Roofing Contractor inSt. George, SC.

A developer is requesting to change more than 360 acres of residential land to industrial land.

ST. GEORGE, S.C. (WCSC) - Calling one place home all your life until a rezoning request sign pops up on your street. That is what happened to a group of people who live in St. George.

One developer is requesting to change more than 360 acres of residential land to industrial land that would affect large properties off Highway 78 one mile east of St. George.

Although Dorchester County’s plans do not say what exactly will be built in this area, a number of residents who have spent their whole lives here say they want their land to be kept the way they’ve always known it to be.

Richard Myers was born on Sugar Hill Road in St. George and has lived here all his life.

“Everybody seems to know that something big is going to happen in this area except the people that live here,” Myers said.

He owns around 37 acres, which has the possibility of turning into industrial land.

“All of this that we’re standing on now used to be our farm, but as the years changed... the farm got smaller,” Myers said. “But we still got a farm, and we want to keep it that way. We don’t want a factory sitting in the middle of it or a warehouse.”

Another resident in the area, Barbara Felder, is the sixth generation in her family to live here. Her grandparents and aunt’s home is still on the land.

She was asked what her reaction was when she first saw the Dorchester County rezoning sign down the street.

“We were shocked,” Felder said. “There were no letters or no communication about the changes in our area.”

Felder says she worries about how this rezoning could affect pollution, their roads and access to emergency vehicles.

“We shouldn’t let the county nor the developer to come in our community and tell us what to do as taxpayers and for our future,” Felder said.

Myers says he has no intention of selling his land but knows his taxes will rise if he doesn’t.

“If they want your property, they’re going to get it because they’re going to run your taxes sky high until you say, ‘Enough,’” Myers said. “‘I got to sell it because I can’t pay the taxes.’”

Both of them say they want to be involved with the rezoning process.

“We are tired of explaining and they need to change and not think about the almighty dollar that’s coming into Dorchester County area,” Felder said.

Dorchester County did not respond for a comment because Monday was a holiday. This rezoning still has to go through three readings before it can be approved.

To take a closer look at the official rezoning plan from the county, click here.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Dorchester County is coming up on the last year of a five-year comprehensive before a review.

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Dorchester County is coming up on the last year of a five-year comprehensive before a review. The state requires local governments with comprehensive plans to review them every five years and replace them every ten years.

The plan, discussed in 2018 and adopted in early 2019, outlines 35 action items county committees would work towards achieving. Some of those goals were deemed near-term with a timeline of one to three years. Those included creating a growth management plan, attracting a Trident Technical Campus and creating regulations for sand mining. Those three could be considered accomplished.

Mid-term actions, taking three to five years list actively working to grow county services and continuing to attract secondary education facilities to the county.

As for about five year and onward goals, planning and zoning director Kiera Reinertsen says those are ongoing. She explains that those goals take longer to both set up and achieve. They include studying locations and creating a plan for bringing healthcare to underserved areas and creating a bike and pedestrian path that links the county. Reinertsen says staff is making strides in bringing a facility to St. George and is actively still working on those goals.

Going into the next five years, she says there may be new action items added, but the overall goals still apply.

“And so I expect that the goals will remain the same. There may be a little shift in some of the priorities. Maybe a couple of new goals, but ultimately, the plan that we adopted back 2018/2019 I think we will show is still a good and valid plan. And we’re still going to continue to move forward with that through the next couple years,” Reinertsen says.

She says something that will remain on the to-do list is continuing to bring industry and jobs, to balance the jobs to housing ratio. In the past five years, the county announced the Walmart facility and record-breaking industry investment in 2022.

“Certainly, think in the in the near term in that five-year window that we’re going to continue to see the sort of growth that we’ve seen the last few years,” Economic Development Director for the county, John Truluck says.

He says continued industry investment will also help with the long-term goal of expanding county resources, since property taxes for the businesses could benefit county projects.

“It’s not just quantity of jobs. It’s the quality of the job. So, we’re not necessarily trying to focus on bringing in large employers’ big numbers. But you know, we are in the business of trying to raise people’s quality of life and that means higher income so more, more wages, higher wages for the jobs that are coming are the ones that are here, you know, we want to see those companies grow and do well and continue to pay their people better than they then have it accomplishes the same thing,” Truluck explains.

