Kitchen Remodeling Contractor in Mount Pleasant, SC

A blanket of snow fell across Charleston and the Lowcountry late Jan. 21, following days of shifting predictions and a healthy dose of public doubt that it would ever arrive. In the end, the forecasters were right — with the added measure of more snowfall than anticipated.

The National Weather Service's rare snowy forecast came as a prolonged period of sleet coated the area and forced local officials to close the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to the east of the Charleston peninsula and the Ashley River Bridges to the west.

The patter of sleet transitioned to the silence of snow at about 10:20 p.m., according to the the NWS in Charleston.

Predicted snowfall for the Lowcountry increased in the hours before it arrived, according to the evening NWS forecast. A morning prediction of an inch or two of snow in southeastern South Carolina grew to a forecast of 3 to 5 inches through early Jan. 22, with some localized amounts of up to six inches possible. A NOAA forecast map showed that much of the tri-county and southern Lowcountry could get 4 to 6 inches of snow.

"It does look like, at some point later this evening, it will be entirely snow across the Lowcountry. There's still some question about what point in time that transition occurs," NWS meteorologist Jonathan Lamb said early on Jan. 21.

Sleeting and freezing rain began slowly in the tri-county area around 4 p.m. Jan. 21. By 8:30 p.m., authorities closed the Ravenel bridge. Closure of the Ashley River Bridges came soon after.

The heaviest snow fall was expected to come overnight and run into the early morning of Jan 22. Snow should end by noon, when the winter weather advisory expires.

Inland counties saw snow start earlier than the coastal territories, with little or no sleet or freezing rain.

Frigid temperatures, particularly lows in the 20s with even colder wind chills, through Thursday brings the possibility of continued icy conditions as well as a slight chance of freezing rain.

Warming centers opened across the tri-county

Three warming centers opened across Charleston County Jan. 20 due to the cold and winter storm warning:

After 8 p.m. Jan. 21, Hibben and Seacoast reached capacity.

Amber Henry, executive director of Holy City Missions, said their warming center has been at capacity of 84 guests the past couple weeks. She anticipates reaching capacity again for the next few nights.

About 140 people total stayed at the three centers on Jan. 20, Henry said.

If all three warming centers reach capacity, the county will open a shelter at the Charleston County Sheriff's administration building at 3831 Leeds Ave., the county said.

Snow just the beginning as cold, hazards could linger

Snow and ice that melts during the day on Jan. 22 could refreeze overnight, bringing the possibility of dangerous black ice and prolonged traffic disruptions. The NWS also warned that melting ice could fall from the elevated places, creating one more hazard to be concerned about.

Along with the winter storm warning, a cold weather advisory is in place until 10 a.m. Jan. 23, alerting to an "unusually long period of bitterly cold weather."

A cold air mass settled over the area this week causing temperatures to tumble. Highs on Jan. 21 reached the low to mid-40s, but overnight temperatures were expected to drop into the 20s, according to an evening winter weather briefing. The following day could be the coldest of the season so far with highs likely not to climb out of the 30s. Overnight wind chills are forecast to be in the low teens. By Jan. 23, conditions will warm marginally, but overnight lows will again drop into the low 20s and continue to do so until the weekend.

An area of low pressure moving out of the Gulf of Mexico is expected to pass to the south and offshore of the the Palmetto State, where it will contact the cold air in place over the region. Its exact path will influence how much and what kind of precipitation occurs.

The NWS reports that the Jan. 22 night temperatures will be near-record low, which was set in 1985.

Roads already being prepped

The S.C. Department of Transportation began prepping roads on Jan. 19 and continued on Jan. 20, said agency spokeswoman Hannah Robinson. DOT typically begins preparations two days in advance as the salt brine solution used will stick to roads unless it rains, she said.

Sometimes, crews will leave salt deposits in medians and curbs to help prevent pooling water which could later freeze, Robinson said.

Using a "tiered system" of roadway preparation, DOT begins salting primary roads and interstates first, then following to secondary roads and occasionally neighborhood roads, if warranted, Robinson said.

While the immediate threat to the Upstate has lessened, Robinson said, the DOT operates on a preparedness system that covers the entire state, with some Upstate roads already pre-treated.

DOT monitors upwards of 41,000 miles of road across the state and regularly monitors weather updates. Robinson advised that drivers use the DOT storm resource page at scdot.org/travel/stormResources to monitor weather and road updates.

