Roofer in Summerville, SC

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) — The Summerville Town Council approved an ordinance Thursday night allowing people to carry beer or wine while walking through designated areas of the downtown business district.

Under the proposal, open containers would be permitted Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in a defined area around the town’s main square.

Mayor Russ Touchberry said the council looked at the impact a similar ordinance had in Hartsville, S.C., before moving forward.

“This council has been working extraordinarily hard to create a business-friendly environment and to make sure that the atmosphere of Summerville is vibrant for all users,” Touchberry said. “And it creates opportunities for folks to come into town and enjoy our shops and our restaurants and all of our businesses.”

Touchberry described the ordinance as opt-in and opt-out, with the open container zone confined to the business district. That includes parts of South Cedar Street, West Doty Avenue, East Doty Avenue, South Magnolia Street, South Main Street, East Richardson Avenue, Central Avenue, West 2nd South Street, and West Richardson Avenue.

“It’s intended to kind of increase foot traffic, create a vibrant atmosphere, and it’s completely opt-in, opt-out as people deem necessary,” he said. “But the area will be very confined to the business district and a lot of structure around that.”

Some residents and business owners have raised concerns about enforcement and liability. Community members Diane Frankenberger and Amy Pereira questioned who would be held responsible if someone drank and drove.

“Who is responsible then?” Frankenberger said. “Is it the town or the business? Where they’re last served. Is it all of the above?” Pereira said.

Frankenberger, who has worked and lived in Summerville for decades, said she was hesitant when she first heard about the proposal.

“The first time it was brought up at a town council meeting, I thought this is nuts and who does that benefit,” she said.

Since the first town council meeting, however, Frankenberger said she trusts the mayor, police force and council to make the right call.

“I want to see accountability of did business really improve?” Frankenberger said. “What has made the difference?”

Touchberry said he does not expect behavior to change among bar owners or consumers.

“I know our bar owners are all very good professionals and they’re not going to serve somebody who’s already indicated that they’re overserved,” he said.

The ordinance takes effect immediately.

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SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCIV) — The South Carolina Department of Public Health is investigating a tuberculosis exposure at Summerville High School and is working with school officials to identify people who may have been exposed.

In a statement, the department said it cannot identify the person who tested positive for active tuberculosis because of federal and state privacy laws.

Health officials said they are working closely with the school to determine which students, staff or others may have been exposed to the tuberculosis germ and should be tested.

The agency directed the public to its website and the CDC's website for additional information and answers to frequently asked questions about tuberculosis.

"We were notified that that individual's contagious period was the later portion of the 25-26 school year," says Amanda Sims, Director of Nursing and Health Services with DD2. "We worked closely with SCDPH to assist with that contact tracing process, as well as ensure that our community is notified, as well as provide an opportunity for testing for those individuals identified as close contacts."

Sims says the district has no reason to believe anyone associated with the situation is under isolation or quarantine.

"We are not excluding anyone from our buildings at this time," she says.

While tuberculosis is uncommon, that gap between infection and detection is not.

"It can take a month or two before anyone starts developing true symptoms," says Dr. Matthew Hanley, an emergency medicine physician with HCA Healthcare. "And it is relatively rare to start developing symptoms. There is a difference between latent infection versus active infection. You're only contagious during active infection."

The district sent out letters advising families who may have been exposed that free testing will be available. A consent form must be completed by Aug. 11. DD2 and SCDPH recommend testing, but it is not required.

"The health department may contact parents, guardians, or staff member close contacts directly to attempt to obtain that consent," says Sims.

Tuberculosis is airborne, and it typically takes one to three hours of exposure to become infected, with very young children and the elderly most at risk.

"Most schools are gonna be relatively well ventilated," says Dr. Hanley. "If you're in class with somebody, the classes only last so long, so your exposure can only be so long."

DD2 officials say they've already taken extra steps to keep students safe.

"That cleaning process, those extra precautions from our custodial services department have already taken place," adds Sims. "We're doing everything we can to keep students and staff healthy as we enter the new school year."

The district urges parents with concerns to monitor communications from the school system and the Department of Health and to consult their healthcare provider with individual concerns.

In the last five years in South Carolina, the state has had an average of 87 tuberculosis disease cases, according to the Department of Public Health.

What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that most often affects the lungs and spreads through the air when a person with active TB disease coughs, speaks or sings. It has been around for at least 5,400 years.

Tuberculosis was previously called consumption, and in the early 1800s it is believed to have caused about one-third of all deaths globally, according to the Department of Public Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who are identified as close contacts of someone with active TB may be advised to undergo testing. The Department of Public Health said tuberculosis can be treated with antibiotics.

Tuberculosis remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases. It is extremely prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, where healthcare isn't as readily funded. In the United States, Tuberculosis is relatively rare. However, in close settings like jails, schools, detention centers and prisons, spread remains high-risk.

People with latent TB infection carry the bacteria that cause tuberculosis but do not have symptoms and cannot spread the infection to others. However, they may develop active TB disease later and are often treated to help prevent that from happening.

People with active TB disease have bacteria that are multiplying in the body, typically causing symptoms. Those with TB affecting the lungs or throat can spread the disease to others and are treated with antibiotics to eliminate the infection.

Without medication, about 10% of people infected with tuberculosis will develop TB disease at some point in their life, according to the Department of Public Health.

According to data from the CDC, in 2025 TB cases were provisionally reported with a corresponding rate of 3.0 cases per 100,000 population. That number represented a decrease of 1% in cases and 2% in rates from 2024 to 2025.

In line with previous years, in 2025, TB disease disproportionately affected non-U.S.–born persons. Non-U.S.-born individuals were 77% of total TB cases in 2025. Meanwhile, U.S.-born individuals made up 22%, according to the CDC.

