Mortgage Broker in James Island, SC

When you load up the car with gas and press play on a new playlist, you're likely on your way to some outdoor excursion or small-town adventure. But here in South Carolina, our restaurants are good enough to warrant a day trip. That's why we're recommending a visit to Lost Isle in Johns Island, even if it means a few hours of driving time.

Just outside of Charleston, Johns Island is 84 square miles of land characterized by rivers, marshes, and abundant wildlife. Lost Isle blends seamlessly into this landscape, offering its visitors a hyperlocal Lowcountry experience.

Lost Isle is among the region's newest restaurants, and it's already made a name for itself after making The Restaurant List in The New York Times. It's tucked away behind a little white house. You'll follow a canopy of flora to a backyard garden, where you'll be seated under a beautiful canvas canopy complete with chandeliers. This outside-only dining space is perfect for a cozy meal under the stars, with the added benefit of seeing your food cooked just a few feet away.

Lost Isle is a "fire-to-table" restaurant, and local, seasonal ingredients are prepared over an open fire. Lead chef Josh Taylor grew up in Northern Georgia and incorporates familiar Lowcountry staples into his menu. And yet, it's the globally-inspired flavors that really make the plates shine.

The menu is divided into small plates, shareable sides, and mains, giving you a chance to share a handful of dishes with your group. Be sure to start off your meal with the whipped ricotta, served with charred tomato, herb oil, chili honey, and focaccia. Other popular orders include the curry braised collards and rire-roasted Georgia clams. The Harissa cauliflower steak is also highly recommended.

No matter what you order, be sure to pair your meal with something from the bar. There's an impressive list of house cocktails as well as beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Lost Isle on Johns Island? What were some of your favorite menu items? We'd love to learn all about your experiences there! For more information, including menus and hours, be sure to check out the Lost Isle Johns Island website. Lost Isle does not currently accept reservations, and they recommend arriving either early or late to secure a table. The restaurant is located at 3338 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC 29455.

Need a place to stay while you're exploring the area? Check out these unique vacation rentals in Johns Island, South Carolina.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The Mark Clark Extension Project has sparked conversation and debate among the Lowcountry for years, but an area less discussed in the plan would take away land from a county park.

The proposed extension on Interstate 526 would destroy 46.72 acres of the James Island County Park, including areas residents and visitors use. It would leave approximately 600 acres of the park would remain.

The Mark Clark Extension project would construct around 9.5 miles of new roadway starting from West Ashley through Johns and James Islands.

A large part of the I-526 project funding is dependent on the approval of a half-cent sales tax referendum that voters will see on the ballot next month.

If passed, the extension would take away James Island County Park’s current climbing wall, challenge, disc golf and archery courses, park headquarters building, public access to a creek, parts of the group camping area and over three acres of park wetlands.

“The James Island County Park is one of the gems of James Island,” Coastal Conservation League Communities and Transportation Project Manager Emma Berry says. “Those things will still be available with the construction of 526, but they will still be impacted. When you’re thinking about putting a four-lane interstate through part of the county park, even on the outskirts, we’re still going to have noise pollution and air pollution from that.”

Charleston Parks Director of Planning and Development Patty Newshutz says the recreation areas that would be taken away would simply be moved or replaced, except for the headquarters office and wetlands.

“We’ve known that there’s going to be some right-of-way acquisition since the inception and building of this original park; so we kind of stayed clear of that area and didn’t put any real major things into it,” Newshutz says. “We feel like the park will still look and feel the same. We’ve requested a very wide vegetative buffer between our remaining park land and the roadway. I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of visual impact.”

On top of the park’s land, the Mark Clark Extension Project would remove almost 40 acres of wetlands throughout Charleston County.

Residents would be taxed a half-cent sales tax for 25 years or until $5.4 billion is reached to be used towards road projects and improvements in the county with the top priority project being the extension of the Mark Clark Expressway.

“The viewshed is going to be impacted, and the things that are in that area of the county park are going to have to either move or just disappear completely,” Berry says. “In essence, it would be shrinking this amazing amount of green space that we have.”

