South Carolina's first federally chartered startup lender in years is eyeing its next outpost.

Mount Pleasant-based Beacon Community Bank is looking to redevelop a former Circle K service station and convenience store at 527 N. Main St. in downtown Summerville.

The deal is subject to a proposed environmental cleanup and land-reuse plan filed by VCKH’s Magnolia LLC with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control in late March

The applicant is owned by local car dealer Tommy Baker, who also is Beacon's chairman and co-founder. It plans to acquire the nearly half-acre corner property "and intends to redevelop the property with a bank," according to the document.

"The property was formerly a gas station. The past use of the property or adjoining properties may have caused environmental pollution on the property," the filing stated.

The public comment period on the cleanup proposal runs through May 1.

Fast-moving Beacon opened its sixth branch in five years in 2023 when it expanded into the North Charleston market and bolstered its existing East Cooper presence by opening a new corporate headquarters and retail office along U.S. Highway 17 across from Boone Hall Farms.

The bank opened its doors in early 2018 on East Bay Street in downtown Charleston after raising about $34 million from more than 320 local investors led by Baker of Baker Motor Co. Beacon's other branches are in Mount Pleasant and one on Daniel Island.

Split decision

The dozens of newcomers who relocate to the Charleston region each week won't include the "Golden Bachelor" and his new bride after all.

Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist, who tied the knot in a TV wedding about three months ago, went on ABC's Good Morning America last week to announce they've decided to part ways. Turner filed the papers to make it official, citing an “irretrievable breakdown” of their new marriage

"Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations, and we've looked closely at our situation, our living situation, so forth and — and we've kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it's probably time for us to dissolve our marriage," he said on the morning show.

Shortly after Turner picked Nist to be his bride on the ABC reality show, the 70-something engaged couple told People magazine they were considering a move to Charleston from their residences in Indiana and New Jersey, partly because her son and family live nearby.

“We looked at home after home, but we never got to the point where we made that decision," Nist said on GMA.

All best

Three South Carolina towns were named as the “Most Beautiful Coastal Towns in the South” by Southern Living.

Charleston, Georgetown and Beaufort made the list, as well as cities in North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Florida, Virginia and Maryland.

Beaufort, which ranked No. 4 out of 15 on the list, was chosen because of the amenities of Waterfront Park, the 100-slip marina, its downtown charm and its proximity to Hunting Island State Park.

“Beaufort’s Waterfront Park is a great place to get wide-open waterfront views as you take a sunset stroll,” Southern Living writers described in the ranking.

Charleston was No. 7, with mentions of the dining, shopping and cultural offerings, its proximity to the barrier island beach towns.

“To be fair, the Holy City comes to mind for a lot when we’re talking about great Southern vacation destinations … There’s not much you can’t find in Charleston,” according to Southern Living.

Ranked No. 13, Georgetown was hailed as the “crowned jewel of South Carolina’s Hammock Coast, a string of six towns bookended by Myrtle Beach and Charleston, Georgetown offers all the same charms of Charleston with far fewer crowds.”

The selections were made by Southern Living editors who research and visit destinations across the region.

Upstate acquisition

A Lowcountry concrete business is cementing its footprint in South Carolina with an Upstate acquisition.

Summerville-based Knight’s Companies and its Knight’s Precast division recently bought MST Concrete Products Inc. of Pendleton.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Knight’s Precast said it plans to open two new Upstate locations, in Central and in Pendleton. CEO Pete Knight called the deal an "exciting step in our companywide expansion strategy."

Family-owned Knight’s offers septic, ready-mixed concrete, precast concrete, trucking and concrete-pumping services, as well as steel reinforcement products to commercial and residential customers with plants in Summerville and Richmond Hill, Ga.

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JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A South Carolina agency and a Lowcountry nonprofit are teaming up Tuesday afternoon to reach their goal of restoring the marshes and cleaning the environment, but they need the help of volunteers.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Charleston Waterkeeper have teamed up to host Oyster Shell Litter Cleanups. Oyster shell recycling provides environmental benefits including erosion control, water filtering and habitats for fish and shellfish.

The challenge with oyster shell recycling is that they need to be completely cleaned before being returned to the marshes and they often end up mixed in with trash items like saltine wrappers, beer cans and sauce cups.

SCDNR and Waterkeeper are seeking volunteers to help them sort through and remove the debris of these recycled oyster shells. Volunteers will get dirty, so they recommend wearing close-toed shoes and clothes that can get messy. The groups will provide buckets, gloves, trash pickers, sunscreen and bug spray.

