Family Photographer in Mount Pleasant, SC

The homeowners association for the upscale I’On section of Mount Pleasant has prevailed in a marathon back-and-forth legal battle with the developer of the mixed-use neighborhood patterned after Charleston’s Historic District.

The S.C. Supreme Court on Feb. 8 reinstated a 2014 jury award of $1.75 million to the I’On Assembly Inc. and two of its members from the I’On Co. LLC.

“It’s been a long haul,” said Mount Pleasant attorney Justin O’Toole Lucey, who represents the plaintiffs.

The 21-page Supreme Court decision contained a warning, noting that “the facts of this case are complicated, and ... ‘not for the weary.’” Justice Kaye Hearn, who recently retired, wrote in one of her last opinions that the dispute “involves promises made and broken to homeowners by a developer and its affiliated entities.”

The lengthy legal skirmish broke out after a business with ties to the I’On Co. and principals Tom Graham and Vince Graham sold the community docks, boat landing and adjacent Creek Club event space in 2009. Previously, they had promised would-be buyers and others that the waterfront amenities would be transferred to the homeowners association.

I’On resident Brad Walbeck filed a lawsuit about a year after the $1.4 million sale to 143 Civitas LLC went through. He was later joined by another property owner, Lea Ann Adkins.

The Grahams, who are father and son, were dropped from the case before it went to trial — twice — in 2014. The judge declared the first proceeding a mistrial after the I’On Assembly, which originally supported the developers, switched sides at the last minute.

After the second trial, a Charleston County jury awarded the homeowners group $1.75 million to compensate them for buying the boat ramp and docks and for making other financial concessions under a settlement with the seller. Walbeck was to receive an additional $20,000.

The I’On Co. challenged the outcome. The S.C. Court of Appeals ruled against the firm in 2018 but then abruptly reversed itself the next year, “this time practically nullifying the jury’s verdicts,” according to Wednesday’s ruling.

“They took everything away from us,” Lucey said.

The case then went before the Supreme Court, which heard arguments in mid-December. It overturned most of the 2019 decisions in an opinion signed by Justice John Kittredge, who said the developer “breached the fiduciary duties” it owed to I’On homeowners, among other findings.

“This is one of the quickest opinions I’ve ever seen them issue,” Lucey said.

Vince Graham said he was “disappointed and a bit frustrated” by the decision. He added that the I’On Co. “delivered far more than promised” in terms of waterfront amenities

“We and the plaintiffs have different perspectives on the issues in the suit,” Graham said. “We’ll weigh our options over whether or not to ask for reconsideration. My main concern is that if the court’s decision stands, it will place yet another chilling effect on the ability to develop innovative neighborhoods that seek to advance urban principles of South Carolina’s most beautiful towns and cities.”

I’On was one of the region’s most novel — and contentious — real estate deals when Graham first proposed it in the 1990s. Situated on about 240 acres between Mathis Ferry Road and Hobcaw Creek, the mixed-use development was conceived as a dense “new urbanist” or “neotraditional” neighborhood inspired by downtown Charleston and other cities, with narrow roads, open space, businesses and hundreds of homes with varying architectural styles.

“I will continue to work with those who desire to build beautiful neighborhoods,” Graham said.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The world’s biggest shipper and the largest carrier serving the Port of Charleston said Feb. 8 that 2022 was its most profitable year in “the history of the company” but also sees choppy seas ahead.

Denmark-based A.P. Moeller-Maersk warned investors that a plunge in container volumes and freight rates would lead to a drop in earnings this year.

The company’s full-year revenue increased by 32 percent from 2021 to $81.5 billion. In the last three months of the year, the same figure slipped 5 percent to $17.8 billion.

Profits before taxes for 2022 came in at $30.2 billion, up from $18.7 billion in 2021. In the fourth quarter, they landed at $5.3 billion, down $1 billion.

Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said 2022 “was remarkable in more than one way.”

“While we report the best financial result in the history of the company, we have also taken the partnerships with our customers to a new level by supporting their supply chains end to end during highly disruptive times,” he said.

The Copenhagen-based company said the economic outlook shifted during 2022 and “after a strong start to the year, new shocks weighed on economic activity and supply chains.”

“High inflation, inventory build and a rebalancing toward spending on services reduced demand for goods, bringing global trade back to pre-pandemic levels,” Maersk said.

This year, economic and trade growth “are expected to be weak. Demand for consumer goods is slowing, and the inventory correction is weighing on the near-term outlook,” the shipping company said.

The company projected a range of a 2.5 percent contraction to a 0.5 percent expansion for the global ocean container market.

“As we enter a year with challenging macro-outlook and new types of uncertainties for our customers, we are determined to speed up our business transformation and increase our operational excellence to seize the unique opportunities in front of us,” Clerc said.

