Home Care In Cayce, SC

Brookland-Cayce High School will host 16 basketball teams December 19-22 for the annual Cayce Roundball Classic tournament.

The event, in its fourth year, will be held in the Lexington Two high school’s arena and will include teams representing three states, with two brackets and two champions.

Participating basketball teams include AC Flora High School, Greer High School, North Augusta High School, Providence Day (North Carolina), Lower Richland High School, Gray Collegiate, Oceanside Collegiate, Spring Valley High School, Marion High School, New Hampstead High School (Georgia), Cross Creek High School (Georgia), Hiram High School (Georgia), Brookland-Cayce High School, Sumter High School, Lancaster High School, and Camden High School.

“The Cayce Roundball Classic brings South Carolina’s best high school basketball to one venue. The tournament brings a lot of excitement to our community, and many look forward to watching the games," said Robert Wells, tournament director and basketball coach at Brookland-Cayce High School.

Tickets are $12 online through GoFan on the Brookland-Cayce website and at https://gofan.co/app/school/SC286. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Only clear bags will be allowed in the arena during the tournament.

Cayce Roundball Classic Schedule

December 19

American Bracket

Cross Creek vs. Sumter 7 p.m.

Marion vs. North Augusta 8:30 p.m.

December 20

National Bracket

Oceanside Collegiate vs. Greer 1 p.m.

Hiram vs. Spring Valley 2:30 p.m.

New Hampstead vs. Lower Richland 4 p.m.

Camden vs. Lancaster 7 p.m.

American Bracket

A.C. Flora vs. Providence Day 5:30 p.m.

Gray Collegiate vs. Brookland-Cayce 8:30 p.m.

December 21

National Bracket

Consolation Games 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Winner’s Bracket 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

American Bracket

Consolation Games 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Semifinals 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

December 22

National Bracket

Seventh-place game 11:30 a.m.

Fifth-place game 2:30 p.m.

Third-place game 4 p.m.

Final 7 p.m.

American Bracket

Seventh-place game 10 a.m.

Fifth-place game 1 p.m.

Third-place game 5:30 p.m.

Final 8:30 p.m.

An expansion of public lands in Cayce, anticipated for a couple years, has come to pass.

The state Department of Natural resources announced that it has completed the purchase of the 644-acre Taylor Tract to add to the Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve, more than doubling the size of the now 1,286-acre preserve.

The nonprofit land preservation group Open Space Institute bought the property for $7 million last year, with the intention being to sell it to the state for the same price. That intention was fulfilled, as DNR reports it bought the property for $7.3 million, including $6.3 million from the department’s Heritage Trust Program and $1 million from the S.C. Conservation Bank, “in partnership with the Open Space Institute.”

“What a great day for the Midlands. What a great day for our conservation partners. What a great day for the state of South Carolina,” DNR Director Robert Boyles is quoted in a release recounting a dedication ceremony held Oct. 20.

The purchase has been hotly anticipated by Cayce, one of two projects looking to enhance the public’s ability to enjoy the outdoors in the area.

A visitor’s center for the 12,000 Year History Park, a city-owned amenity that comprises 350 acres and adjoins the Timmerman Trail and connects to the Cayce Riverwalk, continues through its planning phases, aided by a $1 million grant from the state that was announced in 2021.

The River Alliance, the local nonprofit that guides efforts to expand and enhance river amenities around the Midlands, reported in April that the visitor’s center project was moving forward with final permitting.

“I think they’re both unique assets, especially to be found within an urbanized city,” Cayce City Manager Tracy Hegler told the Chronicle in February. “So to play them off of each other in terms of a full robust tourism attraction to this area — I don’t know what would be similar to it anywhere else.”

Indeed, the uses detailed by DNR for the preserve are considerable.

“Of the 644 acres, 241 acres are upland sandhill ecosystem and 403 acres are wetlands that will be protected from development,” the release states. “The property allows for 10 miles of hiking trails and 10 miles of canoe and kayak paddling. Six Mile and Congaree creeks offer fishing opportunities.

“That’s significant given that the heart of the Midlands has limited public recreation properties of this type, said Sean Taylor, senior archaeologist with the SCDNR Heritage Trust Program.”

