North Charleston 2012 Fall Magazine

n o rt h c h ar le s to n o n li n e .co m

Run! Charleston Marathon First of its kind City Fireboat

AeronAutics. renewAble energy.

mAnufActuring. defense contrActing.

North Charleston’s high-tech workforce looks to the future.

Brain Power

fa l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2

Run! Charleston Marathon First of its kind City Fireboatn o rt h c h ar le s to n o n li n e .co m

R50-831616

Primary Care

Eagle Landing Adult Medicine

Goose Creek Family Practice

North Charleston Internal Medicine

St. James Family Medicine

emergenCy ServiCeS & diagnoStiCS

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Roper Hospital Diagnostics – Goose Creek

SPeCialitieS

Carolina OB/GYN

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Orthopaedic Specialists of Charleston

Palmetto Podiatry

Roper St. Francis MedShare-Goose Creek

• Audiology

• Dermatology

• Family Practice

• Gastroenterology

• Obstetrics/Gynecology

• Ophthalmology

Roper St. Francis has the North area’s

health covered with the care you trust

including family practice, emergency

medicine, lab and imaging services.

health covered!

North area’sWe have the

Call 402-CARE for an appointment.

www.rsfh.com

3 61 6 4 4

The coverPhotograph by Dan hale featur-ing clemson University res-toration center scientists Johan-na rivera (from left), nick rigas and nestor Gonzalez .

4 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m

fa ll / w i n t er 2 0 12

Inside

Living1 1 c h A r le sto n m A r At h o n

After a few years of wrangling and event changes, the Charleston Mara-thon seems to be hitting its stride. A look at what it takes to plan an event that runs through two cities. Plus, a map of the full course.

14 A h A n d m A d e li fe Park Circle resident Gretchen Scronce lives a modern, yet often homespun, life in Park Circle.

1 6 A n i m A l s A n d A n t i q u e sMeet Una Ashcraft, founder of the Spay Not Slay League and the driving force behind The North Charleston Village Antiques & Collectibles Show.

Working3 4 c it y fi r e b oAt

North Charleston's new fireboat, the first of its kind in the Lowcountry, serves as an on-the-water firefight-ing resource, rescue boat and dive platform. The boat weighs in at about 19,500 pounds, yet it drafts only about two feet of water. It can hit 43 knots (about 50 mph), and since it’s steered by jet drives, can stop on a dime.

3 6 li fe by d e s i g nNorth Charleston resident and graphic artist Laurel Stender recently captured top prize in the national Runway to Win design challenge issued by Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign. Her sold-out design, featured beside the likes of Marc Jacobs and Beyoncé, showed off multihued lines that ulti-mately spelled “Obama.”

Playing3 8 At t r Ac t i o n s

Visitors to North Charleston won’t ever run out of things to see and places to go. The city’s attractions run the gamut from a Civil War submarine to a top-notch golf course and a wildly popular water park.

4 0 r e stAu r A n t p r o fi le sHungry? Then belly up to the bar or grab a table. North Charleston’s got everything you need, from fast food to trendy restaurants.

4 4 s A n tA st y leRichard Cleaver has been paying Santa Claus for the past 23 years, lately for the city of North Charleston's big holiday festivities.

4 5 e v e n t li st i n g s From concerts and sporting events at the coliseum to major holiday festivals and local theater and independent films, North Charleston has it all.

1 8 pAt i e n t s d o n ' t h Av e to wA it to s e e o b st e t r i c i A n

1 9 b r e A st c A r e c e n t e r fo c u s e s o n c o m fo rt

2 0 h ow to m A n Ag e d i A b e t e s

2 1 e x p lo r e r o b ot i c s u r g e ry

Health GuideSpecial section by Trident Health System

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Administration OfficeAdministration Office1411 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403Phone 843-723-7227, Fax 843-723-7404

C33-835822

P. J. BrowningPu blisherThe Post and Courier843.937. [email protected]

Tom CliffordE xec utive News D irectorThe Post and Courier843.937. [email protected]

gayle J. SmiThD irector of AdvertisingThe Post and [email protected]

STeve wagenlanderD irector of Audience D evelopmentThe Post and Courier843.937. [email protected]

leSlie SommerdykeS ale s Manager, C u stom Pu blic ation s and [email protected]

maTT winTerE ditor, North Charle ston Magaz ineManager of Innovation and New Initiative s , The Post and [email protected]@postandcourier.com

Jay fleTCherContributing D e sig n E ditorjfletcherdesign.com

norTh CharleSTon magazinei s a s p e c i a l p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e P o s t a n d c o u r i e r n e w s p a p e r, 1 3 4 c o l u m b u s s t . , c h a r l e s t o n , s . c . 2 9 4 0 3 . c o p y -r i g h t 2 0 1 2 b y t h e P o s t a n d c o u r i e r. n o p o r t i o n o f t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n m a y b e r e p r o d u c e d i n w h o l e o r i n p a r t w i t h o u t e x p r e s s w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n f r o m t h e P o s t a n d c o u r i e r.

fa ll / w i n t er 2 0 12

Katie Abbondanza Abbondanza, a local writer, profiled a mom/

do-it-yourselfer (p. 14), an antiques dealer and animal lover (p. 16), and a longtime Santa (p. 44).

Dan HaleHale, who with wife Amelia owns Dream-

land Images, shot portraits for our cover story on North Charleston's brainy workforce (p. 24 ).

Brendan KearneyKearney, a Post and Courier reporter who

covers Boeing, contributed information about the aeronautics giant for our cover story.

David QuickQuick, a marathoner and fitness writer for

The Post and Courier, took a look behind the scenes of the Charleston Marathon (p. 11).

Marie Rodriguez Rodriguez, a frequent photographer for

Charleston Scene, tackled number of shoots for this edition (ps. 14, 17, 44).

Rob YoungYoung, a Lowcountry freelance writer

who works in North Charleston, interviewed graphic designer Laurel Stender (p. 36).

Contributors


N2-836289

l e t t e r

few thinGs in life are as excitinGanD rare as witnessinG the start of somethinG trUly monumenTal .

It felt an awful lot like that while I was helping to put together this edition’s cover story, “Brain Power,” (p. 24) which takes a look at North Charleston’s brainy, high-tech and altogether impressive workforce.

I drove up to the old Navy base and wound my way through the rubble of redevelop-ment to the Cooper River, flowing largely unseen behind a wall of industrial buildings and shipyard cranes.

I parked in a gravel lot near a boxy white building, a giant construction site and a long, low-slung industrial building. The big white building contains the Warren Lasch Conserva-tion Center, the current home of the Confeder-ate submarine H.L. Hunley. That’s how most people, myself included, know the place: You can pay to see the sub on most weekends.

At the door, I hit the button and was buzzed upstairs by security. There, I met a former colleague of mine, Peter Hull, who now works as a writer for the Clemson Uni-versity Restoration Institute, or CURI.

Until a few years ago, CURI was best known for its work exploring and stabilizing the Hun-ley. That conservation work has enabled CURI scientists to develop new processes that help calm the belligerent relationship between old metal objects and saltwater.

After catching up a bit, Peter led me on a fascinating tour. We wandered through the laboratory downstairs, stopping to gawk at an electron microscope and checking out some of the old iron relics that have been preserved at CURI. “This process they’ve developed removes the corrosion but doesn’t compromise the artifact underneath,” Peter explained.

We stopped to talk to some of their resi-dent and visiting scientists (hailing from France, Uruguay, England, Finland and Chile). I was tickled to see that, just like in the movies, they wore white lab coasts and had written equations on glass window panes (you can see them in our cover shot).

We visited the Hunley, now sitting right-side-up and looking remarkably well-preserved in a giant pool of what Peter proudly described as

“plain North Charleston tap water.” We stopped to watch conservators work-

ing on an enormous, ancient art frame. The painting it held, a portrait of Harriet Aiken completed in 1825, was being restored nearby.

But CURI’s work on relics of the past, as fas-cinating as those projects may be, wasn’t the reason for the trip. CURI’s focus on the future — that’s where things really get interesting. How interesting? How about 20,000 possible new jobs? What about the possibility of North Charleston becoming a global player in green energy research, a key force in unlock-ing the potential of wind-generated power?

Right here in North Charleston, at the giant construction site next door to their lab and offices, CURI is building a $98 million facility that will be capable of testing wind turbine drivetrains up to 15 megawatts. Soon, wind turbine companies from all over the world will be sending their ever-bigger drive trains to North Charleston for testing. The rigs that pass muster eventually will be deployed in offshore wind farms around the globe.

And in place of the low-slung industrial building next door? In a few years CURI will open its new graduate education center, already named after the Zucker family. (You can learn more about the Zuckers, their phil-anthropic endeavors and their company, The InterTech Group, in our cover story).

“That could house as many as 20 Ph.D.s based here,” Peter said. “They’ll be working with industries, doing research on every-thing from composite and advanced materi-als and energy systems to coastal ecology.”

Ancillary businesses are already moving to the Lowcountry to be near CURI. Re-searchers are studying wind speeds off our coast.

Could North Charleston — and by exten-sion the Lowcountry and the state — soon be-come a nationally or even globally important player in wind energy?

In a few years, could wind generate power for our coastal communities?

That would, indeed, be monumental.

maTT winTerE d i t o r, N o r t h C h a r l e s t o n M a g a z i n ee d i t o r @ n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m

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In a split vote, North Charleston City

Council rejected an ordinance that would

have prohibited smoking inside public places

— much like bans that have been in place for

years in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Sum-

merville and other towns.

Mayor Keith Summey resisted such a step,

arguing that businesses should be free to

settle their own smoking policies. He was

joined by council members Ed Astle, Rhonda

Jerome, Bobby Jameson, Dorothy Williams

and Sam Hart.

Members Ron Brinson, Todd Olds, Bob

King, Dwight Stigler and Michael Brown

supported the ban, as did the bulk of the 13

people who spoke to council.

Though the smoking ban was narrowly

defeated, some North Charleston restau-

rants already did not allow smoking, and

many others were set to institute their own

bans.

Source: The Post and Courier

News on the wingmoving fAst At boeing, chArleston internAtionAl Airport

n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 9Photograph by Brad Nettles

Boeing CEO Jim McNerney credits South

Carolina’s elected officials and education sys-

tem for his “ahead of schedule” local Dream-

liner complex and called hiccups at that plant

“growing pains” typical of a new airplane with

a new engine.

Speaking at a business forum in Charles-

ton, McNerney hinted in October that further

expansion of Boeing’s North Charleston opera-

tions is likely as long as that government sup-

port and the maturation of the 6,000-member

workforce here continue.

McNerney visited Charleston during a busy

time for Boeing. The airframer was in the midst

of increasing production of several of its com-

mercial jet programs, finalizing design of future

airplanes and strategizing for the looming

American military cuts.

McNerney said that progress would not be

hampered by the failures of General Electric-

made engines on a Boeing 787 in North

Charleston and a 747-8 freighter in Shangai.

The Federal Aviation Administration

had ordered all in-service GEnx engines be

checked every 90 days for drive-shaft cracks,

which had been found in two 787 engines.

Air India took its first two Everett, Wash.-

made 787s from the complex near the airport

in September.

c h A r le sto n A i r p o rtThe first phase of the $150 million makeover

of Charleston International Airport’s terminal

was set to start three months earlier than an-

nounced.

The airport terminal will undergo a major

overhaul over the next two or so years. The

work was expected to begin with a $15 million

expansion of the ramp leading to the terminal

and construction of a new rental car pavilion.

Charleston also is adding six new gates, a

third baggage carousel, consolidated security,

a dome over the atrium, new office space and

a redesign that will direct passengers through

security behind the airline kiosks instead of

through the lobby.


Smoking bancity council split on meAsure

Photograph by Brad Nettles1 0 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m

That’s just one of the ways this small

school is distinguishing itself from the

crowd. Palmetto Scholars Academy is the

state’s only charter school for gifted and

talented students, and its mission is to push

its students to achieve at the highest levels

possible.

“It’s awesome,” said seventh-grader

Chelsey Graham. “It just gives kids the

things they need, and it doesn’t make any-

one feel dumb.”

The school opened in the fall of 2010 on

the former Navy base, where it leases space

from Noisette.

It has worked quietly since then to create

an identity and build a high-quality reputa-

tion. Its test scores are proof that it’s on its

way.

The school was one of 10 in the tri-county

area to receive a perfect 100 “A” under the

new federal rating system, and it has been

rated “excellent” by the state and received a

Palmetto Gold Award.

A g o o d fitThe school’s curriculum is designed for

gifted and talented students, but students

don’t have to meet any admissions criteria.

Any South Carolina resident who applies

will be accepted, unless there are more ap-

plicants than seats. In that case, the school

holds a lottery. It has waiting lists for sixth

and seventh grades.

