Roof Repair in Johns Island, SC

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – Officials confirmed that the fields at Johns Island Park are on schedule to be completed in time.

Charleston County School District (CCSD) is working on this project that is expected to bring new lights, grass, batting cages, and more to the facility. St. John’s High School parents were concerned after delays pushed back the much needed renovations, but are now breathing sighs of relief.

“Oh, that’s just amazing. I mean we’ve lost sleep over this,” Karen Tetrev, baseball parent at St. John’s High School, said. “The players are going to be so excited, they are working so hard. I mean they do batting in an old tennis court. They just do what they can.”

The park serves as a home base for the high school’s baseball and softball teams, but it is owned by the City of Charleston. The players commute to the facility for pre-season and in-season practice as well as games.

“We’re grateful that the city allows us to use this facility, that’s a great positive seeing as we don’t have place on campus,” Lindsay Jackson, baseball parent at St. John’s High School, said. “But we just feel like them and district might not understand the plight that our student-athletes are having to go through.”

Despite the challenges of having an off-campus field, the student-athletes are still able to play competitively with their peers.

“The boys and the girls are both competitive in their region, like last year – the year before last they won the region,” Jackson said. “That was the first time in 37 years and a lot of the young people on these teams, they came up on the Barrier Island leagues as well. So this is great, we’re really building baseball on Johns Island here but we need to have the facilities.”

As a primary location for these players, the completion date is crucial. Parents said these renovations are expected to bring the high school up to the equivalent of other high schools in the area, fulfilling the promises that were made.

“I think they are just going to be so excited to hear that they are being valued and put as a priority in the community,” Tetrev said. “I think it’s going to make a huge difference to the high school, I think it’ll draw more families, and I think in the long run everyone’s going to be happy we made this happen.”

More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends, and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now? What are the new restaurants? What's everyone talking about? While the Eater 18 is a crucial resource covering old standbys and neighborhood essentials across the city, it is not a chronicle of the "it" places of the moment. Enter the Eater Heatmap, which will change continually to highlight the spots crowds are flocking to at the moment or generating a big buzz. Folks are asking, "Have you been yet?" Try one of these newbies today.

New to the list:

November 2024: Legami, Chef Loong Dim SumOctober 2024: Linnette’s September 2024: the Archer August 2024: the SelectJuly 2024: Marbled & Fin, MakanJune 2024: Downtown Co-OpMay 2024: Sissy Bar, CoterieApril 2024: Da Toscano Fugazzi, XO Brasserie March 2024: Bodega Mount PleasantFebruary 2024: Cleats, Lowland Dining Room, Palmira BarbecueJanuary 2024: the Harlow, Da Toscano Porchetta ShopDecember 2023: the Quinte, Lowland Tavern, Lost Isle, Costa, BearcatNovember 2023: King BBQOctober 2023: Honeysuckle Rose

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

The team from downtown bar Dalila’s opened a fun new spot in Park Circle. Sissy Bar takes inspiration from Southern California, from mezcal drinks to breakfast burritos to a massive barbacoa taco platter. Bring friends to sample all the sharable plates.

Slow-cooked brisket and whole hog meet Puerto Rican flavors at Palmira Barbecue. Pitmaster Hector Garate has been popping up around the Lowcountry for several years, but now he has a permanent address in West Ashley.

The crew from hip breakfast spot Daps opened a sports bar with better food and drinks found at typical sports bars. Find pit beef sandwiches, Thai-flavored hot dogs, green hatch chili wings, and waffle fries.

Herman Ng grew up working in his family’s Chinese restaurant, and now he owns his own with the opening of XO Brasserie. The menu focuses on Cantonese and Sichuan cooking, including XO lobster, mapo tofu, and garlic pepper beef. Don’t miss the fun cocktails or the desserts.

The couple behind Wagener Terrace hangout Berkeley’s recently opened their second restaurant, the Archer. They want it to have the same neighborhood vibes but raise the stakes with a full bar and fine dining-level comfort plates. Chef Paul Farmer (formerly of Three Sirens), puts out plates like duck frites, baked oysters, beef stroganoff, chicken liver mousse, and chilled crab dip.

Legami is a new Italian restaurant boasting a chef brought in from Rome by a family with roots in Turin, Italy. Washington Street Hospitality, which controls three Pasta Beach restaurants in New England, thought the King Street building would be another location for Pasta Beach, but decided to switch it up once they got into the historic building. Chef Andrea Congiusta cooks modern Italian fare with some influences from France. “We took inspiration from the classic fine dining, but we also want to have something fun, something that looks very fancy, and something you can crave,” says Congiusta. Dishes include king crab tagliolini, beef Wellington, and veal Milanese.

