Best Jewelry Store near James Island, SC

About 24 acres of undeveloped land along the Stono River on James Island will be protected thanks to a partnership between the Open Space Institute and the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission.

OSI purchased the property, located at the end of Bradham Road, for $1.5 million using a mixture of local, state and federal funds. The deal was set to close Dec. 20.

A limited-liability corporation agreed to sell the tract to OSI for well below market value. The property — appraised north of $4 million — likely would’ve been used to build single-family homes, OSI Senior Land Project Manager Patrick Moore said.

The tract, long and skinny like a piano key, is one of many that make up western James Island. Much of this side of the island remains relatively intact, especially along the waterfront.

“When the little (tracts) like this come up, they’re important because there is a bigger picture for them to plug into,” Moore said. “They’re not just one-offs.”

A pond that’s home to redfish and blue crabs stretches almost the entire length of the 24 acres. A path roughly carved through the center provides ample space for trails, and easy public access to the Stono River. The end of the piano key provides stunning marsh views.

And anyone visiting the nearby James Island County Park will be able to quickly access the new park via a sidewalk along Riverland Drive to Bradham Road.

The Terrabrook neighborhood sits between the two parks. Residents have been supportive of the project, Moore said. So have people in the Cross Cut, a historic settlement community around Central Park and Fleming roads.

NORTH CHARLESTON — To continue efforts to become the Coast Guard’s “operational center of gravity” on the East Coast, officials broke ground Jan. 26 on its new $160 million campus.

This 64-acre site along the Cooper River — just south of the former naval base that closed in 1996 — will house an administration building and redesigned 1,100-foot concrete pier.

Construction is expected to begin later this year and be completed in 2026.

“This Charleston campus will have improved infrastructure that translates into more productive personnel and more efficient operations,” said Capt. Neal Armstrong, the commanding officer of facilities design and construction.

The 51,500-square-foot administration building will provide training and conference room space, and additional rooms dedicated to cutter ship support.

Sustainability is a priority, so the new facility will achieve net-zero energy usage and a net-zero carbon footprint, Armstrong said.

The current Pier November will be replaced with a pier more than three feet taller to enhance durability during coastal storms. It will provide utilities to support five national security cutters and a 90-ton crane, which is critical for dockside maintenance, Armstrong said.

During the design and construction phases nearly 60 subcontractors will support the two main contractors on the project, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and RQ Construction LLC, providing work for nearly 900 people.

Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Linda Fagan, who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony, said every Coast Guard mission begins and ends at a shore facility. When the ships are not at sea, they need a base that can provide necessary maintenance, she added.

The missions conducted at Base Charleston are vital to protecting national security and economic prosperity, Fagan said, adding that the new campus will aid in “lifesaving work,” including patrolling the waters for smuggled narcotics.

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Those who live on or travel through Johns Island say they have mixed feelings about a new road designed to connect Maybank Highway to two other roadways.

Work is continuing on what is called the Northern Pitchfork, which will connect Maybank Highway to Fenwick Hall Allee and River Road. That work will require lane closures from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday on Maybank Highway at River Road.

Some residents are hopeful it can be part of a solution for what they say is horrendous traffic but others say it’s just a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.

There is also frustration surrounding the daytime lane closures for Friday, as residents believe it will be a nightmare, and the work should be done overnight instead.

Charleston County Construction Project Manager Sheila Parker said this has to get done in a specific window of time and they don’t want project delays. The new road is something the city and county have been working on bringing to life for years, with the goal of alleviating congestion and moving traffic along on the island.

“People coming off of James Island onto Johns Island using the Maybank Highway corridor will be able to take the Northern Pitchfork road and kind of bypass the Maybank Highway and River Road traffic light,” Parker explained

Byhira Thorn, who frequents the island often, said she thinks the new road will cause confusion for drivers, and it’s not addressing the root issue.

