health insurance agent in Hanahan

HANAHAN — A parade of emergency response vehicles and a school bus were the first to drive a newly opened mile-long stretch of Railroad Avenue, a road project recently completed after years of work.

The extension runs from Mabeline Road to Eagle Landing Boulevard, adding a two-lane roadway along the eastern side of the existing CSX rail line, with a sidewalk along one side of the road.

Though only a mile, the new stretch connects the northwest corner of the city, where several neighborhoods and Hanahan Elementary School are, to the rest of the city, said Mayor Christie Rainwater.

Prior to the extension, drivers had to take a roundabout route and cross the railroad tracks twice.

“In order to get to the Eagle Landing ... part of the city, you actually had to leave the city, cross over the railroad tracks, go to another city (North Charleston), and then go down Rivers Avenue, cross back over the railroad tracks and get back into (Hanahan),” she said. “So obviously it was inconvenient to say the least.”

It was also completed after more than two decades of delays, which ballooned the cost from a $4 million federal earmark in the 1990s to more than $20 million by the time the county broke ground on the project in 2021.

Berkeley County’s 1 percent sales tax to pay for infrastructure contributed more than $16 million to the funding.

Officials said the delays were due to a number of bureaucratic hurdles and discussions between the county, the S.C. Department of Transportation and CSX, all of which had to review and approve various aspects of the project. Funding issues contributed as well, Rainwater said — the longer other delays took, the more expensive the project became and the more time it took to secure further funding.

Town and county officials held a ribbon cutting for the road extension on March 17, with a cohort of former mayors and other public officials in attendance such as former U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, who helped secure the initial federal earmark. Officials, local emergency responders and other attendees took to the school bus and emergency vehicles to drive through a blue ribbon and up the mile of road.

Rainwater said the extension saves at least 10 minutes of driving, and that’s without traffic and train-related delays. During rush hour or when a train is stopped on the tracks, it took even longer for drivers to get to their destination.

Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb pointed out it will also help ease congestion on Rivers Avenue.

“Think about all the cars that leave Hanahan, go out on Rivers Avenue, go to the intersection of Ashley Phosphate and Rivers needlessly every single day,” he said. “Every one of those cars are now pulled off that road, so that helps regional transportation.”

It was also a public safety issue when emergency vehicles are trying to get to the northwest part of town, Rainwater said.

Though acknowledging that not all road projects take so long, attendees at the ribbon-cutting made a number of jokes about the length of time it took to complete the extension. Rainwater said one resident called her reporting that her daughter was about to graduate from high school and to ask if the student could drive it before she left for college.

“If anybody here has got a good idea on a road project that might be done in the next 30 years, let us know today before you leave so we can get it done in your lifetime,” Cribb joked.

Cribb pointed out each county has a “dinosaur” of an infrastructure project that has taken years to complete, referencing the Highway 526 in Charleston County and the Berlin G. Myers Parkway in Dorchester County. The Railroad Avenue extension has been Berkeley County’s, he said.

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCBD) – The owner of a fitness training company in Hanahan that has been working with kids and adults for a few years is calling on the community to help keep his business open.

Kendrick Robinson opened The Factory Sports and Fitness Training in Hanahan a year before the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States to help train people in basketball, football, and other athletics.

“It was something that God brought to me. He gave me a vision,” said Robinson. “I wanted to have a facility where the youth in our community could (better) selves and have a safe place where they can come and train.”

“He always helps out. He helps out with kids like schoolwork and stuff like that before training,” said Christian Gray, who has been coming to the program for four years.

Robinson said working with the youth is his passion. But things have been tough financially, he said.

“Our rates are really not expensive, but if they’re not able to do training, we try to do charitable giving would give out free sessions,” explained Robinson.

He went on to say, “We kind of gotten [sic] to a rough patch since Covid. We had a business plan, and it kind of altered all of that, and we’ve been playing catch-up ever since.”

Robinson decided Sunday to let the public know they might have to close next month and started a GoFundMe in hopes of finding some assistance.

“Not something I wanted to go public with, but closed mouths don’t get fed. God revealed that to me, he told me to make sure I keep this place open and get the help that we needed from the community. The response has been, man amazing.”

More than $2,500 has already come in from the community, of the $10,000 they need.

“It’s been amazing to get all the feedback and support from the supporters we’ve had over the years and knowing that we’re doing the right thing just by being transparent with the community and letting them know that it hasn’t always been easy.”

If you would like to help, please click here.

After being reelected for another term on Tuesday, Hanahan Mayor Christie Rainwater is already preparing for the next four years.

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCSC) - After being reelected for another term on Tuesday, Hanahan Mayor Christie Rainwater is already preparing for the next four years.

In this year’s election, no opponents ran against Rainwater, which she says was a relief to not sit on the edge of her seat and worry about winning or not.

“I feel like the residents of the city have seen the work I’ve put in, and they want that to keep going,” she says. “They want the momentum to continue, and no one ran against me. I’m able to really continue keeping that momentum going.”

The Hanahan City Council and school board members were all reelected on Tuesday, and the mayor says will continue as a strong partnership because of the established relationships.

