Chimney Sweep in Charleston, SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. – What was once Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall along the South Carolina coast as officials warned of rough surf and flash flooding as the system continued tracking its way through the Carolinas and into the Mid-Atlantic.

Lifeguard organizations across the Grand Strand have reported performing rescues of those who ventured into the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical Storm Chantal had maximum sustained winds of around 50 mph at landfall, which occurred at Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, early Sunday morning.

Chantal was downgraded to a tropical depression, and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Chantal is expected to continue to rapidly weaken now that the storm has made landfall.

Chantal is expected to produce heavy rain across portions of northeastern South Carolina on Sunday and across portions of North Carolina through Monday.

Rainfall totals of 2-4 inches, with locally higher amounts of up to 6 inches, are expected. This is increasing the risk of flooding across the region.

In addition, a combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the coast.

Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall along the South Carolina coast early Sunday morning, and officials are warning of flash flooding and rough surf at beaches as the system continues to push inland. FOX Weather Meteorologists Michael Estime and Tom Wachs breaks down the forecast on July 6, 2025.

A storm surge of 1-2 feet is possible from South Santee, South Carolina, to Surf City, North Carolina.

Isolated tornadoes are also possible on Sunday across portions of eastern North Carolina and extreme northeastern South Carolina.

Rough surf and potentially life-threatening rip currents are also likely along beaches across the area.

SUMMERVILLE — A new hotel is slated for a large mixed-use development in Berkeley County, and it'll be a first in the state for overnight travelers.

Lowcountry Hotels plans to add a 150-room Tempo by Hilton in Nexton to its six-property portfolio after recently acquiring the first franchise agreement for the flag in the state.

To date, just four of the lifestyle lodgings have been built in New York City, Nashville, Raleigh and Louisville, Ky. Several more are in the works, including a Savannah Tempo.

The Hilton brand made its debut in 2020 as a modern place to stay for "fitness and wellness."

The seven-story Nexton lodging will have a rooftop patio, first-floor restaurant and a large fitness center. Premium rooms with in-suite fitness equipment will also be available. The project is currently in the planning phase.

The hotel will be built at the corner of Nexton and Drop Off drives — about a half-mile from the locally owned Lowcountry Hotels' 250-key dual-branded Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites. Dan Blumenstock, vice president and director of operations, said he hopes to break ground next year.

The Summerville expansion follows multimillion-dollar investments in upgrades the company has announced for its two North Charleston lodgings.

Scott Fennell, president of Lowcountry Hotels, said when the firm was exploring options to expand, it knew it wanted to build it and find a brand that suited the location.

West Ashley, Mount Pleasant and downtown Charleston were all candidates, but Summerville "was the natural choice to grow," Fennell said.

"The unique aspect of Tempo invites guests to enjoy the public spaces across the hotel," he added.

Meanwhile in North Charleston, Lowcountry Hotels' three properties near Tanger Outlets and the Charleston Area Convention Center are getting a major makeover.

Opened in 2002, the Hilton Garden Inn at 5265 International Blvd. recently completed a lobby and fitness center upgrade, relocated its pool outside, refreshed the rooms and bumped out the building by 15 feet to add a bar and patio area.

Fennell said the renovation elevates the brand's standard, adding amenities that travelers want.

"For example, we've seen from our other properties that outdoor pools are more utilized than inside pools. We listened, and that is the kind of feedback driving these upgrades," Fennell said. "We are their home away from home, and it's important to never lose sight of that expectation."

The last major update to the Hilton Garden property was in 2008, when the owner added 41 guest rooms and a conference space.

"If you walk into our renovated hotel, we want you to feel like you're walking into a brand new hotel. It doesn't feel like you're in a 23-year-old hotel," Blumenstock said. "We're going above and beyond what the brand brand expects of us. We implement the guest feedback where we can by reinvesting into the asset. "

Similarly, the company's nearby Holiday Inn Express at 3025 W. Montague Ave. has completed a guest room, patio and lobby makeover.

Fennell said it's vital to "keep up with the times and trends of what guests want and expect" during their stay. As of lately, that means prioritizing its fitness, food and beverage programs across the portfolio.

