Mobile Home Sales in Lake City, SC

LAKE CITY, S.C. (WMBF) - What started as a way to shine a light on Southeastern artists has now turned into an over decade-long tradition in the City of Lake City, as the spring welcomes in ArtFields.

ArtFields is an annual “transformation of Lake City” that turns the entire city into a nontraditional art gallery.

Artists across the Southeastern states can enter for the chance for their art to be displayed during the 10-day event. All the art selected is displayed in Lake City venues for anyone to enjoy.

“We’re lucky our vendors are excited to be a part of ArtFields,” said Roberta Burns, the director of ArtFields. “They get to select the art that is on display in their stores and build relationships with the artists.”

Artists have a chance to win $50,000 for first place, $25,000 for second place, and five $2,000 Merit awards. As well, visitors are able to vote which will determine the two artists selected as the People’s Choice winners with a cash prize of $12,500 each.

“When people come to ArtFields they can see all of the art at all of the venues,” said Burns. “They can also put on their art critic hat and vote for their favorite pieces. You just have to register online, when you come to Lake City we’ll activate your vote and you actually get to go around and vote on the artwork that is there.”

The art gallery is one of Lake City’s biggest events, bringing people from all over to view the art and take in the city.

“ArtFields this year has been absolutely amazing, we’ve had really strong attendance,” said Burns. “Usually we kind of see a dip on the weekdays because people are usually working and schedules don’t allow it but this year the traffic has been noticeable by all of the venues I’ve talked to.”

Venues from around the city have noticed the happy art appreciators enjoying their time in Lake City.

“I’ve been working at Piggy BBQ for a year and I can say it was fun to see everyone last year, but it’s even more fun to see people here this year. So many smiling faces,” said George Harrison, a Piggy BBQ employee.

The event also hosts a competition for junior artists with cash prizes.

For more information about ArtFields and to view this year’s art, you can visit their website.

Copyright 2023 WMBF. All rights reserved.

LAKE CITY, S.C. — Two cities, one from South Carolina and the other from Canada, will be connected through a new TV show set to air on the South Carolina Educational TV network.

Through music, food and a pen pal program, the pilot episode will highlight the cultural similarities between Lake City and Stephenville, in Newfoundland, Canada, according to director Fabian James. Typically, his company, From Inside the Circle, plans and films concerts but this show will be more, he said.

“We’ve done this show all over different countries in the Caribbean, and places around the Canadian side, and we’re always trying to kick around ideas,” James said. “This is the first time that we’ve done a twinning between two municipalities.”

From Inside the Circle’s main concept is that it turns workspaces into music venues, but this year the town connection brings another layer to the concert, which is planned for April 22. The original premise remains, though, as the concert is taking place inside of Marshall’s Marine, a boat dealer.

The concert is a part of Artfields, an annual art festival that transforms Lake City into a massive art venue. Carla, Artfield’s director of community engagement, said she has been working with James to make the show a reality.

“What I get nervous about is, because Artfields is so grand in nature, I just don’t want it to be left out in the cold. I don’t want it to be overshadowed by Artfields but hopefully elevated by the fact that it’s going on,” said.

The first part of the concert will be what James called a “songwriter circle,” during which musicians from the United States and Canada will perform and talk about their songs.

“Each of those artists will do two songs each and chat a bit about why they wrote the song and how they wrote the song,” he said.

The American musicians are Will Ness and The Dubber, those from Canada are Chris Ryan and Karla Pilgrim. Both Ness and The Dubber are from the area, James said.

After the roundtable discussion, Haley Campbell, a local artist, and Newfoundland artist Ladylike will play as the featured acts.

At the end of the concert, chefs from Canada and the United States will collaborate to create unique small plates that will be served to concert goers.

Tickets are $35 each or two for $50 in advance or are $45 at the door. All proceeds go to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Lake City.

A second concert and accompanying TV episode will take place in Stephenville this summer, James said.

The mayor and others from Stephenville will soon travel to Lake City, and some from Lake City will visit Stephenville for its show.

