Published: Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 / Updated: Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012 05:39 PM
Lake Wylie meeting tonight at Oakridge Middle School
LAKE WYLIE York County planners are holding a second public meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at the Oakridge Middle School cafeteria to plan for Lake Wylie’s future.
An ongoing online community survey is available at surveymonkey.com/s/LakeWylie. Submission deadline is Aug. 24.
About 6,000 acres, or nine square miles, were added to the study area that was bordered by the lake on the east, Gaston County to the north, Stateline, Oakridge and Bethel School roads and Mill Creek on the west and Liberty Hill Road to the south. Now the area extends west to Kingsburry Road and south to Big Allison Creek, bringing the total area to about 17,000 acres or 26 square miles. That space includes about 7,000 land parcels.
County planners held a June 26 meeting at Crowders Creek Elementary School to gather public input on issues that would help form a plan specific to Lake Wylie for future growth. The need for an area plan arose when residents expressed concerns.
Also, U.S. Census data from 2010 showed the Lake Wylie area nearly doubled to about 12,000 residents.
Clover man charged with sex abuse
CLOVER A Clover man is accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl for nearly two years.
Ron Eugene Vahle, Jr., 49, of Clover, was arrested Aug. 6 after the girl and her mother met with police at a church to report the incident, the report states.
The abuse started two years ago at a Clover home and most recently occurred two or three weeks ago, the girl told police. Vahle knew the girl’s mother, according to the report.
Department of Social Services created a “safety plan” for the girl and her mother, the report states.
Vahle has been booked at the Moss Justice Detention Center on a $10,000 bond. He has no prior arrests or criminal charges in South Carolina, according to a State Law Enforcement Division background check.
Man killed in one-car wreck
STEELE CREEK A man died Aug. 5 after crashing his car in the 13000 block of Zoar Road near Lake Wylie, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Police.
Dan McGee was driving alone when his 2007 Infiniti M45 ran off the road and overturned before striking a tree, police said.
McGee was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said they did not know whether alcohol contributed to the crash, although they did say that speed was a factor.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective R.C. Gormican at 704-432-2169.
Art winners to be announced Thursday
ROCK HILL The Arts Council of York County will announce the winners of the 23rd annual Juried Competition at a reception at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at the Center for the Arts, Dalton Gallery, 121 E. Main St.
The reception is free and open to the public.
Judging this year’s competition is George Kaperonis, currently with the Department of Art + Art History at UNC Charlotte.
The exhibit runs through Sept. 16 at the Center for the Arts. For information, call 803-328-2787 or visit yorkcountyarts.org.
Witness: Car went airborne
YORK COUNTY An eyewitness described the shocking moments watching a car go airborne, then roll over and land upside down near a York County road.
“I saw the car flip, then I saw the flames, and my heart just dropped,” said Belinda McCarley.
She was driving down Highway 161 Aug. 7, heading toward Rock Hill, when she saw the accident on Paraham Road as it approaches 161.
“I thought they would be badly hurt,” she said.
But 20-year-old Austin Brandon and his 18-year-old female passenger crawled out of the flipped car with barely a scratch.
The passenger told The Herald’s news partner, WSOC-TV, they were trying to get to Piedmont Medical Center, because one of Brandon’s family members was critically ill.
Troopers said Brandon was speeding, and intoxicated. He failed a roadside field sobriety test, and was arrested for driving under the influence, they said.
One man at the accident scene told WSOC he passed the gold Nissan on Paraham Road going extremely fast.
The car plowed through a chain link fence, hit the railroad bed and then flipped into the air. It landed against a utility pole, snapping it.
“They’re so lucky. They had angels with them. Many angels,” McCarley said.
CAAC, CSD meeting Aug. 24
CLOVER Clover Area Assistance Center and the Clover School District will jointly sponsor a meeting Aug. 24 for area leaders and service providers.
The invitations and questionnaires have been mailed out, and everyone is reminded to RSVP at 803-222-4837. Leave a message.
Questionnaires can be returned on the day of the event or mailed in advance to: District Resource Center, Social Work Department, 300 Clinton Ave., Clover, SC 29710.
An information table will be set-up and participants are welcome to bring information about programs.
If you haven’t received an invitation and would like to be involved, call 803-222-4837 or email karencaac@bellsouth.net.
Blood drives set
Community Blood Center of the Carolinas will hold the following blood drives in York County:
• Aug. 24, 1-7 p.m.: Piedmont Medical Center, 222 S. Herlong Ave., Rock Hill.
• Aug. 25, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Helping Hands of Baxter Village, 3387 Richard’s Crossing, Fort Mill.
• Aug. 25, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Healthy Hometown, Liberty Street, York.
• Aug. 27, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Piedmont Medical Center, 222 S. Herlong Ave., Rock Hill.
• Aug. 30, noon-5 p.m.: Edgewater Corporate Center, 3023 HSBC Way, Fort Mill.
More public drives can be found at cbcc.us.
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