Only about 60 percent of its roughly

280 students are identified as gifted

and talented. Students are tested and

interviewed after they are admitted, and

school officials tell parents whether the

school will be a good fit for their child’s

abilities. Some withdraw their non-gifted

students, while others leave them there

and hope they rise to the rigorous expec-

tations.

All the school’s classes are advanced,

and the school’s on-grade-level English and

math classes are one grade above what

students traditionally would take.

Achieving schoolnorth chArleston AcAdemy

PalmeTTo SCholarS aCademy Can’T afford To hire ComPanieS To CuT iTS graSS, fix iTS PlumBing or PainT iTS wallS. the north charleston charter school receives less fUnDinG Per PUPil than most other schools in the state, so it has to make its tiGht bUDGet stretch as far as Possible. Parents, facUlty anD stUDents UnDerstanD the state-createD PreDica-ment anD steP UP to fill in the GaPs, whether that’s DonatinG toilet PaPer or rePlacinG classroom liGht bUlbs.

Achievement Palmetto Scholars Academy

ninth graders Spenser Dolley and Jojo Bastian use computers to do research for a biology assignment.

B Y D i e t t e C o u r r é g é C a s e y

Teachers are encouraged to use research-

based lessons, hands-on activities and

original source documents. They use the

Socratic method during classroom discus-

sions to promote critical thinking.

Kelly Voigt enrolled her son in the

school’s inaugural sixth-grade class.

She loved the way the school taught to the

top kids, and her son “responded beauti-

fully.”

She decided to leave her teaching job at

a high-achieving suburban Dorchester 2

school for a spot at the North Charleston

school, and she now teaches science and

research.

lo o k i n g A h e A dPalmetto Scholars Academy has its

charter to operate through the state Public

Charter School District, and that’s why it’s

funding is lower than most other schools.

Schools that receive permission to operate

from the state district receive only state

and federal money; they don’t get any local

dollars.

A charter with the state district also has

implications for its attendance zone — any

student who lives in South Carolina can

attend. That’s different than the other

charter schools in Charleston County, which

received their charters from the county

school board and accept county residents

only.

Palmetto Scholars Academy students

come from across the Lowcountry, from

Edisto Island to Summerville and Moncks

Corner. The school doesn’t offer bus service,

so many carpool.

A hunt for a spot to build a new school

also is under way. The school is outgrow-

ing its campus — nine of its classrooms

are in the building while eight others are

in mobile units — but it will have to figure

out a way to pay for a new building. The

school is preparing to kick off a fundrais-

ing campaign.

In the meantime, the school will continue

to define itself. Some say it’s a place where

freethinkers are valued and where what

students wear is less important than who

they are. Students say it’s a place where they

can be themselves.

“You can’t be bullied for being smart

because everyone here is,” said Graham, the

seventh-grader.


Photograph by Brad Nettles n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 1 1

PuTTing on a maraThon iS no walk in The Park. JUst ask the orGanizers of the charleston marathon, an event that featUres a marathon anD half-marathon that starts in charleston anD fin-ishes in north charleston, as well as 5k, bike riDe, yoUth marathon anD exPo on the weekenD of the martin lUther kinG Jr. holiDay.

Over the last five years, organizers had to

haggle with officials over permits, determine

routes over roads crisscrossed with active

railroads, and deal with complaints both by

runners over the route and by residents and

business owners in North Charleston upset

about closed streets.

But many of those issues for the third annual

event – to be held the weekend of Jan. 18-20,

2013 – appear to be ironed out and 2013 may be

a year where the event finally hits its stride.

s c h o o l-to - s c h o o lWhile the Lowcountry’s weather is gener-

ally mild to hot, mid-January can be cold and

downright raw, particular for runners trying to

stay warm at the start and end of a marathon.

In a coup of sorts, especially for a mara-

thon event, the 2013 Charleston Marathon

and Half-Marathon will start at Burke Middle

High School in Charleston and finish at North

Charleston High School. Runners will be able

wait for the start inside Burke and even have

Charleston Marathon

26.2

l i v i n g

B Y D av i D Q u i C k

r u n , r u n , r u nDebbie cropper of anchorage, alaska marked her 50th marathon in 50 states last year during the charleston marathon.

1 2 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m

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n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 1 3

the ability to shower af-

ter the races at North

Charleston High.

Using the schools

is fitting because the

event is so closely

tied to the public

schools. From the

start, the Charleston

Marathon has raised

money for the Youth

Endowment for the

Arts (YEA), which

provides grants for arts

programs in public schools.

In the past two years, the event has funded

more than $50,000 in 20 different grants, as well

as a new initiative and pilot project called “Engag-

ing Creative Minds,” according the Charleston

Marathon board member Kyle Lahm.

Lahm added that the Burke-to-North

Charleston High route not only provides relief

to participants from bad weather but saves

the organization money spent on tents and

many portable toilets. Ample parking also

exists at both sites.

Organizers also are using Burke for the

event’s health expo and packet pick-up, to be

held 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Jan. 18, 2013, thereby

avoiding the elements that marred 2012’s

event under a large tent. Winds kicked up

dust and made for several unhappy vendors,

volunteers and participants.

Other route changes include an additional

stretch in downtown Charleston. In the past,

only the first six miles of the marathon were

in Charleston. The route change adds two

more miles in Charleston, including gorgeous

vistas of the Ashley River and Charleston

Harbor along Lockwood Boulevard and the

Battery and all of King Street.

“We’ve mapped this course hundreds of

times over the years and I don’t know how

many variations we’ve had, but I think this one

is really interesting,” said Howie Schomer, one

of the event’s co-founders and the point man

on route design.

Marathoners and half marathoners split

from each other just before the Mile 10 mark,

on Viaduct Road in North Charleston. Run-

ners in the half then proceed toward North

Charleston Highway while the marathoners

head to the Cooper River Marina and a short

jaunt on a pier between miles 12 and 13.

Schomer hopes the changes help the event

reach numbers that are “decent but manage-

able,” 1,000 for the marathon and up to 5,000

Graphic by Gill Guerry

JA n . 1 8 , 2 0 1 311 a.m.-8 p.m. - health and fitness

expo, Burke middle high school.

3:30 p.m. – charleston Youth

marathon, final 1.2 mile run, Burke.

JA n . 1 9, 2 0 1 38 a.m. – start of marathon and

half marathon, Burke.

8:15 a.m. – start of the shrimp and

grits 5K, near north charleston

high school.

10 a.m.-4 p.m. – celebration at

north charleston high school.

JA n . 2 0 , 2 0 1 38:30 a.m . – start of the charles-

ton marathon Bike ride (40- and

60-mile rides), mount Pleasant

memorial waterfront Park.

m A p o f m A r At h o n ' s f u ll c o u r s e

for the half.

Total participa-

tion – including the youth

marathon, bike ride and 5K – in 2012

was 4,700, up 500 from the previous year.

b e t t e r fo r b u s i n e s sAs runners in the half and marathon finish

at North Charleston High School – instead of

the previous Navy Yard at Noisette - they also

will be within a comfortable stroll of North

Charleston’s downtown business district.

Scott Cloud, past president of the Olde

North Charleston Merchants Association

and owner of The Barbecue Joint, said that

the marathon in the past two years “killed

business” because it not only closed streets

but deposited runners and spectators at the

finish line at the Navy Yard.

The route change, Cloud said, should be

better for those businesses, particularly res-

taurants and bars, such as the popular Madra

Rua Irish Pub.

“Everyone I’ve talked to thinks it's great,”

said Cloud. “Anything we can do to drum up

business after the holidays and before spring

I’m all for.”

r e c i p r o c A l b e n e fit sThe event’s close ties to the Youth Endow-

ment for the Arts and area public school arts

programs have reciprocal benefits.

Dr. Jim Braunreuther, fine arts director for

Charleston County School District and YEA

board member, said besides grant money

to fund arts programs – including Shake-

spearean plays, bands and a steel drum

program – it also gives schools another

opportunity: to showcase talents.

Schools, not specifically ones receiv-

ing grants, are encouraged to “Adopt-a-

Mile” and provide volunteers to pass

out water and sports drink, cheer and

provide entertainment – namely music.

“It’s their mile,” said Charleston Mara-

thon Director Liz Alford Miello. “They

have a lot of room to showcase their talent

– choirs, bands, art murals, cheerleaders.

Regardless, Miello said the marathon is in

need of volunteers - a total of at least 500

volunteers and ideally 30 people per mile.

o n e m o r e le s s o nBesides the arts, the Charleston Marathon

reaches out to local children in another way,

by promoting physical fitness.

The Charleston Youth Marathon, which is

open to all children ages 7-17 who are in good

health, is a “modified marathon.” Participants

can run or walk 25 miles prior to Jan. 18, 2013,

and then run the final 1.2 miles with every-

one else to complete a marathon at an event

at Burke Middle High School the day before

the adult marathon. ncharlestonmarathon.com


in College, greTChen SCronCe learned how To kniT and BeCame inTereSTed in The world of SuSTainaBle food. a DecaDe later, those threaDs are inteGral to the fabric of her moDern, yet often homesPUn, life. she anD her hUsbanD, haley hall, raise their own hens (“they’re hilarioUs to watch… i UseD to call it chicken tv,” she says), swaDDle their baby son in cloth DiaPers anD bUy their veGetables throUGh a local csa, or commUnity-sUPPorteD aGricUltUre.

Handmade life, in Park Circlegretchen scronce

Park Circle, the neighborhood they’ve

called home since 2009, has helped them

meet other liked-minded people. There are

other neighbors within walking distance

who keep chickens and a Facebook group

for “rookie moms,” a collection of nearly 100

new mothers who meet for playgroups and

trade off childcare.

“We love Park Circle,” Gretchen explains,

adding that she and Hall bought a house

there about a year ago. “We realized we really

liked the mix of people there. It’s a close-knit

community. My husband is black and I’m

white, and … the neighborhood is diverse.”

It’s also where she met Allison Nadeau,

Christine Tiller and Lauren Pavao, the

women who later banded together to form

the Charleston Craft Bee. Initially, the Bee

was going to be a single meet-up inspired

by Etsy, the online mega-destination to

buy and sell all things handmade. They

have since hosted three Bees, have a well-

designed website and are active on social

media.

“It kind of exploded on Facebook,” Scronce

says, noting that all three events sold out.

Crafting can be really fun, but it can also be

really expensive and daunting.”

B Y k at i e a b b o n D a n z a

Pa r k C i r C l e d i yGretchen scronce, here holding her son, emory, works at a library and lives in Park circle. scronce and some Park circle friends launched the charleston craft bee.

To ease these artistic and financial anxiet-

ies, the Bee charged only a small fee and

provided materials for specific projects to be

completed that evening. Each of the coordi-

nators led a craft based on a central theme

for the evening, like homemade cleaning and

beauty products or holiday gifts.

Explaining potentially complicated tasks

isn’t new to Scronce; by day, she works in the

technology learning center at Charleston’s

main library. There, she teaches computer

classes and assists patrons who want to

brush up on Microsoft Excel or sign up for an

email account.

“People are surprised that I don’t do

anything with books,” Scronce says, given

her background as a librarian. She and her

husband Hall met while they were both

pursuing master’s degrees in library science

at the University of North Carolina at Chapel

Hill. He is currently the library technician at

Trident Technical College.

In Hall, Scronce has found a true partner.

He’s the one who often gets up early to feed

the chickens and watches their son Emory

when she has to work weekends at the

library.

“I have to give my husband props,” she

says. “He is an equal parent. That’s one of the

things that makes working full-time and hav-

ing a family easier.”

Scronce also brings a healthy dose of prag-

matism to her life, whether she’s dealing with

crafting, cooking or child-rearing. The Bee is

currently on hiatus, two of the coordinators

have new babies and two recently launched

businesses, but she believes it will be revived

at some point, in some fashion. And when

she decides to, say, make her own cleaning

products, it’s because she wants the solution

to be “free of toxic ingredients, and safe for

me and my family.”

“I’ve only made a handful of things for

Emory,” she explains in an easy tone. “I did it

because it was fun or because I could make it

quickly or cheaply.” Now that she’s a mother,

she spends more time prepping on the week-

ends “to make the week go more smoothly”

and admits that sometimes her family might

order dinner in.

