1300 Hospital Dr #220
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
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Struggling with Knee or Shoulder Pain that won't improve?
From serious sports injuries causing tissue damage to bone issues and stiffness that comes with age, living with pain is, well, a pain. But it's more than that - it's a stressful, often upsetting way to get through your day, month, and year. Have you ever tried to get out of bed with sore, stiff knees? Most folks would rather just get back in bed. Think you might try exercising with plantar fasciitis? Don't plan on running far or doing cardio for very long. Torn rotator cuff? Without proper treatment, your life might not ever be the same.
Living with pain and the inevitable issues that come with age can seriously affect your wellbeing and happiness. Sure, you could wake up every morning and rely on addicting medications to help you move. Or, you could risk further injury and damage with invasive surgeries that require long periods of recovery and downtime. But those can't be the only two options for treatment, can they?
Fortunately, a new, natural, non-invasive treatment for pain is revolutionizing the medical industry and transforming people's lives. It's giving athletes, average folks, and people of a certain age a reason to be hopeful. It's called Softwave therapy, and unlike many fly-by-night medications and sketchy treatments, it's backed by science and provided by Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine.
If you're barely making it through the day suffering from chronic pain, this FDA-approved drug-free treatment may be for you. Softwave therapy has already been used by thousands of people around the country living with issues like shoulder pain, knee pain, and plantar fasciitis. You could be next.
Though its popularity has only grown in recent years, Softwave therapy - also known as shockwave therapy - has been around for years. In fact, the first systematic study into the benefits of shockwave therapy took place way back in 1950. So, what is Softwave therapy?
Softwave therapy is a method of treatment that works incredibly well for mobility rehab, pain relief, and full-body recovery, usually from chronic pain or injuries. Softwave therapy uses a device emitting low-energy soundwaves that target a patient's injured area. These low-intensity waves boost blood flow and kickstart your body's natural healing processes, relieving long-term pain and helping your body to heal a wide range of injuries and conditions.
The main targets in the body include bones, tendons, and other soft tissues, which are encouraged to regenerate and repair via the shockwaves. Often, shockwave therapy is used in conjunction with other non-invasive treatments like chiropractic care, which we offer at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. The results are often incredible, leaving patients wondering why they never tried Softwave therapy before.
Softwave therapy works especially well for:
Better Blood Flow
Collagen Stimulation
Reducing Inflammation
Kickstarting cell growth and healing factors
Breaking down build-ups of calcium
With FDA clearance, little-to-no side effects, and quick application time, Softwave therapy is a welcome alternative for people suffering from pain. Who wants to spend weeks or months recovering from a surgery that might not even work? Likewise, who would want to become dependent on over-the-counter or, even worse, prescription pain meds? Living a life of addiction is a road nobody wants to go down.
Softwave therapy represents a revolution in non-invasive pain treatment; best of all, it's highly effective. Independent studies prove that shockwave therapy helps with pain. 65-91% of patients using shockwave therapy experienced real-deal improvements in damaged muscle and bone tissue, solving their mobility problems and drastically reducing pain. It almost sounds too good to be true, but as many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine will tell you - it isn't.
Book AppointmentSome of the most common conditions that Softwave therapy treats include:
When you get up in the morning and go to the bathroom to brush your teeth, do you notice a stabbing, sharp pain near your heel? Does the pain go away once you have a chance to walk around? If so, you could have plantar fasciitis. According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, this painful condition is quite common. About two million people suffer from plantar fasciitis every year, and almost 10% of all people will experience the condition at least once in their life.
This common foot issue happens when the plantar fascia - a fan-shaped tissue near your heel - gets inflamed. The plantar fascia is a thick strip of connective tissue that links your toes to your heel bone, helping to preserve the arch of your foot. When this band is strained, it causes intensely sharp pain, usually in the morning when you wake up and plant your feet on the floor.
Most folks ignore plantar fasciitis because the pain eventually goes away throughout the day. However, if left untreated, plantar fasciitis can lead to weakness and chronic pain, which may affect daily walking.
