Roof Repair in Georgetown, SC

PAWLEYS ISLAND — Michael Van Arsdel hasn’t given up hope that his father, who disappeared while sailing on the Waccamaw River last week, is safe.

Kerry Van Arsdel, a 66-year-old Indiana resident, was last seen May 19. He departed from The Reserve Marina, but his boat was found unmanned near Butler Island on May 22, miles from the docks.

His phone, wallet, ID cards, tablet and medication were found inside the boat. There was no sign of a struggle, according to a report from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.

“The situation is very, very unusual for him. I mean, it's not like him to be out like that,” Michael Van Arsdel said. “But we're just hoping for the best right now that he did swim ashore or jumped on a different boat.”

The sheriff’s office and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources are continuing to search the river, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office.

Since Kerry Van Arsdel's disappearance, Midway Fire Rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard and the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) assisted in the search with boats, drones, airplanes and a helicopter.

Michael Van Arsdel said his father often sailed on the Waccamaw, typically anchoring for a couple of nights before returning to the marina.

Although he’s trying to remain optimistic, he said he can’t help but feel something went wrong.

"I don't know. I really don't know what happened," he said. "It’s odd, and it's hard to wait. You just don't — you just don't know. And it's frustrating."

Michael Van Arsdel lives in Hawaii and is trying to coordinate a trip to Pawleys Island to aid in the search effort. He said his sister is planning a trip to the area as well.

He described Kerry Van Arsdel as a loving father and grandfather who enjoys bowling and is fun to be around.

“Dad’s just a very loving person,” he said. “A very caring person.”

GEORGETOWN, S.C. (WCSC) - Community members discuss what the future of the former International Paper Mill site could mean for the neighbors in the area.

The future of the former International Paper Mill that formerly sat along Kaminski Street in Georgetown County is a question community members are discussing.

Leaders in community groups such as the Citizens of Georgetown County and Georgetown United say a potential biomass energy plant may come to the site.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration says biomass energy is a renewable energy source that stems from plants and animals. The energy source is a method to create electricity, heating and transportation fuel.

Community leaders are hosting a series of meetings to inform residents about the possible pollution a biomass facility would create in the area. Leaders say the former paper mill left behind pollution in the soil over the nearly 90 years of business.

Former county council member for District 3 and community leader Everett Carolina says the mill created job opportunities in the area over the years, but also lasting health effects from pollution exposure, such as asbestos. He says impacts can be seen with former employees and residents who especially live in the West End community.

“On this street alone, Hawkins Street, over 35 people alone identified from dying from cancer, respiratory ailments,” Carolina says. “My cousin, her father, who worked at the plant for over 40 years, had nasal cancer.”

Environmental organizations such as the Coastal Conservation League and the Sierra Club Beyond Coal are offering their support to clean up pollution and prevent future risks to neighborhoods.

Carolina’s grandson, 16-year-old Garrett Carolina, says the community would have to live with a decision such as a biomass plant that may replace the paper mill site. He says any pollutants that would come from a new energy plant would ultimately flow into the nearby rivers, which later impact the community’s way of living.

“It’ll affect everybody,” he says. “The fish we eat, it’ll affect where we swim, where we’re in our boats, where our dogs will play and where our kids may play. Growing up with that constant flooding and seeing our grass have to change over time with the chemicals that have to get introduced to it is just devastating.”

A third biomass community meeting is set to take place within 30 days at the Howard Auditorium along Hawkins Street. Community leaders say they plan to invite county officials to participate.

In 1663, Lord Craven, along with seven other lords proprietors, was rewarded a massive charter of land in return for his loyalty and fealty to England’s King Charles II. Craven’s grant, which stretched along the coast from North Carolina to Georgia, included a 140-acre plot that hugged the Southern banks of the Sampit River opposite from the port city of Georgetown, which was founded decades later, in 1729.

In the mid-2000s, Maryville Partners planned and developed that parcel of land into 292 lots within an aptly-named neighborhood called Craven’s Grant. They then built roads and curbs, entitled the land, planted oak trees, installed water and sewer pipes and erected gates.

In 2024, they met with president and CEO of ERA Wilder Realty, Eddie Wilder, who brokered a partnership between Maryville Partners and his dream team, which includes Kevin O’Neill of Palm Development; Jay Brown, custom home builder, remodeler and developer; Cooter Ramsey, architect; and Wilder’s son, Bradham Wilder, president of Wilder Land Development.

Wilder, a resident of neighboring Pawleys Island, said, “The first time we drove onto the property, I was blown away by the pristine beauty of the land and its views. It was instant magic, a canvas upon which we could create something really special.”

