Mobile Home Sales in Fork, SC

South Carolina State Senator Stephen Goldfinch has proposed a bill, called the 'Yankee Tax,' that would require new residents to the Palmetto State fork over up to $500 on arrival.

If passed by the state bodies, new residents moving to South Carolina would be required to pay two one-time fees. One $250 for a new driver's license, and the other $250 for a vehicle registration.

Goldfinch told Fox News that he believes there is a 'rational basis for requiring newcomers to catch up with he rest of us and contribute to the roads, bridges, schools and green spaces that we've [residents] always contributed to.'

His proposal arrived after hoards of people have spent the last several years moving to South Carolina - a trend that became particularly exacerbated during COVID.

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Many people moved during the pandemic to the Palmetto State for a few months and decided to make the living situation permanent for a number of reasons including the ongoing ability to work from home and the lower taxes and preferable climate of the southern state.

The lawmaker says his push for the fee to be enacted is in the best interests of the people of South Carolina, many of whom worry about the significant number of people who have moved to their state in the last decade.

'Our quality of life has been diminished by the almost 4 million people that have moved here in the last decade,' he said.

'And we anticipate another million people moving here in the next decade. Everybody is concerned about their quality of life.'

He doubts, however, that a $500 fee will ultimately be enough to stop anyone from moving.

'I find it hard to believe that $250 is going to dissuade anybody from coming,' he said.

The New Resident fee will be available for debate on the floor of the South Carolina Senate next week, he said.

If it passed, counties will vote on it in their upcoming 2024 general elections.

South Carolina isn't the only state thinking about an immigration fee.

Both New York and California, states with extremely high exit numbers over the last several years, are mulling legislation to tax people for leaving the state.

'If you can charge people to leave, I don't see any reason why you can't charge somebody to come in the door,' said Goldfinch.

Sometimes it pays off to fly under the radar.

Just ask Jarvis Green.

Ignored by Power 5 football programs despite eye-popping statistics as a running back at Irmo’s Dutch Fork High School, Green committed to James Madison prior to his senior season after receiving no offer from Clemson’s Dabo Swinney or South Carolina’s Shane Beamer.

By the end of last fall, he’d rushed for 2,272 yards and 33 touchdowns, including 292 yards of offense and four touchdowns in a 47-10 victory against Fort Dorchester in the Class AAAAA title game on Dec. 3.

“I don’t understand why Dabo and Beamer aren’t over here knocking the doors down,” Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts said after the game.

Five days later, Clemson came knocking, followed by Virginia Tech.

“I don’t know what took so long,” Green said. “I was coming in game after game and playing my heart out and putting up some crazy numbers. I did feel overlooked because no Power 5 offers were coming in for me, but I knew I had the talent and I never doubted myself.”

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Not as much could be said for the schools that remained unconvinced, which continued to perplex both Green and his coach.

“Why did it take so long for me to get attention? That I can’t answer,” Green said. “I had the stats and everything so I don’t know what took so long.”

But what about Green’s measurables?

Was he too short? Green checks in at 5-foot-11, the same as future teammate Will Shipley.

Was he too light? He tips the scales at 190 pounds, five pounds more than his position coach, C.J. Spiller, when he signed with Clemson in 2006.

Was he too slow? Green has clocked a 4.43-second 40-yard dash.

In the end, that was enough for Swinney. Five days after receiving his offer from Clemson, Green cast his lot with the Tigers.

“I was always a fan of Clemson,” Green said. “Clemson was my dream school.”

Green’s commitment gives Clemson a recruit from Dutch Fork for a third consecutive year. When he enrolls in June, he’ll rejoin former teammates Will Taylor and Antonio Williams.

“Underrated? Oh yeah, definitely,” Williams said of Green. “We’re getting a dog; he’s always been a dog. I could always rely on him at Dutch Fork.

“He’s just a hard runner and a hard worker and you need a guy like that at the running back position. He can catch it out of the backfield. He’s just an all-around good player.”

One of two three-star running backs in Clemson’s Class of 2023 along with Jamarius Haynes of Roanoke, Alabama, Green is excited to get to work under the guidance of Spiller, a former All-American for the Tigers.

“He’s a great coach and a great human being, just a fun person to be around,” said Green, who last month was named Gatorade Football Player of the Year in South Carolina. “I can see myself learning from him for the next four or five years.

“Coach Spiller always told me to just trust the process and it worked out. I was just being patient and waiting my turn because I knew I was good enough for it.”

And how.

“You can’t tackle him,” Knotts said. “You can’t tackle him when he’s on the perimeter.”

