Thursday Evening at the Market returns today
Local cooks can shop fresh and healthy today as the Aiken County Farmers Market’s Thursday Evening at the Market program opens for the summer.
The Farmers Market opens from 4 to 7 p.m. today, and will be open from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday evenings through the last week of August, rain or shine, according to Farmers Market manager Jeff Metz. There will be ice cream on a first-come, first-served basis for the series opening tonight.
“This is the first one for this year. Last year was our first time ever to do Thursday Evenings at the Market,” Metz said. “Last year started slow but it picked up momentum by the end of summer, as word got around about it and as more items came into season. It’s a good alternative for people who don’t want to get up Saturday mornings to shop; they can get off work Thursday, stop by the market and pick up whatever items they need.”
Thursdays at the Market can have anywhere from 10 to 20 vendors, according to Metz. Produce in season includes squash and zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, onions and peaches.
“Last year, our vendors were a little hesitant; they worried if they came to sell on Thursday they wouldn’t have enough to sell Saturday mornings. But once they saw the crowds and got to talking with people, a lot of them got to liking the idea,” Metz said.
The Aiken County Farmers Market is located on Williamsburg Street, between Richland and Park avenues. For more information about Thursday Evening at the Market or other upcoming events, call 642-7761.
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There’s lots more to do in Aiken
The Sport of Kings isn’t the only game in town. There are plenty of other events vying for Aikenites’ attention this weekend.
Here are a few of the entertainment options coming to Aiken County Saturday.
* The Aiken Kidney Benefit Inc. presents the musical “Cinderella” at 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday at the URS Center for the Performing Arts. Matinee tickets are $22, evening tickets are $24; for ticket information call 648-1438 or visit www.aikencommunityplayhouse.com.
* Walton Rehabilitation Center holds a 5K walk to raise awareness of life with brain injuries from 10 a.m. to noon at The Family Y.
* The Yellow Jessamine Festival will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday on Georgia Avenue in North Augusta. A festival art show will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the North Augusta Arts and Heritage Center.
* The Optimists Club holds a pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church fellowship Hall in North Augusta.
* The Central Savannah River Area Job Forum will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Aiken Technical College library.
* The Catholic Women’s Association will hold a game/card party at 10 a.m. in St. Angela Hall. The party will include lunch and prizes. Admission is $8, and proceeds benefit local charities. For reservations, call 648-5569 or 648-8671.
* A “Plantation Medicine” program will take place at Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site in Beech Island from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for ages 6 to 16 and $2.50 for South Carolina seniors. The program is co-sponsored by the Aiken Career and Technology Center’s Health Science Technology Program. For details, call Redcliffe at 827-1473.
MTU Detroit Diesel Inc. Plans to Establish a New Manufacturing Facility in Aiken County
COLUMBIA, S.C. – January 14, 2009 – The South Carolina Department of
Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership today announced that
MTU Detroit Diesel Inc. is planning to establish the company’s new
manufacturing facility in Aiken County. MTU Detroit Diesel Inc., a
subsidiary of the German-based and stock market listed Tognum Group,
anticipates that its expansion project will require a $45 million
investment and the creation of 250 new jobs. The Tognum Group produces
propulsion systems and distributed energy systems based on diesel
engines, gas engines, gas turbines and fuel cells for military, marine,
rail, agriculture, heavy industrial and power generation applications.
MTU Detroit Diesel has selected the former SKF building in Sage Mill
Industrial Park in Aiken County as the potential location of its new
manufacturing operations. The company is currently in a due diligence
process on the property, which should be completed within the next two
months. Depending on the results of the due diligence process a formal
announcement is expected at that time.
The Aiken County Council will meet on Tuesday, January 19 to vote on an
agreement between the County and MTU Detroit Diesel Inc., which will be
available once the company formally selects Aiken County for its
expansion project.
Tree farms ready for business.
Thanksgiving has come and gone, and the Black Friday shopping rush is a thing of the past. Now it is time to select the perfect Christmas tree.
Not just any old tree will do; each Christmas, the search is on to find the perfect shape, height, smell and color.
The Christmas tree becomes more than a symbol of the holidays. It is a central gathering point throughout the holiday season as families come together to decorate it and spend time with one another in the soft glow of the lights. On the tree hang mementos of Christmases past and the promise of the one to come.
