Island Connection - October 16, 2009

PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID CHARLESTON SC PERMIT NO 437

Volume 3 Issue 13

October 16, 2009

FREE

Welcoming autumn on the islands

The painting James Island Dog Park, by pet artist Kevin Rockwell, was a raffle item at Dogtoberfest.

Kinsey Devine, 3, paints her own pumpkin at the Freshfields Fall Festival on October 3.

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n Charleston there’s no better time to hold an outdoor party than the first few weeks of fall, when the weather is as crisp as a fresh apple and the mosquitoes have more or less disappeared until the next warm spell. This past October 3 welcomed several events to the Johns Island area. Legare Farms celebrated the opening of their annual Maze (which, due to an exceptionally rainy season, was made with wax myrtle instead of corn this year) and Pumpkin Patch, which will run Fridays (3pm - 10pm), Saturdays (10am - 10pm) and Sundays (1pm - 6pm) until October 31; Night Heron Park on Kiawah Island celebrated Dogtoberfest with live music, dog rescue societies, local pet supply stores including All is Well and Hairy Winston, and pet artist Kevin Rockwell, Fall Festivals continued on page 12

I n s id e

page 7 Tennis tournament

t h e

I sl a nd

Con nection. . .

page 14 fishing report

page 14 convenience store

Kiawah Island Council – October 6, 2009

Before the official meeting of the Town Council, a public hearing was held for Ordinance 2009-09: Amendments to the 2009/2010 Budget. As there were no comments, the public hearing was closed. Proclamation of National American Indian Heritage Month Mayor Wert announced that, at the behest of the Daughters of the American Revolution and their representative Brenda Larson, the month of November has been proclaimed as National American Indian Heritage Month. Wert explained that President George Bush Sr. designated November as National American Indian Heritage Month in 1990 as an expansion on Native

The Island Connection Lynn Pierotti Publisher [email protected] Kristin Hackler Managing Editor [email protected] Swan Richards Graphic Designer [email protected] Ali Akhyari Assistant Editor [email protected] Lori Dixon Account Executive [email protected] Chelsea Langan Advertising [email protected] Interns Dylan Sharek Paul Robinson Contributors Capt Geoff Bennett Charleston Chamber of Commerce Norman Khoury Christa Lewis Richard Hricik Dr.James T. Sears Published by Lucky Dog Publishing of South Carolina, LLC P.O. Box 837 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 843-886-NEWS Future deadlines: October 21 for submissions.

Op-Ed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Lucky Dog News or its writers.

Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC Publishers of Island Eye News, The Island Connection and The Folly Current.

American Awareness Week, which began in 1976. Ordinance 2009-09: Amendments to Budget The second reading of Ordinance 200909 was approved unanimously. The amendments included a $3,000 increase to Vehicle Repairs, a $91,000 increase to Solid Waste Disposal in order to add the Regimes to Solid Waste Services, a $25,000 increase to the Contingency Funds to replace the amount used for recycling containers, and a $10,000 increase to Beach Patrol as the Town required a change of contractors midyear.

Ordinance 2009-07: Amendments to Health and Sanitation The second reading of Ordinance 200907, the original recycling Ordinance, was held as it had been tabled at the last Town Council meeting. “Because the Ordinance was amended drastically, we still have to do something with this old Ordinance,” explained Mayor Wert. The Ordinance was voted down unanimously. Ordinance 2009-10: (New) Amendments to Health and Sanitation The first reading of the new recycling amendment was approved unanimously and the public hearing for it will be held on November 3 at 1:30pm before the next Council meeting. Councilman McHugh summarized the changes to the current policy as follows: 1) All dwelling units will participate in the Town’s solid waste disposal system. However, Regimes and Homeowners Associations will not participate in yard debris collection; 2) The Town’s subsidy for solid waste collection will be extended to all property owners; 3) Regimes can choose from one of three options to participate in recycling: a) Use the centralized location at Sora Rail or the Town Center; b) use centralized collection sites on their property, or c) where feasible, use of Town-provided recycling containers at each dwelling unit. “There is a sense of ‘let me see how this thing works’,” said McHugh as he

discussed the process with which he and representatives of the island’s Regimes and HOAs came to the changes listed above, “So if we can get some winners with central recycling bins on their properties, that would help.” He also noted that another central recycling center on the island would be a great help. “I think we’ve gotten partway there,” said the Mayor, “but this is a compromise and good legislation is a compromise. I give Harry [McHugh], the HOAs and the Regimes a lot of good will for trying to make this happen and we’ll continue to try to make it better.” Presentation of Audit Treasurer Ken Gunnells reported that the Town received an unqualified opinion, or “clean” opinion, for the their 2008/09 audit performed by Webster Rogers and Company. “There were no issues during the audit and if it’s not done right on time, it will be done a little early,” Gunnells reported. “We did as well as we’ve done in past years and the audit will be posted on the web,” he noted. Mayor Wert thanked Gunnells, pointing out that he continues to state that the audit is a positive reflection of both his [Gunnells] and Tumiko’s [Rucker] hard work. “It’s a credit to your good management,” he said to Gunnells, smiling. GFOA awards of excellence Town Administrator Tumiko Rucker reported that the Town’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) qualified for a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), as well as the Town’s Popular Annual Financial Report, which qualified for a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. Treasurer Ken Gunnells graciously accepted the GFOA award for excellent financial planning and reporting from Rucker. Kiawah Island Parkway landscaping “Most of you saw the note on the KICA webpage,” said Mayor Wert,

“but people are still trying to ride on the new bikeway - past the barriers and signs telling them not to - which once again proves that you can’t legislate stupidity.” Councilman Orban reported that landscaping bids were accepted between September 8 and September 16 and the Town received three bids: from The Greenery of Charleston ($509,568.52), Three Oaks Contractors ($611,385.50) and Sustainable Resources Group ($689,893.22). The Ways and Means Committee reviewed the bids and approved the awarding of the contract to The Greenery of Charleston in an amount not to exceed $550,000. The contract award was approved unanimously. Parkway Project change orders: old storm water drain Councilman Orban reported that during the construction of the bike path, an old storm water drain was discovered that extends from Freshfields Village to Brickyard Creek. The 24 inch drain, which extends 1300 feet, is in such disrepair that it will need to be replaced. At the same time, it was found that the current Kiawah Island Parkway will need to be cut in four locations to allow for irrigation pipes and electrical wiring and this should be done before the Parkway is repaved. Orban stated that because of these items, the Town needs to authorize the selection of a contractor and negotiate a contract, not to exceed $275,000, to both replace the storm water drain and perform the four open cuts into the Parkway. “We may be able to use Gulfstream [contractors] who are already working on the Parkway, but if their price is unfair we will go out for bids,” said Orban. Both requests were previously approved by Ways and Means. Councilman Lipuma noted that they had discussed filling the old drain with sand and cement, but found it would be too expensive. “On the positive side, we’re still under budget,” said Orban. “The original estimate was for $4.5 million and the total cost right now is between $2.5 KI Council continued on page 6

Civic Calendar Monday, October 19 Kiawah Island Board of Zoning Appeals 4pm - 5pm Town Hall Council Chambers

Tuesday, October 20

Town Hall - 2nd Floor Conference Rm

Tuesday, November 3 Kiawah Island Town Council 2pm - 4pm Town Hall Council Chambers

Kiawah Island Public Safety Committee Meeting 3pm – 5pm Town Hall – 2nd Floor Conference Room

Kiawah Island Ways and Means Committee meeting 8am Kiawah Island Municipal Center’s 2nd Floor Conference Room

Tuesday, October 27

Wednesday, November 4

Seabrook Island Town Council All Town Council meetings will be held at 2:30pm at the Town Hall unless noted otherwise on the Town bulletin board.

