Home Inspection in James Island, SC

Published: Oct. 31, 2024 at 5:00 PM PDT|

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - James Island visitors and residents alike will have a new way to learn about the community’s history starting in November.

The town will launch “Voices of the Revolution,” an immersive driving tour on Nov. 10 from 2-5 p.m. at Fort Johnson.

The tour will include historic interpreters, refreshments, maps and details for downloading the free tour.

The new driving tour was made possible thanks to a $12,000 grant from the SC250 Commission, which was chartered by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2019 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

“We couldn’t be prouder of the work our History Commission, town staff and community members have done on this project,” James Island Mayor, Brook Lyon, said. “This history tour is going to be a fun and educational experience for residents and visitors for years to come.”

The tour is narrated and produced by Evans Byrd, a native Charlestonian and certified history tour guide with more than 20 years of experience.

Additionally, historic figures are brought to life with the following voice talents:

Neal Kinard

A beloved local historian and storyteller, Neal Kinard has dedicated his life to uncovering and sharing Charleston’s rich history. His work often appears on local platforms, and he is known for his engaging presentations at the Charleston Museum and various historical societies.

Dominica Harrell

An advocate for cultural preservation, Dominica Harrell is the founder of the James Island Cultural Heritage Society. With a deep familial connection to the area, she has played a vital role in initiatives that honor the island’s diverse heritage through events and educational programs.

Tessa Spencer

A well-known television personality, Tessa Spencer is a news anchor at WCIV. With years of experience in broadcasting, Tessa brings her passion for storytelling and community engagement to the project.

Roger Gaither

A prominent artist and educator, Roger Gaither has exhibited his work throughout the Lowcountry.

Phillip Koontz

A talented musician and local performer, Phillip Koontz has shared the stage with various artists at renowned Charleston venues.

Bill Sharpe

A respected journalist and former anchor at WCSC, Bill Sharpe has reported on Charleston’s evolving landscape for decades.

Terry Bryant

A dedicated community leader, Terry Bryant has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of residents on James Island. Through her advocacy and civic engagement, she emphasizes the importance of community involvement in shaping the island’s future.

Kenneth Ursin

A cherished educator with over 30 years of experience, Kenneth Ursin has taught in various Charleston schools and is known for his innovative teaching methods.

The event and the tour are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the Town’s website at jamesislandsc.us

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A science teacher at James Island Charter High School hopes you’ll help her provide her students with the tools to collect and analyze scientific data, specifically how sea level rise is changing our local environment.

Eve Kendrick believes her students could be the key to solving serious environmental problems in the Lowcountry.

“My students are very enthusiastic and passionate, and they’re full of life,” she says. “I want to capture and harvest that energy and maybe direct it toward some environmental stewardship through learning about different aspects of sea level rise in environmental science.”

Kendrick plans to encourage this stewardship through a real-world research project in the field looking into coastal freshwater streams. The project aims to document how sea level rise and saltwater moving further inland are transforming these freshwater environments.

“We’re going to be looking at insects, and using these insects as an indicator of how our streams are changing,” she says. “They’ll be able to process these samples on the streambed outside, and they’re really going to get a personal connection with these ecosystems that maybe wasn’t on their radar before as something really critical to monitor.”

Kendrick hopes to provide her students with the tools to carry out this monitoring through her project on Donors Choose is called "Too Salty! Sea Level Rise & Freshwater Environments."

She plans to buy nets, waders, sieves and other testing equipment to track how these delicate coastal environments are being affected.

“I’m going to partner with the Adopt-a-Stream organization in South Carolina, and so this data that my students will collect through my ‘Too Salty’ Donors Choose project, that’s actually going to go into a state database,” Kendrick says. “Scientists will be able to access it, and it’s going to allow my students to take ownership of the research that’s currently happening in our state.”

With your donation, you’ll be able to not only make an impact on students but also your local environment now and into the future, Kendrick says.

“We’re going to take all of our skills and take them outside so [my students] can actually get their hands dirty and wet and actually collect insects and process their own data,” she says. “I think that going outside and having a personal connection with the environment helps to encourage students to become lifelong learners. It also might encourage them to have some environmental stewardship as they move forward as adults and citizens in South Carolina.”

