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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- A family is searching for answers after a Charleston man went missing while on vacation in Mexico earlier this week.

Savannah Miller said her father Edmond Bradley Solomon III, 66, was recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a type of degenerative disorder that affects a person’s behavior, rather than memory.

“He sometimes says odd things and behaves erratically — or oddly — because he’s just doing what he knows how to do,” Miller explained. “He can’t process the same way you or I can.”

Solomon recently embarked on a Caribbean cruise with his wife, Mimi, and other family members. But, the trip soon took a distressing turn after he disappeared during one of their stops in Cozumel, Mexico.

Miller said the couple got off the ship early Wednesday afternoon to use the restrooms before leaving the terminal.

“When my stepmom, Mimi, came out, he wasn’t there,” Miller said. “She thought he might still be in the bathroom so she waited for him for a few minutes. He didn’t come out.”

Another family member went into the restroom to check on Solomon, but he was not there.

“That was the point that we knew he was lost,” Miller said. “We know that no matter where he was he would have difficulty understanding what was going on and communicating his needs due to his dementia. I think everyone just immediately became so terrified for his safety.”

The next morning, Miller said she received a call that her father was missing.

“I got the call about 5:30 in the morning and I just froze,” she said. “I didn’t even know how to process this information.”

Local authorities said Solomon was last seen along the road of Isla de la Pasión in Cozumel on Wednesday evening. He was wearing a white t-shirt, grey shorts, and dark sunglasses.

Solomon grew up in West Ashley and has spent his professional career working as a critical care nurse at Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in downtown Charleston, according to Miller. He is also an avid surfer and fisherman, although they said his condition has limited his ability.

“He liked to be with the people that he loved…he was always making sure that we were safe and we were cared for no matter who it was,” Miller said. “He’s always been a fixer and someone who’s just drawn to helping other people.”

Miller is now pleading for the community to return the favor and help her family find their loved one.

“I think it’s important to recognize how much time he’s put into helping others and it’s time to give back,” she said. “I think the best thing that anyone can do is just spread the word. Start yelling and screaming. Elevate it as much as possible so that there is awareness and so everyone on the island is looking for him.”

Solomon’s wife has remained in Mexico while the search continues. Miller and other family members will join her this weekend. A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with travel expenses.

“I’m really looking forward to having Mimi by my side and being able to give my dad a hug again,” Miller said.

The family has been in contact with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and the U.S. Consulate.

In a statement to News 2, a spokesperson for the FBI Columbia field office said they are aware of the missing person report but cannot comment at this time. The agency referred questions to the State Department.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Changes are coming to the City of Charleston’s zoning code.

The existing code affects all developments in the city: commercial and residential. However, it hasn’t been updated in more than five decades.

“Our existing zoning ordinance is many decades old, so the whole thing needs to be updated, brought into the 21st century, graphics added, make it much more user friendly,” said Christopher Morgan, planning manager for the city’s planning department.

Charleston has had the same city zoning code since 1966. Now, officials plan to make necessary changes focusing on the city’s future development.

READ MORE: "Mayor Cogswell unveils flooding mitigation plan for severe weather readiness in Charleston."

“Most of this deals with when you're expanding your business or expanding your house,” Morgan explained. “Or building a new house, new business or a new neighborhood.”

Arguably the biggest change to the zoning code is one city leaders hope helps guide new development as sea levels continue to rise. The new code will include elevation-based zoning to combat increased flooding.

It comes less than a month after Mayor William Cogswell announced a new flooding plan to increase preparation ahead of severe weather.

“What this plan is, is an effort to put in some temporary solutions to allow us to frankly live with water for a little while until we get more permanent solutions in place,” Mayor Cogswell said in a press conference on March 13.

READ MORE: "Record rainfall received in downtown Charleston and CHS on Saturday: NWS."

City officials hope these zoning changes will be one of those permanent solutions.

The updates call for less future development in areas of lower elevation or that are closer to sea level.

