Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — Talk to residents in Wedgefield and many will tell you they don’t trust the water that comes into their homes from a nearby water treatment plant I do not trust the water here at all,” said Shelia Mayhew Mayhew is a resident in the community east of Orlando where more than 1,700 homes depend on water from the Pluris Water Treatment Plant Mayhew has been so concerned about the water quality that she won’t even water her plants with tap water and filters everything that comes out of her kitchen faucet that filters it a second time,” said Mayhew The lack of trust between residents of Wedgefield and the Pluris Water Treatment Plant has been growing for years A combination of reports showing poor water quality increasing monthly water rates and photos of an aging water treatment plant has forced residents to take action against Pluris Mayhew and others have created the Wedgefield Water Alliance Group with the hopes of making their voices heard regarding their water quality “Our government should help us get on their public water system so we have better quality water that less expensive,” said Mayhew it’s not good quality and it’s not safe,” said resident George Preston Many say while their water bills continue to rise the quality of water from the plant is not improving “Depending on its winter or summer when you use more water it’s between $150 to $185 for two people,” said resident Sue Grode A 600-page report was provided to Orange County commissioners ahead of a recent meeting which evaluated the water and wastewater infrastructure controlled by Pluris The report included photos of corrosion and deterioration in the system and cited “significant deficiencies” related to water quality The problem has become serious enough for Orange County to step in and offer to take over the facility (in cooperation with OCU) The county recently offered to purchase the plant for $8 million attorney Martin Friedman said: “The valuation of the Pluris system is at $25.9 million and the company gave a substantial reduction at $20.5 million And the water Pluris provides to its customers meets all regulatory requirements and the wastewater treatment plant is also in compliance with all regulatory requirements.” Orange County commissioner Kelly Semrad said: "Pluris continues to delay the process and prioritize their financial interests over the health and safety of our families in Wedgefield and we will ensure the community's voice is heard I am fully committed to working with Orange County Utilities to bring clean and affordable drinking water to our community and we will not stop until that goal is achieved.” but many residents believe a new offer will be made by the county “We just need to wait and see what OCU counteroffers to Pluris and what Pluris might counteroffer to the county,” said Mayhew ORLANDO, Fla. — An ongoing battle over water quality continues for the Wedgefield Community as Orange County leaders work to purchase the Pluris Water Treatment Plant following differing opinions on the price tag.  Officials were originally set to provide an update on how negotiations are going with the Pluris company at Tuesday's board of county commissioners meeting that discussion has been tabled for April 8 According to our partners at the Orlando Sentinel, Deputy Director of Orange County Utilities Tim Armstrong provided the county with a more than 600-page report regarding the upkeep of the wastewater treatment plant The report details findings like erosion and how that’s impacting the quality of the water Orange County commissioners stepped in and offered to purchase the treatment facility for $8 million Pluris’ attorney previously shared in a statement with Spectrum News 13 that the company is actually valued at $25.9 million and the $20.5 million counter was a substantial reduction While the next update includes information regarding a possible Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) it’s unclear if the county has made any headway with the company.  the MSBU would mean funding essential services to those residents in Wedgefield — that funding could be a onetime thing or reoccurring The county held two community meetings this month to discuss the idea and other potential solutions while they work through negotiations “I am fully committed to working with Orange County Utilities to bring clean and affordable drinking water to our community and we will not stop until that goal is achieved,” Commissioner Kelly Semrad said.  Tuesday's county commission meeting begins at 9 a.m an update on Pluris negotiations won't be discussed until next month.  — The challenges to clean up the water quality for Wedgefield residents continues and its likely homeowners will pay more for clean water The community east of Orlando gets its water from the Pluris plant where a report deemed the facility with “significant deficiencies” related to water quality Residents met privately this month on March 15 with Orange County Utilities (OUC) to discuss water issues and who may provide them water in the future Resident Sue Grode says everyone in the neighborhood does not trust where their water is coming from “You either filter it and you can drink it It’s been this way for 30 years,” said Grode while drinking a glass of filtered water Grode and over 1,700 homeowners get their water from the nearby Pluris water treatment plant.  