the local town market is helping put consumers' minds at ease "It's super affordable for our family and you get to support local farmers and it's great," said Lauren Collias The James Island Town Market First Fridays began in Spring 2024 Mayor Brook Lyon said it has "grown exponentially Vendors and consumers agree it's a great opportunity for the community to support their neighbors “I love meeting the farmer who grew the carrots or the pumpkin pie that you get," said Collias "It's fun to connect on that level and not feel so disconnected from your food or your homewares and just know where it's coming from and get to support them in that way.” customers have an opportunity to save money when shopping locally “They're excited about having fresh farm, local meats and vegetables that are grown," says Angela Brigmon, owner and operator of Brigmon Farms "We keep our prices very reasonable 'cause we want to everybody to be able to afford it to afford to be able to eat healthier and better You don't always have to depend on the grocery store." It's just a real family-friendly place to come shop locally support the local businesses," said Lyon Lyon says the town looks to continue to hold the market in the months to come James Island Town Market First Fridays are held on the first Friday of each month at Town Hall A James Island development called Community Corner would include a miniature golf course with a restaurant Amanda Badeau loads books into shelves at The Archive A developer has proposed a miniature golf course on Folly Road along busy James Island corner while LoveShackFancy has taken its signature pink apparel to Kiawah Island A miniature golf course with an onsite restaurant and bar has been proposed for a busy corner on James Island The lot at Folly Road and Grimball Road Extension is currently empty and surrounded by a chain-link fence Plans have been submitted to transform the property into a development called Community Corner which would include a miniature golf course with a restaurant bar and retail space on nearly three acres The applicant is Grimball Corner Investments LLC The developer is looking to incorporate 114 parking spaces most of which would be on another parcel across Grimball Road Extension There is an existing traffic signal at the intersection and sidewalks would be added to both sides of the property which allows for a variety of commercial uses and services that are compatible with residential areas The city asked the owner to revise and resubmit plans based on concerns about stormwater runoff Charles Wilson of Grimball Corner Investments declined to comment about the development That's what shoppers of Freshfields Village can expect when LoveShackFancy transitions from a pop-up to a permanent boutique at the Kiawah Island retail center New York City-based lifestyle brand was founded in 2013 by stylist designer and creative director Rebecca Hessel Cohen who wanted to revel in the beauty of a rose-colored world The new Charleston area store offers an expanded selection of its uber-feminine women’s fashion and accessories as well as perfume bedding and a children's collection In 2018, Cohen opened opened her first Charleston storefront at 218 King St She now operates 20 stores throughout the U.S. is expanding to a space next door and will be offering cooking classes and specialty workshops also opened 164 Gardeners Circle in the outdoor retail center The studio offers help with increased mobility improved posture and injury prevention through one-on-one stretch sessions for all fitness levels The franchise previously held a popup at the shopping center offering 15 minute demonstrations Another StretchLab is currently open on 151 Market St An Alabama lender has cut the ribbon on a new branch at 319 North Cedar St The site is the second in the Charleston area for Birmingham-based ServisFirst Bank which for years has had an office in The Cigar Factory at 701 East Bay St The Flowertown outpost will have 10 employees and features a drive-thru Southern California lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne is making its Palmetto State debut on Charleston's busiest retail corridor The West Hollywood company said it plans to open its first retail location in the state on April 12 at 364 King St. The 2,340-square-foot parcel will stock a full range of Jenni Kayne's coastal-inspired products A New Orleans-style restaurant in North Charleston is angling to add beer and liquor to its menu offerings The Seafood Pot recently applied to the S.C Department of Revenue for on-site consumption of adult beverages in its Gas Lite Square location at 5629 Rivers Ave The Mexican-style restaurant El Patron Nexton is preparing to open and recently submitted an application to sell beer, wine and liquor at its at future Marketplace at Nexton space at 422 Cross Park Lane Premier Building Construction posted a sneak peek of the progress with floor-to-ceiling glazed overhead doors The 2,900 square-foot restaurant will have indoor and outdoor bars and dining space A dark academia-inspired coffee shop and bookstore will officially open April 12 in Mount Pleasant sit at the bar and enjoy a cocktail or mocktail pastries and more in its corner spot at 700 Shelmore Blvd. near Mathis Ferry Road and the I'On neighborhood The store tailors to a subgenre of romance books and thrillers typically set in schools or secret societies Tanger Outlets in North Charleston will hold an Earth Day event April 19 from noon-3 p.m local vendors and hands-on workshops about protecting the environment Do you know of a retail or restaurant business that is opening, closing or expanding? Email JPeterson@postandcourier.com News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: by ABC NEWS 4 STAFF, Scott Eisberg (WCIV) — James Island High School student athletes had a signing day Tuesday News 4 spoke with cross country athlete Avery Belk who is set to compete in track and field for the Furman University Paladins "Coach Rita and Coach Lang are just some of the nicest sweetest people that I've talked to and they've made the experience really amazing