"As Southerners, we're not used to driving on ice or snow, so it can be hard to navigate that," Robinson said. "So we always encourage people, if you're able to, stay off the roads during any kind of weather event."

DOT stationed 15 plows across the Charleston region in advance of the winter weather, according to a Charleston city news release.

'No yahoos'

As frozen rain coated Charleston and before the snow arrived, city officials urged people to stay home as they announced road barricades.

City workers blocked off some roads to make way for plows. Entrances, sidewalks and parking lots near fire, police and parks and recreation facilities have been treated with a snow melt, a city spokeswoman said.

Earlier, government offices and school districts across the region announced closures.

Public schools in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties will have e-learning and remote work Jan. 22.

Charleston County offices closed at 4 p.m. Jan. 21 and will be closed Jan. 22. Curbside recycling will resume Jan. 23 on a two-hour delay. For the rest of the week, recycling will be on a one-day delay schedule.

Charleston municipal offices closed at 3 p.m. Jan. 21 and will remain closed on Jan. 22. All public meetings scheduled for these days will be rescheduled. Garbage collection will resume on Jan. 23, if road conditions are safe.

The Livability Department notified carriage businesses to have horses off city streets by 3 p.m. Jan. 21. No tours will be run Jan. 22.

CARTA ended its service at 8 p.m. Jan. 21. Operations for Jan. 22 will be "dependent on weather and road conditions."

Charleston officials said they were not considering a curfew like the one ordered last August during Tropical Storm Debby that closed off the peninsula to traffic in an effort to dissuade "yahoos" as Mayor William Cogswell called them from driving on flooded streets. City spokeswoman Deja Knight McMillan said those plans could change if too many people venture out in the snow and causes “further strain on first responders.”

“Stay home,” McMillan said.

Alan Hovorka, Maddy Quon, Megan Fernandes and Ali Rockett contributed reporting.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Reach Caitlin Bell at 843-790-9433. Follow her on Twitter/X @CaitlinPatBell

While the hot, new restaurants tend to open in downtown Charleston, folks east of the Cooper need to eat too. Mount Pleasant serves up a lot of hidden gems that might not get the same publicity as the peninsula hot spots.

This group spans multiple cuisines, from Japanese to Vietnamese to Southwestern, and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs.

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After a successful run with Ma’am Saab at former food hall Workshop, restaurateurs Maryam Ghaznavi and Raheel Gauba opened another Pakistani restaurant, Malika Canteen, in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre. Popular menu items include dahi puri, chicken tikka masala, the kabab roll plate, and paneer tikka masala.

Located in Towne Center, Savi Cucina has become known for its excellent wine selection, including a wine-tasting room and coveted inclusion in the wine club membership. Ricotta gnocchi and pizza options including the original fig and prosciutto pie accompany other Italian classics. Situated across from Regal Palmetto Grande movie theatre, Savi Cucina is a great stop before a film.

Chef Eric Milley constantly rotates the offerings on the menu at the Shellmore, but there’s always an oyster and cheese selection available to pair with the amazing wine selection. The restaurant is small and the kitchen is even smaller, but it puts out big flavors like shrimp and scallop risotto with lobster cream or rigatoni bolognese.

Kanpai is truly a staple of Mount Pleasant dining. Chef Sean Park puts the utmost care into every plate and seems to score the freshest catches around. Always check out the specials, which can range from uni to chutoro.

Open since 2003, Langdon's serves some of the best fine dining in Mount Pleasant. The dining room is set for a special night out, but it isn’t stuffy. Start with local goat cheese gnocchi or seared foie gras and then move on to a lamb ribeye or duck breast with celery root puree.

Brunch is serious business at this restaurant that draws crowds for PB&J pancakes and breakfast martinis. There’s a downtown location as well.

A South-meets-Southwest staple of Mount Pleasant, Red Drum has served the community since 2005. An inviting patio, great margaritas made with real ingredients, crispy fried shrimp, and a wood-fired creations from chef Ben Berryhill keep this a date night destination for many in the Lowcountry.

Expect friendly and fast service at this Mount Pleasant deli. At Mozzo, it’s common to hear, “Hey Jimmy, are you having the regular?” Other patrons can choose from an extensive sandwich menu featuring proteins like chicken cutlet, roast beef, turkey, and Italian meats served on ten different kinds of bread. Daily soups, house-made pickles, and local iced tea are a few of the many accompaniments offered.