Modern steakhouse Marbled & Fin is giving all the other steakhouses a run for their money. The expansive dining room fills nightly with well-heeled customers ready to see and be seen. On the menu, chef Eucepe “Cepe” Puntriano includes all the steakhouse classics plus an emphasis on seafood dishes for non-meat eaters. Look for seafood towers, wedge salads, wagyu beef, bone marrow with oysters, creamed spinach, and more.

D.C.-based Malaysian restaurant Makan now has a second location in the Lowcountry. Chef James Wozniuk wanted the South Carolina location to feature local seafood. The ikan asam pedas, a Malaysian hot and sour fish curry, is a must-try if you like spice. There’s also rendand daging (dry beef curry), curry mee (noodle soup with chicken sausage), and kerabu mangga (mango salad).

Charleston is going crazy for soup dumplings, and newcomer Chef Loong Dim Sum delivers. The restaurant offers four flavors (pork soup, chicken soup, pork tomato soup, and truffle pork soup). The rest of the menu is quite extensive as well, with selections ranging from Sichuan mala chicken, crab rangoon, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, and more.

The team behind Italian favorite Le Farfalle has an enticing new cafe in Charleston. The focus of Da Toscano Porchetta Shop is the housemade focaccia and everything that can be sandwiched between the airy bread. Chef Michael Toscano serves a filling chorizo and egg sandwich in the morning and a sumptuous porchetta sandwich in the afternoon. There’s also choices like prime rib, roast chicken, marinated eggplant, and so much more.

Charming new hotel the Dunlin offers sweeping views of the Kiawah River, abundant hospitality, and coastal Southern fare in its signature restaurant, Linnette’s. Chef Michael DeCicco puts out dishes like a pressed and pickled watermelon salad, wood-fired oysters, cornmeal-crusted flounder, and a sorghum-benne lacquered steak with charred okra.

The team from downtown bar Dalila’s opened a fun new spot in Park Circle. Sissy Bar takes inspiration from Southern California, from mezcal drinks to breakfast burritos to a massive barbacoa taco platter. Bring friends to sample all the sharable plates.

Slow-cooked brisket and whole hog meet Puerto Rican flavors at Palmira Barbecue. Pitmaster Hector Garate has been popping up around the Lowcountry for several years, but now he has a permanent address in West Ashley.

The crew from hip breakfast spot Daps opened a sports bar with better food and drinks found at typical sports bars. Find pit beef sandwiches, Thai-flavored hot dogs, green hatch chili wings, and waffle fries.

Herman Ng grew up working in his family’s Chinese restaurant, and now he owns his own with the opening of XO Brasserie. The menu focuses on Cantonese and Sichuan cooking, including XO lobster, mapo tofu, and garlic pepper beef. Don’t miss the fun cocktails or the desserts.

The couple behind Wagener Terrace hangout Berkeley’s recently opened their second restaurant, the Archer. They want it to have the same neighborhood vibes but raise the stakes with a full bar and fine dining-level comfort plates. Chef Paul Farmer (formerly of Three Sirens), puts out plates like duck frites, baked oysters, beef stroganoff, chicken liver mousse, and chilled crab dip.

Legami is a new Italian restaurant boasting a chef brought in from Rome by a family with roots in Turin, Italy. Washington Street Hospitality, which controls three Pasta Beach restaurants in New England, thought the King Street building would be another location for Pasta Beach, but decided to switch it up once they got into the historic building. Chef Andrea Congiusta cooks modern Italian fare with some influences from France. “We took inspiration from the classic fine dining, but we also want to have something fun, something that looks very fancy, and something you can crave,” says Congiusta. Dishes include king crab tagliolini, beef Wellington, and veal Milanese.

Modern steakhouse Marbled & Fin is giving all the other steakhouses a run for their money. The expansive dining room fills nightly with well-heeled customers ready to see and be seen. On the menu, chef Eucepe “Cepe” Puntriano includes all the steakhouse classics plus an emphasis on seafood dishes for non-meat eaters. Look for seafood towers, wedge salads, wagyu beef, bone marrow with oysters, creamed spinach, and more.

