Mobile Home Sales in Gresham, SC

Columbia, South Carolina-based Capital Waste Services, a portfolio company of Kinderhook Industries LLC, has acquired Sandlands C&D Landfill in Gresham, South Carolina.

“The CWS family is happy to welcome another talented team into this rapidly growing platform,” says Matt Parker, CEO of CWS.” The opportunity to add another disposal outlet to our already vertically integrated operations in South Carolina further strengthens our position in our core geography. We are eager to work together to not only meet but exceed our customers’ expectations and foster a culture of quality service.”

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In its 85 years in business, Gaeta Recycling has operated a lot of machines. Michael Portannese is the fifth generation of his family to lead the company. Serving 30 municipalities in central New Jersey, Gaeta Recycling processes upwards of 720 tons of waste material per day. Moving material is at the heart of his business and, over the years, he has watched loading equipment become increasingly sophisticated and complex. But for his most recent purchase, Portannese was ready to try a different approach.

According to a news release from Kinderhook, Sandlands is a class II construction and demolition landfill and roll-off hauling company. Additionally, the company has two transfer station assets, an operational site located next to the landfill and an in-development site in North Carolina.

Related: Capital Waste acquires two waste operations in Tennessee

“The company represents a well-positioned asset sitting in a desirable geography for our growing platform,” says Rob Michalik, managing director of Kinderhook. “The site provides CWS a desirable base to further expand collection efforts in the region and continue to deliver best-in-class service.”

This acquisition represents Capital Waste’s 10th add-on acquisition and Kinderhook’s 90th environmental/business services transaction since its inception.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP served as legal counsel to Capital Waste. A financing syndicate led by Comerica Bank and includes MUFG Bank, Webster Bank and Fifth Third provided debt financing for the transactions. HamptonRock Partners and BakerHostetler served as financial advisers and legal counsel to Sandlands.

Construction & Demolition Recycling has reached out to Kinderhook for further comment.

Charleston County Councilwoman Anna Johnson grew up in rural James Island during the 1950s and ’60s, a time when South Carolina schools were on the brink of integration.

Like others on the island, Johnson attended W. Gresham Meggett High School, the only school for black children. She graduated in 1966 and went on to pursue a political career.

“I never dreamt of becoming a politician,” Johnson said at a gathering of Gresham Meggett alumni on Sunday.

As part of a federally funded effort to document African-American history and the civil rights movement across the country, the Charleston County Zoning and Planning Department and researchers from New South Associates LLC will document the memories of the students who attended W. Gresham Meggett High School.

The school was one of several South Carolina equalization schools created in 1951 from state funding for “separate but equal” education. It was James Island’s only school for black children and provided K-12 education from 1953 to 1966. The school was named for W. Gresham Meggett (1903–1990), a former chair of the James Island School Board. In 1994, the Septima P. Clark Corporate Academy vocational school moved to the campus.

On Sunday, Johnson encouraged her peers to participate in the study, titled “A Journey to Equal Education: Stories from Historic African-American Communities.” The oral histories would be a gift to future generations of African-American students, she said.

“We didn’t realize we had a story to tell about coming here, but we do,” she said. “We can truly let the world know the people on James Island have a story to tell.”

Interviews with alumni, former teachers and staff members will likely begin in February, said lead historian Mary Beth Reed. This spring, New South Associates researchers plan to host a “heritage day,” in which alumni are encouraged to bring any photographs, documents and artifacts they may have from their high school days. Examples of relevant artifacts would be yearbooks, engagement rings or prom boutonnieres, she said.

Of the 30 alumni who attended a recent informational meeting, only a dozen raised their hands when asked if they wanted to be interviewed.

A 1954 graduate asked Reed who would benefit from her sharing her memories.

“You’re telling your story the way it happened to you during this time period,” Reed said. “You’re adding to the historical record.”

The documentation of the segregated Charleston-area school is timely given the state of education for black children today, Johnson said.

“Amen,” said Barbara Brown, W. Gresham Meggett class of 1966.