Kendrick also has a second Donors Choose project called "Interactive Biology and Data Analysis" that is designed to bring biology concepts to life through collaboration, realistic case studies and interactive labs. She plans to use basic resources funded through the project, including calculators and clipboards, to create a notebook documenting her students' problem-solving and analyses.

You can become a Live 5 Classroom Champion for these students by helping to fund these projects. All donations are tax-deductible. The Donors Choose organization collects the money, purchases the items and sends them to the teacher. That way you know your donation is used appropriately.

If you’re a teacher who would like their Donors Choose project featured on Classroom Champions, please email classchamp@live5news.com.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- The 2024 general election is quickly approaching, but South Carolina voters will not have to wait until Election Day to cast a ballot.

Governor Henry McMaster signed a law in May 2022 that replaces in-person absentee voting with an early in-person voting period for the two weeks leading up to election days.

Any registered voter, including those who will be 18 years old by the Nov. 5 general election, can cast a ballot during the early voting period without an excuse.

“Early voting provides a convenient and secure way for you to cast your ballot,” said Howie Knapp, the executive director of the South Carolina Election Commission. “Find an early voting center in your county, vote just like you would at your polling place on Election Day, and have your voice heard.”

Early voting for the 2024 election begins on Monday, October 21, and ends on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Interactive content by Flourish

Here’s what voters need to know:

The ballot will include seven candidates for president, according to officials:

An eighth candidate — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — was initially nominated by the South Carolina Alliance Party. However, party leaders withdrew him from the ballot in August after he suspended his presidential campaign.

Additionally, each of South Carolina’s seven U.S. House of Representatives seats is up for election.

All 170 seats in the South Carolina state legislature — 124 in the House and 46 in the Senate — are also up for grabs this year. Some are uncontested, however.

Some ballots will also include races for county sheriff, circuit solicitor, probate judge, coroner, school board, and other countywide and local races.

Voters can find out who is on the ballot where they live by obtaining a sample ballot from the South Carolina Election Commission.

South Carolina adopted new state legislative district maps in December 2021 following the 2020 U.S. Census. Some district lines were redrawn, new districts were created, and some districts were eliminated.

Voters can find out which district they live in on the South Carolina legislature’s website.

Each county in South Carolina is required to have at least one polling location open for early voting. Some larger counties may have multiple open locations while smaller counties may have just one early voting site.

Early voting centers are open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the early voting period. Early voting is not available on Sunday, Oct. 27.

Here are the early voting locations* in the Lowcountry, by county:

Beaufort County

Berkeley County

Charleston County

Colleton County

Dorchester County

Georgetown County

Orangeburg County

Williamsburg County

You can find the complete list of early voting locations in every South Carolina county here.

Editor’s Note: The list of early voting centers may be updated as additional information becomes available.

A valid photo ID is required to vote in South Carolina elections, including during the early voting period. Acceptable forms of identification include:

State law requires an individual to register to vote at least 30 days before an election.

The deadline to register for the 2024 election is Monday, Oct. 14.

There are several ways you can register to vote in South Carolina:

1 – South Carolinians can register online by visiting scvotes.gov before midnight on Oct. 14. You will need your South Carolina Driver’s License or DMV ID card.

2 – Download a voter registration form from scvotes.gov. Complete and return the form to your county voter registration office either by fax or email before midnight on Oct. 14, or by mail – but it must be postmarked by Oct. 14.

3 – Register in person at your county voter registration office. Remember: most offices close at 5 p.m. for in-office registration.

Voters can check their registration status by visiting scvotes.gov.

As Election Day nears, you can count on News 2 as your Local Election Headquarters to keep you up-to-date on the latest from the campaign trail.

When you load up the car with gas and press play on a new playlist, you're likely on your way to some outdoor excursion or small-town adventure. But here in South Carolina, our restaurants are good enough to warrant a day trip. That's why we're recommending a visit to Lost Isle in Johns Island, even if it means a few hours of driving time.

Just outside of Charleston, Johns Island is 84 square miles of land characterized by rivers, marshes, and abundant wildlife. Lost Isle blends seamlessly into this landscape, offering its visitors a hyperlocal Lowcountry experience.