Interested in grabbing a few cocktails and watching the sunset? Head here. Chef Denis Crutchfield’s menu offers plenty to snack on, whether it be roasted oysters with “casino butter” or pimento cheese with bacon jam, plus flatbreads and entrees such as grilled swordfish and pasta bolognese.

Oysters are the star at Nico, but there’s so much more to explore. This bustling brasserie from chef Nico Romo serves a wide variety of raw bar items and classic French dishes like escargot and burgundy sea scallops. The wood-fired oven brings a bit of smokiness to the menu through a selection of roasted bivalves and whole roasted fish. The brunch is popular here as well.

Locals like to debate whether Shem Creek dive Wreck of the Richard & Charlene is too touristy or just the right amount of out-of-towners. Nestled on the water, the dining room is not much more than a screen porch and some plastic furniture. It’s no frills, so stop by after a trip to the beach for some boiled peanuts, a cold beer, and fried shrimp.

Post House is a handsome tavern anchoring the Old Village. The neighborhood restaurant focuses on coastal, seasonal cuisine, and classic cocktails. Diners can start their meals with blue crab toast or Abundant Seafood crudo and move on to a half chicken or smothered pork loin. In addition to dinner, the restaurant offers lunch and brunch.

Established in 1945, H&R Sweet Shop is a staple of the Old Village. The address is an old shotgun-style building with a small cafe on the left and a hat shop on the right. Visitors come for deals on griddled burgers, fried oyster plates, and daily specials like cabbage and rice — many dishes are $10-$20 and some less than that.

After a successful run with Ma’am Saab at former food hall Workshop, restaurateurs Maryam Ghaznavi and Raheel Gauba opened another Pakistani restaurant, Malika Canteen, in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre. Popular menu items include dahi puri, chicken tikka masala, the kabab roll plate, and paneer tikka masala.

Located in Towne Center, Savi Cucina has become known for its excellent wine selection, including a wine-tasting room and coveted inclusion in the wine club membership. Ricotta gnocchi and pizza options including the original fig and prosciutto pie accompany other Italian classics. Situated across from Regal Palmetto Grande movie theatre, Savi Cucina is a great stop before a film.

Chef Eric Milley constantly rotates the offerings on the menu at the Shellmore, but there’s always an oyster and cheese selection available to pair with the amazing wine selection. The restaurant is small and the kitchen is even smaller, but it puts out big flavors like shrimp and scallop risotto with lobster cream or rigatoni bolognese.

Kanpai is truly a staple of Mount Pleasant dining. Chef Sean Park puts the utmost care into every plate and seems to score the freshest catches around. Always check out the specials, which can range from uni to chutoro.

Open since 2003, Langdon's serves some of the best fine dining in Mount Pleasant. The dining room is set for a special night out, but it isn’t stuffy. Start with local goat cheese gnocchi or seared foie gras and then move on to a lamb ribeye or duck breast with celery root puree.

Brunch is serious business at this restaurant that draws crowds for PB&J pancakes and breakfast martinis. There’s a downtown location as well.

A South-meets-Southwest staple of Mount Pleasant, Red Drum has served the community since 2005. An inviting patio, great margaritas made with real ingredients, crispy fried shrimp, and a wood-fired creations from chef Ben Berryhill keep this a date night destination for many in the Lowcountry.

Expect friendly and fast service at this Mount Pleasant deli. At Mozzo, it’s common to hear, “Hey Jimmy, are you having the regular?” Other patrons can choose from an extensive sandwich menu featuring proteins like chicken cutlet, roast beef, turkey, and Italian meats served on ten different kinds of bread. Daily soups, house-made pickles, and local iced tea are a few of the many accompaniments offered.

Interested in grabbing a few cocktails and watching the sunset? Head here. Chef Denis Crutchfield’s menu offers plenty to snack on, whether it be roasted oysters with “casino butter” or pimento cheese with bacon jam, plus flatbreads and entrees such as grilled swordfish and pasta bolognese.

Oysters are the star at Nico, but there’s so much more to explore. This bustling brasserie from chef Nico Romo serves a wide variety of raw bar items and classic French dishes like escargot and burgundy sea scallops. The wood-fired oven brings a bit of smokiness to the menu through a selection of roasted bivalves and whole roasted fish. The brunch is popular here as well.

Locals like to debate whether Shem Creek dive Wreck of the Richard & Charlene is too touristy or just the right amount of out-of-towners. Nestled on the water, the dining room is not much more than a screen porch and some plastic furniture. It’s no frills, so stop by after a trip to the beach for some boiled peanuts, a cold beer, and fried shrimp.