Unlike past Inside the Circle shows, the TV episode will not only be about the concert, James said.

“It’s about showcasing more of the town and its people versus just showing the concert,” he said.

In addition to interviews with “interesting townspeople” in Lake City, the show has also brought together schools in Lake City and Stephenville with a pen-pal program.

Summer blockbusters, the Kentucky Derby, the rise of sports betting and NFL schedules are out | Bonus sports & entertainment episode

Summer blockbusters, the Kentucky Derby, the rise of sports betting and NFL schedules are out | Bonus sports & entertainment episode

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Hot Off The Wire

Hot Off The Wire is a collection of news, sports and entertainment reports. The program is produced by Lee Enterprises with audio provided by The Associated Press.

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“We tied in the school district because we thought it was a wonderful opportunity for these two groups of kids and cultures to mix and do an activity together,” said.

Students in second grade and K5 at Lake City Early Childhood Center were paired with Stephenville Primary School students of the same grade to trade letters, “Flat Stanley” inspired crafts and care packages highlighting something unique about their area, said Tonyelle Thomas.

Thomas is the elementary MTSS and arts administrator at Florence School District Three and is leading the project to connect the schools.

“Instead of doing a ‘Flat Stanley,’ which is typically a little guy that, you know, you mail him and he travels around a country or whatever, they would do animals unique to each area,” she said.

Students at Lake City Early Childhood Center received hand-drawn and cut pictures of moose and puffins, while Thomas said Stephenville students would likely receive pictures of possums.

“The stranger the better, right?” she said.

Danielle Botticelli, a second grade teacher at the Lake City Early Childhood Center, said the letters are helping her students see beyond the city they grew up in.

“It’s not like we are doing it with the school next to us. They’re learning all about a whole different place, and that’s something really unique,” Botticelli said. “I think this honestly opens a lot of their eyes and their opportunities and their perspectives on life itself and the world.”

Soon, the students will get to video call to see the faces of the students they have corresponded with, she said.

Instead of sending letters, students in K5 are just sending hand-drawn pictures, Thomas said. The Canadian students have French immersion classes, so the Canadian students will teach Lake City students French vocabulary.

Students were also encouraged to take pictures around Lake City to show their Canadian pen–pals where they live, she said.

“I’m grateful for the team here because they have a lot going on, they have their normal curriculum and everything,” Thomas said. “I’m really thankful that they saw the value in this and giving their kids a chance to be immersed in another culture.”

James said Stephenville has been influenced in significant ways by the United States, which is why it was chosen as the Canadian town for this project. During World War II, Stephenville played host to the largest U.S. Air Force operation outside of the mainland U.S., he said.

“We were more interested in the U.S. connection from a community here in Newfoundland back to the U.S. market,” James said. “We ended up in South Carolina because we had an in that got us an introduction to SCETV, and we just thought it would be really interesting.”

Lake City was chosen for its rural, farming town history, James said.

“What would be probably more interesting to us is not to see what historically they have in common, but it’s more so to find out what they might have in common today,” he said.

James said he hopes the connections forged over this project will continue long after the TV show has aired.