Resident Sheila Mayhew says the purchase price would have to be between $14 million to $16 million for most residents to be able to afford future costs “The community that night on both of these meetings were polled and they said that they would be willing to do a $35 million bond,” said Mayhew Grode says it will come out of homeowners pockets each year to fix this problem the high end with everything would be about $40,000 per household,” said Grode The residents’ fear stems from a 600-page report that documented corrosion and wear in the system with “significant deficiencies” related to water quality In a previous statement issued by Orlando attorney Martin Friedman Pluris says it has maintained its water quality for Wedgefield residents “The water Pluris provides to its customers meets all regulatory requirements and the wastewater treatment plant is also in compliance with all regulatory requirements Pluris is not polluting the environment nor selling subpar water.” Orange County Utilities is still negotiating with Pluris regarding a sales price for the treatment plant.  but Pluris countered at $20.5 million.  Most residents agree that the plant needs to be sold right away so their water and sewer systems can be updated first. And we are believing to get the sale price between 14 and 16 million,” said Mayhew Pluris Water officials are expected to meet with the mayor and Orange County commissioners regarding the sale and related issues on April 8 — Residents in the eastern Orange County community of Wedgefield have been fed up with paying more money for what they deem is low-quality water for some time now Some residents say this has been the norm for the past three decades Most homeowners that live in the community located east of Orlando get their water and wastewater systems from the Pluris Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant. But a more than 600-page report from Orange County Utilities (OCU) last year cited “significant deficiencies” related to the water quality, flow capacity and safety there. The report also included photos of the corrosion and deteriorating nature of the plant’s system, justifying many residents’ fears. The Deputy Director of OCU, Tim Armstrong, has noted in the past that if the Pluris system were acquired by the county that it would have to be upgraded to meet the county’s system standards. From there, Orange County commissioners stepped in and offered to purchase the treatment facility for $8 million. To that offer, Pluris countered with $20.5 million. Pluris’ attorney, Martin Friedman, previously shared in a statement with Spectrum News 13 that the company is actually valued at $25.9 million, and the $20.5 million counter was a substantial reduction. While the next update includes information regarding a possible Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU), it’s unclear if the county has made any headway with the company.  If considered, the MSBU would mean funding essential services to those residents in Wedgefield — that funding could be a onetime thing or reoccurring. The county held two community meetings in March to discuss the idea and other potential solutions while they work through negotiations. Wedgefield residents are hopeful they will get more information regarding the sale of the Pluris Water Plant since Pluris officials are set to meet with Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and commissioners on Tuesday to discuss the sale of the facility. Negotiations to determine a price for the plant have been going on for quite some time. Over 1,700 homeowners in Wedgefield get their water from the Pluris plant. That’s why concerned residents held a series of community meetings with Orange County Utilities last month to discuss the sale of the plant and the costs involved to fix the facility. Residents like Sheila Mayhew say that in order for them to afford future costs, including a bond and repairs to the plant, the purchase price for the plant would have to be between $14 to $16 million. In March, Mayhew told Spectrum News, ”the community that night, on both of these meetings were polled, and they said that they would be willing to do a $35 million bond.” Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. charged with distributing & trafficking methamphetamineby Haileigh West (WPDE) — The Georgetown County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit partnered with U.S Homeland Security Investigations for a joint operation involving drug charges for a Georgetown area man of Wedgefield Village Road was charged with distributing trafficking amounts of methamphetamine on Friday Deputies executed a search warrant at his home and recovered approximately 846 grams of a substance that tested positive for fentanyl cash and a loaded pistol along with additional ammunition Officials are seeking charges against Gardner for trafficking fentanyl and possession of a weapon during a violent crime Gardner has been incarcerated at Georgetown County Detention Center Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker (WACH) - — A partially paralyzed vulnerable adult was found bleeding and with their hair cut off during a welfare check According