Monday, November 2 Kiawah Island Environmental Committee 3pm - 5pm

Kiawah Island Planning Commission 3pm - 5pm Town Hall Council Chambers Seabrook Island Planning Commission – work session All Planning Commission meetings will be held at 2:30pm at the Town Hall unless noted otherwise on the Town bulletin board.

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K iawah Island Town H all 21 Beachwalker Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Phone: 768-9166 Fax: 768-4764 Email: [email protected] Seabrook Island Town H all 2001 Seabrook Island Road Seabrook Island, SC 29455 Phone: 768-9121 Fax: 768-9830 Email: [email protected] Johns Island Council Meetings are held at the Berkeley Electric Co-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, John’s Island. Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113 Charleston County Council 4045 Bridge View Dr, N Charleston (843) 958-4700 City of Charleston 75 Calhoun St. (843) 724-3745

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October 16, 2009

Johns Island Council meeting – October 2, 2009 Political question and answer sessions Chairman Chris Cannon reported that County Councilman Tim Mallard is interested in doing a question and answer during the November meeting of the Johns Island Council. Cannon has been working with City and County Council members, encouraging them to come to the Council meetings and participate in general question and answer sessions with Johns Island Council members and residents. Cannon is currently attempting to secure a visit from State Representatives Stravinakis and Brown since they will be returning to Columbia soon. Treasurer’s report Treasurer Sam Brownlee reported that there had been no expenses for the month of September. The remaining balance is $670.31 CHATS Brownlee reported that the CHATS Committee did not discuss anything that really pertained to Johns Island at the last meeting, except to note that the BCDCOG has commissioned CHATS to do a complete Johns Island traffic study in light of the Greenway/widening of Main and Bohicket roads proposals. Johns Island zoning appeals Chairman Cannon reported on a handful of planning/zoning issues which

came before Charleston County this past month. County Council approved the request for resource extraction at 2953 Plowground Road with conditions, and two variances for tree removal in a utility easement which were denied in August were brought up again as the Utility company has applied for a new approach which involves placing the lines under the roots of the trees with minimum disturbance. The trees in question are listed as a double grand live oak and a double grand magnolia. Finally, Cannon noted that the PUD at the corner of Betsy Kerrison and River Road has requested a variance to allow for a mechanical repair business. “There hasn’t been so much as a new subdivision or rezoning on Johns Island,” Cannon commented. “There’s just nothing going on. I’m waiting for the onslaught.” Wadmalaw report Gary Marino, representative for the Wadmalaw Island Council, reported that Berkeley Electric is removing an antiquated sub-station on the island and replacing it. However, the transformers for the new sub-station carry a significantly higher amount of energy, making it necessary to replace the wooden electrical poles on the island with metal ones. This created such uproar on the island, however, that the power company is looking into the possibility of running the new lines underground.

Water Company meeting Councilman Brownlee noted that the St. Johns Water Company annual meeting will be Monday, November 2, and they will be electing board members. “We’re really hoping there will be some competition, but if not, then we won’t have an election, which will save us a bunch of money.” Brownlee pointed out that when he started with the Water Company, he found several ways to reduce extravagant bills with some basic common sense. Old Business Chairman Cannon pointed out that Councilman Rich Thomas had previously suggested that he would like to head the Council’s Transportation Committee. “I would like to nominate people to that committee and, if we’re going to do this, figure out how we are going to make our resolutions,” said Cannon. “No need to decide now, but I’d ask [Secretary] John Kozma to go through the by-laws and find out how it’s been handled in the past.” Cannon further noted that the Council needs to have this Committee in order to come up with concrete proposals instead of “sitting around and discussing the same things over and over again”. Along those same lines, Cannon also noted that the Council needs to send a letter to the County Council, noting how

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several of the intersection improvements which have been proposed for Johns Island are a waste of time. “I have a copy of those proposals and would like to write a letter about what we support and what we don’t support,” said Cannon. A cyclist’s victory “Remember that Rich Thomas made history today in South Carolina,” said Councilman Thomas, “by successfully prosecuting the first person under the Bike Law.” Thomas reported that, following his traffic accident wherein a truck sideswiped him while he was riding his bike down River Road, he was able to get the driver charged under the South Caorlina Bike Law. “He was ticketed for improper passing since the officer was unaware of the Bike Law,” said Thomas. “But, the Bike Law says you can’t come too close to a cyclist and if you violate that and cause an injury, it’s a punishable offense. There were other law violations we could have brought up, but it would have required going before a jury.” The driver of the van pled guilty to the charge of passing too closely and causing injury and was fined $100. According to Thomas, this is the first time since the passing of the Bike Law in 2008 that someone was prosecuted under it. The next meeting of the Johns Island Council will be held at Berkeley Electric Co-Op, 3351 Maybank Highway, at 7pm on Thursday, November 5.

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October 16, 2009

Sullivan’s Islanders to sponsor island management talk Provided by Norman Khoury

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s the town of Sullivan’s Island considers changing the current land management plan for the town’s 90+ acres of front beach land that is protected by the agreement with the Lowcountry Open Land Trust, The Sullivan’s Islanders group has identified several east coast barrier islands that have developed successful land management plans.  Speakers from these communities have been invited to participate in a series of “Best Practice” lectures to be held over the next twelve months to educate all interested island residents on the most

successful and best practices used to manage the natural environment of these barrier islands and  to enhance residential property values. The first speaker in this series is Dave Achey, the Director of Land Management for the Kiawah Island Community Association.  The Kiawah Island Community Association (KICA) is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1976 through a formal declaration by the island’s original developer.  It governs and manages the business and property that contribute to the overall ambience and property values of Kiawah Island.  KICA maintains millions of dollars worth of landscaping, leisure trails and other infrastructure.  These facilities are owned

Building sustainable communities

Transportation Sub-committee; Renee Patey, member,  Recycling and Waste Management Sub-committee; and Jenny Bloom, Chairman, Education Sub-committee

Kurt Taylor, Charleston County Deputy Administrator, will provide an update on a number of major road projects that are either underway or about to begin, and that are being funded through Charleston County’s half cent sales tax program, which was passed in 2004 to fund road improvements, public transportation and greenspace plans. The Growth Forum will also discuss the re-launch of the Chamber’s Sustainable Growth Ethic by the Chamber’s Regional Advancement Division. In 2004, the Developers Council developed a Growth Ethic which the Chamber’s Board of Directors unanimously adopted. Learn about this new effort and how to get involved. The Developers Council Growth Forum will be held Tuesday, October 20, from 2 – 5pm at the Charleston Marriott Hotel, 170 Lockwood Blvd. Reception to follow. The cost is $60 non-member, $45 Chamber member. To register visit www. charlestonchamber.net.

