electrician in James Island, SC

Updated with visitor information on Friday, Oct. 13

Something green is coming to Charleston, and we’re not talking about St. Patrick’s Day. A new state park is in the works at the tip of James Island. We spoke with SC State Parks Director Paul McCormack for the latest on the project.

The waterfront park will be located on 23 acres at the end of Fort Johnson Road, adjacent to the Fort Johnson historic site. The parcel is managed by the SC Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

In 2021, the state purchased the land from the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy for $23 million. The May Forest Convent located on-site is expected to be converted into an event venue that will be the main component of the new park. Funding has not yet been secured for the venue construction project.

Charlestonians can look forward to a day-use recreation and picnicking area with views of the Charleston Harbor, the Ravenel Bridge, and Fort Sumter. There is an existing gazebo and bench swing. Conceptual images are not yet available, but stay tuned.

An event space, lodging, and a dock may be added in the future. A structural assessment of the property is expected to determine park features down the road. What would you like to see this new park offer? Let us know.

In addition, there is a master plan that envisions the entire ~100-acre Fort Johnson area that is separate from the state park project.

The park is expected to open this spring or summer. There is currently no timeline for potential future amenities, but keep an eye on the newsletter for updates. The plans for Fort Johnson, which surrounds the state park area, are long-term.

May Forest launched its soft opening phase. The new state park on the northeast waterfront of James Island offers views of the Charleston Harbor, Ravenel Bridge, and Fort Sumter, plus woodland and fields abutting the shore.

The park is far from finished — but you can stroll for yourself now.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources bought the 23-acre park land from the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy for $23.25 million in 2021.

May Forest State Park and the ~100-acre Fort Johnson area make up a long-term development plan including updated trail access, greenspace, historical interpretation, and research campuses.

The park is located at 424 Fort Johnson Rd. Since it occupies one tip of James Island, navigating is easy: just follow the road to its end and follow the signage for visitor parking.

During the soft opening phase, the park is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays, grounds only.

May Forest is currently hiring a park ranger. Once they do, you’ll be able to visit on weekends, too.

Currently, May Forest offers walking trails and four picnic tables to unwind by the water. Pets are welcome in most areas, but you’ll need to keep them leashed.

As the park grows, look forward to an event space at the old May Forest Convent, overnight accommodations, and dining options.

The residents of James Island are now seeing and hearing coyotes throughout their community following a rise in coyote interactions on Sullivans Island.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The residents of James Island are now seeing and hearing coyotes throughout their community following a rise in coyote interactions on Sullivans Island last month.

“Obviously, they’re here in our neighborhood, and we all need to be vigilant,” Lighthouse Point Neighborhood Association President Brook Lyon says.

Those who live in the Lighthouse Point community on James Island say they have recently seen and heard coyotes sometimes in broad daylight or in their backyards.

“I’ve had several reports over the last few weeks of people actually seeing the coyotes,” Lyon adds. “One last week was seen going across Schooner Road in broad daylight. Another photo was taken in the backyard of someone who has a chicken coop, and there’s live chickens there, which could be a potential food source for coyotes.”

Photos recorded on home security cameras show the coyotes on the island, concerning the community about their personal safety and their pets’ lives.

The Charleston County Sheriff’s Department says there is one reported incident with coyotes on James Island back in June.

Sullivans Island also reported five coyote attacks involving dogs in August, making the community on James Island even more worried.

“We are one town, one island, and we don’t want animals to start getting snatched or people getting attacked, like what has happened in other areas,” Lyon says.

Lyon and James Island Town Councilmember Troy Mullinax says they reached out to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and was told there was no program to help them with coyotes in the neighborhood.

“My next step is to contact Governor McMaster because it’s a natural resource issue, and at this time, the town does not have any wildlife management people,” Lyon says.

“DNR does not have anything in place,” Mullinax adds. “This is something we’re going to address at our upcoming meeting this Thursday, and just let people know that there’s something we’re working on.”

To keep the coyotes out of your neighborhood, they recommend not feeding the wildlife or keeping any potential food source outside for them to find.