for me and it's just overall such a good school and I'm really excited to be able to attend." See the full list of athletes at James Island's signing day below: Three football players were set to commit to Limestone University in Gaffney prior to the school's closure being announced The Brisbane neighborhood on James Island includes 30 for-rent single-family homes The Cooper is Saussy Burbank's new 3,091-square-foot model home in Nexton in Summerville A general contractor has delivered 30 for-rent single-family homes on James Island as the desire to live in Charleston pushes the Charleston County median home price over $700,000 in March has wrapped up construction on 30 for-rent homes on James Island Brisbane features 30 single-family detached homes at 1906 Weeping Cypress Drive Residents can choose from three open-concept plans offering up to 2,175 square feet of living space with three to four bedrooms and attached one- and two-car garages Vertical construction began a year ago with the final home closing in January. Upon completion, the homes were delivered to American Homes 4 Rent, a pubicly traded owner operator and developer of single-family rental homes The project is Center Park Group's fifth completed community with Las Vegas-based American Homes in the local market Center Park has more than a dozen build-to-rent communities under development Over in West Ashley, Center Park Group expects to deliver another 155 for-rent townhomes at Bellerose at Bees Ferry by mid-April Each unit offers 1,400 square feet of living space with three bedrooms an attached one-car garage and modern appliances three-and-a-half bathroom units will each have about 1,200 square feet of living space The median home price for Charleston County reached $727,500 in March a 13.6 percent jump from the $640,500 a year prior according to new data from the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors the median price rose 4.6 percent to $429,000 in March The rising cost comes as demand for waterfront living, especially, remains high. A downtown Charleston home on Murray Boulevard along the Ashley River just sold for $15.2 million within a week Kiawah's median sales price jumped 42 percent to $3.3 million in March while it climbed 28 percent on the Isle of Palms to $2.6 million An industrial building in North Charleston has sold for $8 million The 33,450 square-foot building sits on roughly 7 acres NAI Charleston agent Dexter Rumsey represented the buyer which bought the property in 2012 for $2.35 million A Charleston multifamily property has changed hands for $1.2 million Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the buyer A charter school has leased a little over 1,700 square feet of office space in Summerville Twin Rivers Capital LLC represented the tenant A Carolinas-based homebuilder has unveiled its model home at Nexton's Midtown neighborhood with a local river theme running through it The home is part of Saussy Burbank's Waterway Home Collection and is at 204 Carefree Way in Summerville two-story single-family home with three bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms the Waterway brand offers three other floor plans: the Wando Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Water main break on James Island creates major road damage; traffic now restoredby Abigail Quinn (WCIV) — A water main break on James Island caused significant road damage Thursday evening They report that an 8 inch water main break is to blame for the issue as water pressure blows the dirt and road surface up and out," said an individual with Charleston Water Systems The road was closed at the time of the incident but now the flow of traffic has been restored A plate is now on the road to protect vehicles travelling in the area The town of James Island has terminated a cost-sharing agreement with the James Island Public Service District and will instead use those funds toward town projects such as building a new arts center and drainage projects in neighborhoods prone to flooding The town plans to use funds from the terminated cost sharing agreement on projects like building a new arts center and drainage projects Mayor Brook Lyon said residents' tax bills should increase by $200 on average Maddy Quon covers Charleston County for The Post and Courier Maddy graduated from the University of Mississippi where she studied journalism JAMES ISLAND — The town is ending a cost-sharing agreement with the James Island Public Service District to instead pay for infrastructure projects Residents will soon have a higher tax bill as a result The town entered a cost-sharing agreement with the service district in 2019 they agreed to the deal because the money the town receives from the state's local option sales tax — a sales tax individual counties impose to generate more money — must go toward reducing property taxes The public service district provides governmental functions like fire protection and wastewater collection throughout James Island and is primarily funded by property taxes The funds from the agreement helped offset property tax revenues for residents who live in the incorporated town the town has voted to end the agreement because they want to use the funds for other projects While James Island doesn't have property taxes, the town is still allowed to use the local option sales tax money for municipal services that provide a "public purpose," according to an Attorney General opinion Alan Wilson wrote in 2014 James Island isn't the only town in Charleston County to use the sales tax money for public services county Auditor Peter Tecklenberg wrote in a letter to the town in March Municipalities like Kiawah Island and Ravenel also don't have property taxes but receive money from the state's local option sales tax the town sent the public service district a little over $1.3 million for this fiscal year Town residents were given a credit and paid less on their tax bill each year as a result While the specifics of the tax bill depend on the cost of a resident's home Mayor Brook Lyon said residents' tax bills should increase by $200 per year on average