D.C.-based Malaysian restaurant Makan now has a second location in the Lowcountry. Chef James Wozniuk wanted the South Carolina location to feature local seafood. The ikan asam pedas, a Malaysian hot and sour fish curry, is a must-try if you like spice. There’s also rendand daging (dry beef curry), curry mee (noodle soup with chicken sausage), and kerabu mangga (mango salad).

Charleston is going crazy for soup dumplings, and newcomer Chef Loong Dim Sum delivers. The restaurant offers four flavors (pork soup, chicken soup, pork tomato soup, and truffle pork soup). The rest of the menu is quite extensive as well, with selections ranging from Sichuan mala chicken, crab rangoon, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, and more.

The team behind Italian favorite Le Farfalle has an enticing new cafe in Charleston. The focus of Da Toscano Porchetta Shop is the housemade focaccia and everything that can be sandwiched between the airy bread. Chef Michael Toscano serves a filling chorizo and egg sandwich in the morning and a sumptuous porchetta sandwich in the afternoon. There’s also choices like prime rib, roast chicken, marinated eggplant, and so much more.

Charming new hotel the Dunlin offers sweeping views of the Kiawah River, abundant hospitality, and coastal Southern fare in its signature restaurant, Linnette’s. Chef Michael DeCicco puts out dishes like a pressed and pickled watermelon salad, wood-fired oysters, cornmeal-crusted flounder, and a sorghum-benne lacquered steak with charred okra.

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – A local youth baseball program on Johns Island has plans to expand so more kids can play ball, but they will need Charleston County’s help.

“A lot of our kids have to go elsewhere to play other sports and that’s what we’re trying to do is just keep it here on Johns Island,” said Todd Rieger who leads the Youth Umpire Program for the Barrier Islands Little League.

Barrier Islands Little League dates back to the 1950s and currently serves more than 600 players. The organization is looking to build a new complex off Main Road to accommodate even more kids.

“We’ve got some high dreams for the kids that will serve age four all the way up to 16 in Little League, and possibly American Legion, which is getting into more 17 to age 21,” Rieger explained. “So, very exciting time for our community and for the kids to have a really nice complex to play in.”

The nonprofit, Lowcountry Land Trust, requested over $1.6 million from Charleston County’s Greenbelt funds to purchase 40 acres of land which would be transferred to the Barrier Islands Little League.

The money in the county’s Greenbelt Program comes from a half penny sales tax approved in 2004 and then again in 2016.

“We rely heavily on our partners, nonprofits, municipalities. They apply for grant funding to acquire land and once they do that, then we place a grant agreement on it which protects that land,” said Eric Davis, the Director of Greenbelt Programs for Charleston County.

Aside from the new baseball facilities, the proposed active and mostly passive park would include greenspace and hiking trails.

The Charleston County Finance Committee will consider making a recommendation to approve the request on Thursday which is one step in making the project a reality.

Rieger said they are still going to need help from a generous donor with what could be a $15-20 million total cost.

“Is that a lofty goal? Sure. But why not?” Rieger asked. “That’s what we teach our kids, set goals, try to reach them.”

County officials said the recommendation from the Finance Committee will go to full council for their approval.

A new restaurant has opened inside a former liquor store on Johns Island.

Serving tapas and curated cocktails, Bar Copa debuted Aug. 23. In the time since, the response to the 3297 Maybank Highway restaurant has been “overwhelmingly jubilant,” said owner Roderick Groetzinger, whose brother is the proprietor of Island Provisions down the road.

Food

A small kitchen inside the 1,600-square-foot space is producing cold and hot plates like scallop crudo, tuna tartare, whipped feta, a crab roll and shrimp a la plancha with sweet corn and butter beans. The majority of the menu is priced between $15 and $30.

“It’s kind of a choose-your-own-adventure,” Groetzinger said. “We’re trying to really drive home value for people, which is something I think can be lost in this day and age.”

Bar Copa’s 12 cocktails are a hallmark of the new restaurant, Groetzinger said. A limoncello spritz is served on tap, and other beverages lean into light, refreshing flavors with rum often serving as the spirit of choice.

Bar Copa is open for happy hour and dinner Monday through Saturday. For more information, visit eatbarcopa.com.

GREENVILLE — You will find only three kinds of Southern traditions at this local festival, and they all start with the letter B: Bourbon, bacon and barbecue.

After first hosting the event in 2021 at the Old Cigar Warehouse, Hog and Barrel will return on Nov. 1 and 2 to Judson Mill with plans for 1,200 guests.