If you run into a coyote, you’re advised to react loudly, throw small sticks or cans or spray the animal with water.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has not yet responded to a request for comment.

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JAMES ISLAND — A new dry bar is now open on James Island. Instead of using alcohol, the bar utilizes CBD, Delta-8 and Delta-9 seltzers produced by High Rise Beverage Co.

The bar, the first of its kind in the state, is at the back of the new storefront space of Charleston Hemp Collective at 1989 Maybank Highway Unit 103. It’s right next to a cycling studio and across the street a little ways down from The Terrace Theater.

The store, dry bar and seltzer company are all owned by Lowcountry duo Matt and Libiss Skinner, who met in Columbia when they were kids.

“There’s actually a picture of the two of us at age 10 and 8 kissing on my grandmother’s front porch,” said Matt, with a chuckle.

Now married, they’ve made it their mission to spread awareness of the healing qualities of hemp and hemp-derived products.

It all started with Libiss’ ulcerative colitis diagnosis. She was prescribed 11 pills a day at one point and was on a steroid that came with a bunch of side effects.

“I knew I couldn’t sustain that, and I was really scared,” she said.

After doing her own research, Libiss turned to CBD as part of a daily anti-inflammatory and pain control regimen, as well as a way to decrease anxiety and stress surrounding her health condition. She hasn’t had a flare up in almost two years.

It was around a year ago when the couple started High Rise Beverage Co. and began selling their real fruit- and hemp product-infused seltzers. The drinks are canned in North Carolina and come in flavors such as pineapple, blackberry, grapefruit, blood orange, raspberry, black cherry and lime. They’re also infused with CBD, Delta-8 or Delta-9, at a percentage of .3 or less of THC to adhere to the federal government’s legal requirements as outlined in the Farm Bill Act.

At the bar on James Island, these seltzers are used to make a variety of mocktails, many of which come in tiki glasses and fit the tropical theme. Bird wallpaper and a plant wall are complimented by a neon pink sign that explains the concept: “cannabis dry bar.”

The owner of Macaroon Boutique and Le Chambertin in Charleston cooked at Les Halles, the famed restaurant that more than a million people have read about in Anthony Bourdain’s bestselling book, “Kitchen Confidential.”

Hailing from France, Fabrice Rizzo ran the pastry programs at restaurants across New York City and later held an executive position within Union Square Hospitality Group. He worked his way up in that company, led by restaurateur Danny Meyer, who brought Eleven Madison Park, Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern to New York City and Shake Shack to countries around the world.

For those who have not kept up with New York City restaurant news, Rizzo’s resume is impressive.

The French chef will rush through this chapter of his life story to get to the part where he moves to the South. He started in Destin, Fla., where he owned two bakeries, before coming to Charleston to open Macaroon Boutique at 45 John St. in 2010.

More than a decade later, Rizzo and his wife Fabienne Doco opened Le Chambertin at 113 Church St. on their wedding anniversary in February 2021. Located in the space previously occupied by Fuschia Tea Emporium, Le Chambertin debuted with less fanfare than some other popular daytime cafes in Charleston.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, Le Chambertin does not amass the same line as nearby Harken Cafe, where I’ll sometimes stop for morning coffee. While there are plenty of photogenic savory and sweet bites, the French bakery is not filled with Instagramming tourists snapping pictures of the décor and Lamill coffee drinks like they do at Sorelle Mercato, which opened 300 feet away from Le Chambertin in February 2022.

JAMES ISLAND — All 10 barstools were taken when I stopped by The James on a recent Monday in August. According to an employee, that has been a nightly occurrence at the new James Island restaurant, now open at 1939-A Maybank Highway in the former Zia Taqueria space.

With cushioned bar chairs, the globe-lit bar is a nice place to grab a drink or a full meal, though there is plenty of seating inside the large restaurant, part of the Neighborhood Dining Group (Husk, Delaney Oyster House and Minero).

The bar area — which also features four high-top tables and a handful of booths with checkered upholstery — is separated from the dining room by a small partition. In the late afternoon, that portion of the 4,600-square-foot space is brightened by the sunlight that seeps in through a few long windows.