If you would like more information about our organization, please contact Karen Coste at cscharlotte@ bellsouth.net or Larry Middaugh at larry.middaugh@ gmail.com

Trees for Humanity

Provided by Charleston Chamber of Commerce The Charleston Metro Chamber’s Developers Council presents its Annual Growth Forum focusing on building sustainable communities and issues of sustained and balanced growth in our region, Tuesday, October 20, from 2 – 5pm at the Charleston Marriott. The City of Charleston’s Green Committee (CGC) has involved hundreds of people on a variety of issues including land use, transportation and building design. CGC members will give an in-depth update on plans in which they are advising the City of Charleston on the creation of a local action plan for climate protection and sustainability. The recommendations will be presented to the City Council in late October and all will have some impact on development and construction in the City of Charleston, whether they lead to new building and zoning requirements or new permitting processes. Speakers include: James Meadors, Chairman, City Green Committee; Dennis Knight, Liollio Architecture, Chairman, Buildings Sub-committee; Elizabeth Hagood, Chairman, Land Use and Planning; Jennifer Humphreys, Wilbur Smith Associates, Chairman,

in common by all KICA members, and help to enrich life on the barrier island.  KICA upholds the covenants and enforces the rules and regulations that help conserve the natural green spaces and preserve property values for the properties managed by KICA. All of the talks  will be free and open to the public. Please join us on Monday October 26, at 6:30pm at the Fort Moultrie Visitor’s Auditorium for the first in what we hope will be a series of learning experiences for all Islanders.

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By Christa Lewis

n October 24, people in 128 countries will come together to reduce their carbon footprints through events such as the local Trees for Humanity project hosted by Sea Island and East Cooper Habitat for Humanity. Sea Island Habitat is hosting a tree planting from 9am to 12pm at Brownswood Place. The planting will include the installation of 33 mature live oaks, the planting of 30+ oak seedlings, and interactive educational activities for youth and adults. East Cooper Habitat is conducting a planting of six mature native trees at the same time in their McAdams Court site. E’s Trees (myestrees.org) is a national organization that plants native hardwood trees in communities to provide shade, habitat, and reduce carbon in the atmosphere. B&L Landscaping will professionally plant the 33 live oaks and Carolina Hydrologic will donate RootGel to reduce irrigation needs for the Sea Island

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Habitat site. The day of international action is part of the 350.org movement created by Bill McKibben to increase awareness about climate change. “If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed, and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to, at most, 350 ppm,” said Dr. James Hansen. There are more than 1,602 events planned around the world, with three events in Charleston. Other events include “350 Trees” as well as the “350 Modes of Non-petroleum Based Transportation”. Visit 350.org for more information. Volunteers are still needed to assist homeowners and children in the planting of trees as well as leading educational activities for the Sea Island Event. For more information, please contact the Sea Island office at 768-0998 or the East Cooper office at 881-2600.

October 16, 2009

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A hopeful turnaround for island real estate

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James T. Sears, PhD

ased on my analysis of third quarter sales conducted through the Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the islands’ real estate markets may have begun the much-anticipated turnaround. There has been an overall upswing in home buying on the islands since the beginning of this year, most notably in this most recent quarter (July-September). A snapshot of current market conditions is displayed in Table 1 which shows the number of active homes (single family, condos, villas, townhouses) as of the beginning of October and their median list price (LP). The Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island continue to be the most expensive communities (with a median price of over $1 million), while Seabrook and Edisto are the least costly. All, however, are well above Charleston County’s median price of $375k. Among homes sold during the third quarter, Edisto had the lowest median sales price (SP) at $345k, but the lowest price per square foot was at Folly Beach ($234). Properties sold more quickly on Sullivan’s Island and Kiawah (which typically lists only a small percentage of homes available on the MLS), averaging 190 and 176 Days on the Market (DOM), respectively. In comparison, in all of Charleston County, the median sales price was $230k with an average of $141 per square foot and 134 DOM. Table 1 also shows the change in number of properties sold between the second and third quarters of this year. With the exception of Sullivan’s Island (which will be explained momentarily), every community recorded double digit increases in properties sold. These changes are significant given that Charleston County experienced just a 5 percent increase in the volume of home sales between these two quarters.

Rather than looking at the absolute number of homes sold, we can fairly compare across communities by calculating monthly home sales relative to those on the market. This home sales to inventory ratio for each island community is depicted in Figure 1. A 2.7% ratio, which Isle of Palms had in the third quarter of this year, is based on the average of 12.6 homes sold each month during the quarter (n=38) divided by the

average number of active homes on the market each month (n=447). During the peak of the seller’s market (3Q 05) on Seabrook Island, the Home Sales Inventory Ratio was 20.5%. That is, one-fifth of the homes on the market in any given month sold. In contrast, at the bottom of the Seabrook market--the first quarter of this year (1Q 09)—the ratio was 1.5%. In a market relatively balanced between seller and buyer, the ratio would be in the 10-15 percent range. Averaging across these five most recent quarters, the highest ratio was just 2.9% (Sullivan’s) followed by Edisto (2.4%) and Seabrook (2.1%). Kiawah, averaging 1.6% was the lowest. As shown in Figure 1, the trough occurred in the fourth quarter of 2008 and into the first quarter of this year at the time of the most severe economic crisis. Since then, home sales have steadily increased in every community, with the exception of Sullivan’s Island. Here, its 5% ratio in the second quarter lessened during this quarter becoming Reals Estate continued on page 9

KI Council from page 2 and $3 million.” The Council approved the authorization and expenditure unanimously. Beach Patrol contract “I know you’re thinking ‘Gee, we just did this’, and we did,” said Mayor Wert. “But the company we hired, A Services Group, has not performed properly or to contract.” The Town has given A Services until October 23, at which point their contact will be terminated as per the conditions in the contact, and will be replaced by Island Beach Services at a cost of $218,360/year; $8,081.01 more than what was budgeted with A Services. Island Beach Services will have the same three year contract as A Services, with the same conditions stating that the contract may be terminated with 30 days notice. The contract was approved unanimously. Edward R. Dittmeier appointed to Planning Commission The Mayor asked for an approval for island resident Edward R. Dittmeier to replace Joyce Newman on the Planning Commission for a term to expire in June 2012. The motion was approved unanimously. Arts Council report Councilman Lipuma reported that the Arts season is off to a great start with its premiere performance by the Fred Moyer Jazz Arts Trio. More than 200 people attended and the band performed a great selection of material. Lipuma also noted several upcoming events, including the Piano Bar series at the Sandcastle (Wednesdays from 5 - 6pm with the last performance on October 21) and Duda Lucena, who performed at Turtle Point on October 8. Keeping the Bike Path clear Councilman Orban noted that the bike path should be open for public use later in the fall, pointing out that they still have major landscaping to finish, as well as grading the slopes and installing handrails and guardrails. “We need to keep people off the path until it’s done,” said Orban. “There are trucks still working on the path and they need the space, so just cooperate for another couple of months and we’ll all be happy with the final results,” he said with a smile. Recycling and the environment “I just can’t get away from garbage,” laughed Councilman McHugh. “We’ve had some very involved meetings and we’ve put a heck of a lot of time into this [Ordinance 2009-10], so I would be remiss if I didn’t note the hard work of Tumiko [Rucker] and Rusty [Lameo].” He also noted under the Environment report,that Town Biologist Jim Jordan has a group of students with him this fall for an environmental education class. “It’s good exposure that they normally wouldn’t get,” said McHugh. External Affairs Councilman Burnaford pointed out that the Kiawah Town Notes recently ran a story explaining the proposed Johns Island Greenway and that the County Council is now “putting some facts on sheets” for the path the Greenway would take, the construction and the costs. He hopes that the studies will be completed by the Christmas holidays.