Post House is a handsome tavern anchoring the Old Village. The neighborhood restaurant focuses on coastal, seasonal cuisine, and classic cocktails. Diners can start their meals with blue crab toast or Abundant Seafood crudo and move on to a half chicken or smothered pork loin. In addition to dinner, the restaurant offers lunch and brunch.

Established in 1945, H&R Sweet Shop is a staple of the Old Village. The address is an old shotgun-style building with a small cafe on the left and a hat shop on the right. Visitors come for deals on griddled burgers, fried oyster plates, and daily specials like cabbage and rice — many dishes are $10-$20 and some less than that.

Published: Dec. 13, 2024 at 4:15 PM PST|

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Neighbors and community members rallied together to make a Christmas miracle happen for one Mount Pleasant couple during a time of need.

Lida Finlayson was surprised to see the overwhelming support from her community after posting on her Nextdoor neighborhood app asking if anyone knew of someone or a business that hung up Christmas lights on the outside of homes.

Finlayson said in her post that her husband, Michael, is recovering from stage three pancreatic cancer and she herself had hip surgery about a week ago. She said her children are going to be visiting from Chicago for the holidays and she wanted her house to be in the Christmas spirit when they were there.

Her post caught the attention of many neighbors, including some she had never met before, with over 100 comments. Inspired by her post, a group came together to decorate the Finlaysons’ house at no cost. They brought packs of lights, extension cords, and snacks, working together to create a true Christmas miracle for the family.

One of those neighbors, Cynthia Kalocsay, said that her story really stuck with her. Kalocsay said her mother had passed away around Christmas several years ago, and she understands how challenging it can be to navigate health challenges during the holiday season.

“I just said ‘let’s make this happen’ and the outpour of everybody jumping on, companies, people not just from this community, I don’t live in this community, from all over Mount Pleasant jumped on board,” Kalocsay said. “I feel like you know that’s kind of what Christmas is about is helping neighbors.”

Lida Finlayson said that if her neighbors hadn’t rallied together, their house wouldn’t have gotten decorated at all. She said she can’t wait for her family to see the decorations when they come.

“We would not have been able to decorate our house. We wouldn’t have had Christmas outside at all and for them to see and I wanted them to see, that was the whole point,” Lida said. “When they come they’re going to see this beautiful decoration and I’m so happy because otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to do it without our neighbors. Our wonderful neighbors.”

Michael Finlayson said he and a few of the handymen who came to help spent time searching their attic for Christmas lights but couldn’t find any. He expressed how grateful he was to everyone who stepped in and brought the spirit of Christmas to their home.

“We were just like without anything and these people brought so many lights today, it’s just crazy. All of these lights are not ours,” he said.

Kalocsay said that she was happy to see such a positive story come from the Nextdoor page, noting that a lot of times it’s used for people to criticize each other, and it shouldn’t be that way.

“This was a nice story and it was the community coming together instead of bashing them on Nextdoor, so I think that’s what Nextdoor is about is a situation like this where we can all come together as a community and help,” Kalocsay said.

The group of neighbors has already scheduled a time to come back and help the Finlaysons by taking all of the decorations down in January.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Published: Dec. 10, 2024 at 7:45 PM PST|

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Mount Pleasant leaders held a special town council meeting Tuesday night where several community members spoke about a now-dropped sales tax increase proposal.

This comes the day after Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie made a public apology and announced the tax, which would have been used to fund major development projects at Patriots Point, would be dropped following major disapproval from the community.

The town council approved the first reading of a tourism development fee for the Patriots Point development just last week.

The project’s plan stated the fee was proposed as a local tax on retail items, designed to support the local economy.

A portion of the estimated funding from the fee would have been used to build the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership, to which the town has already dedicated $3 million.

Funding was also anticipated to go towards $100 million in public infrastructure projects such as a 1,000-space parking garage, better roadways, a boardwalk along the waterfront, a public park, improvements to the town soccer fields, as well as renovations to the College of Charleston and Charleston Battery soccer stadium.

Some residents that came out raised concerns about the lack of transparency about the proposed sales tax increase to the community.

“I just want to know how this came about. I follow the agendas, there is no committee meeting. It just appears. It appears the Monday after Thanksgiving,” one public commenter said. “If you live on the property. If your direct family lives in Patriots Point. If you have a family member with contracts on Patriots Point, that should be known to the public.”