Many families have traditions when it comes to selecting a tree. Some people return to the same location year after year to pick their tree, others attempt to put it up on the same day whether that be the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve. For many, picking a tree means spending the day at a Christmas tree farm, drinking cider, taking hay rides, making wreaths and singing Christmas carols.
In Aiken County, there are many locations selling Christmas trees; however, there are only two tree farms inside the county limits – Sweet Water Tree Farm LLC located in Windsor and Tom Sawyer’s Christmas Trees in Monetta. Both offer patrons the chance to choose and cut their own trees straight from the farm. More Details….
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Habitat for Humanity Day declared
Homeownership changes families – changing children and providing them a healthier place for them to live, said Richard Church, executive director of Aiken County Habitat for Humanity.
In 1985, he said, “The United Nations started World Habitat Day to bring attention to the plight of millions of people living in poverty housing.”
In conjunction with World Habitat Day on Monday, Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh issued a proclamation declaring Monday as “Habitat for Humanity Day” throughout the City and encouraging all residents to support and get involved with the organization.
“We have partnered with Habitat many times,” Cavanaugh said. “I just applaud Richard and his staff and all the volunteers for what they’re doing countywide, not just in the City. They’re finishing their 76th house, and what better thing can we do than help people who need help the most?”
A press release on World Habitat Day indicated that as many as 100 million people in the world are homeless. Millions more live with inadequate sanitation and security and have limited or no access to electricity and water. The numbers include many families in America, South Carolina and Aiken County, Church said, and many are paying exorbitant amounts for poverty-level housing, he said.
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Local leaders review the State of Our Community;Aiken.
As they addressed the “State of Our Community” at the annual Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday, four speakers sounded a common theme in describing the City of Aiken, Aiken County, the Aiken County School District and the business community – a reason for optimism despite a challenging economy.
The speakers included Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh, County Council Chairman Ronnie Young, school Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt and Chamber board Chairman Joe Lewis of the Savannah River Banking Company. About 400 people attended the event.
State of Business
State of Education
State of County
City of Aiken, The full story..
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Local leaders review the State of Our Community;Aiken.
As they addressed the “State of Our Community” at the annual Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday, four speakers sounded a common theme in describing the City of Aiken, Aiken County, the Aiken County School District and the business community – a reason for optimism despite a challenging economy. The speakers included Aiken Mayor [...]
Hydrogen fuel cell will power home!
At a time when more and more homes are being built with energy-efficiency in mind, a local developer announced Thursday, plans to take the concept one step further. Ron Monahan, creator of the The Ridge at Chukker Creek, said he plans to begin construction of a “net-zero,” home, to be powered by a combination of a hydrogen fuel cell and solar energy in May.
The idea behind net zero homes is making it so that homeowners do not have an electric bill. The homes typically have their own power supplies, such as solar power for electricity and geothermal for heating and cooling.
In February, Monahan and his architect, George Wyatt, revealed plans to build two to four net-zero homes in the eco-friendly development. Monahan said shortly after, he was “challenged,” by Aiken County Center for Hydrogen Research Director Fred Humes to use a hydrogen fuel cell to power one of the homes.
According to Watt, the way the process works is the house would draw electricity through a power grid which will be provided by Aiken Electric Cooperative. The home will also have the ability to feed power back to the electric company, earning a credit toward the energy used.
For the project, solar cells will line the roof and will run the electricity it captures through an electrolyzer which will separate the oxygen from hydrogen. The hydrogen is captured to run along the house with the solar power. Humes called the plans a “revolutionary process,” and said it was just one more step in making Aiken County the leader in hydrogen energy.
Full Story.
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Hydrogen station formally opens!
South Carolina’s first hydrogen refueling station was officially opened Monday in Aiken, along with the new South Carolina Hydrogen Highway.
Aiken and Edgefield dignitaries, along with many who work on hydrogen projects, gathered as the fuel pump and a sign to mark the highway were unveiled.
“What you’re seeing today in Aiken, and later in Columbia, is a landmark event for the state of South Carolina,” said John Troutman, chairman of the Economic Development Partnership.
Aiken County’s hydrogen fueling station sits at the Sage Mill Industrial Park.
More Details.
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