Mattress storein Summerville, SC

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) – Dorchester School District Two board members discussed a variety of topics, such as the district’s health and safety protocols, a new middle school and finalized a contract to start its search for a new superintendent.

During the full meeting on Monday, board members voted unanimously to finalize a contract with a firm to begin their search for Superintendent Joseph Pye’s replacement. Pye will be retiring at the end of the school year.

“This is when things begin to happen,” Board Chairperson Gail Hughes said. “As I stated in our board meeting, you will see as early as tomorrow things will begin happening.”

The school district said they will be creating a survey to hear from parents as they start their search for a new superintendent.

During a workshop held before the full meeting on Monday, board members were brought up to speed on the state’s latest COVID guidelines regarding quarantine and isolation.

The district’s COVID-19 dashboard on Monday reported that 157 staff members were in isolation due to positive tests, as well as 431 students. The dashboard also reported that 1,995 students and 67 staff members have been quarantined as of Jan. 9.

Hughes said the district has no plans to hold classes virtually or mandate masks.

“We don’t know what the future is going to hold with this,” Hughes said, “but as it stands right now, we have, I have not even thought about going virtual nor have we considered the mask mandate.”

Ken Greenstreet is a parent of two DD2 high school students. He said he agrees with the district’s stance on COVID numbers and said masks can have an impact on his children.

“I am for vaccinations,” Greenstreet said. “I’m not necessarily a fan of masks just because if you talk to my sophomore daughter, it’s very difficult to make friends when you can’t see somebody’s smile.”

Board members also set meeting dates to draw attendance lines for the district’s middle schools because of a new middle school that will open in the fall in the Beech Hill area off U.S. Highway 61.

The meetings will be held on:

The final attendance lines for middle schools will be brought to the board on Feb. 14, according to the district.

The board did not name the new middle school during the meeting.

However, they will be holding a workshop before their next board meeting on Jan. 24 to discuss that name.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Thirteen earthquakes have rattled parts of South Carolina since Christmas Day. And although none have been major earthquakes — defined as a 7.0 magnitude or higher — now presents an opportune time for the state’s residents to prepare for the next big tremor.

Twelve of the most recent quakes were recorded in the Lugoff-Elgin area of the Midlands. They ranged from 1.4 to 3.3 magnitude.

One earthquake, a magnitude 1.4, was recorded on Jan. 9 near Ladson in the Lowcountry. The two latest events were both reported in the Lugoff-Elgin area on Jan. 11, according to state data.

Despite these recent reports, scientists are not alarmed by the uptick in seismic activity, and say it falls in line with historic trends.

The severity of an earthquake is unpredictable, just like the ability to determine when one will happen. So knowing what to do in the event the ground begins to move is vital.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare.

Earthquake insurance

Events like earthquakes are not covered by typical homeowners insurance policies. But a separate policy, specifically for earthquakes, can cover the structural and foundational damage that typically occurs to a home or building during major seismic activity.

Just like automobile or homeowners insurance, there are deductibles associated with earthquake policies. But they are generally higher, said Ray Farmer, director of the S.C. Department of Insurance, and can range from zero to 20 percent of the value of the property.

Property including a home, belongings and outside structures like detached garages may all have individual deductibles, according to the Insurance Department.

Coverage details and rates vary by location and company. People should ultimately pick the plan that works best for their budget and needs, while also considering the cost to replace possessions, the value of the home and where they would live if it becomes uninhabitable, said Mary Joseph, a State Farm agent in Charleston.

Joseph urges potential buyers to first check with their carrier to see if earthquake insurance is an option and under what conditions damage would be covered.

“There are different variables as far as what kind of deductible would I (the policy holder) have to shoulder before my coverage would take into place,” Joseph said.

And there could be stipulations on when earthquake coverage can be added on to an existing policy.

Insurance companies only sold $48.2 million in earthquake premiums in 2020, but $1.97 billion in homeowners’ insurance and $147.6 million in flood insurance premiums, Farmer said.

“I would encourage all of our citizens to take these gentle reminders and focus on what would happen to your property, to your home in the event that we have a major earthquake,” he said.

When an earthquakes shakes the ground

Earthquakes can happen any time of the day, and several of the latest ones felt in South Carolina occurred late at night or during the early hours of the morning.

Residents should be prepared no matter when the ground begins to shake.

The S.C. Emergency Management Division encourages people to keep a pair of shoes and flashlight secured underneath their bed, but within reach, in case they wake up to the ground shaking.

If in bed, folks should stay there during the earthquake, turn onto their stomachs and cover the head and neck areas with a pillow. Stay that way until the shaking has stopped.

“Once the ground does stop shaking, you want to put on those shoes that you have secured to your bed just in case anything’s fallen to the ground and becomes a hazard,” said Brandon Lavorgna, a public information coordinator with the EMD.

Survey the area and assess anyone in the home using the flashlight.