In-town residents will start paying what those who live in unincorporated areas of James Island already pay Town hall was crowded with residents awaiting council's decision about the agreement at its March 20 meeting Five people spoke against the termination of the agreement during the public comment period Resident Steve Jarrett requested the town provide a cost-benefit analysis to show that ending the agreement to build the arts center would be worth the money He called the town telling him and his neighbors their tax bills will rise with the cancelation of the agreement "fighting words." Jarrett said most of his neighbors are retired and are living on a limited income He's worried they may be priced out of their homes Most members of Town Council disagreed with the public opposition Town Councilman Lewis Dodson said at the meeting that terminating the agreement would give them the opportunity to help better James Island as the town continues to grow He added that residents in unincorporated parts of James Island like Riverland Terrace have been paying the tax bill town residents will soon have to pay and "they are not destroyed by this." Town Council voted 4-1 to terminate the cost-sharing agreement Councilman Darren “Troy” Mullinax voted against the termination The public service district won't be affected by the agreement ending District Manager Ashley Kellahan wrote in an email to The Post and Courier Residents in town paid less in property taxes because the town would offset the cost with the sales tax money and pay the PSD directly the Charleston County treasurer will collect and distribute all the property tax revenue Kellahan added the PSD's services will not be impacted Reach Maddy Quon at mquon@postandcourier.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCHARLESTON COUNTY (WCSC) - The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office is telling drivers to find another route when driving near a main James Island intersection Folly Road near Camp Road is shut down due to power lines across the roadway, according to a post from the sheriff’s office on X. Deputies ask drivers to seek alternate routes for the time being The post did not indicate when the intersection was expected to reopen James Island Town Council has directed town staff to draft an ordinance that would allow residents who have built an accessory dwelling unit before 2012 to apply for their additional housing to be grandfathered into the town James Island Town Council directed staff to draft an ordinance to begin regulations for residents who may have small units on their properties that could eventually serve as affordable housing JAMES ISLAND — As housing only gets more expensive across the Charleston area the town is working to add accessory dwelling units as additional housing stock An accessory dwelling unit is a smaller, separate living space on the same property as a single-family home there is nothing in the town's code regarding ADU regulation but members of Town Council and Mayor Brook Lyon discussed language for an ordinance at a March 26 ADU workshop which council directed staff to draft into an ordinance will allow residents who built ADUs before 2012 to apply to have their additional housing grandfathered in if they meet flooding and building codes so the unit will legally become part of the homeowner's property Depending on the progress of the first phase the town could then start the second phase that allows residents with ADUs built between 2012 and 2025 to do the same Town Councilman Lewis Dodson told The Post and Courier that the Council would then need to establish additional criteria for future ADUs short-term rental regulations and whether rent control should be imposed The workshop specifically focused on language for an ordinance on accessory dwelling units but Town Council acknowledged the potential for short-term rentals and affordable housing opportunities "I don't think any of our police officers or sheriffs live on James Island except for maybe one of them who we have on island patrol," Lyon said at the meeting "It's become pretty unaffordable for a lot of us." Dodson told The Post and Courier ADUs are also a great way to add inventory to housing stock on the island without building apartment complexes or clearing more land "We can better our island and make it the way that people want it James Island isn't the first municipality to consider ADU ordinances to help add to the area's housing stock. North Charleston recently approved an amendment in January to allow for additional dwellings to be built across the city in residential areas But City Councilman Brandon Hudson said North Charleston won't impose rent control on the ADUs because creating more housing should cause house prices to naturally come down The process of drafting and approving the ordinance will take a few months it will go before the town's planning commission for approval before going through two readings and a public hearing before Town Council (WCIV) — In the second week of WCIV News 4's High School Hoops James Island comes into the game holding a 10-7 (1-1) record who is averaging 15.3 points per game and 3.8 assists The last game James Island played featured a 55-49 win over Summerville Fort Dorchester comes into the matchup with a 7-10 (0-2) record Three seasons ago he made the state title game Fort Dorchester's previous game included a 60-46 loss to West Ashley The team is led by Junior guard Maricious Dawson (WCIV) — (UPDATE) - The Charleston Police Department announced late Thursday afternoon the James Island Connector has reopened to traffic after being closed due to icy and potentially hazardous conditions Police would like to also remind motorists to still drive with caution (ORIGINAL STORY) - The James Island Connector has been completely closed down in both directions due to ice on the roadway according to the Charleston Police Department ice still is covering some sections of roadways throughout the Lowcountry Drivers are advised to stay off the roads if possible to protect everyone's safety It is unclear at this time when the