Lost Isle is among the region's newest restaurants, and it's already made a name for itself after making The Restaurant List in The New York Times. It's tucked away behind a little white house. You'll follow a canopy of flora to a backyard garden, where you'll be seated under a beautiful canvas canopy complete with chandeliers. This outside-only dining space is perfect for a cozy meal under the stars, with the added benefit of seeing your food cooked just a few feet away.

Lost Isle is a "fire-to-table" restaurant, and local, seasonal ingredients are prepared over an open fire. Lead chef Josh Taylor grew up in Northern Georgia and incorporates familiar Lowcountry staples into his menu. And yet, it's the globally-inspired flavors that really make the plates shine.

The menu is divided into small plates, shareable sides, and mains, giving you a chance to share a handful of dishes with your group. Be sure to start off your meal with the whipped ricotta, served with charred tomato, herb oil, chili honey, and focaccia. Other popular orders include the curry braised collards and rire-roasted Georgia clams. The Harissa cauliflower steak is also highly recommended.

No matter what you order, be sure to pair your meal with something from the bar. There's an impressive list of house cocktails as well as beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Lost Isle on Johns Island? What were some of your favorite menu items? We'd love to learn all about your experiences there! For more information, including menus and hours, be sure to check out the Lost Isle Johns Island website. Lost Isle does not currently accept reservations, and they recommend arriving either early or late to secure a table. The restaurant is located at 3338 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC 29455.

Need a place to stay while you're exploring the area? Check out these unique vacation rentals in Johns Island, South Carolina.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The Mark Clark Extension Project has sparked conversation and debate among the Lowcountry for years, but an area less discussed in the plan would take away land from a county park.

The proposed extension on Interstate 526 would destroy 46.72 acres of the James Island County Park, including areas residents and visitors use. It would leave approximately 600 acres of the park would remain.

The Mark Clark Extension project would construct around 9.5 miles of new roadway starting from West Ashley through Johns and James Islands.

A large part of the I-526 project funding is dependent on the approval of a half-cent sales tax referendum that voters will see on the ballot next month.

If passed, the extension would take away James Island County Park’s current climbing wall, challenge, disc golf and archery courses, park headquarters building, public access to a creek, parts of the group camping area and over three acres of park wetlands.

“The James Island County Park is one of the gems of James Island,” Coastal Conservation League Communities and Transportation Project Manager Emma Berry says. “Those things will still be available with the construction of 526, but they will still be impacted. When you’re thinking about putting a four-lane interstate through part of the county park, even on the outskirts, we’re still going to have noise pollution and air pollution from that.”

Charleston Parks Director of Planning and Development Patty Newshutz says the recreation areas that would be taken away would simply be moved or replaced, except for the headquarters office and wetlands.

“We’ve known that there’s going to be some right-of-way acquisition since the inception and building of this original park; so we kind of stayed clear of that area and didn’t put any real major things into it,” Newshutz says. “We feel like the park will still look and feel the same. We’ve requested a very wide vegetative buffer between our remaining park land and the roadway. I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of visual impact.”

On top of the park’s land, the Mark Clark Extension Project would remove almost 40 acres of wetlands throughout Charleston County.

Residents would be taxed a half-cent sales tax for 25 years or until $5.4 billion is reached to be used towards road projects and improvements in the county with the top priority project being the extension of the Mark Clark Expressway.

“The viewshed is going to be impacted, and the things that are in that area of the county park are going to have to either move or just disappear completely,” Berry says. “In essence, it would be shrinking this amazing amount of green space that we have.”

Charleston County Council Vice Chairman Jenny Honeycutt says when discussing the James Island County Park losing land, it comes down to three important things: not having to relocate anyone by using the property, using a buffer area and connectivity.

“This is in the buffer area. This is not part of the park property that the public actually uses,” Honeycutt says. “So this part of the property, while it is part of the park, is really just the buffer, and it’s not going to impact park operations as much as I think people may think it will.”

The West Ashley Greenway, which would be a multi-use path for people to access, would also go through the park.

“One of the things that we feel is a benefit to us is that they will improve bicycle and pedestrian access for us,” Newshutz says. “There’s going to be all that included along the roadway, and then there’s going to be improvements that ripple down to our park.”

Despite varying opinions on the project, Charleston County residents will be voting on the half-cent sales tax referendum on Nov. 5.

Click here to read the ordinance and the ballot question.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.