Some causes of plantar fasciitis include:
The short answer to this question is not really. Patients with plantar fasciitis will ice the affected area with little-to-no relief since they spend so much time on their feet. It's hard to rest an achy heel if you've got a job that requires you to be on your feet. Anti-inflammatory meds like Advil don't work all that well, either. They may provide temporary pain relief, but in terms of a long-term solution, taking these drugs will cause major side effects.
Book Appointment
When more conservative treatment options like ice and over-the-counter meds don't work, most doctors turn to ultra-expensive orthotics, steroid injections, or invasive surgery. For the average person, those options fail on all fronts, as they carry risks for side effects and may even cause the issue to worsen.
Instead of going under the knife or changing their daily routines, many people suffering from plantar fasciitis are turning to Softwave therapy for relief.
During a shockwave therapy session, our expert providers use a special probe to deliver pressure waves to inflamed tissue. These waves trigger natural healing processes causing new blood vessels to form. In turn, oxygen is supplied to the affected area, reducing inflammation and causing healthy cells to regenerate. Shockwave therapy also produces collagen, which is crucial for connective tissue health.
With just a few visits, many patients find long-term relief from plantar fasciitis without relying on strange drugs or harmful surgeries.
Living with knee pain is just miserable. From knee tendonitis to osteoarthritis, knee pain can prevent you from enjoying activities and affect your day-to-day life. Your knee is a joint comprised of cartilage, bone, ligaments, and fluids. Tendons and muscles within the knee help the joint move. When one of these crucial knee structures is hurt or compromised, it results in knee pain and long-lasting knee problems. This, in turn, leads to difficulty walking at best and debilitating knee issues at worse.
If you're an active person or somebody who plays sports often, you're probably all too familiar with knee pain - especially common conditions like patellar tendinopathy. Also called "jumpers knee," this issue happens at the patellar tendon, which is found on the front of the knee just under the knee cap. When living with this condition, most patients experience pain around the kneecap or lower down on the leg around the tibia.
In addition to injuries and issues like jumper's knee, everyday wear and tear will cause knee pain over time. With time, this knee pain can develop into arthritis. If your knees are swollen, painful, or stiff, you may have arthritis in your knees. Regardless of the kind of knee pain you're experiencing, treatment options have been limited to agonizing surgeries and addicting pain medications. But that all changes with shockwave therapy for knee pain in James Island, SC.
Though no two knee pain problems are exactly the same, shockwave therapy has been shown to be highly effective for knee pain. In fact, many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine find relief after just one session. Many times, sessions can be completed in as little as 30 minutes. So if you want to find relief for knee pain on your lunch break, that's definitely possible.
As is the case with plantar fasciitis, Softwave therapy works by sending sound wave and low-energy impulses to the affected area of your knee. These pulses stimulate your body's healing factors, which can help regenerate and repair damaged tendons and tissues. Softwave therapy for knee pain is especially promising for people who have tried other treatments - like surgery and pain meds - with disappointing results.
Benefits include:
Several studies and reviews prove that Softwave therapy can be very beneficial for people suffering from knee pain problems like jumper's knee. A study involving 66 patients with knee pain found that they enjoyed a significant improvement in their reported pain levels with Softwave therapy. In fact, knee pain was reduced by nearly 50% after a single month. When combined with other regenerative and physical therapy treatments at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, your days of living with knee pain are numbered.
Book AppointmentHere's a fact for you to consider: Every joint that you have in your body plays a part in your day-to-day life. But when we think of joint issues, we typically jump to knee issues. However, your knees aren't the only joints in your body to go through wear and tear. Your shoulders experience just as much, if not more, wear and tear than your knees. We put a strain on our shoulders just about every time we use or move our arms. Our shoulders play a pivotal part in living a normal life. When they begin to deteriorate over time due to age or overuse, it creates a litany of painful problems.
There are many causes of shoulder pain, like deterioration, inflammation, and trauma. Of the many painful shoulder conditions affecting Americans yearly, rotator cuff tendonitis and arthritis are very common. Also called calcific tendinitis, rotator cuff pain is caused by built-up calcium deposits on the shoulder's tendons, which connect your rotator cuff to nearby muscles and bones. This painful condition is usually linked to sports, like basketball and volleyball, or in professions requiring repetitive movements, like in the plumbing industry.