to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) 24-year-old Nathanael Jackson of Wedgefield is accused of destroying the victim's phone and Life Alert button to prevent her from getting help ALSO |Mother, daughter charged with exploiting vulnerable family member Family members were concerned and contacted SCSO around midnight on August 23 When deputies arrived at the Wedgefield home they say they saw Jackson standing on the porch of the unlit home and could hear a female's voice screaming for help inside the dark home family members entered the homme and found the victim The suspect allegedly removed the victim's walker and other items they could use to assist them in escaping their home Jackson is charged with abuse of a vulnerable adult and kidnapping He is being held at the Sumter County Sheriff's Office Detention Center waiting a bond hearing Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsBrandon Hogan ORANGE COUNTY – The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says a 35-year-old man was fatally shot Thursday afternoon in Wedgefield to the 20700 block of Racine Street and located Benjamin Elton Nicholls All parties involved remained at the scene and were cooperating adding the investigation was still in its early stages Note: This map depicts the general area of the shooting and not necessarily its exact location Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group The history of Wedgefield is filled with twists and turns A small community located 23 miles east of downtown Orlando its origins are directly linked to the U.S Initially called Rocket City and sometimes referred to as Cape Orlando it was originally intended for employees of NASA Planned as a 20,000-acre development that would supply housing for Kennedy Space Center employees When President Lyndon Johnson moved the space industry to Houston the boom went bust and Rocket City floundered the late billionaire insurance magnate and land developer from South Florida tried to revive the community as Cape Orlando took over development in early 1983 and changed the name to Wedgefield Golf & Country Club to help present a new Wedgefield is a golf and country club community inhabited by 2,700 people most of who commute to either Titusville or Orlando to work it serves the Space Coast’s burgeoning commercial space industry  which is bringing back high-paying tech jobs to an area hit hard by the 2008 recession and the 2011 retirement of NASA’s space shuttle program It really is an example of what a community can become when there are residents who are dedicated to making it work,” said Orange County District 5 Commissioner Emily Bonilla  “I enjoy participating with them in neighborhood clean-ups It is a place where everyone can come together and enjoy each other’s company no one celebrates Halloween like Wedgefield moved to the community as a complete outsider four years ago but has acclimated quickly to the community he now calls home plus being the owner of the golf club has afforded me every opportunity to get to know everyone in the community,” he said “Combine this with the ease of travel this area provides to both the beaches and Orlando and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.” the golf course and restaurant acts as a community center emergency center and recreation area for the entire community “It all happens at The Wedge Bar and Grille,” asserted Cooke With the infrastructure of Orlando expanding east and the resurgence of the aerospace industry on the Space Coast Wedgefield is well positioned to be one of Orange County’s most desirable communities for years to come was arrested on July 11 after a series of targeted attacks against businesses and critical infrastructure in Florida accused of causing over $700,000 in damages faces serious charges including four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility The arrest followed an incident in late June where Hnaihen allegedly broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield systematically destroying solar panels and electronics which were also found at an industrial propane gas depot in Orlando The coordinated efforts of the FBI, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Maitland Police Department and Orlando Police Department led to the identification and arrest of Hnaihen He was detained pending trial after a detention hearing charged with extensive property damage and threats of violence Attorney General Merrick B Garland emphasized the gravity of the threats noting that the defendant’s actions were motivated by hate and a desire to target businesses for their perceived support of Israel FBI Director Christopher Wray reiterated that violence and property destruction used as intimidation tactics would face full legal repercussions along with Trial Attorneys Ryan White and George Kraehe of the Counterterrorism Section emphasizing the importance of addressing hate-based threats and violence to uphold public safety and security The Department of Justice did not reveal the man’s immigration status or how and when he entered the United States © 2008-2025 - Shore News Media & Marketing Ltd There is a marginal risk of severe weather tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early Weather In The Week Ahead: 4 Things To Watch A mix of clouds and sun with the chance of