The release additionally notes that adding the Taylor Tract forms “a large anchor to protect the Congaree Creek watershed, laying the groundwork for a more comprehensive watershed preservation project” and that there is evidence of human habitation dating back 12,000 years on the property.

“This expansion will double the size of the Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve, making it 25 percent larger than Central Park and one of the largest urban preserves this side of the Mississippi River,” state Sen. Nikki Setzler (D-Lexington), whose district covers Cayce and West Columbia, is quoted. “The Taylor family, who owned this property, has worked to help us preserve this property to be enjoyed by future generations. It is a tremendous benefit to the people of South Carolina.”

Keywords

congaree creek heritage preserve, lexington county public land, sc department of natural resources, cayce attraction

The ‘canyon’ was once a small stream that carried water from a drainage pipe, but now it’s a ravine that residents say their yards are slowly falling into.

CAYCE, S.C. — A handful of Cayce residents say erosion has ruined their yards and made it impossible to sell their houses, thanks to a creek they call ‘Cayce Canyon.' The residents want the City of Cayce to intervene.

“We are tired of being a hostage of Cayce,” said resident Karen Dawkins.

Dawkins has lived in the avenues of Cayce for thirty years. Her yard backs up to the riverwalk and right behind her fence is ‘Cayce Canyon.'

“Property values have decreased steadily,” Dawkins said. “Making it not feasible to sell our homes at the same time with the damage that continues to be done.”

The ‘canyon’ was once a small stream that carried water from a drainage pipe, but now it’s a deep ravine that residents say their yards are slowly falling into.

“We have lost one telephone pole already,” Dawkins said. “We've lost our fences. Our property has been deemed unsafe from the midpoint to what's now the bank.”

What used to be a flat back yard has become a steep hill, and now her house’s foundation is cracking. American Engineering Consultants review found that development in the area caused increased stormwater flow, and the ditch is significantly over capacity.

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Dawkins has reached out to everyone she can think of for help.

“The first thing we did was contact our city leaders,” Dawkins said. “Our city leaders told us that they were not solely responsible, that they even did a water study back in 2016 and found that the water coming onto the city's property comes from different entities.”

City officials say they are aware of the issue. "We're constantly looking for funding, whether it's via grants or talking to our state representatives or federal representatives, to help tackle this project,” Cayce City Manager Tracy Hegler said.

The City of Cayce recently received a $10 million rural infrastructure grant. The money’s from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and it’s going towards drainage issues in the Avenues. Hegler says a portion of this money is going to what residents call the ‘Cayce Canyon.'

“There'll be a little bit more on what we're calling the indigo basin, where we've started our work already,” Hegler said. “Some of our citizens are already seeing the great impact of that, and it will address what's kind of the next outfall in the Avenues drainage area, which is the Naples basin, and so we will be able to, we will be, we will be working on that.”

For residents, it may be the end of a decades-long issue.

“Cayce’s motto is 'Time for Life.'" We've been waiting over 20 years for ours,” Dawkins said.

Residents may see improvements soon, as the City of Cayce says the grant money must be spent in the next two years.

The City of Cayce is making efforts toward preserving historic Black cemeteries.

CAYCE, S.C. — For more than a year now, the City of Cayce has been working on preserving the final resting places of founding members of the community, and specifically people from the Black community.

City Grant Manager Taylor Gray applied for a Federal Historic Preservation Grant to conduct a survey of local African-American Cemeteries. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History awarded the city $15,000, and the city has matched the funds to make the funding $30,000 for the project.

Stantec, an engineering company in Columbia, was contracted for the project and gave a 20-minute presentation on Tuesday about what they found in surveying several plots of land with marked and unmarked graves. Kimberly Hinder with Stantec gave the presentation and explained the findings.

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"In summary, we identified seven African American cemeteries and four that may have had some African American burials within the city limits. We're recommending ground-penetrating radar for most of the sites in order to determine the number of burials and boundaries for the cemeteries," Hinder explained.

The company plans to continue researching each cemetery location they have looked at and hopefully have the community point them toward more graves. According to Cayce Cayce Museum Curator Andy Thomas, there is no timeline for the preservations project just yet.

"I think it's going to be a long term, and then as far as preservation, that's long-term. What are you going to put into it, your resources, and what you're going to put into it," Thomas said.