Some common symptoms of shoulder pain and rotator cuff tendinitis include:
Though strengthening exercises and some medications provide temporary relief for shoulder pain, they're not meant as long-term solutions. Luckily, Softwave therapy for rotator cuff pain in James Island, SC, can help.
Shockwave therapy has been shown to work wonders for shoulder pain. Low-intensity shockwaves break up calcium deposits and jumpstart your body's healing processes, stimulating blood flow and healthy cell growth. Shockwave treatment is especially effective for long-term shoulder pain since it releases stem cells, sends growth factors to the affected area, and boosts capillary production. Shockwave therapy has also been shown to break down scar tissue and eliminate trigger points, all of which decrease shoulder pain. This relief is most often long-lasting, unlike other treatments like medications and injections.
Many studies support the efficacy of Softwave therapy for shoulder conditions like rotator cuff pain and calcific tendonitis of the shoulder. In a study of 84 patients living with long-term rotator cuff tendonitis, participants in the treatment group saw a significant decrease in the intensity of their shoulder pain. Another study related to shockwave therapy for calcific tendonitis found that 86.6% of patients experienced fewer calcifications.
If you're having to live with rotator cuff pain or another type of shoulder issue, choosing Softwave therapy may be your best course of action.
Book AppointmentWhether you're sick of living with intense heel pain from plantar fasciitis, the mobility issues associated with knee pain, or the day-to-day struggles of rotator cuff degeneration, you'll find hope at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. Unlike some medical clinics, our team of doctors and specialists focus on an integrative, multidisciplinary approach to healing. Instead of relying on addictive medications and invasive surgeries, we prefer to address the underlying causes that our patients face.
We combine several all-natural pain relief therapies so that your shoulder pain, knee pain, joint pain, and foot pain go away for good. We resolve pain by using healing treatments that restore function and improve mobility for the long term. Our state-of-the-art regenerative medicine treatments, used hand-in-hand with proven chiropractic techniques, will stimulate your body's healing power from within. If your pain is related to muscles, nerves, and bones, our doctors can help you overcome discomfort, injury, or medical conditions affecting these systems.
If you've been unable to resolve your pain or have become dependent on painkillers to cope, Softwave therapy may be the natural solution you need. It all starts with a quick call to our office, so we can begin to understand your needs. When you come for your first visit, our doctors will find the personalized treatment you need so that you can manage your pain in a non-invasive and drug-free environment manner.
Book AppointmentSix Berkeley County School District high school basketball teams appear in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association’s top 10 polls for Feb. 7.At No. 1 in Class AAAAA, Stratford’s girls headline the group. Goose Creek’s boys are ranked fifth in Class AAAAA and Philip Simmons’s girls fifth in Class AAA.Playoffs begin Feb. 15.5A Boys Top 101. Dorman2. Conway3. Lexington4. Summerville5. Goose Creek6. Cane Bay7. Byrnes8. ...
Six Berkeley County School District high school basketball teams appear in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association’s top 10 polls for Feb. 7.
At No. 1 in Class AAAAA, Stratford’s girls headline the group. Goose Creek’s boys are ranked fifth in Class AAAAA and Philip Simmons’s girls fifth in Class AAA.
Playoffs begin Feb. 15.