But on most weeknights, Scronce and Hall

spend their evenings with Emory, and then

cook dinner together after their son goes to

bed. Like crafting or raising chickens, it’s the

kind of ritual that spans the gap between

old-fashioned romance and a modern mar-

riage. n

Photograph by Marie Rodriguez


R62-831570

more than two dozen north charleston elementary school students got to work out like nfl players dur-ing the Play 60 program, put on by the carolina Pan-thers and a brighter future foundation. the Play 60 program is designed to help fight childhood obesity by encouraging kids to be active for an hour a day.by wade spees

City ScenesplAy like A pAnther


una aShCrafT loveS animalS So dearly, she can’t bear to have Pets anymore—she finDs it too heartbreakinG when one Passes away. when ashcraft moveD to north charleston from her native britain with her american hUsbanD in 1972, she was horrifieD to Discover tens of millions of animals a year were eUthanizeD in the UniteD states.

Two loves, animals & antiquesunA AshcrAft

“The only possible way to stop it would be

to spay and neuter,” she explained recently

over a glass of iced tea. Not one to sit around,

Ashcraft started the Spay Not Slay League in

1974, and did “just about everything” to col-

lect money for the animals, including garage

sales and auctions. The group raised about

$30,000 before she passed the management

of the fund over the Coastal Community

Foundation, which provides administrative

oversight of the endowment.

Her organization has stayed true to its

original mission for nearly 40 years, and Ash-

craft still designates which efforts Spay Not

Slay will support. And in 2010, she realized

she could combine two things she loves—an-

tiques and animals—by bringing an antique

show to North Charleston.

“Well, I’ve always liked antiques,” she said.

“And bit by bit, if you sell one thing and re-

place another thing, you become a dealer.”

Ashcraft knew of another North Charles-

ton resident who liked antiques and animals:

Mayor Summey (he’s “just tops” in her view).

She approached him, and the mayor not only

supported the idea, but suggested she talk with

Lisa Reynolds in his office to get the project

started. The North Charleston Village Antiques

& Collectibles Show began soon after.

Reynolds, who collects china and vintage

glassware, became the organizer of the

event, and says there are between 15 and 30


S h o P f o r a C a u S eUna ashcraft founded spay not slay league in 1974 and raised thousands of dollars for the cause through garage sales and auc-tions. in 2012 she helped start the north charleston village antiques & collectibles show, which also helps raise money to help prevent euthanasia of unwanted pets.

vendors at each show. Folks who want to sell

pay $65 to set up a booth, and those looking

to buy donate $2 at the door for the privilege

to peruse the wares, which are set up in the

Felix C. Davis Community Center.

Dealers come from across the Southeast to

sell vintage jewelry and clothing, rare dolls,

silver, antique books and more, and there’s

a small food court set up as well. Reynolds

says the show offers a smart alternative to

the mall, noting antiques are a way to “re-

cycle what we already have.”

The shows are held every other month,

and they’ve donated anywhere from $500 to

$1,400 to Spay Not Slay after each expo. With

the new influx of money, Spay Not Slay teamed

up with the SPCA in 2010 to spay and neuter

500 animals over the course of three days.

Ashcraft, who used to sell her collectibles

at Rainbow Market and at a downtown exhi-

bition, has a booth at the North Charleston

show she helped start, and is happy to report

they’ve had two successful years.

“It just took off. It’s a solid show now,”

she says. “Lisa does all the work, so I just

enjoy it.” n

u p c o m i n g s h ow sThe North Charleston Village Antiques &

Collectibles Show will be held Oct. 27-28 and Dec. 8-9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Felix C. Davis Community Center, 4800 Park Circle.

Photographs by Matt Winter (top left) and City of North Charleston


R28-833067

north charleston's holy city brewing hosted an all-american shindig by paying homage to a much-loved combo: burgers and beer. the event featured live music and patties from sesame, big billy’s burger Joint and others. brew flowed from holy city, naturally, along with coast brewing company a few other local brewers. by marie rodriguez.

City Scenesburgers And beer


n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 1 71 8 FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 2 N O R T H C H A R L E S TO N O N L I N E . C O M Special Section by Trident Health

EVERYONE KNOWS WAITING IS A PART OF PREGNANCY. BUT WHEN A PREGNANT

WOMAN IS READY TO DELIVER OR OTHERWISE NEEDS URGENT CARE, IT’S BEST

FOR HER TO SEE AN OBSTETRICIAN/GYNECOLOGIST RIGHT AWAY.Hospital PatientsDon't Have toWait to SeeObstetrician

The new Ob/Gyn Hospitalist Program

at Trident and Summerville Medical

Centers will ensure she does. Introduced in

July, the program provides obstetrics and

gynecology coverage at both hospitals

around the clock. This ensures that an

Ob/Gyn is immediately available to care for

a patient who does not have a physician, or

until a woman’s personal physician can see

her at the hospital.

Summerville Medical Center (SMC)

was the first hospital in the state to provide

a dedicated Ob/Gyn hospitalist team

with doctors devoted exclusively to that

endeavor, without private practices of their

own. Trident Medical Center (TMC) in North

Charleston began the program in August.

Both are campuses of Trident Health, which

is partnering with Ob Hospitalist Group

(OBHG) to offer the dedicated program at

the two hospitals.

Dr. Susan Kady Wilson leads the team

at SMC, while Dr. Larry Wilson spearheads

the TMC group. All the physicians are

board certified in their specialty and have

received additional training in advanced

fetal monitoring, risk management and

operative delivery.

“We provide an Ob/Gyn in the hospital

24/7, 365 days a year,” says Dr. Wilson.

“One of the most recognizable advantages

is having someone in house when an

emergency presents.”

At the same time, patients appreciate

having an on-site Ob/Gyn who can quickly

discern when a woman does not need

emergency care or hospitalization so she

can return to the comfort of home.

Dr. Christine Case, an Ob-Gyn with

CoastalWomen’s Care, sees the new program

as an added layer of safety for patients.

“If they come in with an obstetrical

emergency, there will be a doctor at the

hospital ready to take care of them.”

Dr. Susie Wilson withone day old Merritt Beckaham.


N O R T H C H A R L E S TO N O N L I N E . C O M FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 2 1 9Special Section by Trident Health

Renovated Breast Care CenterFocuses on Patient Comfort

Extensive renovations of the Trident Breast Care

were completed in June, and patients are offering plenty

of compliments.

“They are just amazed at how good it looks,” says

Medical Imaging Director Jodi Barteet, who envisioned

and oversaw the expansion project. “It’s very private

and has a serene atmosphere. It’s very calming.”

The center is located on the Trident Medical Center

campus at 9313 Medical Plaza Drive in North Charleston.

The Trident Breast Care Center has grown by 75 percent,

from 5,000 to 8,800 square feet, and now has a second

waiting area that is for patients only.

Given the stress that many women feel when going for

a mammogram or a biopsy, the staff wants them to feel

as comfortable as possible. Barteet toured breast care

programs in other cities to gather ideas during the

planning process and also drew inspiration from the

modern day spa.

In addition to a color scheme of cream, light tan and

soft blue, the center soothes the senses through music,

aromatherapy and lighting. The private waiting area

includes a station with coffee, tea and hot chocolate.

Barteet had a chance to experience the impact of

those improvements from a patient’s perspective when

she underwent a biopsy at the newly renovated center.

“The atmosphere really did help calm me down while I

was there,” says Barteet, who received good news from

her results.

The Trident Breast Care Center has a dedicated staff

with board-certified mammography radiologists and

a breast navigator who helps guide a patient through

the next steps following a cancer diagnosis. “Our team is

extremely passionate about what they do,” Barteet says.

Plus, patients have the added assurance of being

treated at a center that specializes in breast health.

“We are very experienced, and that’s at every level of

the team,” says Dr. John McGue, the center’s lead

interpreting physician.

The Trident Breast Care Center is accredited by the

American College of Radiology (ACR). The center uses

only digital mammography, which provides more

clarity than analog mammography. In most cases,

patients receive same-day mammogram results.

To schedule an appointment, please call 843-847-4883.

In most cases, patients receivesame-day mammogram results.

The center offers the following

procedures:

3screening mammography

3diagnostic mammography

3breast and general ultrasound

3stereotactic biopsies

3ultrasound biopsies

3bone density testing

In addition to a color scheme...

the center soothes the senses

through music, aromatherapy

and lighting. The private waiting

area includes a station with

coffee, tea and hot chocolate.

2 0 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m2 0 FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 2 N O R T H C H A R L E S TO N O N L I N E . C O M Special Section by Trident Health

DIABETES, HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

OFTEN INTERRELATED, THEY POSE A HUGE THREAT TO THE

HEALTHOF AMERICANS TODAY. DR. JERRY BACK KNOWS THIS

FAR TOO WELL, GIVEN HIS SPECIAL TRAINING TO TREAT ALL

THREE CHRONIC DISEASES.

SpecialistHelps PatientsManage Diabetes

As the only board certified lipidologist and full time

hypertension specialist in the Charleston region, Dr. Back

brings a unique level of expertise, understanding and

specialty care to his patients.

His practice in Ladson – the Advanced Centers for Internal

Medicine – focuses on strategies for adult patients who are

grappling with a diagnosis in one or more of these areas.

“About 50 percent of the people that I see are referrals from

other doctors. That’s really an honor.”

A recognized expert in diabetes management, Dr. Back is a

leader in the Charleston area for the number of insulin pumps

he installs each year, and he is known for simplifying treatment

plans through their use. Because of the quick success his patients

typically enjoy in meeting blood sugar goals, his practice has

been held up at conferences as a national model to follow.

Dr. Back also works toward prevention, for example, offering

the PreDx Diabetes Risk Score, which measures biomarkers

in blood and scores the likelihood of someone developing

diabetes within five years. This helps patients reduce their risks

through lifestyle changes and possibly medication.

Likewise, Dr. Back believes that dying prematurely from

stroke and heart disease is entirely preventable. He is at

the forefront of those efforts as the only internist in the

Charleston area who is a board-certified specialist in

cholesterol management.

Dr. Back consistently receives top patient satisfaction

scores when compared with HCA Healthcare providers from

across the country. In the month of June, he was ranked No. 1.

That’s likely due to his successful results – and his emphasis on

personal care. “Not only do I enjoy the intellectual challenges

that go along with practicing medicine. I also find it to be a very

spiritual force on my life.”

Dr. Jerry Back is the only boardcertified lipidologist and full timehypertension specialist in theCharleston region.

n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 2 1N O R T H C H A R L E S TO N O N L I N E . C O M FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 2 2 1Special Section by Trident Health

SHE CALLED IT HER “WEEKEND HYSTERECTOMY.” IT’S SOMETHINGBRIDGETTE MANNING LAUGHS ABOUT NOW, BUT LAUGHTERWAS THE LAST THING ON HERMINDWHEN SHEWAS SUFFERINGFROM ENDOMETRIOSIS. WITH THREE BUSY YOUNG CHILDREN,BRIDGETTE COULDN’T CONSIDER TAKING AMONTH AND A HALFOFF FROM LIFE FOR A TRADITIONAL HYSTERECTOMY.

Robotic Surgery GivesPatients A New Option

In 2010, she was glad to learn from her gynecologist about a new

alternative available through Trident Health’s South Carolina Institute

for Robotic Surgery: minimally invasive hysterectomy.

“It was easier for me than having my wisdom teeth removed for

my braces,” says Bridgette. “I came out of surgery with just band aids,

and I was at home the next morning. With absolutely no pain, my

recovery was amazing.”

Likewise, Nancy Drago didn’t realize howmuch pain and discomfort

her gallbladder caused her until she had it removed. She didn’t realize

how simple her recovery would be until after the operation.

Nancy returned home within a few hours of her surgery at Trident

Medical Center, and within two days, she returned to her work as an

accounting manager for the Town of Mount Pleasant.

Her surgeon, Dr. Jeff Lafond, provided the expertise of 17 years

of operating experience and skilled support staff. He and Nancy

benefitted from the latest generation of robotics – the da Vinci

Single-Site (Si) HD Surgical System. With it, he removed her gallbladder

through a single incision, hidden at her belly button. “Now that it’s

healed up, you would never be able to tell I had surgery,” she reports.

“Not at all.”

In the four years since Trident Health launched its robotics

initiative, the Institute has performed over 2,100 procedures, more

than twice as many as any other hospital or health system in

the Lowcountry.

Trident is now an observation site for training surgeons from

throughout the US. Local surgeons have emerged as superstars in

their respective fields and the surgical team as a whole has earned

recognition for efficiency and superior outcomes.

Trident’s program started in 2008 with prostate surgery, and it

soon became clear how robotics would boost quality outcomes for

patients and redefine expectations for recovery. In the early years,

Trident Health incorporated robotics in kidney procedures and

gynecologic surgeries. Now, it also uses the technology for general

surgeries such as gallbladder removal, thoracic procedures and

esophageal repairs as well.

“We’ve taken full advantage of the new possibilities that da Vinci

surgery provides, and our program at the South Carolina Institute for

Robotic Surgery continues to grow,” says Trident Surgical Services

Director Donna Daws.