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Public discussions on the road will be determined by the County Council. “Something that people may have missed is that [County Councilman] Vic Rawl suggested looking into the widening of Main Road and Bohicket Road as an alternative,” said Burnaford. “[The Greenway] has a lot of momentum behind it and making Bohicket, River and Main all safer with turn lanes is needed no matter what.” Finally, Burnaford noted that we have made it three-fourths of the way through hurricane season, “But October and November can still be active, so don’t let your guard down.” Town Administrator’s report Town Administrator Tumiko Rucker reported on several items, starting with the Kiawah Island Parkway Project. The Town has submitted a request for the $250,000 reimbursement from Charleston County for the FY2008 Transportation Sales Tax grant. The Town has also received notification of a $50,000 grant from the Charleston County Transportation Committee. In the Recycling Program, 378 35-gallon recycling containers were distributed to Homeowners Associations and to 30 single family residents and collection began on September 28. Ten of the 26 HOAs/Regimes are using onsite containers to participate in the recycling program. The Town has also been awarded 38 trees from Palmetto Pride; a combination of Leyland Cypress, River Birch and Wax Myrtles. The trees will be used in future landscaping around the island. Finally, Rucker will be representing the Association of Public Treasurers of the US and Canada during the Municipal Finance Officers Clerks Treasurers Association meeting to discuss the Annual Conference in Charleston in July 2010. Mayor’s report Mayor Wert remarked on the MidAmateur golf tournament being held at the Kiawah Island Club. The regional qualifications began with 4,000 competitors and was quickly reduced to 64. The winner of this competition is usually invited to the Masters. He also noted that CARTA held a public meeting on October 8 to hear about the plans for a new Regional Intermodal Center, or transportation hub, in North Charleston. As for hearing back from the OCRM about the setback lines issue discussed in April, the Mayor reported that they still have not heard anything. Citizen’s comments Wendy Kulick jokingly asked Councilman Orban why his report didn’t include when the Steve Orban Memorial Bikepath sign would be installed on the new bike path. She also asked if the Town had considered a section in the 2005 island development agreement with the KRA in regards to Captain Sam’s Spit that asked them to consider establishing an area for KICA members to launch kayaks, etc. in good faith. On behalf of the coalition of regime directors, Marilyn Olson thanked the Town for resolving the recycling issue. She asked that the Town also do what it can to encourage recycling in the rental units across the island, as well.

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Perfect weekend for Alan Fleming tennis

lthough it may have been a bit on the warm side for October, the weather was sunny and gorgeous for the 26th Alan Fleming Senior Open Clay Court State Championship held this past October 7 - 11 at the Seabrook Island Racquet Club. This annual event is a South Carolina Level 1 State Championship event as well as a Southern 200 point tournament with 42 events including singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Age categories for both men and women range from 40 years old to over 80. This year featured a record 228 players, 63 of which were Seabrook Island residents. There were 98 singles entries and 279 doubles entries, and a total of 13 states were represented, as well as Puerto Rico and Toronto, Canada. “This was our best ever turnout with 228 players,” said Head Tennis Professional and Tournament Director Mike Kaiser. “This was our second largest draw in the history of the tournament, as well as the highest attendance ever for the Thursday night live and silent auctions.” This year’s stand out players included Bill Weathers, who has won over 300 Southern tournaments, is a member of the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame and Player of the Year in 2002, and winner of the distinguished Competitor Award at the Alan Fleming Tournament in 2004; Yataka Kobiashi, winner of three bronze balls at the Men’s 85’s singles and doubles national championships after 25 years of competition; Diane Fishburne, winner of three World Singles titles and more than 25 national titles; and Brenda Carter, who won the 2007 ITF World Championships held in New Zealand and has won 25 gold balls in both singles and doubles over eight years of national competition.

“From the beginning of the event in the early 1980’s the tournament has consistently drawn top ranked national players and as well as world champions competing here on Seabrook Island,” said Kaiser. Special thanks go to tournament chairs Margerette Fletcher and Pat Marino, as well as referees Mary Anna Scott and Pat Staley and this year’s committee heads, including: Margarette Fletcher, Pat Marino, Lauren Sutton, M.J. Zuccaro, Judy Gimson, Guy Gimson, Greg Gilleard, Emily Goodwin, Rita Tyler, Barbara Condon, Bob Hider, Helen Bosshart, Joe Gallagher, Lew Johnson, Chuck Bensonhaver, Margo Heyd, Hutchie Cummins, Diana Cohen, and Mike Kiser. More than $36,000 was raised over the course of the competition and will be donated to the Hospice of Charleston. This is the eighth year that the Hospice will be the recipient charity for the Tournament. For a full list of the tournament results, please visit www.islandconnectionnews. com.

Daniel Island to host championship

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By Richard Hricik

igh drama will play itself out on Thursday, October 22 through Sunday October 25, as the Nationwide Tour Championship plays on Daniel Island. The tournament will mark the end of the Nationwide season and will be the final competition to determine the Top 25 players who will earn their PGA tour cards for the following year. A pro-am is scheduled for the two days prior to the opening round on Thursday and a practice round will be played on Monday. The event will be contested on the par 72 Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Course at a yardage of 7,446 yards. The course, designed by Rees Jones, has won numerous awards, including South Carolina’s New Course of the Year when it opened in 2006. The purse will be $1 million with $180,000 going to the winner, equaling the largest pool of prize money ever offered on the Tour. The field will consist of the Top 60 money winners determined by the previous week’s totals, and the no-cut

format will encourage aggressive play as each player tries to finish in the top 25 and earn a spot on the PGA Tour. Presently, two out of three PGA Tour members played on the Nationwide Tour and 78 of the 125 players who qualified for the 2009 FedEx Cup are former Nationwide Tour players, including Jim Furyk, Ernie Els, David Toms, Tom Lehman and Zach Johnson. The Nationwide Tour’s “Tickets Fore Charity” program allows 100% of the proceeds for each ticket purchased to be designated to benefit any one of roughly fifty local charities, including East Cooper Community Outreach, Louie’s Kids, and Camp Happy Days, just to name a few. Tickets are only $30 for a weekly pass or a ten pack for $200 and are available by calling either 856-7900 or 1-800-6772293. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.nationwidetourchampionship.com through Ticketmaster. There is free parking with shuttles and kids under 12 admitted free.