5A Boys Top 10
1. Dorman
2. Conway
3. Lexington
4. Summerville
5. Goose Creek
6. Cane Bay
7. Byrnes
8. JL Mann
9. TL Hanna
10. Fort Mill
5A Girls Top 10
1. Stratford
2. Mauldin
3. Lexington
4. Summerville
5. Spring Valley
6. Rock Hill
7. Woodmont
8. Sumter
9. Carolina Forest
10. TL Hanna
4A Boys Top 10
1. North Augusta
2. Lancaster
3. Catawba Ridge
4. Greenville
5. Westside
6. Irmo
7. Wilson
8. Greer
9. James Island
10. Indian Land
4A Girls Top 10
1. North Augusta
2. South Pointe
3. Westwood
4. South Florence
5. Catawba Ridge
6. Pickens
7. Bluffton
8. Riverside
9. Hartsville
10. Wade Hampton/Easley
3A Boys Top 10
1. Crestwood
2. Orangeburg-Wilkinson
3. Manning
4. Wren
5. Loris
6. Clinton
7. Daniel
8. Travelers Rest
9. Lake City
10. Union County
3A Girls Top 10
1. Camden
2. Southside
3. Wren
4. Lower Richland
5. Phillip Simmons
6. Blue Ridge
7. Crestwood
8. Orangeburg-Wilkinson
9. Emerald
10. Crescent
2A Boys Top 10
1. Gray Collegiate
2. Oceanside Collegiate
3. Keenan
4. Landrum
5. Andrew Jackson
6. Wade Hampton
7. Strom Thurmond
8. Woodland
9. Saluda
10. Central
2A Girls Top 10
1. Keenan
2. Gray Collegiate
3. Andrew Jackson
4. Silver Bluff
5. Bishop England
6. Chesterfield
7. Timberland
8. Wade Hampton
9. Oceanside Collegiate
10. Lee Central
1A Boys Top 10
1. Christ Church
2. Scott’s Branch
3. Denmark-Olar
4. Great Falls
5. High Point Academy
6. Estill
7. Calhoun Falls
8. Whale Branch
9. North
10. Baptist Hill
1A Girls Top 10
1. Military Magnet
2. Denmark-Olar
3. High Point Academy
4. Lake View
5. Carvers Bay
6. Christ Church
7. Calhoun Falls
8. Estill
9. McBee
10. Cross
JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — The Lowcountry Cajun Festival will return at James Island County Park on April 22 from noon to 6 p.m.New for 2023, festival admission will be charged per vehicle, and tickets are available for advance purchase, according to a Feb. 23 press release. A limited number of vehicles will be admitted. Tickets will be $35 per standard vehicle of up to 15 people in advance. If available, tickets at the gate will be $40 per vehicle. For additional details and to purchase tickets, visit ...
JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — The Lowcountry Cajun Festival will return at James Island County Park on April 22 from noon to 6 p.m.
New for 2023, festival admission will be charged per vehicle, and tickets are available for advance purchase, according to a Feb. 23 press release. A limited number of vehicles will be admitted. Tickets will be $35 per standard vehicle of up to 15 people in advance. If available, tickets at the gate will be $40 per vehicle. For additional details and to purchase tickets, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com.
Gold Passes will be valid for vehicle admission; the pass must be presented at the gate for entry. Gold Passes will not be sold on site the day of the festival, but may be purchased in advance online. Receipt of purchase will not be accepted, according to the press release.
Read more: Lowcountry Cajun Festival returns to James Island County Park on Saturday
According to the press release, the 2023 Lowcountry Cajun Festival entertainment lineup is Shrimp City Slim Swamp All-Stars from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Les Freres Michot from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Corey Arceneaux & The Zydeco Hot Peppers from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The festival's small stage will host Friends of Coastal South Carolina for a program called “Who Calls the Swamp Home?” at 1 p.m. and the annual Crawfish Eating Contest will take place at 2:30 p.m., according to the press release. Other festivities include a crafters' market, souvenirs for sale and a kids' area.
Read more: Lowcountry Cajun Festival
Children can enjoy access to the inflatables and climbing wall in the kids' area all day with the purchase of a $10 hand stamp. Credit cards will be accepted at select locations, but attendees are encouraged to bring cash for convenience purposes, according to the press release.
No coolers or outside food or alcohol permitted, according to the press release. Carpooling is highly encouraged. Pets are not permitted to this event. James Island County Park will be closed to regular park guests on April 22 in order to host the festival.
The press release says Lowcountry Cajun Festival is presented by Charleston Animal Society, Coca-Cola and Charleston County Parks. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com or call 843-795-4386.
