Personal Injury Attorneyin Aiken, SC.

4 Cats in the Doghouse play jazz from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays at The Willcox, 100 Colleton Ave.

Brain and Body Fitness will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays at Aiken Senior Life Services, 1310 E. Pine Log Road. The fitness program uses a chair and addresses primary aging skills that include cognitive function, fall prevention, breathing, mobility and more. The cost is $8 per class. For more information or to register, call 803-648-5447 x. 0 or visit aikensenior.org.

The Back to Basics Alcoholics Anonymous group will meet in-person at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 961 Trail Ridge Road. Masks are encouraged for those who are not vaccinated.

The First Day Hike will be held Monday, Jan. 1, at Aiken State Park. Join a park ranger and hike the 2.7 mile Jungle Trail. There will be two sessions at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Attendees can bring water, binoculars, insect repellent and should wear hiking shoes. Admission is free. For more information, go to visitaikensc.com/events.

Aiken Women in Black and Moms Demand Action will hold a Vigil for Peace and Nonviolence Monday, Jan. 1, from 4-5 p.m. on Whiskey Road across from The Fresh Market and Moe’s. Start 2024 right: join us in seeking a path to peace for all. Everyone is welcome – men, women and children. Bring a nonpartisan sign or use one of ours. If you can’t stand, bring a chair. For more information, contact Lynn (501-499-4485) or Brenda (803-648-6020).

Coloring for Grownups will be held from 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays Jan. 2 and 16 in the creative lab on the first floor of the Aiken County Public Library, 314 Chesterfield St. S.W. Those attending should bring colored pencils and felt pens. Coloring sheets and refreshments will be provided. To sign up or for more information, call the reference desk at 803-642-2020 ext. 3.

Author and illustrator Ashley Belote will visit the Aiken County Public Library Saturday, Jan. 27, at 11 a.m. There will be story time, learning to draw a book character and a book signing. Registration opens Tuesday, Jan. 2 at the circulation desk or by calling 803-642-2020 x. 1121. Books will be available to purchase with cash, check or credit card.

The Center for Lifelong Learning will hold a Registration and Open House for the spring semester Wednesday, Jan. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 122 of the Business and Education building on the campus of USC Aiken. The catalog of courses is available at aikenlearning.org.

Storytime will be held Wednesdays, Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 at the Aiken County Public Library. The event features songs and stories for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. For children ages 0-2, storytime will be held from 10:15-10:45 a.m. For children ages 3-5, it will be held from 11-11:30 a.m. Children of any age can join. Registration is required.

The Aiken Newcomers Club will hold their January lunch meeting Tuesday, Jan. 9 at Newberry Hall. The menu includes Grilled Chicken Newberry, orzo and pound cake with strawberries. The cost of lunch is $20 and a check is preferable. The deadline for reservations is Thursday, Jan. 4. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. and the meeting starts at 10 a.m. For reservations or cancelations, contact Debbye Fenton at 803-262-7397 (A-L) or Barb Novak at 803-507-3356 (M-W).

Adult French Conversation will be held at the Aiken County Public Library from 2-3:30 p.m. on Fridays. This is not for beginners. You must have some knowledge of French and be able to speak at an intermediate – advanced level. Contact Karine at the circulation desk to register. Call 803-642-2020 ext. 2.

“Oppenheimer,” rated R, will be shown at 1 p.m. at the Aiken County Public Library, 314 Chesterfield St.

Robotics for Tweens and Teens will be held at the Aiken County Public Library Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 4:15-5:15 p.m. No experience or supplies needed. Just bring your enthusiasm and creativity. Register starting Nov. 1 at the circulation desk or by calling 803-642-2020 ext. 1121. For ages 11-18.

Storytime will be held Wednesdays, Jan. 10, 17, 24 and 31 at the Aiken County Public Library. The event features songs and stories for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. For children ages 0-2, storytime will be held from 10:15-10:45 a.m. For children ages 3-5, it will be held from 11-11:30 a.m. Children of any age can join. Registration is required.

A Teen Sip and Paint will be held at the Aiken County Public Library Thursday, Jan. 11 from 6-7:15 p.m. Teens can drink hot chocolate while they paint. Register at the circulation desk or by calling 803-642-2020 ext. 1121. For grades 6-12.

Adult French Conversation will be held at the Aiken County Public Library from 2-3:30 p.m. on Fridays. This is not for beginners. You must have some knowledge of French and be able to speak at an intermediate – advanced level. Contact Karine at the circulation desk to register. Call 803-642-2020 ext. 2.