an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight Partly cloudy early with thunderstorms becoming likely during the afternoon Scattered thunderstorms during the evening Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on Scattered thunderstorms during the evening followed by occasional showers overnight Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds Partly cloudy in the morning followed by scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon 10 Gift Ideas For Teacher Appreciation Week Best Mother’s Day Flower Delivery Services Everything You Need To Know About Portable Air Conditioners We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsJerry Askin WEDGEFIELD – Residents in one Orange County community say their water bills just keep rising and they want the county to step in and take over the water system for that area Phillip Unser and his wife have lived here in the Wedgefield community of Orange County since 2004 He told me they’re tired of seeing their water bill increase “Every 2-3 years there’s always a rate increase,” he said He said he got this letter recently from his private water company Pluris showing his water bill could soon increase by more than 45% [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] “My average price is around $130 and it would Jack my price up to around $260,” said Unser He said he’s already had to put in place a salt system and a water filter system to save money and to have more clean water Unser was one of many of his neighbors who spoke at Tuesday’s county commission meeting asking Orange County to take over their utilities instead of their current water company It’s something residents have been asking for for years. and it probably needs a lot of repair,” said Tim Armstrong deputy director for Orange County Utilities Armstrong spoke at Tuesday’s Orange County Commission meeting before the board approved more than $83,000 for a full appraisal of the current Pluris water system He said It’s the third phase in deciding if the county could acquire the water and wastewater system in the Wedgefield area which currently has more than 1,700 homes in Orange County and we believe that private utility is taking advantage of them and we are empathetic to what they’re going through,” said Armstrong “We need Orange to help control that price,” said Unser Armstrong said it’s too soon to know if they will in fact acquire the utility services for the Wedgefield area He said there would have to be more steps and more board approval on how to move forward News 6 has reached out to Pluris for a comment and we have not heard back Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved Jerry Askin is an Atlanta native who came to News 6 in March 2018 with an extensive background in breaking news This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOLUMBUS (WTVM) - Columbus police are investigating a deadly shooting in south Columbus According to the Columbus Police Department the shooting happened in the 2500 block of Wedgefield We are investigating a deadly shooting in the 2500 block of Wedgefield Ct. #cpdga According to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan the victim has been identified as 22-year-old Deyon Wade There is no word on any suspects at this time Stay with News Leader 9 as we continue to gather information We are investigating a deadly shooting in the 2500 block of Wedgefield Ct. #cpdga Police are currently looking into a deadly crash which took place in Wedgefield earlier this week which happened on Monday the tenth of June is being investigated by Major Crash Investigation Section officers a white Holden Commodore sedan with five occupants when approximately 300m south-west of the Quarry Road intersection the vehicle left the road and struck a light pole,” said a police spokesperson “A 24-year-old man who was a rear passenger in the vehicle died at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash                                       advertisement sustained critical injuries and was conveyed to hospital where he later died A 22-year-old man who was a rear passenger in the vehicle sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.” Police also stated that “a 32-year-old man who was a front passenger and the 25-year-old male driver” had to be taken “to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries” “Major Crash investigators are urging anyone with any information relating to this crash or who saw the white Holden Commodore sedan travelling in the area prior to the crash to contact Crime Stoppers,” said a police spokesperson                                 Advertisement Crime Stoppers can be gotten in touch over the internet at www.crimestopperswa.com.au or by phone at 1800 333 000 You can send any footage from a mobile phone or dash-cam concerning the incident to police through the following link: https://wapf.au.