Few did. Green amassed 4,608 yards and 78 touchdowns over his career while also making 89 receptions for another 1,202 yards and 11 scores.

It may be a while before Green begins putting up big numbers at Clemson, with juniors Shipley and Phil Mafah firmly entrenched in the top two running back spots, but that doesn’t mean that Green isn’t eager to plunge into the Tigers’ playbook and begin connecting with new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.

“I’ve talked to him a couple of times,” Green said. “He sounds like a great dude and I know he has a great playbook because what he did at TCU was amazing. He knows what he’s doing. I’m ready to learn the playbook.”

And it won’t be James Madison’s.

“I think it was actually great that I was under the radar,” Green said. “Because it turned out the way I wanted it to.”

Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — When Gov. Kathy Hochul laid out her plan for accelerating the development of New York’s offshore wind industry a year ago, she promised thousands of jobs for state residents.

Today, New York’s first wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean is under construction. Crews in hard hats are assembling platforms for giant turbines and building boats that will ferry technicians onto the water to ensure the massive blades keep rotating.

But the work is not being done in New York. It is happening more than 150 miles away in Rhode Island.

States and cities all along the East Coast are vying with New York to be hubs for the fast-growing business of harnessing wind power offshore. But Rhode Island took the lead by building the first offshore wind farm in the United States several years ago. Centrally located among projects planned from New York to Massachusetts, the nation’s smallest state has held on to many of the jobs and economic benefits that go with being first.

“Everybody wants to think they’re at the forefront, that they’re the leader,” said Michael F. Sabitoni, the president of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council. “You can print this: Rhode Island’s the leader.”

New York has more offshore wind projects in the works than any other state, according to the state authority that oversees them. But its ambitious plans and most of the jobs they would create are at least a few years off.

The most advanced of the projects, South Fork Wind, is expected to be the first offshore site to supply electricity to New York.

South Fork, 35 miles east of the tip of Long Island, is scheduled to start operating late this year. The 132 megawatts of electricity it is expected to produce — enough to power about 70,000 homes — will run through 60 miles of cables under the sea to a substation in East Hampton.

For the past six years, the only offshore wind farm producing electricity for American consumers has been the small Block Island Wind Farm, about 16 miles off the Rhode Island coast. Consisting of five turbines capable of producing six megawatts of power each, it is the successful model on which many larger hopes have been pinned.

Six years after the Block Island farm was plugged into New England’s power grid, a mad rush is on to build several much larger wind farms along the East Coast. In 2021, President Biden set a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 — enough, he said, to power 10 million American homes.

To that end, states have set their own ambitious goals. Ms. Hochul has called for New York to produce nine gigawatts — a gigawatt is equal to 1,000 megawatts — of offshore wind power by 2035. A group of environmental advocates and union leaders have pushed her to go further, calling for 15 gigawatts by 2040 and 20 by 2050.

So far, there are plans for four more wind farms that would provide power to New York over the next five years. The main base of operations for those projects will be the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Last month, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority accepted bids for another wind farm off the Long Island coast.

Kate Muller, an authority spokeswoman, said New York had more offshore projects in the works than any other state and was developing five ports to support them. The authority estimates that offshore wind will produce 10,000 jobs in New York by 2035. As is typical, there will be more jobs during the building phase than during operations.

But the first one, South Fork, has not yet been built. And its completion and operation rely on hundreds of workers toiling in factories in Rhode Island, like the crew Chris Petit oversees.

Mr. Petit, the shipyard superintendent for Blount Boats in Warren, R.I., is leading a team of 45 laborers who are welding together the shiny aluminum parts of a 99-foot-long catamaran that will carry workers to the South Fork turbines.

The South Fork project is a joint venture between Orsted, a Danish company that is one of the world’s biggest developers of offshore wind power, and Eversource, a large New England utility.

Orsted has set up operations on the Providence waterfront to make components for three proposed wind farms, and on a Monday afternoon in late January, workers were ankle-deep in wet concrete, shaping a circular platform designed to fit around one of South Fork’s 12 turbines. In an adjacent building, constructed for making turbine parts, other workers assembled internal platforms needed to transform wind into high-voltage electricity.

The companies have made big investments in Rhode Island and elsewhere in New England to foster an industry that can build the South Fork project and others like it, including Sunrise Wind, which is to be New York’s second offshore wind farm.

They built the construction hub for components at ProvPort in Providence, where 80 members of Local 271 are making the platforms for South Fork and other wind farms. Mr. Sabitoni said he expected his union’s employment there to rise to about 120 workers.

“This industry is getting ready and I do expect it to really blossom,” Mr. Sabitoni said.

