Auto MechanicNear James Island, SC

Storm surge from Tropical Storm Idalia flooded parts of Charleston, South Carolina Wednesday, breaching the town's seawall.

Powerful onshore winds of about 40 mph pushed water from the Atlantic onto the city streets of the historic city, according to FOX Weather meteorologist Steve Bender.

Idalia and king tides drown Charleston

A resident in a high rise had a unique perspective of the flooding across Charleston Wednesday night. Drivers wade through parking lots to get to their cars. Police cars leave a wake. Tropical Storm Idalia's storm surge and winds combined with the King Tides were no match for the seawall.

Images from Charleston show just how much the water had risen as the storm approached.

(Danica Goff / X / FOX Weather)

The National Weather Service in Charleston stated on Wednesday evening that water has breached the Charleston Battery, the seawall in Charleston. Major coastal flooding is being reported in downtown Charleston and Edisto Beach.

They added that tide levels in the Charleston Harbor reached over 9 feet. At Edisto, the dunes were breached with water flowing under homes and onto roadways.

(Katie Byrne / FOX Weather)

"This is a dangerous situation!" NWS Charleston posted Wednesday afternoon.

The following image taken in downtown Charleston, showing how much roads were covered by storm surge.

(@RoddyKnowles / X / FOX Weather)

WATCH: TORNADO SPAWNED BY HURRICANE IDALIA FLIPS CAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Further inland, roads were turned into impromptu rivers.

(@toastofcoast88 / X / FOX Weather)

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

In addition to flooding, the powerful winds reaching gusts of 50-65 mph knocked over trees.

(@CharlestonPD / X / FOX Weather)

The water levels in Charleston are the 5th highest water levels ever reported in the city, according NWS Charleston. They added that the records date back to 1921.

The high water levels are the result of a number of factors. The FOX Forecast Center said that the combination of Idalia, swells from Franklin and the influences from the stage of the moon are creating the perfect event for flooding around Charleston and other low-lying communities in the Carolinas.

HURRICANE IDALIA'S LANDFALL IN FLORIDA DURING FULL MOON STILL INCREASE STORM SURGE THREAT

"Tides are higher than normal right now due to the full moon," noted Greg Diamond, FOX Forecast Center senior meteorologist. "That is the main differentiator here. It's why weaker Tropical Storm Idalia is producing water levels up there with the stronger and larger Matthew and Irma."

The James Island Public Service District owned the land and drafted an ordinance to sell the land to a developer in February.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Residents of the Whitehouse Plantation neighborhood on James Island say they want to be involved and informed about all plans for the tract of land that backs up to their homes.

The 6.25-acre tract of land off Dills Bluff Road has been an undisturbed green space for years.

The James Island Public Service District owned the land and drafted an ordinance to sell the land to a developer in February.

Ken Godwin has lived in the neighborhood for nearly 50 years and enjoyed the trees and buffer area for that time.

“I’ve known about this particular property for quite a long period of time when it belonged to the public service district. They wanted to move their facilities over here, garbage trucks, officers and all this kind of stuff. I was opposed to it, numerous residents in the neighborhood were opposed to it. We feel that any new development back here should be single family residential only,” Godwin explains.

In March, homes within 500 feet of the land got a letter from the developer.

The letter, signed by KT Properties owner Kyle A. Taylor, invites the homeowners to two public meetings about developing the land. The letter proposes a mixed-use planned development with approximately 20 single-family homes and 20,000 to 25,000 square feet of commercial space.

John Montague-Blythe says he lives close to the edge of the neighborhood where the tract begins but he did not know about the meetings.

“I feel like wool has been pulled over my eyes, quite frankly. I came in and a person at town hall, while I was getting permits to have a pool building up in the back of our home, told me that they were developing that land she said have you heard about it?,” Montague-Blythe says. “Well, I’m four houses down in the street that’s outside of 500 feet.”