Similar to the rest of the Lowcountry, Hanahan continues to grow. Rainwater focused on building economic development and recreation in the area by adding two new parks over the last four years.

“Really bringing this quality of life to the residents is what we’ve been doing over the past four years and will continue to do over the next four,” she says.

As for the upcoming four years, the mayor really wants to focus on flooding concerns, more economic growth and additional housing for the community. She also mentioned that the Lowcountry Rapid Transit plans include four stops that will positively impact Hanahan.

“We are really looking at our specifically downtown area and how can we allow for housing that will work for everyone,” Rainwater says. “We have changed the ordinances over the past few years that will allow for us to build up a little higher and bring that in.”

The mayor also expressed that Hanahan has a small-town feel despite being the seventeenth-largest city in South Carolina.

“I like to say I bleed blue and orange,” she says. “Hanahan is the heart of the Lowcountry. When you look at its location, you’ve got downtown Charleston, Summerville, Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, and right in the heart, you’ll find Hanahan. The truth is, it’s not just because of its location; the people in Hanahan are so special.”

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Last year, Siqi Fang, an eighth grader at Hanahan Middle School in Berkeley County, didn’t make it to the Spellbound! Bee, the Lowcountry’s only regional bee officially sanctioned by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

She was knocked out of the competition at the district level.

This year, standing under the beaming spotlights at Charleston Southern University’s Lightsey Chapel, her left palm turned upwards to mimic her college ruled paper and her right hand holding an imaginary pen, Fang spelled the winning word.

“F-E-R-R-U-G-I-N-O-U-S,” she said, meaning of, relating to or containing iron.

All eyes glued to center stage, cheers and applause erupted from the crowd.

The contest had gone down from 30 students to two: the other was Zachary Teachman, a student at Thomas C. Carlo Middle School in Charleston County.

Teachman was given the word “epenthesis,” which is defined as the insertion of a sound or letter in the body of a word.

The bell, notorious for sending rows of competitors to sit on the other side of the stage to watch the remaining spellers, followed, echoing throughout the chapel.

Suddenly, the bee sting on Fang’s right finger that had pestered her the past few days felt obsolete.

“I was kind of nervous,” Fang told The Post and Courier after posing for myriad photos with her winning trophy. “My competitor was also really good.”

Fang would have to spell the word correctly along with one final word to win.

“This year she seemed to be more comfortable on stage,” Fang’s mother, Cui He, told The Post and Courier.

“I’m maturing,” Fang interjected proudly.

Students go through an intense series of elimination rounds to compete in Spellbound! They have to win their school and district spelling bees to qualify. More than 40,000 students compete for the finals.

The contest this year marked the bee’s 31st anniversary and represented students from Charleston, Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester 2 and 4 school districts, the Catholic Diocese of Charleston, and S.C. Independent School Association.

The Post and Courier is a sponsor of Spellbound!

The winner advances to the virtual preliminary rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Those who make it through the virtual preliminaries go to National Harbor, Md., to compete for the champion title.

HANAHAN, S.C. —

Milan Turner has Carolina on his mind.

Turner, who was head coach at three different Georgia high schools, has been named the new head coach at Hanahan High School in South Carolina.

Turner had successful head coaching stints at Emanuel County Institute (2005-2010), Thomson (2011-2013) and Veterans (2018-2021). He served as the director of high school relations for the Georgia Southern football program in 2022.

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Thank you to Coach Helton, Staff, Players, Administration and Eagle Nation for an exciting journey this year. Thank you for letting me be a small part of something Special! The future is bright at Georgia Southern, You ain’t seen nothin’ yet! #GATA #HailSouthern pic.twitter.com/yaTU5ZqoUv

— Milan Turner (@MilanTurner_GS) January 25, 2023

Turner compiled a 112-43 record over 13 seasons as a head coach in the Peach State. He would lead Emanuel County Institute to 65 wins and a state championship in 2007. The Bulldogs would finish GHSA Class A runner-up in 2008.

“We are elated to welcome Coach Turner to the Hawk family,” Hanahan High Principal Tom Gallus said. “Our community is very fortunate to have a coach of this caliber to lead and develop our student-athletes on and off the field. Coach Turner is a proven educator and leader. He knows what it takes to build a successful high school football program and to ensure that each student is prepared for their next steps after high school. I look forward to serving alongside Coach Turner and seeing our Hawks shine under the Friday night lights.”

Turner takes over a Hanahan program that went 6-4 in 2022. He replaces interim coach Steve Blanchard, who took over after Art Craig stepped away and eventually retired.

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Turner has been an educator since 1994. Prior to becoming a head coach, he spent time as an assistant at several Georgia schools. Turner has coached in six GHSA state championship games during his time at five different Georgia high schools.

He has been named the North/South All-Star Head Coach, Region Coach of the Year, Atlanta Touchdown Club Class A Coach of the Year, GACA Class A State Coach of the Year, and was selected to coach in the 2008 Under Armour national all-star game.

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Can’t thank you enough for what you mean to our football family coach! You were meant to be apart of kids lives! We will all be cheering for you in South Carolina! https://t.co/ttjDWBHhqO

— Clay Helton (@GSCoachHelton) January 25, 2023