Representatives from SCDNR and Waterkeeper say that the help of volunteers has a huge impact on both the environment and their organizations. SCDNR’s Oyster Shell Recycling and Plant Program Coordinator Holly Sommers says that SCDNR used to sort through the shells and litter all on their own, so having volunteers allows them to clean a greater amount in a much more efficient and effective manner.

“Without volunteers, we would not be able to accomplish what we have. So, with that, we really appreciate everybody who comes out and takes their time to help us clean the oyster shell,” she says. “Know that you as the individual, the caterers that are out there and the restaurants that are participating in our shell recycling program, SCDNR cannot do it without you. And we really appreciate the time, energy and effort that goes into supporting us and every bushel counts. So thank you.”

Sommers says you can truly make a difference in protecting and supporting your shorelines.

South Carolina has a critical shortage of oyster shells, according to SCDNR’s Oyster Recycling and Enhancement program. Sommers says that this is the time of year that they begin deploying the shells on the shorelines so it is a busy time of year for oyster shell recycling, and removing the trash is a very important step.

They also began collecting detailed data on the trash they find. They use these numbers to provide to local restaurants and caterers to educate them. Last year, the organizations collected around 1,700 pounds of trash and debris from these events. The trash they find can be small items so Sommers says collecting exact numbers can have a bigger impact.

“It is a lot of Saltine wrappers and like those materials that don’t weigh a lot, that’s why collecting more specific data is important. Because numbers are impactful, you know, so when we can say we found thousands of Saltine wrappers this past year compared to, you know, five pounds of the wrappers, the numbers make a difference,” she says.

The next Oyster Shell Litter Cleanup will take place Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

To volunteer, you must sign up online at this website.

Volunteers must be at least 10 years old to participate and accompanied by a guardian if under the age of 18. All they ask is that you bring a photo ID and a water bottle. Volunteers are to meet at the parking lot at the intersection of Noisette Boulevard and Turnbull Street in North Charleston. They will caravan to the site from there after a short debriefing and sign-in process.

Charleston Waterkeeper Staff Scientist and Volunteer Coordinator Cheryl Carmack says that participating can also help educate the volunteers on this present issue and be more mindful when eating and recycling oysters.

“I encourage people to volunteer, so they can see firsthand just the amount of shell that we’re working with, the types of debris so when they go to an oyster roast they are more aware of it and when they go to a restaurant they can ask ‘hey, do you recycle your oyster shell?’ And they understand the benefit our oysters provide to the environment and it’s a lot of fun,” she says. “It’s all about engaging the community and raising awareness about the importance of recycling oyster shells first of all, but also how to recycle your oyster shells like a pro and how to be smarter in recycling your oyster shells.”

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - The first reading of the 2024 to 2025 Charleston County School District’s budget is just over a month out, and the board still must make important decisions on a number of topics included in the budget.

Three meetings were held Monday evening including a budget workshop with the Board of Trustees, a Committee of Whole meeting and a special called meeting.

Although no major decisions were made at Monday’s meetings, each discussion is extremely important in helping the board make decisions in a budget year some have called the most difficult budget seen in years.

Cutting programs and positions is necessary for the 2024 to 2025 school district’s budget with federal pandemic money drying up.

In a closed-door executive session meeting on Monday, the board voted to approve employment contracts for next year based on the contractual obligations and/or budgeted allocations for all certified staff.

It is unknown at the moment who is and who is not still hired by the district following the decision made in the executive session. It has been a known problem the board needed to face with the budget being what to do with about 300 staff members whose salaries are being paid for with federal dollars that will soon go away.

More information on a proposed funding option was presented by Superintendent Anita Huggins, which would allow resources to be allocated to help schools in the district with students in poverty, special education or multilingual.

“You can rest assured though that our success will be measured against student outcomes,” Huggins said.

The Weighted Funding Model comes with a $30 million price tag but would allocate funding from the district to individual student needs at each school if passed by the board.

The need for a new funding model partially comes from the number of students in poverty attending non-Title 1 schools under the current funding model cannot address all students.

“We have held meetings with schools that would receive this funding and spoke with principals to see where they would want the funding to go,” Huggins said.

The topic of teacher and non-teacher pay raises has been a major discussion among the board and its budget with a variety of different options available.

The Charleston County Teacher Compensation Task Force is asking to incorporate the $5,000 bonus teachers received last year to their salary which would cost around $24 million to the district.

Other possible pay scenarios were presented with each requiring a millage increase which would increase property taxes in Charleston County.

Possible scenarios include:

“For a balanced budget this year, we would need the 3.8. millage increase, but we would not need a millage increase in the next two years for sustainability,” Board of Trustees Member Pam McKinney asked the Chief Financial Officer.