Charleston County Council Vice Chairman Jenny Honeycutt says when discussing the James Island County Park losing land, it comes down to three important things: not having to relocate anyone by using the property, using a buffer area and connectivity.

“This is in the buffer area. This is not part of the park property that the public actually uses,” Honeycutt says. “So this part of the property, while it is part of the park, is really just the buffer, and it’s not going to impact park operations as much as I think people may think it will.”

The West Ashley Greenway, which would be a multi-use path for people to access, would also go through the park.

“One of the things that we feel is a benefit to us is that they will improve bicycle and pedestrian access for us,” Newshutz says. “There’s going to be all that included along the roadway, and then there’s going to be improvements that ripple down to our park.”

Despite varying opinions on the project, Charleston County residents will be voting on the half-cent sales tax referendum on Nov. 5.

Click here to read the ordinance and the ballot question.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Get your quarters ready. Aldi is opening its newest Lowcountry store Oct. 2.

The discount grocery chain, which requires a 25-cent deposit for shopping carts, will replace a former Bi-Lo supermarket at 865 Folly Road on James Island.

Customers can get a sneak peek of the store Oct. 2 and shop the complete store for their favorite items. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held the next morning at 9 a.m., 30 minutes before the store opens.

The first 100 customers on Oct. 3 will receive a Golden Ticket that could be worth up to $100 and a free bag of Aldi products. Throughout the day, Aldi employees will also be giving away tote bags.

Business

Founded by the Albrecht family in Germany in 1961, Aldi now operates 2,356 locations in the U.S. as of February, including stores in North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Goose Creek and two in Summerville. The company, headquartered in Illinois, plans to add 800 more shops by 2028.

Krysta Cearley, divisional vice president, told The Post and Courier earlier this summer the goal was to open the Folly Road location by the end of the year.

“Bottom line, we look for convenient locations for our customers that can support high traffic volume daily,” she said.

Aldi has leased 22,000 square feet — a little more than half of the 40,000 square feet the Bi-Lo previously occupied, according to Mark Hoffman, director of development for New Jersey-based Garden Communities, which has owned the 4.5-acre retail center since 1994.

Closing time

PizzaVola Express on James Island announced on Facebook it will close its doors Sept. 29. But the storefront at 1041 Folly Road won't stay empty for long.

Kevin Ray, the restaurant's general manager and head chef, will be opening Ray's Pizza in its place Oct. 1.

Two more area restaurants have also closed recently, including The Fillin' Station Diner, which shared on Facebook Sept. 17 "with a heavy heart" it would shutter its Hollywood eatery.

Colectivo at 2901 Maybank Highway also announced its closing on social media.

"Maintaining the quality of food and service that you deserve has become unsustainable for our staff and families," the post said. "We are incredibly grateful for the support you have shown us over the past year."

Back in business

The North Charleston Walmart Supercenter is the latest in the chain's Lowcountry locations to get a makeover.

The store at 4920 Centre Pointe Drive at Tanger Outlets, which received a fresh coat of paint inside and out, has updated floors throughout, an upgraded bakery and deli areas, a new dollar section, a "Grab & Go" at the front with lunch and deli items and expanded online, pickup and delivery services.

Walmart also added more manned registers, digital menu boards and expanded self-checkout options.

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“This remodel is not only an investment in the store but also in our customers and city,” Kyle Lovely, store manager, said.

At the ribbon cutting, Lovely presented $10,000 in grant money to local nonprofits, including $2,500 each to the City of North Charleston, My Sister's House, MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital and the South Carolina chapter of Honor and Remember.

Like the previously renovated Walmart Supercenters on James Island and in Moncks Corner, the Tanger store now has a mural reflecting the local community. Charleston artist Sang Oh painted the image.

News

Face it

A skincare clinic has entered the Charleston market and chosen to put down roots at The Morrison Yard building on the peninsula.

Skin Pharm Charleston is a modern beauty brand that offers aesthetic skin care clinics and medical-grade skin care lines. The Charleston clinic is its 10th location, with others in Nashville, Charlotte, Atlanta, Dallas and other Texas cities. It's open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm. weekdays only, and patients can book appointments online.

