roofer in Summerville, SC

Lori Hammond, aka Lori McCracken, aka Lori Blakely, 54, of Summerville, Christopher Conrad, 41, of Holly Hill, Catherine “Cassie” Needham, 38, of Manning, and Jontrell Wright, 37, of Orangeburg, were sentenced to federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud for submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and misusing the funds.

Evidence presented during the sentencing hearings established Hammond submitted more than $11 million in fraudulent loan applications for PPP and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans for her enrichment and the enrichment of her co-conspirators. The loan applications contained inflated employee and payroll funds, were often submitted on behalf of companies that did not exist or were inactive and included fake business addresses and fraudulent tax documents. More than $5.8 million in PPP and EIDL loans were paid to Hammond and her co-conspirators.

“While millions of South Carolinians were struggling during the pandemic, these defendants defrauded the systems meant to provide relief,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to pursue bad actors such as these and hold them accountable for exploiting these resources for their own gain.”

Hammond personally received $3,162,038.50 in PPP and EIDL loan funds. She spent the money on personal expenses, including purchasing a home, luxury vehicles, a golf cart and plastic surgery. She was sentenced to 80 months imprisonment, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,722,932.50 in restitution, representing the remaining outstanding unpaid loan funds.

Conrad fraudulently received $898,300 in loans and spent the funds on unapproved personal expenses. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $898,300 in restitution.

Needham fraudulently received $1,244,200 and used the funds for improper personal expenses, including purchasing property, a golf cart, a pool, home improvements and plastic surgery. She was sentenced to 21 months incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,244,200 in restitution.

Wright fraudulently received $561,700 in loan funds and spent the funds on personal expenses. He was sentenced to 15 months incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $561,700 in restitution.

“These sentences reflect the severity of PPP loan fraud,” said Steve Jensen, special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Such crimes challenge the integrity of relief programs designed for those who need assistance most. The FBI is committed to holding offenders accountable and safeguarding loan programs to ensure the public’s trust in our financial systems.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Limehouse prosecuted this case. The Hon. David C. Norton presided over the sentencing hearings in Charleston.

Once Summerville got warmed up the only thing that slowed it down much were penalties.

The Green Wave claimed a 34-14 win over visiting Berkeley Friday, Nov. 10, in the second round of the Class 5A Football playoffs. Summerville found the end zone on five of its first seven possessions to jump out to a 34-7 lead during the first two quarters.

“We have to get better with the penalty situation, but their guys had a little something to do with that tonight,” said Ian Rafferty, Summerville head coach. “It was kind of a chippy game. Hopefully we will get better with that and shore up our extra-point and field goal stuff. Other than that, we just need to get healthy and prepare for the third round.”

Senior Yannick Smith had touchdown receptions of 53 and 47 yards. The receiver also threw a 33-yard scoring pass to Kemori DeWeese and a pair of two-point conversion passes, all in the first half. Both of Smith’s touchdown catches came on passes from quarterback Jaden Cummings, who had the reception on Smith’s first conversion pass.

Cummings also connected with Keshon Washington on a 35-yard touchdown pass. Senior running back Trae Green chewed up a lot of ground rushing the ball and scored on a 22-yard run.

Berkeley had a good enough start, forcing Summerville to punt on its first possession and then marching up field to score on its first possession. Stags’ freshman quarterback Henry Rivers broke free for a 60-yard run to move the ball inside Summerville’s 10-yard line and then completed a five-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kevin Boone.

Rivers, however, was injured while being tackled on the Berkeley sideline on the Stags’ next possession and missed the rest of the game. Berkeley did not manage another score until early in the fourth quarter when junior quarterback Jaden Harwell had an 11-yard TD run.

“I hate that their quarterback got hurt,” Rafferty said. “It probably would have been a little better ball game if he didn’t. We also had adversity this week. We had some guys out, some guys who were sick, but we did fine. We took all our starters out at halftime and we won by 20 points. In the playoffs, winning is what matters.”

Summerville will face Carolina Forest in the third round. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, at Carolina Forest.

The Green Wave opened its season Friday, Aug. 25, with a game at Carolina Forest and defeated the Panthers 33-26. Both teams went on to win their region, but Summerville enters the playoff game with a 12-0 record while Carolina Forest is 9-3 coming off its 28-21 second-round win over West Ashley.

“Carolina Forest is a physical football team that is well coached,” Rafferty said. “We need to do a better job of stopping their run this time and the hard part is we have to travel. We will have to handle that because they will be prepared. It will be a really good football game. The last time it went down to the wire.”

Berkeley finishes its season with a 6-6 record.