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/fatalcrashwedgefield “If you or anyone you know has been affected by a road crash contact Road Trauma Support WA on 1300 004 814,” said a police spokesperson You must be logged in to post a comment WAMN ESHOP Dismiss The residence at Wedgefield Plantation dates back to the 1930s This house was  built by Robert Goelet of Rhode Island "Georgetown Rice Plantation" by Alberta Morel Lachicotte Quattlebaum Wedgefield Country Club's Manor House dates back to the 1930s The plantation itself goes back to the early 1700s The round stones on the lawn of the Manor House are rice mill stones used to grind the rice from the husk Wedgefield Plantation sits along the Black River Known today as a residential community with a country club golf and tennis courts and Manor House restaurant the property currently encompasses about 520 acres Mitch Thompkins and several family members are working to reopen the property and are selling memberships to the country club and other amenities a swimming pool and tennis courts graced the property Wedgefield was among more than 150 rice plantations in Georgetown County around 1734 when John Green received several land grants he had land that was later developed into Wedgefield Windsor and Wedgefield had much in common through the mid-1700s Members of the Waties family were Indian agents and traded with the Indians in Georgetown County John Waties bought some of the land in 1757 and in 1761 his executors sold a portion to Samuel Wragg He and his brother Joseph Wragg had come to the Carolina colony as merchants In the Charleston area the brothers prospered as high-volume slave traders They owned and developed plantations in the Charleston area and both brothers were involved in colonial government Joseph Wragg purchased some land along the Black River Samuel Wragg bought a portion of Joseph’s land from his niece who had inherited the land when her father died Samuel Wragg and John Waties exchanged some lands including a portion of Waties’ Windsor Plantation He later bought a portion of Waties’ remaining land from his executors There were several other transactions with some of this land Samuel Wragg continued as a merchant and was also part owner of the schooners “Ann” and “Non Parel.” Both of those were built in Georgetown He also was part owner of the “Winyah Packet,” built in Massachusetts but later transferred to Georgetown Wragg established rights to operate a ferry at his Black River plantation Since much travel was river-based and roads were limited Wragg’s Ferry could generate a dollar for a four-wheeled carriage 50 cents for a two-wheeled carriage and 20 cents for a horse and rider Since the location was near Georgetown and Pee Dee plantations Samuel Wragg died and his son Samuel Wragg Jr he and several others were named to a committee to study the location of the ferry The next year they determined “Wragg’s Ferry was inconvenient and from its exposure to high winds frequently impassable.” The committee recommended moving the crossing to Christopher Gadsden’s nearby Beneventum Plantation at the site formerly known as Charing-Cross ferry Gadsden and his heirs held the ferry rights for 21 years They were later acquired by John Julius Pringle when he bought Beneventum Samuel Wragg attended Cambridge University -- later Harvard While he continued to own Wedgefield and some other properties sell and exchange his lands to the extent that many other plantation owners did according to “The Historical Atlas of the Rice Plantations of Georgetown County and the Santee River.” Parker traded Wedgefield to his father-in-law She was the sister of John Man Taylor and heir to several properties Lance had been a lay reader at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia Lance owned and operated not only Wedgefield but also Springfield rice in Georgetown made plantation owners wealthy Lance produced 660,000 pounds of rice at Wedgefield and Mauricena with 262 slaves After the Civil War – Lance and his family apparently moved to the Upstate during the war – he sold Wedgefield to John Francis Pyatt Times were quite tough all around in the aftermath of the Civil War Pyatt was struggling to manage Kensington and Richmond plantations -- in 2018 a subdivision Walmart and other properties make up significant portions of those former plantations Pyatt assigned his mortgage on Wedgefield to Joanna Gaillard members of the Hazzard family acquired the property Hazzard were planting Beneventum and Keithfield As happened with many properties around the turn of the 20th Century Frederick Wentworth Ford bought the property who owned Rice Hope Plantation on the Santee River There were several other sales in the 1920s and 1930s Wedgefield took on the look familiar today tore down the old house and built a new home This third house is today the Manor House restaurant and clubhouse at Wedgefield Several subsequent owners developed Wedgefield into the subdivision as it is today Much of the material for this history came from the “Historical Rice Atlas” by Suzanne Cameron Linder and Marta Leslie Thacker and “Georgetown Rice Plantations” by Alberta Morel Lachicotte Quattlebaum is now operating Wedgefield Country Club with those amenities His wife Jamie and sisters-in-law Renee and Denise are working to convert one of the rooms in the Manor House into a history room Visit www.wedgefieldcountryclub.com, "Wedfield Country Club" Facebook page, email MitchThompkins@yahoo.com or call 843-325-3534 for more information on Wedgefield Plantation The office address at the Manor House is 129 Club House Lane Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: The land owned by Tidelands Health that was hoping to be rezoned for affordable