Brown said she often describes her high school experience to her children, who attended James Island High School. Though their school was integrated, the quality of their education was inferior to what she received, Brown said. Her children were years behind in reading, for example.

A recent Post and Courier investigation found that de facto segregation continues to permeate the state’s education system today. One in eight public schools have a student body that is comprised of 90 percent or more minority students. About 36,000 children, mostly white, choose not to attend the public schools each year and go to private ones instead, the newspaper found.

“I always said, ‘Give us equal education,’” Brown said. “Integration was almost a disadvantage for our children.”

This effort was one of four South Carolina history projects to receive help from the National Park Service’s African American Civil Rights Grants Program. The Obama-era program was created in 2016 with about $8 million in revenue from federal oil leases.

The Gresham Meggett project received a $50,000 grant, while a second Charleston-based project, “Documenting and Sharing the History of Mosquito Beach and its Role in the Civil Rights Movement,” received a $43,084 grant. Two Orangeburg projects also received funding: The historic Trinity Methodist Church received $500,000 toward its repair; and Claflin University, a historically black college, received $50,000 toward a plan for its South Carolina Trustee Hall.

FORT JACKSON, S.C. – During the career of any military leader, taking command of a unit at various echelons is thought of as one the most challenging endeavors bestowed upon our nation’s service men and women.

The 4th Brigade (Personnel Services), a down-trace unit of the 94th Training Division-Force Sustainment, gathered at Fort Jackson’s Victory Field to bid farewell to Col. Karen Monday-Gresham and welcome Col. Janene Marshall-Gatling as the new brigade commander on 8 July 2016 during the unit’s change of command ceremony.

For Monday-Gresham, a Jacksonville, Florida based Troop Program Units soldier and an Arbonne Independent Consultant/H&R Block Tax Preparer; her farewell speech was heartfelt as she tried to hold back tears while informing all in attendance of her command tenure that began on 17 July 2016. As Monday-Gresham became misty-eyed, it was evident that her tears were a symbol of humility, triumph, perseverance, and denial that her time as the 4th Brigade commander was coming to an end.

Having taken command of 4th Brigade two years ago, Monday-Gresham was candid about her mindset going into her brigade position; stating that she was in awe in a command environment that was new to her. She also expressed no regrets and viewed command time as a significant venture.

“Two years ago, I took command of the 4th Brigade not having a clue of what I was getting myself into taking this position. There were tons of new words and acronyms-like Army Program of Individual Training (ARPRINT), One Army School System (OASS), Individual Student Assessment Plan (ISAP), Program of Instruction (POI), and Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army (IPPS-A). It reminded me of many years ago when I started in the special operations forces community, where I sat in meetings taking notes about things I did not understand. I knew nothing about tasks and the instructors. It was challenging, but it was a great opportunity, and it’s one that I fully embraced and took advantage of”, said Monday-Gresham.

Monday-Gresham went on to share accounts of what it took for her to complete a successful command tenure, crediting those who’ve path the way for her which contributed to her to succeeding.

Having traveled thousands of miles with the 4th Brigade command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Carter Clendenin and a 23-year sergeant on the Greensboro, North Carolina sheriff’s department, Monday-Gresham expressed how grateful she was to have had a fantastic command sergeant major who kept her on track.

“CSM Clendenin, you and I have traveled almost 80,000 miles in the past two years. I cannot thank you enough for being my partner in this journey. You’ve always supported my decisions, yet were not afraid to give me advice and counsel me when I needed it”, said Monday-Gresham.

For Clendenin, Monday-Gresham’s success is attributed to her not only being a being a real leader to the soldiers of 4th Brigade but a leader of the adjutant general regiment as a whole.

“Her work ethic is relentless. She strives for excellence and demands such amongst her battalion commanders, soldiers and herself. Her willingness to learn the brigade structure and commitment to take experiences that she has had throughout her military career and apply them to her command position is what enabled her to excel as a commander”, said Clendenin.