Chicora, a local cemetery preservation foundation, is not involved with this particular project but their director, Michael Trinkley, says preservation and restoration done right, should take time.

"Finding the cemeteries is certainly a great first step, but the second step needs to be, 'What are we going to do with them?'. Too often, people think once you record the stones... you've got all the information you need... Cemeteries are sacred, protected spaces under South Carolina law... so there's a lot more to the preservation of cemeteries, than just finding them. Usually, however complex and time-consuming finding them is, coming up with what you're going to do with them... is even more extensive," Trinkley said.

69-year-old Anthony Weston took time after the Tuesday night presentation to walk through the Saint Anne Cemetery behind City Hall, where generations of his family have been buried. Weston says he and his family are thrilled that more effort will be taken toward preserving Black history in Cayce.

"I'm glad they're doing this because you go into the museum and it looks like no Black people were ever in Cayce," Weston said.

To share information with Stantec on any unmarked graves in Cayce, contact Kimberly Hinder by email at [email protected] or call at (813) 367-0969.

CAYCE — Customers are climbing the walls at the newest business in Cayce.

Capital Climbing Cayce opened its doors at Parkland Plaza on May 30 to those who backed the project in advance. The gym will open to the public on June 10.

It adds an outdoor attraction in the Midlands that had been lacking as the community becomes more of a draw to outdoor enthusiasts.

The gym has more than 2,000 feet of space for those who want to work on bouldering and rock climbing at different levels of difficulty, with marked routes on the walls to follow.

The walls rise up to eight feet and are inclined outward, with thick padding welcoming those who have lost their grip.

For those who like to rock climb, having a spot right in Cayce to enjoy the sport is a boon.

“It’s good to have good bouldering here, five minutes from my apartment,” said Garfield Fowler, a University of South Carolina student who was trying out the new walls on the first day that members could use the space.

The idea is to have a destination for those who love rock climbing and bouldering but also have a place where newcomers can try the sport, owner Chris Neal said.

Capital Climbing even has climbing shoes in a variety of sizes that can be rented.

“One of the things that we wanted to offer was the opportunity to walk by, come in off the the street and not feel like they weren’t welcome,” Neal said.

It has taken months to get the space open for customers. Years ago the space was a dollar store, Neal said.

To convert it, he had to remove the drop ceiling and vinyl floors, then work with a Utah company, Vertical Solutions, to install walls and rock pads.

The space also needed a new roof and air-conditioning system.

The climbing walls include a Kilter Board, which has a huge variety of holds and is electronic, so can be programmed with an app to highlight routes of varying difficulty.

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It slopes inward at 45 degrees from vertical.

Some space at the gym allow children to climb, Neal said, adding that he has brought his own kids in to test the difficulty for younger customers.

Scouts’ designer

Scout Motors, which will build pickups and SUVs in Blythewood, has made one of its most important decisions as it ramps up.

Scout has selected Chris Benjamin as its chief design officer, the company announced May 30.

Benjamin is a veteran of automotive design, working with such brands as Jeep, BMW and Ram Trucks. Most recently he was leading interior designs at at Stellantis North America, the parent company of Chrysler.

“His thumb prints are all over many of the most beloved off-road vehicles in the market today,” Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh said.

Benjamin said in a statement that Scout’s classic designs have been among his favorites.

“They created the archetype for the modern SUV in the ’60s and proved that a daily driver could also be a weekend adventurer,” Benjamin said. “My task now is to balance the iconic design language of the past with all of the innovative possibilities that electrification unlocks.”

The company, part of Volkswagen, picked Blythewood in March for its $2 billion assembly plant. Production there is projected to start at the end of 2026.

Esther’s closes

Richard Conklin, sounded like anything but someone who was done with restaurants as he announced the closing of Esther’s Soul Food + Kitchen, the restaurant in the Village at Sandhill.

Conklin, who announced the closing of the restaurant on its Facebook page on May 21, talked about the challenges of the restaurant industry but also sounded like new plans are already underway.

“I’m working on a lot of things right now,” Conklin said. “I am not giving up.”

One new thing already has been rolled out: Conklin will be doing live cooking shows in Instagram and pop-up soul food events, with the first set for June 25 at 730 Polo Road.