A Charleston-based sushi restaurant and sports bar with two Lowcountry locations will add a third site by the spring in a former bar and grill on James Island.Locals Sushi & Sports Pub plans to open after buying the lease for the space at 792 Folly Road where The Roost Bar N’ Grille operated until Jan. 31 according to Jim Moring with Restaurantbrokers.info, who handled the transactio...
A Charleston-based sushi restaurant and sports bar with two Lowcountry locations will add a third site by the spring in a former bar and grill on James Island.
Locals Sushi & Sports Pub plans to open after buying the lease for the space at 792 Folly Road where The Roost Bar N’ Grille operated until Jan. 31 according to Jim Moring with Restaurantbrokers.info, who handled the transaction for the property owner and tenant.
Locals owner Shawn Sherman said he’s planning some cosmetic changes, and the 4,500-square-foot venue should be open in a couple of months. He also plans to add a patio bar in the future.
Sherman took over the remainder of the existing lease term of about a year with the option to renew for two five-year terms.
The site once housed Charleston Sports Pub before it moved to Maybank Highway in 2021.
Locals has other restaurants in Mount Pleasant and West Ashley. The Roost has another location in Avondale in West Ashley.
A new restaurant from the couple who brought Community Table and Kiki & Rye to Mount Pleasant is ready for its debut in downtown Charleston.
Southbound, part of Free Reign Restaurants, will open at 4 p.m. Feb. 10 at 72 Cannon St.
Southbound’s menu will include appetizers as well as main dishes such as steaks, pork chops and seasonal fish along with vegetarian options.
The main level of the 2,000-square-foot space features a 10-foot open hearth with seating around it and about 45 seats outside on a wrap-around porch and terrace. The upstairs includes a bar and dining area. It will be open for dinner 4-10 p.m. daily.
Free Reign is owned by Ryan and Kelleanne Jones.
An Italian eatery recently opened at Citadel Mall. Bella Roma can be found in the food court. It’s owned by Fabio and Barbara Spadaro.
A women’s shoe shop is coming to Mount Pleasant.
Dear Lucy plans to open tentatively by March 1 at 1421 Shucker Circle in the Oyster Park development off Ben Sawyer Boulevard.
The owner of the 1,500-square-foot space is Melissa Desautels. The Mount Pleasant resident operates another store in Burlington, Vt.
Charleston International Airport recently welcomed new vendors to its retail lineup.
Hudson Nonstop and Sunglass Hut are now open beyond the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint.
Hudson Nonstop sells food, beverages and travel amenities. The CHS shop features Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology, allowing customers to enter by swiping a credit card or holding their palm over an Amazon One device. It also offers a contactless way to pay, charging shoppers for goods they take off the shelves as they exit.
“It’s the ultimate convenience and self-serve option for fliers on the go,” Charleston airport CEO Elliott Summey said.
Nearby, Sunglass Hut offers a range of styles from Ray-Ban, Oakley and other brands.
Tractor Supply Co. is out to plow new ground in the Charleston area.
The chain plans to build a 22,000-square-foot store on 7.25 acres on Dorchester Road between Shady Lane and Stack’s Nursery.
The store will be the Tennessee-based company’s fifth in the Lowcountry. Others are in Awendaw, Moncks Corner, Ravenel and near Nexton in Berkeley County.
An affiliate of developer Farmer & Associates of Aiken paid $1.19 million for the Dorchester County site, according to buyer’s representative Will Sherrod of the commercial real estate firm NAI Charleston.
The land was previously owned by Old Fort Baptist Church and Oakbrook Community Church.
The new store will include a garden center and outdoor display area. Completion is targeted by the end of the year, Sherrod said.
The Aiken buyer will develop and lease the site to Tractor Supply. About two acres of outparcel space will be set aside for future purchase.
Doug Richardson with Carolina One Real Estate and Michele Costanzo with eXp Realty represented the sellers.
An East Cooper footwear store is undergoing a makeover.
Rack Room Shoes in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre will be closed until late March for a total renovation, according to shopping center spokeswoman Kathi Herrmann. The 9,108-square-foot store closed in early February.
A grand reopening is planned for March 25.