James Island connector will reopen but crews are working to restore the flow of traffic as soon as possible Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInFLORENCE (WCSC) - Ridge View used a 25-0 run to end the first half to lift them to a win over James Island 63-43 in the 5A-1 Lower State championship game in Florence on Saturday Parker Renault led the Trojans with 17 points while Gavin Ward chipped in 10 14-8 after the 1st quarter but managed to get the lead down to 2 early in the 2nd at 16-14 That’s when Ridge View starting working their full court press which flustered James Island Ridge View wouldn’t allow another point the rest of the quarter and were up 41-14 at the half and never looked back “Proud of the guys” James Island head coach Travis Smith said after the game “wish we could have gotten it done tonight and play in a championship and bring it back to James Island but the legacy of the guys in that locker room will definitely be felt We still had a good year obviously the goal is to win your last game which is the state championship game but I think the guys once we look at it we sit down and debrief I think the guys will be proud of what they did and what they accomplished” Best Places to Work in South Carolina have partnered to open a distillery combining their spirit products 2 Charleston spirits companies partner to open James Island distillery Two Lowcountry spirit companies have announced a partnership with plans to expand through South Carolina and into Georgia according to a news release from Virgil Kaine “This is an exciting time because we are going back to our roots. Not only does Virgil Kaine now have a home in Charleston where our passionate supporters can come visit us, but having a distillery so close will enable us to be more hands-on with the product,” David Szlam, Virgil Kaine founder we can personally ensure each and every bottle of Virgil Kaine is as good as it possibly can be.” The pair’s new location will be on James Island in a 14,000-square-foot building located at 1734 Signal Point Road The building will have a 7,500-square-foot event space called The Rickhouse a tasting room and retail shop with Cannon Distillery Virgil Kaine and Nippitaty Gin to purchase “What I love about this partnership is that it enables us to really focus on what we do best — use our culinary know-how to create unique and ultimately enhance the customer experience,” Kris Kincaid “Both of our teams have cut our teeth in the Charleston hospitality scene and navigated the distribution school of hard knocks “Those experiences are invaluable to our partnership But we aren’t hardcore accountants or hospitality executives focused solely on the bottom line We are bringing a new perspective to the game and I think we are creating something incredibly special that customers will love.” Related: Kentucky-based distilling company expands into South Carolina market Related: Pro women’s soccer star becomes co-owner of Charleston liquor company Virgil Kaine was founded in 2011 by Szlam and Ryan Meany Cannon Distillery was founded in 2017 by Kris Kincaid “This partnership deepens the bond among passionate and enthusiastic entrepreneurs who share common values and aspirations “We have built something unique and exciting and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together.” a rooftop patio and The Whiskey Hotel on the second floor The purpose of the transition is to reduce lead time and freight costs and now Greenville area’s first private club in more than three decades celebrates milestone .. the hotel is located at 301 Holiday Drive and has 95 guest rooms Attendees will have wine and food tastings spirits seminars and the Grand Tasting with winemakers Sign up for your daily digest of Charleston Business News Current CEO will head to a new post in Poland as the Ladson plants welcomes a leader from [...] Stevens Towing has powered coastal transport evolving from mail delivery to hea[...] Blanchard Machinery begins construction on a $65M Calhoun County facility to boost growth American Airlines adds more flights between Charleston and LaGuardia increasing to 3 daily departur[...] A new joint venture acquired 104 affordable housing units in North Charleston for $15M South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis will stay in office for now as the House opts not to act on S[...] Charleston business is the market leader in business media in South Carolina We connect you with decision-makers and stakeholders throughout the state Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Log in for access to the latest digital and special editions (WCIV) — Charleston Water System crews are working to repair a leak on James Island Sunday afternoon causing some residents to notice dark brown water flowing from their taps One local described the water as the color of feces As crews worked to repair a leak on a line near Riley Road a sediment comprised of various minerals was disturbed A CWS official said these minerals caused the water to take on the unpleasant hue Crews are anticipated to complete work on the Riley Road leak around noon and then proceed to flush the water main CWS said that effected residents can turn on their cold water tap for 2-3 minutes after the water main has been flushed and their water should clear up READ MORE | "'Running the water is really your main line of defense': Frigid temps, protect your pipes" There is no boil water advisory in effect and the water is completely safe to use and drink (WCIV) — West Ashley defeated James Island in a High School Hoops instant classic Friday night West Ashley knocked down one of two free throws to win West Ashley now improves to 10-6 (1-0) on the season the full game can be watched in the player below James Island comes into the game holding a 9-6 record The bout against West Ashley marks the first region game of the year James Island's recent record includes a 49-35 win at Lucy Bekcham James Island lost six seniors from last season but is led by Gavin Ward and Parker Renault In James Island's last win over Lucy Beckham Joshua Gladden led the team in