Bridgette Manning wasback at home just a dayafter her hysterectomy.

The da Vinci Surgical System combines superior 3D high definition

vision, patented EndoWrist instruments and Intuitive motion to allow

for unparalleled precision, visualization, dexterity and control.

The end result: a breakthrough in surgical capabilities that is changing

the experience of surgery. For the patient, that can mean less blood

loss, less pain and less scarring thanmore conventional methods.

Moreover, Trident Health continues to integrate new capabilities

offered through da Vinci. They were the first in the Lowcountry to

use Intuitive Firefly Technology, recently used by Dr. Ted Brisson

while removing part of a patient’s kidney. Luminescent dye helps

distinguish cancer from healthy tissue, which shows up neon green.

Through it all, Trident Health has shown its commitment to robotic

surgery by investing in training and equipment. The robotics team is

made up of 18 surgeons and now is on two campuses – TMC in North

Charleston and Summerville Medical Center (SMC), which acquired a

da Vinci Si HD Surgical System in September.

SMC Surgical Services Director Bill Jones says the new robotics team

in Summerville has benefited greatly from training at TMC. “We have

the resources of one of the best surgical robotics programs in the

country immediately available to us,” he says. “The future is here.”

2 2 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m2 2 FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 2 N O R T H C H A R L E S TO N O N L I N E . C O M Special Section by Trident Health

Trident Health has three EmergencyDepartments conveniently locatedthroughout the Tricounty.

IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF A STREAMLINED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, TALK WITH WILLIAM

PASSMORE, WHO COLLAPSED ONE MORNING THIS SPRING WITH THE CLASSIC SIGNS OF A STROKE.

Thanks to insightful communication

with first responders from the field, the

staff in the Emergency Department at

Trident Medical Center (TMC) got a

head start in preparing for a CT scan of

Passmore’s brain. That test confirmed that

he needed a clot-busting drug within three

hours of his stroke’s onset to be effective.

“That medicine and the quick response

of the people at the hospital and in the

ambulance saved me,” says Passmore.

“They are the reason I’m walking

and talking.”

It’s true that Trident’s Emergency

Department is constantly refining its

response to stroke to ensure that patients

receive the right treatment as quickly as

possible. The staff also prepares for cardiac

arrest, trauma cases, critically ill children

and countless other possibilities. “You have

to be prepared for anything,” says Preston

Wendell, MD, who led the response in

Passmore’s case and now serves as director

of the Summerville Medical Center (SMC)

Emergency Department.

In making sure they can best serve each

individual patient, the emergency staffs

also look at the bigger picture. Three years

ago, the emergency departments at TMC

and SMC introduced a fast-track system

to assess and treat less critical conditions.

Overall, patients are seen and receive

treatment faster. “We streamlined, and

we cut our wait times drastically,” says

David Mizzell, RN, director of the TMC

Emergency Department.

In fact, Trident Health updates digital

billboards with the real-time waits for their

emergency departments at TMC, SMC and

Moncks Corner Medical Center. “We’re not

afraid to put our times out there,” says

Mizzell, “and it shows we are always

challenging ourselves to do better.”

Trident Health has other statistics worth

talking about, too, for example, door-to-

balloon (D2B), time, which tells how long

it takes to unclog a heart attack patient’s

artery after the patient’s arrival at the

hospital. The average door-to-balloon

(D2B) time for Trident Health is 54 minutes

compared to the national standard of

90 minutes.

To that end, Trident Health has worked

with local EMS so that an EKG for a

suspected heart attack patient can be

transmitted from the field to the hospital

before the patient’s arrival. This helps with

early diagnosis and allows the cardiac

catheterization lab to be fully prepared.

For larger scale emergencies, Trident

Health helped bring e-Net Messenger to

the Lowcountry. This new communication

platform allows text and voice messages to

be sent simultaneously to multiple users in

the local emergency medical community,

which can save valuable time in crisis and

mass casualty situations.

“Every day, we look at areas we can

improve,” Mizzell says.

Seconds that Save Lives

N O R T H C H A R L E S TO N O N L I N E . C O M FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 2 2 3Special Section by Trident Health

MEDICAL HOME MAY BE A HEALTH CARE BUZZWORD, BUT THE STAFF AT TRIDENT FAMILY HEALTH HAS SOUGHT TO PROVIDE

SUCH A PLACE FOR ITS PATIENTS FOR MANY YEARS.

New Family Practice Focuses on Coordination of Care

Previously known as University Family Medicine, the practice sits

to the left of Trident Medical Center (TMC). It’s just a short walk from

the Emergency Department entrance, allowing convenient access to

all services on the hospital campus.

“Being on the Trident Medical Center campus and serving primary

care needs for people from newborn age to elderly – it’s a perfect

setup for the most comprehensive care you can think of,” says Dr.

Maria Gibson, Trident Family Health Medical Director.

Before Trident Health acquired it this spring, the National

Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized the practice as

a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home – the highest level possible.

As a result of the change in ownership, the practice must re-apply for

the recognition. Yet, Dr. Gibson says the shift provides patients with

better coordination of care and communication between primary

care physicians and specialists than before.

Trident Family Health’s history is rooted in an earlier partnership

between TMC and MUSC’s Family Medicine Residency Program,

and much of the setup remains the same. Each patient benefits

from medical care provided by a clinical team of nurses, family

medicine resident-physicians and MUSC faculty. Physicians see

patients in the practice’s family medicine center and follow

them to the hospital setting. Pregnant patients, for example, will

benefit from their primary care doctor being on hand for labor

and delivery.

Trident Family Health is also distinguished by the following:

3 A philosophy of partnership between the patient and

physicians with an evidence-based approach to care.

3 Walk-ins and scheduled weekday appointments as well as

24/7 telephone access to Trident Family Health doctors.

Appointments are often available within one hour of a

patient’s phone call.

3 Multiple physicians recognized as Best Doctors in America

and by the NCQA for care of patients with diabetes, stroke

and cardiovascular diseases.

3 A wide variety of other services that also includes women’s

health, cancer prevention and sports medicine.

3 Effective use of information technology to support the patient

and promote seamless communication among all providers.

3 Cultural and linguistically appropriate efforts, including

teams that can provide health care in Spanish as part of the

Salud Project.

3 The ability to serve patients of any age, which allows multiple

family members to see the same doctor. “We are honored to

serve as many as three generations from one family.”

-Dr. Gibson, Medical Director

Call 843-572-8277 to learn more or schedule an appointment

with Trident Family Health.

From left to right first row:Ashleigh Igbokwe-Hamliton, MD; MarcelinoYera-Paez, MD; SecondRowMaria Gibson,MD;Maribeth Porter, MD;Alex DeCastro, MD; ThirdRow John Freedy, MD, PhD;

Photograph by Dan Hale2 4 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m2 4 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m

C l e m S o n u n i v e r S i T y r e S T o r aT i o n i n S T i T u T emeet some of the resident and visiting scien-tists at cUri (from left): Paul mardikian, ryan schkoda, Johanna rivera, nestor Gonzalez (back, white shirt), nick rigas (front, in blue shirt), curtiss fox, Jim tuten and Dr. tom salem (far right).


What makes North Charleston such an economic dynamo? Why does all the

really big business news seem to emanate from here? Its network of deep-water

ports, rail, airports and highways? Its longtime role as a manufacturing center of the

Charleston region? These are all factors, but they’re not the real story. It’s the people.

The workforce. The big brains churning on complex processes. The ideas sparking

across the city, nearly every hour of every day.

Consider the aeronautics and manufacturing expertise at Boeing and its myriad

suppliers. The global business savvy of an outfit like The InterTech Group. The

secretive intelligence of the city’s growing cluster of defense contractors. Medicine,

education, science, manufacturing, innovation and leadership. We’ve got it all.

Here’s a look at some of the smarts behind the success.

b r a i n

2 6 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m Image by Renk Test Systems

i n n ovAt i o n & le A d e r s h i pNorth Charleston’s official motto is “A

great place to live, work or play.” Its unoffi-

cial motto might well be: “A great place to do

business.” Threads of independent think-

ing, risk-taking and quick decision-making

are woven into the fabric of the place. City

officials are known to move quickly and tap

into deep political and business connections

to solve problems and open up new opportu-

nities for businesses, to forge public-private

partnerships that foster creative thinking

and nurture innovation.

Organic results bubble up, creating clus-

ters of innovation in everything from renew-

able energy to neo-traditional development

efforts, defense software and cutting-edge

manufacturing. The city’s even home to the

Lowcountry Innovation Center, a workplace

that caters to “knowledge-based workers.”

Leadership comes not just from forward-

thinking municipal officials. The Charleston

Metro Chamber of Commerce is headquar-

tered in North Charleston, as is the Charles-

ton Regional Development Alliance. Such or-

ganizations not only help lure new business

and support start-ups but also regularly host

conferences, idea exchanges and high-level

meetings that focus on innovation.

Every year since 1974, dozens of the Low-

country’s movers and shakers have enrolled

in the Chamber’s 10-month Leadership

Charleston program. The course features

robust exploration and discussion of politi-

cal, social, and economic affairs, touching on

everything from schools and hospitals to the

port and military facilities.

The Chamber also recently hosted its

first Emerging Technology Exchange, which

focused on data mining. Fittingly, the event

was held on the campus of the Clemson Uni-

versity Restoration Institute, known as CURI.

Perhaps no operation in North Charleston,

or perhaps even the Lowcountry, embodies

the spirit of innovation quite like CURI. At

the growing campus on the old Navy base,

Clemson’s internationally flavored collection

of resident and visiting scientists simulta-

neously preserve the past while laying a

foundation for the region’s future.

This dovetailing of past and future is best

seen in the groundbreaking work being

done on two of CURI’s marquee projects:

the conservation of the Civil War submarine


H.L. Hunley and the installation of a nearly

$100 million wind-turbine testing facility.

The Warren Lasch Conversation Center

(located in the same building as CURI’s staff

offices) still houses the sub as it is prepared

for display at a planned museum in North

Charleston. The lessons learned through

the preservation of the centuries-old iron

hull led CURI conservators to develop new

processes that remove corrosion without

compromising artifacts underneath. Further

refined and scaled up, these advanced

engineering techniques may one day protect

cargo ships, steel bridges and, of course,

offshore wind turbines.

CURI’s main focus when it comes to wind

power doesn’t lie in the notoriously un-

friendly interaction of metal and saltwater.

Its scientists are also concerned with helping

green energy innovators around the world

figure out how to test and improve the ever-

bigger drivetrains needed to make this form

of renewable energy economically viable.

In 2009, Clemson was awarded a $45

million grant by the U.S. Department of

Energy to develop a unique testing facility

that would do just that. That start-up fund

was augmented by more than $50 million in

public and private funds.

Crews already have laid the concrete foun-

dation for CURI’s 7.5-megawatt test rig, which

is expected to be installed early in 2013. A

colossal, four-story, 15-megawatt rig will

follow soon after. Both testing rigs will live

in a massive, white building near the Lasch

Center. CURI’s property includes deep-water

access needed to receive giant turbine drive

trains from manufacturers around the globe.

Nick Rigas, senior scientist and director of

the wind-turbine drivetrain testing facility,

says the project represents the kind of in-

novation the state needs to attract and retain

world-class designers and engineers.

“Innovation boosts the economy and

drives work force development,” Rigas says.

“The drivetrain testing facility is designed

to meet industry’s future needs, and job cre-

ation requires a similar long-term view.”

Work also has begun on the Zucker Fam-

ily Graduate Education Center, which will

be used by cutting-edge industries to form

the public-private partnerships needed to

commercialize their innovations. The center,

which will be built next to the Lasch Center,

T u r B i n e T e S T r i gthis rendering shows the size of the 15-megawatt rig planned for clemson's test facility in north charleston.

r e S T o r aT i o nconservators at clemson restoration institute work on an 19-century frame and the civil war submarine h.l. hunley.

Photographs by Matt Winter (top) and Grace Beahm


got a kick-start in 2012 when the Zucker fam-

ily (see more on p. 30 ) gave $5 million to help

pay for the facility.

Clemson President James Barker said it

will become “the go-to place for innovation

in advanced materials, the environment and

sectors related to energy, power systems,

logistics and transportation.”

m A n u fAc t u r i n gUntil a few years ago, if you asked the aver-

age Lowcountry resident what kind of work

goes on in and around North Charleston,

they’d most likely mumble something vague

about manufacturing.

Of course, if you ask that question now,

you’ll most likely get an answer involving

just one company: Boeing.

