Refrigerated Trailer for Rent in Georgetown, SC

Georgetown County Leaders are under fire for the proposal of a new rule that would ban fishing on public beaches from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. between May 1st to September 30th. On Tuesday, June 24th, the county council voted 5 to 0 on the second reading of the proposed fishing ban ordinance. If this new rule does come to be, it is essentially a summer daytime fishing ban off the beach from Garden City, South Carolina, to Cedars Island, South Carolina. This rule would not only apply to those fishing from the sand, but anyone fishing within 100 yards of the beach. So, be it a kayak, boat, or pier, if you are fishing within 100 yards of the sand, that would be banned for the summer as well.

In response to the backlash from many local anglers, visiting anglers, and local businesses that rely upon fishing to make their livelihood. Council Chair Clint Elliott attempted to clarify the real purpose of the ordinance with a statement on the Georgetown County Facebook page. Speaking of that, the real target of this new rule is land-based shark fishing guides, claiming that fishing will attract more sharks to the beach.

“Tuesday night at the June 24 regular County Council meeting, Ordinance 25-02 was on the agenda for second reading. This ordinance is in direct response to concerns from visitors and residents of Georgetown County regarding companies who come to our shores to do “Land Based Shark Fishing Tours.” These companies take advantage of the lack of regulation forbidding this type of dangerous activity and actively fish for dangerous animals for sport in areas that also attract people who come to the beach to relax and play in our waters to cool of during the hot South Carolina summers.

The statement goes on to state that the County council never meant to keep people from fishing and that this was all in the name of public safety. But many local anglers and businesses that rely on fishing are still not convinced, stating that sharks have always been in the waters around the beach and that fishing sharks out of the water would help reduce their numbers.

“Please know that we at Georgetown County NEVER intended to prohibit our residents and visitors from enjoying legal recreational activities and that our sole purpose was in the interest of public safety.”

For anglers or concerned citizens in Georgetown County, the final reading and vote on this new proposed rule will be on July 22nd.

PAWLEYS ISLAND — For the past six years Brian Jallema's family has made a summer trip from their Indiana home to Georgetown County.

Much of their two-week vacation is spent surf fishing.

“That’s our draw," he said. It "is fishing in the ocean. We don’t have any saltwater around us, so that’s why we come around here."

But for many tourists and locals, plans for casting a line may have to change if county leaders approve a summertime ban on fishing near the beach.

County Council on June 24 voted in favor of an ordinance that would restrict summertime bait and surf fishing on public beaches. The ordinance, which needs one more favorable vote to pass, would make surf fishing from beaches illegal between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. from May 1 to Sept. 30.

The ordinance was originally created to prohibit individuals and companies from actively fishing for sharks, County Council Chairman Clint Elliott said. The intent was to reduce the risk of injury to beachgoers.

Most anglers surf fish early in the morning and pack up once beaches start to get crowded, he said, but some people don’t.

“You don't want to hook a little kid in the foot, or an adult, or, you know, cause anybody any harm,” Elliott said.

Since word spread about the potential ban, many residents have pushed back against the ordinance, calling it too restrictive. Elliott said the county plans to tweak the wording of the ordinance to make its intent more clear. That could include changing or removing the restrictive hours, but Elliott said nothing has been decided.

County officials plan to meet with stakeholders and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources to discuss the ordinance and try to craft a policy that balances the interests of fishermen with public safety concerns, Elliott said.

"We're trying to get a happy compromise to protect the community, but also kind of minimize the blowback on it (the ordinance)," he said.

The ordinance would not apply to Huntington Beach State Park or the Town of Pawleys Island, which has its own fishing rules, said county spokeswoman Jackie Broach.

Neighboring Horry County has an ordinance that prohibits intentionally catching sharks from piers, beaches or any other coastal waters within one mile of the beach. The ordinance states that fishing from piers or beaches in a manner that presents an "unsafe condition" to beachgoers is illegal, and that anyone who surf fishes must obtain a valid South Carolina surf fishing license. It doesn’t include any restrictions on when surf fishing is allowed.

On the morning of June 26, Mickey Sweeney stood on the shore in the Pawleys Island area, gripping a fishing pole in front of him. He’d accidentally hooked a small, juvenile shark. He admired it for a moment before releasing it back into the waves.

Sweeney lives in Murrells Inlet. He said his fishing routine won’t change much if the proposed ordinance passes, except for when he takes his grandchildren fishing a few times a year. He usually arrives at the beach around 4 a.m. and is packed up by 8 a.m.

“I don’t want to see anybody be told, 'No,'" he said. "Myself, it won’t affect me."

