Homes for Sale in Irongate neighborhood in Summerville, SC

Two South Carolina men are in custody and a third is in the hospital following a rash of vehicle break-ins early Sunday morning.

In a release, Bulloch County Sheriff Noel Brown said Nichquan Nicholeon Evans and Joshua Phillip Washington of St. Helena Island, South Carolina, face charges of entering an automobile with intent to commit theft or felony. A third man, Aaron Cuthbert, is at East Georgia Regional Medical Center and will face similar charges when released.

Chief Deputy Bill Black said all three men are likely to face additional theft and drug charges and possibly illegal possession of firearm charges, as well.

According to the release, the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office was notified about 2:30 a.m. Sunday that three suspicious persons were seen on foot in the Iron Gate subdivision. Multiple deputies responded to the scene as the Sheriff’s Office had received several calls from other subdivisions in Bulloch County that had experienced a number of vehicle break-ins.

In addition to several patrol deputies, an investigator and K-9 unit also headed to the scene. Upon arrival at Iron Gate, a perimeter was set up covering all possible exit points. Shortly after K-9 Gismo was deployed, a possible suspect vehicle was observed leaving the area at a high rate of speed, according to the release.

Deputy Adam Paquette and Deputy Rhett Kelley pursued the vehicle. After Kelley attempted several PIT maneuvers, the vehicle finally came to a stop. At this point, the vehicle was occupied by the driver and two passengers.

As Deputy Paquette was driving up to assist Kelley arrest the suspects, one of the passengers abruptly exited the vehicle in an effort to escape, according to the release. Paquette attempted to swerve, but the fleeing suspect ran directly into the path of Paquette and was struck. Paquette offered aid and was assisted by Deputy Kelley, who has training as an EMT.

The man struck by the vehicle was identified as Aaron Cuthbert, and he was transported to East Georgia Regional Medical Center by EMS. Black said Cuthbert, who also is from St. Helena Island, may have suffered some broken bones, but none of the injuries are considered life-threatening, he said.

The driver, Washington, 22, and the second passenger, Evans, 20, were arrested and transported to the Bulloch County Jail.

According to the release, when Washington was ordered out of the vehicle, a pistol was observed on the seat. Also, deputies recovered multiple firearms, as well as other stolen property and a quantity of marijuana, from the vehicle.

“I would like to commend all deputies involved in this arrest, which will most likely result in charges being filed for multiple thefts and vehicle break-ins,” Brown said. “The teamwork involved was exemplary.”

Also, Sheriff Brown said that the number of deputies it takes to set an effective perimeter and arrest multiple offenders in situations like this demonstrates the need to add additional deputy positions to the Sheriff’s Office as Bulloch County continues to grow.

Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to contact Investigator Jonathan Fadden at (912) 764-1747.

The Aiken Standard’s third annual Mistletoe + Merlot Holiday Shopping Market is back and will showcase 50 local vendors selling a vast variety of holiday gifts at Newberry Hall.

“We’ve got a little bit of everything to get your Christmas shopping jumpstarted,” said Diane Daniell, advertising sales and marketing manager for the Aiken Standard.

This year, the holiday event will be extended into four shopping opportunities with limited tickets on Thursday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20. Due to COVID-19, accommodations have been made to ensure a safe environment for all featured vendors and attendees.

A preview party will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, and is limited to 100 guests. On Friday, Nov. 20, three shopping events are scheduled, with each allowing a limited number of guests.

Businesses such as Irongate Candles will be selling their traditional candles and melts, soaps and lotions, and will feature a special prize.

Anyone who buys $40 dollars or more from Irongate Candles will be entered in a drawing for a special gift basket with several custom candles and other items, said Irongate Candles co-owner Jamie Williams.

“They don’t have to be present to win, but we’ll contact the person once [Mistletoe + Merlot] is over,” Williams said.

In her first Mistletoe + Merlot appearance, Jessica Gaskins, owner of women’s clothing venue Maddie P Boutique, will be offering participants a special tote bag while with each purchase. Tote bags will be on a first-come, first-serve basis, Gaskins said.

Maddie P features an assortment of women’s clothing, jewelry and various accessories that Gaskins can’t wait for shoppers to see.

“We’re very excited for [Mistletoe + Merlot,]” Gaskins said.

A preview party will happen from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, and tickets are $50 – limited to 100 guests. Each ticket includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer or wine, music, a souvenir glass, shopping bag and the opportunity to be first shoppers at the event.

On Friday, Nov. 20, three shopping events are scheduled, with each allowing only a limited number of guests.

A brunch event – limited to 100 guests – will be held from 9 a.m. to noon; tickets are $25 each and includes brunch, mimosas, a souvenir glass and shopping bag.

A lunch event – limited to 100 guests – will be held from noon to 3 p.m.; tickets are $25 each and includes lunch, beer or wine, a souvenir glass and shopping bag.

A general admission evening event – limited to 150 guests – will be held from 3 to 6 p.m.; tickets are $15 each and includes a snack, souvenir glass and shopping bag.

