Mattress storein James Island, SC

JAMES ISLAND (WCSC) – The Town of James Island will be requesting millions of dollars in state and federal grants to fund a project designed to make a local creek safer to swim.

Dave Schaeffer, the James Island Public Service District’s district manager, discussed the grants, which would allow over 200 properties near the creek to switch from septic tanks to water and sewer lines, during a meeting of the James Island Creek Task Force, Thursday afternoon.

“Right now, as what we’re seeking, there would not be out of pocket tap fees and connection fees, impact fees to the residents,” Schaeffer said.

The town said they will be requesting $6.4 million in federal and state funding to help make the project happen. In addition to the requested money, Schaeffer said the town will commit $1.8 million from American Rescue Plan funds that the town had received.

The James Island Creek Task Force consists of members from the City of Charleston, James Island and Charleston County.

Charleston Waterkeeper Executive Director Andrew Wunderley, who is part of the task force, said the group was formed in 2020 to find ways to clean up the creek and make it safe for swimming.

“Right now, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get this right with the American Rescue Act funding that’s coming to the state of South Carolina and is specifically earmarked for projects like this that are tied to public health and are tied to water and sewer upgrades,” Wunderley said.

Fred Schuh has lived alongside the James Island Creek for 20 years. He said he uses the creek regularly with his grandchildren and wants the septic tanks in the area removed to better the community’s health.

“It is concerning,” Schuh said. “Except for people who take an interest in testing it, we would not know there’s anything changed about it, but when there’s scientific studies done to show that there’s a problem, we need to pay attention to it.”

As a possible solution, Schuh also suggested that septic tanks should be inspected more frequently, so property owners could know when to repair their tanks.

However, for now, he said he supports the town requesting the funds to help solve the problem.

“If we could make the public aware of this and ask whatever funds possible be diverted to this extremely useful endeavor, I say I’m all for it,” Schuh said.

Schaeffer said during the meeting that he hopes the project gets funded when the money from the federal government begins being distributed in January or February.

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It’s difficult to snag a seat at popular King Street breakfast restaurant Millers All Day, which opened in Charleston in 2018. Starting Jan. 15, locals throughout the Charleston area will be able to order fried chicken biscuits, shrimp and grits, home fries and other Millers favorites from the eatery’s new food truck.

“We’ve had a lot of people come to the downtown location and ask us to help them in other markets (and) get Millers there,” said co-owner Nathan Thurston. “Putting a brick-and-mortar in different areas is very challenging but we thought that a food truck might be a great way to bring Millers to the people because they’ve asked for it quite a bit.”

The truck will be run by staff members who will eventually work at Millers All Day’s second location in the former Zia Taqueria space in the Terrace Plaza Shopping Center on James Island, Thurston said. After searching for four months, Thurston and Millers co-owner Greg Johnsman of Marsh Hen Mill on Edisto Island found a California-made truck in Minnesota equipped with the tools necessary for cooking breakfast on-the-go.

“Finding one that was right for us took some time,” Thurston said. “The outfit of the truck — the equipment, the layout — was actually a great fit for us.”

The food truck will make its debut 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 15-16 at Brewlab Charleston (2200 Heriot St.). The truck will serve Millers favorites like its biscuit cinnamon roll; pimento cheeseburger with bacon and pepper jam; bacon, egg and cheese sandwich; and shrimp and grits, a recent hit at Millers All Day.

“We decided to kind of offer our most popular items on the truck,” Thurston said.

The truck will also serve specialty items like lobster fries, a dish Thurston said is their variation on lobster poutine. Millers’ fan-favorite home fries — boiled then fried to create a crispy home fry that’s tender inside — are topped with bacon, Mornay sauce, lobster, scallions and a sunny egg.

“It’s a beautiful dish and people love it, so pretty excited to get that out there,” Thurston said.

The food truck will likely pop up at local breweries following its weekend at Brewlab. Thurston said breweries are a great place to “catapult the truck” by offering brunch at times when food is sometimes not available for folks sampling the area’s craft beer. The truck is also available for private events.

While plans for the truck were being finalized, construction for Millers All Day’s second location at 1956 Maybank Highway commenced in December. Thurston anticipates the renovation will take 10-12 weeks and hopes to open in April 2022.

For Millers All Day’s food truck location and times, follow the restaurant on Instagram or check Street Food Finder.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Jan. 13, 2022) –The Medical University of South Carolina Foundation has received a commitment of $1 million from the Town of Kiawah Island in support of MUSC Health’s Sea Islands Medical Pavilion.