Reinertsen says as they approach the end of year five, staff is working to compile all the action items and completed project in an online program that will track the quantitative progress. She says it will help give a clear metric in the next few months of what was completed successfully, what is ongoing and what remains to be done.

If you live in the county, you can expect to see public meetings about the future five year plan happening this spring and summer.

Click here to read the entire comprehensive plan.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

The Florida Times-Union

Arguably the crown jewel of Florida’s First Coast, St. Augustine and superlatives are often mentioned in the same sentence.

Already this year, the oldest city in America has been featured on a nationally televised travel show and its beaches have been named among the best in the United States.

And this week, St. Augustine earned a new accolade: The South’s Best Small Town 2023 by Southern Living as part of its annual The South's Best feature.

“With its Spanish colonial heritage, melting-pot population, and wealth of Gilded Age relics, there’s truly no other town cut from the same cloth (or, perhaps, patchwork) as St. Augustine, Florida,” travel writer Valerie Rains wrote in Southern Living.

More honors:St. Augustine Beach named among Top 25 in United States in new ranking

In case you missed it:St. Augustine gets spotlight on PBS travel show 'Samantha Brown's Places to Love'

During her four-day stay in the city, Rains gushes over the city's restaurants and bars, including Boat Drinks, The Floridian, Casa Reina, Collage, River & Fort, Llama, St. Augustine Distillery and more after exploring St. George Street and downtown, the waterfront and waterways, Anastasia State Park and the city’s connection to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement.

St. Augustine's St. George Inn is featured on one of the covers of the magazine's special double issue.

The city bested other small towns of the South, including Gatlinburg, Tenn.; Tybee Island, Ga.; and Sanibel, Fla.

"In a year when more people than ever are traveling and moving to the South, we wanted to put a spotlight on small towns in this year's South's Best Awards,” said Sid Evans, Editor in Chief of Southern Living, in a news release. “These are the hidden gems our readers picked for their character, charm, and unmistakable Southernness.”

Southern Living named Charleston, S.C., its pick for The South's Best City.

In late January, PBS’s “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love” featured an episode on St. Augustine. And just last week, Tripadvisor ranked St. Augustine Beach No. 13 on its list of Top 25 Beaches – United States.

A year ago, St. Augustine was named to Southern Living magazine’s The South’s Best Beach Towns, earning praise for its beaches, the Castillo de San Marcos and Lightner Museum.

Southern Living's South's Best Small Towns

Here are the Top 10 of the magazine's Top 50 list of best small towns of the South.

The intiative will include classes on using MyChart, as well as a Chromebook borrowing program

Now that the COVID threat has dissipated, fewer people are using telehealth, which most people likely suspected would happen. It has far from gone away completely, though: a report from the CDC showed 37% of adults had used telemedicine in 2021.

That is, in part, because telehealth is a good way to provide equitable care to people who normally might have trouble accessing it, either due to where they live, a disability that makes it hard to go to a doctor, or the lack of access to transportation. Those still using it in large numbers include women, American Indians, and older people.

As such, a number of large health systems are still investing in the technology, the latest being Mount Sinai Health System, whose Digital and Technology Partners (DTP) department announced a collaboration with The New York Public Library (NYPL) this week.

The goal of the partnership is to expand equitable health care throughout New York City by providing access to health services through telehealth and digital literacy skills.

As part of the collaboration, the Library’s TechConnect department will hold two-hour classes called “Take Charge with MyChart.” These session, which are free, will be available online, as well as in person at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in midtown Manhattan, the Bronx Library Center in the Bronx, and Richmondtown Library, and St. George Library Center on Staten Island.

The class will include information on how to find a new doctor, how to access existing medical records or test results, and how to schedule or attend a virtual doctor’s appointment. Participants will also be taught how to refill prescriptions online using MyMountSinai, which is Mount Sinai’s version of MyChart; participants will not have to already have a MyChart account to attend.

In addition, because attendees may not have access to their own devices, the Library is offering a Chromebook borrowing program, so patients check out devices and use telehealth resources.