A few topics discussed at Monday’s meeting will be voted on at the Board of Trustees meeting on April 29, while the first budget will be presented to the Audit and Finance Committee on May 7.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

An American Airlines regional flight from Charleston, SC declared an emergency approaching Washington, VA on Sunday, 14 April 2024.

American Airlines flight AA5044, a CRJ-700ER out of Charleston declared an emergency with squawk code 7700 as it approached the destination.

American AA5044 Charleston-Washington

After holding to the east of the airport for a short period, the flight declared the formal emergency before making its approach.

The nature of the problem prompting the emergency declaration is not yet known. Weather conditions at the destination airport were visual (VFR) for the time of arrival.

Data shows that the original flight made an on-time departure out of Charleston International Airport (CHS) at 12:09 local time on 14 April.

The flight then set course normally, climbing to FL290 (29,000 feet) for the northerly route to Washington.

One approach into the destination, flight AA5044 terminated its descent at 5000 feet. From there, the flight entered a holding pattern to the east.

The aircraft then initiated further descent in the holding procedure, before declaring general emergency with code 7700.

Having exited the holding pattern the flight then continued for an approach into Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

The aircraft conducting the regional AA5044 rotation was a Bombardier CRJ-700ER jet, registered N705PS.

This is a 20-year old regional jet belonging to the US carrier American Airlines. The aircraft has been in service with the carrier since December 2013.

The American Eagle network of 6 regional carriers operates under a codeshare and service agreement with American, serving destinations across the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico.

Three are wholly owned subsidiaries of American Airlines Group:

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed on Friday they are investigating State Rep. Marvin Pendarvis.

The investigation into Pendarvis came at the request of the First Circuit Solicitor’s Office, SLED spokesperson Renee Wunderlich said.

Details of the investigation were not immediately made available.

The announcement of the investigation comes one day after a lawsuit filed against Pendarvis and his law firm, Pendarvis Law, LLC, alleged Pendarvis witnessed the forgery of a client’s signature and agreed to a settlement without his client’s knowledge.

Court documents state Adrian Lewis had retained Pendarvis’s counsel after he was accused of kidnapping his daughter by the child’s mother in 2021.

Lewis’s attorneys said the child’s mother called the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office while the child was with Lewis on Isle of Palms.

Court documents state Lewis received a phone call from deputies and returned home with his child and was arrested.

Attorneys for Lewis accuse Pendarvis of inflating the potential recovery in the case to an amount above the South Carolina Tort Claims Act.

Lewis’s lawyers Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter allege Pendarvis agreed to settle the case with the sheriff’s office without Lewis’s knowledge or consent.

Despite telling Lewis the case was worth up to $325,000 it was settled for $10,000 and Lewis’s signature was forged on the documents, court documents state.

Bland and Richter claim Lewis was given two checks one for $5,000 in December 2023 and another for $1,667 in March 2024 and assured Lewis that more money was coming. However, Lewis would find out that the case was settled for $10,000 and the $6,667 given to him by Pendarvis would represent the settlement minus the 33% fee to the law firm.

Documents filed with the suit show a series of text messages from March allegedly between Lewis and Pendarvis where Lewis says he’ll sue Pendarvis.

In the messages, Lewis tells Pendarvis he has the documents to show the case was settled for “10k” and said he would sue.

“How much you need the check for? Answer the question man,” Pendarvis said. “How Much?”

“U done,” Lewis said.

Pendarvis then asks Lewis to call him and he says no.

“I’ve always come thru for you on anything you need man,” Pendarvis said. “Let’s handle this s---. No need to try and hurt me man. I can help you. Please brother.”

Court documents state Pendarvis visited Lewis’s home around 8:30 a.m. on April 2, 2024, and said he had $50,000 in cash in a black bag to give him and could give him another $25,000. Pendarvis allegedly told Lewis he would write a check to pay for Lewis’s mortgage if Lewis did not sue him.

Lewis refused the offer, Bland and Richter said.

Court documents state Pendarvis met Lewis on April 4 and gave him another check for $15,000 post-dated for April 9.

Bland and Richter said the rules of professional conduct are not a sliding scale, and that Lewis is courageous for bringing these claims forward.

“The type of conduct here that is dangerous is the allegations and the complaint of harnessing and invading your escrow account to pacify a client, and that escrow account may contain funds that don’t only belong to the client, but they belong to others,” Bland said. “You also have to be truthful with your client. The clients are entitled to accurate information so that they can be informed to make decisions in their case.”

The lawsuit seeks damages for Lewis’s financial losses, emotional distress, and punitive damages.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.