Tickets are limited and can be purchased online at aikenstandard.com, click on Events.

Masks will be required for entry.

Tickets also can be purchased at Aiken Standard, 326 Rutland Drive; Lionel Smith Ltd., 132 Laurens St. S.W.; Unique Expressions, 1521 Whiskey Road; Vikki’s Boutique, 1501 Whiskey Road; and Hibbitt’s Drug Co., 735 N. Main St., New Ellenton.

For more information, call Melinda Caldwell with the Aiken Standard at 803–644-2362.

Affordable Jewels - Christine James

Aloha Aesthetics

Bead In Love

Country Roots

Cupcake Niki

Danny O’Driscoll

Eastlake Design

Florale Designs

Focus On Light

Fresh Air Limited

Gail Gingrey Team - Meybohm Real Estate

Good Karma Designs

Handcrafted Cutting Boards

Irongate Candles

Julie SteenKD Soapworks

LC’s Delightful Designs

Mack’s Poppin Kettle Korn

Maddie P Boutique

Marie-Lyn’s Greenleaf Designs

Mary Kay - Delores Martin

Miss Bea’s Pickles

Nerdy Acres

Nowicki’s Chickies

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Richards Furriers

Ron Bonar

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Shady Lady

Southside Gallery

Sydney tourism has suffered a setback after plans for an $800 million hotel complex in the CBD were rejected by the NSW government.

The project’s rejection comes after years of work by private developer Built and funds managed by listed property company Irongate.

The news is a blow to NSW tourism as the hospitality and travel industries try to make a recovery following the various waves of the pandemic and the recent flooding catastrophe.

Few hotels have opened in Sydney’s CBD and there has been construction halted on major projects, the Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne and W Sydney, due to the collapse of construction giant Probuild.

Another potential CBD hotel site on Bligh Street is now being sold off as a revamped office block, and before the pandemic, Aussie group Fortius and Singapore-based SC Capital contemplated pre-selling a proposed $700m hotel and office block on the property.

Built and Irongate proposed redeveloping the building at 52 Phillip Street and the adjacent property at 50 Phillip Street to create a luxury hotel mixed-use project rise.

According to The Australian, the proposal to the NSW Government was originally made by Built in 2017 and reached its second stage by October 2019. At the second stage, developers amended plans for the site that would adjoin the historic Chief Secretary’s Building.

However the proposal was quietly rejected last year, which came as a surprise after the same process allowed Crown’s casino complex at Barangaroo and Macquarie’s office towers above Martin Place metro station.

The developments proponents worked closely with the government to craft their project and gained support from former premier Gladys Berejiklian, who was vocal in her support that the hotel needed to happen to show Sydney was open to the world.

The rejected proposal has left the developers losing approximately $5m and the international investors hanging.

The Australian reported that an Investment NSW spokesperson who rejected the proposal said it did not met the required criteria.

“The proposal was assessed in accordance with the criteria set out for unsolicited proposals by the NSW government. It did not proceed past Stage 2 of the process.”

Australia’s first Kimpton Hotel opened in Sydney last month ahead of an expected national rollout of the chain, following the new owner Pro-Invest picked up the hotel from China’s Greenland Group.

The Group are also planning to launch an apartment project with a penthouse priced at over $100m.

There are currently no plans announced for the Phillip Street location by Built or Irongate after they failed to pass the three stage State Significant Development process which seeks permission for a building envelop and use.

Featured Image: Artist impression of plans by Built and Irongate for the complex

$800 million hotel barangaroo Bligh Street Built cbd Chief Secretary's Building federal government Fortius Gladys Berejiklian Irongate Kimpton Hotel Macquarie's office towers Martin Place metro station NSW Government Phillip Street probuild ritz-carlton SC Capital sydney cbd Sydney tourism The Australian W Sydney

After nearly 40 years in production, the popular home improvement show on PBS, “This Old House,” finally will feature two very old houses in Charleston.

“We had been hoping to get to Charleston for so long that it started before my tenure,” says the show’s Kevin O’Connor, who took over as host in 2003.

“The stars finally aligned, which was great.”

Filming started last April and lasted, on-and-off, for 10 months for the Massachusetts-based production.

Starting at 8 p.m. Thursday, the first of 10 episodes focusing on the renovations of two houses in Charleston will air on South Carolina ETV.

Normally, ETV airs the show, which has won 18 Emmy Awards, at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ETV’s Glenn Rawls says the network added the Thursday night shows to give South Carolinians an extra chance to see the Charleston episodes.

“Preserving these local historic homes while modernizing them is going to be a fascinating story,” Rawls says.

“The ‘This Old House’ crew has been terrific and their expertise really shows in these projects. We’re also thrilled that this is an educational project, not just for casual viewers, but in tandem with the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston.”

The primary focus of the show will be on a brick “single house,” built in the 1840s, owned by Dr. Scott and Kathleen Edwards on Hasell Street in the historic Ansonborough neighborhood.

The project includes renovation of wood floors, plaster and medallions, connecting the kitchen house to the main house, adding a dining room and living suite, as well as landscaping.

