Plumber in Dorchester, SC

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — After weeks of summer break, students across Dorchester County returned to the classroom Wednesday morning to begin the 2026-27 school year.

Before the first bell rang, parents dropped off their children, teachers welcomed students into classrooms and schools across the county came back to life after months of preparation.

School leaders spent the summer getting campuses ready for opening day, including preparing classrooms, finalizing transportation plans and completing facility improvements.

For five-year-old Rocklan Gallamay, Wednesday marked more than just the first day of kindergarten. His family recently moved to the Lowcountry from Hawaii, making it a day full of firsts.

"We're excited and a little nervous," his mother said. "Rocklan flew all the way from Hawaii. We just moved here a few weeks ago, so lots of new things. Big day."

At Beech Hill Elementary, Principal Renee Wyatt Harris said the excitement of the first day of school never fades, even after more than three decades in education.

"I'm feeling excited," Harris said. "I've been doing this for a minute. We're in the 30 somethings, but it always feels like the very first day."

READ MORE | HAPPENING TODAY: DD2 and DD4 return to school, DD4 Superintendent details new changes

Harris said the first day brings a sense of optimism for students, teachers and families.

"The energy is hope, opportunity. Just that new horizon, that new opportunity. Kids come in so ready to learn and so excited about it, and it's just an honor to just witness it and be a part of it all," she said.

She said her goals for the new school year go far beyond academics, ensuring each student feels physically and emotionally prepared to succeed.

"My hope is just for us to be, first of all, safe — emotionally and physically — but to make sure that this is a place where everyone can learn and grow," Harris said.

Beech Hill Elementary also welcomed students back to a refreshed campus after renovations over the summer.

"We were blessed with a renovation, a little makeover — extreme makeover, if you will," Harris said. "We've had paint, refurbishment of our facility, and our teachers have been working really hard to build a strong curriculum that everyone can get excited about."

Across the county at Woodland High School, first-year Principal Robert Benvin said students returned to a campus with several improvements, including new classroom furniture, safety upgrades and renovated spaces completed during the summer.

Benvin, who previously taught at Woodland, said seeing students reunite with friends and teachers made the busy summer of preparation worthwhile.

"You still see smiles on the faces. You see kids really surprised and just excited to see their friends, excited to see their teachers that they saw last year, excited to see new faces and new culture," Benvin said. "So it's a great opportunity."

The first day also brought several changes across Dorchester County. Dorchester School District Two introduced new middle and high school bell schedules that add 15 instructional minutes to the school day, while Dorchester District Four launched a new bus tracking app to help parents monitor their children's rides.

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) — A confirmed case of tuberculosis has been identified at Summerville High School.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health determined that the infectious period was toward the end of the 2025-2026 school year and that the individual was not diagnosed with the disease until recently.

Tuberculosis is a serious infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs.

The disease can spread when one inhales the bacteria after an infected person has coughed, sneezed or talked.

Once the diagnosis was confirmed, the Department of Public Health immediately began its contact tracing and notified the district.

In an email sent to families Monday, Dorchester School District Two stated that families of students identified as having potentially come into contact with the tuberculosis germ will receive a second letter with information about recommended testing and available testing options.

Dr. Rebecca Partridge, a pediatric hospitalist physician, said the disease does not spread through casual contact.

“So not from shaking hands. You can’t get it from just regular contact. You’re not really at risk from just walking down a hall, but close contact where you’re breathing in the same area as the person with tuberculosis,” Partridge said.

Partridge said the health department is working to identify those who need to be aware of their potential exposure.

“The health department is doing a great job tracking down those people that need to be aware of it,” she said. “Certainly, if you’ve had a severe cough that’s lasted for more than three weeks, if you’re having fevers or night sweats, it’s always good to get checked by your pediatrician.”

There is currently no vaccine generally used in the U.S. against tuberculosis. Partridge said exposure does not guarantee infection.