A Winter Reading Challenge will be held through Jan. 15. Participants can complete activities to get bingo and be entered for a drawing to win a Books-A-Million gift card. Bingo sheets will be available beginning Monday, Dec. 11, or online at abbe.beanstack.com/reader365.

The Aiken Choral Society will begin rehearsals for The Great American Musical on Monday, Jan. 15 at Cornerstone Baptist Church. The concert date is Sunday, May 5 at 4 p.m. at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 104 Newberry St. New members are welcome. For more information, visit aikenchoralsociety.org.

A Book Club will meet on the third and fourth Tuesday in the first floor meeting room at 2:30-3:45 p.m. Group B meets Jan. 16 and will discuss “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Stepped Out The Window And Disappeared” by Jonas Jonnason. Group A meets Jan. 23 and discuss “The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer. Sign up at the information desk on the second floor by calling 803-642-2020 ext. 3.

Coloring for Grownups will be held from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 in the creative lab on the first floor of the Aiken County Public Library, 314 Chesterfield St. S.W. Those attending should bring colored pencils and felt pens. Coloring sheets and refreshments will be provided. To sign up or for more information, call the reference desk at 803-642-2020 ext. 3.

Storytime will be held Wednesdays, Jan. 17, 24 and 31 at the Aiken County Public Library. The event features songs and stories for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. For children ages 0-2, storytime will be held from 10:15-10:45 a.m. For children ages 3-5, it will be held from 11-11:30 a.m. Children of any age can join. Registration is required.

Adult French Conversation will be held at the Aiken County Public Library from 2-3:30 p.m. on Fridays. This is not for beginners. You must have some knowledge of French and be able to speak at an intermediate – advanced level. Contact Karine at the circulation desk to register. Call 803-642-2020 ext. 2.

The Aiken County Historical Society will hold a joint meeting with the Historic Aiken Foundation Sunday, Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. at the Aiken County Historical Museum. Howard Wayt will speak about the Inclined Plane, which was an important component of the original train system that started in Charleston and went through Aiken on its way to Hamburg and the Savannah River in 1833. For more information, contact Allen Riddick at 803-649-6050.

Storytime will be held Wednesdays, Jan. 24 and 31 at the Aiken County Public Library. The event features songs and stories for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. For children ages 0-2, storytime will be held from 10:15-10:45 a.m. For children ages 3-5, it will be held from 11-11:30 a.m. Children of any age can join. Registration is required.

Adult French Conversation will be held at the Aiken County Public Library from 2-3:30 p.m. on Fridays. This is not for beginners. You must have some knowledge of French and be able to speak at an intermediate – advanced level. Contact Karine at the circulation desk to register. Call 803-642-2020 ext. 2.

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” rated PG-13, will be shown Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. at the Aiken County Public Library, 314 Chesterfield St.

The Friends of the Aiken County Public Library will hold their annual meeting Saturday, Jan. 27 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Editor’s note: The Aiken Standard is counting down its top 10 local stories for 2023 from Dec. 19-30.

This year started with a big announcement in the city of Aiken.

Then Aiken Mayor Pro Tempore Ed Woltz announced initial plans that implied the Savannah River National Laboratory would construct, using $20 million of the state’s plutonium settlement, and occupy a building in downtown Aiken.

The city would issue a document within 45-60 days to find a buyer willing to keep the Hotel Aiken and transform it into a usable hotel or find another use for the building, then-Mayor Rick Osbon added.

The city’s former Municipal Building, 214 Park Ave., was to be sold to Aiken County for use as Second Circuit Solicitor’s offices.

In the 11 months and four days since those plans were announced at the Jan. 23 state of the city, the public has learned more about those plans, and they’ve changed.

The biggest piece of information is that the national lab would have nothing to do with the construction of the building.

In fact, the South Carolina General Assembly allocated $20 million to an unspecified governmental entity to construct a building in which the Savannah River National Laboratory could lease space for a workforce development center.

And the leadership at the national lab decided they would like to lease space in a building in downtown Aiken.

Another piece of information that the public learned is that the city will likely work with the Aiken Corporation on the project.

The role of the Aiken Corporation was not announced in the state of the city address, even though the Aiken Corporation contacted McMillan Pazdan Smith for a feasibility study before the annual meeting.

At a meeting to gather public input, the feasibility study was presented as an examination of the possibility of building on the site of the Holley House, Warneke Cleaners and “possibly” the Taj Aiken building.