At another Rhode Island port, Quonset Point in North Kingstown, Senesco Marine is building more boats for transferring crews to South Fork and other offshore sites.

“There’s really not enough qualified yards in New York and New Jersey” to build those boats now, said Josh Diedrich, the managing director of WindServe Marine, the offshore wind division of Staten Island-based Reinauer Transportation.

Space at deepwater ports along the East Coast is also at a premium. That is why sometime this summer, the components for the South Fork turbines, including blades that are 300 feet long, will be delivered to the State Pier in New London, Conn.

More than 150 workers in New London are racing to complete a $255 million project, paid for by Connecticut and the joint venture between Orsted and Eversource, to create a site suitable for the final assembly of the turbines before they are lifted onto barges and hauled out to sea.

New London is slated to serve as the marshaling port for Sunrise Wind, as well. The assembly work is expected to involve about 100 union laborers during the developers’ 10-year lease.

New York is not the only state playing catch-up to meet its offshore wind goals. Last fall, Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey doubled the state’s target for offshore wind power to 11 gigawatts by 2040.

Two factories that would make the steel tubes that will be driven into the seabed to support the ocean turbines are being built at a port in Paulsboro, N.J. But until domestic facilities like those are up and running, many of the largest components of the first commercial wind farms in America will come from overseas.

Some executives in the offshore wind industry said the center of gravity was likely to shift toward New York City as work begins on the bigger wind farms planned for the waters off the East Coast.

Already, much of the work has been done by union construction crews on Long Island to prepare for connection of the power to be supplied by South Fork. Workers hired in New York boarded a ship in Providence that picked up a thick cable at a new factory in South Carolina and will bury it under the sea from the Hamptons to the wind farm, said Allison Ziogas, Orsted’s U.S. labor relations manager. Other New Yorker workers, hired to maintain South Fork’s turbines, are in England, training at a wind farm on the North Sea, she said.

Orsted is also building a base in Port Jefferson on Long Island’s North Shore to maintain and operate the South Fork farm once it is in service, said David Hardy, the chief executive of Orsted Americas, whose headquarters are split between Boston and Providence.

“Those are the long-term jobs, they’re 30-, 35-year jobs,” Mr. Hardy said.

General Electric said in January that if it received enough orders from developers of New York wind farms, it would build two factories south of Albany: one to make blades for offshore turbines and one to make housings for generating components. The company said the factories would produce about 1,000 construction jobs and about 870 longer-term jobs.

Jeff Tingley, managing partner with OSWind Partners, a consulting firm in Providence, said it was probably inevitable that Rhode Island’s moment as a major hub for offshore wind would be relatively short-lived.

“Small states are at a disadvantage,” Mr. Tingley said. “If you’re a big state like New York or New Jersey, you’ve got 20 or 30 years of employment ahead of you. It’s a generational thing.”

It's hard to believe with the recent warm weather, but it's still winter. There are still just over three weeks before the first day of spring on March 20.

With the warm weather, there are plenty of outdoor events in this week's edition of Around Town, including guided hikes by both Conserving Carolina and the Hendersonville Tree Board. There is also a fine arts gala set at Brevard College near the end of March.

Below is a list of events happening in the next few weeks Around Town:

Conserving Carolina's Spring Hiking Series kicks off March 3

Conserving Carolina is inviting the community to enjoy the work that conservation organizations have done over the years to preserve our area’s natural resources with its annual Spring Hiking Series.

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This series will offer an opportunity to enjoy the spring season through five guided hikes taking place every other Friday.

Space is limited and re-registration is required. To register and for more information, visit Conserving Carolina’s website and “calendar” tab, conservingcarolina.org/calendar.

Hendersonville Tree Board to host guided hike along Allen Branch

The Hendersonville Tree Board will host a guided walk at 2 p.m. March 5 along a small stream, Allen Branch, to see the results of an award-winning restoration project.

Mike Huffman, Stormwater Division Manager for the City of Hendersonvllle, will explore and explain the methods used to restore this impacted stream to a natural, healthy, tree-lined environment. Property owners and those interested in environmental restoration are encouraged to attend.

Space is limited for the 90-minute walk, and reservations must be made by March 3 by phoning Mac Brackett at 828-692-3026. Details will be provided. The walk, which is sponsored by Hendersonville Tree Board, is open to the public at no charge. This walk is rescheduled from a previously scheduled walk in February that was cancelled due to weather.

“The restoration of Allen Branch from an impacted, channeled stream to a naturally winding bubbling branch is an example of how property owners can help improve water quality and flood management on their property and in the City,” Huffman said in a news release. “The Allen Branch project is one section of the city’s much larger, multi-area streambank restoration project, but it provides a great location to see how the work is done and what it looks like afterward.”

