Jewelry stores in Johns Island, SC

On June 14, a letter writer mistakenly wrote that I proposed a right turn lane and flashing yellow light as the remedy for safety and traffic concerns at the intersection of Riverland Drive and Central Park Road.

While I welcome any long overdue improvement to the intersection, that proposed solution belonged to Charleston County Councilwoman Jenny Honeycutt.

My preference was for a smaller version of the stoplight option, which was never presented to the public but which was designed by traffic engineer Howard Chapman at my request.

The stoplight would have taken fewer trees, cost $2 million less, been implemented faster and taken very little heirs property. Our solution was not accepted.

The letter writer was correct in that three years ago, county consultants presented three public options, which were all bad, and the dog bone design was selected by popular vote.

That vote, however, was taken before I-526 was funded. Once funded, I asked DOT officials whether a 10-year traffic standard would suffice rather than a 30-year standard since the Mark Clark was scheduled for completion within the next eight years.

Once complete, Riverland Drive will be significantly relieved of traffic. DOT agreed.

After the vote, a shortened stoplight solution became viable as opposed to the confusing dog bone proposal, which incidentally, has never been tried in South Carolina and there are very few nationwide.

Regardless, I am thankful for Ms. Honeycutt’s advocacy and council’s funding as her suggested improvements will be made quickly and the new sidewalks will be a fabulous addition.

Sen. SANDY SENN

House District 41

Palmcrest Drive

Johns Island

During state budget decisions, there was no consideration for expanding Medicaid, which reflects the partisan-driven intransigence of Gov. Henry McMaster.

That means 200,000 low-income adults will remain in the coverage gap, ineligible for traditional Medicare or the premium subsidy features of the Affordable Care Act. The state leaves an enormous amount of federal funds on the table.

Under recent stimulus legislation, South Carolina could receive about $800 million, paid over two years, if the governor chooses to expand Medicaid.

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This exceeds the cost to provide coverage to those 200,000 individuals for at least four years, and the federal government would provide all but 10% of the cost of covering them thereafter, a state obligation that would be less than 1% of the current budget.

Many expansion states have saved 50% or more of their cost by using federal dollars on programs where the state was responsible for 100% of the cost.

It would improve the situation with medical debt and bankruptcies, shore up rural hospitals under stress for having to provide uninsured care, lower mortality rates and enable preventive care for this population segment.

The state will receive $8.9 billion in pandemic relief funds, which the governor is trying to determine how to spend.

Add this to the potential $800 million Medicaid expansion windfall and there is no longer any good faith argument that the state cannot afford expansion.

JUDY MANNING

REN MANNING

Harbor Creek Place

Charleston

I suggest that state lawmakers pass a law that every time a driver is caught talking on a cellphone or texting, the offender would be fined $100.

And for each time charged and convicted, the driver’s fine would increase another $100. (Texting while driving already is illegal in S.C. but carries a lesser fine for first-time offenders.)

When the fine reaches $1,000, the person would lose the use of the phone in the car for a year with another harsh fine.

There are far too many accidents caused by drivers who are talking on the phone or texting while the vehicle is in motion. I would like to see more driving and fewer accidents. Just drive, follow the rules and get to where you are going safely.

ANNA BARNETT

Habitat Boulevard

Johns Island

Helping Out highlights some of the many charitable events and activities going on in the Charleston area. Submit your news using our online form.

Charleston Area Senior Citizens has received a grant of $4,485 from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation. Funds will be used to support the Meals on Wheels program.

Trident United Way’s Young Leaders United donor network is hosting an online school supply drive that runs through Tuesday. For less than $16, an elementary student can be supplied with a backpack and about 15 essential supplies.

Crews Subaru and Subaru of America donated $86,561 to Lowcountry Food Bank. The donation will create more than 500,000 meals for those who struggle with hunger.

The check represents the proceeds from the Subaru of America and Feeding America 100 Million Meal campaign this spring and a Crews Subaru Matching Fund campaign.