“There's very extensive mapping that's done in our comprehensive plan that shows the areas that have better elevation and worse elevation, and the worse elevation areas have more potential for impact by rising water,” Morgan said.

The updated code would push for higher-density development to strictly pop up in areas with better elevation. Morgan believes Charleston will be the first place to establish a city-wide elevation zoning code.

The city is hosting a public meeting on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the International Longshoremen’s Association Hall on Morrison Drive to present the proposed changes and receive public feedback.

City officials don’t expect the new ordinance to reach the city council for a vote until the end of the year.

A recent editorial in The Post and Courier suggested it’s time for Charleston to start planning for what it called our eventual abandonment of the Columbus Street Terminal. We want to be clear: This does not align with our business goals, and we have no plans to sell this site.

At a time when port cities up and down the East Coast, including ours, are stepping up to handle additional business due to the Baltimore bridge tragedy, the editorial left the impression that we are lessening our commitment to our mission. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As the eighth largest port in the country, we consistently shift our operations to find creative solutions, which is exactly what we are doing with Columbus Street Terminal.

We are taking proactive steps to invest in infrastructure to strengthen our resiliency against rising sea levels and severe weather events. We are all learning to live with water in Charleston. It would be irresponsible to do otherwise.

The S.C. Ports Authority is a critical supply chain partner to our state’s automotive industry and has been for decades.

Since 2011, we have expertly handled nearly 3 million vehicles at Columbus Street Terminal for global automakers. We moved more than 200,000 vehicles last year alone. We are constantly evaluating our operations and infrastructure to ensure our shippers’ businesses succeed.

We have invested in modernizing the terminal over the years, including enhanced rail connections and raising the terminal’s height to better support the automotive sector’s supply chain. The automotive industry growth in our state was the catalyst for opening our first rail-served inland port in Greer.

Our many port investments have helped to facilitate South Carolina’s unmatched success in the nation as the top exporter of both vehicles and tires.

And we will always evaluate port infrastructure to best support port-dependent businesses and create jobs for South Carolinians, while also working alongside the communities and municipalities in which we reside.

As you have seen throughout the very public Union Pier process and pending sale to Charleston businessman Ben Navarro, we take our commitment to the Charleston community very seriously. We have demonstrated that we will work alongside the city of Charleston as our future needs present themselves and in a way that is mutually beneficial.

And that is exactly what our investment into Columbus Street Terminal is about: strengthening resiliency and planning for the future. That’s something to celebrate about one of our most critical assets.

Barbara Melvin is president and CEO of SC Ports, and Bill Stern is its board chair.

YOTEL TO OPEN IN GENEVA: YOTEL has added to its portfolio with the upcoming opening of its latest hotel in Geneva. When it opens on April 18, YOTEL Geneva Lake will be the 22^nd addition to YOTEL’s portfolio. Located close to the Geneva Airport, Lake Geneva and the city center, the 237-room hotel consists of two inter-connected glass buildings at different heights and offers views of Mont Blanc. Lighting at the public spaces can be programmed to complement the exterior view and changes with the seasons and activity inside the hotel. The hotel features HVGGE Place, a 21,500-square-feet Nordic-inspired dining and entertainment hub, which comprises a restaurant, seafood bar, banqueting and conference space, rooftop space and an auditorium which can accommodate up to 200 persons. London-based YOTEL has hotels across the U.S., Europe and Asia under three brands – YOTEL (city center hotels), YOTELPAD (extended-stay hotels) and YOTELAIR (airport hotels).

RAINES STRENGTHENS PRESENCE IN CHARLESTON: Raines, the Florence, S.C.-based hospitality management, development and investment organization, has assumed management of the Cambria Charleston Riverview. The hotel marks Raines’ partnership with the hotel’s owner, RREAF Holdings. Located near the Ashley River and about three miles from the downtown, the hotel offers 126 rooms, newly enhanced spaces, a restaurant, fitness center, sundry shop, an outdoor pool and meetings and events spaces. Cambria Charleston Riverview strengthens Raines’ presence in the Charleston, S.C. market and is the company’s seventh hotel in the area. This also marks the third addition to Raines’ management portfolio in March, following agreements for Springhill Suites Cheraw in Cheraw, S.C. and Hilton Garden Inn University District Greenville in Greenville, N.C. through the month.

