LIVE UPDATES: Coronavirus concern cancels events in Tri-county area. What we know now.
Several local events in York, Chester and Lancaster counties have been canceled or modified due to coronavirus, or COVID-19, concern. As groups decide on upcoming events of interest, we’ll keep a running list here of changes.
On Wednesday, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced that a woman from Lancaster County presumptively tested positive for coronavirus. It is the 10th confirmed or presumptive positive case of the virus in South Carolina.
The number of patients in the state has risen daily this week. Lancaster County is adjacent to Kershaw County — where seven of the 10 cases have been reported.
Here is the list so far:
MARCH
March 13
- Lancaster County libraries
All county libraries will close Friday at 5 p.m. and will reopen April 6, according to a press release from Lancaster County Emergency Management. There will be no added book fees for a late return and all libraries have a book drop in the parking lot.
March 14
- Baxter Village St. Patrick’s Day parade
The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival held annually at Baxter Village in Fort Mill will not be held Saturday, said Mike Martoccia, director of activities for Baxter Village.
The annual event draws as many as 8,000 people and more than 120 vendors, organizers said.
- The Rock Hill St. Patrick’s Day event set for March 14 on Main Street has been cancelled, according to city staff.
- Special Olympics
Area 11 Spring Games scheduled for April 3 in Rock Hill has been canceled, said Katie Quinn, spokesperson for the City of Rock Hill.
Special Olympics South Carolina has canceled three statewide events. The state basketball (March 14) and state cheer (April 25) competitions won’t be held. Neither will the Statehouse Rally for Special Olympics planned for March 31.
All local practices and competitions will be suspended through March 31.
- Lancaster County Parks and Recreation 2020 Spring Soccer Jamboree
The jamboree scheduled for Saturday has been canceled, director Hal Hiott said. He said 80 teams were scheduled to compete. An upcoming karate tournament has been canceled, too.
All recreation events that involve large crowds, such as practices, games, rentals, walking clubs, have been postponed through April 6, except the department’s after-school program, Hiott said. He said the department will continue to monitor conditions and follow recommendations from the school system.
Detective Mike Doty Run
The Detective Mike Doty Run scheduled for Saturday will be postponed and rescheduled to a later date.
- Fort Mill’s St. Patty’s Day Jam
The event scheduled for Saturday is postponed until further notice. The town previously decided Friday to postpone all parks & recreation sports programming through April 12.
Fort Mill Mayor Guynn Savage said town officials will be closely monitoring the situation as it progresses.
Gems, Minerals and Fossils Show & Tell
The Gems, Minerals and Fossils Show & Tell, scheduled at 10 and 11 a.m. at the Museum of York County has been postponed. The museum will reschedule the event.
- Allison Creek Bluegrass Concert
The Allison Creek Bluegrass Concert, scheduled at Allison Creek Presbyterian Church has been postponed. Organizers will reschedule the event.
March 15
- The Lost Melody Jazz concert
The Lost Melody Jazz concert scheduled for Sunday at the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center in Lancaster has been canceled.
The concert is part of an 8-city SouthEast tour. Those who have purchased tickets should contact the Lancaster County Council of the Arts at 803-285-7451 about refunds.
March 16
- U.S. Navy Band
The U.S. Navy Band canceled its tour and headed back to Washington, D.C. That decision cancels the planned March 16 performance at the Clover School District Auditorium in Clover.
“The United States Navy Band and Clover School District Auditorium apologize for any inconvenience and would like to thank our veterans and patrons for your understanding that this precautionary step is an attempt to best serve our patrons by not risking exposure,” reads a notice from the auditorium.
March 19
- Turkey banquet
The Rock Hill National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet originally scheduled for March 19 has been moved to 6 p.m. June 4 at American Legion in Rock Hill, said John Robbins, president of the Rock Hill chapter.
March 21-22
Big Shots Next Spring Nationals
The Big Shots Next Spring Nationals Top 150 scheduled at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center has been canceled.
March 25
- 2020 Underexposed Film Festival
The festival, which was scheduled to take place on March 25-28 at Winthrop University and at the York County Public Library’s main branch, has been postponed.