The feasibility study was later expanded — without a vote from the Aiken City Council or Aiken Corporation board — to include four other sites:

• the parking lot next to the new Municipal Building (111 Chesterfield St. S.W.);

• the former location of the Busbee, Hunter and Bodenheimer law firm on Newberry Street;

• the former Department of Public Safety headquarters on Laurens Street; and

• the old Aiken County Hospital (Washington, D.C.-based developer Tracey Turner acquired the right to purchase the hospital earlier this year.).

The size of the building was also changed. The estimated size in January was 45,000 square feet. The study, however, indicates the building needs to be 36,000 square feet, which includes 24,000 square feet for the national lab and 12,000 for a conference and meeting area.

The Aiken Corporation board voted to recommend the city build on the Newberry Street site, but the city council has yet to take action on the recommendation. The Aiken Corporation has also begun the process of seeking an architectural firm to design the building.

The request for proposal for the Hotel Aiken also evolved and was delayed. The Aiken City Council voted Dec. 11 to issue a document seeking a real estate firm to find a buyer for the hotel.

The Aiken County Council recently voted to purchase the former Municipal Building. The next step is for the city council to agree to sell it, and that is expected to happen in January.

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Editor’s note: The Aiken Standard is counting down its top 10 local stories for 2023 from Dec. 19-30.

Since 2018, Aiken County has failed to close three deals to sell the old Aiken County hospital.

A fourth is on the table, and Tracey Turner has until March 31 of next year to finalize the latest agreement and purchase the historic brick building for $950,000.

County Administrator Brian Sanders recently has communicated with Turner and the news received was positive.

“I sent him an email on 12/4/23 asking if the project was progressing,” Sanders told the Aiken Standard. “He replied soon thereafter via email: ‘Yes, we are on track to success.’”

Aiken Area Education

Turner is the CEO and owner of Turner Development LLC, which is based in Washington, D.C.

He was born and raised in Aiken County and is a 1992 graduate of Midland Valley High School.

During the summer, Turner held a town hall-style meeting at the old hospital’s 9.44-acre site on Richland Avenue West in Aiken to discuss his redevelopment plan.

It received a favorable response from the approximately 50 people in attendance.

Turner told them he wants to renovate the old hospital and put luxury condominiums in the 66,072-square-foot structure.

He said his proposal also included the construction of a 41,000-square-foot office building, townhomes, apartments, a parking deck and several commercial structures that would range in size from 1,600 to 3,000 square feet.

Turner also spoke about other amenities the mixed-used project would provide.

Aiken City Council in November voted unanimously to approve the second and final readings of two ordinances related to the old hospital. One involved rezoning the property and the other addressed Turner’s concept plan.

Prior to those decisions, the Aiken Standard published a story containing details about the legal issues in Turner’s background, which include elder abuse allegations, unpaid debts and a 2019 bankruptcy petition.

SALLEY — Dozens of volunteers and hundreds of donors pooled their efforts and money again this year in support of the annual Toys for Tots program, helping provide Christmas goodies for kids around Aiken County, and an unusual business in Salley played a substantial — and traditional — role in the collection process.

Employees of the Savannah River Site always provide a massive portion of the donated gifts, and supporters of Dixiana Wholesale and Auction, in Salley, have established the custom of adding tons of presents to the process.

“They are very productive,” said Marine Corps League member Joel Williams, the Toys for Toys coordinator for Aiken County, who works in partnership with the local Salvation Army to help keep goodies moving toward households in need.

Wagener resident Karen Fish owns Dixiana, and her husband, Marine Corps veteran Stan Fish, helps orchestrate the the business’ Toys for Tots campaign, which gathers goodies every month of the year.

“We’ve been probably doing it a total of 10 years,” Stan said, recalling seven years at the current location (115 Depot Ave. S.E.) and three at the original site in Cayce, which was on Dixiana Road, providing the name for the business.

He also shared the roots of his involvement in the annual Christmas charity, dating back to his military years (1978-82).

“When I was in the Marines, the first thing that I ever got volunteered for — if you’ve ever been in the service, they volunteer you for stuff — was Toys for Tots, and it really touched me, so I’ve been about Toys for Tots ever since, and then when I went into business, one of the first people that came to my auctions, when I moved to Salley, was a guy named Jimmy Edwards, who was a fellow Marine, and he was heavy into Toys for Tots, and we hooked up and I started doing Toys for Tots with him.”

The 32nd Annual Christmas in Hopelands event will transform Hopelands Gardens in Aiken, South Carolina, December 9-22nd from 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Guests can spend time with friends and family as they stroll through Gardens, taking in the sights and sounds of the holiday season while sipping hot cocoa or apple cider. This enchanting walk-through exhibit features over two miles of lighted pathways and illuminated displays. With over 100,000 twinkling lights, this event should be at the top of your holiday bucket list.