Maersk has been a major carrier of containerized goods to and from the Port of Charleston for decades, accounting for 16 percent of the State Ports Authority’s annual revenue.

Last year, the company announced plans to invest in a cold-storage distribution center in Ridgeville as part of its strategy to increase its cargo base and offer shippers more services along the supply chain. The 300,000-square-foot warehouse for storing frozen foods and other perishable products is being built in the Camp Hall Commerce Park in Berkeley County. It is scheduled to open this year.

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The Post and Courier contributed to this report.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – More attainable housing options could soon be coming to Mount Pleasant.

On Tuesday, Mount Pleasant Town Council voted 6 to 3 on the first reading of an ordinance that would lower the residential density allowed in commercial districts.

The Town of Mount Pleasant currently allows for 12 market-rate residential units per acre in commercial districts. Council voted in favor of decreasing the density to four units, or eight if half of the units are dedicated to attainable housing.

“I voted for it because I wanted to lower that over all density to reduce the congestion on our roads and the overcrowding in our schools, but then at the same time allow that little bit of bonus density in case you are going to build affordable housing that is for the workforce of this town,” Town Councilman Jake Rambo said.

Shelmore village is an example of a commercial district that includes residences as well.

“It has to be business on the bottom, it has to be no residential on the ground floor and the residential has to have its own access,” Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie said as he explained the current requirements for this type of development.

The attainable housing aspect of this move has Mayor Haynie’s full support, saying people who work in Mount Pleasant should be able to afford to live there. However, he voted against decreasing the number of units allowed per acre.

“Going back to before I was mayor, when I was on council, this was the answer. Twelve units per acre was what’s going to be right about Mount Pleasant. I’m not sure when that became the problem,” Mayor Haynie said.

Josh Dix represented the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® when he spoke during the public comment section of Tuesday’s meeting. He hoped council would defer the vote. He told News 2 the region needs as many units as it can get to meet the demand.

“We continue every year to fall behind, regionally, in the number of units that are being permitted and we simply can’t build fast enough,” said Dix, who serves as the organization’s Government Affairs Director. “I certainly am sympathetic to the concern that we’re building too quickly but the reality is we have people moving here by the day.”

Town council will vote on this matter again during next month’s meeting.

The couple who brought you SAVI Cucina + Wine Bar, recently opened another location, this time focused on the flavors of coastal Spain and the shores of the Mediterranean.

Ty and Karen Raju experienced so much success with their first restaurant, which they describe as “upscale Italian,” that they felt it was time to bring another concept forward with small plates, craft cocktails and an extensive wine list. Sommba Cocina & Cellar opened at the end of January at Indigo Square at 1710 Shoremeade Road, off S.C. 17.

The couple, who hail from Florida, saw an opportunity and seized it.

“Mount Pleasant is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States; people from larger cities are relocating here,” Ty said, adding that the couple was well aware of what they were getting into when they started their first restaurant. Not only did they survive COVID, but they did well enough to feel confident enough to open a second establishment. “The margins are thin, you have to be good at analytics and understand what people are interested in spending their hard-earned money on,” said Ty.

Enter Sommba, which, according to Ty, fills a niche. “We love the Lowcountry lifestyle where there’s plenty of fried chicken and barbecue, but few are offering fare that can be found in the big cities,” he said, adding that the area contains a lot of “white space,” meaning that competitors are few and far between.

The restaurant serves 100 inside and 40 on an outside patio and most dishes are locally sourced and made from scratch, including the desserts, according to Ty. “We come from the school of thought that sometimes you have to go out a little further when sourcing ingredients, but the closer, the better,” he said. Dishes include Mediterranean favorites like garlic shrimp, steamed clams, lamb meatballs and their most popular dish, Octopus a la plancha, served with harissa romesco, hazelnut, pickled peppers and crushed fingerling potatoes.

And for those who’ve visited Spain and loved the Paella, Sommba’s chef is going to be cooking up three versions: vegetarian, Valencia made with chicken thighs and rabbit sausage, and De Marsico, made with shrimp, calamari, squid and clams.

To say the wine list is extensive would be an understatement. As a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Ty takes his wine seriously and it’s no wonder. According to the organization’s website it bestows the distinction on those who are “among the most qualified in the industry with outstanding tasting and evaluation skills, wine knowledge and abilities in service and beverage department management.”

To earn the designation, Ty said that it took approximately three years of study, but the rigor paid off with three consecutive Wine Spectator awards at SAVI Cucina + Wine Bar. “I’m hoping that Sommba gets one next,” said Ty, although he is quick to point out that there’s no one on staff surveying the landscape with a Tastevin around his neck. “That’s just a little much; we want people to feel comfortable here whether they choose to wear shorts, or a suit,” he said.