scoring with 12 points Travis Smith is in his second year as head coach West Ashley comes into the game holding a 9-6 record The matchup with James Island also marks West Ashley's first region game of the year Leading West Ashley in points is Kendell Mack at 12.4 points per game Damon Junio is not far behind with 9.6 a game In West Ashely's last win over North Charleston Corbin Guerry scored 12 points with three other players notching in double figures Knight’s Companies High School Hoops driven by Crews Chevrolet kicks off our sixth season of live Lowcountry high school basketball games News 4 & MyTV Charleston will travel across the Lowcountry bringing you some of the area’s most intense high school rivalries and showing support for our area schools LLC Injury Attorneys will select one scholar-athlete to receive a $2,500 scholarship at the end of the season High School Hoops sponsors have donated over $12,000 in scholarships to local students (WCIV) — Online jail records show James Island Charter High School Head Junior Varsity Football coach Preston Vinson was arrested for attempted murder Friday possession of a weapon during a violent crime and pointing and presenting a firearm at a person according to the Al Cannon Detention Center's website READ MORE | "Charleston County Sheriff's Office investigates fatal shooting on Wadmalaw Island" News 4 has reached out to the high school for comment and employment status of Vinson and received the following statement As of Saturday afternoon, Vinson is no longer listed on the James Island Charter website as head coach maintained his innocence and asserted he is eager to clear his name News 4 has also contacted the Charleston County Sheriff's Office for more information surrounding the arrest and will update this story when we receive additional information Vinson is a former South Carolina Gamecocks football player He was released on bond Saturday afternoon becoming NW and decreasing to less than 5 mph. becoming NW and decreasing to less than 5 mph A new Dairy Queen on James Island opened on March 7 on Folly Road Dairy Queen opens on March 7 in James Island serving up signature vanilla cones Blizzards are forecast for James Island March 7 The only inconvenience they will cause is a brain freeze taking over a former Subway location at 345 Folly Road The full-service “Chill & Grill” fast food eatery is serving up signature vanilla cones, Blizzards with drive-through service open until midnight who represents the franchisee owners and is vice president of operations for Dream Cone LLC said the opening is two-and-a-half years in the making following a location search for a property that already had a drive-through in place and necessary renovations “Everybody remembers a Dairy Queen where they grew up locally and that's one of the visions the owners had," Shaw said "They saw a need in the market for a great the Daniel Island-based firm that worked on the project The location is fully staffed with 50 employees Shaw said job openings were announced on social media and the company held a job fair at the nearby James Island Christian Church “We feel very strongly that this Dairy Queen is going to thrive especially in a community that hasn't had a Dairy Queen in decades The James Island shop is the first DQ restaurant owned by Dream Cone LLC The Dairy Queen will be open daily for dine-in from 10 a.m and drive-through will be open from 10 a.m The franchise will also be available on food delivery service platforms A water main broke on Riverland Drive in James Island on March 27 An 8-inch water main broke at the corner of Riverland Drive and Bradham Road around 11 a.m JAMES ISLAND — A  watermain break March 27 closed Riverland Drive at Central Park Road diverting traffic away from the area but causing an expansive traffic snarl in the region according to Charleston Water System spokesperson Mike Saia about 60 customers were expected to be without water until about 6:30 p.m. The roadway is expected to reopen around midnight with steel plates covering the large hole that resembles a sinkhole but is not one water main breaks create pressure that blow the ground out like a volcano would release lava it has all the force it needs to erupt out of the Earth," Saia said The damage the break caused is "really complicated" because of nearby storm drain infrastructure but Saia could not say how long that might take There should be no traffic impacts on March 28 Mayor of James Island Brook Lyon explains the history of a structure associated with South Carolina Agricultural Society located at 1259 Mill Point Road The town has plans to create a new family park at the site Mill Point Creek runs along a green space at 1259 Mill Point Road The town of James Island has plans to create a new family park at the site A variety of flowers and trees grow in a green space at 1259 Mill Point Road An avenue of oak trees lead to a structure associated with South Carolina Agricultural Society located at 1259 Mill Point Road A playground structure overlooks the trees in a greenspace at 1259 Mill Point Road A structure associated with South Carolina Agricultural Society still stands at 1259 Mill Point Road A mill stone from a tidal mill still remains at 1259 Mill Point Road Town officials are in early stages of adding new community spaces that could improve quality of life for residents thanks to the councils approval of two new projects JAMES ISLAND — Town officials are in early stages of adding new community spaces that could improve quality of life for residents Town Council approved two projects at its Nov one that will create a new park and another to build a new arts and cultural center Purchasing the property for the park is expected to cost over $2.7 million according to James Island Mayor Brook Lyon The town requested a little over $930,000 in greenbelt funds from Charleston County's 2016 half-cent transportation sales tax to help buy 6.6 acres of land off Mill Point Road that will be used for their new park County Council gave unanimous approval on Nov One of Lyon's priorities as mayor is to obtain more green space and