Lavorgna said a lot of people want to run to the doorway or outside when the ground starts shaking, but “it’s the last thing you want to do.”

If it’s daytime when an earthquake occurs, quickly get down on the floor and underneath a sturdy desk or table.

“Cover your head. Hold on to that item, that piece of furniture with your other hand, and hold on until it stops shaking,” Lavorgna said.

People who are outside should also fall to the ground and cover their head and neck. If possible, stay away from trees, powerlines, signs and anything that could fall.

It is important to not leave a safe location, whether inside or outside, until the shaking has ended.

Secure property

Common earthquake hazards include picture frames, desktop computers, ceiling fans, bookcases and TVs.

EMD recommends securely fastening frames to walls and relocating heavy pictures and mirrors away for beds or areas where they could fall on people. Strap bookcases and shelves to walls to prevent them from tipping, and make sure computers are secured to the desk with double-sided Velcro or some other means.

TVs are less hazardous when fixed to a wall, table or other surface.

“If you haven’t had your ceiling fan checked out in a while, have someone come in and make sure it is properly installed and properly secured,” Lavorgna said.

Know where to find utilities like water heaters and how to shut them off. Appliances should have flexible connections.

It is not a bad idea to have chimneys checked out, too, especially in older-model brick homes. The goal is to make sure it is up to code, secure and won’t fall through the roof or on someone who is outside.

For more information

An S.C. Earthquake Guide can be found on EMD’s website and provides more safety tips, including what to put in a disaster supply kit.

The recent low-magnitude earthquakes in the Palmetto State haven’t caused reported damages or injuries, Lavorgna said, adding, “that’s all we can hope for when these happen because you can’t predict earthquakes.”

Damage does not usually occur unless an earthquake magnitude reaches somewhere above 4 or 5, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

Research has concluded that a magnitude 5 is the biggest earthquake to likely ever have been felt in the Midlands, according to state geologist C. Scott Howard.

“The faults just aren’t capable of anything bigger,” Howard said.

That could change, but more research and a better understanding of the eastern Piedmont fault system are needed to be sure.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - In a special called meeting Friday morning, the Dorchester District Two school board gave their blessing to allow the superintendent to move specific schools or grades to virtual learning when necessary.

According to superintendent Joseph Pye, Friday’s meeting was a way to inform parents and the community of the district’s plan going forward when it comes to handling COVID-19.

They want to avoid moving the entire district to virtual learning at all costs. So they plan to handle switching to virtual learning on a case by case basis.

They’re using 30 percent of students and staff who are out as a general guideline of when they will switch.

Pye says he want didn’t to call a special meeting every single time a school or grade needed to switch to virtual. Friday’s meeting was a way for him to have permission to make the decision himself as he would in other emergency situations.

According to district officials, this all stems from the rapidly rising number of Covid-19 cases in the community plus the toll that teachers and staff at schools in the district are facing.

Several principals who spoke today say they have administrators and guidance counselors covering classes. Spanish teachers covering AP Calclulus classes. Multiple classes held at the same time in the library. All of the principals say their staff is burnt out and that safety and quality of learning is being jeopardized.

So the district will use that 30 percent of students and staff out as a loose guideline to switch a school to virtual learning.

“We want them to know that’s how we’re looking at it. Just because it’s 30, we may call it,” Pye said. “There are many other things. It could be a school that’s at 25 or 28, but it could be the size of the school, the amount of help they have. It could be a severe issue with operating the school, and that’s why we have to do it.”

There is one school that the superintendent says will be moving to virtual learning next week but he did not announce which one at this meeting because he wanted all parents to learn at the same time.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Summerville recently attracted national attention as film crews for the first-ever season of UPtv’s “Small Town Christmas” stopped by on their tour of small towns throughout the nation.

Summerville was one of four towns that the crew explored, along with Branson, Mo., Bethlehem, Pa., and Natchitoches, La. Megan Alexander, who is the executive producer and host of the show, said the towns were selected from a list of places she was interested in visiting.

“We needed to find four small towns that kicked things off early in November to get things on air for TV,” Alexander said. “I made a list of small towns that I would love to try to visit and ultimately came down a lot to logistics and scheduling.”

Alexander, who is a mom to three children, said the idea was born from her family’s love of traveling during the holiday season as a way to experience what Christmas is like in different places. When COVID-19 hit, Alexander’s itch to start up the show and travel only continued to grow. This year, she set off to each selected small town to finally film and experience the holidays.

“I thought this would be a boost to local tourism and small businesses,” Alexander said. “The big cities tend to get all of the attention, but I thought, ‘Let’s bring the cameras to them, let’s show them what’s happening in our small towns.’ There’s so many wonderful people, and I knew there would be such an appetite for it.”

Christmas in Summerville

Alexander was joined by a crew of seven other team members, including Kevin McIntyre, who is the director of photography, Kassidy Sell, who is the field producer, and Matt Disbrow, Benji Robinson, Sean Conlon and Nick Smiga, who are members of the film crew.