North Charleston’s reputation as a manu-

facturing mecca is well-deserved, and it pre-

dates the arrival of the aeronautics giant. For

decades, North Charleston (incorporated and

otherwise) has served as the Lowcountry’s

industrial base. The city and its unincorpo-

rated edges are home to an array of manu-

facturing operations, along with the army of

managers, engineers and machinists needed

to keep such processes humming.

Consider Cummins Inc., which is expand-

ing its turbocharger manufacturing opera-

tion at the Palmetto Commercial Park on

Leeds Avenue. The company expects to add

dozens of positions to its stable of engineers

and mechanical and electrical technicians

over the next few years.

Look, also, to the Robert Bosch plant over

on Dorchester Road, with more than 1,500

workers churning out the latest in passenger

car diesel and gasoline fuel injectors, anti-lock

brakes and electronic stability controls.

These are just the well-known companies,

North Charleston’s manufacturing sector ex-

tends to petroleum products, specialty chemi-

cals, shipbuilding, metal fabrication, even

custom liquor manufacturing. Every one of

these companies requires not only skilled line

workers but also teams of highly educated

engineers and production managers.

Of course, you won't find processes any

more complex than at North Charleston's

new big boy on the manufacturing block.

“We don’t build toasters at Boeing,” says Jack

Jones, Boeing South Carolina vice president

and general manager, prompting laughs from

Photographs by Wade Spees

a recent trade conference audience. “It’s highly

sophisticated, technologically advanced.”

Lowcountry residents know generally

what the Boeing South Carolina vice presi-

dent and general manager was talking about,

but for the uninitiated, the 787 Dreamliner

is widely acknowledged to be the latest and

greatest in commercial aviation. And North

Charleston is one of two places where they

undergo final assembly and delivery.

Made of composite materials instead of

aluminum, the Dreamliner boasts 20 percent

better fuel efficiency, cabin comforts like big-

ger windows and higher humidity, and other

tech marvels like dramatically swept wings

and a flight deck dominated by screens and

software rather than switches.

So, as you might expect, there’s a lot of

brainpower and know-how among the

6,000-member jet-making tribe that is Boe-

ing South Carolina.

There are the fabricators who make parts

to tiny tolerances. There are the people who

operate the mandrels that spin the fuselage

mold around as the composite tape is pasted

on and the autoclaves that heat those huge

composite tubes to hardness. There are the

engineers who ensure the two- and three-

dimensional plans are being followed. There

are test-flight pilots who put each new jet

through its paces. There are the back-room

analysts who track the supply chain and bud-

gets, and lawyers who draw up contracts and

defend the company in court. And there’s

Jones and his senior management team

(which until recently included a multilingual

Ph.D. named Marco Cavazzoni) whose focus

is on upping the production rate and put-

ting finished planes in the hands of airline

customers.

They came to North Charleston from

Boeing’s nerve center in the Puget Sound

region of Washington state or from the space

program in Florida; from other aerospace

companies and from military backgrounds;

and, in many cases, from within 100 miles of

here and through a special training program

at Trident Technical College.

Asked during a recent trade conference if

he had any advice for students, Jones said

education is the ticket to joining the high-

tech bustle at Boeing South Carolina.

“Finish,” he said. “Get your degree and

pursue it.”


e n g i n e e r i n g a f u T u r eflight test engineers and other boeing employees look over a 787 Dreamliner at the north charleston plant.


b i g b u s i n e s sImagine you’re sitting in an airplane, ab-

sentmindedly staring at the pieces and parts

encapsulating you as you zip along at 550

mph, 32,000 feet off the ground. Ever wonder

how someone could possibly make that

oddly curved piece of cabin wall? Or what

kind of strange material they used to make

that hatch or floor panel?

Some of the answers can be found inside a

nondescript building not far from the cluster

of trendy restaurants along Park Circle’s East

Montague Avenue. In those offices resides

a global powerhouse of a company that, in

all likelihood, owns another company that

made that piece of the plane.

“We make parts on essentially every air-

craft made in North America,” says Jay Tie-

demann, executive vice president and chief

operating officer of The InterTech Group.

“Everything from doors and hatches to floor

panels to cabin wall installations to avionics

racks, exhaust systems.”

But that’s not all The InterTech Group

does. Not even close. While many companies

pay lip service to the term “diversified,” the

folks at InterTech live it every day.

“It’s not just products. It’s products and ser-

vices,” Tiedemann says. “We are a diverse hold-

ing company. We do everything from specialty

chemicals to sporting goods to clean room

products to location-based entertainment.”

What’s location-based entertainment?

How about local restaurants, the South Caro-

lina Stingrays hockey team and a local ice

skating arena?

“We own a number of ice arenas, not just

Carolina Ice Palace,” says Anita Zucker, Inter-

Tech CEO and one of the wealthiest people

in South Carolina. “We’re going to have 17

sheets of ice in Canada. So we’re really into

the ice business.”

Naturally, InterTech’s interests extend to

fire as well as ice. Their companies make

polymers and fibers highly resistant to heat

and fire. These materials are used in firefight-

ers' turnout gear and unspecified military

applications.

InterTech has employees all over the

world, and its local workforce includes the

high-tech crew at one of its local subsidiar-

ies, including TWL Precision Inc., a supplier

of turbocharger components for engine

giant Cummins. TWL recently acquired a

n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 3 1Photographs by Dan Hale

g l o B a l C o n g l o m e r aT eanita zucker, ceo of the intertech Group,

at the company's offices off east montague avenue in north charleston.

w e w i l l b e m A k i n g c o m p o s it e p i e c e s t h e r e , u t i li z-i n g m u lt i -Ac c e s s r o u t e r s to fo r m s h A p e s . w e ' ll b e u s i n g l A s e r i n s p e c t i o n stAt i o n s , Au to c l Av e s . t h i s i s n ot yo u r n o r m A l w r e n c h -t u r n i n g A s s e m -b ly k i n d o f o p e r At i o n .— Jay tiedemann, executive vice president and chief operating

officer of the intertech Group

75,000-square-foot building in a develop-

ment near Palmetto Commerce Parkway and

plans to increase its workforce to about 90

positions.

TigHitco, an InterTech aerospace subsid-

iary, recently announced plans to develop a

major manufacturing plant on a 25-acre site

within Palmetto Commerce Park and create

up to 350 jobs. The first of three phases of the

$30 million to $40 million factory is expect-

ed to open in 2013.

These expansions require highly skilled

workers and engineers, Tiedemann says.

“It’s not like making paper or screws, or

widgets. They’re very technical, very high-

performance products. They have to be

made to very tight tolerance level. We will

be making composite pieces there, utilizing

multi-access routers to form shapes. We’ll be

using laser inspection stations, autoclaves.

This is not your normal wrench-turning as-

sembly kind of operation.”

The brainpower of InterTech’s North

Charleston workforce doesn’t stop with

engineers. Managing a global conglomerate

is no simple task. It’s all done by the execu-

tives and managers in that building off East

Montague Avenue.

“We do a lot of work internationally,” Zuck-

er says. “We have to have complex financial

abilities within our company, and we have to

have an understanding of practices around

the world.”

Tiedemann says they focus not only on

serving their existing companies but also on

potential acquisitions.

“We provide legal services, tax services,

risk management, technical guidance. Fi-

nance. We are the bank for all of our compa-

nies. They don’t have to worry about where

they’ll get money to expand.

“This office is also responsible for all of our

acquisition due diligence. When we go to buy

another new business, the team comes out

of this building to assess that target entity,

ascertain whether it’s a business we want to

own, and what’s the maximum price we’d pay

for that business. What are the risks, what are

the rewards.”

Heart, as much as brains, defines The

InterTech Group’s role in North Charleston.

Anita Zucker and her late husband Jerry

Zucker, who founded the company, are

known for their philanthropy.

Millions of dollars have flowed to local

schools, nonprofits and fledgling enterprises

(including Clemson’s new research campus,

named in the Zucker family’s honor).

“We do a lot of manufacturing, but at the

same time we’re also very big supporters of

the community and very much believe in

sharing and giving back,” Anita Zucker says.

Education, in particular, is an area of par-

ticular interest for Zucker. North Charleston’s

K-12 schools must sharpen their focus on

science, technology, engineering and math

(areas known in education jargon as STEM),

she says.

“STEM is something we have to really get

kids excited about when they’re little, and

expand that process and develop teachers

who can teach it effectively, and get our kids

to want to go into more of the high-tech jobs.

“… Are we satisfied with the workforce

we’re getting? I’d say yes we are right now.

But for the future, there’s work to be done.”

m i litA ry m i g h tEverybody loves the C-17s. The giant,

globe-trotting aircraft have become Low-

country icons and symbols of North Charles-

ton’s proud military history.

Keeping Charleston Air Force Base’s 437th

Airlift Wing in fighting shape requires mas-

sive intellectual firepower, honed by endless

training.

But North Charleston’s military might

extends beyond the Air Force base’s gates.

The city supports a low-profile cluster of high-

tech, high-dollar military contractors populat-

ed by a brainy mix of ex-military types, savvy

businesspeople and software engineers.

3 2 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m Photographs by Grace Beahm (top) and Wade Spees

Many companies are connected in some

way to the production or outfitting of the

MRAPs — mine-resistant, ambush-protected

vehicles — that are flown oversees in the

belly of the locally based C-17s.

In fact, two of the region’s largest defense

businesses will share an estimated $698 mil-

lion contract to engineer, install and support

vehicle communications electronics in North

Charleston over the next few years.

The locally based Space and Naval War-

fare Systems Center Atlantic, or SPAWAR,

recently picked BAE Systems and Scientific

Applications International Corp. for the

work.

t h e fe d sNorth Charleston is home to a number

of federal operations, some of which may

seem obscure but actually serve vital func-

tions.

One such outfit is the U.S. Department

of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service, which operates out of a

quiet office suite off Goer Drive.

Scientists there work with U.S. Customs

and Border Protection officers in Charles-

ton to hunt down the bad bugs of the world

and stop them from entering the United

States. The interception of insects is serious

business, and it takes place daily in Charles-

ton, mostly because of ships from across

the globe that call on the port. They check

out shipping containers, inspect military

aircraft, airport baggage, cruise ships and

other pathways for the unwanted travelers.

The objectives are both economical and

environmental: The yearly impact of inva-

sive species and weeds in the U.S., including

control and prevention, is $134 billion.

The South Atlantic Fisheries Management

Council also calls North Charleston home.

This small but regionally important agency,

one of eight such councils across the nation,

operates out of offices near Leeds Avenue.

SAFMC scientists labor to keep tabs on fish

populations and fishing efforts off North

Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east-

ern Florida.

SAFMC staffers have, in recent years,

found themselves embroiled in heated con-

troversy over strict federal fisheries laws.

Meetings held in North Charleston have been

known to draw angry snapper fishermen up

from Florida and feisty environmental lobby-

ists down from Washington, D.C.

m r a Pa worker installs electronic equipment on a mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle on the former navy base.

g u a r d i n g a g a i n S T i n va d e r SJohn weaver, a UsDa entomologist, uses a high-powered microscope to identify an insect at the north charleston facility.

n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m 3 3

R62-831588

g e t t i n g s m A rt e rOne of South Carolina’s biggest colleges

resides in North Charleston. With about 17,000

students, Trident Technical College dwarfs

the College of Charleston and the Medical

University of South Carolina and lags Clemson

University by only a few thousand students.

With a staff of more than 300 (including 57

PhD.s), the college offers university transfer

associate degrees and applied technical asso-

ciate degrees, diplomas and certificates. The

curriculum includes programs in agriculture,

business, computer technology, engineering

technology, health sciences and more.

The school has adapted with the chang-

ing needs of students and dynamics of the

Charleston region. The college’s culinary

program, for example, filled the void when a

celebrated culinary college left Charleston.

When Boeing decided to build its plant in

North Charleston, the college developed an

aeronautics studies program.

The college isn’t just making its students

smarter. The institution plays an important

role in workforce and economic develop-

ment, regularly hosting trade and technology

conferences, academic and robotics contests,

and sustainability symposiums.

North Charleston also boasts the distinc-

tion of being one of the few cities in the

state to include more than one institution of

higher learning. Charleston Southern Univer-

sity ranks as one of South Carolina’s largest

accredited, independent universities, enroll-

ing 3,300 students. Affiliated with the South

Carolina Baptist Convention, the university

awards bachelor’s degrees in 61 majors and

master’s degrees in business, criminal jus-

tice, education and nursing.

Over the years, these colleges have helped

countless young people launch careers and

given hard-working adults the opportunity to

become smarter, better employees. n

Matt Winter, Brendan Kearney and Teresa

Taylor contributed to this report.

S T u d e n T B o d ywith a student body of more than 17,000, trident technical college ranks as one of the largest colleges in the state.

