Jenny Peterson | Summerville Journal Scene

Jenny Peterson

Palmetto House out more than $60,000 in grants

‘I would say things need to be tightened up,’ board director says The Palmetto House Homeless Shelter in Summerville did not receive a $40,000 grant from the state this year because of incomplete paperwork, unspent funds from last year and a board o ... full story

Summerville jeweler to donate August proceeds to Leukemia Society

Summerville resident Judy Jacobs’ life has completely changed since her husband was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia two years ago. She doesn’t ride her bicycle as much anymore, because a long ride would put her too far away from her ... full story

Patrick outlines campaign goals

Tim Patrick, the petition candidate for the Dorchester County Council, recently outlined his ideas for how to change the way the county does business. He stresses choosing “best value contracting,” a policy that would award government proje ... full story

Bar owner recalls tragic death

A nightmare scene unfolded outside The Icehouse in Summerville early Thursday morning, right as the bar was closing and patrons were filing out. A young man who was celebrating his birthday at the bar that night walked across the street and struck a ... full story

Marketing analyst says Summerville should re-brand itself

In an effort to make Summerville a prime location for retail business, urban planner and marketing analyst Tripp Muldrow suggested the town update its signs, banners and logo in order to attract more visitors and residents. “(Summerville should) get ... full story

All petition candidates to be on the ballot

The Dorchester County Election Commission has verified all the signatures for petition candidates seeking public office, and each had enough to be placed on November’s ballot. That includes Tim Patrick, an independent candidate running for the Dorch ... full story

5 acres on Beech Hill Road heads to council for rezoning

A five-acre lot on Beech Hill Road near the elementary school that used to be an old automobile mechanic center is set to be rezoned to a "business" classification in order to be…well, an automobile mechanic center. Despite a negative recommendation ... full story

County’s park plan could put a snag in Harleyville playground improvements

Harleyville’s mayor asked Dorchester County Council Monday night for $17,000 to improve the town’s ball fields and community center, but the county may not be able to fund the request after the council decided to establish its own park system earlier ... full story

Impact fees move forward

Council members voted 5-2 in favor of a contentious transportation impact fee ordinance Monday night, but some members said their “yes” vote was simply to study the issue more, rather than a vote in favor.Nearly 100 people packed council chambers, an ... full story

County verifying signatures

The staff of the Dorchester County Elections and Voter Registration is currently working to verify signatures for those candidates who filed to run for seats on the Dorchester District 2 School Board and for the Dorchester County Council District 7 s ... full story

County breaks ground on Fire/EMS station in St. George

Dorchester County is moving forward with its plan to improve fire and EMS services to all residents with a groundbreaking of a new building in St. George.The new $1 million fire/EMS station off Academy Road will be 10,000 square feet — large enough t ... full story

Immigration ordinance tabled for now

A controversial ordinance that would prohibit illegal immigrants from living, renting and working in Summerville was tabled until next month for further review by the town's attorney.The ordinance puts the burden on landlords and business owners to m ... full story

County to vote on impact fees Monday

Requiring developers to pay additional fees to help pay for roads and infrastructure may become the way Dorchester County does business.Council Members are set to vote on first reading of a transportation impact fee ordinance Monday night.Dorchester ... full story

Public Land to become 'Public Land'

Town looks to rezone parks, open spaces Citing a need to “clean up” its zoning map, Summerville Town Council members are set to rezone 34 properties — mostly parks and other open spaces — to the classification of “public land.”Right now, cl ... full story

Auditor launches crackdown on vehicle registrations

Efforts to crack down on out-of-state vehicle tags are paying off for Dorchester County.Since January 2010, Auditor J.J. Messervy and his staff have collected more than $25,000 from people who had not properly registered their vehicles with the count ... full story

Heritage Square needs to be demolished, officials say

The Heritage Square Shopping Center in Summerville has long been an eyesore, but town officials have added another unfortunate designation: safety hazard.A crumbling roof in one of the main buildings has become so much of a concern that building offi ... full story

Walking trail to be county’s first recreational project

Dorchester County is making plans for its first-ever county park, an 8-acre riverfront walking trail off Bacon’s Bridge Road, on land already leased by the county.Organizers envision a winding, passive walking trail and modest footbridge with tranqui ... full story

Employees recognized for years of service

Twenty-five Dorchester County employees were recognized at Tuesday night’s Dorchester County Council meeting for their continued years of service.Council members congratulated employees from several departments who marked their five, 10, 15, 20 and e ... full story

America’s newest citizens sworn in

The picturesque grounds of Middleton Plantation and re-enactors dressed in period clothing from the 1700’s helped mark a truly “American” celebration for 63 excited people who were sworn in as U.S. citizens on Friday.Men and women from 44 different c ... full story

Packed Fourth of July schedule in Summerville

This year, Summerville will have new, old and revamped events for the whole family to celebrate Independence Day. The holiday kicks off on July 3, with the annual D.R.E.A.M. event and non-motorized parade.Red, White and Blue on the GreenThe annual Re ... full story

Thieves nab town playground equipment downtown

A recent theft downtown didn’t turn up your typical missing items.Thieves made off with three pieces of playground equipment from Saul Alexander Playground last Thursday night; their loot turned out to be painted aluminum animals on metal spring ... full story

Pattison’s Academy helps disabled children in the tri-county area

Giggling, laughter and hope filled the gymnasium at Pattison's Academy Therapeutic Summer Program on Monday. That’s because children with severe disabilities are able to get one-on-one instruction and attention and they learn to actively participate ... full story

Dorchester County losing out big in retail sales

Dorchester County is losing about $656 million each year in Summerville because residents leave the area to spend money everyday items elsewhere, according to a recent study.“It’s some of the biggest retail leakages I’ve seen,” said Tripp Muldrow, an ... full story

Mayor honored with bronze bust

Not even severe weather could keep nearly 100 people from honoring longtime Summerville Mayor Berlin G. Myers on Monday. They attended the unveiling of a bronze bust in the likeness of His Honor.The unveiling took place outside town hall at ... full story

Chinnis defeats Stein for Council District 2

Unofficial runoff election results show that David Chinnis defeated James Stein by a mere 28 votes to become the new Dorchester District 2 councilman.“It looks good,” Chinnis said. “I was humbled the first time, and (now) equally so. I’m appreciative ... full story