After missing the meetings and feeling out of the loop, neighbors are banding together to share their insight about the land.

Godwin wrote a petition that asks that any development be kept to just single-family homes to preserve the fabric of the neighborhood.

James Luby says he and Godwin will be knocking on doors to let all their neighbors know and see where they stand.

“We were blindsided. We weren’t told. And then all of a sudden. This spread like wildfire. I have a list of people with everything so we’re just gonna go for prepare for the next meeting. Get our petition going. Just get the word out. Because nobody likes it,” Luby says.

Sidonie Aten says she learned about the development while out on a walk and is now invested in making sure she follows the approval process.

“My husband and I were walking the neighborhood like we have done for years, and it’s the first time I heard about it. I still don’t completely understand where all of this is going,” Aten says.

Aten says she hopes other neighbors will sign their petition an join the group to find out what’s best for the neighborhood.

“I’m here mainly to find out exactly what’s going on and to follow up at every meeting that I possibly can to put the brakes on this. There’s too many families that have lived in this neighborhood, quiet peacefully, and we don’t need this and James Island does not need another car or any more traffic,” she says.

James Island Public Service District held a first reading of the proposed sale of the property in February of 2023. The second reading passed in March of 2023.

A week after a request for comment from KT properties about the residents’ complaints owner Kyle Taylor issued a statement. It reports that 18 and ten community members attended each of the two public meetings respectively. The letter says properties within 500 feet were notified “in excess of the 300 feet range typically required for public notices.”

Taylor calls the two meetings productive and notes that community participation exceeded expectations.

“As a result of the workshops, the development will not propose a cross-connection road with Whitehouse Plantation, the development will contain multiple stormwater management ponds for runoff retention and reduction,” the statement reads.

The developer also announces a third community workshop scheduled for Friday June 2nd at Town Hall (1122 Dill Bluff Road). At the workshop, information from prior meetings will be presented and the developer will answer questions.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

People living in the Clarks Point neighborhood and along Oak Point Road will be moved from septic to sewer lines by December of 2026.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The James Island Public Service District will begin work to replace septic tanks and connect sewer lines to 199 properties as residents will be moved from septic to sewer lines.

People living in the Clarks Point neighborhood and along Oak Point Road will be moved from septic to sewer lines by December of 2026.

The total projected cost is about $10.3 million.

“So we’ve been at this since 2020. And that’s when the James Island Water Quality Task Force was created. So the James Island Creek was designated as an impaired waterway and the task force needed to start addressing the issues,” District Manager Dave Schaeffer says.

Director of Land Water Wildlife at the Coastal Conservation League, Riley Egger says septic tanks released decomposed matter that can be detrimental if disease causing bacteria makes its way into waterways.

“Septic tanks along the coastal zone especially can be particularly dangerous knowing that they face certain conditions from sea level rise from groundwater intrusion and just the challenges of living on the coastal zone,” Egger says.

Egger says the James Island grant is a good step in fixing one area that faces problems.

“When we set up septic tanks that are particularly dense right on the waterways, right on our wetlands, we’re really setting up the future to fail,” Egger says. “What we really need to do is consider septic tanks and where we place them more within the planning process and more of our regulations. The best way to prevent a septic tank from failing is before it ever it gets in the ground.”

The homes impacted by the district’s project can expect a letter detailing the plan in the coming months.

The federal money for the project had a deadline to be used by December of 2026. Schaeffer says it will take time to get proper and easements and estimates groundwork will begin toward the end of 2024.

“Obviously we have started already with preliminary engineering and surveying and the easements that are required and the permitting that is required. So that is a years long process,” he says.

Schaeffer says there will be public engagement sessions to answer questions for people who live on properties being connected so their questions will be answered over the course of the years long project.

“This is kind of like 199 mini projects. We have to work with each one of the homeowners as far as where the pump is going to go, where’s the power to be able to have the pump, to be able to get each one of those households on to the sanitary sewer system. It’s kind of an individual project,” Schaeffer explains.