Tina Zimmerman, who is tourism director for Summerville, said there was a group effort throughout town to help showcase Summerville while the film crew visited.

“Everyone in the town pulled together to make it happen,” Zimmerman said.

During her time in town, Alexander said she visited with local merchants and community members. She filmed segments of the show during the Old Time Summerville Christmas Celebration and the Summerville Christmas Parade.

From staying at the Linwood Inn, located off Palmetto Street, to sipping a peppermint mocha from Cuppa Manna downtown, Alexander said that she feels as though she got the full Summerville experience.

“I felt like I got to experience Southern hospitality by staying there,” Alexander said. “We got to experience the live windows displays and Christmas trees on Mistletoe Lane.”

This year, Zimmerman said, the town’s participation in local events, including the live window displays during the Old Time Summerville Christmas Celebration, was at an all-time high.

“It was a lot of work for them to do the live windows, especially this year with a shortage of staff and what they’ve been through,” Zimmerman said. “But we had record participation and adorable creative windows.”

Zimmerman thinks the publicity Summerville will get from being featured on the show will bring more tourists to the area.

“If we did the same thing we did this year next year, everyone will be glad they visited,” Zimmerman said.

The Summerville episode of the show will have its world broadcast premiere on Christmas Eve at 9 p.m. The show will be aired on UPtv on channel 124.

“I just felt like it was such a blessing and a privilege to tell those stories, to showcase these small towns and the faces behind these small towns,” Alexander said.

A new partnership between Augusta Technical College and University could provide much-needed nurses but also open the door to hundreds looking to get into health care, officials said.

University CEO Jim Davis and Augusta Tech President Jermaine Whirl signed a letter of intent to move part of the School of Health Sciences program to University Hospital Summerville's campus to expand its programs.

"It’s a nice combination," Davis said. "We have space, Dr. Whirl needs space. We have clinicians, he needs people to help train. It’s a great marriage and he’s got the Technical College to make it happen."

University would retrofit a medical office building on Summerville to provide instruction space and Augusta Tech, once it receives the necessary approvals, would move its Nursing and Medical Assisting programs to the campus in the initial phase, Whirl said. The goal is to eventually move the whole school to the campus, he said. Within five years, the partnership hopes to produce a minimum of 200 nurses a year and double the amount of other Allied Health professionals produced, Whirl said.

It is a "unique partnership," he said, not only in Augusta but in Georgia and one he hopes could become a national model for other schools and health care systems.

The announcement Thursday took place in the lobby of University Hospital Summerville, which had previously served a critical role with units to treat COVID-19 patients earlier in the pandemic. Since then, however, University has been unable to reopen the space to patients because of staffing.

"I have an empty hospital because I don’t have any nurses" to staff the units, Davis said. "I can tell you that today we would be very happy to hire probably 200 nurses at University Health Care System if they were available. But they simply aren’t available."

For its part, Augusta Tech has been limited by space for decades, and its Health Sciences program has a waiting list of 600 students, Whirl said.

"We know the only way to grow our pipeline is to increase the number of students who are coming into the School of Health Sciences," Whirl said. Augusta Tech currently graduates 30-35 Associate Degree nurses each year and 15-20 Practical Nursing graduates, said Dr. Kristie Searcy, Dean of the School of Health Sciences. The partnership would likely increase that four-fold.

The agreement would appear to have fortuitous timing. In his State of the State address Thursday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced his budget proposals will include funding for the Technical College System to add 700 Allied Health students a year. Kemp is also including funding to expand nursing programs by 500 students a year over five years in the University System of Georgia.

Nursing enrollment at Augusta University was identified in November as "one of the programs with the greatest potential for growth, so we are taking a serious look at it but no decisions have been made at this time," College of Nursing Dean Tanya Sudia said.

Staffing, particularly nursing, is "maybe our No. 1 problem in healthcare right now," Davis said. That is particularly true for South Carolina and Georgia. Even before the pandemic, South Carolina had the lowest nurse-to-population ratio in the country at 7.89 per 1,000 people while Georgia was fifth-worst at 10.23 per 1,000, according to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. The U.S average is 12.06 per 1,000, and 19 states are at 14 per 1,000 and above.

"The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has greatly worsened that shortage," Davis said.

The Augusta Tech program offers a way for students to complete the Associate Degree in Nursing and be eligible to take the exam to become Registered Nurses. Requiring 72 hours at $100 a credit hour makes that a good investment for those students, Whirl said.

"Ideally, it will be affordable, and it will be accessible to students who want to have those opportunities," he said. "And more importantly, they do make very good wages, so return on investment will be there."

Producing a host of other Allied Health professionals, from surgical techs to Certified Medical Assistants, is also needed, Whirl said.

"All of which we could use today," Davis added. "We think we have found a great partner in Augusta Technical College to help us solve this problem not just for University but for this community."

"We’re thrilled and we know that this will have a major impact for years to come," Whirl said.