Reclaim Your Love of Life with Hormone Replacement Therapy in Fort Mill, SC

A man who bought a South Carolina Education Lottery ticket initially thought he’d won a $1,000 jackpot, but eventually learned his prize was much bigger.

The Fort Mill resident actually won a scratch-off game’s $2,000,000 grand prize, officials said in a news release.

While a $1,000 prize is nice, there are many more zeros in $2 million.

The winner spent $20 to purchase the 200X The Cash game at John Boys, a gas station/convenience store at 140 Spratt St. in Fort Mill, according to the release. That’s near the state line separating South Carolina and North Carolina.

While he was at the store, the man only scratched off the game’s bar code when he scanned the ticket and saw a message saying “Claim at Lottery,” officials said. That’s when he believed he’d won $1,000, the minimum prize requiring a player to visit the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center on Assembly Street in downtown Columbia for a payout.

It wasn’t until he took the ticket home, where he finished scratching it off, and got the surprise of his life, officials said.

“I thought, ‘this is going to be the big one,’ ” he said as he revealed the game’s seven-figure jackpot, according to the release. “It was pretty cool when it happened.”

The winner will be allowed to retain some privacy, as South Carolina is one of 11 states — along with Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas and Virginia — that allow lottery winners to remain anonymous.

The man didn’t say what his plans are for the newfound windfall, but expressed relief at winning the multimillion dollar payday.

“Everything got real easy,” the winner said. “I can breathe now.”

The odds of winning $2,000,000 playing 200X The Cash game are 1,460,000-to-1, according to the release.

One of the game’s grand prize winning tickets remains unclaimed, officials said.

John Boys received a $20,000 commission for selling the winning ticket, officials said.

MORE

This story was originally published February 10, 2025 at 9:50 AM.

Traffic patterns on Interstate 77 in Fort Mill are about to change.

The first traffic shift is expected on Sunday as part of ongoing interchange work at Exit 85, where S.C. 160 crosses the interstate. Dates and times could change based on weather, according to a notice from the city of Tega Cay.

United Blythe Joint Venture, the company building the new interchange, will move southbound traffic to the outside shoulder on Sunday night. Traffic will shift onto the new northbound on ramp on Monday night.

Northbound traffic will move to the outside shoulder and a temporary concrete median wall will be installed, both on Tuesday night. The wall installation should last through Friday.

Drivers should prepare for lane closures and traffic pattern changes throughout the week, according to the notice.

Five years ago, York County received about $75 million from the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank to upgrade Exit 85 and Exit 82 in Rock Hill.

The infrastructure bank is a public financing source used on large statewide projects like interchanges or bridges. About $42 million of that infrastructure bank total went to Exit 85. But costs there, and across the region, ballooned since then.

The Exit 85 project initially was projected to cost a little more than $40 million, but has grown to close to $150 million now. Some of the cost increase came with new, larger designs for the work. Others involved increased material and labor costs.

The new Exit 85 will include flyover bridges in the busy area between Baxter and Kingsley in Fort Mill. That spot sees some of the heaviest traffic in the state, with about 125,000 vehicles per day traveling the interstate there.

Interstate traffic on either side of the Exit 85 interchange increased more than 9% from 2021 to 2023, according to state traffic counts.

The closest S.C. 160 traffic count to the interchange registers 38,700 vehicle trips per day. Traffic is up 9.6% there from 2021 to 2023.

Drivers can get live traffic updates, including traffic cam footage, online at 511sc.org.

This story was originally published January 24, 2025 at 9:55 AM.

There are two lawsuits related to the Silfab manufacturing plant construction.

FORT MILL, S.C. — A South Carolina judge has issued a stay in a lawsuit involving Silfab Solar's controversial manufacturing plant in Fort Mill, pending the resolution of a separate case between the company and local zoning officials.

The Jan. 29 ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by the Citizens Alliance for Government Integrity and Fort Mill residents against Silfab. The plaintiffs argue the development poses environmental and safety risks to nearby properties and schools.

The case has drawn increased scrutiny after York County officials approved a permit for the Canada-based solar panel manufacturer, despite initially denying it. Residents say the approval came without public notice.

"I don't want it anywhere near Fort Mill," Jessica Axe, a local resident whose 10-year-old daughter attends school near the planned facility, said. "One wrong backfire from a car, light a match the wrong way — the whole area could explode."

The project has faced opposition since September 2023, when York County leaders approved a tax break deal promising hundreds of jobs. Residents have expressed concerns about air pollutants and safety, particularly given the plant's proximity to planned schools.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control previously said its analysis found the plant's emissions would fall below federal limits, with Silfab proposing to install wet acid scrubbers for emission control.

York County officials clarified that a May 2024 permit only covers parking lot design changes and utility relocation, not the construction of a solar cell facility.

The judge declined to issue a stay on construction permits while the zoning appeal is pending.

Silfab Solar issued the following statement to WCNC Charlotte in response to the ruling:

“We are pleased with the Court’s decision to allow construction to continue by refusing to revoke or stay our permits. As we indicated from the beginning of this case, we hope that the BZA appeal and mediation will bring clarity and finality to this matter, and we plan to continue to pursue that goal as the judge has ordered. While that process continues, we will keep moving forward with construction, and we remain committed to bringing significant economic benefits to this region while prioritizing the health and safety of our employees and our neighbors.“

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

As one restaurant announced it’s leaving Main Street in Fort Mill, several other projects are in line to grow the commercial scene downtown.

Center Theatre Pizza & Ice Cream posted a goodbye message on its Facebook page Tuesday. The Main Street eatery that opened two years ago offered “a heartfelt thank you to all in the Fort Mill community who welcomed us and supported our small venture” before noting it is closed and won’t reopen.

