Roofing Contractor inRavenel, SC.

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — You've probably heard that lightning can't strike the same place more than once, but is that a myth or a fact?

Myth - lightning can strike the same place more than once.

Read more: Charleston breaks 6-decade-old record-high temperature on Tuesday

"Lightning strikes the same place twice frequently," said Dave Williams, storm tracker chief meteorologist. "The Ravenel Bridge gets struck hundreds of times per year by lightning."

The next common myth - heat lightning.

"A lot of people think that during the summertime when you see a thunderstorm in the distance, there's lightning and they think that lightning is spontaneously generated. It's not. It's generated by a thunderstorm that's far in the distance and you can't hear the thunder because it's so far away. And usually it's at nighttime, so the light travels a lot farther and you can see it from long distances," Williams said.

And when it comes to tornados -

"You want to make sure that you're in the safest place possible," Williams said.

You've probably heard that lightning can't strike the same place more than once, but is that a myth or a fact? (WCIV)

The common misconception is you should open your windows if a tornado is coming as it can stabilize the air pressure in your home.

"It doesn't matter whether your windows are open or closed," Williams said. "It's not a pressure difference that knocks your house over. It's the actual wind speed picking things up and hitting your house with things like debris."

Williams' best advice: "Just make sure you're prepared for a disaster, no matter what it is."

Read more: SC Severe Weather Awareness Week; Preparing ahead of time for severe weather

Another popular myth - it's safe to drive through a flooded roadway if you have an SUV or truck.

False - you should never drive through a flooded roadway. You don't know how deep the water is and just a couple inches of water can sweep your vehicle away.

Tornado sirens are not a reliable way of getting tornado warnings.

"They're run by electricity," Williams said. "If your electricity is knocked out, then the tornado sirens are going to get knocked out as well. So if you're waiting for a tornado siren to go off and you don't hear it, it may be because the electricity has already been knocked out. Get your watches and your warnings from a reliable place. The best place is a NOAA Weather Radio."

This story was originally published in the Oct. 4, 2021 edition of the Charleston Regional Business Journal.

A second planned unit development has been pitched for Ravenel, the rural town of 2,700 residents, showing signs that progress is now pushing outward from West Ashley.

Residents are concerned the movement could fundamentally change the rural nature of the area they call home.

Plans for the Tea Farm Tract, a proposed 400-unit planned development in Ravenel, and the related annexation of over 3,100 acres of land in Ravenel, were blessed Sept. 16 by the town’s planning and zoning commission, with a recommendation to limit density on over 2,000 acres of land outside the development.

The Tea Farm Tract would sit on 395 acres of land.

Rebecca Baird, who lives adjacent to the property and whose husband runs a grass-fed beef farm on their property, also opposed the annexation and development.

“I’m begging you to not annex this property; it will be devastating for this community, it will change the traffic flow, it will change how we have grown to live in this rural area,” she said.

A public hearing was scheduled be held by the full council and possible vote on Sept. 28.

Earlier this summer, the council approved and filed annexation plans for the Golden Grove Planned Development District, with 381 single-family homes and a commercial area to be built on 597 acres between Highway 17 and Old Jacksonboro Highway.

Similarly, the Tea Farm proposed development would sit along Old Jacksonboro Road and Highway 17, next to E.B. Ellington Elementary School, about 11 minutes from the intersection of Bees Ferry Road and Glenn McConnell in West Ashley.

The site is currently owned by the McLeod Lumber Company.

“We have owned this property for nearly a century…times change, things move on,” said William McLeod Rhodes, president of McLeod Lumber, at the commission meeting. “We would look for a developer who would do it well, and of course all regulations would be done well.”

Representatives from Thomas & Hutton, the land planning firm for the site, said they have been working on the land use plan for the site for a year-and-a-half.

Land planners stated at the meeting that the development may impact wetlands, including a half-acre of “isolated wetlands” on Landover Road.

