Commercial Electrician in St. George, SC

ST. GEORGE, S.C. (WCBD) – A portion of I-95 in Dorchester County will soon undergo an extensive renovation.

If you’ve driven down the stretch of interstate in recent years, you’re probably familiar with how poor the road can be – it’s essentially a patchwork of repaired concrete.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is looking at essentially repaving the interstate from mile marker 84 down to mile marker 68. It will be the first time the roadway has seen major work since its construction in 1960.

“The interstate was built years ago, and it hasn’t been improved since,” said Monnique Elmore, a stylist who works at All About the Hair in St. George.

Elmore said she has personally been impacted by the constant large potholes that break open on I-95.

“I was traveling- hit a hole, you know, no cones- nothing, hit the hole and had a blowout … I was one of those people that made a complaint, and it was written, and I’ve had no response,” she said.

SCDOT has received 102 damage claims along this roadway over the past two years. They say that has meant significant financial exposure to the Department. 92% of those claims were from potholes, dips, and bumps caused by concrete deterioration.

The project is expected to cost about $53.8 million dollars.

The SCDOT sent me a statement after their meeting: “Today, the SCDOT Commission voted to advance this rehabilitation project. From here, there will be a public comment period and we expect the project to go out for construction bids in September.”

The money for this project is coming from the 2024 Interstate Pavement Program.

Growing up, Edith Williams-Oldham never realized the historical impact of her small school that sat just a “stone’s throw away” from her home.

She knew that she learned to play basketball on the St. George Rosenwald School’s dirt court and that the school was where her favorite literature teacher inspired her to be a writer and poet herself.

But it wasn’t until she started researching for her book, “What Grandma Forgot to Tell You,” that she realized that her years at St. George Rosenwald School in the late 1940s and early ‘50s were an important part of history in St. George, S.C., and across the country.

By 2014, when the school property was given to the town of St. George, the walls were decaying and the basketball court was full of shrubs. But now, after an extensive restoration effort lead by alumni and community members, the school is on track to reopen to the public this fall.

From a place that afforded precious opportunity to generations of Black children to a place that fostered community and progress in the Civil Rights era, the newly restored St. George Rosenwald School is a place community members now hope will inform and inspire the next generation.

The St. George Rosenwald School is one of many schools built throughout the South by Julius Rosenwald, a philanthropist and president of Sears and Roebuck, and with the help of educator Booker T. Washington.

The historic South Carolina property was built in 1925 during a time when segregation and Jim Crow laws made it harder for Black students to receive a quality education. The building served as a school and gathering place for Black students until 1954 and after was a meeting space and community center for the surrounding area.

“If you saw the pictures before they cleaned it off, we even wondered if it could be salvaged,” Oldham said.

The school was one of only two Rosenwald Schools in Dorchester County and is the only one still standing, according to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

Ralph James, the chairman of the St. George School Board and one of the last students to attend the school before it closed, said the school was partially preserved by the neglect.

“It really was neglected to allow these trees to grow up around it, and then there were a lot of cement blocks and cement pieces stored around 6, 7, 8 feet high all around it,” James said. “So when the storm wind blew, that buffered the school from a lot.”

Since 2014, the board, made up of alumni and local legislators, has worked on restoring the building. They have added a kitchen, bathrooms and a board room. They also plan to recreate the old principal’s office and fill the small library with a mix of modern books and ones that James and his classmates would have read.

The school’s updated auditorium will include updated stage lighting, a projector and multicolor walls, which James said tell a story.

When the school hosted an early childhood education program, different walls were painted different colors for different age groups, James said. When the wooden boards from those walls were cleaned and reinstalled, all the colors were mixed up.

“So this was the pattern that was placed up there with intent to paint, and a few persons came in said not to paint,” James said. “It’s original, and it tells a story.”

However, one part of the south wing of the St. George Rosenwald School will feature two rooms most similar to what the building would have looked like while it was open. The board plans to host classes for visiting children in two classrooms fitted with original floors, a blackboard and a stove that would have been used to heat the classroom in the winter.

With the help of the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, old desks were located from across the county and restored so that visiting students can sit it them while learning about the history of the school.

Doug Reeves, the vice president of the St. George Rosenwald School board, said the desks were just part of the board’s effort to preserve the memory of the school.