Some residents brought up that Haynie should resign from his role because of this proposal going straight to the town council and not through the committee first.

“If you were a CEO of a public company and you pulled these shenanigans without board approval you would be fired. You should do the right thing and resign effective immediately. If you don’t, the voters of Mount Pleasant will make sure you will be gone in November,” one public commenter said.

Another public commenter from the Coastal Conservation League brought up concerns related to protecting the land.

“We firmly believe that the proposed permanent structures and necessary infrastructure plans on the conservation easement property which includes the conference center and a 1,000-space parking garage do not meet the criteria of minimum improvement. Conservation easements are an essential tool in ensuring the integrity of our state’s natural resources from our water quality to wildlife to make sure these are sustained for future generations,” one public commenter said.

Another public commenter shared that although she thought the situation was a miscommunication she felt the residents shouldn’t be targeting Haynie.

“Just hearing everybody talk, I’m just going to say this seems like a bit of a witch hunt for Mayor Haynie and I don’t know perhaps some of you have only been to this because I haven’t seen a lot of your faces and I’m in here quite a bit and Mayor Haynie has done amazing things for this town and you can snicker all you want,” the public commenter said. “It seems like poor communication happened here and that’s all I’m going to say about that, but I do apologize for the witch hunt. I think it’s horrible.”

Following the public comment of the special town council meeting, each council member and Haynie spoke about the community’s concerns.

When Haynie spoke he covered concerns about protecting land at Patriots Point, accusations residents made that the town council members were only informed the day of the meeting last week before approval of the first reading, as well as a lack of transparency to residents.

“One reason this could not be thrown out to the public and I am a board member at Patriots Point and the Center for Leadership, all of that, everything that involved them up until the point that we said we could go public was privileged legal information,” Haynie said. “I met with our general council today, we reaffirmed that was the advice from the attorneys for all three. We cannot come out and discuss their landlord, tenant relationships and their legal and contractual things until they were at a point where they told us that we could go, and I hope you understand that because we had to operate under the law.”

Following the special town council meeting was the regular town council meeting, where council members received input from the public for a proposed development to be known as the Patriots Annex at Patriots Point. This development would include a mix of multi-family residential space, office, retail, hotel and conference, amphitheater, museums and public plazas. The town’s agenda says that this project is not related to the proposed tourism fee development that was dropped.

Town leaders emphasized the importance of being clear to residents that this isn’t just a change in the name of the project.

Officials say this proposed development will go to the planning commission on Dec. 11 for a public hearing, following that, it will go to the Committee, then the town council for first and second readings in January.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

In a surprising reversal, Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie announced a halt to the proposed funding plan for Patriots Point, just a week after its unveiling. Dec. 9, 2024. (WCIV)

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) — In a surprising reversal, Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie announced a halt to the proposed funding plan for Patriots Point, just a week after its unveiling. The plan, which included a 1% retail sales tax or fee, faced significant criticism for bypassing usual protocols and heading straight to a special town council session.

At a news conference on Monday, Haynie took responsibility for the plan's rollout. "I come before you today to take full responsibility for the shortcomings and bad optics of the rollout of the plan the town is considering for the Patriots Point district," he said.

The proposed tax was intended to fund the Medal of Honor Leadership Center, a parking garage, and a new conference center. However, the plan's initial approval sparked backlash from residents, who voiced their concerns through emails and social media.

"The outcry from our citizens over the form of tax and the other thing I want to separate is the idea for using a 1% retail tax as defined by state law is not a good idea and will not see the light of day," Haynie said. He expressed a desire to revisit the project without the tax, stating, "We take the 1% off the table, and then we work backwards and figure out what can be done and what can't be done."

READ MORE | "Patriots Point improvement plan sparks debate over sales tax increase"

Haynie also cited personal obligations, including caring for his parents, as a factor that affected the plan's rollout.

John Iacofano, an opponent of the plan's rollout, acknowledged the impact of citizen involvement. "I think first and foremost we've got to thank the citizens for coming out and getting involved," he said. Iacofano criticized the lack of prior discussions among council and stakeholders and questioned the absence of private sector involvement, calling the situation embarrassing for the town.

"I have empathy, I'm not happy with the rollout. I want to guarantee it doesn't happen again," Iacofano added.

A special session is scheduled for Tuesday before the regular council meeting at 5 p.m. Iacofano said he is working with other members to enhance transparency in council actions. Patriots Point did not comment on the situation.