WFBK Hopes to Grow Its Local Presence in 2013

January 25, 2013 By 1 Comment

Most radio listeners have surely discovered by now that Fort Mill has it’s very own radio station. Started in August 2013 by Jack Anthony, formerly of WFRX and WEND, WFBK-FM (91.5) has been filling the local airwaves with a mix of Adult Album Alternative Music and local programming. WFBK  is currently broadcasting from Anthony’s Fort Mill home and has a limited signal of 140 Watts. Because of this, WFBK does not broadcast over a large area, but listeners can tune in from anywhere via computer, tablets, or mobile devices.

Anthony brings more than 20 years of radio experience to this new endeavor and he has big plans for the future. Hopefully the station will be able to move to a studio facility by summer. This will allow for much more flexibility in programming including in-studio guests, the ability to take live calls on air, and the creation of radio shows headed by local DJs. According to Anthony, the plans for the future are to “become the “go to” broadcast media source for local content in Fort Mill: news, lifestyle, and sports.” Currently, Sheila Caldwell is hosting an Around Town segment on Fridays at 10am. Plans are for more local content to be added, including parenting, fitness, and health segments.

Don’t be surprised if you see WFBK out and about in the community. Recently they were on hand at the Joe Davis Memorial Resolution run that took place in Walter Elisha Park earlier in the month. Look for them to make an appearance and help bring awareness to other events and fundraisers throughout the year.

WFBK is a commercial-free station and in order to continue operating,  support from local businesses and individuals is needed. If you are interested in helping or have ideas for programming, contact WFBK through their website www.wfbk.org, Facebook Page www.facebook.com/radiofortmill, or email Jack Anthony at jack@wfbk.org.

Hopefully WFBK will have the opportunity to grow and become an outlet for community discussion and debate and a resource that ultimately leads to a more informed, closer-knit community.

 

Filed Under: Local Business, Local News Tagged With: ,

Pictures from Spring Fling 2012 in Baxter Village

March 18, 2012 By 4 Comments

Baxter Spring Fling 2012

With temperatures topping 80 degrees yesterday, it was a fun-filled St. Patrick’s Day in Baxter Village. The festivities lasted all day with vendors lining Market St, corned beef sandwiches and green beer, fun activities for kids, dance demos by Miller ST Dance Academy, a parade sponsored by Six Pence Pub, and live music sponsored by The Playroom Academy of Music.

Baxter Spring Fling Fort Mill

Miller St Dance AcademyMiller St Dance Academy

Baxter Village Fort Mill SC

Spring Fling Baxter VillageCrowd in front of Six-Pence Pub

Eddie Z (owner of Playroom Academy of Music) on guitar

Filed Under: All Things Baxter, Festivals, Local News Tagged With: ,

Giordana Velodrome- Programs and Hours

March 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Giordana Velodrome is set to have its grand opening tomorrow starting at 10:30. The grand opening will feature a tour of the Velodrome and track-riding demonstrations. Due to limited parking, it is advised that attendees arrive early and carpool if at all possible.

The Giordana Velodrome will be open to the public soon, but all riders must take a course before being allowed to use the course. Riding a bike in the Velodrome is very unlike riding a bike on a road and special track bikes must be used that have no brakes and use a single rear-mounted gear. If you bring your own bike it must be inspected prior to riding. Loaner bikes will be available for a fee of $5/2 hrs. They are available on a first come/ first serve basis.

All cyclists must take an 8-hour $20 course called “Track Basics” in order to gain access to the Velodrome. There will also be several programs geared toward kids and beginning cyclists. “Kids on Track” , for ages 6-14, is a free class that will teach kids the basics of riding in the infield. Advanced riders have the opportunity to move to the banked track. “Giordana try the Track” is a class for the beginning cyclist and is a free class, but is limited to 2 people per day.

Times for certification classes have not yet been set, but information should be available the week of March 26th.

Yearly membership packages are available as follows:

  • $100 for 18 and under
  • $200 for adults
  • $300 family package

The Velodrome hours will be 9am-9pm Monday- Saturday and 1pm-7pm Sundays.

Interested in the Velodrome, but not sure you’re ready to try it out yourself? Look for a weekly race series this summer. The Giordana Velodrome is also host for the 2012 USA Cyling International Omnium Track National Championship August 17-18.

More information can be found at The City of Rock Hill Website.

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With:

Carlos Cafe is coming to Fort Mill/Tega Cay

March 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Carlos Cafe Cuban SandwichI was so excited to learn that one of my favorite restaurants in the area, Carlos Cafe, is moving from Rock Hill to the Fort Mill/Tega Cay area. Carlos Cafe is a Cuban Restaurant owned by Joe and Flor Strollo and after 4 years they have outgrown their current space in Love’s Plaza which has only 44 seats. The new location will be on Highway 160 near Walmart and will give them much more space for seating as well as live music. They will also have outdoor seating. (Eating outside is one of my favorite things so I’m really excited about this).

If you haven’t tried Carlos Cafe, you are in for a treat when they join the Fort Mill dining scene. The food is excellent as is the service. I love the beef hash and they have the best Cuban sandwiches, not to mention the Cuban Coffee. Fridays and Saturdays they are offering a Cuban-style Shrimp + Grits Special for only $10.99 served with salad and choice of plantains. I don’t know if I can wait until they open in Fort Mill to try it!

If all goes as planned, the Grand Opening will be at the end of April. Stay up to date by checking Carlos Cafe Facebook Page.

You can read Fort Mill SC Living’s review of Carlos Cafe here.

UPDATE (6/22/12) Carlos Cafe has opened in Fort Mill.