Hendersonville’s Multi-area Streambank Restoration project has restored 13 sections of urban streams, along with associated vegetative buffers, to promote stormwater quality and improve the quality of Mud Creek, an impaired stream that begins and ends within the boundaries of Henderson County, the release said. Approximately 11,000 linear feet of urban streambanks have been restored, 1,000 linear feet of sewer line threatened by streambank erosion rehabilitated, and a stormwater Best Management Practice exhibit with educational features has been installed in Patton Park adjacent to a tributary of Mud Creek.

The multi-area restoration project received honorable mention in the 2020 George F. Ames Pisces Awards presented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and has served as a model for other cities through an article in Stormwater magazine, a national publication for surface water and erosion control professionals.

Shakespeare & Friends to present 'A Doll's House'

According to a news release, Shakespeare & Friends theater company is dedicated to present classic plays with a twist. On March 21-23 and March 25-26, the group will be presenting Henrik Ibsen's proto-feminist work "A Doll's House" at venues in Saluda and Asheville.

This is the first time the Tryon-based Shakespeare & Friends will offer shows in each of the venues. The group typically stages performances in Tryon’s outdoor Rogers Park amphitheater. The new venues and towns have offered a new creative challenge and opportunity for the cast and crew, the release said.

The shows will be March 21-23 at The Orchard Inn in Saluda and March 25 at the Attic Salt Theater in Asheville. All shows will begin at 7:30 pm. Visit tryonshakespeare.com for tickets and additional information.

Brevard College Fine Arts Gala Scheduled for March 25

Brevard College will host its 2023 Fine Arts Gala at 6 p.m. March 25 in the Paul Porter Center for the Performing Arts. According to a news release, the event celebrates current students pursuing a bachelor's degree while majoring in music, theatre, and art.

The evening will feature food and drink, along with pop-up performances from Fine Arts students whose program benefits from the proceeds. Guests will also be treated to live music, a silent auction and the opportunity to “Fund-A-Dream.” Funds raised at the Gala support students’ journeys to achieve their dreams through equipment purchases, guest clinicians, performance tours, conference travel and summer study.

For more informationcal, 828-641-0605 or visit brevard.edu/fine-arts-gala.

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@localiq.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

Former Tiger great and current running backs coach CJ Spiller spoke highly of his group of guys on Wednesday.

The Clemson running back room is headlined by returners Will Shipley and Phil Mafah, but will be bolstered by reserves like Keith Adams Jr. and Domonique Thomas this season.

“Now you talk about the two ‘oldsmen’, I call them, in the room with Will Shipley and Phil Mafah,” Spiller said. “Those guys are excited about this new opportunity we have here as an offense. We know what those guys can do and what they bring to the table.”

The Tigers added two more backs to the room this year in Jamarius Haynes out of Handley High School (AL) and Jarvis Green out of Dutch Fork (SC). Both guys are three-star recruits according to the 247Sports Composite rating.

Green was a star for the Silver Foxes this season, racking up more than 2,200 yards and recording 41 total touchdowns on the season. He was the driving force behind Dutch Fork’s sixth state title in the last seven seasons.

“Every time you turn on the tape, it’s just productive,” Spiller said. “Two totally different guys. I think Dutch Fork probably used Jarvis more in the passing game than what Handley did with Jay. So you know he can catch the ball very well, but he can also run it.”

Haynes was a star in his own right for Handley, recording 1,888 yards and 27 touchdowns of his own while averaging over 10 yards per carry. The 6-foot, 185-pound Haynes was also a track and field star, finishing second in the state of Alabama in the long jump.

“Just a guy that’s very productive,” Spiller said. “Went to Auburn, ran 4.4, and they let that guy get out of the state. I’m excited about him. He’s very eager to get here and learn.”

Dear Old Clemson has added the Tiger Sack Pack to our online store. Save by getting the Two Pack of signed cards from two of the nation’s top defensive ends, Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes.

Dear Old Clemson is doing NIL the ‘Clemson way’, but we need your help to make sure we build a sustainable, repeatable model that will help keep Clemson competitive with the other top programs around the nation.

Dabo Swinney: “We need your assistance more than ever to provide meaningful NIL opportunities. Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives allow student-athletes to utilize their voice and platform to maximize their NIL opportunities and strengthen their impact in the community.”

Graham Neff: “Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives need your support to help provide meaningful NIL opportunities for our student athletes. We are doing things the right way, the Clemson way with integrity as a non-negotiable and we fully support the mission of these groups.”

Join the Tiger Club or Lady Tiger Club to help these great student-athletes and help the Tigers compete at the highest level!