"We see a lot of guests who want the option to grab a bite to eat or drink at the hotel before they head downtown, or if they're here on business they want to come back to the hotel and unwind at the bar before bed," Fennell said.

The company's DoubleTree Hilton Hotel North Charleston-Convention Center, a former Holiday Inn at 5264 International Blvd., is next in line for an update.

MOUNT PLEASANT — A longtime family-owned seafood market on Shem Creek named in a federal lawsuit this month reached an agreement with the South Carolina Shrimpers Association on July 10.

Owned and operated by the Fitch family, Mt. Pleasant Seafood has served the town for over 75 years. The retailer was one of 25 named defendants in a lawsuit filed by the S.C. Shrimpers Association on June 13 that alleges area restaurants are falsely advertising imported shrimp as local or wild-caught.

Gedney Howe, IV, attorney for the S.C. Shrimpers Association said the agreement ends the litigation between the S.C. Shrimpers Association and Mt. Pleasant Seafood, but the exact details of the settlement remain confidential.

The litigation arose following a private research firm's genetic testing study of 44 Charleston-area restaurants. The study, conducted by SeaD Consulting and funded by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, an industry trade organization, alleged the shrimp served at 40 restaurants were imported and likely farm-raised, not a wild-caught product.

Mt. Pleasant Seafood is the second defendant to reach an agreement with the Shrimpers Association.

"We're happy to have this resolution. We've been selling local shrimp since we started. I think we did about 2,500 pounds last month," said Sarah Fitch, vice president of Mount Pleasant Seafood. "Just hoping to keep getting them in and keep selling them, and just happy to keep rolling along."

The seafood market sells both local and imported shrimp. Signage at Mt. Pleasant Seafood previously did not denote whether the shrimp was local or imported, though staff are transparent about its origin if asked, Fitch recently told The Post and Courier.

Going forward, Fitch said the market will be increasing its signage and educating the public as they stop by. On July 11, there were four types of shrimp for sale at the small store on Shem Creek.

"We're just working on finding ways that we could be more clear and ... educating customers about what we've got," Fitch said.

A statement from the South Carolina Shrimpers Association applauded Mt. Pleasant Seafood's "willingness to engage in open dialogue" about labeling their products.

"We are grateful for their support and look forward to continuing to work side-by-side to preserve and promote the South Carolina shrimping industry," the statement from the S.C. Shrimpers Association read.

Mt. Pleasant Seafood's agreement came a week after the owners of a well-known seafood restaurant in Charleston reached a resolution in the lawsuit. Owners for Hyman's Seafood said the restaurant would be committed to transparency and accurately labeling the seafood they serve.

Hyman's Seafood will also be removed from the lawsuit.

Owners of Hyman's Seafood previously told The Post and Courier that an outside marketing team shared social media posts that implied Hyman's was serving local shrimp.

On July 3, the Shrimpers Association announced the update with Hyman’s, whose owners "reaffirmed their commitment to transparency."

"While we understand the concerns raised, we've also listened, learned, and made the decision to do more, because we believe in doing right by our customers, and by our community," owners Victor and Tobias Hyman said in a July 3 press release.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston County officials are considering an alternative plan to improve Highway 41, aiming to minimize environmental impacts while easing traffic congestion in Mount Pleasant neighborhoods.

The revised plan includes a new sidewalk stretching along Highway 41 from the Spinx gas station in Wando to the intersection at U.S. Highway 17.

Following concerns from those living in the historic Phillips Community, the update also proposes building a new road known as the “Southern Parkway,” which would link Highway 41 to Park West Boulevard. The road would provide residents in Park West and Dunes West an additional route in and out of their neighborhoods.

Officials say the road would cut through a wooded section of Laurel Hill County Park, but no trails would be affected. The area selected is currently unused, according to the County. Still, the Town of Mount Pleasant is pushing back.

The Town Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution opposing the use of park land, citing concerns over tree loss, wildlife disruption and overall preservation.