Filed Under: Local News, Restaurants Tagged With: ,

Fate of PTL Tower Still Unknown

March 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

PTL Tower Fort Mill SCCrumbling Facade of PTL Tower

It seems like the county and Morningstar Ministries have been endlessly debating the fate of the former PTL Tower. Morningstar Ministries owns the 21 story building along with the surrounding buildings and land. They currently operate a church and religious conference center on the former PTL site.  At a meeting Monday night, Morningstar Ministries asked for 5 more years to transform the vacant and deteriorating building into a retirement community. The county first proposed demolition of the building in 2007. Not wanting the building demolished, Morningstar presented a plan to renovate the building. The county agreed to the plan provided that Morningstar Ministries showed proof of funds to complete the project, but deadlines for providing the information have come and gone.

After a year of closed-door negotiations between the county and Morningstar Ministries, Morningstar has apparently decided to go on the full offensive, threatening at Monday night’s meeting to sue the county if the county does not accept their plan.

What is it Morningstar Ministries wants?

  • another 9-15 months to submit site plans and engineering documents
  • until the end of 2014 to show proof of funding to complete renovations
  • start of construction -August 2015

Morningstar has agreed to begin cosmetic repairs to the exterior of the building within 30 days of acceptance of their plan. The county has until March 19 to accept Morningstar’s Plan. Ironically the fate of Jim Bakker’s PTL Tower will be decided by another Jim Baker, the York County Manager.

PTL Tower Fort Mill, SC

Meanwhile, a flurry of building is taking place virtually in the shadow of the 21-story blighted building. Because the building is so tall, it is visible from many streets of the surrounding neighborhoods. No doubt many home buyers are deterred by the vacant building that most consider to be an eyesore and a blight on the community. Many people purchased homes years ago expecting the building to be either torn down or renovated long before now and they are losing patience.

What are your thoughts? Should the county give Morningstar Ministries more time?

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: , ,

Krispy Kreme Stores Coming to Rock Hill and Indian Land

February 8, 2012 By 2 Comments

(UPDATE: The Indian Land store is open! Read about it here)

I made a serious commitment to myself yesterday to dedicate myself to an excercise program and I got started with my first ever aqua aerobics class last night at Leroy Springs. Boy am I glad I did after reading the paper this morning and learning that new Krispy Kreme stores are coming to the area. Since the Woodlawn Store closed in Charlotte, I haven’t had anywhere to go to get my Krispy Kreme fix. I believe the closest store to us now is in Gastonia and I hardly ever get over that way.

If you haven’t had a “hot” Krispy Kreme doughnut, it really should be on the list of top 10 things to eat before you die. They taste nothing like the one’s at the grocery store. You can microwave the grocery store Krispy Kremes to make them taste better, but they are still nothing like the “hots”.

Plus it’s just so much fun to watch them being made. They float through a river of oil in groups of three, getting flipped halfway through and then they are doused in a waterfall of sugary glaze. Put one in your mouth and it just melts away.

Did you know that you can download an app for your phone that will notify you when the stores in your area have “hot” doughnuts? I’m thinking I’m better off not having that app.

The Rock Hill store will be located at 1525 Celanese  Rd near the intersection of I-77 in a new 3 space building to be built by Warren Norman. Construction is planned to begin this spring, hopefully allowing Krispy Kreme to open in fall 2012. The Indian Land store will be located at 10092 Charlotte Highway (US 521).  Two Charlotte locations are also in the works, one in Cotswold and one on South Blvd.

Going to add a couple more aqua aerobics classes to my weekly schedule to get ready for opening day.

And just in case you need a Krispy Kreme fix in the meantime, did you know that Savannah Red Restaurant in Charlotte makes a Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Caramel-Bourbon Sauce? I haven’t tried it, but it’s supposed to be fabulous.

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: , ,

New Bridge To Connect Rock Hill and Fort Mill

February 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

There is a public meeting scheduled for tomorrow night to discuss preliminary plans for a new bridge to connect Northern Rock Hill to Fort Mill. Currently there are only two bridges spanning the Catawba River that connect the 2 towns, I-77 and US-21. The planned new bridge is an attempt to relieve traffic congestion at the Celanese/Cherry Rd exit off of I-77. The meeting will take place Tuesday (Feb 7) at Riverview Elementary School in Fort Mill. There will be a formal presentation followed by a public review of maps.

Preliminary plans for the bridge have it spanning from the Rock Hill area of Mount Gallant, Twin Lakes, and India Hook Roads to Fort Mill near either Sutton Road or Harris Road.

Four Proposals for Location of Bridge

  1. Rock Hill side- Mount Gallant Rd in vicinity of Dalehurst Rd

Fort Mill side – Sutton Rd near I-77 truck stop

Projected cost – $53 million

27 properties impacted

 

2.  Intersection of Twin Lakes and India Hook Roads – along Harris Rd- connecting to I-77

Projected cost -$94 million

55 properties and 1 recreation facility impacted

 

3. Intersection of Twin Lakes and India Hooks Rd to Sutton Rd across from Truck Stop

Projected cost- $51 million

11 properties and 1 recreation facility impacted

 

4. From Mount Gallant Rd near Dalehart Rd – along Harris Rd- connecting to I-77

Projected cost- $91 million

68 properties impacted

Truck Stop Area of Sutton Rd

Harris Rd currently goes under I-77, but would tie into 77 under 2 of the proposals.

Undoubtably, any of the proposed routes will have a major impact on traffic patterns in the Fort Mill area.

What thoughts or concerns do you have about the proposed routes?

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: Local News Tagged With:
« Older Posts