housing Georgetown Memorial Hospital originally bought the 64 acres off Wedgefield Rd and North Fraser St in 2008 to build a Weehaw campus the hospital is looking to sell 16 acres of it to Foursix Housing and Blue Line development for an affordable George and Florence Hanson pose outside of their home in Wedgefield Plantation June 1 Wedgefield Plantation resident Stan Earnhart walks around the neighborhood with one of his dogs Billie Wagaday June 1 Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce president talk to other members of the Black community in Georgetown about the issues surrounding racism in the county If the Georgetown County needs affordable housing Demi Lawrence reports on Georgetown County for The Post and Courier She graduated from Ball State University in 2020 and previously was an intern at The Herald Bulletin in Anderson GEORGETOWN — For Georgetown County to grow and move forward it is going to have to add more affordable housing county economic development director Brian Tucker said And a county-funded study by Bowen National Research backs this claim pointing out that the county's poverty rate stands above the national average and more than 12,000 people commute to work outside the county each day But Georgetown County Council voted against a 90-unit affordable housing development just outside Wedgefield Plantation on May 25 going against the county planning commission's unanimous recommendation and even county council's own previous 4-2 vote for the development said council's shooting down of this development could make it harder for Georgetown County to attract affordable housing developments like his moving forward (council) have made a statement for all affordable housing developers who have the potential to come to Georgetown that they're not interested," Cates said "A developer's not going to be willing to spend the tens of thousands of dollars to do this because they saw they don't have (council's) vote." Many cite the Wedgefield community's vehement disapproval of the development for traffic concerns as the reason behind the council's rejection while others say it is for other reasons like racism and classism Georgetown Memorial Hospital originally bought 64 acres off Wedgefield Road and North Fraser Street in 2008 to build a medical facility the hospital then began looking to sell 16 acres of it to Foursix Housing and Blue Line development for an affordable housing complex Housing prices and demand throughout Georgetown County have gone up over the past five years vice president of government affairs with Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors Georgetown County median home sales have risen by 38 percent in the past five years to $317,500 according to data collected by the Realtors association Cooper said Georgetown County is seeing a lot of young professionals buying homes that are two or three times the size — and price — that they require because they cannot find more suitable The proposed apartments would have been restricted to families with low income — a family of four could make no more than $38,700 a year if they wanted to live there based on median household income in the county Tony Cates with Foursix said rent at the proposed units would have been between $400 and $975 a month depending on the income of the residents and how many bedrooms were in a unit Based on the most recent census data, the average household income in Georgetown County was just above $48,000 per year This makes affordable rent in the county no more than $1,200 a month Foursix and Blue Line held a community meeting with Wedgefield residents to dispel misinformation Cates said he had seen circulating about the project Cates told residents at this meeting Foursix and Blue Line would work with the community on the design of the development to ensure minimal impact and residents expressed concerns over how it would be funded "We get a tax credit from the state of South Carolina of which we sell to a corporation," Cates said the tax credit is the instrument that finances it The low-income housing tax credits provide an incentive to construct or rehabilitate affordable rental housing for low-income households The federal government issues low-income housing tax credits to state governments and state housing agencies then award the credits to private developers of affordable rental housing projects through a competitive process Wedgefield residents showed up to April's Georgetown County Planning Commission and all three Georgetown County Council meetings where the rezoning was discussed to protest it Residents said building affordable housing outside its gates would cause a medley of problems including a dip in property values and increased traffic flow a traffic study was done to accompany the hospital’s purchase of the land and that study recommended adding two coordinating stoplights: one at Wedgefield Road and S.C the population in the area has grown substantially and residents said they worried adding more people to the area would only add more traffic and make turning onto S.C 701 from Wedgefield Road harder than it already is County planning director Holly Richardson said if the rezoning was approved by council as the previous study’s recommendations are likely not accurate now Tucker said the administration and