Nearly two dozen neighbors and community stakeholders — including the Preservation Society of Charleston and The Coastal Conservation League — spoke out against the development at the Sept. 16 commission meeting, which lasted two-and-a-half-hours.

One resident said he would move away from Ravenel if the Tea Farm development was approved.

Others questions why 3,000 acres needed to be annexed for a project a fraction of that size and expressed concern that the town was setting itself up for a larger buildout on the site.

Opponents cited disruption to the site’s wildlife and wetlands, potentially impacting the nearby Charleston County Parks’ Caw Caw Interpretive Center, as well as increased traffic and strains on the area’s sewer system, which could potentially lead to future flooding issues.

“That’s just an incredible amount of land that can be developed like this,” said Tim Blackwell, who spoke at the meeting. “This could start a program where it will cascade (with) partnerships and LLCs adding another 1,000 acres. Once you start this, you’re going to ruin what you’ve got and what Mount Pleasant wishes what they had. We’re going to have Highway 17 South look like Highway 17 North.”

Thomas & Hutton presented a complete plan with renderings of sidewalks, streets and bike lanes. Plans include single-family homes and townhomes, parks and open space, a community center and 16 acre-commercial area that could support a grocery store.

The Tea Farm plan calls for slightly more than two single family homes per acre, and, when combined with townhomes, comes out to six units per acre overall. The density of Golden Grove is three homes per acre.

The board’s conditional recommendation was to limit density to one home per 25 acres in the 2,700 or so acres not expressly in the Tea Farm development, as outlined in the Charleston County’s comprehensive plan for Ravenel,

Rhodes did not return an email from CRBJ, asking if he was agreeable to the density amendment by the commission.

At the meeting, however, he shared that the McLeod family has additional tracts totaling 1,350 acres, but they are not seeking that to be annexed at this time.

In his opening statement, town administrator Mike Hemmer tried to quell some concerns about the development, including that the town does have the capacity to run sewer to the planned development and that existing sewer line limits mean the remaining 2,000 acres could not be built out in full.

During public comments, only one citizen spoke in favor of the Tea Farm development at the meeting: resident Todd Johnson, who said he’s lived in the area for 20 years. He said the development will bring younger people to the area.

“I think it’s a great idea for the young people coming up; they need a place to live and work,” he said. “Everything is growing out this way anyway. I think it’s a wonderful idea and I’m glad for the town to continue to grow. We need to grow.”

Charleston County deputies say a standoff that began Tuesday night at a Ravenel home has ended with a man in custody.

RAVENEL, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston County deputies say a standoff that began Tuesday night at a Ravenel home has ended with a man in custody.

Michael Shawn Sweeney, 52, is charged with domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, first-degree assault and battery, and four counts of pointing and presenting a firearm, sheriff’s spokesman Andrew Knapp said.

Deputies took Sweeney, who had barricaded himself inside a home in the 6400 block of Farm House Road, into custody at approximately 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, just over a full 24 hours after they first responded to the neighborhood.

“SWAT team members made entry in a tactical operation and located him,” Knapp said. “He was arrested without significant incident.”

Deputies received a report about a domestic disturbance involving a weapon at approximately 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 6400 block of Farm House Road, Knapp said.

Two people who were inside the home were able to leave without injury, but deputies learned that Sweeney armed with firearms remained and barricaded himself inside, refusing to come out.

Just before 11 p.m., deputies called in the SWAT team and crisis negotiators as they continued their efforts to establish contact with him.

At times during the hours-long standoff, the man has come out of the home only to walk back inside. On at least one occasion, he was seen carrying a shotgun in front of deputies, Knapp said.

Knapp said throughout the standoff that there was no known danger to neighboring homes, and people who live in the area were allowed to come and go.

Knapp confirmed Tuesday night that they do have knowledge of past arrests and past “domestic-type incidents” at the house.

Charleston County jail records state Sweeney was booked into the jail on a charge of third-degree domestic violence on June 8.

