Probate Lawyer in Charleston, SC

Sullivan’s Island Town Administrator Andy Benke recently sent a check for more than $200,000 to the Charleston Water System (CWS) in an effort to solve a dispute between the two entities, but, unless the town comes up with another $850,000 or so before July 20, CWS has threatened to cut off the town’s water supply.

At an April 1 meeting, the Sullivan’s Island Town Council voted to approve a payment of $227,381.92 to the water system, a figure determined by water utility rate consultant Raftelis, based on a 1994 contract between CWS and the town. Benke said the check was mailed, but, as of April 11, there was no word from CVS and no indication the check had been cashed.

CWS CEO Mark Cline insists that the town of Sullivan’s Island owes the water system $1.078 million, a difference of $850,618.08. Since they are still trying to solve this issue through mediation, neither side is saying much, though both the water system and the town released statements regarding the disputed terms of the 1994 contract.

“Charleston Water System does not agree with the town of Sullivan’s Island’s viewpoint or its recollection of the historical facts,” Cline said in a statement released by the water system. “We fully intend to discontinue the town’s water service July 20 unless their past due amount is fully paid and they have entered into a new contract that appropriately covers the costs of providing water service to their community. It’s not fair that our other customers have been subsidizing the town’s service for years now.”

“Charleston Water System wants the town to ignore the terms of the signed agreement we entered into almost 30 years ago, after Hurricane Hugo devastated our independent deep water well system,” Sullivan’s Island Mayor Pat O’Neil said in his own statement, which was released on April 3. “We entered into that agreement at a significant cost to ensure that our residents would have certainty as to the source of our water for decades to come. It’s hard now to accept the baseless claim that CWS is ‘subsidizing’ Sullivan’s Island when we paid almost $2 million in 1994 dollars to support the infrastructure that allowed them to sell water to us and to our neighbors on the Isle of Palms and when in 2020 we gifted them an easement through our public park and playground so there would be additional capacity to sell water to our neighbors in Mount Pleasant.”

According to CWS spokesperson Michael Saia, the $1.078 million it is demanding is “the cumulative portion of their bill they haven’t been paying since 2017. They paid this portion in full and without question for the first 22 years of the contract and then suddenly stopped on their own accord that year.”

The 1994 agreement between Sullivan’s Island and CWS states that “The life of this contract shall extend for a term of 30 years from the date of execution and shall be automatically renewed for additional 15-year periods unless Sullivan’s Island gives 180-day written notice. … of its intent not to renew this contract.”

Prior to presenting his April 1 motion to pay the Charleston Water System $227,381.92, Sullivan’s Island Town Council member Justin Novak pointed out that “Years ago, Charleston Water System decided to raise our rates as if our signed contract did not exist. The town disputed that rate increase and has continued to pay the undisputed amount owed in accordance with our long-standing, signed agreement.”

He added that the town has placed the disputed amounts in escrow, “pending a resolution of the dispute.”

When the contract was signed in 1994, the town agreed to pay CWS $1,986,216 to help with the cost of connecting its lines to Sullivan’s Island. O’Neil pointed out in a recent interview that the contract said Sullivan’s Island would not have to pay any additional capital charges except for work done for the benefit of the island’s water supply.

Charleston, SC - Odalys Peguero delivered a walk-off RBI single to right field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Charleston RiverDogs edged the Columbia Fireflies 3-2 on Wednesday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The RiverDogs have won the first two games of the series by the same score. Wednesday’s game was played in front of a crowd of 2,934.

The final inning began without much action as Nicholas Regalado retired the first two hitters without a problem. That quickly changed with consecutive walks to Carlos Colmenarez and Narciso Polanco. Those bases on balls put the winning run in scoring position for Peguero. The second baseman dropped a single into shallow right field as Colmenarez slid across home plate with the decisive run.

Charleston (6-5) received a booming solo home run from right fielder Angel Mateo in the second inning to open the scoring. The long ball was his second of the year and the team’s eighth. All eight of the round-trippers have been solo shots.

Columbia (6-5) pulled even in the fifth, the final inning tossed by starter Gary Gill Hill. Austin Charles worked a leadoff walk in that frame and stole second base. He scored on Jhonny Perdomo’s single through the right side of the infield.

A bases loaded wild pitch from Doug Kirkland allowed the RiverDogs to move back ahead by a 2-1 margin in the seventh. The Fireflies answered back in short order, tying the game on an RBI single from Erick Torres in the top of the eighth.