“I think another lane in general needs to be added,” Thorn said. “I mean, they did it with the bridge which was awesome, but they need to do it with the island. The island itself all around, roads need to be doubled for sure.”

Johns Island resident Kristin Nolan said she hopes this will help, but wishes it was done sooner.

“First of all, I think they should have thought about this before all of the building that went on and the extra light that was put here,” Nolan said. “I feel bad for people that go to James Island in the morning if Maybank and River are backed up for miles.”

Earlier this month, Charleston leaders said they are working on a $30-million project to improve traffic on Johns Island, part of which includes widening Maybank Highway to four lanes from River Road to the Stono River Bridge. But funding for that has yet to be nailed down and those plans are years away.

The construction on Friday is weather-dependent and drivers are asked to use caution while driving through the area.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Ready to get your grub on? Restaurant Week is back. The 11-day culinary event runs Thursday, Jan. 11-Sunday, Jan. 21.

For a refresher, Restaurant Week is an opportunity to try something new or indulge in favorites at a lower price. From casual spots to fine dining, there are dozens of participating restaurants in the Charleston area.

Here are a few highlights, from inland towns to coastal communities and everything in-between.

Amen St. Fish + Raw Bar | Dinner: Three courses for $45+ | You had us at the first course — she-crab soup (yum).

Church and Union | Dinner: Three courses for $50+ | The beef tartare is chef’s kiss and don’t get us started on the mushroom gnocchi.

Indaco | Dinner: Three courses for $50+ | The Caramelle pasta dish features local clams, roasted red pepper, crispy prosciutto, and lemon... yes, please.

Iron Rose | Lunch: Two courses for $25+ | Dinner: Three courses for $40+ | Try this classy-yet-cozy spot for elevated southern coastal treats.

Slightly North of Broad | Dinner: Three courses for $60+ | Do you even live in Charleston if you haven’t tried shrimp and grits? Get to this Lowcountry staple for one of the best versions.

Islander 71 Fish House and Deck Bar | Dinner: Three courses for $45+ | Bettie Jane’s Crab Cakes sound wonderful and the Banana Puddin’ is a must.

Grace + Grit | Dinner: Three courses for $45+ | This is the perfect place to try coastal classics like shrimp and pimento cheese hushpuppies and blackened scallops.

The Mill Street Tavern | Dinner: Four courses for $44+ | Enjoy sushi, seafood, and southern classics with the beautiful Shem Creek views.

Ms. Rose’s Fine Foods + Cocktails | Lunch: $15 and a drink | Dinner: Three courses for $40+ | Talk about a bargain — the lunch menu includes a drink, too.

Ruby Sunshine - West Ashley | Brunch: Two courses for $18+ | Enjoy a New Orleans-style brunch here in the Lowcountry.

Basil Thai - Park Circle | Dinner: Three courses for $30+ | This Thai spot features several options to choose from for those who want to keep things flexible.

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen | Dinner: Three courses for $30+ | Try southern classics like the Fried Flounder Platter.

Blu Oyster Sushi + Seafood | Dinner: Three courses for $50+ | The featured Honey Cake just sounds heavenly.

Halls Chophouse Nexton | Dinner: Three courses for $65+ | Pro tip: if you order the filet, add the black truffle butter — it’s so worth it.

The Kingstide | Dinner: Three courses for $60+ | This menu has our mouths watering. How do you pick among calamari, Oysters Rockefeller, or the mussels? Oh my.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Officials with the city of Charleston and Charleston County have announced a plan to address traffic concerns on Johns Island.

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the plan is the result of collaboration between the city of Charleston and Charleston County and will tackle traffic flow problems at the intersection of Maybank Highway and River Road, portions of Maybank Highway and the northern and southern Pitchforks, Tecklenburg said.

“Traffic congestion has been a huge issue coming and going on Johns Island,” he said. “And it was accentuated when that traffic light got added down the street. And everyone came to the realization that we needed to go back and rethink what got done six or seven years ago, what’s been done since then and what can we do collectively and collaboratively to make it better and make improvements.”