In this bonus episode of Hot off the Wire, we look at the United Kingdom’s coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Charles ascended to the throne on September 8, 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. However, the coronation ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 6, starting at 11 a.m. local time and ending at 1 p.m. Here in the United States, that two-hour ceremony will begin at 6 a.m. Eastern, 3 a.m. Pacific. Viewers in the U.S. can watch the festivities on most broadcast and cable news channels. Check your local listings for details. In this episode, listen to updates from The Associated Press on both the ceremony and the drama. — Compiled and narrated by Terry Lipshetz from Associated Press reports Episode transcript Note: The following transcript was created by Adobe Premiere and may contain misspellings and other inaccuracies as it was generated automatically. That music is of the Brixton Chamber Orchestra from April 21st rehearsing in South London ahead of the Coronation Carnival and courtesy The Associated Press. In this bonus episode of Hot Off the Wire, we look at the United Kingdom's coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Charles ascended to the throne on September 8, 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. However, the coronation ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 6, starting at 11 a.m. local time and ending at 1 p.m. Here in the United States, that two hour ceremony will begin at 6 a.m. Eastern, 3 a.m. Pacific. Viewers in the U.S. can watch the festivities on most broadcast and cable news channels. Check your local listings for details. And now the latest updates from The Associated Press on both the ceremony and the drama. King Charles, the third plans to take a shortcut and smooth a ride to Westminster Abbey for his coronation. Charles, is innovation tremulous at the procession route his mother, Queen Elizabeth, took in 1953 as he aims for a more modest event that will include some modern touches. Buckingham Palace says, however, the lower key ceremony on May six will still be steeped in ancient traditions and adorned with the royal regalia from the crown jewels, but will also feature its bespoke emoji, reflecting the first British crowning of the social media era Queen Elizabeth. The second was the first coronation televised 70 years ago. The 1.3 mile route is a bit shorter than the one Elizabeth took to the Royal Church, passing a statue of Charles, the first the monarch beheaded in 1649 before arriving for the 11 a.m. religious service. Charles de Ledesma, London. King Charles III joins as many as 2800 guests for his coronation on May the sixth at Westminster Abbey. His complicated family will once again take center stage. There's a second wife, an embarrassing brother, and an angry son and daughter in law, all with allies who aren't shy about whispering family secrets in the ears of friendly reporters. How King Charles manages his family drama over the coming weeks and years is crucial to the king's efforts to preserve and protect the 1000 year old hereditary monarchy. Editor of Majesty magazine Jay Little, says Charles's ongoing family drama was never going to justice appear. I think it was inevitable that when Charles became king, the loss of the personal stuff would come back to haunt him. Royal historian Robert Lacey says the standards were set too high. The British monarchy is supposed to be representative, and that used to be thought to mean It's got to be ideal, it's got to behave in absolute, immaculate fashion. Well, that wasn't realistic and proved not to be realistic in facts. Lacey believes Charles's fractious family may be easier for the British public to identify with. But I think most people in Britain find an imperfect and honest family easier to live with. Karen Chammas, London. Buckingham Palace says Prince Harry will attend his father's May 6th coronation. Harry's attending the coronation service of his father, King Charles, the third at Westminster Abbey. Setting aside months of speculation about his presence. The palace adds Harry's wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will remain in California with the couple's two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Harry's attendance comes despite a rift within at the House of Windsor, prompted by Harry's decision to reveal family secrets in his bestselling book Spare. Charles de Ledesma, London. As the coronation of King Charles, The third fast approaches. All eyes are on Camilla, the queen consort who will be crowned alongside her husband's. The moment will mark the culmination of years of efforts that helped to transform her image from being one of the most reviled women in the country to becoming a likable, down to earth hard worker. Ingrid Seward, editor in chief of Majesty magazine, explains. Just by giving it time and going gently, gently, she has managed to show people the real person that she is and that she's not this villainous. However, spiritedness, her triumph is not a complete one. But there are still people in this country and there are a lot of people abroad who will never forgive her for being the third person in the marriage. Camilla herself admitted last year in an interview with Vogue magazine that she had learned to live with the scrutiny of her past. Karen