“Over the past few years, it’s become clear that our commitment to our patients cannot stop at the doors of our buildings,” Bruce Darrow, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President, Information Technology, and Deputy Chief Information Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, said in a statement.

“This program helps to address a digital divide in our community and we are grateful to NYPL and the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation for partnering with us on this important initiative.”

Mount Sinai Health System has more than 43,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a school of medicine and graduate education.

Other health systems that have also recently invested in telehealth include Temple Health, which announced a partnership with medical technology and automation solutions provider Masimo.

The two companies outlined a series of initiatives they want to collaborate on, including deploying technologies, therapies, devices, and systems designed to advance patient-centered care, as well as raising awareness of the importance of health equity, which it plans to to "by leveraging their expertise and regional influence to positively impact access to quality care for all Philadelphia residents."

Novant Health, a network of hospitals, physician clinics and outpatient facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, recently unveiled an expanded partnership with the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina, which includes establishing physical and telehealth clinic locations.

Those telehealth portals, which will be placed in more rural locations, will be powered by TytoCare and will allow patients to connect to a Novant Health clinician who can virtually examine their heart, lungs, skin, ears, throat, and abdomen.

(Image source: nypl.org)

From Seaman Sasha Ambrose

MEDITERRANEAN SEA- Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Whelan, assistant navigation officer aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), was recently named Shiphandler of the Year by Naval Air Force, Atlantic. The award recognizes the dedicated professionals skilled at maintaining position during complex maneuvers such as underway replenishments, and maneuvering, anchoring, or mooring their platforms in all types of weather.

“It’s humbling to be selected for this award,” said Whelan. “As an aviator coming onto the bridge for the first time, everyone pulled together to show me the ropes. That sort of camaraderie is unique to aircraft carriers because we have everyone, from legal to admin to combat systems, driving the boat.”

Leading the bridge team is one of the most important duties for a navigation officer, requiring focus and precision under pressure, as well as social skills to navigate the human element.

“Andrew is easily one of the most forward-thinking officers I’ve observed,” said Cmdr. Brian Conlan, navigation officer. “His ability to position this aircraft carrier and strike group for our nation’s most important tasking has been seamless. At also critical times, he enables George H.W. Bush to stare down threats, while responding to evolving situations.”

Whelan leads the Sailors who work on the bridge with a philosophy of “attitude is everything,” and said if the crew keeps their focus on the mission, the ship, and the people they serve alongside, they will be successful in facing any challenge that comes their way.

“The culture on the bridge, right now, is awesome,” said Whelan. “This is one of the best teams I’ve ever been part of. The leadership from the top down invests their time and experience into the crew, and that sincerity shows, and it inspires Sailors to emulate those characteristics and pass it on to the next person.”

As assistant navigation officer, his duties also include creating watchbills, training the bridge teams, qualifying the officers of the deck, and coordinating and communicating with other vessels and aircraft operating in the area.

“He is constantly pushing at his own boundaries and limits, and it encourages us [the bridge team] to push ourselves as well,’ said Quartermaster 2nd Class Kole Sturm. “He stays cool under pressure, analyzing the situation, and guiding us to success.”

Whelan was also accepted into the Fleet Scholars Education Program, and is planning to obtain his master’s degree in public policy. Inspired by the lessons learned throughout his career, he is looking forward to returning to the fleet after completing the program to serve as a department head.

Whelan grew up in Greenwood, South Carolina, and commissioned as a Naval Flight Officer in 2014 with a degree in journalism from Winthrop University.

George H.W. Bush provides the national command authority flexible, tailorable warfighting capability as the flagship of a carrier strike group that maintains maritime stability and security to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is underway completing a certification exercise to increase U.S. and allied interoperability and warfighting capability before a future deployment. The George H.W. Bush CSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat America’s adversaries in support of national security. It achieves its mission by projecting the combined power of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush, CVW-7, Destroyer Squadron 26, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), and its Information Warfare Commander.

For more information about George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group, head to Facebook (www.facebook.com/csg10) and (www.facebook.com/ussgeorgehwbush). Instagram (www.instagram.com/ghwbcvn77). LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/carrier-strike-group-ten) and (www.linkedin.com/uss-george-h-w-bush-cvn77).