AC Repair in Summerville, SC

Central South Carolina experienced a weak earthquake Tuesday, ending a 3-week pause in earthquake activity that has rocked the area around Elgin, South Carolina.

At 11:01 am Tuesday, a weak 1.9 earthquake hit just east of Elgin, South Carolina at a depth of 3.1 km. The last time an earthquake struck here was on September 1, when a weak 1.5 earthquake struck near Centerville; before that, a 1.6 magnitude event hit near Lugoff on August 27. For much of the summer, the area was experiencing nearly daily earthquakes, with thousands of reports of shaking coming in from concerned residents throughout the area.

Several dozen earthquakes have struck seismically active South Carolina since December. These weak to moderate earthquakes struck after a swarm came and went in December. The mysterious swarm began on Monday, December 27, at 2:18 pm in the afternoon. That first 3.3 magnitude earthquake hit 30 miles north of Columbia, South Carolina at a depth of only 3.1 km. More than 3,100 residents reported to USGS they felt it at the time, with one report of shaking coming from as far away as Rock Hill, which is at the North/South Carolina state border. While many felt the earthquake, there was no reported damage in the Palmetto State. That earthquake was followed by 10 more ranging in intensity between a magnitude 1.5 to a magnitude 2.6 event. The second earthquake struck three hours twenty minutes after the first one. The last earthquake in that series struck on the morning of January 5, bringing a temporary end to the earthquakes there.

According to USGS, a swarm is a sequence of mostly small earthquakes with no identifiable mainshock. “Swarms are usually short-lived, but they can continue for days, weeks, or sometimes even months,” USGS adds. However, the South Carolina event doesn’t fit the typical definition of a swarm since the first event was substantially larger than the rest.

According to USGS, “aftershocks” are a sequence of earthquakes that happen after a larger mainshock on a fault. “Aftershocks occur near the fault zone where the mainshock rupture occurred and are part of the ‘readjustment process’ after the main slip on the fault,” says USGS. However, aftershocks of a 3.3 magnitude earthquake would only last a few days, not the week plus they have.

According to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD), there are approximately 10-15 earthquakes every year in South Carolina, with most not felt by residents; on average, only 3-5 are felt each year. Most of South Carolina’s earthquakes are located in the Middleton Place-Summerville Seismic Zone. The two most significant historical earthquakes to occur in South Carolina were the 1886 Charleston-Summerville earthquake and the 1913 Union County earthquake. The 1886 earthquake in Charleston was the most damaging earthquake to ever occur in the eastern United States; it was also the most destructive earthquake in the U.S. during the 19th century.

Experts are concerned that a large scale earthquake will strike at some point of the future and bring about significant damage and loss of life. While more than 100 years have passed since the last large earthquake, a 2001 study titled “Comprehensive Seismic Risk and Vulnerability Study for the State of South Carolina” confirmed the state is extremely vulnerable to earthquake activity. The study, based on scientific research, provided information about the likely effects of earthquakes on the current population and on modern-day structures and systems, including roadways, bridges, homes, commercial and government buildings, schools, hospitals and water and sewer facilities.

No one is sure what’ll become of this steady stream of light earthquakes or whether or not something larger is looming. For now, the SCEMD has been sending out Tweets to the people of South Carolina encouraging them to be prepared for any disaster this year –earthquakes included.

Do you know what to do if an #earthquake hits while you’re in ? Have a & next to your .Stay in , don’t risk injury on potential hazards. Turn onto your stomach. Cover your head & neck with a pillow. Wait until the shaking stops. Put on before leaving . pic.twitter.com/m5QeE12IEK

— SCEMD (@SCEMD) January 6, 2022

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – A local woman is warning others about scammers trying to get personal information and money from Facebook users using a fake government program.

The woman, Tammy, said what really hooked her is the scammers impersonated one of her family member’s Facebook profiles when they reached out.

“People, especially the elderly — we’re the targets,” she said.

Tammy got a message from the profile, thinking it was her cousin. The person then asked her if she received anything from the Department of Health and Human Services.

They told her she could receive a grant from the government worth $200,000. But first, she was told to send a message on Facebook to a supposed government agent.

She was then asked for some of her personal information.

“My address, my phone number, my age, what type of work I do,” Tammy said.

The man then told her to get the money from the government, she had to send them $500 to pay for shipping costs.

Tammy said that’s when she knew it was a scam.

“I said nope — that’s crazy.”

Bailey Parker, Communications Director for the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs, advises consumers to reach out to the agency directly, before handing anything over.

“If somebody is saying ‘hey you need to fill out this document with all your personal identifying information and you’ll get money and you have to pay money’ — no that’s always going to be a scam,” said Parker.

While Tammy didn’t lose any money from the scam, Parker said her information is just as valuable.

“We hear from consumers all the time say ‘I didn’t give away any money — just personal information,” she said. “Well, your information is money to these scammers.”

Tammy hopes sharing her story will prevent someone else from falling victim to the scam.

“I said I should’ve known, you know, I should’ve known.”

If you do end up giving any personal information to a scammer, Parker said to place a security freeze on your credit and submit a fraud alert.

Hey Summervillians, have you heard the news? A new 20,000-sqft library is coming soon to Oakbrook, and we can’t wait grab a library card and check it out.

The Oakbrook Library at the Ashley River broke ground last week in this fast-growing neighborhood, which has experienced a recent population + business boom.

Funding for the project was supported by a 2019 bond referendum voted for by citizens. The county considers this project to be an investment in the community. Look forward to both traditional and modern library services at the new digs.