Restricting fishing on heavily populated stretches of the beach or having designated fishing areas could be better solutions than what the county has proposed, he said.

GEORGETOWN — Shawn James worked at the International Paper mill for 30 years, and he doesn’t think Georgetown should say goodbye to heavy industry.

He’s started to rally other residents who feel the same way.

The 87-year-old IP mill, once a cornerstone of the coastal city’s economy, closed at the end of last year leaving nearly 700 workers and roughly 200 contractors without jobs.

In the wake of the closure, state and local leaders have been debating how Georgetown’s waterfront should be redeveloped. Some, like S.C. Rep. Lee Hewitt, R-Murrells Inlet, envision increased public access to the waterfront and mixed development on the Liberty Steel, IP and Georgetown port properties.

Others, such as state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Murrells Inlet, support a plan to create a biomass power plant on the IP property.

In April, a group called "Citizens for Georgetown" was formed with the goal of opposing the biomass plant and other heavy industry on the waterfront. It’s led by Tom Swatzel, a former county council member, and is a coalition of residents, business owners and community leaders, according to its website.

In response, James formed a new group — “Citizens for Georgetown (Common Sense Edition)” — which supports the creation of a biomass plant and preserving Georgetown’s industrial legacy.

“We believe Georgetown can grow while honoring its blue-collar backbone, and we won’t stand by while outsiders or elites rewrite our story,” the group’s Facebook page states.

A week after the group's creation on June 4, it had gained 1,400 followers.

James still hasn’t found a job to replace his position at the paper mill. Many of his friends are also still out of work, and some have to drive several hours each day to new jobs, he said.

He contends that opening a biomass plant would bring high-paying jobs back to the city. He doesn't think tourism jobs that could come with mixed-use development would provide enough income for people to support their families.

"People out there in the community need to understand this is something good," he said of the proposed biomass plant.

Goldfinch has also said the plant would provide opportunities for former IP workers as well as local loggers and developers.

In addition to the buyer hoping to create a biomass plant, there is at least one other contender for the IP property, officials have said.

State and local leaders have been meeting with a developer interested in purchasing the Liberty Steel mill property. The mill was idled last year, and on May 6 the city announced it would be demolished.

The interested developer intends to create mixed-use project on the property that could include affordable housing, parks, entertainment spaces and waterfront access. That developer is also interested in purchasing the IP site, Hewitt has said.

In April, the Citizens for Georgetown group led by Swatzel commissioned a survey to gauge resident opinions on the redevelopment of the Liberty Steel and IP properties. It sent a survey to 1,300 randomly selected Georgetown voters, and 352 responded, according to Swatzel.

The survey asked residents if they would support a biomass plant and if they would like to see mixed-use development with clean industry on the waterfront instead of heavy industry.

Roughly 70 percent of participants said they would oppose a biomass plant the survey described as bringing "more pollution, low-wage jobs, and no real plan to clean up the land or fix the crumbling infrastructure" and about 20 percent of people said they would support it.

The group also started a petition to keep a biomass plant off the IP property. So far, about 650 people have signed it, according to the Citizens for Georgetown Facebook page.

James argues the Citizens for Georgetown survey was biased and misleading. On June 9, he posted his own poll to the Citizens for Georgetown (Common Sense Edition) Facebook page. It asked if residents would prefer Georgetown remain industrial or become a tourism hub with restaurants, shops and attractions similar to Charleston.

Of the 665 people who had answered the survey by June 11, 96 percent said they would prefer a biomass plant and a return to heavy industry.

Community conversations

Former County Councilmember Everett Carolina has hosted two community information meetings in Georgetown regarding the potential biomass plant, which he opposes.

He's concerned about the potential health risks for residents of the West End neighborhood who have lived beside the paper mill for decades, as well as nearby communities.

"As the wind blows and the river flows, everybody could be affected," he said.

On May 23, he invited representatives from the Coastal Conservation League and the Sierra Club to speak at a meeting at the Soul Saving Station Church in Georgetown.

The groups warned of pollution and possible health problems that could come from living near a biomass plant.

"We have a lot of questions about this proposal," Becky Ryan, north coast director of the Coastal Conservation League, said. "The cost of the biomass plant will likely be very high, the carbon release will likely be high, the pollution will likely be high, and I hope IP and the other decision makers are really thinking this through."

James argued that a biomass plant on the IP property wouldn’t be anything new. The paper mill was already burning biomass to generate electricity for the plant, he said.

"People need to understand the infrastructure over there is already in place," he said.