Monday-Gresham also thanked Brig. Gen. Hector Lopez, 94th TD-FS commanding general for allowing her to move 4th Brigade forward, try new things, make mistakes and recover from them while supporting the brigade through its challenges and successes.

Tribute was also paid to the soldiers of 4th Brigade by Monday-Gresham. “You have fully embraced the One Army School System and taken the unit to a new level. In the past two years, you’ve conducted 203 classes and graduated over 7100 soldiers from all components”, she said.

Adding, “This is more than double the number of students the active component graduates each year and is truly indicative of 4th Brigade’s professionalism and commitment to training the soldiers of tomorrow”, said Monday-Gresham.

With a brigade footprint composed of five battalions in several states across the U.S. and 92 missions taught each year, Monday-Gresham’s speech concluded with her stating that her time as the 4th Brigade commander was her greatest assignment yet. “This has been the best assignment in my 27 years of military service. I enjoyed the daily challenges, strategic planning, conference calls, and travel. This assignment has been like no other.”

For Monday-Gresham, the soldiers and comradery of the 4th Brigade are what she will miss most. “These soldiers are amazing. They give so much of their own time to ensure that they’re proficient and ready to go. I think losing that sense of family is going to be the biggest challenge", said Monday-Gresham.

Monday-Gresham shared a bit of advice that she believes will aid Marshall-Gatling as she embarks on her two-year command. “There’s a lot of moving pieces and change coming. My guidance would be to embrace the challenges and changes. Continue to push the instructors forward as much as you can because it’s truly going to be the game changer in our personnel services environment and finally having all components on one human resource system. Making these things happen and making the transition work is going to be essential to her command”, said Monday-Gresham.

With Marshall-Gatling, a Troop Program Units soldier and franchise owner of College Nannies and Tutors in Naperville South, Illinois, coming into her first command, she explains her mindset about taking on her new position.

“I’m excited to be an AG officer taking command of a personnel services brigade. My initial goals are to qualify instructors because that’s part of the force structure. That’s what we do is teach. I think people need to know and understand this is essential. Personnel services is not an easy job, and this is where you start ground up. People want qualified personnel in their units. It’s our job to ensure we train the next generation of soldiers.

Marshall-Gatling went on to share the tools she’ll use and lessons learned throughout her military career that she believes will aid her with a successful command. “Setting the standard, observing how soldiers manage expectations as well as managing my expectation and conveying what I expect from soldiers are some of the tools I will use. I think when you go into a unit and set that foundation by letting your troops know what you expect of them makes it a lot easier for everyone involved”, said Marshall-Gatling.

Lopez also welcomed Marshall-Gatling back to the largest training division in the Army. “You are coming into the brigade at the perfect time. Thanks to Col. Monday-Gresham, you are inheriting an institution that has a demonstrated record of accomplishments. It is your responsibility to ensure that the brigade continues forward on its journey to teach and generate mission-ready soldiers’, said Lopez.

Eager to start her position leading the soldiers of 4th Brigade upon the conclusion of the unit’s change of command ceremony, Marshall-Gatling was all smiles stating, “It’s a beautiful day to be in the Army.”

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Retail and wholesale fuel distribution and convenience-store business Refuel Operating Co. LLC has entered into an agreement to acquire Double Quick Inc., an Indianola, Miss.-based retail fuel distribution and c-store chain.

Tom Gresham and Bill McPherson of Gresham Petroleum founded Double Quick in 1983. It operates 48 stores and is a Church’s Chicken and Krystal quick-service restaurant franchisee in western Mississippi and eastern Arkansas.

“While it was a bittersweet decision to sell Double Quick, we believe that Mark [Jordan], Travis Smith and the greater Refuel team will be great long-term stewards of the Double Quick brand and legacy that we have instilled in the local communities throughout our markets,” said Tom Gresham, CEO and managing partner.