Catcher Dionmy Salon went 3-3 at the plate to lead the Fireflies offensive attack. Mateo finished 2-4 with a double and a home run for the RiverDogs.

Gill Hill did not factor in the decision after allowing just the one run in 5.0 innings. Columbia starter Ethan Bosack was also dominant, surrendering a single run on a lone hit in 6.0 innings. He struck out seven. Gerlin Rosario tossed 2.0 scoreless innings out of the Charleston bullpen, allowing only one baserunner. Will Stevens took home the win despite allowing one run in the eighth inning.

Ballpark Fun

The first installment of a three-piece championship bobblehead collection was handed out to the first 1,000 fans into the ballpark on Wednesday night. The bobblehead featured 2021 standout Curtis Mead, who is currently on the Tampa Bay Rays roster. Bobbleheads featuring Carson Williams and Xavier Isaac are coming later in the schedule.

RHP Santiago Suarez (1-0, 0.00) will be on the mound for the RiverDogs in game three of the series, slated for Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Emmanuel Reyes (1-0, 6.30) will toe the rubber for Columbia. $1 beers will be available throughout The Joe on the first Budweiser™ Thirsty Thursday of 2024.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

The coroner has identified the infant victim.

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - A Ladson mother has been charged by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office in connection to the May death of her child.

Charleston County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Lexi Douglas said Sara Shakeri-Taylor, 39, of Ladson, has been charged with homicide by child abuse.

The Charleston County Coroner has identified the infant as 10-month-old Aminah Gathers.

Deputies say this stems from a call for service that took place May 15 where they responded to a home on the 4400 block of Hardwood Street following reports of an unresponsive infant.

Shakeri-Taylor was home with the infant’s father, 41-year-old Sandy Sharron Gathers, who was previously arrested during this call. Douglas said at the time that a second person was also facing charges but that deputies would not be releasing that information.

At the scene, deputies began performing lifesaving measures until firefighters and EMS arrived. The infant was taken to Summerville Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead.

An autopsy revealed no obvious injuries or cause for the death of the baby, however, a toxicology exam showed the baby had a large amount of fentanyl in her system. Her death was ruled a fentanyl overdose.

Deputies collected evidence from the scene, ranging from baby bottles, formula and a pacifier to a dollar bill with a powdery substance. That evidence was collected and sent to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Affidavits said all items tested positive for fentanyl.

“As a parent, it shakes me to my core to see people be so careless and negligent with their children. This mother made a terrible decision, and she is where she belongs,” Sheriff Kristin Graziano said. “The people of Charleston County should be advised that my deputies work hard to get people like this off the street.”

“Aminah’s death was preventable. She is the victim of a failed system, a fentanyl epidemic and unimaginable neglect by those who were responsible for her care. Aminah will not be forgotten as we seek justice for her and do all we can to prevent this from happening to other children in our community,” Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal said.

Shakeri-Taylor has also been charged with three counts of conspiracy, three counts of animal fighting or baiting and one count of ill-treatment of animals, charges which are similar to Gathers’ charges.

Affidavits further detail the incident as it occurred that day, with detectives stating that, when they arrived at the scene, Gathers advised that he had come home from work and found Shakeri-Taylor sleeping and the infant laying on her stomach at the foot of the bed, unresponsive.

As detectives were investigating this death, they say they found evidence of dogfighting, including tethered and caged pitbulls and pictures and video evidence of the crimes, leading to the additional charges.

The couple was allegedly running their dogfighting operation under the guise of an unlicensed “kennel.”

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

COLUMBIA, SC – South Carolina women’s soccer (1-0-0) will continue the 2024 campaign at home, taking on the College of Charleston (3-0-0) at 7:00 p.m. in Stone Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on SECN+.

LAST TIME OUT

The Gamecocks opened up the season with a dominant 5-1 win over Furman, highlighted by a hat trick in the first half by newcomer Katie Shea Collins. Collins’ first goal happened just 34 seconds into the game, marking the second-fastest goal in program history. Veteran forward Cat Barry also scored, along with rookie Kylie Cino.

For her performance, Collins earned her first career SEC honor, picking up Offensive Player of the Week. South Carolina will be without Collins for a few games, as she travels with the U.S. Youth National Team to participate in the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Colombia.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS

Sunday’s meeting with Charleston will be the 11th in program history. The Gamecocks hold a 7-1-2 advantage over the Cougars, having won six of the last seven matchups. Carolina last squared off with Charleston on the road (Aug. 22, 2021), winning the battle 3-0.