the planning commission do not believe the development would adversely impact that Planning commission unanimously approved the rezoning to county council April 15 county council gave an unanimous initial approval April 27 and then gave a key vote of 4-2 in favor of the rezoning May 11 Because Georgetown County Council operates on a three-reading ordinance system the second reading is usually the most informative and important with the first and third often being formalities But council's third reading on the rezoning May 25 was anything but a formality but council chairman Louis Morant recused himself from the vote due to a conflict of interest said he thinks Wedgefield residents' issues with the project are rooted in negative view of people who would be living in affordable housing "It's their perceived opinion of crime and property values that a person making an honest person's wage will bring who moved into Wedgefield 30 years ago when he retired from the New York Police Department said he did not have issues with affordable housing residents but was worried about the potential increased traffic "The traffic down here is getting worse and worse every day and that would have only added to it," Hanson said Another Wedgefield resident Stan Earnhart was against the rezoning and felt there was a perception that he and his neighbors were racist for being against it a Black woman who spoke at a May 11 county council meeting said the denial of the affordable housing development was about who was likely to live there "One lady said that this is not about race this is about race and classism at its best," Williams said Her comments at the meeting were met with shouts and interruptions from others in the crowd According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition's 2021 Affordable Housing Gap Analysis, Black, Native American, Latino, and Asian households are more likely than white households to be low income renters Homeownership continues to be the main way most families build wealth in America, according to Urban Institute, and yet it found in 2017 there is a 30-percentage point gap between Black homeownership and White homeownership recognize the need for affordable housing and that it is often a misinterpreted concept "I think a lot of (council members) equate (affordable housing) with low income subsidized housing said he wants to set up a meeting with his colleagues to establish a plan on how they will work together to bring much needed affordable housing to the county Bob Anderson and Raymond Newton who voted against the development directed The Post and Courier Myrtle Beach to Carolina so (Anderson and I) are going to have Everett Carolina give you a call He's more knowledgeable concerning the finer details of everything that we're doing and that we had to deal with," Newton said Carolina did not return several messages left over the past week said it is inevitable that this rezoning denial will come up in conversation with future affordable housing developers but he hopes that explaining the full story of why it was denied will help future developers see how their projects are different from the Wedgefield proposal "This was an exercise in us determining what our housing policy needs to look like and what our housing efforts need to look like," Tucker said "There were some very specific issues raised with this project in this location we're not going to try do the same thing in the same place.'" Follow Demi Lawrence on Twitter @DemiNLawrence — The body found in a wooded area of east Orange County on Friday is of a teen whose disappearance prompted an Amber Alert Several officers and detectives with the Winter Garden Police and deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Office had cordoned off much of the Wedgefield community with crime-scene tape Friday morning The neighborhood is on the opposite side of the county from Winter Garden Here is the man WGPD arrested for disposing of Hagan’s body, he’s charged with 5 counts of tampering with physical evidence. @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/pxvck2efCc They left the scene on Robertson Street in the late afternoon Police had been tight-lipped about the investigation, but they said in addition to the recovery of the body just before 1 p.m., Winter Garden Police arrested a person in connection to the Amber Alert issued for missing teen Bruce Haggins is being charged with five counts of tampering with physical evidence.  They confirmed Friday evening that the body found in the east Orange neighborhood was Haggins's. Authorities accuse him of disposing of Haggins body in a shallow grave Police said while they can’t confirm Bruce's cause of death BREAKING: Winter Garden Police have much of the Wedgefield community blocked off with police tape as they investigate “suspicious behavior” related to an ongoing investigation. @MyNews13 was the first on the scene about 10am this morning. We’re working to find out more. pic.twitter.com/aNenjrSsHN Earlier Friday, a mobile crime scene truck was out in front of a home on the street, and police only said they were there to look into "suspicious activity" related to a Winter Garden Police case. "We got different tips and leads that there may be something out here related to an ongoing investigation in Winter Garden. So