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October 16, 2009

Halloween happenings around Charleston Following is a list of fun, frightening and family-oriented Halloween events taking place around Charleston County during the month of October:

Mount Pleasant for the entire month of October. Open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Consult boonehallplantation.com for full pricing details.

All month long

West Family Farm’s Corn Maze in Monck’s Corner is open on the weekends. Call 408-2284 for details.

Take a haunting walking tours of the Old City Jail, Charleston’s most haunted building. Tours depart on the hour from 7-10 p.m. nightly. Tickets can be purchased at Bulldog Tour’s offices at 40 Market Street for $18/ adult and $10/child. Some of Charleston’s most haunting places simply can’t be reached on foot! Take a Haunted Harbor Tour with Sandlapper Tours and discover all the ghouls and ghosts lingering in Charleston’s harbor and its historic offshore forts! Please consult sandlappertours.com for departure times. Tickets are $22 per passenger. Get lost at Johns Island’s Legare Farms in their gigantic Myrtle Maze and Pumpkin Patch! Children 11 and up can explore the winding paths for $6 while even smaller ghouls can get lost for just $3. The farm is open on the weekend: Friday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Boone Hall Farm’s hosts its annual Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze in

Daily events October 15-18, 22-25, 27-31: Featuring four all-new attractions, Boone Hall’s Fright Nights promises to continue its tradition of Halloween horrors! The attractions are open from dark until 10 p.m. during the week and dark until midnight during the weekend. Attraction prices range from $5-10, but an “All You Dare To Scare” pass is just $25. October 17, 23, 24: St. Paul’s Academy’s hosts its 30th Annual Halloween Extravaganza in Hollywood. A 40-minute haunted hayride and several houses of horrors will scare kids and adults alike! Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, call 889-2702. October 21: Get a jump start on Halloween festivities with the IOP Methodist Halloween Trunk or Treating festival. Children from four years thru 5th grade are invited to wear their costumes and join us in the church

parking lot for lots of treats, games, food and FUN! Event runs from 5:30 - 7pm. There is no charge, community children are welcome to participate. The Church is located at 21st Avenue and Palm Blvd on the Isle of Palms. Contact [email protected] or call 886-6610 for additional information. October 24: Support Louie’s Kids by taking part in Sullivan Island’s 5K Monster Dash and children’s-oriented Goblin Gallop. This fundraiser’s festivities begins at the Fish Fry Shack at 8am. For more information or to register, please visit simonsterdash.com. October 29: Explore Kiawah Island’s Night Heron Park while trekking the “Ghastly Ghosts” haunted trail. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 768-6001. October 30: Get your face painted and participate in a costume contest at the Halloween

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Halloween Festival at Mount Pleasant’s Towne Center! Admission is free. October 30: Do the statues come to life at the Charleston Museum once everyone’s gone and the doors are locked? Come find out at Charleston Museum’s “Nighttime at the Museum” at 360 Meeting Street! Tickets range from $5-$10 for members and $10-$20 for non-members. Reservations can be made at charlestonmuseum.org or by calling 722-2996.

haunted maze at Kia Night Heron Park. A per person. Please ca more information.

October 30: Dare to get your fac even peek behind th door at Mount Pleas Halloween celebratio takes place at the Da For more informatio Florine Russell at 84

October 30: Did you forget to carve your pumpkin? Get your last minute pumpkin carving and painting in at Kiawah Island’s Night Heron Park. $10 per pumpkin. Please call 7686001 for more information.

October 30: Trick or treat for gho play games, see dive dark, listen to spook have a ball at the So Aquarium’s “Fish or members; $8 for non runs from 5pm – 7:3

October 30: Spend Halloween eve lost in the

October 31: From 5-7pm, the Isl

Ta k e a Johns Island Regional Library 3531 Maybank Highway 559-1945 Hours: Monday – Thursday: 10 – 8 Friday & Saturday: 10 – 6 Sunday: 2 – 5 Wee Reads (under 24 months with adult) Mondays, October 19 and 26 at 10:30am Time for Twos (2–3 years old with adult) Tuesdays, October 20 and 27 at 10:30am Preschool Storytime (3–6 years) Wednesdays, October 21 and 28 at 10:30am Saturday Family Storytime (all ages) Saturdays, October 17, 24 and 31 at 11:00am

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*Excel Basics (adults/young adults) Monday, October 19 from 6 – 8pm *Files and Folders: File Organization and Management (adults/young adults)Tuesday, October 20 from 10am – 12 noon *Access Basics (adults/young adults) Monday, October 26 from 5:30 – 8pm *Internet Basics (adults/young adults) Tuesday, October 27 from 10am – 12 noon *All computer classes are free. For more information please call 559-1945 and ask for the Reference Department. Class space is available for 8 participants per session. Toddler Time Fall Session (0 – 3 years) Thursdays, October 22, and 29 at 4pm

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tion Calendar

n Events

awah Island’s Admission is $8 all 768-6001 for

ce painted or hat trick-or-treat sant’s Old Village on. This free event arby Building. on, please contact 49-2061.

Halloween Carnival will delight children with its costume contest, jump castles, obstacle course, temporary tattoo booth, face painter, balloon artist, and fortune teller. The best part? It’s free! October 31: John’s Island Trophy Lakes and Carolina Watersports BOOOey Fest will bring fun and fright to the water. Participants in the slalom and freestyle contests are encouraged to wear their Halloween best! More details can be found at carolinawaterskischool.com or by calling 559-2520.

Aquarium goes Scary’um For a completely unique Halloween experience that boasts loads of fun as well as education, bring your kids to the South Carolina Aquarium for the “Scary’um Aquarium” extravaganza. Throughout the month of October, “bouys and ghouls” of all ages will be able to enjoy this family-friendly Halloween adventure which features special educational exhibits about the creatures of the night and deep ocean marine life through stories about the ‘Legends of South Carolina’. The event will also feature new additions to the Aquarium, including new educational and interactive exhibits, spooky dive shows, crafts and a brand new weekly story time for toddlers on Wednesday mornings at 9:45am.

the deep ocean without getting too close. An audio tour is available for download from the Aquarium’s website for the Legends of South Carolina experience, as well as a list of special daily educational programs that run seven days a week at various times. On Saturdays, you can even participate in a “spooky Halloween crafts” program and a scavenger hunt from 10am-2pm. Special programs, such as the annual favorite Fishor-Treat, will be available to aquarium members and memberships will also be available for purchase. Kids dressed in a Halloween costume will receive $2 off the regular price of admission. For more information contact the Aquarium at 577-FISH(3474) or visit their website at scaquarium.org.

