MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) — Mount Pleasant leaders are attempting to limit loud noises throughout the town.

On Tuesday night, the town council passed an ordinance to begin a 90 day trial of a noise ordinance. However, no fines will be issued during the 90-day testing period.

The town is limiting noise to 55 decibels max.

"By setting a limit, it allows us to at least say and give restaurants that play live music a grade on what they are allowed and not allowed to do," said John Iacofano of the Mount Pleasant Town Council.

Iacofano said he thinks the ordinance will be good to collect data on how loud some areas may be. He said he went to Shem Creek to test the noise.

"I went to a restaurant that had live music. The noise was between 75 to 85 decibels, and I was okay with that. That was at the edge of the property itself. I didn't know what it was at homes in Shem Creek, but I think 55 is tight," said Iacofano.

Jeremy Cundiff is the general manager at Red's Ice House. He said if the ordinance becomes permanent, it will affect their business.

"If we don't have live music, that will impact a lot of people on the creek. Then I'm worried that will drive them downtown or elsewhere outside of Mount Pleasant," said Cundiff.

Cundiff said now is the restaurant's busy season with summer fast approaching and tourists coming into town. He said they are always respectful to their neighbors when it comes to loud noise.

"I walk around when we have bands with a decibel reader and try to make sure it's a reasonable limit from the edges of our property. I don't go over 75 decibels," said Cundiff.

Cundiff said he does not know where this ordinance came from since they generally don't receive complaints.

"I feel like it's been several years since we had multiple complaints. I think we had one recently, but it was for a special event that we don't often have," he said.

There are limitations to the ordinance including emergency vehicles, special events, parades, and construction or repair sound.

No fines will be given during the pilot ordinance. It will begin on May 1st.

Happy (almost) Cinco de Mayo, Charleston.

The holiday honors Mexico’s victory over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The Second Franco-Mexican War didn’t end that day, but the battle became a symbol of resistance against foreign powers.

If you’re celebrating this year, here’s where to eat, drink, and dance in the Holy City — on Cinco de Mayo and through the weekend.

Celebrate

Cinco de Mayo Block Party at Mex 1 West Ashley | Thurs., May 5 | $10 in advance, $15 at the door | 5 p.m. | Mex 1 West Ashley, 817 St. Andrews Blvd. | Head over to this local spot to enjoy food tents, local vendors, outdoor bars, and live music from Charleston-based Midnight City Band.

Cinco de Mayo Parking Lot Party | Thurs., May 5 | Free | 4-9 p.m. | Jalisco Taqueria & Tequila, 1271 Folly Rd. | Experience a full-service taco tent, music, yard games, and a margarita bar offering $10 Patrón margaritas and $7 shots of Patrón — family and pet friendly.

Cinco de Mayo Party | Thurs., May 5 | Free | 5 p.m. | Dashi, 1262 Remount Rd., North Charleston | Grab $3 tacos, $5 house margaritas, $8 frozen jalapeno & mango margaritas, $2 jarritos, and $3 Modelo & Dos Equis before a late-night comedy show with Cam Bertrand, Jeremy McLellan & Dedrick Flynn.

Cinco de Mayo at The Basement | Thurs., May 5 | Free | 12 p.m. | The Basement, 1055 SC-41, Mt. Pleasant | Dig in at the free taco bar from 2-5 p.m., all-day drink specials including $5 house margaritas and $5 Espolón shots, and wrap up the evening with live music from 6-9 p.m.

Margarita at the Beach | Thurs., May 5 | $39+ | 6-8 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 2511 N. Main St., Ste. B, Summerville | Celebrate the holiday by painting a 16×20 canvas or 17.5×17 wood plank board at this local studio.

SOL Southwest Kitchen | Thurs., May 5 | Free | All day | SOL Mt. Pleasant, 1101 Stockade Ln., Mt. Pleasant | Partake in a complimentary tequila tasting from 6-8 p.m., enjoy live music from Patrick Norris between 6-9 p.m., and celebrate with all-day specials.

