Criminal Defense Lawyer Near Me York, SC

Funeral services will be 1:00 pm, Thursday, September 24, 2026 at Gold Hill Baptist Church in York, SC. Burial will follow at Lakeview Memory Gardens in York.

The family will receive friends from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday at the home of Ken and April Orr.

Mrs. Williams may be viewed from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm prior to the service.

Mrs. Lauratia Isom Williams peacefully transitioned from this earthly life in the afternoon hours of September 20, 2026. Lauratia was born on June 14, 1932, in Newport, South Carolina, to the late Hall Isom and Laura Gilmore Isom.

Lauratia was a woman of remarkable strength, unwavering honesty, and a true servant’s heart. She was never afraid to tell you exactly how she felt, but beneath her straightforward nature was a heart filled with love, generosity, and devotion to others. She was a woman of few words, yet her presence was strongly felt. Those who had the privilege of knowing her could always glean something from her wisdom, strength, and life experiences.

Lauratia loved to work and took great pride in everything she did. She enjoyed gardening, reading, learning, listening to preaching, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loved dressing up and was rarely without one of her beautiful hats and rings. She carried herself with grace, confidence, and a style that was uniquely her own.

She was also known for her love of baking, especially her beloved sweet potato pies, which became a favorite among family and friends. Her pies were more than a dessert; they were one of the many ways she shared her love with those around her.

Above all, Lauratia loved her family dearly and would do anything for them. Her strength, wisdom, love, and devotion created a lasting foundation for the generations that followed her. She loved deeply, served willingly, and leaves behind a legacy that will continue through her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Lauratia accepted Christ and joined New Home AME Church at an early age. She faithfully served there for many years, working tirelessly on the Usher Board and especially enjoying the church’s Rainbow Tea events. Later in life, she renewed her commitment to her faith and moved her membership to Gold Hill Baptist Church in York, South Carolina.

Lauratia’s servant heart extended beyond her church and into her community. She was also a member of the Western York County NAACP and Hopewell Union Cooperative Charity #3, continuing her commitment to service, fellowship, and helping others.

Lauratia was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Charlie Williams Jr.; her son, Arthur Williams; her brothers, John Benjamin Isom, William James Isom Sr., and Joseph Nathaniel Isom; and her sisters, Beatrice Isom Dunbar, Hannah Isom Lowery, Cornelia Isom Douglas, Ola Mae Isom, Selena Isom, Louise Isom Harris, and Zoratia Isom Graham.

Those left to cherish Lauratia’s precious memory and continue her legacy include her son, Ronald D. Williams of Monroe, North Carolina, and daughter-in-love, Elizabeth Williams; her granddaughters, Charlene Mitchell (Eric) of Corona, California, April Williams-Orr (Kenneth) of Clover, South Carolina, Shanika Williams of York, South Carolina, and Stella Brittingham (James) of Raleigh, North Carolina; her great-granddaughters, Kaierra Burris of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Katerra Mitchell of Corona, California; her great-grandsons, Landon Orr of Clover, South Carolina, and Langston Brittingham of Raleigh, North Carolina; her special and devoted sisters-in-law, Juanita Miller of York, South Carolina, and Guynell Williams of Gastonia, North Carolina; her special nephews, Preston Isom of South Boston, Virginia, and Chris Williams of York, South Carolina; her cherished and extended family, Dr. and Mrs. David Holman of York, South Carolina; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members, church family, and dear friends.

Mrs. Lauratia Isom Williams lived a life marked by strength, service, faith, wisdom, hard work, and an enduring love for her family. Though her earthly presence will be deeply missed, the lessons she taught, the love she gave, the wisdom she shared, and the memories she created will remain in the hearts of her family for generations to come.

Her life was a blessing, her presence was unforgettable, and her legacy will live on.

Events

Open Viewing

Thursday, September 24, 2026

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Gold Hill Baptist Church

Funeral Service

Thursday, September 24, 2026

1:00 pm

Gold Hill Baptist Church

The York School District will try again to add new fees on home construction as a way to pay for schools in a rapidly growing community.

The school district sent a letter in late June to county officials asking for a new study on development impact fees. Impact fees are charges on new construction where revenue is intended to help pay public infrastructure costs brought on by community growth. School impact fees are charged exclusively on new residences.

Impact fees have become common in the past decade across the Rock Hill region, home to some of the fastest-growing parts of the Charlotte region and the state of South Carolina. While cities and towns can charge impact fees for a wide range of public services, school impact fees require York County Council approval.

Council voted unanimously on Monday night to have its planning staff and planning commission study a new fee for York schools.

“This is to kick things off,” said County Manager Josh Edwards. “This is the first step.”

