IN OTHER NEWS: Marines and sailors lay down the gauntlet and go head to head. PAGE A6
MARCH 30 - APRIL 5, 2017
WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
First manufacturing facility coming to Beaufort Staff reports
Geismar, an international manufacturer and distributor of railway maintenance equipment, is launching its new operations in Beaufort County. It will be the first manufacturing facility in Beaufort. The development is expected to bring $2.9 million in new capital investment and lead to the creation of 50 new jobs. "We are very excited to call Beaufort, South Carolina, our new North American headquarters and our first manufacturing facility in the U.S.,” said Geismar North America President Alan Reynolds.
“After an extensive search and much research, we chose this location based on the state and local commitment to supporting a new manufacturing facility. The local workforce, proximity to major highways and ports, the ability to expand the facility as we grow and the pro-manufacturing attitude made the difference in our decision." Serving the North American railroad industry for more than 40 years, Geismar offers a range of tools for track works, including hand-held machinery and heavy equipment. The company features a product catalog for the rail industry that includes a variety of saws, drills, grinders, track motor cars, loaders and more.
Located at 134 Parker Drive in Beaufort, Geismar North America will be constructing specialty rail cars and new railway maintenance equipment. "Beaufort County is proud to be a business-friendly county that is attracting internationally successful manufacturing companies to establish new operations,” said Blakely Williams, of the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce. “While a $2.9 million investment that creates at least 50 new, good-paying jobs is enough to celebrate, we're proud that Geismar will also establish North American headquarters right here in Beaufort and we look forward to work-
beautify city
ing with their team for many years to come." Hiring for the new positions is projected to begin in the second quarter of 2017, and interested applicants should contact USJobs@geismar.com. Meanwhile, the governor weighed in on the company coming to Beaufort. "Our state's workforce has proven that it's one of the best in the world, and that's why we know a company like Geismar will succeed here,” said SC Gov. Henry McMaster. “When a company chooses to call South Carolina its home, we commit to having its back every step of the way, and we're excited to see what the future will hold for this new partnership."
VOLUNTEERS WORK TO
Cameras installed in parts of downtown Staff reports
Fourteen video cameras now monitor and record parts of downtown Beaufort 24 hours a day, including the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, to improve safety and security, according to the city of Beaufort. The cameras provide video feeds to the Beaufort Police Department and are expected to provide evidence in court as well as deter crime, Beaufort City Manager Bill Prokop said. The Beaufort Police Department demonstrated the system at a Beaufort City Council workshop March 21. “Our downtown area is popular with residents and with visitors, and we want to do everything we can to ensure everyone stays safe,” he said. “We believe this video recording system is an important tool to help our police and our community.” The $71,500 system features 14 cameras placed from Charles Street to Carteret Street, including the Waterfront Park area. City officials bought the system using accommodations tax funds and general fund money. The cameras and other equipment are installed and operational. Adding the surveillance system is yet another component of the community policing concept used by Beaufort, Police Chief Matt Clancy said. “With community policing, we multiply our patrol force by utilizing people sharing their concerns with us about suspicious activity and establishing good relationships across Beaufort,” he said. “We use social media to seek public help in identifying suspects. Now we have video recording to help us monitor key locations, and that will be a big help. “At the end of the day, our goal is to provide the highest level of public safety possible,” Clancy said. “This video system will greatly expand our ability to provide that service.” Beaufort’s move to video recording mirrors that of Bluffton, where the town bought and installed a 22-camera system in 2015 to boost public safety. “This is an important investment in community safety and will be a strong tool for our police and the courts if needed,” Clancy said.
Volunteers plant bushes, grasses and other plants to beautify Duke Street in downtown Beaufort. Photo provided.
Staff reports
Dozens of Beaufort volunteers, including master gardeners, joined the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission recently to plant hundreds of flowering bushes, ornamental grasses and groundcover to beautify Duke Street in downtown Beaufort. The work is part of the Redevelopment Commission’s Street-by-Street Infill Initiative, which is focused on Duke Street through Dec. 31. The program includes incentives for property owners to improve properties and build on vacant lots. “Seeing people coming together for a common cause, even something as simple as planting bushes, reminds us of how special Beaufort is,” said Mike McFee, a Beaufort City Council member and chair of the Redevelopment Commission’s Infill Initiative Group. “We’re basically helping to make over sections of downtown Beaufort with new paint, new landscaping, a small pocket park and other touches,” he said. The work on March 27 centered on Duke Street near the Beaufort Housing Authority’s duplexes and the Beaufort Police Department substation. The project is a partnership between the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission, Beaufort Housing Authority, Clemson Extension and the Lowcountry Master Gardeners. The goal is to create a “model street” and showcase what can be done through public-private partnerships and lots of volunteer effort, Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling said.
The planning committee began work on this part of the project during the summer of 2016 and expects to be finished by May. On July 1, the project will expand to Washington Street, with some continuation of Duke Street work until the end of 2017. “After that, we will focus on a new street each year in the area between Carteret Street and Ribaut Road,” Keyserling said. “This is a wonderful way to reenergize a neighborhood.” Before the volunteers showed up, most of the prep work had been done, including having the gardens designed; bed edging installed; beds weeded, tilled and mulched; plants chosen and ordered; unsightly utility lines removed and placed underground; sidewalks improved; brush cleared and trees trimmed; and a small “pocket park” laid out with benches, lawn space and new trees. “The volunteers are really the ones who make this happen. We work behind the scenes and bring in any city resources we can, but overall, the volunteers are driving this,” said Jon Verity, chairman of the Beaufort Redevelopment Commission. To date, hands-on volunteers for the Street-by-Street Infill Initiative include neighbors and residents; Beaufort Housing Authority staff, board members and contractors; Clemson Cooperative Extension horticultural agent Laura Lee Rose; Lowcountry Master Gardeners, led by Sheila Drouin who designed the landscaping; Cub Scout Pack #1; and the city of Beaufort, including the
ISLAND GIRLS The ladies had a blast at Island Girls Night Out at Something for Everyone in downtown Beaufort. PAGE B1
CYAN-AOOO
MAGENTA-OAOO
YELLOW-OOAO
Police and fire volunteers help with the plantings on Duke Street on March 27. Photo provided.
Redevelopment Commission, mayor and city council, planning department, public works department, police and fire departments. Those who have donated goods and services to the effort include Allison Ramsey Architects; Hargray; CenturyLink; Easy Rentals; Lowe's; J.Weidner Landscaping; Padgett Tree Service; and Scott Sonoc and Marsha Williams providing services of Buds & Blooms Landscaping.
GIRLS ON THE RUN Lady’s Island Elementary School students participated in Girls on the Run. PAGE B2
BLACK
012908
INSIDE Lowcountry Life A2 Business A3-4 A5 Health In Other News A6 Community B1 Schools B2
Sports Voices Events Directory Classifieds
B3 B4 B5 B6 B7