Photograph by Wade Spees

3 4 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m Photographs by Matt Winter

north charleston’s new fireboat is harD to miss. biG, beefy anD fire-enGine reD, this 32-footer bristles with water cannons (also calleD monitors), raDar, infrareD cameras anD all the latest maritime rescUe eqUiPment.

The fireboat, named after retired Fire

Chief W. Frank New, serves as an on-the-

water firefighting resource, rescue boat and

dive platform. When the fireboat began ser-

vice in July, it was the first of its kind for the

Lowcountry, though by late summer similar

boats were on the way for the Charleston,

Mount Pleasant and St. John’s fire depart-

ments. The Lowcountry’s new fleet of

fireboats comes courtesy of a federal port

security grant and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The city's 12-person fireboat crew is made

up of firefighters and police officers (six and

six) who continue to undergo almost daily

training on how to operate the boat and its

many pieces of rescue, firefighting and navi-

gation equipment.

Metal Craft Marine in Kingston, Ontario,

built the fireboat. The vessel's jet drive

configuration is powered by dual Cum-

mins diesel engines, each rated at 480

horsepower, which were manufactured

at Cummins Turbo Technologies in North

Charleston. The boat weighs in at about

19,500 pounds, yet it drafts only about two

feet of water. It can hit 43 knots (about 50

mph), and since it’s steered by jet drives,

can stop on a dime.

w o r K i n g

Big & bad fireboatnew boAtAtA A first for lowcountry

B Y M at t W i n t e r

“They call it a crash stop,” says Assistant

Chief of Fleet Maintenance Leon Coker.

“We’ve done it. It’s one of the training evolu-

tions. You go from 43 knots down to essen-

tially nothing, then the boat starts moving

backwards.

“The way this thing maneuvers is unbe-

lievable. The pivot point’s the center of the

boat. You can literally walk this boat off the

pier, sideways, without touching anything,

turn the boat on axis, and back it right back

on the pier without ever leaving that point.”

The fireboat can pump more than 2,000

gallons of water per minute through four

water monitors mounted on the roof, bow

and two on the aft deck. It can fight boat fires

in open water or be positioned near land to

run lines to waterfront building fires or feed

water to a nearby fire engine. When the wa-

S m o k e o n T h e w aT e rthe city's new fireboat, named after retired fire chief w. frank new, employs a jet drive configuration powered by dual cummins diesel engines, each rated at 480 horsepower. when fighting a fire, the crew engages one engine to power water pumps feeding four water cannons (monitors), leaving the other to power the jet drive.

ter cannons are engaged, one diesel engine

powers water pumps while the other engine

continues to power the boat's jet drives.

The boat is equipped with superbright

lights, a 500-pound electronic davit and an

infrared camera.

“We can see people in the water, we can

see the hot spots on a boat that’s on fire,

things like that,” Coker says. The cabin is

equipped with VHF, radar integrated with

GPS and displays for the infrared camera.

Though the boat began service July 4, by

late summer it had already begun earning

its stripes, including responding to numer-

ous on-the-water injuries, boats run aground

and people in the water. “They’re averaging

at least a call per day if not two or three calls

per day,” Coker says.

The fireboat even fought a towboat fire on

the Stono River, on both water and land.

The fireboat crew “knocked it down with

the two front nozzles, then they ended up

stretching an inch-and-three-quarter line

off back nozzle and let James Island finish

mopping up and putting out the hot spots,”

Coker said. “They stretched hose from this

boat, tied up at the pier, up onto land to finish

putting the fire out.” N

s e e t h e fi r e b oAt i n Ac t i o nFor video of a fireboat demonstration, go

to youtube.com/northcharlestonsc.


mUch love to laUrel stenDer. the north charleston resiDent anD GraPhic artist recently caPtUreD toP Prize in the national rUnway to win DesiGn challenGe issUeD by barack obama’s 2012 PresiDential camPaiGn. her solD-oUt DesiGn, featUreD besiDe the likes of marc Jacobs, sean John anD beyonce, showeD off mUltihUeD lines that Ultimately sPelleD “obama.”

here, the savannah colleGe of art anD DesiGn (scaD) stUDent reveals her creative Process to north charleston maGazine, as well as her style anD lifestyle.

To whaT do you aTTriBuTe your moST reCenT SuCCeSSeS?

I have to give a lot of credit to SCAD. Going

back to school has lit a fire under me. It’s like

when you start an exercise regime and you

start running, and you hit that point where you

get your stride, and you realize you’re capable

Laurel StendergrAphic Artist

Q+AB Y r o b y o u n g

of accomplishing a lot more than you thought

you could.

Can you give uS a window inTo your winning deSign?

I found a really great typeface at Lost Type

Co-op, which is a donation-based typography

site. I was immediately struck by how cool it

was, and I was thinking how to layer it with

colors and show the process of building.

how would you deSCriBe your deSign STyle?

I like it clean and simple. But not everyone

wants clean and simple. Sometimes it’s grungy

or something different that the client needs.

3 6 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m Photograph by Dan Hale

did you See you anyone wearing your T-ShirT during TeleviSion Coverage of The demoCraTiC naTional ConvenTion?

I watched the president’s speech, and I was

watching to see someone in it. But I see people

in my T-shirts regularly because I’ve been

working here so long. Usually, if I walk the (Coo-

per River) bridge on Saturday, I see at least one

of my T-shirts. It’s still kind of fun, because you

can say, "I did that."

you’re alSo a guiTariST. doeS Playing helP CreaTiviTy?

All art is really problem-solving. It’s com-

municating effectively to other people, to

provide a mood, a feeling, a tone. Music is just

a different expression of that. I used to write

and have my own band and stuff. It was the

Laurel Stender Band, but please don’t Google

that (laughs).

iS There a ProBlem you’re Trying To Solve every day? iS iT ThemaTiC?

Some of it is conceptual. You’re trying to con-

vey something to a customer about a product.

Some of it is official. You’re trying to make sure

this piece is balanced or that this is the right

font. It’s a lot more left brain than people think.

how muCh diSCiPline iS involved in deSigning?

I think it’s a lot like writing. People think that

a lightning bolt comes out of the sky and you’re

hit with inspiration. But it requires practicing

and fighting through those moments when

you don’t have a good idea. It’s sitting up at

night and making yourself sketch. I try to push

through the obvious ideas, and discover what’s

unique. You have deadlines, and you have

to get used to pushing through and working

through that process.

whaT’S your day JoB?I design T-shirts (for the Hanahan-based

company, Image Branding Group). I mainly

work with churches and nonprofits. It’s for a

new brand that a coworker and I launched

called Our Shirts Don’t Suck. That’s probably 95

percent of what I do at work. About four or five

times a year we travel to a pastor’s convention

and network and talk to people. I love getting

away from my desk for a little while.

Being from CharleSTon, how have you Seen norTh CharleSTon Change, PerhaPS from an arT-

iST'S PerSPeCTive?I like to say that I live in the Park Circle area,

but I really live parallel to Remount Road.

There are railroad tracks between my house

and Park Circle, and I would definitely be

considered on the wrong side of those railroad

tracks (laughs). But I hang out a lot in Park

Circle and I’ve definitely noticed that the art-

ists’ community in that area has really grown.

They have Maker’s Market at Mixson and arts

walks down on East Montague, and I’ve been to

a number of those.

favoriTe PlaCeS around norTh CharleSTon?

I love Madra Rua. It’s my favorite place ever.

I spend a lot of time working at the Starbucks

on Rivers. I’ve been to DIG to watch games. I

love EVO. I walk around Park Circle a lot for

exercise. I just love the area.

how muCh of your own BeliefS Play inTo your work, your de-Sign? for inSTanCe, Could you have done The Same work for anoTher CandidaTe wiTh oPPoS-ing PoliTiCal viewS?

Everybody has their political beliefs, and I

volunteered for his campaign in ’08. When it

comes to politics, I don’t think I would have

designed something for someone else.

how elSe are you involved So-Cially?

I’m involved with an organization called

Talenthouse, and I just did a design for a water

charity, an organization that brings wells to

impoverished places. Clean water is something

that is near and dear to my heart. I want to do

some pro bono projects for people like that if

I can.

regarding The ConTeST and Cam-Paign, you Said The following: "ThiS kind of uniTy iS The only way we Can reBuild whaT iS loST and exPerienCe The fuTure we all dream of." whaT fuTure do you dream of?

A place where we’re all working for

common good instead of concentrating on

hostility and what divides us. A place where

we can work on building things instead of

tearing them down or criticizing. I hope that’s

the dawn of things to come in our country. I

think we’re tired of the name calling and being

held back by the past. N

WhereCharleston

getsengaged

Barry’sJewelers

“Diamonds are what we know best”

7650 Northwoods Blvd.(843) 569-3400 R61-840348


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viSiTorS To norTh CharleSTon won’T ever run ouT of ThingS To See and PlaCeS To go. the city’s attractions rUn the GamUt from a civil war sUbmarine to a toP-notch Golf coUrse anD a wilDly PoPUlar water Park. not enoUGh? heaD over to the coliseUm for worlD-class concerts — north charleston is where the biG names come to Play.

Attractionsin north chArleston

norTh CharleSTon ColiSeum and Performing arTS CenTer

5001 coliseUm DriveNorth Charleston’s premier event destina-

tion attracts top-name concerts, sporting

extravaganzas, skating events and hockey

games. The Coliseum is home to the South

Carolina Stingrays, three-time defending Kelly

Cup Champions. As part of the ECHL, the

Stingrays were founded in 1994 and have daz-

zled crowds with awesome displays of skating

and stick-handling prowess ever since.

The 3,000-seat North Charleston Per-

B i g g e r an d B eTTe rsouth carolina stingrays' Pierre-luc o'brien fights for position amid Greenville road warriors in a 2012 game at the north charleston coliseum.

R55-833426

P l a Y i n g



forming Arts Center was added to the

coliseum-convention center complex in

1999. The city recently completed a massive

renovation of the coliseum, which included

new luxury suites, high-tech scoreboard

and 7,400-square foot addition called the

Montague Terrace. For show times and more

information, go to coliseumpac.com.

wannamaker CounTy Park8888 University blvD.

Wannamaker Park offers visitors the

chance to explore more than 1,000 acres

of beautiful woodlands and wetlands and, in

the summer months, enjoy a wildly

popular water park. Amenities include miles

of paved trails, picnic sites with grills, two

playgrounds, an off-leash dog park, a park

center with snack bar and restrooms, a sand

volleyball court and horseshoe pits. Wan-

namaker also is home to Whirlin’ Waters

Adventure Waterpark, a seasonal attraction

that features slides, kiddie pools and wave

pools. For park fees and hours, which vary by

season, visit ccprc.com.

Civil war SuBmarine hunley1250 sUPPly st.

The wreck of the Civil War submarine Hun-

ley was lifted from the Atlantic Ocean floor

in 2000. The storied vessel had rested there

since 1863, when it sank with its crew of eight

men soon after participating in what is widely

referred to as the first sinking of a naval vessel

by a submarine. Now, this unique piece of his-

tory is preserved in North Charleston at the

Warren Lasch Conservation Center.

Hunley tours are available every Saturday

from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon

to 5 p.m. The last tour begins at 4:40 p.m.

Tours are not available on weekdays — that’s

when scientists continue their preservation

work on the Hunley.

Tickets are $12 and can be bought onsite

or by calling 877-448-6539 or at etix.com.

Children under 5 are admitted free. For more

information, go to hunley.org.

fire muSeum4975 centre Pointe Drive

The North Charleston and American

LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Cen-

ter is next to the Tanger Outlet Mall, about 2

miles from Charleston International Airport.

This museum houses the largest collection of

professionally restored American LaFrance

firefighting equipment in the country. The

26,000-square-foot museum opened in 2007

and houses 18 fire trucks and priceless one-

of-a-kind firefighting artifacts.

Admission is $6; children 12 and under

get in free when accompanied by an adult.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday

through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. For

more information, go to legacyofheroes.org.

riverfronT ParkolD navy base mcmillan avenUe to hobson avenUe

The rejuvenation of the former Navy

base and nearby Olde Village and Park

Circle neighborhoods represents one of the

most sweeping changes to the city of North

Charleston in recent years. The development

of Riverfront Park has been a key aspect of

this revitalization. The park is open to the

public year-round and has become a favorite

destination for residents and visitors. Set

on the banks of the Cooper River, the park

features a large boardwalk, fishing sites, char-

coal grills, a covered pavilion and dozens of

picnic tables next to a modern playground.

Public park hours are daylight to dark un-

less otherwise scheduled. For more informa-

tion, go to northcharleston.org.