The Arts Council of York County is working to reschedule the festival for the fall.
March 28
- The Fort Mill Easter Eggstravaganza
The Easter Eggstravaganza in Fort Mill, hosted by LifePointe Church is postponed until further notice.
- Rivals Combine Series
The Rivals Camp Series, the largest, free high school football combine and camp series in the nation, scheduled at Nation Ford High School, has been postponed.
ONGOING
- Piedmont Medical Center
Piedmont Medical Center is limiting visitation of patients.
Only one person may visit a patient. No one with a fever or symptoms of lower respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath may visit. No one under the age of 13 is allowed. No visits are allowed from a person who may have Coronavirus or is confirmed to have Coronavirus.
- Winthrop events
Winthrop in Rock Hill has canceled all university-sponsored events from March 15 to April 3. Athletics events will follow recommendations from the NCAA.
The university’s athletic department has suspended all spring regular season competition through March 30, according to its website.
Winthrop is switching to online classes from March 23 to April 3 following spring break.
Court in Rock Hill
The Rock Hill Municipal Court will cancel bench court and all jury trial hearings beginning March 16 until March 31. The City court follows the emergency preparedness plan for Rock Hill School District. Cases will be rescheduled to a later date and a notice will be mailed. The court will remain open for filings, payments, bond hearings, and other administrative work. Contact: 803-329-5695.
- Jury duty in Lancaster County
No jurors will be summoned to the Lancaster County courthouse next week to avoid any large gathering in the court, said Jeff Hammond, Lancaster County Clerk of Court.
South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Brian Gibbons, the administrative judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit, made the decision to keep jurors away next week, Hammond said.
- School District field trips, classes
All South Carolina schools are closed through at least March.
- Teacher rally
The South Carolina educator group SC for Ed planned to hold a rally at the statehouse on March 24. The rally has been canceled. Chester County schools, which has planned to close that day, will be open.
The American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society has suspended all events until March 31. Community events will be rescheduled.
- Town of Fort Mill events/rentals
The Fort Mill Town Council has decided to postpone all town sponsored or town assisted events, as well as any event held on town properties, effective through March 31. The decision by council also affects any public rentals of town park facilities, including at Walter Y. Elijah, Steel Street and Harris Street.
- City of Tega Cay
Tega Cay has postponed its spring sports programming until April 12 — at least.
The city’s parks and recreation director, Joey Blethen, released the news in a statement on Friday, citing “an unprecedented response from the sport’s world to combat the spread of COVID-19.”
The decision includes all youth sports practices and games and adult sports games.
- City of Rock Hill
The City of Rock Hill Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department announced these schedule changes starting March 14, 2020 due to current health and safety concerns.
- All registered programs will be postponed until further notice. This includes but is not limited to athletic league practices/games, senior adult programs, cycling programs, therapeutic programs, outdoor programs, etc.
- These special events will be postponed with new dates announced when available:
- Grand Opening of the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center (previously scheduled for March 19)
- Movie Night at Northside Recreation Center (previously scheduled for March 20)
This information and updates will be posted to cityofrockhill.com and to City of Rock Hill social media sites including the PRT Department’s Facebook and Instagram accounts @rockhillprt.
- York, Chester, Lancaster prisons and jails
Inmate visitation and volunteer programs have been halted at jails and prisons in York, Chester and Lancaster counties after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency over coronavirus.
APRIL
April 1
- College Disc Golf National Championship
The championship set to take place at Winthrop on April 1-4 has been postponed indefinitely.
“We are currently exploring all options on how to make the national championship happen at a later date,” College Disc Golf Development Manager John Baker said in a statement.
April 4-5
- USA Football Regional
The USA Football Regional at South Pointe High School has been postponed.
April 17-19
- Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference at Winthrop University has been canceled. The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities.
This is a developing story. If you know of an event canceled in our local area due to public health concerns, please email assignmentdesk@heraldonline.com.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 12:53 PM with the headline "LIVE UPDATES: Coronavirus concern cancels events in Tri-county area. What we know now.."