Chammas, London. Towns and cities will be awash with union flags and patriotic decorations to celebrate King Charles the Third's coronation this weekend. But the events, viewed with a large dose of ambivalence by some in Britain's diverse communities. Darren White, a descendant of migrants from Jamaica, and Adriano Phillips Durrant, a musicians with the Brixton Chamber Orchestra here, rehearse ahead of the Coronation Carnival. While whites excited about the gig, he tells the Associated Press that some might find it hard to connect to the whole occasion. With the economy on the precipice of recession. While Forbes says it's strange that the event would happen at a time when people don't really have the money to get by. I have mixed opinions on kind of on general, kind of like the royal family and the coronation. Just but just because I think that there are, you know, bigger things happening in Britain right now. Across the capital, John Pan, Basra, the head of Southall Community Alliance, says people are going through a cost of living crisis. Is it fair that there is so much attention and resource being put into a massive coronation celebration when people are in record numbers having to rely upon food banks facing poverty on a believable scale? Elsewhere in Southall, proprietor guru Anand recalls the Royals demeanor when he ate at his restaurant. Charles, he says, actually listens to you, wants to know where you've come from. Charles de Ledesma, London. Thousands of British military personnel will join King Charles's coronation. The UK Defense Ministry says 6000 troops, including soldiers, sailors and aviators, will participate on May 6th, making it the force's biggest ceremonial deployment for seven decades. Thousands of them will escort the king and Camilla, the queen consort, as they travel by gilded horse drawn coach between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Gun salutes will sound from British army bases and warships and military aircraft, including World War two. Spitfires will perform a flypast. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace calls it a spectacular and fitting tribute to King Charles, who is the armed forces commander in chief. Mimi Montgomery, London. Tourism industry officials have high hopes the May six coronation of King Charles will provide a vital boost to the industry, which is still reeling from two years of COVID 19 shutdowns. Outside Buckingham Palace, Patricia Yates, chief executive of the VisitBritain Tourism Board, says she hopes next week's coronation, the first for nearly 70 years, will be a great success. Events like this really kick start at the recovery, don't they? And they put Britain on the world stage again. And goodness, we do that so well. Pageantry around the coronation will just be amazing. History, heritage and the Royals are the biggest draw for international tourists, Yates adds. And royalty, a particular magnet for Americans who are driving the country's tourism recovery. Queen Elizabeth. The second platinum Jubilee celebrations last year brought in an extra 2.6 million visitors to London, and Charles's coronation is expected to have a similar effect. Visitors to London's Westminster Abbey will be allowed to stand for the first time on the exact spot where King Charles The third will be crowned, though they'll need to make sure they don't have holes in their socks for the Shoot US tour meant to protect the Abbey's medieval mosaic floor. Abbey officials say the section of the church's floor, known as the Cosmati Pavement, where the coronation chair has been placed for some 700 years, will be on display during Charles's crowning ceremony. Vanessa Simeon, head conservator at Westminster Abbey, says it will be a unique visitor experience. It's such a rare opportunity. Nobody apart from the clergy go up to this space. So for visitors to come here and be able to walk on the pavement and get up close and look at the designs and all the different materials that make up this incredible piece of art, it's going to be just a once in a lifetime experience. The intricate mosaic of marble, stone, glass and metal located in front of the Abbey's high altar was commissioned by Henry the third in the 1200s and made by Italian craftsmen. It's said to be the best surviving example outside Italy, of course, Marti after the Italian family which created it. Charles de Ledesma, London. The Biden administration is defending the decision to have First Lady Jill Biden attend King Charles Third's coronation instead of her husband. The president told the king in a call his wife will attend on America's behalf. We're proud that she's going to be representing the United States. Asked why the president himself will not be at Westminster Abbey, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said there is precedent. President Eisenhower did didn't attend Queen Elizabeth's coronation either. In fact, no sitting U.S. president has ever attended a British royal coronation. On the events invitations, Buckingham Palace officially identifies the king's wife for the first time as Queen Camilla. Sagar Meghani, Washington. I'm Terry Lipshetz, thanking you for listening. Audio provided by The Associated Press. Music is by Skilsel and provided through Pixabay. Be sure to subscribe to Hot off the Wire on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