“This is a compromise; no one is really happy with it,” Charleston County Councilman Herbert Sass, who represents District 1, said. “We went through about 13 different alternatives. This is the last alternative. It’s the only way this road works… building a two-lane road along the edge of Laurel Hill Park.”

Sass added that this portion of the project would force the County to clear approximately 10 acres of the 750 total acres of the park and an estimated two acres of wetlands.

The Highway 41 project originated from the 2016 Transportation Sales Tax referendum. Since 2017, Charleston County, Mount Pleasant and other stakeholders have struggled to reach an agreement.

The County says it is currently awaiting final right of way approval from the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

The Mount Pleasant Town Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Town of Mount Pleasant Municipal Complex located at 100 Ann Edwards Lane.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON — After residents overwhelmingly voted against the 2024 transportation sales tax referendum, Charleston County Council is focusing on roads, public transportation and increasing transparency as they look to potentially put another sales tax on the ballot in 2026.

The proposed 2024 tax would have continued the half-percent sales tax passed in 2004. Voters were asked to extend the tax for up to 25 years to raise $5.4 billion.

The now-defunct Mark Clark Expressway Extension was expected to eat up a third of the funds, though the tax included funding for 12 additional road projects, the county’s greenbelt program and the CARTA public transit system.

County Council hired consulting firm Chernoff Newman in June to evaluate the transportation sales tax program. This week at a special finance committee meeting, Ryan Brown, vice president of public affairs at Chernoff Newman, shared their plans to evaluate the public perception of the referendum and why it failed.

The firm will also educate the public on what the transportation sales tax is and what it has accomplished. If the county decides to move forward with a 2026 tax, Chernoff Newman would continue public engagement with residents to get input on transportation needs and priorities.

Potential priorities for 2026

While the transportation sales tax pays for several different projects, most of County Council’s focus is on roads and alleviating traffic.

During the July 9 meeting, council discussed their priorities in a conversation moderated by Christy Hall, former secretary of the S.C. Department of Transportation who now works as a consultant for the county.

Councilwoman Jenny Costa Honeycutt advocated for pursuing smaller, fast-moving projects. She later told The Post and Courier the county should work to use the funds for projects more within their scope — like the widening of the Glenn McConnell Parkway — rather than projects DOT should be heading, like the flyovers at the intersection of Main Road and U.S. Highway 17 in West Ashley as an improvement for getting to and from Johns Island and communities on Kiawah, Seabrook and Wadmalaw islands.

"Imposing state projects on a county government is unreasonable," Honeycutt said.

Councilman Joe Boykin said he'd prefer to see intersection improvements like roundabouts rather than road widenings. He added that he would love to see a rural road safety program to either expand shoulders or add guardrails, as some roads on Johns Island have no shoulders and are next to deep stormwater runoff ditches.

Some dirt roads on Johns and James islands can be washed away after heavy rain. Council Chairman Kylon Middleton suggested setting funding aside to help with drainage issues to help improve the conditions.

As the county population continues to grow, traffic remains a consistent problem. Multiple councilmembers want to see more investment in public transportation, and see it as a solution for the congestion.

"Maybe that's not a big part of folks' lives right now, but I think in 10 years there’s going to be a lot of areas that could benefit (from having public transit)," Councilman Rob Wehrman said.

Boykin added anything that should be done for Johns Island should accommodate CARTA. While CARTA doesn't have any routes on the island now, Johns Island has exploded in growth and the need for more transit is increasing, he said.

Honeycutt said she'd want to see public transportation expand to eventually include an operational ferry system. Daniel Island has a successful ferry and is proof that people would use it if it was an option, she said.

Some members also want to be more transparent with any project that goes on the potential referendum.

Honeycutt said she'd want to include estimated prices and completion dates with future proposed road projects.

Boykin wants the final list of projects to be on the ballot for voters to see what they're voting for.

The only action council took at the meeting was to direct staff from the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments to provide data and an analysis based on their discussion outlining the priorities for a 2026 tax within the next 60 days.

After receiving the analysis, council will then start to deliberate whether or not they want to pursue another transportation sales tax.