The city and county laid out the main points of the plan:

“Pitchforks” means two new roads that will branch off of Maybank towards River.

“The current cost estimate sits somewhere between $25 and $30 million to do all of this,” Charleston County Councilmember Joe Boykin said.

Tecklenburg said the money will come from future sales tax and Department of Transportation funding and once permitted, will apply for federal funding.

The full construction funding will have to be identified and approved by both city and county councils, according to Tecklenburg.

The first goal for short-term, interim improvements to Maybank Highway are expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2024, Tecklenburg said.

Robby Lingenfelter who works on Johns Island said he’s hopeful about the project but still frustrated.

“They say that the northern pitchfork will be completed by the first quarter of 2024, that’s good,” he said. “Southern pitchfork they said will take years, so we’re still five to ten years from alleviating the issues we have now.”

He said the city and county have been meeting since June to address the traffic issues on Johns Island.

“It’s going to happen. We are committed to making that happen,” Tecklenburg said.

Some locals question the mayor’s timing.

“Hearing this press conference that is happening five days before an election, can’t help but notice that a lot of this was conceptual and funding for a lot of this isn’t even secured,” Logan Mcvey said. “So, this seems like more talk and a lot more traffic just sitting and waiting on stuff to happen.”

Tecklenburg’s response was that they needed enough vetting through engineers and design teams before the plans could be presented.

Charleston County Council member Jenny Huneycutt, Charleston City Council member Karl Brady and the city’s planning and traffic directors also attended the news conference.

WATCH THE CHARLESTON LEADERS ANNOUNCE THE JOHNS ISLAND TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN BELOW

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

JAMES ISLAND — A new dry bar is now open on James Island. Instead of using alcohol, the bar utilizes CBD, Delta-8 and Delta-9 seltzers produced by High Rise Beverage Co.

The bar, the first of its kind in the state, is at the back of the new storefront space of Charleston Hemp Collective at 1989 Maybank Highway Unit 103. It’s right next to a cycling studio and across the street a little ways down from The Terrace Theater.

The store, dry bar and seltzer company are all owned by Lowcountry duo Matt and Libiss Skinner, who met in Columbia when they were kids.

“There’s actually a picture of the two of us at age 10 and 8 kissing on my grandmother’s front porch,” said Matt, with a chuckle.

Now married, they’ve made it their mission to spread awareness of the healing qualities of hemp and hemp-derived products.

It all started with Libiss’ ulcerative colitis diagnosis. She was prescribed 11 pills a day at one point and was on a steroid that came with a bunch of side effects.

“I knew I couldn’t sustain that, and I was really scared,” she said.

After doing her own research, Libiss turned to CBD as part of a daily anti-inflammatory and pain control regimen, as well as a way to decrease anxiety and stress surrounding her health condition. She hasn’t had a flare up in almost two years.

It was around a year ago when the couple started High Rise Beverage Co. and began selling their real fruit- and hemp product-infused seltzers. The drinks are canned in North Carolina and come in flavors such as pineapple, blackberry, grapefruit, blood orange, raspberry, black cherry and lime. They’re also infused with CBD, Delta-8 or Delta-9, at a percentage of .3 or less of THC to adhere to the federal government’s legal requirements as outlined in the Farm Bill Act.

At the bar on James Island, these seltzers are used to make a variety of mocktails, many of which come in tiki glasses and fit the tropical theme. Bird wallpaper and a plant wall are complimented by a neon pink sign that explains the concept: “cannabis dry bar.”

Bar Tab is a recurring column in The Post and Courier Food section that highlights a locally made or sold adult beverage.

This past week, to wrap up Dry January, I finally got to go on one of dynamic Charleston duo The Cocktail Bandits’ popular bar crawls. But it’s not what you’re thinking — I didn’t actually drink alcohol on this crawl.

