Pressure Washing in 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.

The tri-county library systems are working to help improve literacy levels for children before they start kindergarten.

The 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program started in the Lowcountry in 2021 and was adopted based on other United Way programs around the country, according to Devon Wade, content and communications manager at Trident United Way.

A partnership between Trident United Way, Charleston County Public Library, Berkeley County Library System and Dorchester County Library, the program was started to address early childhood literacy skills from birth to kindergarten, Wade said. The program is run mostly by the library systems, with support from Trident United Way.

Cassie Welch, children’s system coordinator at Charleston County Public Library, oversees the program for the organization. Her role is to promote the program to all library patrons and the Charleston County community.

She said the program has shown to improve school readiness and prepare children for kindergarten by helping them learn vocabulary, social and emotional skills.

Welch added that it also helps kids bond with their parents and build a strong relationship.

“One little boy just recently completed the program,” Welch said. “They would check out a wagon full of books every time they would come to the library to participate in our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program.”

Over the summer, 82 percent of their registered readers signed up for the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, which is a little over 1,700 kids in the program, she said.

Children get rewards for different milestones, Welch said. Once a child logs 100 books, she gets a milestone sticker. Welch said other prizes include toys, chalk or bubbles. When a kid reaches 1,000 books, he gets a certificate that says he completed the program, as well as a tote bag and a free book to encourage more reading.

Welch said all branches of the county’s library system have reader walls of fame for the program, and the kids love to see their name displayed and watch as it moves up with different milestones.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — For over a decade, Mayor Bill Woolsey has served over James Island. But on Nov. 7, a new leader will take over.

There are three candidates hoping to take his place.

Candidate Josh Stokes is not new to the political arena after serving on town council for five years. Stokes said he deserves to be the next mayor due to the experience and public service he can bring to the town.

James Island Mayor position open after over a decade; 3 candidates hoping to fill the seat. (WCIV)

"My experience overall, that’s my experience in my daily life as an attorney," Stokes said. "And I work on very complex issues for people when I’m addressing it for them and finding the right solution and not the easy solution is something I do on a daily basis."

Stokes said if elected, he will focus on development, infrastructure, and flooding.

"Development is one of those, infrastructure related to not just access on the road but pedestrians sidewalk access," Stokes said about the issues he will push for if elected. "Drainage and flooding related to storm water flooding. Those are major issues which we can make a big impact on but if we gotta do that, we need to address them on a daily basis, it cant be reactive in trying to do things, we have to be proactive."

Candidate Brook Lyon has never run for a political office before, but she hopes her love and passion for the Town of James Island will win voters over on Nov. 7. Lyon said she is not new to working hard for the community.

"I’m a hard worker, I’m retired, I have time and the energy and the love for the people and the love for the island," Lyon said. "I’m not a politician, what is a politician? Not me. I’ve never run for public office before and I don’t plan to run for another one. I just want to serve the people, I’m a business woman and a community leader and a community advocate and I’m for the people."

Lyon said if elected, she will bring her work ethic and business skills to the office. Lyon will focus on preserving the beauty of the island.

"We definitely need to prioritize our environment and preserve our natural resources," Lyon said as she reflected on her major issues she will focus on if elected. "We also need to improve drainage and flooding. We need to enforce our current rules and regulations and tweak some to make things better. I do believe government is for the people, we need to be more responsive and more transparent."

Candidate Gresham Meggett III believes he should be the next Mayor of James Island because he knows the town inside and out due his family having roots in the town.

"I’m a eighth generation Charlestonian here and I grew up on James Island and my whole family grew up on James Island for generations and basically James Islanders just want to be heard," said Gresham Meggett III who is running to be the Mayor of James Island. "We need to focus on the people that already live here and quick worrying about this development, we don’t need any more development on James Island until the people who live here are taken care of."

Meggett said if elected, he will focus on the older residents of James Island and make sure their voices are being heard.

"Our ditches are not being dug out and so our neighborhoods are flooded, especially with all this new building going on," said Meggett as he thought about the policies he would focus on if elected. "I think we need to address the ditches and I’m a big proponent of individual property rights so zoning is a big thing for me, I don’t think some of the zoning is appropriate for James Island."

Early voting ends Friday, Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. Polls open on Election Day, Nov. 7, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. More info on your polling location can be found on the SC Votes website.

JAMES ISLAND — Danielle didn’t recognize her human at first. But a few sniffs told the rescue dog it was Jenn Drummond in the sterile hospital bed.