The themed festival will bring 14 restaurants together, including Comal 864, The Cook's Station and Up on the Roof, who will create exclusive bourbon cocktails, barbecue dishes and bacon meals.

Corinne McGrath, marketing generalist with High Spirits Hospitality, hopes to shine a light on the food and drink that defines the South.

"We really just wanted to celebrate the rich culinary traditions of the South, and what better honors than bourbon, bacon and barbecue?" McGrath said. "...You pretty much can't go anywhere without seeing those three items on a menu."

The weekend-long festivities will start on Friday night with a five course dinner, each related to barbecue, bacon and bourbon, cooked by Michael Sibert, chef at White Wine & Butter.

It will continue on Saturday with a full-day "Bourbonpalooza," when visitors will be able to try barbecue dishes and bourbon cocktails from 14 different restaurant booths.

"We just felt like this would be such a great way to try all of those different great restaurants in the Greenville area all in one place," she said.

In between bites, attendees can enjoy live music, college football games, axe throwing, private bourbon tasting and guest judges picking the night's best food and drink.

If somehow you're bored, you can ride a mechanical bull.

But the organizers haven't lost sight of the disastrous Tropical Storm Helene that tore through the Upstate one month ago.

"A lot of (the restaurants) were shut down for a week," McGrath said. "This is a great way for them to get exposure."

Those interested can donate a portion of their ticket cost to a lottery system for disaster relief workers.

General admission tickets start at $60 with funds going to the Greenville Technical College culinary program.

For more information visit hogandbarrelfestival.com.

Here's who's coming:

- City BBQ

- Comal 864

- The Cook's Station

- Culinary Institute of the Carolinas at Greenville Technical College

- Entre Nous

- Events at Judson Mill

- Home Team BBQ

- Indaco

- Liquid Catering

- Mill City Kitchen

- Nard's Backyard BBQ

- Social Latitude

- Tupelo Honey

- Up on the Roof

Published: Oct. 15, 2024 at 8:28 PM PDT|

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - People who live in Charleston County had the chance to raise their concerns Tuesday night about a half-cent sales tax referendum.

In just three weeks, Charleston County residents will either vote for or against the renewal of this tax. If passed, they would be pay a half-cent sales tax for 25 years or until $5.4 billion is raised.

Those funds would be used towards road projects, mass transit systems and greenspace.

The extension of the Mark Clark Expressway, or Interstate 526, from West Ashley onto Johns and James Island is the priority project.

The ordinance states it is expected to bring in $4.9 billion for road and transportation-related projects, with the Mark Clark extension expected to cost $2.3 billion. Additionally, $432 million would go towards greenbelt projects.

At the public hearing, residents who are both for and against the sales tax came out to share their sides.

Charleston County Council Vice Chair Jenny Costa Honeycutt, who supports the referendum, said she has been advocating for the completion of I-526 for a while. She also said there are ways to maximize residents' tax dollars saying that is what the county has done and will continue to do.

“We have a three-part contract with the government, with the state, that’s why that is listed as the priority project,” Honeycutt said. “Our other $800 million worth of projects are projects that we intend to complete. We intend to leverage the dollars collected through the sales tax and get grants and seek other partnerships with either the state or federal government.”

The Coastal Conservation League is one organization that is against the sales tax. The executive director, Faith Rivers James, was at the public hearing and she said voters should be able to choose what they want to support without having to also vote on I-526.

“We do think it’s important that voters have an informed choice where they are able to select the things that they want to support, special projects, greenbelt, pedestrian support, mass transit, without having to accept the 526 as the price for those improvements and other traffic safety improvements,” James said.

Johns Island resident Bradley Taggart supports the referendum and wants to see the Mark Clark extension completed.

“Most people in Charleston are going to make off much better from this passing and save more money than it will ever cost them in taxes,” Taggart said. “It’s been a long time coming and it just needs to happen, so that we can finish this project and get talking about other things that we want to do.”

An Edisto Island resident, Fred Palm, who is against the referendum, said he doesn’t think extending the Mark Clark Expressway is going to improve traffic at all.

“We’re building in 25 years, which is the length of this program, during that time and after that time the traffic is going to remain and guess what? We’re all stuck in traffic and they are not fixing what’s broken and that’s why I am here,” Palm said.

Click here to read the ordinance and the ballot question.

Charleston County residents will vote on this sales tax in three weeks on Nov. 5.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.