That’s because it was a mocktail crawl, featuring two particular non-alcoholic “spirits” that were used to craft some truly tasty concoctions: Seedlip and Amethyst, the latter made right here in South Carolina.

The Cocktail Bandits, Johnny Caldwell and Taneka Reaves, have been hosting a variety of crawls like this around town, including one featuring Black bartenders for Black History Month and women bartenders for Women’s History Month. Those are coming up again this year, with more information and tickets to be made available at cocktailbandits.com.

Most of these crawls involve actual liquor, but this Mocktail Crawl they hosted last year as well as this year was more inclusive to non-drinkers. For instance, a pregnant woman attended this crawl, ecstatic to taste some cocktail-like beverages that she could enjoy.

Queen Sorrel

At our first stop, The Den at Frannie & The Fox within Hotel Emeline, beverage manager Amanda Phelps shared a perhaps surprising statistic that one-third of people who walk into the restaurant and bar’s doors choose not to drink. You might have seen the mocktail craze skyrocket in the past few years particularly, offering those folks an elevated beverage experience that they too can enjoy in a classy setting.

“We want all our guests to feel important when here,” said Phelps.

The Den is certainly a classy setting, but also nice and cozy, especially in the wintertime. Here, we snacked on pepperoni pizza while sipping the Queen Sorrel. This mocktail, made by Phelps, combines Seedlip Agave, Sorrel Agua Fresca, saline, agave lime juice and sparkling cucumber tonic into a refreshing margarita-like alcohol-free drink.

A lot of times with mocktails, the lack of alcohol to dilute stronger flavors leaves some unwanted qualities: sourness, bitterness or sweetness amplified. This drink was one of blissful balance, with underlying prickly pear and hibiscus flavors blended with cinnamon and clove.

Spiced Citrus Sipper

My favorite drink of the night was at Gingerline, with its fun, bright interior and coastal dishes drawing inspiration from Latin America and the Caribbean. The Spiced Citrus Sipper’s prominent grapefruit ingredient had me worried; I’m not normally a grapefruit gal. But surprisingly, the grapefruit arose only in the aromatics. My taste buds were instead met with a spiced cardamom concoction reminiscent of Russian tea.

The garnish of a dehydrated lemon and white flower on top were the touches that make mocktails like this special; you’re getting the full “cocktail” experience. The chips and guacamole, salsa and queso along with the polenta fries made for great appetizer pairings to this drink, made with Seedlip Garden and crafted by Mikayla Prina.

Charleston Heatwave

On to The Veranda at The Loutrel we crawled, in search of our next mocktail. This one was made by Kevin Leibowitz and paired wonderfully with the goat cheese and smoked salmon bites laid out in the bar’s open-concept modern Southern lobby.

Packing a bit of heat from the cherry bitters, this mocktail used Amethyst Lemon Cucumber Serrano, orgeat and grapefruit juice. An orange peel-wrapped cherry on top was the literal cherry on top.

Blueberry Ginger Mint Limeade

The sour notes rang out on this final drink of the evening: a blueberry mocktail at The Habit, a place I had not yet ventured to near the Market. After climbing the stairs and passing a lit-up cherry blossom tree, I sat at the long bar and received this deep purple beverage.

Some muddled mint helped out with the sour flavors in this mocktail made by Whit Jackson with ginger mint honey syrup, Amethyst Blueberry Ginger Mint Lime, blueberry puree and soda water. It paired well with some chicken nuggets and house-made hummus for a lovely end to the evening.

This mocktail crawl certainly proved that detail-oriented elevated beverages can be made for all — alcohol drinkers or not. And you don’t have to drink alcohol at some of Charleston’s loveliest bars while still enjoying the ambiance. Maybe that’s something you’ll carry with you past Dry January.

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Reach Kalyn Oyer at 843-371-4469. Follow her on Twitter @sound_wavves.