The Planet Fitness gym site at 2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. in Citadel Mall reopened Feb. 6 after undergoing renovations since November.
The remodel included the gym’s Black Card Spa and locker rooms. Also, overhead televisions were added to the cardio theater.
A North Carolina-based supermarket chain with 19 locations in the Lowcountry hopes to improve its diversity of product suppliers.
Harris Teeter, an affiliate of The Kroger Co., will accept applications through Feb. 10 for its virtual Supplier Diversity Summit set for March 28-30.
The grocer will work to identify and increase sourcing for retail-ready products typically found in a supermarket from suppliers that are at least 51 percent-owned, -operated and -managed by people who are disadvantaged, disabled, LGBTQ+, military veterans, minorities and/or women.
Harris Teeter is partnering with RangeMe, an Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing company, to manage submissions. To apply, go to tinyurl.com/2zwt6e2c.
South Carolina House budget writers aimed to continue investing in economic development and the people of the state, the House’s lead writer says of the Ways and Means Committee budget proposal approved last week.Among the investments is money to prepare land for companies to locate, to freeze college tuition rates, to create new state parks and create a center for school safety.Lawmakers have about $3.5 billion in new annual and one-time revenue to spend in this spring’s budget discussions for the spending year tha...
South Carolina House budget writers aimed to continue investing in economic development and the people of the state, the House’s lead writer says of the Ways and Means Committee budget proposal approved last week.
Among the investments is money to prepare land for companies to locate, to freeze college tuition rates, to create new state parks and create a center for school safety.
Lawmakers have about $3.5 billion in new annual and one-time revenue to spend in this spring’s budget discussions for the spending year that begins July 1. In total, the House budget-writing committee proposed a $13.8 billion spending plan.
The full House is scheduled to debate the budget the week of March 13. After House approval, the Senate will start its deliberations.
Budget writers also had to take into account the second year of a scheduled tax cut that lowers the maximum income tax rate from 6.5% to 6.4%. The cut keeps about $96 million out of state coffers.
“I think this budget is an investment in the people and prosperity in South Carolina,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville. “Low taxes, conservative budgeting, aggressive economic development efforts lead to a strong economy, which leads to additional opportunity to invest in the people and the economy in South Carolina.”
Among the planned expenditures, budget writers want to give $200 million to the S.C. Department of Commerce for economic development site preparation such as putting in roads, water and sewer infrastructure to sites for major economic development projects. An additional $5.5 million would go to the agency to update its branding efforts when marketing to businesses.
“Site preparation is critical to developing a competitive edge for South Carolina in the southeast to attract companies that can be economic drivers for our state and on a local level,” said state Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, D-Charleston.
The Ways and Means Committee also proposed spending $25 million on state park development, upgrades and maintenance.
The state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism has acquired land to build out the Ramsey Grove State Park in Georgetown County, Fort Johnson State Park in James Island and Black River State Park in Williamsburg and Georgetown counties.
The last park opened by PRT was H. Cooper Black in Cheraw in 2006.
“To the degree we can add unique and special things for our citizens to enjoy and that will further draw people to South Carolina to contribute to our local economy, that’s a win for us,” Stavrinakis said. “These are amazing properties and pieces of land that we’re preserving or making special places out of them.”
Budget writers also included $3.2 million to create a center for school safety at the former Gilbert Elementary School in Lexington 1. The center was among the recommendations made by Gov. Henry McMaster in his proposed budget and is in line with the plan to have a school resource officer at every school in the state.
“Having regular training sessions is really a response to (what happened in) Uvalde’s failure to act, ‘Hey, this is what you do when there’s an active shooter,’ and they’re going to go work on that and that’ll be part of their training,” Bannister said.
In-state college students also are in line to not face an increase in their tuition rates for the fifth year in a row. House budget writers proposed $69 million for tuition mitigation to freeze tuition rates for in-state students.
“We wanted to focus on the access and affordability in higher education for our young students across the state,” said state Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Lexington. “Freezing tuition prices obviously prevents an increased burden on families and our students throughout the state.”