From the start, Wilder envisioned a high-end Charleston-style architectural design for Craven’s Grant, meant to capture the spirit of the Lowcountry and to maximize the neighborhood’s picturesque array of bayfront, lakefront and nature views. He explained that at the entrance, there is an automated gate with several surveillance cameras. While off-water homes start at $550,000, there will be a higher investment for houses with water views. Further, the HOA includes membership to pickleball courts, the pool and the clubhouse, which can be rented out for private events.

An added bonus, he said, is a protected marina with 200 slips that will give boating enthusiasts access to Georgetown’s five rivers: the Little and Great Pee Dee, Black, Waccamaw and Sampit. Those waterways converge in Winyah Bay, a part of the Intracoastal Waterway, and spill into the Atlantic Ocean.

Brown, who collaborated with O’Neill on The Beach Company’s Kiawah River Development, added that the best components of that project will be replicated at Craven’s Grant.

Wilder estimated that one-third of buyers will come from Mount Pleasant. “Families can sell their homes there and invest in just as high-end of a product here with pricing that is agreeable to the market,” he said. “Currently the cost of living is still more affordable in Georgetown because the dollar goes farther.”

Local ERA Wilder Realty realtor Christy Whitlock pointed out that, “In general, Georgetown invites a slower pace of life with access to so many conveniences that make it so much easier to live here and work in Mount Pleasant. For example, shops such as Monkee’s and Get Carried Away have expanded up this way and are open on historic Front Street in Georgetown just over the Maryville Bridge. Then there’s the lack of traffic on the reverse commute.”

“Overall, Craven’s Grant is a lifestyle choice,” added Whitlock. “Imagine the opportunity for nautical travel from your neighborhood to the downtown restaurants and shops, along with access to fresh and brackish waters, as well as the ocean. Whether touring our five museums on Front Street, heading to the beach on Pawleys Island, strolling through Brookgreen Gardens or enjoying a dining experience on the MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet, there is always so much to explore in Georgetown and along the Hammock Coast.”

She continued, “Plus, one of Georgetown’s crown jewels is our private airport. The 6,000-foot runway allows planes to land in any kind of wind. And the proximity to Craven’s Grant allows for a unique ‘fly-in, fish-out’ experience. Within minutes of landing, homeowners can be sportfishing from their boat docked at the Craven’s Grant Marina. Our other crown jewel is The George Hotel, which can be reached by boat. Pull up to the dock and enjoy a cocktail at the Eliza Bar (Eliza’s) overlooking the water and dinner at the posh Independent.”

Voices of Our Ancestors Guide to Lowcountry Plantations Honesty First Rudd Plumbing, Heating & Air DIY Home Beauty on a Budget Generational Gem: A Tribute to Georgetown’s Iconic International Paper Mill

GEORGETOWN — The Liberty Steel mill, once among Georgetown’s largest employers, will be demolished, according to a release from the city.

The announcement comes as local leaders debate the future of the state's third-oldest city which lost hundreds of International Paper jobs late last year and saw the steel mill's steady decline before that.

Originally called Georgetown Steel, the mill helped diversify Georgetown's industrial base in the 1960s. For years, the plant made wire rod that was used in various products, from tires to bridge cables.

Several ownership and industry changes reduced the mill’s workforce before it was purchased by Liberty Steel in 2017.

Last year, Liberty cut 50 jobs at the site. The mill was idled four months later. The company also sold some of its equipment to a North Carolina firm that makes wire-reinforcing products.

The mill stopped receiving power from Santee Cooper because its electric furnace and rolling mill were not in use and it missed payments in November and December, resulting in past due balances of more than $334,000, court records show.

Santee Cooper is now seeking more than $7 million from the company and has terminated a five-year contract. It's also asked the court to enforce a section of its contract that requires Liberty to pay the utility the total of the minimum monthly bills that would have been collected during that period.

Jim Moore, a former steel mill manager, will be leading the demolition project with other officials.

Demolition materials will be transported off the property by rail and trucks, so residents can expect an increase in traffic, according to the city.

What’s next for the property?

The steel mill site is zoned as a redevelopment district. This type of district was designed to steer properties away from heavy industrial uses, according to City Councilman Jim Clements. When Liberty Steel bought the property, it asked the city to make changes to the ordinance to ensure it would be able to operate in the future.

The city recently proposed updates to the zoning ordinance that would remove the changes made by Liberty Steel. That would significantly limit the ability for new heavy industry to be built on the property, Clements said.

The planning commission plans to hold a workshop to discuss the proposed amendment.

Local officials have said they expect the mill property to be sold to an unidentified developer who wants to put a mixed-use project on the site that could include affordable housing, parks, entertainment spaces and waterfront access.

State Rep. Lee Hewitt, R-Murrells Inlet, and Mayor Carol Jayroe previously said they expect the sale to be finalized soon.