create parks across town A few months after Lyon was elected in 2023 she directed town staff to look for properties with acreage that could be used for the effort She said the owner of the Mill Point Road property reached out to her personally with an idea for a park and offered to give her a tour of the land Lyon took each Town Council member on a tour and said they "fell in love with it." somebody else will and then it won’t be there for public use." When Councilman Lewis Dodson saw the property he called the land stunning and knew it would make for a beautiful park It's going to be a fantastic opportunity for the town and people of James Island," Dodson said The town will close the land for the park in December a public input session will be held to see what residents would want to include there Lyon said that because there is waterfront access on the property some ideas for what the park could have include paddle boarding The park would be located in County Councilwoman Jenny Costa Honeycutt's district She said this is a great use of greenbelt funds and added part of the county's transportation sales tax is balancing growth with investing in conservation "This is one of those exemplary projects where instead of another multi-family development or housing going in we’re going to be able to preserve six acres with access to waterfront," Honeycutt said "I'm thrilled to be able to work with the town to make this a reality." Lyon said she's grateful the town can help preserve land. Development on James Island has resulted in a loss of trees, which has become a problem for residents, as they often help absorb water during flooding. She considers the conservation of land to curb development an "added bonus." "We just want to help get more parks and green space for our citizens," Lyon said While the park is a new asset, the town's plans for an arts center are to replace that already exists off Camp Road The town currently leases the building the arts center is in from Charleston County This was reason enough to purchase an acre of land at the corner of Hillman Street and Dills Bluff Road and we've really done a wonderful job with it so much better we can do for the community," Lyon said The arts center currently hosts several classes and groups for different activities Lyon said the town plans to move classes and programs from the current center to Town Hall in the next few months as they work on the new arts center While there are no concrete plans yet and Lyon hopes to set up a public input meeting in the next few weeks she said some possibilities include having sinks in the rooms for art classes (WCIV) — More details have emerged in the case of theJames Island Charter High School Junior Varsity Football coach that was charged with attempted murder Friday The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office reports thatOn Friday deputies responded to a bank in the 1000 block of Folly Road for reports of a disturbance involving a weapon deputies encountered a man matching a suspect's description reaching into their vehicle The individual was identified as Preston Vinson Deputies commanded Vinson to back away from the vehicle to which he complied Vinson was detained without further incident READ MORE:James Island High School JV football coach arrested on attempted murder charges he stated thathe was involved in a verbal altercation with an acquaintance at the bank that continued into the parking lot and became physical the involved acquaintance stated he and Vinson argued over a business transaction when Vinson pointed a gun at him outside of the bank Preston Vinson was charged withattempted murder Deputies responded to a bank on Folly Road on Friday 18 in reference to a disturbance involving a weapon deputies arrived and saw Vinson reaching into his vehicle for something Deputies said they gave verbal commands to back away from the vehicle and Vinson complied Vinson told deputies he was assaulted by a man inside the bank Deputies searched Vinson and did not find a weapon on his person The report goes on to state a deputy detained the man inside the bank while they worked to figure out what happened READ MORE | "James Island High School JV football coach arrested on attempted murder charges" Deputies found a loaded magazine inside the bank while detaining the other man involved Vinson was then asked to relay what had happened to deputies The report states he told deputies he and a business associate got into a verbal argument over a previous incident while inside the bank Vinson said he had met the man to give him a $2,000 check when the argument began Deputies said Vinson told them the other man punched him in the face and broke his glasses The report states the deputy noticed one of the lenses of Vinson's glasses was missing but didn't notice any injuries to his face Vinson told deputies he kept a firearm in his vehicle but it was not involved Deputies said they then found a 9mm round in front of a vehicle while talking to Vinson The report states Vinson told deputies he always keeps a loaded magazine in his pocket at all times and the other man involved took the magazine out of his hand and the round was dislodged from the magazine After Vinson told deputies his firearm was in his backpack deputies located it and found a black and bronze Taurus 9mm Deputies then interviewed the other man involved who reportedly told deputies he met Vinson inside the bank to collect an owed check when Vinson started saying obscenities to him as he was leaving The man claimed Vinson went to get something out of his vehicle then followed him to his vehicle and pointed a pistol in his face READ MORE | "Man in custody after fleeing from sheriff's deputies and ensuing pursuit with NCPD" The man claimed he slapped Vinson's glasses off his face in an act of self defense and grabbed the hand that was carrying the pistol and pinned it to the vehicle He then told deputies he was able to release the magazine from Vinson's firearm during the struggle and then run back inside the bank with the magazine in his possession When asked to describe Vinson's