It’s common for biomass plants in the U.S. to use wood pellets as their biomass source. James said he thinks that will likely be the case for a plant in Georgetown, too.

"If they started burning something that was very toxic over there, I wouldn’t be for that," he said. "But burning the same stuff that you burn in your fireplace at home? To make electricity that we all need? That’s a no-brainer."

James said biomass plants are carbon neutral, a statement supported by a new bio energy bill currently in the state Senate Committee on Medical Affairs.

But Paul Black, a member of the Sierra Club who is part of the organization’s Beyond Coal campaign, said that isn’t true. Biomass can emit more carbon than coal does, he said.

Heather Hillaker, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, seconded that assertion.

A third biomass community meeting will be held June 17 in the Winyah Auditorium at 7 p.m.

Although former councilman Carolina, Citizens for Georgetown and many residents of the West End have voiced opposition to the biomass plant, James said he wants to make it clear that not everyone feels that way.

"I just do not want a potential buyer to close their wallets and walk away thinking that the community doesn’t want them there," he said. "It’s far from the truth."

GEORGETOWN — Immediately upon entering Wicklow Hall’s grand house, guests are greeted by the river.

The foyer is wrapped in a custom mural painted with soft blues and greens — a river scene complete with coastal birds and an alligator that pays homage to a real-life gator, Oscar, who lives in a pond on the property.

It’s a fitting introduction to the newly opened boutique bed and breakfast, which seeks to honor and preserve the history and natural beauty of the Santee River Delta.

Judith Puckett-Rinella and her husband, David, spent a year renovating and restoring the historic Wicklow Hall while also balancing their day jobs.

”We just did this with our literal blood, sweat and tears, and the whole of our life savings," Puckett-Rinella said. "This is a legitimate labor of love."

Wicklow Hall, which opened to guests earlier this year, features a grand house with five guest suites as well as three cabins. Two of the cabins, The Lodge and The Cottage, are available for reservations. The third, called The Bungalow, is still undergoing renovations. Guests who choose to stay in the cabins have access to a private garden and hot tub.

Built in the early 1800s, Wicklow Hall has been home to several families and existed for many years as a gun club, Puckett-Rinella said.

Now, it’s been reborn as a venue for weddings, parties and weekend getaways.

When restoring a historic property, everything needs to be specially made, Puckett-Rinella said.

”The main thing about Wicklow is everything is custom. There’s not a straight wall or a straight floor. Everything’s leaning a certain direction because of its age,” she said.

The couple did almost all of the renovations themselves, and some of the furniture and decorations were handcrafted by family members. A maple slab table was made by the couple's daughter, and a bar was created by Puckett-Rinella and her cousin.

The Rinellas also put in eight new bathrooms, transforming book shelves and closets into modern bathrooms with genuine marble and Japanese-style tubs.

Puckett-Rinella joked that if a marriage can survive measuring and installing glass shower doors, it can survive anything.

Although the house has a fresh, contemporary feel, Rinella said they were careful to preserve many of the historic details of the buildings. Those include original pine heart flooring in the grand house and elements of the rare Egyptian Revival architectural style present in several archways.

One of the cottages, The Lodge, was formerly a horse stable. Three windows have been placed where the horse stalls used to be, and the horse’s original name plaques hang from the wall.

Other elements of the buildings pay tribute to Georgetown County’s treasured outdoor spaces, such as mother of pearl shell details and a scalloped sink made to look like a seashell, as well as an abundance of natural wood.

Katherine Leonard and her husband stayed at Wicklow shortly after it first opened. Since then, Leonard said she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it.

”Everything you touch, everything you look at is so intentional,” she said. “And I think it’s very rare that you would see something that feels like it's in the past but in the present as well.”

Puckett-Rinella is the former photo editor of the New York Times Style Magazine and Vanity Fair. She currently serves as the photography director at Entrepreneur Magazine. She met David Rinella, who is a photographer by trade and a fourth-generation hotelier, in New York City.

The couple’s love of photographs is evident in the art that adorns Wicklow Hall. The walls are decorated with landscapes on loan from Nigel Parry, a prominent photographer living in Charleston who is most well-known for his celebrity portraits, as well as David Rinella’s nature photographs.

Some of Parry’s celebrity portraits, including pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Murray and Meryl Streep, hang in the dining room.

Rinella said they will have a rotating selection of photographs on display. She plans to have photographers shoot locations along the Hammock Coast and show them at Wicklow Hall.

A Magical Place

Wicklow is tucked away off a winding, tree-lined road about 14 miles from downtown Georgetown. Its secluded location and natural beauty make it unique from any other hotel or bed and breakfast in the area, Puckett-Rinella said.