The S.C. Wildlife Federation is launching a four-day virtual auction to support the nonprofit’s conservation and education programming. The Wild Summer Nights Online Auction goes live to the public at 8 a.m. Thursday and will end at 8 p.m. Sunday.

The online auction includes hunting and fishing trips, vacation packages, outdoor gear, wildlife art, specialty gifts and spa packages.

Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach has expanded its area of service coverage to those living in areas spanning downtown Charleston to Edisto Island.

The Johns Island location is serving those living in:

The Neighborhood House location is serving those living in:

Along with the demographic changes to the services, the organization has also modified the poverty guidelines to encompass more individuals and families from 150% to 250%.

The Fort Dorchester football team knows it has a tough task ahead and is busy preparing for it.

The Patriots have finalized their schedule for the 2021 football season, and they are looking at some extra-stiff competition this fall.

“We felt we needed a tougher schedule,” Fort Dorchester coach Steve LaPrad said. “It doesn’t do us much good if we dominate the teams around here if we lose in the first round of the playoffs. We wanted to put our players in competitive situations against teams we aren’t so familiar with.”

The Patriots opened the 2020 season with a seven-game winning streak. They outscored their opponents 353-142, but were eliminated from the Class AAAAA playoffs with a 14-12 loss to River Bluff in the first round.

Thus a different focus on this year’s schedule. Fort Dorchester will host a preseason scrimmage against Sumter and take on its county rivals during the Dorchester Showdown Jamboree at Summerville’s Memorial Stadium Aug. 20.

The Patriots will open the regular season at home against Berkeley, a formidable opponent, Aug. 27.

That’s when the beefed-up portion of the schedule truly kicks in. The Patriots will face teams from out of the area three of the next four weeks. Fort Dorchester hosts Dorman on Sept. 3 and then travels to Carolina Forest (Sept. 9) and to Myrtle Beach (Sept. 24) before entering the majority of its games against Lowcountry opponents.

The Patriots had a productive spring practice and have participated in several 7-on-7 passing events this summer. When high school league regulations allow, they will continue to participate in skills camps and summer lifting and conditioning programs the rest of the summer.

LaPrad is encouraged by the players who have returned and confident in his team, particularly with its offensive and defensive fronts. While the Fort lost several of its starters at the skills positions, it isn’t without talent.

Rising junior Zolten Osborne is back at the helm of the Patriots’ offense. Last season he completed 94 of 149 pass attempts for 1,595 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores.

“Our quarterback has gained 30 pounds and is a bit taller,” LaPrad said. “He gets better every day and will continue to be a big part of what we do. We lost most of our linebackers and defensive backs so we will need some players to step up there.”

Rising seniors Demetrius McKelvey (6-5) and Davion Joyner (6-3) are back to provide experience to the team’s receiving corps. McKelvey, who is the leading receiver back, made six receptions for 153 yards and two TDs last season.

Rising seniors Saiyan Harper, Jamie Hutchinson and Geoffrey Dawson, and rising junior Max Garrido return to the team’s offensive front.

The Patriots return four rising seniors to the defensive front – D.J. Watson, Devin Geddis, Quantrelle Mathis and Jaeden Profit. Watson is a Division I prospect and Geddis had 56 tackles last season, including three sacks and 10 others for a loss.

He also led the team in QB hurries with nine. Watson finished with more than 30 tackles.

Rising senior Rashawn Springs returns to anchor the secondary and rising senior Chase Kennedy is back to handle the team’s kicking.

2021 Fort Dorchester Football Schedule

Berkeley Aug. 27

Dorman Sept. 3

@ Carolina Forest Sept. 10

Wando Sept. 17

@ Myrtle Beach Sept. 24

Ashley Ridge Oct. 1

@ Goose Creek Oct. 8

@ Stall Oct. 15

West Ashley Oct. 22

@ Summerville Oct. 29

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - People who live on Johns Island and community groups are weighing in on the city’s proposal to raise funs to finance infrastructure projects.