firearm the man told deputies it was a black pistol with a bronze finish on top Vinson repeatedly denied pointing the firearm during the incident or threatening the man Deputies asked bank employees if they could access security cameras and were reportedly told they would have to get a search warrant to access the tape Vinson's lawyer provided a statement to News 4 maintaining his innocence and saying Vinson is eager to clear his name News 4 reached out to the high school for comment and employment status of Vinson and received the following statement Vinson was transported to the Al Cannon Detention Center (WCIV) — The Calhoun Street and Lockwood Drive ramps onto SC-30 better known locally as the James Island connector according to the city's road closure monitoring site For more information and to monitor City of Charleston road closures in real time, click here. James Island High School's Connor Dantzler (16) looks to pass against Fort Dorchester High School during their game at Fort Dorchester Friday James Island High School's Harper Woods (33) and Gray Dangerfield (11) tackle Fort Dorchester High School's Ryan Campbell (0) during their game at Fort Dorchester Friday James Island High School's Amor Scott (6) rushes against Fort Dorchester on Oct are at Ashley Ridge in another region matchup on Oct It is not likely that either team will win the Region 8-AAAAA championship but that did not temper the intensity level displayed as James Island visited Fort Dorchester NORTH CHARLESTON — It is not likely that either team will win the Region 8-AAAAA championship this season but that did not temper the intensity level displayed as James Island visited Fort Dorchester for their week eight showdown in high school football James Island snapped a two-game losing streak earning its first region win of the season with a 26-7 victory The Trojans have struggled to score points all season and lost their best offensive threat on Thursday when he unexpectedly transferred to a prep school in Florida sparked by the return of top running back Amor Scott after missing a month due to injury but effectively moved the ball enough to dominate the time of possession taking its first possession of the game 66 yards on six plays with Connor Dantzler connecting with Sam Crumpton on a 14-yard touchdown for an early 7-0 lead Gray Dangerfield added a 28-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead with 2:50 remaining in the first quarter kept Fort Dorchester in check throughout the first half The JI offense added a touchdown on Scott’s 2-yard run with 20 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Trojans a 17-0 lead Fort Dorchester opened the third quarter with its best drive as Ryan Campbell capped the initial possession with a 42-yard touchdown scamper pushing him over 100 yards rushing on the night After a fumble recovery gave the Trojans great field position Dangerfield booted a 40-yard field goal to push the lead to 20-7 heading into the fourth quarter James Island’s defense came up with three fourth-down stops in the fourth quarter to preserve the lead The last stop set the Trojans up at the Fort 15-yard line and Thomas Webb capped the scoring with a 7-yard run The Fort Dorchester High School football team takes the field as they play James Island High School Friday James Island High School's head coach Jamar McKoy during their game at Fort Dorchester Friday Fort Dorchester High School's Kevin Johnson (15) looks to pass against James Island High School during their game at Fort Dorchester Friday Fort Dorchester High School's Ryan Campbell (0) is tripped up by James Island High School during their game at Fort Dorchester Friday Fort Dorchester High School's Malquan Pimentel Jr (1) is covered by James Island High School's Jaseyvion Brown (24) during their game at Fort Dorchester Friday Offensive line coach Sam Mallard talks with Fort Dorchester High School's Eric Mittag (37) prior to the game against James Island Friday James Island High School cheerleaders celebrate a touchdown during their game at Fort Dorchester Friday The Fort Dorchester High School marching band plays for the pre-game Friday Fort Dorchester High School's Kameron Maxwell (2) is stopped by James Island High School's Coleman Jones (35) during their game at Fort Dorchester Friday Nevaeh Reynolds is joined by her family father Robert Simmons,Jr. (left) her mother Brittany Staley and brother Robert Simmons III (right) on the field during Senior Night at Fort Dorchester Friday Darryl Caldwell and Velanita Caldwell straighten their son Fort Dorchester High School's Darryl Caldwell (78) jersey as they wait to be introduced on Senior Night before their game against James Island their game Friday Fort Dorchester High School students dress up in the stands during their game against James Island Friday The sun sets over the Fort Dorchester stadium as they play James Island Friday James Island High takes on Fort Dorchester at home in North Charleston Subscribe to Gamecocks Now and Tiger Take James Island players celebrate their Class AAAA state baseball title on May 22 The Trojans won the state championship last season but after losing several key players and moving up to Class AAAAA Winning a state championship as a high school athlete brings memories that last for a lifetime but repeating for a second ring is a much tougher ride James Island’s baseball team dominated the 2024 season, winning 29 games and capturing the Class AAAA state title with a series sweep of Laurens Coach Matt Spivey has a lot of the key members from that team and the Trojans have moved up to Class AAAAA but James Island still began this spring as the top-ranked team in AAAAA by the S.C Spivey embraces the target on his team’s back but said winning last year will have no effect on what happens this season He said if his team doesn’t bring the right focus and attitude “The vibe from this team is different,” said Spivey We sort of have that ‘top of the mountain’ attitude We have to pull things together to have the type of season we want which includes a Region 8-AAAAA opening game win over West Ashley on