In a Nutshell: In the early 2000s, billionaire investor Darla Moore moved back to her hometown of Lake City, South Carolina, with revitalization goals in mind. Over the subsequent 20 years, she has restored the city’s downtown, developed a nine-day art festival that draws thousands of tourists each year, and turned her family’s farmland into a 1,000-acre botanical garden. Visitors to Lake City can use their card rewards to stay in a historic hotel and peruse the remodeled buildings throughout the city. For residents and tourists alike, it’s clear that Darla’s philanthropy has helped the city reach its potential.

Shady Rodgers grew up in Lake City, South Carolina. When he was a kid, he couldn’t wait to escape his hometown. He left for college in Charleston, where he planned to spend his life.

But then investor Darla Moore, who has the school of business at the University of South Carolina named after her, moved back to Lake City, also her hometown, and started revitalizing the ailing city.

Shady said he kept an eye on Darla’s work and on the positions available to work with her. Eventually, he married and had kids — and the opportunity to become the Marketing, Public Relations, & Events Director at her company arose.

“I got my dream position. I never would have thought Lake City would have even offered it! I’ve been here ever since, and I absolutely love it. It doesn’t feel like I’m going to work every day. It feels like I’m just going to play,” he said.

Like Shady, Darla left home to chase her dreams. She went to New York City as a young woman where she found success before moving back to Lake City in the early 2000s. Now she’s a billionaire philanthropist.

“She’s done massive amounts of good for the citizens of Lake City and for the town itself. She’s saved historic structures and put her money into something that Lake City can use and take pride in for years to come,” Shady told us.

With Darla’s help, the city of 7,000 has become vastly different from the one Shady remembers from his youth. Two of her most prominent developments are Moore Farm Botanical Gardens, a 1,000-acre redevelopment of her family’s homestead, and ArtFields, a nine-day art competition that brings in artists from 12 Southeastern states and turns downtown Lake City into a large-scale art gallery, with works in almost every local business.

Prioritizing Nature and Arts with Inspiring Events

One of Darla’s cornerstone projects has been the Moore Farm Botanical Gardens. Turning the existing pines and cropland into a 1,000-acre botanical garden, including 65 acres of manicured plants and flowers, was no easy feat.

In addition to carefully curated landscaping, the gardens is also home to an outdoor art collection, much of which was purchased at ArtFields.

“Even though we just started in 2002, we have just as many little details and pieces of art, if not more, than most established botanical gardens,” Shady told us.

The botanical garden is visited year-round, and hosts one of the city’s most popular events, Beer Fest. Moore Gardens hosts breweries from around the world and guests who want to sample different concoctions

“I love that the backdrop is all these beautiful blooms, trees, shrubs, and different things in our collection. It really makes it a unique experience. It encourages people to meander through the gardens,” Shady said.

Though Beer Fest draws thousands of guests, Darla’s biggest event of the year is still ArtFields. Shady says visitors appreciate the art, of course, but they also love participating in the voting process for their favorite pieces. 2023 marks the 11th year of ArtFields, which is offering more than $100,000 in prize money to winning artists this year.

“It gets people in the doors of the shops they wouldn’t normally go in, and while they’re there, they’ll see something they like and purchase it,” Shady said.

Focused on Revitalizing Downtown

Darla and her team have restored many rundown buildings throughout the city. For instance, they turned one of the city’s first hospitals, Whitehead Infirmary, into a history museum.

Another standout restoration is The Bean Market, now a popular rustic wedding venue. The building was originally constructed to buy and sell green beans, one of Lake City’s cash crops. Farmers brought their bean crops to The Bean Market from all over the South. Rather than covering up an area where farmers could drive in on one side and out the other, Darla preserved that building element as a unique part of history.

“When I was growing up, most of these buildings were boarded up. You didn’t even want to walk down Main Street. We’ve looked back through old photos or documents and figured out what those buildings actually might have looked like. That’s really something we took into consideration when we revitalized,” Shady said.

Tourists have a variety of restaurants to try, as well, including the Green Frog Social Club, which offers an upscale sports bar vibe, or Lake City Bistro, located in the city’s only boutique hotel, The Inn at the Crossroads.

In addition, visitors like to go to the three art galleries in downtown Lake City. The spaces are all managed by the ArtFields Collective and have rotating exhibits throughout the year. With so many arts-oriented businesses and activities, the city has manifested a creative ethos in a way that even Shady wouldn’t have predicted.

