Criminal Defense Attorney inJohns Island, SC

Storm surge from Tropical Storm Idalia flooded parts of Charleston, South Carolina Wednesday, breaching the town's seawall.

Powerful onshore winds of about 40 mph pushed water from the Atlantic onto the city streets of the historic city, according to FOX Weather meteorologist Steve Bender.

Idalia and king tides drown Charleston

A resident in a high rise had a unique perspective of the flooding across Charleston Wednesday night. Drivers wade through parking lots to get to their cars. Police cars leave a wake. Tropical Storm Idalia's storm surge and winds combined with the King Tides were no match for the seawall.

Images from Charleston show just how much the water had risen as the storm approached.

(Danica Goff / X / FOX Weather)

The National Weather Service in Charleston stated on Wednesday evening that water has breached the Charleston Battery, the seawall in Charleston. Major coastal flooding is being reported in downtown Charleston and Edisto Beach.

They added that tide levels in the Charleston Harbor reached over 9 feet. At Edisto, the dunes were breached with water flowing under homes and onto roadways.

(Katie Byrne / FOX Weather)

"This is a dangerous situation!" NWS Charleston posted Wednesday afternoon.

The following image taken in downtown Charleston, showing how much roads were covered by storm surge.

(@RoddyKnowles / X / FOX Weather)

WATCH: TORNADO SPAWNED BY HURRICANE IDALIA FLIPS CAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Further inland, roads were turned into impromptu rivers.

(@toastofcoast88 / X / FOX Weather)

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

In addition to flooding, the powerful winds reaching gusts of 50-65 mph knocked over trees.

(@CharlestonPD / X / FOX Weather)

The water levels in Charleston are the 5th highest water levels ever reported in the city, according NWS Charleston. They added that the records date back to 1921.

The high water levels are the result of a number of factors. The FOX Forecast Center said that the combination of Idalia, swells from Franklin and the influences from the stage of the moon are creating the perfect event for flooding around Charleston and other low-lying communities in the Carolinas.

HURRICANE IDALIA'S LANDFALL IN FLORIDA DURING FULL MOON STILL INCREASE STORM SURGE THREAT

"Tides are higher than normal right now due to the full moon," noted Greg Diamond, FOX Forecast Center senior meteorologist. "That is the main differentiator here. It's why weaker Tropical Storm Idalia is producing water levels up there with the stronger and larger Matthew and Irma."

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — It started as an island paradise, but residents at a Johns Island apartment complex say their home now resembles the woods.

The residents of Sea Island Apartments, which houses about 48 people off Maybank Highway, are speaking out against what they describe as "deplorable" conditions.

Read more: One80 Place launches eviction prevention line to support Charleston renters

"We have seen grass grow almost knee and chest high," said Farley, a disabled military veteran who has been living in the complex for six years. "You see fallen trees in the area, people not receiving maintenance, and overloaded trash bin."

In addition to the overgrown vegetation, the residents are concerned about random visits from wildlife. They say it seems management has slacked off and there's been little to no communication.

"You're forced to pay rent on time, but still, your issues are going unaddressed," Farley said. "We'll reach out to management and they haven't meet with us. Every time, they change management or owners. Nobody has contact to it."

It started as an island paradise, but residents at a Johns Island apartment complex say their home now resembles the woods. (WCIV)

There is also only one trashcan in the entire community and a small number of parking spaces.

"You have disabled people having to walk all the way down to one trash bin," Farley said. "There are not enough handicap parking spots. (Management) told us we'd have to park on the side of the road if there are no parking spaces."

"It's time we be up to date, as we were before," said Charlotte Turner, who has been living in the complex for 10 years. "Management needs to show a serious concern about resident complaints, at least be willing to meet or communicate."

Read more: Mayor Tecklenburg to host ribbon cutting for six new affordable housing properties in Charleston

A councilman was reached for comment on this area, but he was unable to conduct an interview due to prior commitments. A representative from the Charleston Development Group was also reached for comment.

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – Trident Medical Center is looking to build a new hospital on Johns Island.

A certificate of need was submitted by Trident Medical to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) in a step toward constructing a 50-bed acute care facility between Maybank Highway and Cane Slash Road.

It would be directly across from the Live Oak Square development.

“We are excited to continue making medical care more accessible to residents in our historically underserved communities,” said Trident Health President and CEO Christina Oh. “Currently on Johns Island and neighboring communities, it can take residents 30 to 45 minutes to drive to their nearest hospital, and often longer in heavy traffic and inclement weather. Our goal is to increase access to timely, high quality, and affordable health care services.”

Trident leaders estimate the cost of building the new hospital at about $277 million. They said that in the first three years, the Johns Island Hospital would create nearly 300 jobs, contribute to $10 million in non-income taxes to support the community and pay $70 million in salaries, wages, and benefits.

“Johns Island Hospital will mean many residents in the area won’t have to leave the island for work. This will be a great benefit to them and their families,” said Oh regarding job creation.

In addition, the new Johns Island Hospital would be located seven miles from James Island Emergency, which is Trident’s new freestanding ER on Folly Road, which is slated to open in the next few weeks.

The hospital would include 50 beds with space to expand to 150 beds. It would have 40 medical/surgical/stepdown beds, 10 ICU beds, 20 ER rooms, four operating rooms, two endoscopy rooms, and other resources.

Leaders say the third floor will also be designed for future expansion to include a labor and delivery unit and nursery.