House budget writers also want to spend $196 million for Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Part of the expense includes replacing matching dollars lost from a decrease in federal funding because the state’s economy is doing well, Medicare premium increases, increased reimbursement rates, increased costs for inflation and other costs to maintain the same level of service in the state.
“This will draw more providers to our underserved communities and that’s been a goal of our subcommittee for the past five or six years,” said state Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Beaufort, who leads a panel overseeing health care spending.
Again not included in the budget proposal is money for to start building Interstate 73 to connect Interstate 95 to Myrtle Beach, a roadway that would encourage economic development in the Grand Strand and help with hurricane evacuations.
McMaster and Horry County lawmakers last year sought $300 million to start the highway, a recommendation the governor pushed for again this year. However, lawmakers included $200 million to speed up bridge work planned by the S.C. Department of Transportation around the state.
“My feel for the House is there’s still a very strong desire to fix the (current) interstate system,” Bannister said. “That we have to make sure that it’s up to snuff before we start building new roads.”
The initial budget proposed by Ways and Means does not include member-directed spending for projects in their districts.
Member projects are expected to be added when the House receives the budget back from the Senate. In recent years some earmarked projects have been controversial, including how money went to a nonprofit run by a lawmaker’s friend and how an Upstate Christian organization wanted to use state dollars to build a school.
Bannister said the Ways and Means Committee is working on the best way to review projects before they get state money, to make sure organizations or nonprofits that get dollars are in good standing, and if the project is worth the investment.
“We’re trying to figure out if there’s a way to vet those projects better than we have in the past,” Bannister said.
Bannister did not know how many member projects would ultimately be included but the committee has billions in requests.
This money will come from the first half-cent sales tax that the county approved back in 2004.CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Millions of dollars will come from Charleston County Council to go towards the I-526 expansion after Tuesday night’s approval. This money will come from the first half-cent sales tax that the county approved back in 2004.This is the second time Charleston County Council has attempted this vote. It was finalized with five yeas, three nays and one absence. Just like the council was during discussion, publi...
This money will come from the first half-cent sales tax that the county approved back in 2004.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Millions of dollars will come from Charleston County Council to go towards the I-526 expansion after Tuesday night’s approval. This money will come from the first half-cent sales tax that the county approved back in 2004.
This is the second time Charleston County Council has attempted this vote. It was finalized with five yeas, three nays and one absence. Just like the council was during discussion, public comment was also divided.
“You are our trustees,” Elizabeth Singleton, who is against the county funding said. “This is not your money. It’s ours.”
Bradley Taggart, for the county funding, disagreed.
“Poll after poll has shown that people with this project are in fact permanently in favor of completing 526,” Taggart said.
Rick Voight, against county funding, says there are better ways to spend billions of dollars and should use better outcomes.
Joe Greck, for the county funding, encouraged all of council to support the funding, which they ultimately did.
The Mark Clark Extension will extend from West Ashley to Johns Island, James Island and areas of the Charleston metropolitan area to provide easier transportation and improved safety. The total project cost is more than $2 billion.
Councilman Teddie Pryor Sr. District 5 says if this began when it was first presented 42 years ago, it would have only cost around $280 million.
“And you know, people are saying ‘Well why do we delay it?’” Pryor said. “The more we delay, the more it’s going to cost because construction goes up.”
Councilman Larry Kobrovsky for District 2 says otherwise.
“I think it is a tremendous gamble,” Kobrovsky said. “Other words, we voted to spend $75 million of taxpayers’ money without any guarantee that it will be put to any use.”
Kobrovsky says he wishes they would have waited until the next sales tax referendum in two years for them to know exactly where this money will go.
“If we have $75 million that was designated for transportation money and we can put that to meaty use, let’s do that and not gamble,” Kobrovsky said.
Pryor says putting money towards 526 will not defer any other transportation projects going on.
“We just need to move on and move forward,” Pryor said. “People can make excuses or comments when they don’t want anything done, but I’m trusting that Secretary Hall and SCDOT working with us to get this project completed.”
Pryor says the next step is for South Carolina Department of Transportation to start the permitting process. No word right now on when that could start.
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