative in this instance means that no tenants have been secured at the time construction begins.

While such projects continue to grow in size and scope, they still don’t approach the region’s biggest-single industrial property. That distinction belongs to the cavernous 3 million-square-foot import hub built just up I-26 in Dorchester County for retail giant Walmart.

The Crossroads project is part of a boom in speculative industrial-grade real estate deals in the Charleston area, particularly along the I-26 corridor from North Charleston to Ridgeville. Almost all of it is being driven by the need to store and sort goods that retailers are importing through Charleston.

Mike White, broker in charge of Daniel Island-based Charleston Industrial, said about 5.1 million square feet of “Class A” space is set to open by the end of this year. Most of that space will be snapped up before a certificate of occupancy is issued, he added.

“The conditions of a high demand and low volume of space available will continue,” White said.

No wonder?

CNN will feature Charleston in its upcoming fourth season of “The Wonder List with Bill Weir,” but it’s not looking to be yet another wonderful tourist piece.

The series is now part of the content catalog at CNN+, the cable network’s subscriber-based streaming service.

The four new shows will focus on “fascinating locations at a critical crossroads brought on by climate change,” according to a written statement last week.

The season kicks off April 21, on the eve of Earth Day.

Weir, who has been CNN’s climate correspondent for about a decade, will anchor reports from Montana, Greenland and Hawaii as well as coastal South Carolina.

In its statement, the network suggested that the Charleston episode will look at the “surging seas and frequent floods” that “batter one of America’s most storied cities and the critical reminders of its slave trade past.”

Material event

A North Charleston-based global textile manufacturer’s next stop in its 232-year journey is in the Lone Star State.

AstenJohnson, which makes specialty fabrics for industrial customers such as paper mill operators, recently picked Waco, Texas, for a new 220,000-square-foot plant that will employ 36 workers.

The $40 million factory is expected to open in 2023 and will make “nonwovens,” a widely used material formed by bonding synthetic fibers through either a chemical, mechanical or heating process.

In this case, the specialty textiles to be made in Waco will be sold to manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, filtration and piping industries, among others.

A local economic development group provided the 36-acre plant site, and the company qualified for $2 million in public financial assistance from the city and county, according to a report in the Waco Tribune-Herald.

“The long-term prospects for our nonwovens business are excellent,” CEO Kevin Frank said in a written statement. “Customer demand for our products has only been growing. This investment will allow us to satisfy the increasing demand and continue to offer more products and innovation.”

The global company expanded into the nonwoven sector when it acquired a Missouri-based manufacturer in 2014. It bought another plant a few years ago in New Hampshire.

AstenJohnson traces its corporate ancestry to a family-owned wire business that was started in 1790 in Manchester, England. It’s now headquartered on Corporate Road. Its only South Carolina plant is in Clinton.

1M milestone

Boeing South Carolina’s science-and-math-focused education program has learned that it’s reached a major milestone.

The manufacturer, which makes its 787 Dreamliner in North Charleston, announced last week that more than 1 million students had participated in DreamLearners, a STEM-heavy instructional outreach it launched about 10 years ago in the Palmetto State.

As part of the program, school kids have toured the Boeing South Carolina campus and have had the program come to them in their classrooms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, DreamLearners went virtual.

Students do a hands-on paper airplane activity and learn about careers in the core STEM elements of science, technology, engineering and math, as well as advanced manufacturing and aerospace.

More than 7,600 Boeing employees have volunteered to participate in DreamLearners, the company said.

Boeing celebrated hitting the seven-figure milestone last week at North Charleston Elementary School, not far from its 787 Dreamliner campus.

Hey, bow

A Charleston-born business built from formal-wear feathers made famous by celebrities has fashioned a new formation to fete its decade-old creations.

Brackish, a bow-tie retailer that launched after groomsmen’s wedding gifts made from turkey feathers proved popular, is toasting its 10 years in business with a new neckwear adornment called “Cheers.”

The latest version features a turkey feather in the center, a nod to the original design. Its colors — blue, white, green and others — are meant to reflect the Palmetto State from the salty Atlantic to the rolling hills of the Upstate.

Owners Ben Ross and Jeff Plotner, friends from their college days at Wofford, say the commemorative and limited-edition tie “instantly invokes good times with family, friends and, in this case, feathers.”

Lounging about

Edwin Hughes figures he’s spent about half of his adult life at Charlotte Douglas International.

As a member of American Airlines’ Executive Platinum club, he is a frequent visitor to the big Queen City airport, which serves a major hub for the carrier.

Now he has a new place to spend his layovers. A passenger lounge concept that’s already available at Charleston International recently opened its doors at Charlotte Douglas.

The Airports Dimensions-operated Club CLT in Concourse A made its debut March 30. It’s open daily from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and seats 105. Hughes, who lives in West Ashley, said it’s a welcome refuge from the hustle and bustle at the North Carolina travel waystation that accommodated more than 43 million passengers in 2021.

“If you’ve got a long layover and you need to get some work done or just relax, it’s a great extra amenity,” said Hughes, who travels about 40 weeks out of the year. “If you fly out of Charleston, you’ll either have to go through Charlotte or Atlanta on most flights, so it’s nice to have this place to go if you’re an American flyer.”

Anyone can access the lounge with a $45 day pass. Club CLT is also available to Priority Pass members, a lounge access membership that starts at $99 a year. Customers in the lounge are limited to a three-hour maximum stay. Food and drink are complimentary with entry.

The Club concept also has outposts in Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and 10 other U.S. airports. Club CHS at Charleston International opened in mid-2019.

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of The Post and Courier contributed to this report.