“We’ve got some alum that’s graduated from that school, and they keep coming back saying, ‘OK, well, this is where it was, you know, when I was here. …Yeah, you ought to do this, or do that.’ And that’s what we kind of kept in mind the whole time,” Reeves said. “We wanted to save as much of that as we possibly could.”

The project has become a community effort, according to Oldham, who said the alumni group even sponsored the restoration of a nearby restaurant themselves.

In the 1920s, the Black community held fish fries and fundraisers to be able to build the Rosenwald school, and Oldham said for the restoration project, the alumni did the same.

“Well, what we did was we just emulated what our parents, foreparents had done,” Oldham said. “We raised money.”

Oldham said she hopes the continued effort to rebuild the school and surrounding buildings will help to uplift the community that the school sits in the center of.

For Oldham and James, the Rosenwald school represents a time of unity and support throughout the Black community in St. George.

James described the school as “the jewel, the pride of the community.” The Black community flourished around it, with restaurants, shops and movie theaters creating a vibrant uptown St. George that was nicknamed “Little Harlem.”

“As I walked the streets as a child, everyone knew of me, and you could just, from house to house, you can depend on a little helping hand along the way,” James said. “You were never a stranger. So that feeling is something that can’t be duplicated in a way, but it does tremendous to build citizenship and to strengthen humankind.”

Oldham said that the St. George Rosenwald School itself was so popular that it was overfilled and had to hold classes in the nearby church or in auxiliary buildings.

For many students, Oldham said the school was a life-changing opportunity that many Black children didn’t have. One of the school’s oldest alumni even begged her mother to ride their family’s bull to school during a particularly bad storm so she could maintain her perfect attendance.

“This school was a prayer, an answered prayer,” Oldham said. “To be in a room where there was no leaking room, there were heaters with wood, coal burning to keep them warm, there was toilet paper, even though it was an outdoor toilet, it was flushable.”

Even after the school closed, it acted as an organizing place in the Civil Rights movement, according to the National Park Service, which recognized the school as a part of the African American Civil Rights Network in 2021. The building was used to prepare community members to vote and hosted “Project Deep” which helped prepare Black students to enter integrated schools in Dorchester County.

“That school has been a venue for progress since the day it was built,” Oldham said. “We want to make it even more so now.”

James said the additions to the St. George Rosenwald School were made to help make the building a community space again. He hopes to see the school host everything from history lessons to Rotary Club meetings to birthday parties.

“Hopefully, we will be able to demonstrate not only here what can happen, but to other communities just what would happen if you would, again, begin to find something that would bring you together, bring the area together and give you a common cause,” James said. “Give us hope, again, create love for one another and more than that ... an education and to stimulate our minds and to do good things.”

In addition to classrooms and meeting spaces, the updated St. George Rosenwald School will partner with the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry to include informational exhibits for younger visitors on the south side of the building, James said.

“I think one of the slogans, ‘a mind is a terrible thing to waste,’” James said. “So here we are not wasting minds, but we are rejuvenating them, we are strengthening them.”

To Oldham, involving and engaging the youth, which she considers anyone from children to 40-year-olds, will lead to the success of the project.

“This is the greatest gift that your foreparents could have given you. The opportunity to learn about where you came from, who they were, why you’re here and how you got here and what this school has contributed to the community in St. George and surrounding areas,” Oldham said. “We would hope that you would take interest and learn and keep supporting it to build a better community.”

According to James, the St. George Rosenwald School is on track to host a grand opening in September.

This story was originally published August 4, 2023, 5:30 AM.

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.

ST. GEORGE — Despite pushback from several residents, Dorchester County council has rezoned over 270 acres of land to industrial.

The original plan was to rezone two parcels of land: 272 acres along Pecan Tree Road and Highway 78, and 88 acres along Pecan Tree Road and Sugar Hill Lane. The planning commission decided against the smaller section, considering how close it was to the Sugar Hill community.

Before the vote, the land was zoned as agricultural residential, meant for both building homes and farming in rural portions of the county. This zoning requires the density to not exceed one principal dwelling per acre of land, and should have its own sanitation through an on-site disposal system or sewer connection.

With an industrial rezoning, the land will allow for warehousing, distribution, as well as manufacturing. The county is still undecided on what specifically will be done with this parcel of land, but county council vice chairman David Chinnis said there are developers looking to buy the property.