It’s unknown how much the new fee would charge. That figure comes from a study comparing existing school infrastructure, growth rates and the cost to serve new students. Consultant TischlerBise should have it completed by next month, according to the district letter to York County.

Council then has the option to approve the full amount, reduce it or deny the new fee entirely. That’s a process York schools know well.

York County schools and impact fees

For decades, Fort Mill schools had the only school impact fee in South Carolina. That district passed a $2,500 per home charge in 1996, right before the state eliminated it as an option. State law changed in recent years and Fort Mill schools asked York County in 2018 to approve a fee at more than $18,000 per home and $12,000 per apartment.

The county approved that full amount.

Clover schools then came to the county asking for more than $15,000 per new home. The county approved a fee in 2020, but at only $4,000 per home.

York schools asked the county four years ago for fees at more than $12,000 per home and $10,000 per apartment. The county didn’t approve anything.

Many western York County residents expressed frustration last year when Fort Mill returned with a request to increase fees there to nearly $30,000 per home and had it approved, while the county denies Clover’s request for the full amount it asked for in 2020. The county instead doubled the Clover fee to $8,000 per home, about half its requested amount.

“I don’t think it’s fair for people who are moving in to not have to pay their portion of the growth,” Lake Wylie resident Amanda Hauser told York County Council last fall. “And that the rest of the taxes then have to go up on us.”

New decision on York schools

County officials have given several reasons for the differing decisions, from demographics to tax levies to school bond approvals. They’ve offered concern for less affluent areas of the county that impact fees could price people out of starter homes or mobile homes.

The prior York decision not to start any fee came in part because schools wanted an all or nothing decision, York County Councilman William “Bump” Roddey later said in public meetings.

Council members didn’t offer many comments on Monday before allowing the study process to begin.

“I just hope that we’re not wasting their time with this,” said Councilman Andy Litten.

York hitting a growth wave

One argument York schools may have on their side this time around is the same one used for many years in Fort Mill. Just look at the growth.

Unincorporated Indian Land has been the highest growth part of the Rock Hill region for years, but the town of Fort Mill has been the high growth municipality. From 2020 to last summer, Fort Mill was the fastest-growing city or town in the Charlotte metro region, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

York was second. And from 2024 to last year, York was No. 1 with an 8% growth rate. Fort Mill was second at 6.8%. York surpassed 10,000 residents last year, according to census estimates.

Impact fees could help York get ahead of its growth curve in ways Fort Mill and the Clover district didn’t. Fort Mill opened a new school each of the past two years, and typically opens one every other year or so. Clover schools opened three new schools this fall, including two in fast-growing Lake Wylie.

Fort Mill has passed 10 school bond votes since 1992 as the district ballooned from four schools to 23.

Counting its technology center and alternative format school, York has 10 schools. District voters passed a $90 million school bond two years ago for a new middle school. With the opening of Lake Wylie High in the Clover district this fall, York is now the county’s only single high school district.

Once York’s impact fee study is complete, it will take several months for the planning commission and York County Council review. Council would have to vote three times to start a fee, a process that includes at least one public hearing.

FORT MILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A South Carolina Circuit Court is affirming the York County Board of Zoning Appeals’ (BZA) decision that the controversial solar panel manufacturing plant, Silfab Solar, does not fit within the county’s Light Industrial zoning district.

The Court’s decision came down Tuesday to uphold the BZA’s 5-0 unanimous decision in May 2024 that York County’s zoning ordinance does not permit solar panel manufacturing in the district.

, the Court affirmed the appeal and found that the BZA’s findings supported that the plant’s operations does not fit within the defined use category “Computer and Electronic Products Manufacturing” in the Light Industrial district and violates the county’s Zoning Code.

The Court also rejected arguments that a 2022 zoning verification letter or a Fee in Lieu of Taxes (FILOT) agreement ratified “all prior actions taken with respect to [Silfab’s] Project,” and they do not amend the Zoning Code.

The ruling does not immediately cease operations or close the facility. Silfab’s petition for appeal was denied, but this does not mean the company will not submit another appeal.

Advocates against the facility say this decision is a major legal victory for the Fort Mill community after more than two years of litigation.

Representatives for Silfab Solar shared this statement following the ruling Tuesday afternoon, saying, “While Silfab Solar is disappointed by the ruling, we are pleased that the court acknowledged that the BZA’s decision was limited to determining whether solar panel manufacturing falls under one specific use category only and left open the possibility that it may fall under other permissible use categories. More importantly, this decision has no effect on our current operations. As York County has previously confirmed, the BZA’s ruling only applies prospectively and does not affect Silfab because our project was well underway prior to the BZA’s decision. Nevertheless, we will be appealing to ensure that future opportunities to expand production and hiring remain open and to protect the zoning process from being manipulated in the future as our opponents did in this case.”