BEST WESTERN ADDS IN PENNSYLVANIA: Best Western Hotels & Resorts has opened Executive Residency by Best Western Philadelphia-Willow Grove. Located in Horsham, Pa., the all-suite hotel offers one-bedroom suites and junior suites, all featuring full kitchens. The hotel has started renovations, which includes upgrades to guest bathrooms. All rooms have full kitchens, including a microwave, refrigerator, cookware and utensils. The hotel includes a fitness center, guest laundry facilities and an outdoor multi-functional patio. Once renovations are complete, the hotel will add a sundry shop, an expanded patio area and upgraded business center.

CHEVAL COLLECTION JOINS GHA: Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the alliance of independent hotel brands, has expanded its loyalty program and added luxury serviced apartments in London Edinburgh and Dubai with Cheval Collection. Once added later this year, Cheval Collection will offer 26 million members of GHA Discovery, GHA’s loyalty program, benefits such as member rates and room upgrades with the ability to earn and spend Discover Dollars, the rewards currency. This marks GHA Discovery’s first offering in Edinburgh and the first loyalty program for Cheval Collection. Since opening its first property in Knightsbridge, London in 1981, Cheval Collection’s owned and operated portfolio has grown to include 13 luxury residences totaling 800 apartments in nine locations in London, three in Edinburgh and one in Dubai.

Over the last year, Charleston, S.C.-based MUSC Health's Midlands division, which includes three hospitals and an emergency and imaging site, has significantly increased revenue, enhanced cost control initiatives and offered more services.

The MUSC Health-Midlands Division, led by CEO Matthew Littlejohn, includes MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown, MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast, MUSC Health Fairfield Emergency and Imaging, MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center in Camden, and all associated medical practices and affiliates.

The division has moved the "financial needle in a major way in the past year," Mr. Littlejohn said. "This is not happening [in] very many places across the country in a time period where healthcare is getting tougher, and places and margins and financial sustainability are going down. We're doing the opposite at a scale that you don't see in many places these days."

In 2021, MUSC acquired four sites in the region from Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint for $75 million. The transaction was part of the system's goal to serve more patients throughout South Carolina and establish a footprint in more rural areas, such as Kershaw, S.C.

The three hospitals that it acquired were ripe for improvement and have seen a significant expansion in services over the last three years.

"A lot of what we've been doing in the Midlands is becoming more well-rounded and balanced as an organization," Mr. Littlejohn said. "We've added new options for patients that historically have not been here, whether it be urology, colorectal surgery, retina surgery, plastic surgery. That's all new for us."

The Midlands division has also fostered a culture of discipline in terms of how it measures success, according to Mr. Littlejohn, who served in various executive roles at Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems before joining MUSC in 2023.

He previously served as network CEO for CHS in North Carolina — which includes Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in Mooresville and Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville — and director of strategic planning and project management at Bon Secours Health System in Greenville, S.C., before returning to Columbia, his hometown, for a role with MUSC.

"Coming into Columbia, being from Columbia, it's one degree of separation. I feel like everybody here knows me or knows a friend or knows my family," he said. "I think that has caused the team to buy into change quickly and get on board with what we’re asking them to do. It's allowed us to expedite this improvement plan."

Mr. Littlejohn's improvement plan focused on developing a unified vision of what the three hospitals in the division should be doing to best serve their communities and patients.

"I think now, if you were to ask any of our leaders, they know exactly what success looks like for their area," he said. "What we want patients to know is that we are very focused on providing the highest-quality care. At the end of the day, they don't care that volumes are growing and finances are improving. I think what patients care about is quality."

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