The Doll House, Clifford S. Gerde Carriage Museum, Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and the Rye Patch Stables will be open and decorated for visitors to enjoy.

In partnership with Aiken County Habitat for Humanity, s’more kits will be available for purchase during the event for $5 (cash only) at Rye Patch, where you can roast your marshmallows at our fire pit and enjoy fun holiday activities for children.

Complimentary refreshments will be served in the Hall of Fame courtyard and outside the Guest Cottage. In addition, Santa Claus will be onsite to hear your child’s Christmas wishes and take what is sure to become a treasured photo (parents must accompany children at all times). Live entertainment is provided on the Roland H. Windham Performing Arts Stage at 7:00 p.m. Spectators should bring a blanket or use the natural amphitheater seating to enjoy the shows. Performances are subject to change. December 9 – TBD December 10 – Catherine GGT Productions Presents “A Merry Christmas” December 11- Jolly fellow Choristers December 12 – Southern Elite Cloggers December 13 – Aiken Sheriff’s Pipes and Drums December 14 – East Aiken School for the Arts December 15 – Renovate Ballet December 16 – Suzuki Strings December 17 – Aiken High Jazz Band December 18 – AAA Homeschool Band December 19 – Jolly fellow Choristers December 20 – Brooke Lundy and John Vaughn December 21- Unity Dance Company December 22 – Josh Martin

All guests should use the shuttle service to Hopelands, which runs continuously from Citizens Park, located at 1060 Banks Mill Road, from 5:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. each night. The last shuttle to view Christmas in Hopelands leaves Citizens Park at 8:45 p.m. General public parking is not allowed at Hopelands, Rye Patch, Fermata Club, or Green Boundary Club. However, handicapped parking is available at 135 Dupree Place. No animals are allowed on shuttle vehicles. There is no cost to enter the event or to utilize the shuttle service.

While Christmas in Hopelands is a free event, donations are accepted. Donation boxes are located at each entrance. Donations may also be mailed to: City of Aiken Parks, Recreation & Tourism Department, Christmas in Hopelands, P.O. Box 1177, Aiken, SC 29802. If you have questions about Christmas in Hopelands, please call 803-642-7631 or visit www.aikenismagical.com.

If you are interested in learning about volunteer opportunities, call (803) 642-7650.

In the case of inclement weather, Christmas in Hopelands may be cancelled. Receive updates on cancellations by calling the City of Aiken Rain Out Hotline at (803) 643 4661 or sign up and opt-in to receive notifications by texting AIKENRAINALERT to 91896.

The City of Aiken Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism invites people of all ability levels to enjoy programs, parks, and facilities. Individuals needing special assistance to participate should notify PRT Administrative Office 48 hours in advance.

Christmas in Hopelands Flyer 2023

The City of Aiken Engineering & Utilities Department announces a water main break located at SALUDA STREET NORTHEAST and SUNDY AVENUE NORTHEAST. There are approximately 5 impacted service connections with low pressure or no water. A Boil Water Advisory will be issued once the water service is fully restored.

The following streets are affected:

SALUDA STREET NORTHEAST

Dukes Bar-B-Que has risen from the ashes, but the new version of the popular restaurant south of Aiken isn’t quite ready to welcome customers yet.

“We’re trying to open before the end of the year. That’s our biggest goal right now,” owner Christian Judy said Thursday following a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by the Aiken Chamber of Commerce.

“We’ve still got a couple of hurdles. We’ve got a few inspections to pass,” he added. “We couldn’t be more thankful for the community’s support because without it, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

Immediately following a fire that damaged Dukes in June 2022, Judy was hoping to reopen the eatery at 4258 Whiskey Road the following month.

But he soon decided that Dukes should be razed and rebuilt.

“We attempted to salvage our existing building, but we need to comply with current codes and also give ourselves the ability to meet the changing needs in the restaurant business,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “It was simply too inefficient and would take too long to save what is currently in place.”

Another factor was the increase in demand for Dukes’ food prior to the blaze.

“We have been beyond blessed the last 8 years by our community, but over that period of time, we have doubled our business,” Judy wrote. “As many of you know, we were struggling to sustain the sheer volume of business in our aging building.”

Making the new Dukes bigger and better wasn’t easy. The cost was approximately $2.8 million, Judy said, and he received only $800,000 in insurance money.

Security Federal Bank provided financing.

Dogwood Construction and the architectural firm McMillan Pazdan Smith played key roles, and so did Rock Creek Land Development, MAC Electric and Bradley Heating & Plumbing.

