Daniel Brownstein, Town Council

06/05/2026

Councilman Daniel Brownstein shared in a Nextdoor post on June 3 that he, along with fellow council members John Iacofano, Laura Hyatt and Jake Rambo plan to usher a vote next month to withdraw consent for the project. That vote is expected to take place July 14.

“For a long time we've been hopeful that the county would start listening to the residents of Mount Pleasant who are up in arms about the road through Laurel Hill County Park,” Brownstein told The Post and Courier on June 4. “At this point, we've exhausted every other avenue that we've been trying to get them to take a step back from that plan, and they intend to seek the permits that they need from the town to complete that project this summer, and so we felt like we were left with no other choice than to place this on the agenda.”

Charleston County expects to secure permits for the Highway 41 expansion this year. Mount Pleasant leaders plan to vote on withdrawing consent for the project, protesting Laurel Hill Parkway.

06/03/2026

An Important Highway 41 Update – Town Council meeting scheduled

For the last five years, Charleston County has been pushing forward with a controversial plan to alleviate traffic in the SC 41 corridor. What started as a simple widening of the existing highway, now includes cutting a new road through Laurel Hill Park and pushing all traffic seeking to turn north on U.S. 17 through high density residential neighborhoods.

Despite the pushback from residents as well as members of Town Council, County Council and the State Legislature, the county will not budge on those major facets of the project. Over the last few months, I have personally attended at least 8 neighborhood meetings about this project and have walked the Laurel Hill portion of the project with county engineers to understand the impact.

While I am grateful that the county has made minor design changes in response to the feedback, I am still unsatisfied that the county is unwilling to reconsider the road through Laurel Hill Park.

I believe there are at least two alternatives to this approach that haven’t been appropriately considered or were prematurely discarded. The first is the most cost-effective and the best for traffic management: widen the entire stretch of the existing highway to four lanes. The second is to relocate the intersection of Joe Rouse/Bessemer at SC 41 to the south where there is more room to install a high-capacity intersection. This would still enable the county to taper the roadway down to three lanes through the Phillips Community, while providing traffic relief to Park West and Dunes West.

It is clear that the county, under its current posture, will not deviate from the unpopular plan. That is why four members of Town Council (Daniel Brownstein, Laura Hyatt, John Iacofano and Jake Rambo) have placed an agenda item to withdraw municipal consent for the project. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on July 14th at Mount Pleasant Town Hall, 100 Ann Edwards Lane. It is my hope that we can go back to the drawing board and expeditiously develop a plan that better addresses the regional traffic problem and has buy-in from the thousands of Mount Pleasant residents who live in the area.

How you can help:

1. Write an email with your opinions about the county’s SC 41 project and whether or not you think the town should step in to try to stop it. You can send it to Mount Pleasant Town Council at [email protected]

2. Write an email to County Council, which is the governing body that made the decision about what the project will entail. You can send it to [email protected]

3. ATTEND THE MEETING. This is the most important step you can take. Attend the meeting and give us your opinion during the public comments portion of the July 14th Town Council meeting. Each person has 2.5 minutes. This in-person public feedback is often the most effective.

06/02/2026

Looking for a way to honor a special veteran in your life? Honor them with a flag that will be displayed at Patriots Point later this month. Message the Mount Pleasant Exchange Club for more details.

06/02/2026

The police, fire fighters and paramedics who serve our community are true heroes … every single day.

05/28/2026

Over the last few weeks, two Mount Pleasant garbage trucks have caught fire due to items that were improperly discarded. Please listen to one of our drivers about the danger and cost of throwing away lithium-ion batteries.

05/14/2026

Big things are happening at the Mugsy Kerr Tennis Center on Whipple Road!

05/09/2026

Keep your eyes open for this girl, missing from Old Mount Pleasant since yesterday afternoon.

***UPDATE*** The missing juvenile has been located.

The Mount Pleasant Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing-runaway juvenile. Ziriay is a 15-year-old black female who is believed to be wearing brown pajama pants, brown sweatshirt, pink crocs. She is 5'3" 120lbs, with shoulder length brown hair, and brown eyes. She was last seen leaving her residence in the Old Village at approximately 2:30 p.m. Friday May 8th. If anyone can assist in locating her, don't hesitate to call the Mount Pleasant Police Department at 843-884-4176 or call the consolidated dispatch center at 843-743-7200.

05/08/2026

Rolled into the Jones Center open house with these star glasses courtesy of the West Point HOA. I had the opportunity to speak with them today about projects along Rifle Range Road and am looking into their community concerns. I’m happy to speak with your HOA as well. Hit me up at [email protected]

05/06/2026

More aquatics? Inside exercise space? A walking trail? Fun playgrounds? What do you want at the Jones Center near Belle Hall?

Be a part of the process to determine the next 50 years of the Jones Center.

Stop by tomorrow night to provide your feedback about what you’d want in a new or renovated Jones Center. You can also send your thoughts to [email protected]

Have thoughts on the future of the R.L. Jones Recreation Center? Now’s your chance to weigh in!

The Town of Mount Pleasant is gathering public input to help guide what comes next for this important community space. We’re looking to hear what’s working well, what could be improved, and what you’d like to see in the future. Topics include recreation amenities, traffic, parking, and overall experience.

Join us for a drop-in public meeting:
📍 Jones Center (391 Egypt Rd)
📅 Thursday, May 7
⏰ 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Can’t attend in person? You can still share your thoughts by emailing [email protected]

Your feedback will play an important role in shaping the next chapter of the Jones Center.

05/05/2026

Councilmember Daniel Brownstein heartily endorsed the Beckham renovations, stating that he's met with the same parents who have great ideas.

Brownstein also commented on the district's progress with teacher salaries by adding: "Thank you to your team for stepping up to the plate and getting behind our teachers, and trying to reduce their stress levels. So maybe they don't have to have a second or third job."

Following a May 4 presentation of the East Cooper/St. James Santee Teachers of the Year at Mount Pleasant Town Hall, Charleston County Superintendent Anita Huggins offered listeners an in-depth look