Families enter the Aquarium under the giant bat and are given the opportunity to haunt around the Aquarium’s regional exhibits while tracking down the oulish goodies, curious case of the Lizardman through the familyers in the deep friendly Camp Carolina, ky stories, and October 31: venture into the dark and outh Carolina The Folly Beach Civic Club will host misty Stumphouse Tunnel Reals Estate from page 6 r Treat.” $5 for its 34th annual Halloween Carnival staying clear of the dwellers n-members. Event at the Folly River Park on Halloween more similar to others. Sullivan’s Island above, and puzzle over the 30pm. night! The event runs from 6:30pm has experienced the greatest fluctuation creepy hidden creatures of - 8:30pm with a costume contest at among the island markets during these 7:30pm. five quarters. (Tabular data from Figure le of Palms’ 1 for each island community along with related data can be found at www. searspartners.com) This upward trend—like those in manufacturing and consumer sales—is encouraging. But, as in other sectors Fifth Anniversary Celebration (all ages) Looney Toons Tuesday! (11 years and of the economy, the trend is tentative. Saturday, October 24 at 1pm younger)Tuesday, October 20 and 27 at 2pm Continued difficulties in the credit market and the likely end of the Congressional Saturday Movie: Coraline (all ages) Read Beyond Reality @ Your Library to Saturday October 24 at 2pm Celebrate Teen Read Week (grades 6-12) Rated PG: 100 minutes. Sunday, October 18–Saturday, October 24

a page

Sea Islands Book Club (adults) Tuesday, October 20 at 2pm Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations--One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson. Teen Read Week Movie: Fast and Furious (grades 6-12) Wednesday, October 21 from 4 – 6pm PG-13, 99 minutes. Free Legal Clinic: Heirs’ Property (adults) Thursday, October 22 at 6pm

Halloween at the John’s Island Regional Library! (all ages) Saturday, October 31 at 11am Displays Blacksmith Display Ed Berry will display his Blacksmith Gate Latch and other assorted items. All of his ideas came from books he checked out at the library. Photography Display Maria Rapchick will exhibit her photographs of nature, wildlife, and travel scenes.

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homebuyer credit allotment coupled to many sellers remaining on the sidelines and banks holding not yet listed properties which are in various stages of foreclosure mean that this trend will not likely birth a balanced market anytime soon. James T. Sears, PhD, is a Realtor and Real Estate Analyst. As an Accredited Buyer Representative, he works with Agent Owned Premier Realty, where he specializes in residential island real estate and investment properties in Charleston. He can be reached at property@searspartners. com or at 843-478-3911.

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October 16, 2009

Halloween Weekend 2009 Friday, October 30 Pumpkin Carving 3pm - 4:30pm Night  Heron Park Pavilion Gather around tables for “Operation Jack”, our festive pumpkin-carving and painting event. You can jazz up your jack-o-lantern and create a masterpiece.  Adult supervision is required for carving. $10 per pumpkin. Haunted Maze 5pm - 8pm         Night Heron Park Find your way through twisting corners filled with silly and scary creatures alike. Spooks are waiting for you and your group; make sure they don’t make you choose a dead end. $8 per person. All ages welcome. Haunted Kiawah Camp Fire 8:15pm - 9pm Night Heron Park Night has fallen. The campfire flickers and pops and coals glow as we gather around the fire and listen to the storyteller. Come join us for an evening filled with daunting accounts of witches, goblins, and ghouls; all just enough for shivers, not enough for nightmares. Complimentary.

Saturday, October 31st – H alloween Day Hay Rides 11am, 1pm and 3pm Night Heron Park Ride around the island on this festive hayride. All are welcome to join us dressed in costume for selected stops for trick or treating. Reservations are required. $25 per adult, $15 per child. All ages are welcome. A beverage pass is included in the price. Beer, wine, soda and bottled water will be available. Halloween Festival 5pm - 8pm Night Heron Park Prepare for a night of fun and thrills and join us for the Halloween Festival! A bluegrass band will be picking the banjo for the crowd, so come dance the night away in Night Heron Park. Don’t forget to dress to impress for the costume contest! Popular crowd attractions include laser tag, a climbing wall, and a jump castle. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Menu includes barbeque chicken sandwiches, burgers, chili, BBQ pork platters with coleslaw and baked beans, and hot dogs. Beer, wine, liquor, soda and bottled water will also be available for purchase. Spooktacular contests for all ages will be held, including a donut-eating contest. Complimentary. All ages are welcome.

Activities at Night Heron Park October 16 – October 31 All activities are open to the public. For more info, please call 768-6001 ext. 86001. Fireside Tidbits & Tails: Every Friday through November 20, sip hot chocolate and roast marshmallows while enjoying a live animal show presented by our Island Naturalists. 7:30 – 9pm. Friday, October 16 Kamp Kiawah: Yippie – Hippie – Skippie: 8:30am – 12:30pm; Ages 3-11 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Mosaic Mania: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Pickup Games: Basketball: 2pm – 3pm Kamp Kiawah KNO: Sanctuary Splash Bash: 5pm- 8pm; Ages 5-11 Saturday, October 17 Kamp Kiawah: Sunken Treasure: 8:30am – 12:30pm; Ages 3-11 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Holiday Ornament Making: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Pickup Games: Soccer: 2pm – 3pm Wickets & Wine (Oct. 3 – Nov. 28): 3:30pm – 5pm Kamp Kiawah KNO: Sanctuary Splash Bash: 5pm - 8pm; Ages 5-11 Sunday, October 18 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Pickup Games: Volleyball: 2pm – 3pm Monday, October 19 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Pickup Games: Basketball: 2pm – 3pm Tuesday, October 20 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Pickup Games: Volleyball: 2pm – 3pm Wednesday, October 21 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Stepping Stones: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Pickup Games: Soccer: 2pm – 3pm Thursday, October 22 Kamp Kiawah: Biggie Size: 8:30am – 12:30pm; Ages 3-11 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm

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Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Tye Dye: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Pickup Games: Volleyball: 2pm – 3pm Friday, October 23 Kamp Kiawah: Yippie – Hippie – Skippie: 8:30am – 12:30pm; Ages 3-11 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Mosaic Mania: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Pickup Games: Basketball: 2pm – 3pm Kamp Kiawah KNO: Sanctuary Splash Bash: 5pm - 8pm; Ages 5-11 Saturday, October 24 Kamp Kiawah: Sunken Treasure: 8:30am – 12:30pm; Ages 3-11 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Holiday Ornament Making: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Pickup Games: Soccer: 2pm – 3pm Wickets & Wine (Oct. 3 – Nov. 28): 3:30pm – 5pm Kamp Kiawah KNO: Sanctuary Splash Bash: 5pm - 8pm; Ages 5-11 Sunday, October 25 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Pickup Games: Volleyball: 2pm – 3pm Monday, October 26 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Pickup Games: Basketball: 2pm – 3pm Tuesday, October 27 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Pickup Games: Volleyball: 2pm – 3pm Wednesday, October 28 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Stepping Stones: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Pickup Games: Soccer: 2pm – 3pm Thursday, October 29 Kamp Kiawah: Biggie Size: 8:30am – 12:30pm; Ages 3-11 Turtle Tracks: 8:30am – 5pm Organic Beach Bag Coloring: 8:30am – 5pm Kiawah Island Book Exchange: 8:30am – 4pm Board Games in the Park: 9am – 4pm Tye Dye: 1:30pm – 2:30pm Pickup Games: Volleyball: 2pm – 3pm