Business

Suit up

Global custom apparel company Indochino has added five new showrooms to its portfolio, including one in Charleston.

The Holy City outpost is open at 206 King St., joining other locations in Texas, New York, Utah and California.

Indochino offers custom suits, shirts and casual wear, with each showroom tailored to the style of the local community.

"Each location represents a unique opportunity to connect with the community they serve, offering local customers a perfect fit, and process to build a one-of-a-kind suit, shirt, and more — whether preparing for a special occasion or simply wanting to elevate their everyday wardrobe," CEO Drew Green, said in written statement.

Business

Far-flung lease

The owners of the Mexican restaurant Azul Cantina worked with a local real estate firm to help launch a new location — but not in the Lowcountry.

North Charleston-based Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented Azul Cantina Inc. in the lease of 4,680 square feet of retail space more than 1,000 miles away in Sterling, Ill., the self-proclaimed "Hardware Capital of the World."

Azul Cantina owns and operates more than 35 restaurants in the U.S., including local establishments: Azul Park Circle, Azul James Island and Azul Summerville.

Two ballot questions up for vote in next week’s election have Charleston County residents split, with notable advocacy groups and community leaders loudly proclaiming their opposition.

Charleston County is seeking to extend a half-penny sales tax previously passed in 2016 to generate $5.4 billion to pay for large-scale infrastructure projects — including the extension of Interstate 526 across Johns Island. Almost half of all funds raised through the half-cent tax (about $2.3 billion) would go toward the interstate project, including more than $600 million to pay interest costs on a tax-backed loan worth $1.8 billion.

At an Oct. 15 Charleston County Council meeting, dozens of residents and local advocates spoke for roughly an hour during a special public comment period. Those who spoke against the sales tax pointed to its unclear language, the unfinished projects from the 2016 tax and grievances with the Mark Clark extension project as reasons to vote against the measure.“The county has already failed to pursue all but one of the projects from the previous sales tax,” one speaker said.

The new tax would also pay for millions of dollars of work that was supposed to be covered by the 2016 referendum. About 5% of the new tax’s revenue, or $282,223,000, would go toward “carryover projects” from the 2016 sales tax.

“Once more, we’re back where we started again,” another said. “It’s time to start from scratch.”Meanwhile, groups like Citizens for Safe Roads, a grassroots movement, support the referendum.

In its “Vote Yes” campaign, the group said: “The transportation sales tax potential distributions include billions for road improvements across Charleston County necessary to improve the safety of dangerous intersections; reduce response times for EMS, fire, police; improve hurricane evacuation routes; and reduce traffic injuries and fatalities.”

Altogether, the funds raised by the sales tax would be allocated to:

Opponents say lumping the massive Mark Clark extension project with other, crucial improvements is unfair to voters.

“Charleston County voters deserve to make informed choices when they head to the polls. They should not be forced into an all-or-nothing decision,” Coastal Conservation League Executive Director Faith Rivers James said in a statement. “Voters deserve the right to vote for preferred needed improvements — like Greenbelt and CARTA funds — without being forced to support the destructive and unnecessary Mark Clark extension as the priority project.”

Republican County Council member Larry Kobrovsky of Sullivan’s Island added that there’s no guarantee all of the projects funded by the new sales tax would be built, either, adding to the uncertainty of the measure.

“My fear is that we will jeopardize ongoing projects from the [2016] sales tax,” he told the Charleston City Paper in a previous report. “By lumping it all, we’re holding hostage all these other projects to 526.

“When people vote on this, they think the projects will be built,” he said. “This is just a fantasy. … There’s no guarantee we will have the money to finish these projects. How can we in good faith put out something that we don’t have the money for? To me, that wouldn’t be ethical or fair.”

A second question on the ballot would approve the issuance of up to $1 billion in bonds to the county payable from the new sales tax. If passed, the new sales tax would be active starting in 2027 and remain in place for no more than 25 years, or until a matching total of $5.4 billion in returning revenue has been collected.