“We came out tonight and we competed,” said Eric Lodge, Berkeley head coach. “Our quarterback went down early, which really took a lot of the wind out of our sails, but we stood in there defensively and continued to fight the whole game. I’m just proud of our guys. We did a lot to set the foundation for our program this season and there is a lot to build on. We have a lot of young guys so we are looking forward to the years to come.”

Nov. 10

SHS Football v. Berkeley 7:30 p.m.

FDHS Football @ White Knkoll 7:30 p.m.

PWPS Football v. Hilton Head Christian 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 11

5A Cross Country State Meet @ Newberry 9 a.m.

SCISA Cheerleading Championships @ Cardinal Newman 9 a.m.

SUMMERVILLE — With Ricky Waring retiring, the mayoral seat in this growing community 20 miles north of Charleston is up for grabs.

The candidates: Dickie Miler, a Summerville native and real estate broker; Russ Touchberry, another Summerville native and current town councilman; and Vickie Fagan, who relocated from Staten Island more than a decade ago.

The Post and Courier spoke with the mayoral candidates about some of the big issues and concerns residents have in Summerville.

Fate of the old hospital

Miler said the property at 500 N. Main St., which has become a hot-button issue over the past few months, should be preserved. He has been a vocal opponent of the redevelopment of the property but said if there is redevelopment it should be strategic, sensible and promote enough economic vitality to warrant any changes made.

Touchberry hopes to preserve the old hospital as well, acknowledging it’s an important property. He also said its redevelopment can benefit the town and if done right could be a model for how other properties can be remade.

“We’ve lost the look and feel of Summerville on that side of the railroad tracks all the way to I-26,” Touchberry said. “This is an opportunity for us to have this reinvestment and reestablish our brand, which is what made us so special to begin with.”

Fagan also wants the property to be preserved but believes it can be repurposed as is. With all the available parking, the space could be used for emergency personnel, she said.

Growth and development

Miler said he supports a strategic approach to Summerville’s growth and would want to annex all he could on the periphery to protect the town’s border from neighboring cities like North Charleston and Goose Creek, which are also growing quickly.

“If we annex things on the outside, then we can control how we develop on the inside,” Miler said. “When and if we have to move and grow, we do it the way we want to do it, bringing the developer we want to bring in, have the neighborhood designed the way we want it.”

Touchberry pointed out that Summerville’s municipal boundaries are irregular but could be fixed by aligning the town’s comprehensive plan with the plans of Berkeley and Dorchester counties, and making sure all zoning standards line up as well. He added that if the town doesn’t have a strategic annexation plan, Summerville could easily be encircled by other municipalities.

Fagan said she’d like to assemble a task force for growth management and include voices from elected officials, civic groups and businesses. She said she values input from everyone and paying attention to how growth is affecting people in different areas can help the town come up with a plan as a united front.

Traffic and transport

Miler said he would want to incorporate more public transportation and improve sidewalks and bike paths so people can get around without a car.

“Building more roads is not always the answer,” Miler said.

He added he would be willing to reduce the median for some roads and even remove parking spots — like the parallel parking spots on Main Street at Hutchinson Square — so traffic isn’t as backed up.

Touchberry has been advocating for infrastructure improvements, such as sidewalk repairs, but one of his biggest priorities is finding a way to connect the Berlin G. Myers Parkway to Interstate 26 without the need to use, or cross, Main Street. He said he’s working with the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, as well as Berkeley County and the town, to study that corridor and identify solutions.

Touchberry added that the town missed an opportunity in having the Lowcountry Rapid Transit stop in Summerville; the furthest it is planned to go for now is Ladson. He said he’s ready to fight to make sure the second phase is completed, so the workforce in Summerville can use it to get to Charleston and reduce commute time.

Get ready for a taste of Italy right in the heart of Historical Downtown Summerville. The 2023 Summerville Italian Feast is back, and it promises to be an unforgettable day of cultural celebration, delicious cuisine and community togetherness. The event, which started in 2012 with 11 vendors, has grown to 87 vendors this year.

The 2023 Summerville Italian Feast is 11-a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at Hutchinson Square in downtown Summerville.

“Indulge your senses in the rich flavors of Italy as we pay tribute to Italian-American heritage,” according to a press release. “With over 87 local craft and food booths, as well as a delectable lineup of food trucks, you can savor your favorite Italian dishes just like mama used to make. From mouthwatering pasta dishes to scrumptious cannoli and everything in between, your taste buds are in for a treat.”

In addition to the food, the 2023 Summerville Italian Feast will showcase the talent of students from Dorchester District 2 schools who will entertain the crowd with performances.

One of the more significant aspects of this event is its charitable mission. All proceeds from the Summerville Italian Feast will benefit the Dorchester School District 2 Educational Foundation. Your attendance and participation in this celebration will directly contribute to educational programs and initiatives within the community.