October 16, 2009

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Artistic at any age

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by Kristin Hackler

n a classroom filled with visual props and smelling nostalgically of plaster-of-paris and tempera paint, art teacher Dona Dowling directs her students in painting self portraits. At each long wooden table, students stare intently into vanity mirrors and draw, paint or smudge out the basic outline of how they see themselves. On any given day, Dowling might suddenly tell them to tear the portrait in half and re-arrange it, or to only color in the negative spaces, but the end result is a deeply personal look into the mind of each student. Six years ago, Dona Dowling took it upon herself to collect not only the paintings from her classroom, but the works from the creative writing and English departments, and compile the very first St. Johns High School literary magazine. The anthology, called “Islander Lines”, is printed every year in house and the entirety is laid out by students, which gives them a chance to learn the basics of magazine layout. The artwork, both written and visual, is selected by a jury of teachers and represent some of the best that St. Johns has to offer; which is quite a lot. This year’s Islander Lines, which was released in September, features the portrait of woman on the front cover, her back to the viewer, with a thick blue ribbon spilling from her straw hat. The style is that of renown local artist Johnathan Green and it was painted by eleventh grader Priscila Zuniga. The painting itself was purchased by the St. Johns Library and is on permanent display in their personal collection. Inside, the vibrant and multi-talented psyches of the students of St. Johns pours out in wildly colorful self-portraits, evocative poetry and paintings depicting styles from the abstract to the intimately realistic.

“It’s called ‘Where am I?’,” eleventh grader Lauren Harrison explained, gesturing to her watercolor printed on page one. “I meant for the piece to be mysterious. You don’t know who they are or where they’re going, or why the baby is reaching backwards.” She pointed at the tiny bundle of leaves clutched in the child’s hands. “They could be lost, looking for guidance, but we don’t really know what’s happening.” On page three, a cast plaster arm displays a strong fist held before the painting of a young woman in front of a crowd. “it’s called ‘The Motivator’ because I feel that I’m a motivator to my siblings,” said the artist, Ashley McCloud. “I like to help people.” The self-portraits are tiny captions of each student’s personality. Though the faces are more or less realistic, the background tells more of a story. “I love black, white and pink,” LaAndrea Clinton smiled, “and I love zebra print.” In the background of her portrait, electric zebra stripes of hot pink ripple past her wide eyes and playful grin. Short lines of prose and poetry fill the rest of the magazine, sharing personal trials and moments of fear, frustration and bliss. Author Michael A. Smith, Jr. paints his own verbal landscape of Wadmalaw Island, placing the reader by the side of a low marsh creek, listening as the first patters of rain splash down on distant leaves. “Across the island look at what you can see / at night, the trees wave and rain sings”. Islanders Lines is available for purchase by calling the school at 559-6400. The cost is $3 and all of the funds go toward supporting the arts program at St. Johns High School. In addition to Islander Lines, the students also hold an art auction every year in May in the school cafeteria, with the funds raised going toward the art program. For more information, contact Dona Dowling at [email protected].

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October 16, 2009

Firefly Distillery Grand Opening

(Left) Sol Driven Train performs during Firefly Distillery’s grand opening. (Below, left) Attendees were able to sample each of Firefly’s three newst liquors.

Fall Festivals continued from front page who raffled an original painting of the James Island dog park; Freshfields Village held their annual Fall Festival from Friday, October 2 - Sunday, October 4, with an oyster roast and live music as part of their American Music Celebration, craft tents, an antique car show and art displays from the Kiawah and Seabrook Art Guilds; and Irving House Vineyards on Wadmalaw Island celebrated the opening of their new Firefly Distillery tasting room with samples of their new Java Rhum, Peach Sweet Tea Vodka and their newest Vodka Lemonade, along with live music by Sol Driven Train and food by Cru Café, Mellow Mushroom and BlackJack Barbeque.

Dogtoberfest

Freshfields Village Fall Festival and American Music Festival (Below) Artist Bob Lefevre works on a painting of a shrimp boat at the Freshfields Fall Festival. (Right) Beekeeper Robert Biggerstaff and his wife, Jane, selling honey at the Fall Festival.

(Top) the Pomeranian Dog rescue brought some of their pups to the Dogtoberfest at Night Heron Park. (Above) Squeak Covert shows her new ballerina dress.

(Below) The line of signs next to the Pumpkin Patch at Legare Farms describes how pumpkins grow. (Right) The entrance to the Myrtle Maze is guarded by a friendly scarecrow.

Legare Farms Myrtle Maze and Pumpkin Patch www.islandconnectionnews.com

October 16, 2009

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lmost one year after Charleston County adopted their 10 year Comprehensive Plan, the City of Charleston launched into the first of two public hearing sessions for their Comprehensive Plan update, a process which began with the first of five citywide public hearings on September 29 and is expected to take approximately eight months to complete. “When we say ‘Comp Plan’ we really mean ‘Municipal Comprehensive Plan required by the South Carolina Local Government Planning Act and amended

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Have you been Comp’d? to include the more recent Priority Investment Act’. So, to make it easier to talk about, we’re going with ‘Comp Plan’,” writes Christopher Morgan, Division Director for Planning and Neighborhoods, on the City of Charleston website. And this casual, comfortable approach to updating the City’s “Comp Plan” was evident at the public meeting held at the Johns Island Berkeley Electric Co-Op on October 8. Scattered amongst posters depicting the eight sections of the plan were piles of candy, each having a little something to do with it’s section (Mixed

chocolate bars under “Land Use and Housing” because a little variety is a good thing). Overall, it was a very creative way to engage residents in conversation and encourage them to participate in the commenting process. Community surveys were provided for all participants, who received a “Been Comp’d” sticker and a fortune cookie upon turning it in. The survey will be available online for the entire month of October at www.charlestoncity.info under “City Departments”, “Planning and Neighborhoods”, “Comp Plan Update”; or at www.charlestoncity.info/ shared/docs/0/plan_survey.pdf. Answers to the survey are important to the future development of the City of Charleston and will help integrate new ideas with the current Century V Plan. When asked if the Comprehensive Plan took into account the potential Johns Island Greenway, Chistopher Morgan stated that they are waiting on the Charleston County study before they look into integrating it into the plan, and pointed out that the County is also looking into the widening of Bohicket and Main roads as an alternative approach. “The Plan is very general,” said Morgan. “It gives locations for things, but not specifics. The Cross Island Parkway is more specific and

Residents peruse the different sections of the Comp Plan which were displayed around the room.

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Comp Plan sections: • Required Plan Elements • People and the Economy (population increase) • Natural and Cultural (preservation plan) • Community Services (enhancement of police and fire services, etc.) • Land Use and Housing (gathering places/neighborhoods) • Transportation Choices (getting around and networking of roads) • Green Plan (more green places around the City) • New (Old) Ways (idea of designing City to old practices, before cars “New Urbanism” and Smart Codes)

would probably be listed under the Johns Island Plan.” Morgan expects the Comp Plan to be drafted between November 2009 and January 2010 with a second round of public hearings in February. The final plan is expected to be finalized between May and June of 2010. For more information about the City of Charleston Comp Plan, visit www.charlestoncity.info.