Charleston Margarita & Mimosa Fest | Sat., May 7 | $24.99+ | Registration 12-2 p.m. | Share House, 23 Ann St. | Bar hop between Share House, Silver Dollar, The Brick, and Uptown Social from 12-6 p.m. with your wristband good for various drink specials at each venue.

Eat + drink

Cinco de Mayo is about much more than delicious food and drinks — but the deals don’t hurt.

Cinco de Mesa | Snag a $5 Mesa Verde at your local Verde restaurant with the online promo code CINCO22.

$6 House Margaritas | Choose between coconut, pineapple, lime, mango, spicy, and signature margarita flavors at Pink Cactus for this hard-to-beat special.

Happy celebrating, Charleston. Let us know how you’ll be spending the day.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Families around the country are struggling to feed their babies because of a shortage of baby formula. This has been going on for months, and only got worse after a nationwide recall from a major formula distributor.

Here in the Lowcountry, one mom is trying to help families by giving them some of her own food.

Watch ABC News 4 at 5 LIVE in the media player below OR at ABCNews4.com/Watch

Valerie Weber knows all too well the importance of baby formula. Her son, Wyatt, was born 6 1/2 weeks early.

“They wanted him on fortified bottles until he was like I think four months adjusted. So we did have to do three bottles a day with a teaspoon of formula,” she says.

Weber says she’s seen anxious parents posting to Facebook trying to find baby formula for their kids.

“They were just always asking, ‘Have you seen this anywhere? I’ve been to four different stores, have you seen this? Let me know, does anybody have any extra?’ I’ve seen some like super empty shelves, which is scary,” Weber says.

The baby formula shortage started a few months ago when Abbott, a major producer of baby formula, recalled three brands. The recalls, combined with supply chain issues and inflation, has left several parents scrambling.

Megan Foxe, a dietitian in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit at MUSC, says their staff is trying to help parents as they can.

“They may be prescribed on one of the formulas that are recalled, and we can’t find it in an outpatient setting. So the availability of those products come and go day by day,” she says.

Foxe says parents have brought in their children after trying to make their own baby formula.

“When a parent makes their own formula, they’re using different ingredients. I’ve seen everything from almonds and milking their own almonds and flax seed. Adding fish oil, cod liver oil,” she says. “All those things can be super dangerous. It affects electrolytes and causes abnormalities that could cause heart arrhythmias and even brain issues.”

“I just can’t imagine not being able to feed my baby, or the fear of possibly not being able to feed my baby,” says Weber.

Weber posted to Facebook offering up extra breast milk to parents whose babies can use it.

“I just put myself in their shoes, and I can’t imagine, so I just wanted to help however I possibly could if I could,” she says.

Weber says she was able to help a mom to premature twins get enough milk to hold her over until a delivery of formula came in.

She says her freezer is open to help anyone who needs it.

“If you can help some mom feed their baby, I think that’s a beautiful thing,’ she says.

There is a breast milk bank through MUSC, but officials say that milk is primarily used for babies in the NICU or mothers who cannot produce breast milk. The bank is accepting donations. Click here for more information.

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – The future of a parcel of land off of Faison Road in north Mt. Pleasant is being discussed in a town council meeting on Tuesday.

The Town of Mt. Pleasant purchased the 30-acre land towards the end of 2021 for around $6.5 million with no plans for its use. The parcel is across Faison Road from Oceanside Collegiate Academy before the school bus lot.

Now, council members are debating whether to develop it or preserve it.

“I know some councilmembers would like to see parts of the land sold for economic development purposes, some councilmembers would like to see it maybe held on to for future recreation purposes, and I know some councilmembers would like to see it just preserved,” said Councilman Jake Rambo.

Rambo says several businesses have approached the town about potentially purchasing a part of the parcel to develop.

“This is an opportunity for council to discuss ‘what are our plans for this property?'”