Summerville’s Chick-fil-A has temporarily closed for a five-week renovation at its Main Street location, according to a report by The Post and Courier.

The popular fast food restaurant closed its doors on April 16.

The renovations will prepare the inside of the restaurant for sit-down customers once again, The Post and Courier reported. Chick-fil-A’s indoor dining room has been closed to customers since the COVID-19 outbreak and ensuing shutdowns began in 2020. The restaurant has since expanded its drive-through services to accommodate customers.

Other Chick-fil-A locations in the north area include one on St. James Avenue in Goose Creek, as well as Northwoods Mall, University Boulevard, Dorchester Road and Rivers Avenue locations in North Charleston.

South Carolina workforce improving

The Department of Employment and Workforce announced that employment numbers continue to move in positive directions.

The number of people participating in the labor force — i.e. individuals who are employed or actively searching for work — is larger than it has ever been at approximately 2,384,360.

The department announced that while the labor force participation rate remains at 57.2 percent, there are nearly 68,000 more people in the labor force than pre-pandemic, and the South Carolina Labor Force Participation Task Force is continuing to examine the state’s challenges and opportunities to increase the rate.

The agency reports the number of people employed is 2,303,592. That is 54,239 more South Carolinians working than pre-pandemic and the unemployment rate inched down to 3.4 percent in March from February’s rate of 3.5 percent.

“Our agency continues to do its part to provide connections between jobseekers and employers,” S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce executive director Dan Ellzey said in a press release. “Earlier this week, we announced the launch of the SC Works Veterans Portal which helps military personnel transition to civilian jobs. This is an important tool to help individuals with strong work and soft skills find jobs in South Carolina with one of the many employers who are looking for skilled candidates.”

Knight’s Companies promotions

Summerville based concrete business Knight’s Companies announced multiple promotions, including a new general manager.

Joe Thomas has become general manager of Knight’s Precast, Tekna Corporation and Sovereign Steel. Thomas comes to the role with 32 years of experience in the precast concrete industry.

Previously, Thomas was the regional manager of Knight’s Precast and focused on plant operations. Now, in addition to plant operations, he will manage the estimating and engineering aspects of Knight’s Precast, Tekna Corporation and Sovereign Steel.

Joining Knight’s Precast in 1999, Thomas was originally drawn to Knight’s because of its reputation as a growing family business. During his time with the company, he has watched it triple in size. To maintain that growth and success, he believes consistent communication is key, according to a Knight’s press release.

Knight’s Companies also announced that Jodi McCall was hired as human resource director.

Previously, McCall was the human resources manager at Home Telecom. She joins Knight’s with 25 years of experience in human resources.

McCall will work with Pete Knight, CEO of Knight’s Companies, and executive management to develop employee services, policies and programs geared toward creating a stronger sense of community at Knight’s. Currently managing a team of four human resources professionals, she will lead the implementation of programs to enhance the employee experience.

Knight’s Companies offers septic, ready-mix concrete, precast concrete, prestressed concrete, steel reinforcement products, trucking and concrete pumping services to commercial and residential customers in South Carolina and Georgia.

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Homeowners in The Ponds community in Dorchester County near Summerville say they were made false promises by a home builder when they were purchasing their homes.

Over the past several days, neighbors have been emailing a copy of a map showing the nature trails in and around the neighborhood. However, there is very small print that says it’s a dynamic document and is subject to change.

“I understand the things they can’t give us, that we don’t have,” homeowner Babby Rajt said. “I do not understand taking away the things we already have. Those trails, the few that are left, are here. We don’t need to manufacture them across the highway.”

Back on April 18, the county mediated with home builder Kolter Homes to change the original 2005 development agreement – made between the county and Greenwood Development -- which the county has called “vague,” horrible” and “open-ended.”

“I cannot hold a developer responsible for something that’s not in the development agreement,” Dorchester County Councilmember David Chinnis said. “I cannot hold them responsible for a map they handed to someone at closing that’s not part of the development agreement. There’s no way possible for me to do that. Can the homeowners do that? Possibly.”

Part of the agreement includes Kolter having to install 10 miles of walking trails and keep existing trails intact.

According to documents, when the subdivision was first brought up for development, there were 18 miles of existing trails throughout the property.

“When I was settling on the property, I was given a golf cart tour of The Ponds, the trails I just mentioned and was led to believe that it was going to be expanded,” homeowner Joe Kirby said.

Now, neighbors say that’s down to three and a half miles of natural trails. They feel they were misled when buying their homes.

“Kolter absolutely misled all residents at the time, proposing or showing us trails that do not exist, putting fine print in every contract,” homeowner Brian Riesen said. “Kolter 100% false advertised this community as being the premier economic, social, cultural hub of Summerville.”

Meanwhile, the county says the map included in the original plan is not enforceable.

“As I look through this map and see this, there’s a lot of things that have changed, and again, as I said before, there’s in one case at least one spot where there’s a house on one of these trails,” Chinnis said. “In the end, this identification is not part of the development agreement. It is part of the development plan, the P-D side of this, which is very different than that agreement, in my opinion, and quite honestly, I think it’s safe to say in the county attorney’s opinion.”

The adjustments to the development agreement between the county and Kolter Homes must go through three readings at county council before they’re implemented.

Jeff Vandewiel, the community director for Kolter Homes’ Charleston Division, released the following statement:

“Over multiple days this year, Kolter Homes negotiated with Dorchester County leaders to reach the mutually approved agreement on the planned improvements and continued development of The Ponds neighborhood. We realize no single plan will please everyone, but we believe this new shared vision will continue to ensure The Ponds is a wonderful place to call home and will benefit the greater Dorchester County community.”

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.