Symptoms of tuberculosis include fever, chills, night sweats, loss of appetite, weight loss and fatigue.

When was the last outbreak?

One of the more recent large-scale outbreaks occurred in the Kansas City metropolitan area from 2024 through 2025.

In 2024, 113 cases of tuberculosis were recorded in Kansas compared to 51 in 2023.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment never identified the source of the outbreak. However, in November of 2025, after all patients completed treatment, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment declared the end of the outbreak.

Other outbreaks include at least 12 people detained at a federal immigration jail in Colorado who contracted the disease in 2026 and at Archbishop Riordan High School, where students and staff tested positive between November 2025 and April 2026, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

KTVU reported in May that nearly one in five students and staff at San Francisco’s Archbishop Riordan High School have been diagnosed with latent or active tuberculosis, the latest development in an outbreak that started in November.

South Carolina's Tuberculosis Control Program protects the public by identifying cases, treating active tuberculosis disease and latent tuberculosis infection, identifying and testing people exposed to tuberculosis, and conducting targeted evaluations of those at high risk of developing the disease.

Tuberculosis reporting requirements are listed on the Department of Public Health's website.

It’s not often that over-hyped football games live up to their billing, but Friday night’s SCISA showdown between Northwood Academy and Pinewood Prep was not such an occasion.

The most anticipated game in SCISA all season was everything fans hoped it would be as the pair of defending state champions saved all of their energy for the big game.

The game had big plays, lots of passing and lots of offense. The defenses were at a disadvantage, but each unit had their moments. In the end, the game was decided in overtime, and the difference in the score was a missed extra point. Northwood Academy came away with a 44-43 road win before a packed house on a not-so-good weather night.

“What an incredible atmosphere,” said Northwood coach Johnny Waters. “It was a great game, one of the best games I have ever coached in. In all of my years, it was my first overtime game. It’s great to be 1-0 in overtime games.”

It looked as if Pinewood would win the game in regulation after a big third quarter turned a 10-3 halftime deficit into a 29-10 lead. Then the fireworks began as the Chargers rallied to trim the score to 29-23 in the fourth quarter. Northwood took a 30-29 lead, but Pinewood answered with a touchdown and a two-point conversion to pull ahead 37-30. The Chargers rallied again to tied the game at 37 just before the end of regulation.

“Our kids showed so much fight — both teams did,” Waters said. “But for us to fall that far behind and still find a way to win was incredible. It’s not over until it’s over.”

The game featured two of the top quarterbacks in the area, and both shined. Chargers senior Kevin Johnson finished the game with 18 of 30 passing, 242 yards and five touchdowns. He also added 56 yards rushing. Pinewood’s Silas Brawner matched Johnson, completing 20 of 33 passes for 330 yards and five touchdowns.

Aiden Rutledge had 97 yards on seven receptions, scoring twice, and Drew Wolfe added 67 yards on six catches with two scores for the Chargers.

Summerville Town Council gave final approval Oct. 8 to rezone about 72 acres for the Green Fields residential development along Parsons Road.

Councilman Matt Halter of District 3 recused himself from the vote, and Councilwoman Tiffany Wilson-Johnson was absent. No members of the public commented on the issue, nor was there additional discussion from council members.

The land, owned by Glenn Segelken, was rezoned as a Planned Unit Development. About 62 acres were previously zoned Traditional Residential District and annexed into Summerville town limits. The remaining roughly 10 acres were rezoned from Agricultural Conservation.

The project has been said to align with the town’s Envision 2047 goals. Plans show about 66 acres will be used for housing, with a maximum 350 units allowed. The plan calls for 284 single-family and townhomes along with amenities to be built first. Just under 6 acres will be set aside for neighborhood commercial use.

While an exact date when construction will begin has not been provided, the plan lists 2036 as the completion date. A detailed breakdown of each phase of the build-out is not included. The development schedule states, “It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to accurately project timing of future phases of development and parcel demand.”

Roadways from Green Fields will connect to bordering Parsons Road and the Central Avenue intersection.

A fully detailed engineering analysis was still pending as of March this year, when the development plans were submitted. A final determination of locations and size of stormwater detention ponds has not been made, though conceptual maps show at least four between preliminary identified drainage areas.

A small section of existing wetland sits on the north side of the Green Fields tract, opposite of Central Avenue on the south end.

"My hope is this provides opportunities for our citizens while promoting a better quality of life," said Mayor Russ Touchberry.

An ordinance to rezone a former sawmill site from Heavy Industrial to Planned Unit Development passed first reading at the Oct. 8 Summerville town council meeting.

A second reading is expected during the Nov. 12 council meeting. If the project is approved when it comes to a vote, it would usher in 830 new homes and the town’s first sports complex.

The 60-acre site, owned by Interfor Corporation, is being purchased by River Development. Mayor Russ Touchberry previously told the Journal Scene the sale should close by the end of the year.

The property is located at 200 North Maple Street, with West 5th North Street running through it. A development narrative does not specify the types of housing planned for the 830 units or the acreage set aside for them.

However, planning maps show that the residential portion of the Interfor project will sit on the northern half of the property, with West 5th North Street as the main access point.

The types of commercial uses also have not been announced, but the proposed centerpiece to the development would be a large indoor recreation complex.

Touchberry said last month the complex will fill a need for a recreational third space, outfitted with things like basketball courts, rock climbing walls, Olympic-size swimming pools and other features.

No timeline has been set for construction, though officials hope to break ground by 2028. A traffic study has been requested and is expected to be completed in early 2027. Updates to transportation needs will be made as stages of development progress.

Plan documents also indicate all designs will comply with the town’s Comprehensive Plan goals, as Touchberry confirmed. He said the developers are willing to work with the town and consider its input.