Employees were given notice, according to the post, and customers can redeem gift cards at Emmet’s Social Table in Waxhaw, North Carolina. The pizza and ice cream spot at 100 Main St. was an Emmet’s Social Table small plate restaurant before the fall 2023 switch.

Just hours after the Center Theatre closing post, the town’s Historic Review Board gave unanimous approval for two projects related to new business downtown. The historic district, largely properties on or near Main Street, require approvals from that board for building or design changes.

One project involves the former Kimbrell’s Furniture building.

Developer Growing Main applied for several changes aimed at opening the 232 Main St. property to new tenants. One proposed tenant, Treadstone Defensive Tactics, is listed in documents submitted to the town. Plans show five suites on two levels, the first floor on Main and a basement.

The review board decision allows Growing Main to remove an old loading ramp at the rear of the property and replace it with a new entrance, stairwells and a covered patio area.

The former Kimbrell’s site is far from the oldest building on Main. It was built in 1956, while others date back to the early 1900s or earlier. But along with Fort Mill Barber Shop right beside it, Kimbrell’s was one of the longer-running businesses at a single spot on Main. Kimbrell’s sold the property three years ago.

Growing Main approached the Historic Review Board about the site in late 2022.

The Kimbrell’s building and the warehouse beside it at 102 Tom Hall St. would transition into a possible restaurant or brewery with other tenants, the developer proposed at the time. Online property listings still show the two buildings, which combine for more than 17,000 square feet of space, with leasing options available.

The Historic Review Board also approved new projecting and door signs at 106 Confederate St. for Mackey Realty. That address is off the side of 124 Main St., where clothing and accessories company Vestique now operates in the former and long-time home of the Fort Mill Times newspaper.

The most recent tenant at 106 Confederate St. was the Hobbs-Threet law firm. Mackey Realty is a real estate firm with other offices in Charlotte, Columbia and Asheville, North Carolina.

Other review board decisions in recent months include signage or other changes for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate at 100 Main St., Modulex at 219 Main St., Blue Root Acupuncture at 227 Main St. and Bossy Beulah’s at 314 N. White Street.

Nearby, former business sites are changing. They include improvements at Elisha Park and work toward a new town hall.

Removing the asphalt trail at Elisha Park and putting in a concrete one is the latest phase of improvements that already brought an amphitheater, swings and a new playground.

The park is near Main Street, where the Springs Mill once stood. Beside it, the former Springs Global office building is being renovated for use as a new town hall.

This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 6:00 AM.

One of Fort Mill’s most iconic businesses will close in February, but only for a month.

The Peach Stand at 1325 Hwy. 160 West will shut down Feb. 2 and won’t reopen until March 1. The popular grocery store, filling station and fresh fruit purveyor posted the decision Saturday on its Facebook page.

“After nearly 50 years of service, our building will be undergoing some necessary updates to help us continue to run efficiently and safely,” the post read.

The Peach Stand is one of the town’s oldest and most identifiable businesses.

Generations of Fort Mill residents have counted the seasons in part by the availability of spring strawberries or summer peaches from Springs Farms. The store at the intersection of S.C. 160 and U.S. 21 has grown to include a restaurant, butcher shop and bakery.

On Monday morning, store manager Sherri McMurray offered details on what will change and what won’t. Some people, McMurray said, took the post to mean the store would get a full remodel.

“That’s not happening,” she said. “What we’re doing is back of house type things. We’re upgrading our entire electrical system, upgrading plumbing, rebuilding a freezer in the back.”

McMurray doesn’t know the total investment amount for the upgrades. The building has been there since the late 1970s. McMurray arrived in 1998.

Some people who read the initial post may be disappointed, she said, to find out most of the changes are internal.

“It’s a lot of work,” McMurray said. “It’s work that we can’t do and remain open at the same time, but it’s not something that’s going to be immediately noticeable when people walk in the door.”

Others, though, may be relieved.

Some of the many dozens of people who posted comments on The Peach Stand post didn’t want too much to change. Others did a double take when they saw “closure” in a Peach Stand post.

“I just let out the biggest gasp and my husband was like what’s wrong?” Shannon King commented. “Then I kept reading. So glad it’s just renovations.”

Jan Rogers stated that the store will be missed, even for a month.

“I value The Peach Stand, and go there several times a week,” Rogers wrote. “This hits home with me. I will definitely welcome the month of March, 2025 when you re-open for business!”

Comments called The Peach Stand a go-to place for raw milk, Amish butter, fresh meat cuts and, recently, Christmas shopping.

All the same local produce and products will be available in March, McMurray said. The February closing was strategic, since it fits in between busy seasons.

“That was exactly our thinking,” McMurray said. “We got through the holidays which is a real busy season. It slows a bit in January and February before we get ready for strawberries. We definitely wanted things to be done prior to strawberry season.”

McMurray considered leaving the gas station open, but opted not to since there will be periodic power outages due to the upgrades. Also, it might have confused customers if they could use the gas pumps but not come inside the store.

The main way customers can support the store is to stop by this month to shop, then again in March.

“It feels like a big deal, closing for a month,” McMurray said. “It’s big to us. It’s things that we need to do to ensure that our building is going to last a long, long time.”

This story was originally published January 13, 2025 at 11:16 AM.

The Herald

803-329-4076

John Marks graduated from Furman University in 2004 and joined the Herald in 2005. He covers community growth, municipalities, transportation and education mainly in York County and Lancaster County. The Fort Mill native earned dozens of South Carolina Press Association awards and multiple McClatchy President’s Awards for news coverage in Fort Mill and Lake Wylie.