Between the farmhouse-inspired space that has come to define Husk and the classic oyster house aesthetic at Delaney, Neighborhood Dining Group President David Howard has shown he has a knack for conjuring up successful dining venues.

When he first told me about The James, Howard described it as an American grill that patrons might visit for a quality hamburger on a Tuesday before coming back for the prime rib over the weekend. The James’ clean, sharp look tells diners exactly what to expect — a restaurant where quality matters, but the chefs aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel. A restaurant where shorts are just as acceptable as a suit.

The food is equally as approachable, with salads, Parker House rolls, tuna tartare and fried shrimp with a trio of dipping sauces among the appetizer options. Judging by my surrounding diners, the salads — far too big for one person — have proven to be a hit, though they might require an extra side of dressing.

The owner of Macaroon Boutique and Le Chambertin in Charleston cooked at Les Halles, the famed restaurant that more than a million people have read about in Anthony Bourdain’s bestselling book, “Kitchen Confidential.”

Hailing from France, Fabrice Rizzo ran the pastry programs at restaurants across New York City and later held an executive position within Union Square Hospitality Group. He worked his way up in that company, led by restaurateur Danny Meyer, who brought Eleven Madison Park, Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern to New York City and Shake Shack to countries around the world.

For those who have not kept up with New York City restaurant news, Rizzo’s resume is impressive.

The French chef will rush through this chapter of his life story to get to the part where he moves to the South. He started in Destin, Fla., where he owned two bakeries, before coming to Charleston to open Macaroon Boutique at 45 John St. in 2010.

More than a decade later, Rizzo and his wife Fabienne Doco opened Le Chambertin at 113 Church St. on their wedding anniversary in February 2021. Located in the space previously occupied by Fuschia Tea Emporium, Le Chambertin debuted with less fanfare than some other popular daytime cafes in Charleston.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, Le Chambertin does not amass the same line as nearby Harken Cafe, where I’ll sometimes stop for morning coffee. While there are plenty of photogenic savory and sweet bites, the French bakery is not filled with Instagramming tourists snapping pictures of the décor and Lamill coffee drinks like they do at Sorelle Mercato, which opened 300 feet away from Le Chambertin in February 2022.

This was supposed to be the first real test of the regular season for James Island.

The AAAA Trojans had rolled through their first four games, allowing just one touchdown, heading into Friday night’s game against Class AAAAA Cane Bay.

But James Island had never beaten Cane Bay in six previous tries, including a heart-breaking 3-point loss a year ago when the Cobras kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

The Cobras (2-2) were coming off an open date and had two weeks to prepare for the Trojans.

But this one wasn’t even close as James Maxwell scored two touchdowns to lead fifth-ranked Trojans past Cane Bay, 28-7, on Sept. 15 before a crowd of more than 2,000 at The Backyard on the campus of James Island.

It wasn’t a perfect game or even a pretty one; the Trojans turned the ball over four times and had more than 100 yards in penalties. But James Island won the physical battle up front.

“We knew this was going to be a smashmouth football game,” said James Island coach Jamar McKoy. “We made way too many mistakes, but we found a way to step up and made some great plays when there needed to be great plays made and won a big ballgame.”

James Island’s defense smothered Cane Bay’s option offense, limiting the Cobras to less than 200 yards of total offense and one TD.

“It was a very physical football game,” said Cane Bay coach Russell Zehr. “They showed up to play that kind of game and we didn’t. At times they were much more physical than we were and that’s disappointing because we pride ourselves on being a physical team and were not tonight.”

After a short punt by the Cobras, James Island grabbed a 7-0 lead on Maxwell’s 8-yard TD run early in the second quarter.

Maxwell appeared to be caught in the Trojans’ backfield on the handoff, but brushed off the initial hit, and then ran over the next two tacklers on his way into the end zone.

The Trojans pushed their advantage to 14-0 on Maxwell’s second TD of the first half, this one coming from a yard out with 2:41 left before halftime.