The sewer lines will be laid underground, and a pump will replace each home’s connection to a septic tank.

“We’re the last utility going into these neighborhoods. So there’s already power and there’s already cable and water and things for us to hit. And so instead of trenching, open trenching, we have the technology to be able to bore through so that we’re not tearing up the roads and there’s less disturbance for the community,” Schaeffer says.

Schaeffer thanked the state representatives who lobbied for this money and says the district will continue to work to replace aging septic with lines as they are able in the coming years.

The cost breakdown is as follows:

Upcoming James Island Public Service District Wastewater meetings:

Meetings are located at Fire Station 1 on 1108 Folly Rd.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

JAMES ISLAND — Charleston Water System is investigating a sewer main break on Harborview Road that poured unknown amounts of wastewater into James Island Creek.

This is the second time in three years that a break occurred in this area.

Environmentalists say the repeated frequency, combined with current bacteria concerns, suggest better system maintenance is needed, along with riddance of septic tanks adjacent to the creek.

A contract diver discovered on the afternoon of March 9 that two pipes had separated, causing the leak.

A fisherman notified the water utility March 8 of the underwater break in the water below the Julian Thomas Buxton Jr. Bridge. It took time for inspection crews to get to the site because of the tides, but the pumps were turned off shortly after, said Mike Saia, a spokesman for the utility.

Shutting off the pumps eliminated the release of additional wastewater into the water system.

This sewer main manages wastewater from a broad area of the James Island Public Service District and parts of unincorporated Charleston County. The same one broke about three years ago in the marsh but closer to Plum Island. It took a number of days to repair.

The breaks are a big concern, said Andrew Wunderley, executive director at Charleston Waterkeeper.

“It’s an established problem with bacteria pollution at James Island Creek from human sources and other sources, as well,” he said. “Any additional bacteria discharge in a creek is a concern of course.”

Charleston Waterkeeper consistently tests the quality of a number of waterbodies in the Lowcountry, including James Island Creek. The waterkeepers sample for bacteria as an indicator of the possible presence of pathogens.

Persistently high bacteria levels have been identified in the James Island Creek, mainly in the Folly Road area. Wunderley said any input of bacteria is a problem.

It is a challenge for iron pipes to survive long-term in soft environments like the marshy parts of Charleston. Saia said Charleston Water System is considering grant funding to help replace the James Island pipes that have seen two breaks in three years.

This notion is good progress, Wunderley said, “but I think we need to accelerate that project.”

“Whatever needs to be done to bump that up in the priority list, they need to be thinking about it,” he added.

A vactor truck was on site March 9 to pump down the wet wells and pump stations at both sides of the break. Because of this, no additional wastewater will spill into the creek, Saia said. The utility is working on a plan to repair the pipes.

People are urged to avoid swimming, fishing or using the area for other recreational activities until further notice.

Interruptions to customers’ service is not expected while assessments and repairs are made. No road closures have been announced.

In the meantime, people can do like the fisherman on March 8, and report possible main breaks. It’s helpful in identifying them and stopping the wasterwater spills.

South Carolina’s first-ever cannabis dry bar has landed on James Island. High Rise Dry Bar from Charleston Hemp Collective opened Aug. 11 and is changing the world of hemp-derived products and the non-alcoholic beverage space by offering mocktails made with legal cannabis seltzers.

“I think it’s really cool pioneering stuff like this,” said Matt Skinner, owner of Charleston Hemp Collective. “You always kind of worry about whether it’s going to go over and how many people are going to relate to it, but I feel like the reception we’ve gotten just so far is insane, so I’m super-excited about it.”

In recent years, the popularity of legal hemp-derived products has exploded in the Charleston area as these products are said to offer purported medicinal benefits and increase relaxation. Hemp Collective offers a range of products from vapes and gummies to tinctures and even Bloody Mary mix. But since launching its cannabis seltzer High Rise in May 2022, Skinner has noticed a fast-shifting acceptance.