The Municipal Improvement District is a form of tax assessment, according to City of Charleston Director of Planning, Preservation and Sustainability Robert Summerfield.

He says this assessment would be taken from future developments, not existing homes or properties, and the money would go to projects only on Johns Island.

The Johns Island Task Force, which is an alliance between several community organizations on the island, just sent a letter to Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg in support of the project but with some recommendations.

The task force is urging officials to use those funds to create a “framework of civic activity,” instead of many individual and isolated projects. Some of the recommendations listed in the Johns Island Task Force letter include an Island Center for community activities, a network of roads parallel to Maybank, and a CARTA bus route along Maybank.

Summerfield said officials are happy to get the feedback.

“[The Johns Island Task Force,] not only are they on board with this opportunity to raise these funds, but they’re also thinking about specific projects that in the future this money could be put toward, and that’s tremendous,” he said. “There’s nothing on this this list that’s not a potential fundable project once the MID is adopted and we start seeing some revenue from it.”

Not everyone on Johns Island is sold on the project.

“I’m not a big fan of it,” Johns Island native Thomas Legare said. “I think new homes, both in the city of Charleston and the county of Charleston, should pay some type of impact fee, but I don’t think the taxpayer or the homeowner should be the ones paying it.”

Instead, Legare said he believes homebuilders and developers should be the ones to pay a fee to fund development projects in the area.

“They’re the ones that should be adding that into the price of their homes or taking it out of their profits,” he said. “When they’re issued a building permit, they should be paying the impact fee that would go toward improving our infrastructure.”

Summerfield said community members like Legare will be able to share their opinions and concerns about the MID at the public hearing on Aug. 17.

Copyright 2021 WCSC. All rights reserved.

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – Last week, Harry Tatoian set out for a day of sailing off Folly Beach when his boat capsized. After three hours stranded in the Atlantic, a U.S. Coast Guard crew pulled him out of the ocean. Wednesday morning, Tatoian and the crew reunited face to face.

Tatoian spoke with News 2 about the events of the stressful day.

“I was out at Folly Beach on Thursday and was sailing and going into the bay area and my sail ripped,” explained Tatoian.

That’s when his boat capsized. He was stranded in the Atlantic for over three hours while the choppy waves pushed him out towards Kiawah Island.

Focused on keeping his head above water, Tatoian was able to tie the ropes from the sailboat around himself.

“I was yelling for help and waving my hands and using my radio,” he said.

Terrifying thoughts raced through the man’s mind as reality set in.

“Your life, your safety. Are you going to get rescued? How long is this going to be?”

Fortunately, Tatoian was carrying a handheld radio with him. The Christmas gift from his fiancée saved his life. He turned to channel 16, which is used as the emergency frequency, and put out a distress call.

“Mayday, mayday I need help!”

Crews with Coast Guard Sectors Charleston and Savannah heard the call and jumped into action searching the water from a Coast Guard helicopter.

“When we heard the call, we immediately got out there and we started looking for you, and for you to make those other mayday calls allowed us to hone in on where you were which was amazing,” Lt. Felipe Guardiola, the helicopter pilot, told Tatoian.

One hour passed between when the Coast Guard rescue team heard the distress call and when Tatoian was pulled from the ocean.
Wednesday, the crew and the man they saved reunited.

“We were elated just to find him in the first place,” said Joseph Florio, the rescue swimmer who saved Tatoian. “A lot of times we come upon these situations, they don’t really have the best results. So, when I looked out the window and actually saw the sailboat and him clinging on to it, we were excited to find him and help him.”

Tatoian expressed his gratitude to the team for saving his life.

“I was in tears,” he said. “It was literally the grace of God. When it was hovering over me, I couldn’t believe it.”

This incident isn’t keeping Tatoian from getting back in the water. He says he went swimming at Folly Beach just a few days after it happened.