Neighbors and witnesses reported hearing multiple sirens at different points throughout the standoff.

”Throughout the course of a standoff like this, we use various tactics to establish contact with someone inside a home, and that’s just one of those,” Knapp said. “Obviously, for neighbors in this area it can be unnerving, but everything is OK.”

No injuries have been reported in this incident.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

For Bluffton Today

This July marks the 17th anniversary of the opening of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.

The bridge, which connects downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant, officially opened to traffic on July 16, 2005, following a week-long celebration. The bridge is named after Arthur Ravenel Jr., the former U.S. congressman and state senator who campaigned for the funding needed to construct the bridge.

Before the Ravenel Bridge spanned the Cooper River, the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge and the Silas N. Pearman Bridge connected Charleston and Mount Pleasant.

Grace Bridge opened in 1929. Eventually, the Pearman Bridge was built alongside the Grace Bridge to alleviate traffic and load limits. Pearman Bridge opened in 1966 to northbound traffic while Grace Bridge remained in use for southbound traffic.

By the late 1970s, Grace Bridge was declared structurally unsound. Additionally, the two bridges were not tall enough to allow for the passage of modern container ships. The state of South Carolina deemed it too expensive to replace the bridges, so the Grace and Pearman Bridges remained in use.

Things began to change when Grace Bridge scored a 4 out of 100 on a safety test in 1995.

In an oral history interview with the South Carolina Historical Society, Arthur Ravenel Jr. recalled, “We got a report from a consultant that the highway department had hired to do a feasibility study on the Grace Bridge. … And I’ll never forget what the gentleman said. He says, … ‘Both structurally and functionally…a perfect bridge is 100.’ He says, ‘The Grace Bridge, in both categories, is a 4!’ And everybody gasped!”

Concerned by this report, Sen. Ravenel returned to the state senate on the single-issue platform of raising funds for a new bridge. Thanks to partnerships with local, state and federal entities, and the creation of the S.C. Infrastructure Bank, Ravenel helped secure funding for the bridge by 2001. The total cost of the bridge was about $700 million.

Following four years of construction, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge Opening Celebration took place from July 9-16, 2005. On July 9 and 10, over 50,000 people visited the bridge for an open house event and had the opportunity to walk on the bridge for the first time. Other events included a black-tie gala fundraiser held on the bridge, an official bridge lighting ceremony, a mile-long display of fireworks across the Cooper River, and a dedication ceremony.

Seventeen years later, the bridge is one of the most recognizable features in the city and popular with locals and visitors alike. Over 80,000 cars and hundreds of walkers, runners and cyclists cross the bridge daily.

On the legacy of the bridge, Ravenel said, “And with tongue in cheek, I tell people it’s the only thing, which in my political experience, it’s the only thing that’s ever been done in the greater Charleston area that no one complains about! Everybody loves the bridge.”

Tooth pain is nothing to laugh – or cry – about.

A few months ago, Ravenel, South Carolina, resident Maurilia Basurto experienced some pain on the right side of her mouth. Never having been to a dentist before, she tried to ignore it until the pain got increasingly worse.

After dropping off a neighbor to receive prenatal care at the Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach’s Women’s Health Clinic, she learned that the facility offered dental services as well. She made an appointment and was recently evaluated for her tooth pain and quickly scheduled to see a specialist during the Jan. 13 endodontics clinic sponsored by Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach and the MUSC James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine.

The program marks a return of full endodontic services to the clinic after an extended period, closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Theodore Ravenel, D.M.D., associate professor in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation and director of postgraduate endodontics in the Division of Endodontics.

Basurto was evaluated by endodontist resident Kyle Williams, D.D.S., assisted by volunteer third-year dental student Madison Covington. They talked, took several X-rays and started a root canal of her upper bicuspid tooth. Two hours later, her tooth was almost pain-free.