“Charleston has really embraced this whole [cannabis] movement,” he said. “So much has changed, and so much of it is becoming more and more accepted.”

Currently, High Rise’s seltzers are in about 200 bars and restaurants, including Halls Chophouse and Husk, and 350 shops and grocery stores in the Charleston area. But the product also is distributed throughout the Southeast in Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.

“Some of the most elevated restaurants in Charleston are really trying to create mocktails now and jumping on board with High Rise to help craft that, and I think that’s special,” Skinner said.

He said he believes now is an exciting time — not only for the cannabis space but also the non-alcoholic market. He points to a renewed interest in non-alcoholic options particularly amongst Gen Z, who are noticeably drinking less alcohol than previous generations.

A 2022 consumer trends report from Drizly found 38% of Gen Z respondents said they opted for more alcohol-free drinks than the previous year compared to 25% of Millennials, 15% Gen X and 8% Baby Boomers.

“There’s this interest not only in the ‘canna-curious’ space right now, but also people are looking for NA (non-alcoholic) options. The NA world and the beverage space right now is insane,” Skinner said.

The company’s original plan was to create a second shop with a small bar, but now the bar is really the star, he said. Skinner and his business partner, Chris Long, wanted a space for a high-end mocktail bar, so they used a portion of the space for the shop and a larger portion for a bar, lounge area and multiple tables for guests to sit and mingle.

During the store’s recent soft opening, DJ Jerry Feels Good set the vibe with upbeat tunes. Skinner said the bar plans to bring DJ Jerry Feels Good back as a regular in-house DJ in addition to rotating other DJs on various nights.

Currently, the bar’s open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. But Skinner said they may expand the weekend hours in the future.

The first iteration of the drink menu includes seven unique mocktails with names like Connection, Tranquility, Invigorate and Zen.

Drinks include fruity ingredients like salted watermelon and pomegranate and well as savory elements like ginger, turmeric and matcha. The menu offers suggestions under each drink to add CBD, Delta-8 or Delta-9 seltzer to elevate the experience.

For those who are canna-curious but not familiar with these different derivatives of the hemp plant, CBD is a non-psychoactive compound found in hemp that can induce feelings of relaxation. Delta-8 and Delta-9 are both psychoactive compounds in the plant that can induce feelings of “being high.”

Roughly one-third of a can of High Rise seltzer is used in each drink — equal to two milligrams of CBD, Delta-8 or Delta 9.

“The point is not just one and done,” Skinner said of the mocktails. “We want you to be able to try two or three drinks. And by the time you get to your third drink, you’re gonna be feeling really good. It creates more of a social experience.”

Jules Schneider, beverage director for Herd Provisions, helped develop the current menu.“[This was] easily the most challenging menu I’ve done so far,” Schneider said. “Coaxing out flavor without the use of alcohol is another beast on its own. Alcohol is such a great solvent that making well-flavored ingredients is a cinch. I ended up making my own bitters with vegetable glycerin in a pressure cooker and really relied on great produce and proper technique to make fantastically flavored syrups.”

Skinner added, “I’ve got to give a lot of props to Jules. Not only did he take time to look at so many different [flavor] profiles, [but] he was also very careful when he named them. They all really represent the ingredients of those drinks and what they stand for.”

The menu will change quarterly to introduce new drinks and operate as a space for experimentation. Skinner wants to use the bar to test out new mocktails in addition to featuring rotating specialty High Rise drinks other restaurants and bars have developed for their location including Herd Provisions, The Longboard and others.

“Charleston is a community that supports brands that they feel like are really making a movement, and Charleston has really gotten behind High Rise,” Skinner said. “I don’t think there’s another city in the Southeast that has so much respect for this cannabis drink space.”

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