Lori Hammond, aka Lori McCracken, aka Lori Blakely, 54, of Summerville, Christopher Conrad, 41, of Holly Hill, Catherine “Cassie” Needham, 38, of Manning, and Jontrell Wright, 37, of Orangeburg, were sentenced to federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud for submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and misusing the funds.

Evidence presented during the sentencing hearings established Hammond submitted more than $11 million in fraudulent loan applications for PPP and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans for her enrichment and the enrichment of her co-conspirators. The loan applications contained inflated employee and payroll funds, were often submitted on behalf of companies that did not exist or were inactive and included fake business addresses and fraudulent tax documents. More than $5.8 million in PPP and EIDL loans were paid to Hammond and her co-conspirators.

“While millions of South Carolinians were struggling during the pandemic, these defendants defrauded the systems meant to provide relief,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to pursue bad actors such as these and hold them accountable for exploiting these resources for their own gain.”

Hammond personally received $3,162,038.50 in PPP and EIDL loan funds. She spent the money on personal expenses, including purchasing a home, luxury vehicles, a golf cart and plastic surgery. She was sentenced to 80 months imprisonment, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,722,932.50 in restitution, representing the remaining outstanding unpaid loan funds.

Conrad fraudulently received $898,300 in loans and spent the funds on unapproved personal expenses. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $898,300 in restitution.

Needham fraudulently received $1,244,200 and used the funds for improper personal expenses, including purchasing property, a golf cart, a pool, home improvements and plastic surgery. She was sentenced to 21 months incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,244,200 in restitution.

Wright fraudulently received $561,700 in loan funds and spent the funds on personal expenses. He was sentenced to 15 months incarceration, followed by a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $561,700 in restitution.

“These sentences reflect the severity of PPP loan fraud,” said Steve Jensen, special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Such crimes challenge the integrity of relief programs designed for those who need assistance most. The FBI is committed to holding offenders accountable and safeguarding loan programs to ensure the public’s trust in our financial systems.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Limehouse prosecuted this case. The Hon. David C. Norton presided over the sentencing hearings in Charleston.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Some businesses say prioritizing a sense of place in the town of Summerville is most important and sometimes that means new development, despite what some people might think.

Dorchester County has a proposed plan to turn 500 N. Main St., also known as their main county building, into a hotel, retail spaces, a parking garage and more.

Some businesses located in the heart of Summerville, like Eva’s Restaurant, think change is about time.

“If we don’t have growth, we don’t have a future,” general manager Tina Howard said.

Eva’s Restaurant has been serving the town since 1944. With the proposed development, Howard says she’s not worried about competition.

“I think it would benefit us as a small business with, you know, bringing in tourists,” Howard said. “...I don’t feel it would hurt us personally because we have such a strong, established business.”

Diane Frankenberger, the owner of People, Places & Quilts, says she’s watched Summerville grow for over 30 years. She says with the old post office as the new public works art center, the old Coca-Cola company as the new YMCA and an old hardware store as her own business, she believes both the county and town councils prioritize preservation.

“You have to go forward with the future,” Frankenberger said. “We still can’t have the same houses around here and the old town hall and no computers and blah blah blah. And so, it’s keeping a sense of place, but moving forward with an eye towards the future.”

The county has already approved plans to preserve part of the county building, which once was the old hospital, and improve the current Veteran’s monument.

“I think when people are calling names or say, ‘Don’t do something,’ let’s wait and see and work together and make the best use of what we’ve got there,” Frankenberger said.

Howard says she wants her 6-year-old grandson to be able to experience a flourishing Summerville, just like she has all her life.

“A lot of people complain about the growth and ‘People will stop coming here, we’re full, don’t come here,’” Howard said. “Without growth, we don’t have a future. The future is growth.”

Frankenberger says she’s ready to move forward.

“No more gas on the fire,” Frankenberger said. “Let’s put water on the fire.”

Dorchester County provided the following statement about the proposed plan:

Dorchester County is looking forward to having greater capacity and flexibility to complete the following projects from fee revenues of the redevelopment:

Funding to preserve the façade of the old hospital building.

A new civic park and improvements to the Veterans Memorial.

An additional $8 Million in funding to DD2 schools to supplement $2 Million from the TIF.

Provide $20 Million in funding for a Community Recreation Facility in the Summerville area.

Provide $2 Million in additional funding for streetscaping and improvements to Main Street and Cedar Street.

Provide credits for workforce housing for teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, and first responders within the multi-family development for at least 15 years.

A modern County office building and additional Class A Office Space in the downtown area.

A new downtown hotel and restaurant to provide much-needed retail and hospitality amenities in the downtown area.

Create additional parking by providing for the construction of a parking garage in the downtown area.

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