“Just because you’ve been exposed doesn’t mean that you have the disease. In fact, only about 5% of people who come in contact with tuberculosis will develop the disease within the first year or two. But it’s something that can be really serious. And so, we need to be aware of and take precautions,” Partridge said.

She said the best preventive measures remain basic health practices.

“The best thing that we can do is, if you’re sick, if you have an active cough, make sure that you’re staying home and getting better, following up with your doctor, washing your hands, and just making sure that we are staying healthy, getting plenty of sleep, eating a really healthy diet, staying away from people that are actively sick,” Partridge said.

Partridge added that anyone with questions or concerns should contact their regular doctor or pediatrician.

“I think the most important thing is if you have questions, if you’re worried, please check in with your regular doctor, your pediatrician. They can help guide you about whether or not you need to be tested,” she said.

If a Dorchester School District Two student is currently displaying signs of active tuberculosis disease, they are asked to contact their health care provider as soon as possible.

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Dorchester County voters will decide in November whether to approve a one-cent sales tax referendum that supporters say could bring in an estimated $688.2 million over 15 years for school projects in Dorchester School District Two and Dorchester School District Four.

Dorchester County Council unanimously approved the request from the two districts to place the referendum on the November ballot. Council Chairman David Chinnis said it was important that both districts agreed on how the money would be split and how long the tax would run.

“It was critical for us to make certain that both school districts came to an agreement, an agreement on the split and agreement on the time frame,” Chinnis said.

RELATED | DD2 and DD4 seek 1% sales tax to fund new schools, repairs and improvements

If approved by voters, the tax would add one cent for every dollar spent on eligible retail purchases in Dorchester County. The money would be divided between the districts and used for a predetermined list of capital projects, including maintenance, repairs and upgrades. The proposal also includes new schools, repairs and long-deferred maintenance projects.

Chinnis emphasized the proposal was requested by the districts, not imposed by county leaders.

“Both districts agree to this," he said. "We didn't impose this upon anyone. We agreed to what we agreed to put on the ballot, what they ask for. And I think that's important for the voters to understand."

Under the proposed distribution, Dorchester School District Two would receive 85% of the revenue to support its approximately 26,000 students, with the remaining 15% allocated to Dorchester School District Four. State law requires 10% of each district’s share to be used for debt reduction.

Chinnis said the split reflects the districts’ different sizes and needs.

“Obviously, Dorchester District Four is considerably smaller than District Two," he said, "so the needs are very different."

READ MORE | DD2 to continue free school meals for all students through CEP program

In a press release, Dorchester District Two Board Chair Dr. Ashley Wimberly said the referendum would provide a stable funding source for long-term planning and address growth-related needs.

“The passage of this referendum will give us a dedicated, reliable funding source to plan for the future of Dorchester District 2,” Wimberly said. “It will help reduce overcrowding, replace mobile classrooms, maintain manageable class sizes, and provide safe, modern schools where every student can succeed.”

Wimberly also said the debt-reduction requirement could ease pressure on taxpayers.

“I also appreciate that a portion of the revenue is required to pay down existing school debt, helping reduce the property tax burden on homeowners, businesses, and vehicle owners,” she said.

She noted that Berkeley and Charleston counties already use a similar approach to invest in schools and reduce property taxes and called the referendum Dorchester County’s “best opportunity” to meet current needs while working with County Council on a plan for future growth.

Chinnis said the sales tax could shift some of the cost of school construction to shoppers coming into the county.

“This is just an opportunity for us to potentially have 30% of the cost of capital expenditures for school districts in both ends of the county, basically to be paid for by people that come into the county and shop,” he said.

The referendum comes as the districts face ongoing financial strain. Dorchester District Two first raised the idea after facing a roughly $6.6 million deficit earlier this year.

County officials said the districts’ financial difficulties stem from the state funding mechanism combined with exponential population growth over the past 20 years. Since Act 388 was enacted in 2006, the county has not been able to receive primary resident property tax to fund school operations, creating budgeting difficulties as population and student enrollment continue to grow.