“We are grateful to the Town of Kiawah for its major investment in our mission and their ongoing partnership to help us enable the right care, in the right place and at the right time,” said David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, MUSC president. “This donation will make a significant difference as we seek to improve the well-being of the Sea Islands community, expand access to appropriate care, and bolster connectivity to the state’s only comprehensive academic health system when patients require the most complex care.”

The donation has been designated for a healing, restful green space and garden immediately adjacent to the new facility. Construction on the Sea Islands project is expected to begin in early 2022 and conclude in fall 2023.

“The Town is proud to invest in MUSC's Sea Islands Medical Pavilion and excited about the emergent care services it will provide to Kiawah, Seabrook, Johns and Wadmalaw Islands, and the broader community,” said Town of Kiawah Mayor John D. Labriola. “Our geography has always been a challenge and concern. This new facility will make a crucial difference in life-threatening emergencies and provide the Sea Island communities with greater ease of mind. We are grateful to MUSC for their pursuit of this project, to Kiawah Partners for donating the land, and to the other community partners who have made this possible.”

During the next five years, double digit population growth is anticipated in the Sea Islands community. This growth, along with the islands' geographic isolation, demographics, and community health profiles, has created an urgent need for additional health care services in this part of the South Carolina Lowcountry.

The area also accommodates a large seasonal population of tourists, many of whom have trouble navigating local health care services.

To meet this growing need, MUSC Health is building a new medical facility on Johns Island in the immediate vicinity of Kiawah and Seabrook islands. The facility will provide residents and visitors alike with convenient and rapid access to MUSC Health’s emergency care services, select outpatient services, and some of the nation’s top providers in primary and specialty care.

“People living in this area have to travel 30 or 45 minutes to reach the nearest hospital, sometimes more depending on traffic. That’s a big problem for someone having a stroke or cardiac event,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., MUSC Health CEO and vice president for Health Affairs, University. “This new facility brings that care directly into the community. We’re extremely grateful to the Town of Kiawah and Kiawah Partners for helping to make that possible.”

The project was made possible in part by Kiawah Partners, which donated six acres of land to the Medical University Hospital Authority (MUSC Health), valued at $4.85 million. The project is estimated to cost $24 million. Of that amount, MUSC is working to raise $15 million in private support.

The 22,740-square-foot facility will be located at 1884 Seabrook Island Road, near Bohicket Marina. The ED will include four exam rooms, two trauma rooms, imaging and lab services and a helicopter pad. The medical office will offer primary and specialty care. A telemedicine network will connect the entire facility to MUSC Health providers in downtown Charleston for additional care and consultation, if needed.

In mid-June 2021, McMillan Pazdan Smith (MPS) was chosen to design the project. MPS is also one of two architectural firms working on designs for a new MUSC Health hospital in rural Williamsburg County.

Renderings of the Sea Islands medical pavilion are available upon request.

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About the MUSC Foundation

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Foundation was chartered in 1966 as a charitable educational foundation to support the education, research, patient care and other programs at the Medical University. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, contributions to which are tax-deductible.

Since its beginning, the MUSC Foundation has encouraged such worthwhile academic enterprises as endowed professorships; scholarships; the acquisition and development of campus facilities to serve student, teaching, research or clinical needs; and awards in honor of academic excellence. In addition, it has encouraged achievements in biomedical research.

The Foundation is governed by a 31-member board of directors. The president of the Medical University is an ex-officio, non-voting member of the board. Three members of the MUSC Board of Trustees also serve on the board. The remaining 27 at-large directors are not directly affiliated with the university. Five are alumni of MUSC. The foundation’s funds are invested and managed by professional money managers selected by the foundation’s Investment Committee. This committee uses a professional investment advisor to assist in evaluating its managers.

About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is home to the oldest medical school in the South as well as the state’s only integrated academic health sciences center, with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and nearly 800 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. MUSC brought in more than $327.6 million in biomedical research funds in fiscal year 2021, continuing to lead the state in obtaining federal and National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $220 million. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safe patient care while training generations of compassionate, competent health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Patient care is provided at 14 hospitals with approximately 2,500 beds and five additional hospital locations in development, more than 300 telehealth sites and nearly 750 care locations situated in the Lowcountry, Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate regions of South Carolina. In 2021, for the seventh consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $4.4 billion. The nearly 24,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care.

Charleston remains a popular destination, and the city’s expanding luxury hotel scene reflects that trend.

California-based Auberge Resorts Collection plans to debut its first planned luxury hotel in South Carolina come 2024 in the form of The Dunlin, located within the Kiawah River master-planned community on Johns Island.