“It’s definitely been a difficult process for us,” Judy said. “One of the unfortunate things about being a small business is you don’t have a blueprint to follow that you’ve made three or four times. You have to work it out as you go through it.”

Supply chain issues and electrical challenges caused delays.

“There have been a lot of great business owners in the area that have helped us out in tremendous ways, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” Judy said.

The size of the new Dukes is approximately 7,800 square feet compared to around 4,600 previously, according to Judy.

Private dining and outdoor dining areas have been added.

“We went up from about 145 seats to a little over 220,” Judy said.

The parking lot also is larger.

“We’ve doubled our catering capacity,” Judy said. “We went from handling 500 to 1,000 people to [being able to provide food for] up to 2,000 people. That’s a huge boost.”

At the new Dukes, the barbecue will be cooked using charcoal instead of gas.

Charcoal gives the meat “a better taste,” Judy said. “It’s not necessarily way more smoky, but it has a lot more consistent flavor to it. It holds moisture a lot better, and it’s a better overall product.”

In another change, the new Dukes’ menu will offer more variety.

“Nothing has been taken off, but we’re adding things,” Judy said. “The biggest thing we’re adding is a salad bar.”

On the buffet, “[pulled] pork [barbecue], fried chicken, barbecue chicken, ribs and buffalo wings always will be there,” he continued, “but we’ll add a different meat every day on rotation.”

The options will include smoked turkey, fried fish and possibly shrimp, “but we’re still in negotiation on that one,” Judy said. “And we’ve got another meat that we’re working on right now.”

The new Dukes also will have more employees — 28 compared to 16 previously.

Many of the restaurant’s former workers and nearly all of the management team members are returning, Judy said.

The new Dukes’ will serve customers from 10:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from noon until 8 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, visit dukesbbqaiken.com or the Dukes Bar-B-Que Aiken page on Facebook.

The restaurant’s phone number is 803-649-7675.

Two years or so prior to the fire, Judy had considered building a new 7,400-square-foot Dukes in the Dominion Drive area south of Aiken, but that plan to move and expand didn’t get off the ground.

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Cato Fashions is closing its doors for good before Christmas on Aiken’s Southside.

The last day the store will be open is Dec. 24, according to a woman working there Tuesday.

She declined to comment on the record, but indicated that a lease-related issue was the reason why Cato was shutting down.

Located at 439 Fabian Drive in the Hitchcock Plaza shopping center, Cato sells women’s clothing, accessories and footwear.

The store is part of a retail chain operated by The Cato Corporation, which is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.

According to a recent earnings report by The Cato Corporation, it had 1,245 Cato, Versona, It’s Fashion/It’s Fashion Metro stores in 31 states as of Oct. 28.

More than 900 were Cato stores.

Wayland Henry Cato Jr., co-founder of The Cato Corporation and a native of Ridge Spring, died Nov. 4 in Charleston at the age of 100.

The only other Cato store in Aiken County is at 1235 Knox Ave. in The Shoppes @ North Augusta.

The other Cato locations in South Carolina include Barnwell, Batesburg-Leesville, Columbia and Lexington.

Among the Cato store sites in Georgia are Augusta and Evans.

A Dollar Tree and a Family Dollar Tree are set to be built in the Aiken area.

A sign along East Pine Log Road indicates a Dollar Tree will be built on the southeastern corner of East Pine Log Road and Banks Mill Road. And a developer plans to construct a Family Dollar Tree at 2530 Columbia Highway N.

The East Pine Log Road Dollar Tree is to be constructed on the former Carolina Fresh Farms site located at the at 1103 and 1123 Banks Mill Road.

Carolina Fresh Farms moved further east in 2021.

WTC of Banks Mill is developer of the property.

Records of South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond’s office indicate the company is based in South Carolina. The records add its registered agent is Thomas Goforth of Graniteville.

The Aiken City Council voted unanimously Oct. 9 to approve a request from WTC of Banks Mill to annex the property from Aiken County into the city of Aiken and to zone the property General Business.

When the Aiken City Council voted to approve the annexation and zoning request, what was being planned for the property was unknown.

Planning Director Marya Moultrie told the Aiken Planning Commission a developer does not have to submit a concept plan for City Council approval if the property is zoned General Business.

The planned size of the store is unknown.

A timeline for the construction and opening of the store is also unknown.

There are currently four Dollar Trees in the Aiken area. One is near Walmart on Richland Avenue, another is on the corner of Laurens Street and Rutland Drive, a third is located in the Shoppes on Whiskey and the fourth is located on the corner of Bettis Academy Road and Ascauga Lake Road near Graniteville.