March 24 The early losses came to high-level opponents: ranked Class AAAAA teams from Chapin and Lexington and North Carolina private school power Charlotte Christian it’s our approach to performing in the big games against Chapin and Lexington,” Spivey said The Trojans return loads of production at the top of the batting order Third baseman Jake Amman was named the Lowcountry player of the year and earned all-state honors last season He hit .455 with five homers and tallied 47 hits while scoring 33 runs one of the state’s top junior prospects and an Ole Miss commit hit .433 with three homers and 33 RBIs last season His pitching will be a bigger factor this spring The ace of the pitching staff is junior Collin Anderson Anderson also starts defensively in center field Another key returner is sophomore second baseman Trip Ostergard Back behind the plate is senior Stow Rogers Rogers batted .402 with five homers and 26 RBIs Finn Pratt has moved into a starting role at first base Cars turn onto Maybank Highway toward the Paul Gelegotis Bridge the span over the Stono River connecting Johns Island and James Island Traffic from James Island across the Paul Gelegotis Bridge over the Stono River onto Johns Island Johns Island has experienced rapid growth in the past 15 years While the city of Charleston is taking steps to improve infrastructure it's a long game of catch-up and may take years before residents see tangible results JOHNS ISLAND — As the island continues to grow the city of Charleston is shifting its focus to catch up on much-needed infrastructure to accommodate more residents Charleston Mayor William Cogswell acknowledged that some parts of the city are "struggling to keep up" with the explosive growth Charleston has experienced in the past two decades in his State of the City address at an April 8 City Council meeting where he also noted successes in his first year of office Cogswell named Johns Island as a prime example of growth outpacing infrastructure Johns Island is home to almost 15,000 people in 2025 a 181 percent increase from about 5,200 in 2010 Census data shows the population of Johns Island as a whole has risen from around 15,100 people in 2010 to almost 22,900 in 2024 More than 25,000 people are estimated to live on the island today Several housing developments on Johns Island are now under construction or just finishing up the general contractors for The Sanderling said he's seen a huge demand for housing on Johns Island due to the growth Esposito said some clients have already brought residential projects on Johns Island to the contracting group while they navigate the permitting process with the city the city fell behind in building infrastructure to match the pace of development there is only one fire station and two parks or recreational sites on Johns Island and the roads are consistently bogged down with traffic Charleston Police Lt. Jim Byrne said at an April 10 Johns Island Council meeting that they're also looking to build a substation to help with policing on the island But community advocate John Zlogar worries it's not enough are basically to address what we have today but it’s not going to address what we need 10 years from now," Zlogar said He said he wants the city to plan responsibly so Johns Island grows in a smart way Zlogar thinks the top priority should be to make sure the Urban Growth Boundary — a line that separates urban and suburban uses from rural uses — remains intact Most of the city's jurisdiction is within the Urban Growth Boundary but if all of Johns Island were developed to be more urban and less rural Zlogar’s sure more than 100,000 people would live on the island which would exacerbate the infrastructure in place One of the biggest issues all residents are familiar with is traffic partly because there are only two ways on and off the island City Councilman Jim McBride said the limited access makes Johns Island uniquely vulnerable "Our geography makes the population growth that's happening here exceptionally more painful when the infrastructure is not keeping pace with the growth," he said McBride said he understands the frustration around constant traffic but explained that officials' hands are tied in many cases because most of the roads are owned by the state meaning any road project would require approval from the state Department of Transportation whose district covers most of Johns Island He wants the city to work on adding sidewalks and multiuse paths as well as creating more roads in subdivisions parallel to Maybank Highway so drivers can get away from the main road but still drive down the corridor McBride acknowledged it may take some time before residents see tangible results from what the city is working on but he's already optimistic the shift in focus to Johns Island will help residents people will see — especially with the recreation center and fire station — the city is leaning into solving problems for Johns Island," McBride said (WCIV) — The Lowcountry Cajun Festival is set to make its return this spring at James Island County Park bringing a taste of Louisiana to the Lowcountry the festival promises a full day of Zydeco music Festival-goers can indulge in traditional dishes such as jambalaya Live Zydeco and Cajun music will fill the air with performances by Blackcat Zydeco Corey Arceneaux & the Zydeco Hot Peppers at 2:30 p.m. and Ruben Moreno's Zydeco Re-Evolution at 4:30 p.m Additional entertainment includes a children's reptile program "Who Calls the Swamp Home?" at 1 p.m. The festival also features a crafters' market and a kids' area with inflatables accessible all day with a $10 hand stamp with advance tickets priced at $35 for up to 15 people Attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance at CharlestonCountyParks.com Gold Pass holders can enter without a ticket but must present their pass at the gate Carpooling is encouraged due to limited vehicle admission James Island County Park will be closed to regular guests on April 12 to host the event Accessible facilities and a quiet area will be available with more information at the Accessibility Tent