Know your candidates before you head to the polls

Election Day may look a little different this year. Up to 140,000 Charleston County voters are expected to have voted before Nov. 5, according to county election officials, which will make it much smoother at the polls for same-day voters, projected to be about 80,000 people.Here is a list of all candidates in contested races who will be on Charleston Countyballots to help readers prepare to check the box when they arrive at their polling locations.

District 1 — Nancy Mace (Republican, incumbent); Michael B. Moore (Democrat)

District 6 — Duke Buckner (Republican); James Clyburn (Democrat, incumbent); Gregg Marcel Dixon (United Citizens); Joseph Oddo (Alliance); Michael Simpson (Libertarian)

District 20 — Kendal Ludden (Libertarian); Ed Sutton (Democrat, incumbent)

District 41 — Rita Adkins (Democrat); Matt Leber (Republican)

District 43 — Chip Campsen (Republican); Julie Cofer Hussey (Democrat)

District 44 — Brian Adams (Republican, incumbent); Vicky Wynn (Democrat)

District 15 — J.A. Moore (Democrat, incumbent); Carlton Walker (Republican)

District 80 — Kathy Landing (Republican, incumbent); Donna Brown Newton (Democrat)

District 110 — Tom Hartnett (Republican, incumbent); John Moffett (Democrat)

District 111 — Wendell G. Gilliard (Democrat, incumbent); Joe Jernigan (Libertarian)

District 112 — Peter Brennan (Democrat); Joe Bustos (Republican, incumbent)

District 114 — Gary Brewer (Republican, incumbent); Adrienne Lett (Democrat)

District 115 — J. Warren Sloane (Republican); Spencer Wetmore (Democrat, incumbent)

District 116 — Charlie Murray (Democrat); James Teeple (Republican)

District 119 — Brendan R. Magee (Republican); Leon Stavrinakis (Democrat, incumbent)

District 3 — Hayden W. Seignious (Republican); Rob Wehrman (Democrat, incumbent)

District 7 — Brantley Moody (Republican, incumbent); Sydney Van Bulck (Democrat)

9th Circuit Solicitor — David Osborne (Democrat); Scarlett A. Wilson (Republican, incumbent)

Sheriff — Kristin R. Graziano (Democrat, incumbent); Carl Ritchie (Republican)

Coroner — Frank Broccolo (Democrat); Bobbi Jo O’Neal (Republican, incumbent)

Treasurer — Mary Tinkler (Democrat, incumbent); Mike Van Horn Sr. (Republican)

District 2 — Carolina D. Jewett; Ed Kelley (incumbent)

District 4 — Kevin D. Hollinshead; Craig Logan

District 6 — Daron Lee Calhoun II (incumbent); Michele Leber; Samuel Whatley II

District 8 — Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson (incumbent); Michelle Faust; Charles Glover Sr.

District 1, St. James Santee — Thomas Legrant Colleton Jr.; Chayann Lashay Simpson; Marie Snyder-Facine

District 3, James Island — Sue McManus; George Tempel

District 4, Cooper River Area 3 — Lala B. Fyall; Jametta L. King

District 4, Cooper River at Large — Michael Garnett; Jametta L. King

District 9, St. Johns — Bill Antonucci; Pat Cline; Gertie S. Ford; Cedric I. Solomon

District 10, St. Andrews — Francis Marion Beylotte III; Joy Brown; Piare A. Powell

District 20, Peninsula — Downing Child; F.X. Clasby

District 23, St. Pauls — Blanche Bowens; Marvin Lamar Bowens; Tiffany Deas-Smalls; Elijah Hammer Dent; Damian M. Jones; Richmond Truesdale

The Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections is reminding voters to double-check their polling locations ahead of the 2024 general election next week,as some locations in the county have moved.

Of the locations that have moved, one is in McClellanville, six are in Mount Pleasant, three are in North Charleston, one is in West Ashley and one is in Hollywood.

Charleston County residents can check their polling location and make sure their voter registration is up to date online at chsvotes.gov.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 5.

It’s not too late to vote early, but time is running out.

Voters can cast an early ballot at seven locations through Saturday. Early voting is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Polling locations:

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