we're out here now investigating that to see if there's any information that's pertinent to what we're looking for," said Capt. Jason Pearson of the Winter Garden Police Department. Winter Garden Police Chief Steve Graham said they don’t see this type of crime in their city. “This is a rare occurrence, something of this magnitude. While I’ve only been here about three years, this is the first time anything like this has ever occurred in Winter Garden,” Graham said. Graham said the Amber Alert generated tips that proved invaluable to finding Bruce's body and the car used to pick him up. The teen's father Bruce Haggins Sr. said he feels a small sense of closure, but it’s not enough to erase the pain of a grieving father. “Deep down inside it still hurts, and when you know that’s your only child, your only son, and the way that he got shot up ... it wasn’t right," he said. Haggins Sr. said he is focused on making sure his son gets justice and wants the maximum prison time for anyone involved in his son’s death. Police said they expect to make more arrests in the coming days. And says he wants the maximum prison time for anyone involved in his son’s death.  CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article listed the name of the victim and his father as Bruce Hagans and Bruce Hagans Sr., respectively, in accordance to the Amber Alert and previous interviews with the Bruce Sr. Spectrum News 13 was informed by the father Friday that the correct spelling of their last name is Haggins. The story has been updated to reflect this. Devon OsborneCourtesy: Sumter County Sheriff’s Office COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– A man is now behind bars in Sumter County for reportedly having sex with a young girl back in 2016. Sumter County deputies say 36-year-old Devon Osborne was arrested on New Year’s Eve for an unrelated outstanding warrant, and was then served a warrant on January 3 for first degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. We’re told the alleged victim was under 10 years old. Osborne was denied bond and is still in custody. COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– On June 4, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office says they arrested 26-year-old Tabitha Paige Gertin and charged her with harassment, second degree. Tabitha Paige GertinCourtesy: Sumter County Sheriff’s Office On May 23, investigators say Gertin repeatedly called the female victim after she was told to stop. Authorities say Gertin also drove by the victim’s home and started verbal altercations. Deputies say Gertin was taken to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center and later released after meeting her $1,000 bond. Sumter man dies in vehicle fire by Marcus Flowers (WACH) — A Sumter man died from a vehicle fire on December 24 according to the Sumter County Coroner's Office The Sumter County Sheriff's Office alongside the Sumter Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire in the 300 block of Arbella Drive in Wedgefield was the man in the vehicle and was pronounced dead on the scene Michael's next of kin has been notified of his death An autopsy will be performed Tuesday morning at The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and the Sumter County Coroner’s Office are investigating the incident SC (WOLO)– The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office says a Wedgefield man is accused of shooting into a home on Hidden Oaks Drive Deputies say 25-year-old Quincy Jerrod Carter Jr was arrested on September 17 and charged with discharging a firearm into a dwelling Quincy Carter Jr.Courtesy: Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Carter is accused of firing into the victim’s home on August 21 Deputies say Carter was released on the same day as his arrest (WPDE) — Agents from the 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) and deputies of the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office arrested four on Wednesday in a drug bust in the Wedgefield section of Georgetown County agents and deputies responded to a number of complaints of traffic and possible drug sales at 245 Jericho Court Agents and deputies conducted an investigation and obtained a search warrant for a home at that address agents and deputies said they found an indoor marijuana grow operation with 107 marijuana plants they also found tools for care and cultivation of marijuana and materials to prepare more products of the same sort Agents and deputies also said they recovered a handgun and an assault style rifle and Steven Duvall II were all arrested and charged with trafficking marijuana in the amount of more than 100 but less than 1,000 plants They were booked into Georgetown County Detention Center Joshua MorrisCourtesy: Sumter Police Department SC (WOLO)– The Sumter Police Department says a Wedgefield man has been arrested after he was accused of inappropriately a girl under the age of eight Police say 33-year-old Joshua Morris was sent to repair a heating and air unit on North Salem Avenue Monday where he entered a room with the victim in it Police say Morris turned himself in Thursday morning and has been charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor Authorities say he was booked at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center