Some residents said the referendum would not fully address the underlying problems.

“I think there's no greater issue for us right now. And then our schools, we have two school districts that in desperate need of, building funding,” Dorchester County resident Timothy Lewis said. “So, it's not going to solve the problem. And really what they're doing is just kicking the can down the road unless they come up with some better options.”

Lewis added, “It's not that I'm against funding in the schools, but I think they can come up with a better plan, a permanent solution and then a permanent solution.”

Chinnis said the sales tax is only part of a broader effort and that other options could still be considered.

“This $0.01 sales tax is a piece of the puzzle, a tool in the process for us to make sure the schools are properly funded. It's been a fiasco since 388. I can't tell you that Impact fees and other things either off the board from a county council standpoint, because we still have that opportunity to look at that,” he said.

Dorchester County voters will vote whether to approve or deny the one-cent sales tax on Election Day, Nov. 3. If voters approve the proposal, the current presentation assumes the tax would begin March 1, 2027, with county disbursements beginning in May 2027.

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) — Animal shelters across the country are facing severe overcrowding issues.

Dorchester County is discussing its proposed animal shelter and livestock facility on Orangeburg Road, but not everyone is on board with the project and questions the county’s current partnership with Dorchester Paws.

“I’m very concerned about what the county wants to do,” Gary Salters, a local resident, said.

Dorchester County wants to set the bar not just for the Tri-County area but for the entire state when it comes to animal care, and the need for a solution in the community is real.

“Dorchester Paws is on a daily basis over capacity,” April Howard, executive director of Dorchester Paws, said.

But before a single shovel hits the ground, the county wants to hear from the community and its partners about the best path forward.

“Currently, the City of North Charleston is not able to take their animals to Dorchester Paws. They’re not served by them. So, we’re looking for a solution based upon where the animals are, looking at a location that will be convenient so that our animal control officers can have the opportunity to take the animals in and meet our statutory requirements,” Jason Ward – Dorchester County Administrator said.

One of the proposed sites is 216 Orangeburg Road in Summerville. Dorchester County is projected to grow more than any other county in South Carolina, which means more residents, more pets and more demand for animal services.

But some say this location is not the best fit.

“It’s going to be affecting the homeowners throughout the whole day and night with the dogs barking,” Salters said. " I feel that they already done made the decision where they’re going to put the shelter at. So, we in the community just will have to suffer."

Other concerns include increased traffic, smell and flooding in the area.

“When it rains real bad, that area gets flooded. That street will flood. It done sunk in maybe two times,” Salters said.

Through this process, the county says it is working to mitigate impacts as the project moves forward.

“We’ve determined that we can put a 100-foot buffer around any facilities that we construct. That will reduce noise,” Ward said.

“It’s not just a cage or, you know, a kennel that they’re put in, but they’ll have an opportunity to be walked, to play, to run, and then of course mitigating the noise and the smell for our community,” Eddie Crosby, a Dorchester County councilman for District 5, said.

The new shelter that would be built could hold up to 60 animals and livestock by 2050, up from a current proposed capacity of 41.

“First instinct is cats and dogs, right? But there are, you know, rural parts of Dorchester County that we get all kinds of livestock and reptiles,” Crosby said. “Time and cage, natural light, airflow, all those things are being taken into consideration, size of the cage based off the height and weight of the animal.”

As for cost, the county is weighing two options: repurposing existing buildings for roughly $4.6 million to $4.9 million or constructing an entirely new facility for $5 million to $6 million. Either way, construction could begin later this year, with a target completion date of 2028.

“How can we best, you know, possibly repurpose versus complete new build? What do we already have that could fit, right? Meet all of the zoning, you know, water, sewer, infrastructure, you know, the roads getting in and out,” Crosby said.

The county has not yet made a final decision on this project but says the new animal shelter and livestock facility is part of its broader commitment to public safety, animal welfare and quality of life in the community.

“Right now we’re just gathering information, right? And how we can best serve our community,” Crosby said.