'A lot of unknowns': Cherokee County leaders mull future of Limestone University campus amid closure
WYFF News 4
[{'start': '0.400', 'end': '3.736', 'text': "MAP OUT THE SEVERE THREATS  MOVING FORWARD.  CHRIS.  THANK YOU.  CHEROKEE COUNTY LEADERS SAY THEY  ARE IN SHOCK AFTER A LIMESTONE  UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCED IT WAS  SHUTTING ITS DOORS FOR GOOD THIS  WEEK.  NOW, THE COUNTY IS PLANNING FOR  FUTURE WITHOUT THE SCHOOL.  OUR REY LLERENA JOINS US LIVE ON  CAMPUS WITH MORE.  RAY.  JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, THERE WERE  A LOT MORE STUDENTS AND STAFF  WALKING AROUND CAMPUS.  BUT TODAY, EXCEPT FOR SOME  STUDENTS COMING BACK TO TAKE  THEIR GRADUATION PHOTOS, THE  CAMPUS HAS BEEN MOSTLY EMPTY.  BUT CHEROKEE COUNTY LEADERS SAY  THAT THE FULL IMPACT OF THE  UNIVERSITY'S CLOSURE REMAINS TO  BE SEEN.  IT'S ALMOST LIKE A LOSS OF A  FAMILY MEMBER, YOU KNOW THAT  IT'S HAPPENED.  CHEROKEE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR  MERV BISHOP SAYS.  THERE'S MORE UNKNOWNS THAN  ANSWERS NOW THAT LIMESTONE  UNIVERSITY IS SHUTTING DOWN.  THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG HIT FOR  CHEROKEE COUNTY.  I DON'T THINK THAT WE REALLY  KNOW WHAT WE PLAN ON.  HOW THIS IMPACTS GOING TO HIT  US.  THOSE UNKNOWNS INCLUDE ITS  CAMPUS IN GAFFNEY, CONVERSATIONS  THAT HE SAYS COUNTY COUNCIL WILL  BE HAVING SOON.  WE'LL DO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN  FOR THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.  I MEAN, WE JUST TREAT IT JUST  LIKE WE DO ANYTHING FOR OUR  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW,  IS TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT  SOURCES INTO THAT FACILITY SO  THAT IT CONTINUES TO BE USEFUL.  MEANWHILE, OTHER SCHOOLS SUCH AS  ERSKINE COLLEGE ARE OFFERING  SCHOLARSHIPS.  WE'RE OFFERING $25,000 PER YEAR  FOR HOWEVER MANY YEARS THAT THEY  ATTEND.  ERSKINE AND AN ACCELERATED  ADMISSIONS PROCESS FOR LIMESTONE  STUDENTS.  WE'RE BOTH SMALL PRIVATE  SCHOOLS, SO THERE'S A LOT OF  KINSHIP THERE BETWEEN OUR  INSTITUTIONS, AND SO WE  DEFINITELY SYMPATHIZE WITH THE  STUDENTS AND REALLY FEEL FOR  WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT  NOW.  BISHOP SAYS THE COUNTY IS  INTERESTED IN PRESERVING SOME OF  THE CAMPUS'S HISTORICAL  BUILDINGS.  OF COURSE, BECAUSE IF NOT, I  MEAN THAT WHOLE THAT WHOLE AREA  COLLEGE DRIVE IS IN THE  HISTORICAL DISTRICT.  SO, I MEAN, IT'S A GIVE AND TAKE  THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY  IMPORTANT.  RAY, WHAT ELSE DID COUNTY  OFFICIALS HAVEVE TO SAY ABOUT TE  IMPACT THIS CLOSURE IS GOING TO  HAVE?  CAROL, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR,  ADMITS THAT THIS WILL BE A TOUGH  ADJUSTMENT TO MAKE BECAUSE HE IS  USED TO DRIVING AROUND TOWN AND  GOING INTO THE SHOPS IN DOWNTOWN  AND SEEING LIMESTONE STUDENTS  THROUGHOUT, WHEREVER HE GOES.  BUT HE ALSO SAYS THAT THE  COUNTY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND  THE CITY OF GAFFNEY WILL BE  COMING TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT  THEIR NEXT STEPS."}]