“From our first discussions about building a hospital on Johns Island, we have been committed to creating a thoughtful plan that preserves the natural beauty of Johns Island. We will honor the strong Gullah Geechee cultures of the community; we will partner with the areas’ community and businesses; and will promote the important and unique contributions of Johns Island’s agricultural community,” said Oh.

Trident Health operates hospitals in North Charleston, Summerville, and Moncks Corner with three area freestanding emergency departments, and Live Oak Mental Health and Wellness. Its fourth freestanding emergency department is forthcoming.

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — A new 50-bed acute care hospital may soon be on its way to Johns Island.

Trident Medical Center announced Thursday morning that the health system had submitted a Certificate of Need to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to construct the care facility, which would be located between Maybank Highway and Cane Slash Road.

“We are excited to continue making medical care more accessible to residents in our historically underserved communities,” said Trident Health President and CEO Christina Oh. “Currently on Johns Island and neighboring communities, it can take residents 30 to 45 minutes to drive to their nearest hospital, and often longer in heavy traffic and inclement weather. Our goal is to increase access to timely, high quality and affordable health care services.”

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The $277 million project would not only bring much-needed care to the residents of Johns Island. According to Trident Medical Center, in its first three years, the hospital would help create nearly 300 jobs, pay out $70 million in wages and benefits and contribute another $10 million in non-income taxes to support the surrounding area.

Johns Island Hospital would be located approximately seven miles from James Island Emergency Room, which is set to open in the next few weeks, according to Trident Medical Center.

“The rapid population growth and development of Johns Island, as well as its role as the sole gateway to Kiawah, Seabrook, and Wadmalaw Islands, has created a strong need for a full service hospital in the area," said Trident Health surgeon Dr. Thomas Litton, who lived on the island for two decades. "Residents on those islands have never had a full service hospital. Trident’s hospital on Johns Island and their freestanding ER on James Island will greatly improve residents’ access to much-needed medical care.”

While Johns Island Hospital will initially feature 50 beds, including 10 ICU beds, hospital staff say the medical center will have enough room for 100 more beds.

Other features would include 20 emergency rooms, four operating rooms, two endoscopy suites, one catheterization (cath) lab, two CT scanners, one MRI scanner and two diagnostic radiology suites.

“From our first discussions about building a hospital on Johns Island, we have been committed to creating a thoughtful plan that preserves the natural beauty of Johns Island,” Oh said. "We will honor the strong Gullah Geechee cultures of the community; we will partner with the areas’ community and businesses; and will promote the important and unique contributions of Johns Island’s agricultural community."

Trident Medical Center has submitted a Certificate of Need to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to build a $277 million hospital on Johns Island. The application is for a 50-bed acute care hospital between Maybank Highway and Cane Slash Road, across from the Live Oak Square development.

Projections for Johns Island Hospital show that within the first three years it will create nearly 300 jobs, contribute $10 million in non-income taxes to support the community and pay $70 million in salaries, wages and benefits, the organization said in a release.

“We are excited to continue making medical care more accessible to residents in our historically underserved communities,” Trident Health President and CEO Christina Oh said in the news release. “Currently on Johns Island and neighboring communities, it can take residents 30 to 45 minutes to drive to their nearest hospital, and often longer in heavy traffic and inclement weather. Our goal is to increase access to timely, high quality and affordable health care services.”

Trident Medical Center’s chief of the medical staff and medical director of emergency services, Dr. Scott Hayes, said he sees firsthand the results of delayed care.

“For residents who live far from emergency medical care and who may be experiencing a medical emergency like a heart attack or a stroke, minutes can mean the difference between life and death,” he said in the news release. “Access to care close to home is critical, especially in areas like Johns Island and the surrounding communities, that have frequent traffic delays.”

Trident Health surgeon Dr. Thomas Litton, who lived on Johns Island for 20 years and recently moved from there largely due to increasing traffic congestion and limited access routes off the island, said, “The rapid population growth and development of Johns Island, as well as its role as the sole gateway to Kiawah, Seabrook and Wadmalaw Islands, has created a strong need for a full-service hospital in the area. Residents on those islands have never had a full-service hospital. Trident’s hospital on Johns Island and their freestanding ER on James Island will greatly improve residents’ access to much-needed medical care.”

Johns Island Hospital will be located seven miles from James Island Emergency, Trident’s new freestanding ER at 945 Folly Road, Charleston, that will open in the next few weeks.

Plans call for Johns Island Hospital to have 50 beds with space to expand to 150 beds, 40 medical/surgical/stepdown beds, 10 ICU beds, 20 ER rooms, four operating rooms, two endoscopy suites and a cardiac catheterization lab. The hospital also would have two CT scanners, an MRI, two diagnostic radiology suites and a fluoroscopy room.

In addition to the hospital, services would include medical offices for primary care and specialists as well as outpatient imaging and support such as breast imaging, rehabilitation and other outpatient therapy services.

“From our first discussions about building a hospital on Johns Island, we have been committed to creating a thoughtful plan that preserves the natural beauty of Johns Island,” Oh said in the release. “We will honor the strong Gullah Geechee cultures of the community; we will partner with the areas’ community and businesses; and will promote the important and unique contributions of Johns Island’s agricultural community.”

The proposed Johns Island Hospital is in addition to nearly $140M in capital investments currently underway at Trident Health’s hospitals, Trident Medical Center and Summerville

Reach Ross Norton at rnorton@scbiznews.com or 864-642-5229.