The other house is an 1890s “shotgun style” house in the Elliottborough neighborhood owned by Judith and Julia Aidoo-Saltus. The house has been owned by Judith’s family for generations, but has not been lived in for a decade.

While both houses will be featured in each episode, as demolition on parts of the Ellliotborough house began, it became clear that the renovation would take longer than the originally envisioned time frame. When the house is finished, the “This Old House” team will come back to film a follow-up, but it will not be this season.

Besides the projects, the episodes will put the American College of Building Arts in the national spotlight, which dovetails with the “This Old House” show’s Generation NEXT initiative to promote more young people getting involved in the skilled trades.

Longtime “This Old House” team member Tom Silva says the show recently started advocating for a return of vocational education.

“We’re making people aware that we need to get people back into working with their hands. There’s a lot of work out there in the service industry,” says Silva. “We need people and there are young kids out there who don’t know what they want to do yet.”

Silva hopes that by showcasing the building arts college that youth may realize there’s a place for advanced training.

Christina Butler, professor of historic preservation who worked closely with the production, says Generation NEXT dovetails with the mission of the college, which is “to educate the next generation of artisans.”

“There’s a skills gap throughout the nation and there’s so many good-paying trade and project management jobs available, with more forecasted to go unfilled in the years to come. … We’re a small college and are excited about the national attention, because it will bring more potential students our way who might not have found us otherwise.”

ACBA students built an iron gate and pergola for the Ansonborough house. The senior iron class, which had to go through the city’s permitting process, designed, fabricated and installed the gate. A student also was hired by Timber Artisans co-owner Bruno Sutter to help build the pergola. Sitter also serves as chairman of the wood department at the college.

But the locals who probably worked the most with the “This Old House” production are Andy Meihaus and Mark Regalbuto of Renew Urban, who served as the contractor on the Ansonborough project.

Because the production was working outside of its typical range in New England, Regalbuto says “they relied on us to drive the story line.” Regalbuto’s first foray into TV was a “phenomenal experience.”

“ ‘This Old House’ is the real deal. There’s no false drama here,” says Regalbuto, who serves on the advisory board of the American College of Building Arts and helped foster the connection between the show and the school.

Regalbuto was particularly impressed with longtime “This Old House” team member Silva.

Silva says the challenges of renovating the house, such as falling plaster, dry rot and termite damage as well as a “really outdated bathroom,” also included meeting the architectural regulations of the city of Charleston.

“They have real strict guidelines, but I like the fact that there are committees down the line that guide the reconstruction of these old houses,” says Silva. “I think all the challenges were met.”

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The Liberty Bridge and Reedy River Falls get most of the attention at Falls Park in downtown Greenville.

The pedestrian bridge, a marvel of suspension designed for an unobstructed view of the waterfalls, deservedly has become a major tourist attraction.

The falls, with an ever-changing power and volume depending on rain and flooding, cannot disappoint. Neither do the trails along both sides of the river, an oasis from a busy commercial center.

But tucked away in a corner of the park, below the S.C. Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, is the site of an old arboretum. The Greenville Arboretum was started in 1932 when the Greenville Garden Club won second prize, $500, in a magazine contest seeking designs to beautify America.

The WPA turned the design into a reality, planting the arboretum on five acres of Furman University's land. At the time, the school was a vital part of downtown Greenville before the campus moved to its current location at the foot of Paris Mountain.

The arboretum was popular for a time, then was neglected as the mid-part of the century unfolded.

In 1967, the Carolina Foothills Garden Club began the movement to reclaim the area, including the arboretum and beyond, and to establish what was then 26 acres of nature trails, garden beds and overlooks. A key idea was to make the falls the centerpiece and preserve textile mill ruins at the site to mark the industry's place in the city's history.

Today a December walk in the park, now 32 acres, starts with a quick descent off South Main Street. Roses and pansies, their pre-winter stamina ready for the test, compete with the last of the now muted autumn colors.

A rock garden has its place in the landscape as if it had been there for centuries.

Deeper into the park, at the arboretum and near a canopy of mighty trees cradling ferns, a small bridge leads to a stone grotto with rock benches inside. The structure's iron door is locked, so there's a mystery about this place.

Then there is the focal point of this part of the park: Spring Falls. The small cascade is in gentle contrast to the mighty Reedy River Falls.

The sounds of city traffic and leaf blowers disappear. And for a moment, arboretum is another word for serenity, a word that trickles like a tiny waterfall.

You Can Go

Go to www.fallspark.com for information on Falls Park on the Reedy. The website lists hours that the park is open, curfews for youths, maps, virtual tours and tips on parking and nearby restaurants.

Dogs are allowed in the park, but they should be on leash and kept away from the flower beds and landscaped areas. Owners need to clean up after their pets, and poop bag dispensers are in the park.

Swimming/wading in the Reedy is prohibited as is climbing on the rocks.

The park's natural trails and uneven stone steps can be slippery especially in the morning. The park is handicapped accessible with elevators to reach the lower levels and ramps.