In his discussions with residents in the Carolina Park area, Rambo says the consensus is to preserve the land as the area nearby is undergoing a high level of development with shops and restaurants across from Costco, neighborhoods, and more.

Rambo agrees.

“That’s my personal opinion too. It’s nice to see a large area preserved for the wildlife and to preserve some trees,” said Rambo.

In October, before the sale of the land went through, Councilman Gary Santos shared some of his ideas with News 2 about possible ideas for development. He listed a senior center, a recreation center, and a YMCA as ideas. He says it’s about finding the best fit for the north Mt. Pleasant community.

Mayor Will Haynie, who was opposed to the purchase of the land, sent the following statement to News 2.

“The lesson learned on this should be that a government body should always know for what purpose it is buying property for millions of dollars. This was bought in the heat of the moment and no clear purpose has yet come into vision.”

-Mayor Will Haynie, Town of Mt. Pleasant

Rambo says the clock is ticking on development because of an outstanding permit granted by the Army Corps of Engineers that expires on December 31, 2025.

“Right now the vast majority of the parcel is considered highland. Legally, it is not considered jurisdictional wetland, but it is covered with trees and it is low lying. It would require a substantial financial investment to, basically, fill the property,” said Rambo.

The “fill and build” concept is something Rambo says the town is trying to get away from.

“It’s under a 15 or 20-year agreement with the Army Corps that basically says we can fill it and it’s not jurisdictional wetlands. However, I think that expires in four to five years. At that point, it’s estimated that a vast majority of the property would then be re-classified as wetlands,” said Rambo.

That’s where the time crunch on the future of the land kicks in.

Tuesday’s town council meeting begins at 6 p.m.

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Two people involved in a Mount Pleasant businessman's child sex trafficking case are expected in court later this month for plea hearings.

Dawson Caldwell- former president and CEO of AP Recovery in Mt. Pleasant- was arrested in October on a charge of child sex trafficking. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on human trafficking, prostitution and child pornography charges.

Cedrick Riley and Jessica Michelle Mills were charged in the same case.

They are set to appear in court later this month for plea hearings:

Mills' plea agreement was filed April 6, 2022. In it, Mills agreed to plead guilty to "conspiracy to traffic a minor for sex."

The maximum penalty is imprisonment for life, a fine of $250,000, a trafficking victim assessment fine of $5,000, and a term of supervised release of five years to life in addition to any term of imprisonment, plus a special assessment of $100.

In pleading guilty to this charge, the courts will move to dismiss the remaining charges against her.

Mills was charged with child sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking, according to court records.

BACKGROUND

A 17-year-old girl, who is supposed to be in high school, was being sex trafficked and fed drugs, according to federal prosecutors.

A judge presiding over Caldwell' case said in court it appeared Caldwell led a secret life since the fall of 2020 that even his closest family didn’t know about. A life, prosecutors said in court, revolved around him acting as a teenager’s sugar daddy and dealing with a compulsive sex addiction.

Law enforcement said Caldwell's victim told them he fed her crack cocaine and fentanyl, as well as filmed sex acts, in turn for money.

Prosecutors said Caldwell spent upwards of $50,000 on her drug habit and paid for hotels and shopping as well as trips to his home that he called a “plantation” down in Beaufort County.

The case got federal attention last April when the victim was rushed to the hospital with an appendicitis. When the girl was under anesthesia, about to go into surgery, prosecutors say she asked a nurse to help her.

An investigator from Homeland Security said in court the girl told the nurse she was forced to have sex with 10 to 15 men a day, while drugged with fentanyl and cocaine.

Riley was her handler and Caldwell was a co-conspirator, according to investigators. The case was reported in May, but the abuse began in fall of 2020.

Caldwell was indicted by a federal grand jury on human trafficking, prostitution and child pornography charges.

Riley was indicted on one firearm offense, human trafficking and prostitution.

As part of the indictment, federal investigators seized firearms and two boats, a land cruiser and property in Sheldon belonging to Caldwell.

Caldwell also went by his alias Chuck Ashley.