The 11-acre property includes gardens, a wooden gazebo and tremendous, mossy live oaks that Rinella said are between 250 and 350 years old. On June 5, the jasmines had stopped flowering for the season, but the gardenias were in full bloom.

"There’s always something fragrant happening," Rinella said.

Puckett-Rinella and her husband originally envisioned their bed and breakfast in Charleston, closer to their home in Johns Island. But high costs sent them looking elsewhere. They were charmed by downtown Georgetown’s walkability and scenic waterfront, but couldn’t find a suitable property there, either.

When Puckett-Rinella came across Wicklow Hall, she mostly stopped by to cross it off her list. But with every new room she entered, she fell more in love.

"We were just like, 'Wait what? What?' at every turn," she said.

She and her husband made an offer on Wicklow Hall the next day.

The same personal touches and attention to detail given to the restoration of Wicklow's buildings are also applied to the guest experience.

Puckett-Rinella serves her guests homemade meals with fresh ingredients. When The Post and Courier met with her on June 5, she planned to prepare “Wicklow’s Custom Biscuits” for her guests the following morning. Wicklow also offers a rotating selection of curated wine offered as part of the guest experience.

Every five or six weeks, Wicklow holds a candlelit “Saturday supper.” Tickets are available to the public and the dinner is complimentary for guests. The supper includes a buffet of southern favorites and a jazz pianist.

Guests can customize every aspect of their experience, Puckett-Rinella said. Wicklow has quiet, intimate spaces for couples, as well as areas for guests to intermingle, if they choose.

She recounted one night when John Tecklenberg, former mayor of Charleston, stayed at Wicklow and played the piano.

"He tickled the ivories and brought the house down," she said. "He was singing and we had a local Georgetown fellow who used to work on a cruise ship. He was dancing and singing. It was crazy."

Guests can also take advantage of concierge services and experiences that include private sunset sails, surf lessons, kayak tours and hunting excursions.

Puckett-Rinella said she and her husband strive to provide a memorable experience for their guests.

"When you do have the people here and they’re really having a good time and they’re making memories together, it's so special," she said. "And when they …walk in and they feel like they're totally in a transportive environment, it elevates their experience and they just make even cooler memories."

Leonard said driving through Wicklow's gates and walking under its oaks and flowering bushes made her feel like she’d been transported to the property from The Secret Garden.

Her favorite moment of the stay was walking out to the porch, cocktail in hand, and looking up at a sky of clear, bright stars.

"It was just (a) very, very magical stay for us," she said.

She plans to return to Wicklow and hold a special event there soon.

Puckett-Rinella said Wicklow has already had fully booked weekends, but as a new business, they’ve had slower times as well.

She said it was a big risk to put all of their savings and so much time into Wicklow, and sometimes it can feel overwhelming.

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Georgetown County officials are clearing the air on a potential surf fishing ban that was approved in its second reading.

The county council voted 5-0, the proposed ordinance would prohibit bait and surf fishing between 7:30 a.m. through 7 p.m. from May 1 through Sept. 30.

A third and final vote will take place soon, and while that news may sound concerning to anglers, those close to the situation are urging them not to worry.

“We are not banning fishing,” said Councilman Clint Elliott. “We are not banning shore fishing, we are basically doing it for safety.”

Councilman Elliot is the council member who proposed the change after getting reports of people setting up land-based fishing guides, which use drones to drop bait and reel in four to six-foot sharks.

He put out a statement on Facebook attempting to clarify what the ordinance was for.

“If you want to go for June, July, August, when the bulk of tourists are here, fine. And you want to say 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., fine,” said Mike Nagel, a Murrells Inlet resident. “It is not going to hurt the tourists or small businesses to have it just to shark fishing.”

Many folks in Georgetown County expressed that they understand the ordinance if it is just shark fishing because fishing is a way of life in the South Strand, and they do not want that taken away.

“There are certain set-ups that target sharks, and there are lots of beaches that have ordinances against that kind of tackle,” said Dave Savage, an angler. “Specifically targeting sharks, they can word it so that it is. For us, we use very light tackle.”

As the council continues to weigh the proposal, anglers have said they want more of it reviewed before anything becomes official.

“I think that if we gain some clarity, it would help,” said Amanda McClure, a Murrells Inlet resident. “Through this third hearing, it would make a big difference, and narrow it down so the rest of us can feel safe.”

The third reading is scheduled for July 22.

Elliot shared that he has a meeting with local anglers and state representatives to talk and revise the ordinance to make it more effective.

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