Chinnis added that rezoning the parcel to industrial — to be a part of Winding Woods Commerce Park — had been the plan since it was purchased by an LLC in 2006.

Numerous St. George residents had spoken at county council and planning commissions meetings voicing their concerns over the rezoning.

Betty Collins, a pastor at New Hope AME Church, specified how residents worry about the noise any new industry may bring, and the county hasn’t shared any information with residents regarding how they will protect the community from potential nuisances.

“In (Dorchester County’s) ordinance it says for industry and manufacturing, you are allowed 90 decibels as your standard, when the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health says nothing over 80. Anything over 80 then damages your hearing or causes hearing loss,” Collins said.

St. George resident Barbara Felder spoke as well. Her message was very clear: “No to rezoning.”

“Our family was here before any of you were ever born,” Felder said. “We are speaking for our ancestors who built this community, and now it’s our job to sing for our future generation. ... No to erasing our history of Sugar Hill Road of over 120 years. ... No to heavy industry, just flat out no.”

County Councilwoman Harriet Holman reassured those who had concerns about the rezoning that the council is taking the comments to heart.

“To the people that came in to speak tonight about this particular parcel, we did hear everything you said,” Holman said. “...I know you all are concerned, but the county does have your best interests at heart.”

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Over 30 dogs were seized from a house in St. George today, April 20, after living in terrible conditions.

Dorchester County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) deputies said they escorted animal control to the 290 Smoak Rd. residence due to a history of violence at the location.

While on scene, deputies found a subject with a warrant and detained them.

Read More: Dorchester Paws takes in 50 dogs in seven days; has no room for more

Some dogs were extremely sick, dehydrated, and malnourished. Others just looked scared.

Sadly, some of the dogs they do not expect to make it.

Over 30 dogs were seized from a house in St. George today, April 20, after living in terrible conditions. (WCIV)

"It was something that we have not seen in this county in a long time,” Danielle Zulauf with Dorchester Paws said.

Dogs living in their own filth, locked in small crates inside and outside, and dogs tied to trees with heavy chains. This is the scene Dorchester Paws walked into Thursday morning.

Read More: Dorchester Paws runs out of space for more dogs

"Absolute deplorable conditions, all different sizes, all different breeds,” Zulauf said. "They describe the smell to be where even if they had a mask on, they wouldn't be able to breathe. It was so horrid of a smell.”

According to a press release, the shelter was called to assist, after Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office and Animal Control went to a house with a history of violent incidents.

There they found a subject who had a warrant and dogs living in terrible conditions.

"For them to see dogs with blood coming out of their nose, you know, their lungs, not breathing, right? It's horrible,” Zulauf said.

Sadly, Dorchester Paws does not have room for all of the dogs found. They are asking the public to adopt, foster, or donate.

We do not want any animal to be living in a pop up crate," the shelter wrote in a press release Thursday. "If the public can foster, they can come tomorrow 8am-5pm. Fosters needed for as long as they can commit.

Adoption fees are being waived for dogs who have been at the shelter more than 15 days.

"We need to get the animals that are on our floor right now into homes so we can free up panel space for these 30 plus dogs that just came in. If you can't foster forever, can you foster for the weekend? Can you foster for a week?" Zulauf said.

If you can foster, go to the shelter Friday, April 21st in between 8 A.M. and 5 P.M.

Those interested in donating to Dorchester Paws can do so on the shelter's website.

Read More: Mel's Mutts: Meet Richard

Thanks to law enforcement and Dorchester Paws, some of the pups will have a second chance at life.

"We'll scan them for microchips - we're they somebody else's? We will provide them the vaccinations, all the medical assessments, start them on whatever treatments they need, antibiotics and those things, and then they will be fed and they will put into a kennel,” Zulauf said.

Majority of the dogs need serious medical attention. Some have been found to be in end stage heartworm disease.

"We need resources. We will know after all 33 are medically evaluated we'll know how much it's going to cost to treat them, but I'll tell you right now that our funding does not anticipate moments like this, so we need donors whether it's $1 to whatever you can give right now,” Zulauf said.

Questions surrounding how these dogs were put in these conditions still remain.

"We at this moment do not know if charges will be filed, but we will be looking into everything as the days come,” Zulauf said.

The DCSO says this is an ongoing investigation.

To help, click here.