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October fishing report

October 16, 2009

By Captain Geoff Bennett

he last few weeks of fishing have been very good.  For a variety of reasons, fall is usually the best time of year to be fishing in the Charleston area.  Anglers can expect conditions to improve in October. September brought a number of significant high tides. This higher water allows redfish to get access to flats and areas otherwise untouched. They will chase bait up onto these flats where they feed on small crabs and other crustaceans. This produces very exciting fishing as anglers can see the backs and tails of redfish as they feed. Sight casting to a redfish and hooking up is a true rush. When fish take your lure in such shallow water the strikes are explosive and you can see your fish take off, winding its way through the grass. You can spend literally a half hour stalking a fish and positioning yourself for just the right cast. It is very rewarding when you land that hard-earned redfish. Anglers using spinning tackle or fly rods can take advantage of this type of fishing. If you are using a spinning rod, you may want to consider tossing Gulp! 2” peeler crabs on a circle hook. Successful colors have included New Penny and Molting. With such shallow water, a delicate presentation is often needed and a fly can be a real advantage.  Crab pattern flies are working and it can be helpful to use flies that have a little weight on them in order to get them down and in front of the fish. Redfish are still responding to bait fished on the

bottom as well. Cut mullet has been working the best for me when combined with a Carolina rig. Live mullet will work too and are plentiful. Make sure to bring your cast net along. I’ll often fish the bait around docks while waiting for the redfish to come off the flats. Of course, cracked blue crab is a treat that few redfish will resist. Trout will really begin to come into their own this month. As I write this, the weather has begun to noticeably cool. Cooler weather and its corresponding lower water temperature will really turn the trout on.  Shrimp are readily available and are another reason to

A matter of convenience

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bring your cast net with you. Fishing shrimp under a popping cork along grass banks is very effective. I will usually adjust the length of my leader under the popping cork based on where I am fishing. Make sure to try D.O.A’s 3” plastic shrimp both under a popping cork and free lined. If the trout are eating live shrimp, they will often eat these as well. Popular colors include white and clear with different colors of glitter. Make sure to check with the local tackle shops to see what is working best. These trout are accessible to fly fishermen too. Try clouser patterns in white/chartreuse and white/red. Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at [email protected].

he construction site on the Kiawah side of Freshfields Village has been a buzz of activity since early March of this year, and by early to mid December, all of that hard work will be celebrated with the opening of Freshfields newest feature, The Station. At 4,000 square feet, The Station’s main building will include everything you’d expect from a convenience store in Freshfields Village. Along with basic convenience store goods such as candy, common household items and an automobile section, The Station will also have a deli with hot and cold food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with daily specials and take home options, as well as a hot and cold beverage section. Opposite the deli will be a full wall of coolers,

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including a Beer Cave and a section for grocery items such as milk, ice cream and chilled drinks. The Kiawah entrance to the store is right at the end of the new Kiawah bike path and bike parking racks are already being installed. Indoor and outdoor seating will be provided, including a small, semicovered patio just off the bike path. The Station will also feature eight fueling stations with four pumps each, vacuum and air stations, and a waterefficient, touch-free car wash station. Construction for the project is being handled by Hill Contractors and the conceptual design was done by John Haley and MG Architects. Engineering was provided by Thomas and Hutton Engineers.

October 16, 2009

The following police reports were provided by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office: September 10, 2009: (Kiawah) The victim arrived on Seascape Road to do work on a residence and when he returned to his vehicle, he noticed that two work bags were missing from the bed of his truck. The bags contained several items, including a digital camera, two bottles of Oxycodone tablets and several tools. September 13, 2009: (Seabrook) The victim reported that on September 10, a Yeager-Cultre watch valued at approximately $12,000 was stolen from his residence. The victim explained that he had placed the watch in a drawer in the master bedroom next to an expensive diamond bracelet. The only person in the residence out of the norm during the time the watch went missing was an exterminator, who had access to the bedroom as well as other areas of the residence. The deputy saw that the watch and bracelet had been kept in a jewelry box on a shelf in the master bedroom closet. While asking the victim about the exterminator, the victim advised that the exterminator had sprayed around the baseboards in the residence, including the closet. A business card was provided for the exterminator company. September 17, 2009: (Kiawah) An officer arrived in reference to an agency assist. The complainant stated that he had seen a suspect underneath a residence under construction, and noticed that the suspect was huffing what he thought was Freon from a gray and yellow cylinder. The suspect stated that he had been huffing Freon for about an hour before the complainant discovered him. The suspect appeared very disoriented and under the influence of something. The officer also observed a yellow and gray Freon cylinder in the area of the suspect. The suspect was issued a citation and was voluntarily transported to St. Francis Hospital via EMS. September 24, 2009: (Kiawah) Victim reported that between September 3 and 9, an unknown person took her

Police Blotter

Sony Noise Cancelling headset. The victim advised that the item was in a pre-packed bag and she did not notice the item missing until she was on the plane. The victim stated that it was not likely that anyone removed the item from her bag at the airport. She believes that someone entered her residence and removed the item from the bag. The victim noticed no signs of forced entry and the suspect may have entered the home through a cipher lock. September 26, 2009: (Seabrook) An officer responded to Ocean Forest Drive in reference to a domestic disturbance. The officer arrived on the scene and met with the complainant and the subject. Both parties were intoxicated and stated that they had a verbal altercation and nothing more. Both stated that no physical altercation occurred and the officer observed no signs of one. The subject stated that he was wanted with the sheriff’s department for a magistrate bench warrant. The subject was taken into custody and transported to the detention center and served with a warrant. September 27, 2009: (Kiawah) The complainant arrived at work at The Sanctuary and noticed broken glass near the parking place on the ground. He noticed a white Toyota Camry with the driver’s window broken. He reported the incident to Resort Security and an officer was dispatched. Upon initial investigation, it was determined that several vehicles were involved and the crime lab was summoned. Photos and testing for prints revealed no evidence of possible suspect information. A total of 10 vehicles were damaged in some manner, ranging from pry marks to broken windows. Two GPS devices, a purse, and a cell phone were stolen from various vehicles. The officer noted that the parking area had poor lighting and no video camera surveillance. There is no other information to follow up at this time. September 30, 2009: (Seabrook) Victim reported that between 3:26pm and 4pm, an unknown person had taken her purse

while she was at the Bohicket Marina. The purse was small and made of black leather. It contained several personal items, as well as items of identification. October 4, 2009: (Kiawah) An officer spoke with a victim in reference to receiving an unwanted communication via text message from a suspect. An earlier report was taken for earlier texts on September 7. The message the victim received from her former friend’s phone read: “Hahaha someone just told me you hit inside of their bra, haha its all over myspace. It’s a good thing you’re taking your Russian a-- back. Hahaha I also read you p---ed on a stripper pole you dumb f----ing loser.” She had already told him not to contact or communi-

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cate with her. She wished to have this incident documented due to the earlier report. October 6, 2009: (Kiawah) An officer responded to Mariner’s Watch to take a report in regards to misplaced identification. The complainant needed the report in order to board a flight.