The 34-year-old dog-lover hasn’t been home since June 21 when she was found in the middle of Woodland Shores Road just steps from her driveway. It is still unclear how she suffered blunt force trauma and a puncture wound to the back of her head that fractured her skull and several vertebrae.

On June 27, Drummond opened her eyes briefly for the first time, according to her uncle, Chris Drummond. Since then, she’s emerged from a coma but her cognitive functions remain limited. She has some movement in her arms but cannot yet speak.

Her family arranged with hospital staff to have one of Drummond’s beloved pups visit her on July 3. The spark of recognition between both Drummond and Danielle was another hopeful sign of progress, her family and friends shared at a press conference July 6.

A photo showed Danielle nestled on the hospital bed, her head resting on Drummond’s stomach. A friend is caring for Drummond’s fur babies while she’s in the hospital, and others have stepped in to help with the dog-walking business Drummond started four years ago. A GoFundMe page as raised more than $60,000 to help with her medical bills and recovery.

Doctors haven’t given the family a prognosis “other than it will be long,” Chris Drummond told members of the media.

While most of the family’s focus has been on Drummond’s recovery, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office is working to find out what happened to her.

The department released surveillance footage of three blurry vehicles that travelled along Woodland Shores Road on June 21 before Drummond was found in the roadway around 5:40 a.m.

The tri-county library systems are working to help improve literacy levels for children before they start kindergarten.

The 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program started in the Lowcountry in 2021 and was adopted based on other United Way programs around the country, according to Devon Wade, content and communications manager at Trident United Way.

A partnership between Trident United Way, Charleston County Public Library, Berkeley County Library System and Dorchester County Library, the program was started to address early childhood literacy skills from birth to kindergarten, Wade said. The program is run mostly by the library systems, with support from Trident United Way.

Cassie Welch, children’s system coordinator at Charleston County Public Library, oversees the program for the organization. Her role is to promote the program to all library patrons and the Charleston County community.

She said the program has shown to improve school readiness and prepare children for kindergarten by helping them learn vocabulary, social and emotional skills.

Welch added that it also helps kids bond with their parents and build a strong relationship.

“One little boy just recently completed the program,” Welch said. “They would check out a wagon full of books every time they would come to the library to participate in our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program.”

Over the summer, 82 percent of their registered readers signed up for the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, which is a little over 1,700 kids in the program, she said.

Children get rewards for different milestones, Welch said. Once a child logs 100 books, she gets a milestone sticker. Welch said other prizes include toys, chalk or bubbles. When a kid reaches 1,000 books, he gets a certificate that says he completed the program, as well as a tote bag and a free book to encourage more reading.

Welch said all branches of the county’s library system have reader walls of fame for the program, and the kids love to see their name displayed and watch as it moves up with different milestones.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD)- It has been 35 days since Jennifer Drummond was found severely injured along a James Island road.

Friends and family are still searching for answers in what is believed to be a hit-and-run.

The family, joined by their attorney, held a press conference Wednesday morning with new details they hope will bring them closer to finding the person responsible.

The Drumond family, fatigued, after over a month of not knowing exactly what happened to Jenn.

“We don’t sleep at night, wondering if someone texted with a lead,” Jenn’s uncle, Chris Drummond said.

However, they’re not letting up.

Drummond said, “You just can’t hit somebody in the roadway and drive off, and someone not know something.”

Searching everywhere they know of for answers to what is believed to be a hit-and-run.

In a press conference Wednesday morning, their attorney Scott Bischoff, gave new information on her movements that morning.

“Based on information on Jenn’s phone, her step count that was also connected to her apple watch, we believe that she left her house around 5:17 and her step count stops at 5:18, just before 5:19,” Bischoff said.

According to surveillance video there were three cars that drove down Woodland Shores Road around the time of the incident, but new video shows the car believed to be the one that hit Jenn.

“We believe the primary suspect vehicle is vehicle number 3, that appears to be a relatively modern SUV with a sunroof and 5 lights,” Bischoff said.

As far as Jenn’s condition, family members say she is making progress.

They say she got up and walked yesterday, but she’s still very slow to answer questions and there’s still a long way to go.

At this point they’re just doing whatever they can to bring justice to Jenn.

“On top of a really awful injury that she suffered, our mind is also thinking who did this, when will answers surface, will answers surface. It’s something that weighs on our mind constantly,” Jenn’s best friend, Audrey Marhoefer said.

There is a $10,000 reward for information about the incident of you have any information about this incident, call the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.

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.

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