The Cougars head into the match undefeated (3-0-0) after taking down High Point 3-0.

Parking Info:

Fans will have the option to park in the grass lot located behind the Athletic Village Parking Garage, at any of the City of Columbia metered spots located around Stone Stadium (subject to fees required through the ParkMobile app), the Roost parking lot, or the parking lot at the indoor tennis facility. The Athletics Village Parking Garage will not be available.

Single-game tickets are now on sale. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth 17 and under, and $3 for groups of 15 or more (with pre-purchase). Fans can also purchase the Gamecock Go Pass for $20 a month. The subscription mobile pass will give you access to all non-conference home football games and all home games for men’s and women’s basketball*, baseball*, softball, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball.

For the latest on women’s soccer, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts @GamecockWSoccer.

AWENDAW — A multi-million-dollar soccer-specific complex will be ready for games and training next weekend, both for youth and for the Charleston Battery second division club.

The recreational facility will be located on a 104-acre property along U.S. Highway 17-North in Awendaw, a lot acquired through a charitable family foundation from the McCaskill family, who have owned the land since the 1970s.

South Carolina Surf soccer club will be the anchor tenant of the initial 12-acre phase, which will feature three artificial turf fields. The Charleston Battery also plans to build a training facility on the property.

The S.C. Surf complex will include:

• More than five acres of artificial turf.

• Two FIFA-regulation full-size fields.

• One 9 v. 9 field for younger players.

• A dedicated goalkeeper training area.

The club also plans to have a covered pavilion and permanent restroom structure that will be added in the coming months.

“There are huge demands for rectangular athletic fields in Mount Pleasant and really across Charleston,” said Tripp Moye, S.C. Surf’s board president. “The Mount Pleasant Recreation Department does a great job with youth programs, but the town has grown so much in the last 15 years, it’s hard to keep up with the demands for practice and playing fields.”

S.C. Surf is one of the largest youth clubs in the area, supporting 55 teams and more than 1,000 players under its umbrella.

The artificial turf on the fields in Awendaw will be the same type used by Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United FC and Charlotte FC.

“We think this field is going to be a game-changer for this area,” Moye said. “There is not another facility like it in Charleston. We have parents going to other cities like Charlotte and Atlanta and seeing their facilities they have, and I’m sure some of them wondered why we didn’t have a similar facility here in Charleston.”

On a hot, sticky night in July, Cade Halemanu took the mound for the Charleston RiverDogs against Columbia at Riley Park.

The 23-year-old pitcher struck out the first batter, and then got Columbia outfielder Erick Pena to fly out for the second out.

Down 2-1 in the count to second baseman Jhonny Perdomo, Halemanu threw a 90-plus mph fastball right down the middle of the plate.

Perdomo smacked a line drive with an exit velocity topping out at 103 mph right back at Halemanu, who had less than a second to react and protect himself.

Halemanu turned his head at the last instant, and the ball slammed into the back of his skull.

“There’s really not a whole lot you can do to protect yourself in those situations,” Halemanu said of that July 11 incident. “It happened so fast, you don’t have time to react. I’m not going to lie, it was scary, but I think it was much more difficult for the people watching than it was for me.”

Halemanu walked off the field, but suffered headaches and blurry vision for a couple of weeks. His girlfriend wouldn’t let him touch his car keys for more than a week.

“I didn’t want to go outside, being in the sun, the bright light, would give me headaches,” he said. “My girlfriend really looked after me, she’s been great.”

When his vision cleared and the headaches disappeared, Halemanu was able to throw again.

After a month on the injured list, Halemanu returned to the mound against Kannapolis on Aug. 14, throwing a scoreless inning and giving up a single walk.

“Anytime there’s a play like that, it’s scary for the player and for everyone in the ballpark,” said RiverDogs manager Sean Smedley. “No one wants to see that happen on a ballfield and Cade has done a great job of getting himself prepared to get back out there.”

The bumps and bruises have faded and so has the memory of that night in July.

“I don’t remember a whole lot after I got hit,” Halemanu said. “I think that’s a good thing. I’m back mentally, I’m in a good spot. I don’t think about it anymore when I’m out there. Things happen for a reason; I think that this just makes me hungrier to get back out there.”