“Although there are community dental clinics around the Tri-county, none or very few are able to provide endodontic services or the ability to provide root canals for patients,” said Ravenel. MUSC has partnered with the Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Dental Clinic over many years and brings our dental students and now residents to respond to the community’s needs.

Prior to the pandemic, Ravenel accompanied dental students as part of a weekly clinical rotation for 1 1/2 years to work at the clinic with patients. As a precaution, the clinic closed for some time and eventually re-opened for general dentistry needs. For a short time, Ravenel coordinated the services of a few dental students at the clinic to perform root canal work for some patients, but the effort didn’t fully launch.

The Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Dental Clinic started from humble beginnings in a trailer back in 1989. About 34 years later, it’s now located in a modern facility funded by donations and grants and has expanded to include a small but growing dental clinic located in the heart of downtown Charleston to provide dental services to Tri-county underserved and rural populations, free of charge. The MUSC team volunteers its time and services at the clinic at no charge.

During the Jan. 13 dental clinic, the endodontics team treated 23 patients from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a team that consists of six endodontic residents; two third-year dental students, who are volunteer dental assistants; Ravenel, the faculty preceptor; and dental assistant/endodontics program coordinator Vanessa Chapin.

First-year endodontics resident Alex Black, D.M.D., assisted Ravenel and the endodontic team in today’s free clinic.“The facilities here at the Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Dental Clinic are very good. It’s well-stocked and has the basic items we need as well as our own scopes and other equipment we brought to help us do our work efficiently,” said Black. “The dental clinic personnel does a great job screening patients in advance for this clinic. They provided X-rays, notes and conducted some diagnostic tests on qualified patients prior to today’s treatments.”

Endodontists are dental specialists that focus on the nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth and use advanced techniques to treat dental pulp, root issues and relief of tooth or mouth pain caused by decay, tooth injuries or abscesses.

In many cases, a tooth can be saved, which will help a patient preserve his or her natural teeth, according to Black. After evaluating the tooth for inflammation or infection, the specialist can perform a root canal to remove the infected tissue and pulp, apply a special irrigant to kill bacteria in the tooth and cover it using a temporary filling. Next, a general dentist will provide a tooth buildup to prepare a permanent crown.

Second-year endodontics resident and chief resident Ann Nicholas, D.M.D., explained their approach to patient care.

“As endodontists, a big thing of what we do is conducting a patient history and review of their present illness. We only get a small idea of what’s going on, based on what we see in a patient’s mouth. It’s important that we talk to the patient about what they’ve been doing, what elicits their tooth pain, etc. That information, plus the imaging, testing and what we see in the mouth provides a comprehensive look at the situation so we can determine the best course of care,” said Nicholas.

Time can also present a challenge for endodontists, according to Nicholas. Unlike general dentists, endodontist don’t have the long-term established relationship typically built with their patients – they only see patients for one or two encounters in order to diagnose their situations quickly and provide relief for their pain.

“Sometimes the diagnosis is not black and white; it’s a spectrum, so it’s a challenge for us to take enough time and take the patient’s health history to determine the best treatment for them,” Nicholas said.

Fortunately, an endodontist’s work can be very rewarding for both patient and practitioner.

“What we provide – relief from tooth pain – is an immediate, tangible benefit. Oftentimes, dentistry focuses on treatment and providing preventive care for the patient. What we provide mostly is emergent dental care that has a huge effect and positive outcome for the patient. It’s impactful and satisfying to be able to especially help this patient population,” Nicholas said.

At the post-procedure follow up, it was explained to Basurto, via the clinic’s Spanish-speaking receptionist-interpreter, that she received a root canal. Williams also explained that she would need a crown and would experience some soreness that could be relieved with over-the-counter pain relief medicine. He cautioned her to avoid hard foods like ice and nuts and to check for any abnormal swelling.

For Basurto, things were already good. The pain was gone, and already, she was smiling. In a few weeks, she’ll return to the clinic with her husband, as they will both receive their first dental cleaning.