In partnership with real estate developer The Beach Co. and private investment and management company McNair Interests, the project is set to have a January groundbreaking.

“The Dunlin will offer an unforgettable escape where guests can immerse themselves in the pristine natural setting of Johns Island and the culturally rich attractions of Charleston,” Auberge Chairman Dan Friedkin said in a statement.

The Dunlin property will include 72 cottage-style guest rooms and suites and 19 villas, as well as a main lodge and porch, great rooms and a library lounge. Amenities encompass a pool with cabanas, full-service spa, community farmstead, and access to the community’s Spring House riverfront swim and fitness facilities.

A riverfront restaurant with outdoor deck will also be available, as will two event spaces, including a 10,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor event hall.

“We are pleased to partner with Auberge Resorts Collection to create The Dunlin, which will be one of the most remarkable new resorts in the country,” Beach Co. CEO John Darby said. “Auberge has a terrific track record of creating the most unique hospitality experiences in the world, and this endeavor’s intimate setting will bring highly personalized service with a coastal experience inspired by the local environment.”

Built into the Kiawah River community, which puts emphasis in natural surrounding elements, The Dunlin will consist of 2,000 acres of land with 20 miles of riverfront nature trails and marshlands. Guests will be able to participate in nature excursions on the property, including fly fishing, crabbing and boating, as well as paddle boarding, hiking and biking.

Architect Robert Glazier was chosen to design the resort, and Amanda Lindroth of Lindroth Design will lead the interior design of the property.

Construction financing was provided by United Bank’s Charleston offices.

Auberge Resorts Collection has 22 other hotels and resorts across the globe, recently winning accolades from Travel & Leisure’s 2021 World’s Best and Conde Nast’s 2021 Readers’ Choice awards.

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Back in November, we asked readers who had left the city why they returned to Charleston. We love these stories of locals at heart who knew they wanted to make their way back to the Holy City. We’re lucky to live here, and happy to welcome them home. “I was born in Charleston and lived here until I was 22. In order for my husband to complete his studies at Emory graduate school, we moved to Atlanta, Georgia. After fifty years, I moved back to Charleston because it will be my home always. The smell of marsh gas, the mosquitos, the humidity and anything else that tried to keep me away failed to do so.” —Reader Teresa R. “I left due to a divorce and had 2 small children and returned to my home state so family could help with child care. I really did not want to leave and knew that I would return. Reason, quality of life! You can have culture and the beach in a very unique setting! I fell in love with Charleston, it is my happy place! So happy to be back!” —Reader Linda N.

“I moved here after college to live with CofC grads. I was here for 2 years and left to get a tech job closer to family. After two years, and the ability to work remotely — I couldn’t pass up the weather and the ease of travel to get back home. The weather in the north is brutal. Also, the cost of living compared to Boston was a big pull!” —Reader Shane W.“Retired in Charleston 1985. Went to Atlanta for new challenges. Retired again, and one more time! Moved back to Charleston in 2019. My 15 family members live here! Love them!” —Reader Ken B. “Growing up a military brat, my dad retired in Myrtle Beach where I graduated Socastee HS, graduated Horry G-Town Tech College and… joined the Coast Guard! Ironically I was assigned to Charleston, SC, in January 1990 in the aftermath of Charleston’s infamous visitor, Hurricane Hugo. I was here in CHS from 1900 to 1993 and I enjoyed it very much. (I lived in West Ashley, N. Charleston & Mt Pleasant.)

Nearly 33 years later, having been to 53 countries, lived in NC, CA, HI, USVI, TX, VA… temporarily staying in many more cities/states, Charleston is where I decided to return to and retire in 2012. Now, I’m not going to lie… it was #3 on my list: first was Maui (became very difficult logistically), next was San Diego (became way too unfriendly on a retirement income […] so here I am.

I loved almost everything about Charleston (particularly James Island). Minus the bugs and humidity it’s a first class city to live in. Now I am quite literally sick over the number of apartments and condos being built in the Charleston Metro area and could not even imagine what has become of Summerville and John’s Island. But here my wife and I will stay, come what may. All in all I still love living here, despite the growth which this city’s infrastructure will not be able to sustain.

We enjoy the delicious food, history, culture, weather, cost of living, arts, festivals, city sports teams ie; Rays, Riverdogs, Battery and proximity to the coast. City/state taxes are not excessive and costs for government services are fair. It’s a relatively clean and safe city compared to others similar in size and population. So thanks for asking… interesting to see how the city will grow in the future.” —Readers Scott + Kim M.