“You’ll walk down Main Street and see a guy who is all dressed up in green or something, and we didn’t pay him to come. Where did he come from? But people come for the arts culture!They just show up and do crazy fun stuff. It’s amazing,” he said with a laugh.

Lake City: A Destination on the Rise

Travelers interested in visiting Lake City and elsewhere may wonder if it makes sense for them to use cards and rewards to decrease their expenses. Often, travel cards can save you money on hotels or airfare, but only if you use them correctly. Most travel cards come with annual fees, so you need to make sure your rewards are offsetting this price.

But many cards with high annual fees may also come with perks, like points to use for airfare or hotels, travel memberships, or tripled, quadrupled, or more rewards.

If you want to use your card rewards, a trip to Lake City is certainly worth your while.

The city is easy to reach from larger cities in South Carolina, like Charlotte, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach. When visiting Lake City, tourists usually stay at the boutique inn downtown, one of two chain lodging locations, or the RV park. There are also a few beds and breakfast and rental homes in Lake City or nearby Florence.

Darla and her team have already done so much to bring the city back to its former glory. Next up, they are planning Family Days with the City of Lake City, an art vendor event with a band held in the outdoor Village Green area.

Why does Shady think visitors should come visit his hometown?

“Lake City is really in the middle of nowhere, but in the middle of everything,” he said.

LAKE CITY, S.C. (WMBF) - The Lake City community is counting down the days until they welcome a new mayor.

As Mayor-Elect Yamekia Robinson prepares to take the seat, she sat down with WMBF News about her vision for the city and journey into leadership.

From trials and tribulations to now leading her community in days to come, Robinson will be the new mayor, Lake City’s former mayor held the role for 16 years. As a shy little girl, and native of Lake City, Robinson was destined for new opportunities, but little did she know she would become a leader years later.

“Unbelievable! I can’t believe it,” said Robinson. “I never imagined to be for one mayor of a city ‚and not just of a city but of my hometown, and to be the first African-American female mayor ever elected, I’m very proud of myself.”

As a Lake City High School graduate, Robinson dreamed of becoming a Dermatologist but later pursued a career as a Pharmacy Technician after graduating from The University of South Carolina.

Robinson who is a single mother of five children grew up in the Wedgefield Mobile Home Park of Lake City.

She says one dark moment on July 1, 2017, helped her start advocating for other Lake City residents.

“We had 60 days to move out our home,” she said. “It was new management coming in and they stated that they did not want to operate it as a mobile home park anymore, and to just keep in mind, that most of the residents were on low income and we didn’t have the funds right there to just pick up and go. My community asked me to be the spokesperson for our community.”

Robinson did just that along with Garena Conyers and Tatum Bostick. The three would organize weekly meetings for members of their community.

Six years later, Robinson is just moments away from becoming mayor, and already has a long list of what she wants to see happen in the near future.

“Public safeness and community safety need to grow as our economic development and job opportunities will be growing along with the housing, so we got to make sure that our community is set so all of those things tie in together and I want to see it grow from my hometown.”

Robinson said it’s not only up to her within her first 100 days of taking the seat she’s looking forward to unifying citizens and administration across her hometown.

“I want to see us communicating better. I want the communication between myself, the staff, the administration, and the citizens of Lake City to become better and more open, and to be able to do that then we will be able to accept and see other people’s perspectives and help Lake City continue to grow.”

Robinson also shared how she would like to promote the Civility Pledge across the city. The pledge was originally introduced by the Municipal Association of South Carolina.

To learn about Civility Pledge you can visit their website here.

As she reflects on her journey thus far, Robinson said it’s important to “be the first to do it, then encourage others to do it even better.”

“I look at my three girls and I see them as my younger self, and the main thing I would want to tell them is to dream big, pray big, and achieve big.”

Robinson is set to be sworn in as Mayor on Monday, Jan. 9 at the Continuum of Lake City at 6 p.m.

Copyright 2023 WMBF. All rights reserved.