The golf CluB aT weSCoTT PlanTaTion

5000 wescott clUb DriveNorth Charleston’s premier golf facility

was developed with the richest traditions of

Lowcountry golf in mind. The 27-hole course,

designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan, captures

traditional flavor through low-flowing earth-

works, classic bunkering and native vegeta-

tion. The course also offers five tees per hole

for all levels of golfers.

Wescott’s antebellum-style clubhouse can

accommodate up to 300 guests and ranks as

one of the Lowcountry’s top event venues.

The golf course is open daily 7 a.m. to

6 p.m. during winter months and 7 a.m.

to 7 p.m. during summer months. Greens

fees start at $31. For more information, go to

wescottgolf.com.

CiTy arT gallery5001 coliseUm Drive

The North Charleston City Gallery features

two-dimensional works by international, na-

tional and local artists in a variety of subjects

and media. Exhibits are rotated on a monthly

basis and may feature two or more artists

each month. Visitors can purchase prints,

note cards, jewelry and gift items made by

local artists. The gallery is in the common

areas of the Charleston Area Convention

Center and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

diSC golfPark circle

The Park Circle Disc Golf course is located

on the outer eight islands of the historic site

and runs around the entire perimeter of

“The Circle.” While technically nine holes,

the course can be played in two directions,

offering a true 18-hole experience. Golfers

can play a round or two and then retire to the

“19th hole” at any of East Montague Avenue’s

many restaurants and bars. Open play is

Monday to Sunday, daylight-dark. If interested

in playing doubles, meet at the No. 1 tee, Tues-

days at 5 p.m., for play beginning at 6 p.m. n

r i v e r f r o n T v i S i T o r Sa group of otters swim down the cooper river near north charleston's riverfront Park.


hungry? Then Belly uP To The Bar or graB a TaBle. north charles-ton’s Got everythinG yoU neeD, from fast fooD to trenDy restaU-rants. Got another listinG yoU’D like to see in oUr next eDition? senD an e-mail to [email protected].

Diningin north chArleston

anna Bell’S10 storehoUse row, 843-554-5333Situated in the Navy Yard at Noisette, Anna

Bell’s is cut from familiar cloth. The same folks

behind the Locklear’s restaurants in Folly

Beach and Mount Pleasant own the breakfast

and lunch bistro. Anna Bell’s accordingly

sticks to the tried-and-true, serving comfort

food in cozy environs. One could make a

pretty good meal just from the appetizers.

For your consideration: fried green tomatoes

with dill shallot mayo, tasty corn fritters and

baskets of hush puppies and corn bread with

honey butter. Other options include home-

made meatloaf, fried fish, buttermilk fried

chicken and oven-roasted pork loin dressed

in red-eye gravy.

The BarBeCue JoinT1083-a east montaGUe ave., 843-747-4567The Barbeque Joint keeps it simple over at

Park Circle, from its six wooden picnic tables

decked out with checkerboard tablecloths

to a chalkboard menu and one wall made of

corrugated steel sheet metal. The menu sticks

to the same, unfussy as can be, with barbecue,

chicken or a combo platter. The pulled pork

tastes dense and meaty, benefiting from the

three sauces available, vinegar, red and gold.

Mac and cheese, baked beans, red rice and

potato salad help spike the platters, along

with cool, crisp coleslaw and collard greens

touched up with smoky pieces of sausage.

Specials change up daily, and don’t forget

breakfast. The Joint serves up Southern-style

breakfasts to a cadre of loyal locals.

Big Billy’S Burger JoinT5070 international blvD., 843-747-4949 At first blush, it’s an odd perch. But there it

is: a Bahamian-influenced burger joint in a

retail center with Quizno’s, La Hacienda and

o uTr ag eo u S ly g o o dPulled pork, slow-cooked ribs, southern fixin's … if you have a hankering for some true comfort food, check out Jim ’n nick’s bar-b-q on centre Point Drive, by tanger outlets. a staff favorite!

Starbucks. At Big Billy’s, burgers made from

hormone- and antibiotic-free beef are topped

with lettuce, tomatoes and onions that were

raised in the state and cushioned by pillowy

buns from the Normandy Farm Artisan Bak-

ery. Plus, the mustard, ketchup, garlic mayo

and chipotle mayo are made in-house.

Cork neighBorhood BiSTro1067 east montaGUe ave., 843-225-2675Cork comes courtesy of proprietor Tradd

Ashley Gibbs, a third-generation North

Charlestonian. He chose the bistro’s name to

recognize the sustainability of cork materi-

als, appropriate considering the restaurant’s

usage of refurbished or repurposed fixtures.

On whole, the exposed beams, raised ceiling

and chandeliers create a stylish backdrop.

A seasonal menu occasionally fixes on lo-

cal items, such as oyster mushrooms from

Mepkin Abbey, but also stretches to include

PEI mussels, North Atlantic wild salmon

and beef from the Painted Hills Ranch in

Wheeler County, Ore. An additional pair of

winners: the Croque Monsieur sandwich,

rich with gruyére cheese, black forest ham

and smooth béchamel sauce; and the roast-

ed pork loin sandwich, smeared with double

cream brie, a sweet onion marmalade and

grain mustard.

dig in The Park1049 e. montaGUe ave., 843-225-5201The name for this new restaurant in the Olde

Village indicates it’s one of the sister restau-

Photograph by Matt Winter

n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 4 1Photograph by Matt Winter

rants of the successful Daniel Island Grille.

The menu mirrors that of its namesake, with

appetizers, sandwiches, salads and wraps

named for athletes, stadiums, coaches and

clubs. Clever descriptions, including the

prophetic “Tom Brady no ring this year” onion

rings, make for entertaining reading. The

sports bar ethos is expressed in wings, dips,

chips, nachos and poppers. Daily specials

allow the kitchen staff to express its creativity

and trick out basics such as meatloaf, grilled

chicken and pasta.

doe’S PiTa5134 n. rhett ave., 843-745-0026Doe’s Pita is an enigma stuffed into a single-

family house on North Rhett Avenue. Two ladies

use a variety of slowcookers and other house-

hold kitchen gear to produce very tasty salads,

soups and sandwiches perfect for a picnic or

lunch at the office. Grab a quick bite at a tiny

table indoors, or picnic at the tables in the front

yard. The baba ganoush alone is worth a stop.

evo1075 e. montaGUe ave., 843-225-1796If you had an “Extra Virgin Oven” (“EVO”) pizza

in the early days, it was from the only place

you could get it: the trailer-based wood oven

that owners Ricky Hacker and Matt McIntosh

set up at farmers markets and street corners.

Now they have a slick, bright restaurant

producing the same crisp, well-dressed pies.

Ingredients are obsessively sourced locally,

and fresh and bright flavors are the results,

whether pizza, salad, soup or panini. The EVO

crew just opened an adjoining bakery, too,

which serves up hand-crafted pastries, sand-

wiches and, of course, plenty of bread.

gennaro’S iTalian riSToranTe8500 Dorchester roaD, 843-760-9875This is old-school American Italian at its best.

The decor hasn’t changed much in the 28

years Gennaro’s has been open, and the menu

hasn’t either. Think red sauce and meatballs,

veal and eggplant Parmesan, iceberg lettuce

salads and spumoni, and you’ve got a timeless

recipe for an Italian restaurant. A few newer

items are miniature “gourmet pizzas,” steak

and fish dishes and New York style pizza, but

the piccatas and marsalas and Bolognese are

all there, too. Prices are relatively gentle, and

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g r i d d le g r e aTJohnny’s old village Grill on Park circle's east montague avenue has been sizzling up flat-top burgers for decades. scrumptious, classic and simple, cheeseburgers don't get much better than this.

4 2 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m Photograph by Matt Winter

the traditional dishes satisfy thoroughly. Get

a glass of the house red, a bowl of red sauce

spaghetti, and let the evening unfold.

gringo’S freSh SouThweST3032 w. montaGUe ave., 843-718-2225 Gringo’s, a self-styled “Kinda sorta Mexican-

ish” place, dishes up a familiar bill of tacos,

overstuffed burritos, quesadillas, fajitas,

nachos and taco salads inside crispy tortilla

shells. The restaurant fills up tortillas with

your choice of chicken, steak, ground beef

and tofu, along with rice and beans. These are

generously sized portions, straight up Ameri-

canized or “Gringo-ized” tacos and burritos.

Jim ’n niCk’S Bar-B-Q4964 centre Point Drive, 843-747-3800Jim ’N Nick’s bills itself as a Southern kitchen,

blessing diners with such down-home

provisions as pulled pork barbecue, hickory-

smoked beef brisket, spare ribs and those

teeny-weeny, oh-so-cute and oh-so-addictive

cheese muffins. The restaurant has managed

to pull off a rare double feat, inspiring loyal

devotees and critical praise. The restaurant

cleaves to the ole grilling mantra of “low

’n’ slow,” cooking its pork shoulders for 20

hours. The result: fine, tender, smoky bites,

served as a sandwich or as a meal with a pair

of sides.

Johnny’S old village grill1042 e. montaGUe ave., 843-747-1841It's been said by more than a few burger aficio-

nados that Johnny’s has got the best the best

patties in the Lowcountry. Only lunch, only

weekdays, Johnny churns out sloppy, drippy,

crunchy masterpieces from a well-used

flattop. It’s all booths for seating, and you

are sure to see someone you know from the

neighborhood every time. They serve vari-

ous other sandwiches, wedge-cut fries and

even beer and liquor. Be sure to ask for extra

napkins early — it’s too hard to ask with your

mouth stuffed with bite after bite of a massive

“Johnny Burger."

madra rua1034 east montaGUe ave., 843-554-2522Much respect is given to Madra Rua, a pub

faithful to its Irish pedigree. The carefully

designed bar and restaurant features dark

wooden furniture, low ceilings, several al-

coves and, naturally, Guinness on tap. Patrons

take seats at the bar or settle into snug booths

to look over a menu containing selections of

Irish extract. The pub serves such traditional

Gaelic fare as shepherd’s pie, corned beef and

cabbage, and fisherman’s pie, a dish of white

fish and shrimp set with mashed potatoes,

cheese and a creamy sauce.

manny’S mediTerranean Cafe 3032 w. montaGUe ave. 843-789-4350Manny’s Mediterranean Cafe focuses on pita

sandwiches, hand-tossed pizzas, authentic

Greek specialties and platters and, of course,

gyros. Long the restaurant’s top seller, Man-

ny’s roasts its gyro meat in a tall, vertical spit,

carving out the strips for inclusion on pita

bread, along with lettuce, tomatoes, onions

and tzatziki sauce.

marie’S diner5646 rivers ave., 843-554-1250At first glance it may seem like most other

hole-in-the-wall “meat-n-three” restaurants,

but, trust me, this is a good thing. Order your

meat and sides, and the wait staff will pile

up your plate from the buffet line. Can’t

decide on one meat? Too many sides to

choose from? No problem. Marie’s is all you

can eat! Finished with your fried chicken?

Order up some pork chops! Polish off your

mac-n-cheese before the green beans? Just

hop up and get some more! Wash it all down

with sweet tea, loosen your belt a notch, and

consider a nap instead of heading back to

work.

markeT STreeT Saloon7690 northwooDs blvD., 843-576-4116How do you prefer your barbecue? Smoked

over hickory? Splashed with vinegar sauce?

The Market Street Saloon Smokehouse and

Grill serves up its ‘cue with a side of show-

manship. The restaurant’s staff performs a

number of choreographed, boot-stompin’

dances each evening to complement the

joint’s blue-ribbon barbecue, beef brisket,

burgers and wings.

mikaSa room aT TridenT TeCh 7000 rivers ave., 843-820-5097If you’re feeling a little down in the wallet

but crave a fine-dining experience, Trident

Technical College culinary students can help.

These students run a full food-service opera-

tion on campus in a sophisticated new facility,

and the public can dine most weekdays of the

fall school semester. The two teaching kitch-

ens are visible from the dining room, and the

menus reflect students’ willingness to please.

Mikasa opens and closes with the ebb and

flow of college semesters, so call ahead before

making the trip.

The noiSy oySTer7842 rivers ave., 843-824-1000One of several Lowcountry locations, The

Noisy Oyster is a place that has the look and

feel of a beachy seafood shack, no matter

how far it is from saltwater. Thatched roofs

and surfboards adorn the ceilings, tropical

ceiling fans spin lazily, and fishing imagery is

everywhere. The menu is, of course, mostly

about seafood and is served up in myriad

ways. Coconut shrimp, calamari, grilled tuna,

whole fried flounder, shrimp and grits, and

d i g i TDiG in the Park

serves up great sports bar fare, in-

cluding wings, dips, chips, nachos and poppers. but look

out for specials such as meatloaf, grilled chicken and pasta.

Photograph by Bruce Smith/AP (top) and Gareth Fuller/AP n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 4 3

the favorite steam pot are but a few options.