Sommba also offers margaritas, daiquiris and old fashioned cocktails, as well as a selection of craft beers and ciders and as a nod to the sober movement, there are two non-alcoholic choices on the menu as well.

Ty said that the restaurant is off to a good start, judging by the number of customers that are flocking to the place.

“We’re quickly becoming Mount Pleasant’s favorite bar,” he said.

- By Stephanie Kalina Metzger

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Leaders in the Town of Mount Pleasant will soon assess traffic patterns and volume through a comprehensive study.

Mayor Will Haynie said the town will take an in-depth look at the flow of traffic and see what can be done to reduce the number of vehicles traveling on roads throughout the town.

“I mean, there always seems to be traffic,” said one motorist. It’s a concern often echoed to town leadership by those who live or work in Mount Pleasant.

“The number one complaint I get from residents is traffic,” said Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie in an interview with News 2.

Mount Pleasant’s leaders have taken note of those concerns – they are now preparing to act.

“What we want to look at; what we’ll be discussing at our committee on Monday is a comprehensive look at traffic management in the town,” Mayor Haynie said.

Mayor Haynie said the study is not about building new roads, it’s about managing the traffic on roads already in use.

“We’re going to look at how the signals work,” he said. “We’re going to look at how the turn lanes are striped; we’re going to look at where the traffic patterns are.”

Drivers say the study is long overdue.

“The population here over the past decade has increased greatly. The roads are exactly the same,” said motorist Braden Burleson.

Drivers say they see several issues on the town’s roadways

“The volume of traffic, the stop-and-go of the lights. You can get momentum, you can look ahead, and the light looks green, but you’ll be slamming on breaks because cars aren’t able to get through the light,” Burleson continued.

And because of those issues, drivers do not always feel comfortable on the roads.

“I don’t feel too safe. I feel like I’m ready to get off the road,” she said.

Telisha Haworth, who said she often finds herself in stop-and-go traffic while commuting to work, is pleased to hear about the forthcoming study.

“I think that’s good. Definitely looking into it. I mean, I don’t know if they’ll be to fix it or not.”

Town leaders said the goal of the study is to reduce traffic and improve residents’ quality of life.

“The more you are at home with your family enjoying that quality of life, instead of sitting in traffic, the better,” said Mayor Haynie.

Mayor Haynie said this will be the first comprehensive traffic study conducted for the town since 2017.

One Lowcountry pharmacist says less than 20% of the normal number of tablets that one Adderall wholesaler provides is currently in stock.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - One Lowcountry pharmacist says less than 20% of the normal number of tablets that one Adderall wholesaler provides is currently in stock. This comes after months of pharmacists across the country experiencing a major shortage in Adderall.

The Food and Drug Administration first declared an Adderall shortage last October and some Lowcountry pharmacies say now it’s at its worst.

Tidewater Pharmacy and Compounding in Mount Pleasant says 50% of their phone calls coming in are people looking for Adderall.

“I haven’t seen it this bad in the eight years that we’ve been open,” Chad Straughan, pharmacist at Tidewater Pharmacy and Compounding, said.

Although Tidewater has a short supply, others like Delta Pharmacy, the only pharmacy in all of Isle of Palms, says they are completely out of stock and keep having to turn people away.

“Just in the last two to three weeks it’s gotten big time,” Joe Gandy, pharmacist in charge at Delta Pharmacy, said. “We’ve not been able to get anything here for a while.”

Both pharmacists say they receive Adderall from a few wholesalers that also serve grocery stores and drug stores, not just in South Carolina.

“Generic Adderall, you know, the actual drug cost isn’t that high, but some of the other brand name ones can cost over $1,000 a bottle,” Gandy said.

With limited availability, some people are having to switch to taking a different amount of pills to get the prescribed amount of milligrams. However, Straughan says the more tablets there are, the higher your insurance costs could go.

“Especially in the younger population, you know, they’ve zoned in with a physician or a psychiatrist that’s prescribing it to make it work for that child,” Straughan said. “But now, the parents are having to go back to the drawing board with a physician and try different things.”

Straughan says Adderall isn’t the only shortage. It’s also happening with children’s antibiotics like Tylenol and Advil.

“Schools back in session coming off the holidays, kids are being snotty and everything else,” Straughan said. “You can’t get antibiotics right now.”

As far as Adderall, Gandy says it’s important to be patient.

“Try and keep in touch with your doctor or whoever is prescribing for you, and they may have to get a little creative with what you’re taking,” Gandy said.

Both pharmacists say they know on a day-by-day basis what will be in stock and to keep calling around to different pharmacies to see what is available.

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