SeamonWhiteside, a site design firm with offices in Mt. Pleasant and Summerville, joined the project team and will be completing the land planning, civil engineering, and landscape architecture for the library. The firm will work closely with architecture and design firm McMillan Pazdan Smith. Also on the team are RMF Engineering, ADC Engineering, and HITT Contracting.The library is not the only thing Dorchester County has to celebrate. Ashley River Park recently opened on the banks of the Ashley River off of Bacon’s Bridge Road. This 80+ acre park features dog parks, playground and picnic areas, and a walking trail for community members to enjoy. Here’s the cool part: The park is located across the street from the upcoming library.

Oakbrook Library is expected to be completed late next year, so mark your calendars and book it to 2830 Bacons Bridge Rd. when it opens. In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye out for updates.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – ENGESER USA Corp., a world leading cable specialist, today announced plans to establish operations in Dorchester County. The company’s $1.5 million investment will create 26 new jobs.

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Schramberg, Germany, ENGESER USA Corp. designs and manufactures high-quality products for cable and connection technology ranging from classic cable assembly to comprehensive system solutions. A family-owned company, ENGESER USA Corp. serves automotive applications, consumer and capital goods, solar engineering, rail technology and more.

Located at 115 Fabricators Street in Summerville, ENGESER USA Corp.’s Dorchester County facility is the company’s first North American manufacturing operation and will allow the company to offer direct delivery domestically and to European customers. The new facility will utilize modern technologies to produce cost-optimized, high-quality cable harnesses, one of ENGESER USA Corp.’s core areas of expertise.

Operations are expected to be online by September 2022. Individuals interested in joining the ENGESER USA Corp. team should visit the company’s careers page.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has awarded a $75,000 Set-Aside grant to Dorchester County to assist with costs related to this project.

QUOTES

“From the search for a location to the founding of the company, we were professionally accompanied by Dorchester County and the South Carolina Department of Commerce. As an experienced cable assembly products supplier, we are confident that we can add value to our customers in the United States. We intend to continue growing in Summerville and want to become an attractive employer.” -ENGESER USA Corp. Managing Director Dirk Kinzel

"South Carolina has earned a global reputation as an ideal location for companies to do business, and we are happy to welcome ENGESER USA Corp. to our roster of international firms operating in our state. We look forward to the impact they will make in the Dorchester County community and across all of South Carolina.” -Gov. Henry McMaster

“We congratulate ENGESER USA Corp. on their first North American operation right here in South Carolina. By locating in Dorchester County, ENGESER USA Corp. is telling the world that our state has the workforce and business-friendly environment in place to attract companies of all types. We look forward to a strong partnership for many years to come.” -Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III

“We welcome ENGESER USA Corp. to Dorchester County and thank them for selecting us as their first location within the U.S. On behalf of the county, congratulations, and best wishes for future success.” -Dorchester County Council Chairman Bill Hearn

“We are pleased ENGESER USA Corp. selected the Charleston region for its first U.S. operation. They join an established group of German companies who are thriving here, and we look forward to ENGESER’s continued growth and expansion. The company will be a tremendous asset to our growing automotive cluster.” -Charleston Regional Development Alliance Board Chairman Mike Fuller

Riley Gracely and his family were looking around the piles of dirt and gravel at Palmetto Fossil Excursions in Summerville when he saw something that looked like a tooth.

The 8-year-old Lebanon, Pennsylvania, boy started digging in the soil, clay and gravel and pulled out a huge fossilized tooth from the long-extinct angustiden shark species, that was 22 million to 28 million years old.

"He got lucky," Riley's dad Justin Gracely said in a phone call Monday.

Sky Basak, who owns Palmetto Fossil with her husband Josh, called it a "once in a lifetime find."

The tooth measured 4.75 inches — about the size of Riley's hand.

The Gracely family was on their annual vacation to Myrtle Beach and made the 2.5-hour trip south to Summerville to go to Palmetto Fossil, a 100-acre pit rich with prehistoric material including all manner — and parts — of sea creatures.

South Carolina has many such locations, buried deep in the earth along the coastal plain, where ocean and rivers ebbed and flowed for millions of years.

Gracely, 40, said he has been visiting Myrtle Beach since he was 5 and he and his mother, a microbiologist, scoured the sand for shark's teeth.

Two years ago, when Palmetto had just opened, Gracely saw something on Instagram about it and made the trek. This summer was their third visit.

Last year, older son Collin, 10, found a 4-inch megalodon tooth, a species that came after the angustiden and the largest fish that ever lived, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. The largest ones were three times the size of the biggest sharks that exist today.

The Gracelys were searching in an area where trucks were dumping material from property where the landowner was building a lake.

Basak said she hunts for specimens every day, 12 hours a day, and she and her husband have found a treasure trove in the new material. They intend to donate all of it to the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History at the College of Charleston, where they often go to just sit and look at the whales and dinosaurs on display.

"Simply speaking, this is some of the richest fossil layer we have ever seen. The colors on the fossils are also amazing, which is caused by the sediment in which they fossilized," according to Palmetto Fossil's Facebook page.

They have found a walrus, parts of baleen whales, beluga whales, giant speartooth dolphin, all millions and millions of years old.

Basak and her husband started the business in 2020 as a "cool part time gig," she said. Within four months it was much more than that. They were hiring staff and now have 11 employees during the summer.

Basak said interest was immediate.

"It's a cool feeling knowing you've got something that old," she said.

They are leasing the land on Sand Hill Road in Dorchester and are looking for a place to settle with enough ancient deposits to carry them through two or three generations.

Their goal is to start a research facility to better understand South Carolina's rich geologic history.

Riley Gracely, meanwhile, is keeping his find in a glass display box. He's shown it to all his friends.

Someone mentioned to his dad that perhaps they would want to donate it for research or display.

"I think we'll let the little guy keep it for a while," Justin Gracely said.