Family-friendly, The Noisy Oyster offers food

and fun for everyone.

Park Pizza Co.1028 e. montaGUe ave., 843-225-7275Evo gets a lot of press for pizza in Park Circle,

but Park Pizza has made it to its first anniver-

sary in the neighborhood making mighty fine

pizza, too, plus calzones, sandwiches and sal-

ads. The shop is tiny, and in summer heats up

with the red-hot ovens running full-blast. But

there is sidewalk seating, a take-out option …

and Park Pizza delivers, too.

Pho #1 h&l aSian markeT 5300-1 rivers ave., 843-745-9623A restaurant inside a grocery store, Pho #1

serves pho: Big bowls of tasty broth packed

with noodles, meats and veggies. They only

take cash, so be sure to have some on hand,

and order as you begin your shopping. While

the noodles heat, peruse the wide array of

Asian produce, seafood and staple items. By

the time you’re done, your noodles will be

waiting for you. Eat in the dining area or have

it packed up to go; either way, by the time

you’ve squeezed your limes and topped the

bowl with Thai basil and chilis, you’ll know

why you see so many Asian folks eating here.

SeSame BurgerS and BeerS4726 sPrUill ave., 843-554-4903For burger devotees, Sesame holds uncom-

mon appeal. The restaurant builds everything

from scratch, including its half-pound, house-

ground burgers along with salad dressings,

pickles and, yup, the condiments, too. Choose

from the Italian burger, capped with fresh ba-

sil and bleu cheese; the Park Circle with sharp

cheddar cheese, coleslaw, barbecue sauce

and tomato; the South Carolina, slathered

in homemade pimiento cheese; or even the

Memphis, an Elvis-aided creation made with

homemade peanut butter, bacon and banana

slices. Of course, other selections deserve

mentioning, such as the buttermilk fried

chicken sandwich and char-grilled corn on

the cob. Ditto for the beer, a strong collection

of 60-plus varieties.

TePPanyaki grill 5900 rivers ave., 843-746-9882Teppanyaki describes a Japanese style of

cooking that uses a steel-top grill to prepare

food. But in North Charleston, they aren’t just

grilling. They’re frying and fricasseeing, stew-

ing and steaming, smothering and covering,

simmering and searing. The Teppanyaki Grill

and Supreme Buffet lives up to its promise,

cranking out a mountain of cuisine: sushi and

deviled eggs, macaroni and cheese and egg

drop soup, stuffed crabs and lo mein, Peking-

style spare ribs and pizza. The sheer expanse

is remarkable, counting upward of 200 items,

including the cook-to-order hibachi service.

weSCoTT Bar & grill5000 wescott clUb Drive, 843-871-2135The 27-hole Golf Club at Wescott Plantation

provides an easy introduction to the Wescott

Bar and Grill, a well-appointed gathering spot

on the course grounds. A spacious clubhouse

houses the bar/restaurant, along with meeting

spaces and a pro shop. The menu is limited

but chocked with favorites: burgers, wings,

chicken fingers, quesadillas, pizza and grilled

flatbread sandwiches. Order the “Eagle,” an

appropriately titled half-pound Angus burger,

which is cooked to temperature, outfitted

with your choice of toppings and served on

a ciabatta bun. No worries, either. It’s a public

course, so everyone’s welcome. n

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4 4 f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m Photographs by Marie Rodriguez (top left) and City of North Charleston

riChard Cleaver doeSn’T need hiS SignaTure SuiT To reveal hiS alTer ego. his bearD is fUll anD snowy, his blUe eyes have a tell-tale sParkle, anD he wears GolD wire-rim Glasses for effect.

"It’s not a fly-by-night type of thing,” he

explains. “I’ve been doing Santa Claus for the

past 23 years.”

Remarkable physical likeness aside,

there’s an air about Cleaver that makes it

obvious that he’s devoted to this holiday

pastime. During his two plus decades as the

jolly guy from the North Pole, Cleaver begins

Spirit of Santa


l o o k fa m i l i a r ?richard cleaver has been serving the city as santa for years.

visiting with kids in mid-November and, in

the past, finished up at three or four in the

morning on Christmas Day, often cramming

multiple gigs into one day. During the North

Charleston Christmas Festival alone, Cleaver

listens to wishes and takes pictures with

1,200 kids over the course of 48 hours. The

sessions with Santa were so popular, they

added another day this year.

“If you have love in your heart, it’s

not hard,” says Cleaver, whose Southern

residence is in Goose Creek, although he’s

worked as the North Charleston St. Nick for

“many years.” What he does find difficult,

however, are the parents who foist their

scared or bawling children on him for the


R72-836240

sake of a snapshot.

“You get a few criers, but I try not to make

them cry,” he explains. “And I try not to force

them up to get pictures. There’s no sense

in putting them through that. Just to get a

picture?”

Instead, Santa Cleaver might get down on

the child’s level to try to calm her down. At

day care centers, for instance, he’ll play with

the kids who are excited about his visit and,

sure enough, the criers will calm down and

join in on the fun.

“The only training I’ve had is I’ve got 17

grandchildren,” Cleaver says. When his

grandchildren were small, they’d “work”

alongside him, dressed as elves. But they

didn’t necessarily grasp how seriously their

Santa took his job. Cleaver tells of a Christ-

mas Eve when he and the grandkids were out

delivering gifts, and some children up the

street tried to flag him down.

“One of my elves looked at me and asked,

‘Are we scheduled to go up there, Grandpa?’ I

said, ‘That’s Santa to you.’”

And off they went for a quick visit. The

kids anticipating his arrival had just driven

in from Baltimore, and had spent the car ride

fretting that Santa might not know how to

find them, given that they weren’t spending

the night tucked in their own beds.

“The impromptu things are sometimes the

best,” Cleaver says, although he also enjoys

the mainstay events, like riding atop the fire

truck during the parade and eating breakfast

with the kids.

“The first time we did breakfast with

Santa, we had 15 families,” he explains of the

North Charleston tradition where he dines

with tots, occasionally stealing some of

their eggs for fun. “Now, we’re chockablock

for two hours.”

In the past, when his whiskers were still

“black, red and yellow,” the folks at Olde Vil-

lage Barber Shop on East Montague Avenue

would powder his beard throughout the sea-

son. Now, the maintenance is less about color

and more about shaping and fluffing. Cleaver

has also pared down his seasonal assign-

ments, sticking with the North Charleston

festival and a few others, which ensures he

can spend Christmas Eve with his family and

neighbors “as a civilian.”

On Christmas Day, Cleaver and his wife

hitch up the old sleigh and head to the beach

to relax. After the hustle and bustle of the

holidays, this Lowcountry Santa enjoys some

quiet time. n

SPeCial evenTS

Village Antiques and Collectibles: Oct.

27-28, Dec. 8-9 at the Felix Davis Community

Center in Park Circle. For updates on addi-

tion show dates, go to northcharleston.org.

Mosaics: Oct. 30 at The Meeting Place,

1077 East Montague Ave. Learn the process of

designing and creating a mosaic on an 8” x 8”

square. northcharleston.org

Tribute to Veterans: Nov. 10 at the North

Charleston Performing Arts Center, with the

North Charleston Pops! northcharleston

coliseumpac.com.

Hand Printing on Fabric: Nov. 27 at The

Meeting Place, 1077 East Montague Ave.,

with Ink Meets Paper’s Allison Nadeau.

northcharleston.org

Winter Wonderland: Nov. 28-30, 10

a.m.-noon, Armory Park, 5000 Lackawanna

Blvd. Free, kids can meet Santa and enjoy

holiday activities, including arts and crafts.

northcharleston.org

Breakfast with Santa: Dec. 1, 8 a.m.-10

a.m., Felix C. Davis Community Center, 4800

Park Circle. A big meal with the big guy is $4.

Tickets must be purchased in advance by

calling 745-1028 or stopping by the commu-

nity center. northcharleston.org

Christmas Festival & Parade: Dec. 1, 4

p.m.-9 p.m. in Park Circle. Carriage rides, kids

activities, parade and Christmas tree lighting

at 6 p.m. northcharleston.org

Charleston Boat Show: Jan. 25-27. at

the Charleston Area Convention Center.

coliseumpac.com or thecharleston

boatshow.com

Aesthetic Elements of Art: Jan. 29 at The

Meeting Place, 1077 East Montague Ave., with

norTh CharleSTon haS iT all. visitors anD resiDents can choose from concerts anD sPortinG events at the coliseUm, holiDay festivals, leaGUe sPorts anD even local theater anD inDePenDent film viewinG. to sUbmit an event for the next eDition, email [email protected].

Eventsin north chArleston

4 6 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m

Karole Turner Campbell. northcharleston.org

Charcoal art: Feb. 26 at The Meeting Place,

1077 East Montague Ave., with Lori Starnes

Isom. northcharleston.org

eduCTion, arTS & CulTureTeen Art Workshops: Weekly throughout

the fall at the Meeting Place, 1077 E. Montague

Ave. Teens ages 13-18 will receive help from lo-

cal artist Latasha Hollins on the development

of their artistic skills. northcharleston.org

Ghost walk: Oct. 27 at the The Meeting

Place, 1077 East Montague Ave. Spooky tales

and creepy legends appropriate for all ages.

northcharleston.org

Open Studio Workshop: Oct. 30 at The

Meeting Place, 1077 East Montague Ave.

Workshop featuring Mosaics with Steve

Lepre. 843-740-5854

Disney on Ice presents Worlds of

Fantasy: Nov. 8-11 at the North Charleston

Coliseum. northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com

Comedian Brian Regan: Nov. 18 at the

North Charleston Performing Arts Center.

northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com

WEZL’s Evening with the Stars: Nov. 27 at

the North Charleston Performing Arts Center.

A night of music featuring singer, songwrit-

ers Rodney Atkins, Darius Rucker and Josh

Turner. northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com

Mannheim Steamroller: Dec. 1 at the

North Charleston Performing Arts Center. Fa-

vorite Christmas music of Mannheim Steam-

roller along with state-of-the-art multimedia

effects in an intimate setting. northcharles-

toncoliseumpac.com

A Lowcountry Christmas: Dec. 8 at the

North Charleston Performing Arts Center. Fea-

turing Larnelle Harris and the North Charles-

ton Pops! northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com

Jim Brickman: Dec. 9 at the North

Charleston Performing Arts Center. Ameri-

can songwriter and pianist. northcharleston

coliseumpac.com

Daryl Hall & John Oates: Dec. 12 at the

North Charleston Performing Arts Center.

Daryl Hall and John Oates touring at the 40th

anniversary of their first album, "Whole Oats."


Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nut-

cracker: Dec. 23 at the North Charleston

Performing Arts Center. northcharleston

coliseumpac.com

Blue Man Group: Jan. 11 at the North

Charleston Performing Arts Center. Theatri-

cal show and concert combining comedy,

music, and technology to produce a totally

unique form of entertainment. north

charlestoncoliseumpac.com

Music of Stage and Screen: Jan. 19

at the North Charleston Performing Arts

Center, with the North Charleston Pops!


SPorTS and fiTneSSCSU football home games: Sept. 8 v.

Jacksonville, Oct. 13 v. VMI, Oct. 20 v. Pres-

byterian Oct. 27 v. Edward Waters; Nov. 10 v.

Gardner-Webb. charlestonsouthern.edu

S.C. Stingrays hockey home games: Oct.

13 v. Gladiators; Oct. 20-21 v. Reign; Oct. 30 v.

Solar Bears, Nov. 2 v. Jackals, Nov. 3 v. Solar

Bears, Nov. 16-17 v. Everblades, Nov. 18 v.

Gladiators, Nov. 30 v. Royals, Dec. 1 v. Gladi-

ators, Dec. 7-8 v. Titans, Dec. 11 v. Road War-

riors, Dec. 15 v. Gladiators, Dec. 29 v. Nailers,

Jan. 6 v. Everblades, Jan. 15 v. Gladiators, Jan.

18 v. Road Warriors, Jan. 19-20 v. Everblades,

Jan. 25 v. Steelheads, Jan. 26-27 v. Solar Bears,

Feb. 8 v. IceMen, Feb. 9 v. Walleye, Feb. 13 v.

Everblades, Feb. 22-23 v. Road Warriors, Feb.

26 v. Gladiators, March 1-2 v. Komets, March

8-10 v. Road Warriors, March 22 v. Gladiators.

stingrayshockey.com n

n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 4 7n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n o n l i n e . c o m f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 2 4 7

Photographs by Alan Hawes (top) and Tyrone Walker 4 8 s P r i n g / s u m m e r 2 0 1 0 n o r t h c h a r l e s t o n m a g . c o m

R50-831613

North Charleston 2012 Fall Magazine

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