“Tom and Bill have built a wonderful company, and we are extremely excited to welcome their employees to the Refuel family,” said Jordan, CEO of Refuel. “Double Quick has a strong brand and an established footprint that provides density as we enter the Mississippi and Arkansas markets. Double Quick excels in foodservice and has a reputation for first-class customer service, which we feel is highly complementary to the Refuel platform. We are excited to see what 2020 brings.”

Refuel plans to keep the Double Quick name, according to a report by The Enterprise-Tocsin.

The companies did not disclose the financial details of the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval, and is expected to close in second-quarter 2020. Matrix Capital Markets Group Inc., Richmond, Va., is the exclusive financial adviser for Double Quick.

The transaction represents the fifth acquisition for Charleston, S.C.-based Refuel since its private equity sponsor, First Reserve, Stamford, Conn., formed Refuel Operating Co. through the acquisition of Charleston, S.C.-based Refuel Inc. and its six c-stores in early 2019. It immediately acquired West Oil Inc., Hartsville, S.C., with 25 c-stores. In June 2019, Refuel acquired Bishopville Petroleum Co. Inc., Bishopville, S.C., adding two more c-stores.

Refuel finalized its fourth acquisition in January when it acquired the Turtle Market assets in Myrtle Beach, S.C., consisting of two high-volume c-stores as well as one site currently under construction and one location that is set to begin construction in 2020.

The Double Quick deal will bring the total company-operated store count to 83 stores.

Refuel’s current development pipeline consists of 12 new stores, many of which will be open this year. Most of these stores are in the Charleston area, including Mount Pleasant, Point Hope, Nexton, Carnes Crossroads and Summerville, S.C. The company is also expanding in the Myrtle Beach, Beaufort, Bluffton and Hilton Head, S.C., markets.

Refuel, a growth platform focused on the highly fragmented retail fuel distribution and convenience store sector, is on track to surpass the 100-store milestone by the end of 2020, with new builds and additional acquisitions in the pipeline.

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Soft milky light seeps through trees, bubbles roll across ponds, and children immerse themselves in the nature surrounding them. The world presented in Jen Ervin’s photographs show a dreamy escape, removed from society. But for her it’s simply the place her family, past and present, have marked their time and legacy.

Originally a student of painting and design, Ervin’s transition into photography began with the birth of her children. “The camera was a way for me to get to know who my children were and figure out what this new role of motherhood was,” Ervin tells TIME. “It was a challenge—it was joyful!—but it was extremely hard. As an artist you need to have time for yourself, you need to create, and I wasn’t sure how to do that until I started picking up the camera.”

Deep in the woods of South Carolina stands Ervin’s cabin, where she’s been working on her series The Arc of Summer since 2012. On trips with her family, Ervin photographs her children and their interactions with the landscape. Over the years, she came to see how the work had grown from just a desire to document her family. “It started as a personal project, but as it went on I really wanted to pay homage to our family members who came before us and to build on the stories they left us.”

In a Floating World (with Bubbles), The Little Pee Dee River, October 2015

Jen Ervin

Ervin’s use of polaroid film in her series is deliberate, and adds to the timeless quality of her photographs. Small in size, at 3.25 by 4.25 inches, each image becomes an instant, one-of-a-kind print. “When creating polaroids, the images instantly become objects of experience,” she says. “They are intimate, hold the most subtle of details, and are vulnerable—like memories.” For Ervin, the polaroid is the perfect medium to get across her ideas of family, memory, and legacy.

As her children grow and their trips to the cabin become less frequent, Ervin understands the preciousness of her photographs and how these opportunities may not always be there. Describing her hopes for the future of her work, Ervin explains “I would love to have the privilege to photograph my children as an old woman in my nineties. I would love to photograph them in the same river when we’ll all older. That’s my dream.”

Jen Ervin is a photographer based in Charleston, South Carolina. Her work will be featured in an exhibition at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado from October 7th-29th. Follow her on Instagram.

Tara Johnson, who edited this photo essay, is an Associate Photo Editor at TIME.

Cassidy Paul is a contributor for TIME LightBox. Follow her on Instagram.

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